(CNN) Panic over needles found in strawberries in Australia has provoked fury from politicians and fears for the country's multi-million dollar fruit industry.

 At least 100 reported cases of needles in fruit have been reported across the country, though many are thought to be "hoaxes or copycat events," according to the government.

 Concern that local farmers will suffer as a result of the needle scare as consumers turn away from the popular fruit has prompted a viral, grassroots social media campaign urging Australians to #SmashAStrawb to support local growers.

 "Smash" is an Australianism which means to eat or drink something enthusiastically or quickly.

 "Western Australians, get behind our local industry. Slice them in half and #SmashAStrawb to help out our local growers today," Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan said on his official Twitter.

 Western Australians, get behind our local industry. Slice them in half and #SmashAStrawb to help out our local growers today. 🍓 pic.twitter.com/KMoHeTKPpJ — Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) September 18, 2018

 Following the needle controversy, the Australian government has announced tougher penalties for food tampering, increasing the maximum prison term from 10 to 15 years.

 By comparison , knowingly possessing child pornography and indecent assault both carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years in the state of Victoria, Australia's most densely populated state.

 "It's not a joke, it's not funny, you're putting the livelihoods of hard-working Australians at risk and you're scaring children. You're a coward and you're a grub and if you do that sort of thing in this country we will come after you," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Wednesday.

 Empty shelves, normally stocked with strawberry punnets, are seen at a Coles Supermarket in Brisbane on September 14.

 Metal detectors used on exports

 Sewing needles and pins have been found in strawberries in all six Australian states, in at least six different brands. There are also isolated cases of metal found in a banana, and a needle found in an apple.

 From Wednesday, all international exports of fresh strawberries will be scanned by metal detectors or x-ray machines , the Australian Department of Agriculture announced, as part of a range of measures to restore confidence.

 "Visual inspection alone is not an acceptable measure," the statement said.

 Supermarkets across Australia removed large numbers of strawberries from their shelves in response to the scare but the effect has also been felt internationally.

 Australia exports strawberries to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the UAE, among others. One big retailer in New Zealand has already withdrawn Australian strawberries from sale

 Some buyers in Russia and the UK have also blocked Australian imports, said Jennifer Rowlings from Queensland Strawberry, according to local media.

 #BREAKING

 EXCLUSIVE @7NewsSydney @7NewsBrisbane@NSWPolice is investigating the discovery of a needle inserted into an apple in Sydney's north-west.

 More to come. pic.twitter.com/fHDtrzX3Lu — Robert Ovadia 👀 (@RobertOvadia) September 18, 2018

 Dozens of Australian politicians and social media users joined in the #SmashAStrawb, posting images of themselves eating strawberries, cutting them up or even providing their favorite strawberry-based recipes.

 Among the recipes flooding social media was a politician's secret family recipe for strawberry jam, a range of milkshakes and smoothies as well as many cakes and slices.

 "Cut 'em up. Don't cut 'em out," a campaign by the Nationals political party said on their social media.

 Strict prison terms

 Despite the public support, representatives for the Australian strawberry industry told CNN they were concerned about the impact on the country's farmers.

 In Queensland alone, there are 150 different strawberry growers who produce up to 15,000 tonnes of the fruit a season. In total, the state's strawberry industry is estimated to be worth up to $160 million.

 Speaking to CNN, a representative from Strawberries Australia in New South Wales said the crisis was a "catastrophe for Queensland farmers," who are producing the majority of the country's fruit.

 To warn off any further food tampering, Prime Minister Morrison announced on Wednesday the penalty for food tampering would be increased, while also promising additional funding for food inspectors.

 .@ScottMorrisonMP on strawberry tampering crisis: We will create a new offence that deals with the issue of recklessness.

 MORE: https://t.co/xJEP5oJ5yE #newsday pic.twitter.com/EXyeSrTvlr — Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 19, 2018

 "We'll put these deterrents in place but we need to encourage calm ... Just go back to buying strawberries like you used to and take precautions as you should," he said.

 Law enforcement has been quick to react to the health scare. According to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, a team of 100 police in her state have been tasked with finding the culprits.

 In addition, both the West Australian and Queensland governments said it was offering a $100,000 reward for information which leads to the arrest of those contaminating strawberries.

 But it was Prime Minister Morrison who had practical advice for Australians across the country. "Make a pavlova this weekend and put strawberries on it," Morrison said Wednesday. ||||| Australia plans to increase the maximum jail term to 15 years for anyone convicted of food tampering, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday, as a scare over needles found in strawberries and other fruits gripped the country.

 Police are investigating more than 100 reports of needles found in fruit. Needles, first found in strawberries produced by one supplier in the northern state of Queensland, are now turning up around the country.

 On Tuesday, police in New South Wales said they were investigating incidents involving an apple and a banana.

 Nobody has sustained serious injury yet, and a senior Australian minister said many of the cases would turn out to be hoaxes.

 But with demand plunging, strawberry farmers have been forced to dump produce, casting a shadow over an industry worth A$160 million (£121 m).

 Responding to the scare, Morrison said his government would seek to increase the maximum jail term to 15 years from 10 years for anyone convicted of tampering with food.

 The government will also move to criminalise hoax claims before parliament rises for a two-week holiday on Thursday, Morrison said.

 "It's not funny, putting the livelihoods of hard-working Australians at risk, and you are scaring children. And you are a coward and a grub," the prime minister told reporters in Canberra. "If you do that sort of thing in this country we will come after you and we will throw the book at you." ||||| Western Australians, get behind our local industry. Slice them in half and # SmashAStrawb to help out our local growers today. pic.twitter.com/KMoHeTKPpJ |||||

 Jackie Dunham, CTVNews.ca

 A young boy has been arrested in New South Wales, Australia after he admitted to inserting sewing needles in strawberries as police continue to investigate at least 20 other instances of food tampering across the state in a crisis that has rocked the country’s agriculture sector.

 Last week, the first reports of needles hidden inside of strawberries emerged in New South Wales. According to the NSW Police Force, the contaminated fruit came from Queensland and affected three brands – “Berry Obsession,” “Berry Licious,” and “Donnybrook” – which were then distributed across the country. The brands have since been recalled by Queensland Health.

 There have been dozens of other reports of tampered fruit across Australia over the last week, but many of those are believed to be hoaxes.

 During a press briefing on Wednesday, NSW police Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith told reporters that the young boy said he put the needles in the berries as a “prank.” He said the boy would be “dealt with under the youth cautioning system.”

 The acting assistant commissioner said police still believe the other cases of needles found in strawberries are the work of copycats and pranksters. He said there is a AUD$100,000 (CAD$93,943) reward in New South Wales for information leading to the prosecution of any individual responsible for tampering a food source.

 On Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced, during a press conference in Canberra, that his government would be introducing tougher penalties for those found guilty of deliberately contaminating food or producing hoaxes or fake posts online about tampered food.

 The prime minister is seeking to increase the maximum prison time from 10 to 15 years for food contamination offenders. Those who engage in hoaxes on the topic could face up to 10 years in prison.

 “Some idiot for his reasons, or her reasons, has engaged in an act of sabotage it would seem,” he said. “We can’t put up with it. The authorities are pursuing this matter with full vigour.”

 Morrison encouraged shoppers to continue to support Australian farmers and purchase strawberries. He advised residents to cut into their fruit before biting into it as an extra precaution.

 NSW police said they have received reports of contamination of other types of fruit, including a banana and an apple, but they said they are being treated as isolated incidents.

 There have been no reports of any injuries connected to the reports of needles in fruit.

Summary: – Australia's "Smash a Strawberry" campaign can be easily misinterpreted if one isn't up to date on Australian slang. Here, "smash" refers to devouring a strawberry, rather than turning it into mush. Some might prefer to do the latter, however, after at least 100 reported cases of needles found in fruit. While many cases are believed to be hoaxes or copycat events stemming from original cases in Queensland, sewing needles and pins have been found in strawberries from various brands in all six Australian states, while two other cases involve an apple and banana, reports CNN. Fearing the effects on the country's multimillion-dollar fruit industry as supermarkets pull strawberries from shelves—one grower describes dumping $35,000 worth of fruit per day, per the Telegraph—politicians are encouraging Australians to #SmashAStrawb in support. "Get behind our local industry. Slice them in half and #SmashAStrawb to help out our local growers today," Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan tweeted Tuesday. Another politician published his family's secret strawberry jam recipe, per CNN. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday announced the maximum prison sentence for food tampering would be raised from 10 to 15 years. Though there are no reports of serious injuries, "it's not a joke, it's not funny, you're putting the livelihoods of hard-working Australians at risk and you're scaring children," he said. As international strawberry exports undergo X-ray scans, three states are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to culprits' convictions, per ABC Australia. CTV News reports there's been one arrest: a young boy in New South Wales, who cops say he admitted to placing needles in some of the cases as a "prank."


In this undated photograph supplied by the Aurora, Colo., Police Department, David Puckett is shown. Aurora Police have been searching for the missing 6-year-old boy since New Year's Eve after the child... (Associated Press)

 In this undated photograph supplied by the Aurora, Colo., Police Department, David Puckett is shown. Aurora Police have been searching for the missing 6-year-old boy since New Year's Eve after the child wandered off from his home in the east Denver suburb. Searchers looked for the boy with the aid of... (Associated Press)

 In this undated photograph supplied by the Aurora, Colo., Police Department, David Puckett is shown. Aurora Police have been searching for the missing 6-year-old boy since New Year's Eve after the child wandered off from his home in the east Denver suburb. Searchers looked for the boy with the aid of... (Associated Press) In this undated photograph supplied by the Aurora, Colo., Police Department, David Puckett is shown. Aurora Police have been searching for the missing 6-year-old boy since New Year's Eve after the child... (Associated Press)

 AURORA, Colo. (AP) — Police are searching for a 6-year-old boy who is believed to have wandered away from his home in suburban Denver on New Year's Eve, authorities said.

 The FBI and other law enforcement agencies helped in the hunt for David Puckett on Monday, going door-to-door within 2.5 miles of his home in Aurora. Bloodhounds and a helicopter have also been used.

 An Amber Alert was issued and police said a $10,000 reward was offered.

 Aurora police appealed for help to find David as quickly as possible partly because of coming cold weather, with lows expected in the upper teens.

 "The public can help by physically searching their homes, automobiles, and any structures on their property where a child may be able to hide," a police statement said.

 Authorities have said that foul play isn't suspected, but they said they have contacted registered sex offenders who live in the area and have searched nearby bodies of water.

 Monday evening, police disclosed that someone outside the family had seen the boy the day he went missing, but they didn't elaborate.

 The FBI told the Denver Post that the agency assigned 50 agents to the case, including one who is highly specialized in missing children searches.

 His mother on Sunday issued a tearful appeal for people to help find him and said he was only wearing a light jacket.

 Police said David has wandered off before. ||||| Police and FBI officers intensified their search Monday for a missing 6-year-old Aurora boy who police say wandered away from home on New Year’s Eve as the temperature was expected to drop into the upper teens.

 The Colorado Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber alert Monday for David Puckett because of the cold weather and the amount of time the boy has been missing, Aurora police spokesman Crystal McCoy said.

 As night fell Monday, police held a news briefing as FBI agents again canvassed the neighborhood where the boy lived with his family, which includes three juvenile siblings. Authorities planned to continue their search well into the night, McCoy said.

 David disappeared from his home in the 15700 block of Amherst Avenue around 5:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve. Some family members were home, McCoy said. She did not disclose who was there.

 Police also said someone outside the family had seen the boy the day he went missing, but McCoy did not elaborate on who that was or where or when the sighting was made.

 The family searched for David for an hour before calling Aurora police. And the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office had its bloodhound on the trail within an hour of Aurora police receiving the call, McCoy said.

 There has been no indication that police have found any sign of David since the search began.

 Although police said they have no indication of foul play, officials emphasized the investigation was ongoing, McCoy said. The FBI joined the investigation because of the increased resources the bureau can provide.

 The FBI has assigned 50 agents to the case, including one who is highly specialized in missing children searches, said Deborah Sherman, an FBI spokeswoman. The FBI has set up a command post although Aurora police remains the lead agency in the search.

 More than 100 officers joined the searched on Monday, including the Arapahoe County water rescue team and officers from area police and sheriffs departments.

 Police have contacted registered sex offenders who live in the area and have searched nearby bodies of water looking for any signs of cracked ice, McCoy said. Police and FBI agents canvassed neighborhoods and set up checkpoints to notify motorists of the search.

 David’s family has cooperated with police, who have searched the family home multiple times, McCoy said.

 On Monday evening, the CBI issued a statement about the decision to issue an Amber Alert three days after the boy was first reported missing.

 While the circumstances surrounding David’s disappearance have not changed, the bureau decided to activate the alert out of an abundance of caution.

 The alert is one tool that can be used to disseminate information that already has been released about the boy and his disappearance, the CBI statement said. The statement praised Aurora police, saying that department “has been exceptional” in using the media and social media to relay information about the search.

 Aurora police have said they consulted with the CBI about a possible Amber Alert since the child first was reported missing. However, David’s disappearance had not met the criteria for Amber Alert notifications.

 The CBI will continue to communicate with Aurora police and provide resources as needed, the statement said.

 Earlier Monday, volunteers were called to join the search, which has been confined to a 2.5-mile area. By mid-afternoon, police had asked volunteers to stop looking for Puckett because their efforts could disrupt the work of the bloodhounds who were on the trail again.

 “We are continuing to do thorough searches of the neighborhood,” McCoy said. “We will notify people once again when we’re ready for the community to start searching.”

 Authorities were also looking for residential and commercial video to aid in their investigation, McCoy said. She asked anyone who finds any evidence that they think could be related to David’s disappearance to call police rather than pick items up or post images of them on social media.

 Police were growing more concerned Monday night as the search extended beyond 48 hours and with temperatures headed toward the teens. The boy was not appropriately dressed to be out all night in freezing temperatures.

 David attends Dartmouth Elementary, where he wandered away once before. Previous reports that the boy had wandered away from home more than once do not appear to be true. McCoy said Aurora Public Schools were making mental health professionals available to staff and students.

 “At this time we believed he wandered off,” McCoy said. “We have one documented instance where he wandered off from school.”

 Aurora police Chief Nick Metz said on Sunday there was no evidence of a kidnapping.

 “That could change as the investigation moves forward,” Metz said.

 David is about 4 feet tall and weighs 48 pounds. He has light brown hair and blue-green eyes. He was last seen wearing green camouflage pants, a black T-shirt, orange boots and a tan girl’s coat, according to police.

 The boy’s mother made a tearful plea Sunday for the public’s help, emphasizing that the coat was not very thick.

 “If you guys can, please help me find him. If you see him, please call the police immediately. If, by chance, you picked him up last night because you thought it would be best please bring my baby home,” she said.

 Aurora police are asking those with information to call any of their tip lines: 303-739-1865, 303-739-1868 or 303-739-1870.

Summary: – Authorities are combing a Denver suburb for a 6-year-old boy who wandered away from his home on New Year's Eve and has now been missing for more than 60 hours. David Puckett—4 feet tall with light brown hair and blue-green eyes—left his Aurora home around 5:30pm Saturday wearing only a light jacket, per the AP. Police say David wandered away from school once before and foul play isn't suspected, but an Amber Alert was issued Monday to allow officers to share details of the case as impending cold weather is a concern. Search dogs, a helicopter, 100 officers, and 50 FBI agents have been searching within a 2.5-mile radius of the family home, reports the Denver Post. A $10,000 reward has been offered for David's safe return, reports KKTV.


Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period. |||||

 Leechburg Police Chief Michael Diebold, left, tries out his new prosthetic on Sept. 6, 2017, as certified prosthetists Peter Leimkuehler and Bob Dobson III look on. Diebold has since been accused of soliciting sex from a teenage girl online. (Andrew Russell/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review via AP)

 Just six months ago, after Michael Diebold lost his left hand and part of his arm in a fireworks accident, he became a local celebrity.

 The police chief of the small Pennsylvania town of Leechburg drew sympathy from community members, some of whom raised funds to help with Diebold’s medical expenses. A church hosted a fundraising dinner, while others sold T-shirts that said: “We Stand By Ours. #teamdiebold1565.”

 Just 18 days after the accident, Diebold got married and about 200 people attended the ceremony. He smiled at his bride, who was dressed in an off-the-shoulder white dress, as she placed a wedding band on his right ring finger, and attendees raised their phones to catch the moment.

 Diebold made the news again recently. This time, he wasn’t smiling — and it’s unlikely that anyone in the town of 2,000 was.

 The 40-year-old has been accused of soliciting sex from a teenage girl online. He was arrested Friday on felony charges, including unlawful contact with a minor and criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. Both are first-degree felonies.

 [Ex-mayor charged in 4-year-old’s rape said girl was a willing participant, records say]

 Michael Diebold. (Westmoreland County Prison)

 “This case is particularly heinous because the perpetrator is a public official, sworn to serve and protect the community,” state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement. “We have a zero tolerance for the sexual abuse of children and my office will prosecute any offender to the fullest extent of the law, no matter who they are.”

 The arrest followed an investigation that involved an undercover officer who posed as a 14-year-old girl, authorities said. The investigation began after Diebold, using the username KuteCop4You, posted an ad on a social-media app, CBS affiliate KDKA reported, citing the criminal complaint. Authorities said he and the undercover agent talked multiple times, with Diebold sending inappropriate photos and asking to meet for sex.

 Diebold was arrested after he showed up at the meeting location. He then admitted that he’d been posting personal ads online for several years and acknowledged talking about sex with the purported 14-year-old, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, citing the complaint.

 “Diebold admitted that he knew that sexual contact with a 14-year-[old] child was wrong and illegal and that his life was totally over,” the complaint said.

 Leechburg Mayor Wayne Dobos said the allegations shocked many in the town, including him, who did not know that Diebold may have had a secret life.

 “We’ve had enough notoriety in town, and something like this, we didn’t need at all,” Dobos told The Washington Post.

 [Former Oklahoma state senator admits to child sex trafficking while in office]

 Media coverage around Diebold began in June, when he was handling fireworks during an event, and one piece misfired and exploded on him, his mother, Karen Diebold, told the Post-Gazette. Diebold, who is also a fireworks business owner, lost nearly his entire left arm.

 Controversy followed as Diebold tried to get back on duty months later. He told KDKA in December that he was ready to return to work. Doctors had cleared him and the state had recertified his firearms license, but town officials told him that he couldn’t go back just yet and placed him on paid leave. Diebold threatened to sue.

 Dobos said the Leechburg Borough Council wanted Diebold back at the police department, which employs only three full-time officers, including the chief, and several part-time employees. But he said Diebold needed to first take a physical test to ensure he’s able to perform his duties. Lawyers representing Diebold and the town were finalizing what those tests would be when he was arrested, Dobos said.

 Diebold, who’s in the Westmoreland County Jail on a $500,000 bond, is scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 16. Online court records show that he did not ask for a public defender but do not list an attorney for him.

 Town officials have not figured out who will fill Diebold’s job. Dobos said the other two full-time officers have been sharing Diebold’s duties over the past months.

 “This is a very, very rare instance,” Dobos said. “We got to play everything by ear.”

 Read more:

 A 4-year-old found beaten and abused said she thought her name was ‘Idiot,’ according to police

 This mayor denied accusations he solicited sex from a 14-year-old girl. Then, he resigned.

 Teacher accused of having sexual relations with student who allegedly tried to kill himself ||||| Before long, that officer got a response from a purported 14-year-old girl. And the age didn't dissuade him, authorities said.

 "... everyone has to have a first time," the officer responded, according to a criminal complaint. "... you will just have to get me naked tomorrow."

 But the officer sending those crude messages wasn't just any cop -- he was Michael William Diebold, the police chief of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, investigators say.

 And that 14-year-old girl wasn't really an eighth-grader. It was a special agent for the state attorney general's Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

 When Diebold tried to meet the (fictional) girl on Friday, he was instead met by fellow law enforcement officers. The 40-year-old police chief was arrested and faces several charges , including unlawful contact with a minor related to sexual offenses.

 Bail was set at $500,000. Diebold remained in custody Sunday at Westmoreland County Prison in Pennsylvania.

 It was not immediately clear whether Diebold has an attorney.

 The Leechburg Police Department did not respond to a message Sunday asking about Diebold's employment status. But the police department's website Sunday still showed Diebold leading a police force of three full-time officers, including himself.

 'This case is particularly heinous'

 Before his arrest, the police chief was somewhat of a local celebrity. After losing his arm in a fireworks accident last year, Diebold married his fiancee in a ceremony featured on TV, CNN affiliate WTAE reported.

 But the following year, Diebold was online soliciting sexual acts, according to the criminal complaint against him.

 "I am a dom male that is also employed as a full time police officer. I hope that does not scare you off," Diebold posted, according to the complaint.

 "I am looking for a female sub for ongoing play sessions. I do not have a set type of woman so any age, race or status may email me. I respect any and all limits and you do not need to be experienced."

 Daniel Block, the special agent posing online as the 14-year-old girl, repeatedly stated the age, Block wrote in an affidavit. But he said Diebold's advances continued.

 "... what are you wearing right now, proof that you are serious would be a bra and panty pic right now," the police chief wrote, according to Block's affidavit.

 On December 29, Diebold allegedly sent several images to the undercover officer, including photos of an erect penis in various stages of undress.

 After Diebold asked to meet the girl in person -- and was subsequently arrested -- "Diebold admitted to being the individual who was communicating with the purported child during all the communications," the affidavit states.

 "Diebold admitted that he knew that sexual contact with a 14-year-old child was wrong and illegal and that his life was totally over."

 Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said the police chief's case shows his office "will prosecute any offender to the fullest extent of the law, no matter who they are."

 "This case is particularly heinous because the perpetrator is a public official, sworn to serve and protect the community," Shapiro said in a statement. "Thanks to the hard work of the agents and prosecutors in our Child Predator Section, one more predator is off our streets."

 Wife left 'broken, blindsided'

 Danielle Reinke Diebold, Diebold's wife, told CNN affiliate KDKA Sunday that she has never hurt so much and felt that God had given her more than she could handle.

 Her life and children's lives had been completely shattered, she said in a statement.

 "I am broken, devastated, humiliated, and I was completely blindsided. He was the first man ever in my life who never made me question, never gave me a gut feeling, never a bad instinct or sign and we were even in the process of planning to extend our family.

 "This is not who we knew. We knew a loving, caring father and husband and we are grieving the loss of that man," she said. "I will never find the right words to say but I want to say I am truly so sorry to everyone out there including any minor that may have been involved, our community, family and friends."

Summary: – Leechburg Police Chief Michael Diebold had part of his arm blown off in a fireworks accident in 2017—but his 2018 is likely to be a lot worse. The Pennsylvania chief was arrested Friday in an undercover sex sting when he went to meet what he apparently thought was a 14-year-old girl he'd been communicating with online, using the handle KuteCop4You, CNN reports. The 40-year-old, who allegedly sent pictures of his erect penis to the undercover officer posing as the girl while trying to arrange a sexual encounter, faces felony charges including "criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse," reports the Washington Post. In an affidavit, the undercover officer says the chief admitted "he knew that sexual contact with a 14-year-old child was wrong and illegal and that his life was totally over." Diebold—who lost his left hand and part of his left forearm in an accident while lighting fireworks for the Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company's annual carnival last June—had a prosthetic arm fitted a few months ago and had planned to return to his duties in early December, but he was placed on leave amid disagreements over his fitness, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The chief, who got married just 18 days after the accident and has a baby son, is being held on $500,000 bond. "This case is particularly heinous because the perpetrator is a public official, sworn to serve and protect the community," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement, citing his office's "zero tolerance for the sexual abuse of children."


With Netflix streaming its way out of original content obscurity via popular shows like "Orange is the New Black" and "House of Cards," the Internet is making a serious play at competing with traditional TV to create shows of its own that attract eyeballs on a level with cable and network channels.

 That's why it was so astonishing to watch the mess that was the inaugural YouTube Music Awards, as homegrown YouTube sensations like the compelling and bizarre Tay Zonday shared screen time with international superstars like Lady Gaga and Arcade Fire.

 It was also more than a bit puzzling when Eminem took the award for Artist of the Year. The decision was a purely democratic one — with 60 million YouTube viewers casting their votes to decide the winners, but still.

 PHOTOS: YouTube Music Awards 2013 | Arrivals

 YouTube is famous largely thanks to its rich landscape of unknown creators who post videos of themselves singing Eminem songs or put their own oddball visions up onscreen and cross their fingers that they'll be discovered.

 Thus Eminem's victory felt somewhat hollow. He had performed on "SNL" the night before, after all. He is hardly a YouTube sensation in the traditional sense. He's more of an MTV kind of guy. Shouldn't YouTube try harder to honor its own?

 As one Times reader wrote in the comment section of a previous post on the show, "This awards show was a slap on the face to all the talented musicians on Youtube..." The same reader, JB Clem, posted a YouTube video crying foul.

 On the set: movies and TV

 "It's going to be like the lamestream music awards," said Clem in the clip. "Thousands and thousands of original YouTube talent is not getting recognized."

 As an example Clem pointed out that Yvlis' song "the Fox" was not nominated for YouTube phenomenon. With more than 190 million views on YouTube that song alone has eclipsed Eminem's audio-only video for "Rap God" by more than 80 million views.

 In the end, the YTMA was a meta spectacle if there ever was one. And for all of its unscripted pitfalls there was still the sense that new doors were opening — that this was just the beginning, and that if YouTube can't get it right, someone somewhere on the Internet will.

 ALSO:

 Watch the inaugural YouTube Music Awards here

 George Romero dismisses 'The Walking Dead' as 'soap opera'

 YouTube Music Awards: Unscripted babies cry, and so does Lady Gaga ||||| But YouTube is owned by Google, and Google has a market capitalization of about $340 billion, which means that this was a counter-professional production put on by complete pros. In charge was Spike Jonze, who served as the event’s creative director and directed some of the segments. The preshow emphasized the spit-and-glue-ness of it all. “The whole spirit of this thing is to be in over your head,” said Mr. Schwartzman, who a few minutes into the live broadcast reassured viewers, “I’ve never hosted anything in my life.”

 What a relief that turned out to be. Flat, scripted banter was replaced by flat, unscripted banter. He and Mr. Watts were frisky and mumbling, not plastic. Their bafflement and meandering were genuine, and often appealing.

 Photo

 Somewhere in this miasma, there were awards (voted on by fans). Getting little red bricks with a “play” arrow on them were: Eminem for artist of the year; the K-pop phalanx Girls’ Generation for video of the year for “I Got a Boy”; Macklemore & Ryan Lewis for YouTube breakthrough; Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” for YouTube phenomenon, whose award was accepted by Cimorelli, a group of sisters whose YouTube covers have been extremely popular. Their speech was interrupted by Win Butler of Arcade Fire, Kanye West-style, to insist that the real winner should have been Baauer’s “Harlem Shake,” which was true, so much as anything hewed to logic.

 The easiest-to-consume performances were from the most established and least experimental artists, Lady Gaga and Eminem, both of whom were taut and focused. There was an implied tension between the need for bankable names like these — all of whom conveniently have new albums to promote, and who likely hitched their wagon to whichever awards show was available — and YouTube’s implicit mission of supporting bootstrapping self-made-creator curios like the New Age-meets-dubstep violinist Lindsey Stirling (who won the award for response of the year for a collaboration with Pentatonix). Both types excel in the form, but they have next to nothing in common.

 Directors — Fafi, Chris Milk, Mr. Jonze and more — were given almost equal billing to the stars they were working with. The medley part of the show — say, akin to what Billy Crystal does at the Oscars, or Neil Patrick Harris does on awards shows and possibly on street corners — was left to a YouTube-friendly comedy band, CDZA, with cameos from Tay Zonday, of “Chocolate Rain” fame, punching up and looking great, and T-Pain, of regular fame, punching down and looking lost.

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 In keeping with the show’s ragged spontaneity, it was at times troubled by technical glitches. About midway through, the live stream froze repeatedly, making parts of the presentation unviewable (including, frustratingly, the performance in a cramped pink room by Tyler, the Creator with Earl Sweatshirt, which looked like a riot, at least in the two-second snippets that eked through). What’s more, every time the stream had to be restarted, it was preceded by a 30-second Kia ad starring those damned driving hamsters. I watched it about eight times.

 Unlike regular videos on YouTube, neither the stream of the awards show nor the preshow would play on my smart TV, even though it comes equipped with a YouTube app. (According to a Google spokeswoman, YouTube live streaming is only compatible with Google TV or Chromecast.)

 But Mr. Jonze didn’t control the wires and pipes, only what was shot through them. He used the event as an excuse to line the coffers of the indie mafia — Lena Dunham wrote a goofy choose-your-own-adventure script synced to an Avicii song, Greta Gerwig herked and jerked her way through her “Frances Ha” dances as Arcade Fire performed, and Rashida Jones dropped babies off with the hosts, then disappeared.

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 Whether it was worth everyone’s time — well, that’s still to be determined. There is at least one measurement that’s native to this show: the ruthless people counter at the bottom of the screen throughout the night. “204,512 watching now,” it read during the moment when Ms. Stirling and Pentatonix won their award. By the time Eminem closed the show with a blistering performance of “Rap God,” the number, which shot up and down all night, was 177,903. He could have announced a Ustream session on his Twitter 15 minutes earlier and attracted more people.

 From one angle, at least, the lack of structure was an asset. This was perhaps the only awards show in history to run short, ending before the advertised time even with several minutes of filler stuffed in like so much Styrofoam before Eminem’s closing performance.

 And so someone at the Google mother ship will likely be poring over charts and spreadsheets that assess dollars spent per viewer minutes of engagement. It clearly cost a lot of money to look this disheveled. But like any number of artists with a webcam, a dream and a bit of hubris, YouTube was entitled to screw up in full view of everyone. And after this bizarre but comforting experiment, it’s earned the right to try again next year. ||||| The inaugural YouTube Music Awards kicked off Sunday night with a live music video of the song “Afterlife” by Arcade Fire directed by Spike Jonze and starring Greta Gerwig.

 Gerwig danced with the same awkward Turrets style that was so endearing in "Francis Hah." She grooved through a fake kitchen and into some fake snowy woods. She danced right up to Arcade Fire, which was performing on a stage at Pier 36 in New York City where the show was being shot. A bunch of kids joined her. A little more than 155,000 viewers watched the stream. The future looked promising for the brand new awards show.

 And then everything went downhill.

 PHOTOS: YouTube Music Awards 2013 | Arrivals

 In the days leading to the show, much had been made of webcast director Jonze’s promise that the show would be unscripted and very much off the cuff. This could be good or bad, speculated the many interested parties.

 Scripts, it turns out, were invented for a reason.

 YouTube thrives on unscripted moments. Toddlers bursting into hysterical giggles, cats flushing the toilet, moms being caught unaware singing badly on the beach. But on the creative / musical side of things, quite a bit of care and planning goes into most YouTube videos that go viral.

 That’s to say, they’re scripted for the most part. From Autotune the News, to Tay Zonday’s song "Chocolate Rain" to Andy Samberg and T-Pain’s "SNL" “I’m on a boat” video, and more, the stuff we love to watch on YouTube was made with a ton of premeditation.

 That’s not to say that lots of thought wasn’t put into the YTMA, just that the chaos of the Internet, if unchanneled, is just that: chaos. That much was painfully clear as the show careened off the rails in the form of two small babies handed by Rashida Jones to hosts Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts.

 On the set: movies and TV

 As the men handed out the first award for the night — for YouTube Breakout to Maklemore & Ryan Lewis — the babies began to bawl in psychic communion with viewers chiming in on Twitter with concern that the lunatics had finally taken over the asylum.

 Then came a deeply strange and out-of-tune performance by a barefoot Lady Gaga dressed in a black ball cap and a checked shirt buttoned to the top.

 She was crying too. Tears streamed silently down her face as she wailed, and viewers streamed silently out of the show. During the three minutes or so that Gaga was on screen more than 4,000 viewers exited and continued to do so as microphones cut in and out, cakes were mashed to uncover awards, and Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt were bleeped out for most of their unintelligible performance.

 By the time the webcast was almost an hour in viewership had dropped from its peak of about 215,000 to a median of about 180,000. This for an event that 60 million people apparently voted for.

 YouTube may break viral videos, but unless it tries harder next time it may not be able to break itself.

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 Scandal's Kerry Washington: Is she a sellout for hosting 'SNL'?

 Sacha Baron Cohen: 'Borat,' 'Ali G' star make sexy time in FX deal ||||| The first-ever YouTube Music Awards have wrapped. All of the night’s trophies have been handed out, and all of Spike Jonze’s “live music videos” have been, um, video’d. Eminem was made Artist of the Year, just days before the release of his eighth album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were crowned 2013’s YouTube Breakthrough on behalf of their world-conquering “Thrift Shop.” And K-Pop collective Girls’ Generation took home Video of the Year for their “I Got a Boy” visual.

 Okay, but how was the show? Were we to boil it down to a handy quotable — and yes, let’s — we’d probably say something like, “A charming mess.” Co-hosts Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts operated without a script, in a gigantic warehouse without hidden corridors, full of fans and industry people and the artists themselves. In the way that YouTube lets everyone in on the fun, from creation to comments, this ceremony was … blurry. Schwartzman aptly called it, “A festival of excitement.”

 Exciting things are rarely tidy, and after it was clear that we weren’t watching the Grammys, the imperfections and the unpredictable became reasons to keep watching. Schwartzman’s voice cracking, Watts’ hammy improvisations, and that part where they could’t figure out how to pronounce the word cake — Reggie: “Is that pronounced ‘cake’ or ‘cock’?” Jason: “Kike?” Us: [facepalm] — but really, some sort of award should’ve gone to Win Butler for playing court jester, and pulling a “Winye” on “not Taylor Swift.”

 Speaking of, Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” earned the YouTube Phenomenon distinction, but alas, the Red singer didn’t show up to collect her award. Innovation of the Year went to DeStorm’s “See Me Standing” video, which beat out clips by Atoms for Peace, Bat for Lashes, and Toro y Moi. The Response of the Year honor — recognizing the best responses, remixes, and parodies uploaded to YouTube — was given to Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix for their take on Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.”

 Which brings us to those much ballyhooed “live music videos.” Stirling was the focus of one of the most endearing works of the night, as she performed her violin-meets-dubstep hit “Crystallize” while wearing a makeshift jetpack. With a little of creative director Jonze’s camera magic (although Michel Gondry’s might have dazzled a little better), she was seen flying through a cityscape, soloing on her fiddle while mighty wubs fell like rain. And then there was Michael Shannon playing a douchebaggy version of EDM star Avicii.

 Those highlights were among a handful taken from the individual performances (Tyler, the Creator, Lady Gaga, M.I.A.) that we’ll share individually as they inevitably emerge as stand-alone clips. The 90-minute ceremony took place at New York City’s Pier 36 and was live-streamed via YouTube. It’s currently playing on loop. Watch the entire webcast right here at SPIN, and scroll down for a full list of the categories. And their winners. Follow @SPINMagazine on Twitter for on-the-scene reporting as the event winds down.

 Also, did Rashida Jones get her babies back?

 Video of the Year:

 Epic Rap Battles of History – “Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney”

 Demi Lovato – “Heart Attack”

 Girls’ Generation - “I Got a Boy” (winner)

 Justin Bieber (feat. Nicki Minaj) – “Beauty and a Beat”

 Lady Gaga - “Applause”

 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Mary Lambert) – “Same Love”

 Miley Cyrus  – “We Can’t Stop”

 One Direction - “Best Song Ever”

 PSY - “Gentleman”

 Selena Gomez - “Come & Get It”

 Artist of the Year:

 Eminem (winner)

 Epic Rap Battles

 Justin Bieber

 Katy Perry

 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

 Nicki Minaj

 One Direction

 PSY

 Rihanna

 Taylor Swift

 Response of the Year:

 Boyce Avenue (feat. Fifth Harmony) - “Mirrors

 Jayesslee - “Gangnam Style”

 Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix - “Radioactive” (winner)

 ThePianoGuys - “Titanium / Pavane”

 Walk Off the Earth (feat. KRNFX) – “I Knew You Were Trouble”

 YouTube Phenomenon:

 “Diamonds”

 “Gangnam Style”

 “Harlem Shake”

 “I Knew You Were Trouble” (winner)

 “Thrift Shop”

 YouTube Breakthrough:

 Kendrick Lamar

 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (winner)

 Naughty Boy

 Passenger

 Rudimental

 Innovation of the Year:

 Anamanaguchi - “ENDLESS FANTASY”

 Atoms for Peace - “Ingenue”

 Bat for Lashes - “Lilies”

 DeStorm - “See Me Standing” (winner)

 Toro y Moi – “Say That” ||||| CLOSE BackStage host Carly Mallenbaum talks with reporter Hilary Hughes about the unpredictable and chaotic show that was streamed online and hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts.

 Internet stars mingle with industry heavyweights at the inaugural New York show.

 Lady Gaga performs onstage at the YouTube Music Awards. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz FilmMagic for YouTube) Story Highlights Eminem took artist of the year, while Girls' Generation's 'I Got a Boy' won video

 Winners were determined entirely by fan vote

 The show streamed globally Sunday evening on the video-sharing site

 NEW YORK — Internet superstars stepped out from behind the computer screen and onto the stage at Pier 36 Sunday night to make history at the first YouTube Music Awards.

 Hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts and featuring live performances by Lady Gaga, Eminem and other pop and rock greats, YouTube set quite a challenge for itself in the show's first year: The event was live-streamed the world over, and the awards were entirely dependent on the participation of viewers. Unfortunately, it got distracted by its own gimmick, and the chaos overwhelmed the otherwise inspired performances and subsequent dance parties.

 Unlike the Grammys or the MTV Video Music Awards, winners were voted on entirely by fans, with One Direction, Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj among the nominees. With director Spike Jonze at the creative helm of the ceremony, the YouTube Music Awards promised — and delivered — a volley of strange surprises, including the creation and broadcast of music videos with notable talents as the show unfolded. This wasn't your typical red-carpet affair with a few songs and dances thrown in between acceptance speeches, but a frenzied, disorganized (albeit spontaneous and fun) event that broke down boundaries between YouTube stars and their fans. The YouTube Music Awards sought to redefine expectations for a celebration of popular music, and instead fell short of revolutionizing them.

 Confusion reigns: The general vibe is a confused one. Upon entering the main room at the awards, a handful of stages greet you, and many showgoers choose to sit down on the ground in front of these setups. A staffer walking around backstage mentions that Schwartzman has a different "set of directions" than everyone else, and that no one has any idea how the show will go — the idea is to be unscripted and spontaneous from start to finish.

 Schwartzman and Jonze come out into the audience to greet the crowd, and the message is simple: The audience is going to fully participate in the show.

 WINNERS LIST: Who took home YouTube honors?

 "I want you to know that not only are you watching the show, you're going to be a part of the videos," says Schwartzman. "If you feel like you're in the video, don't watch the show around you, watch the performance!"

 Call-and-response: Arcade Fire hits the ground running with this emphasis on audience participation, walking the crowd through a call-and-response. Frontman Win Butler seems to be all about it: "If you tried this at the VMAs, you'd be (screwed)!"

 So much for the fourth wall: Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha) makes the first non-performer cameo of the night as the star of the "video" being filmed for Arcade Fire's live performance of Afterlife. Dancing her way through an apartment hallway into a grove of snowy trees, Gerwig is joined by Butler before taking off into the audience flanked by a group of tiny dancers, effectively shattering the fourth wall. This theme of breaking down expectations for music videos and awards shows is effective, so far, and one the audience embraces.

 Unscripted: After A Brief History of Music, featuring Walk Off the Earth, brings us through Beyoncé's Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) and Psy's Gangnam Style, Rashida Jones hands off two babies to our bewildered hosts. Yes, babies. They announce the first award of the night, the YouTube breakthrough award, which goes to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. (The trophy is a red-and-white click icon.) "We spent about $5,000 on this music video and just had fun making this with our friends ..." says Macklemore, before laughing at the screaming tots in Schwartzman's and Watts' arms. "I can't believe we won these kids!"

 Rickrolling: CDZA, the band behind YouTube's History of Music, thoroughly enjoyed the task of covering some of the more popular songs that exploded via the social network. "T-Pain was supposed to lead into a big reveal, and Rick Astley was supposed to Rickroll the world, but that didn't happen ... He said he was never gonna give us up, but he did!"

 Lindsey Stirling performs at the YouTube Music Awards. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz FilmMagic for YouTube)

 Let them eat cake: The winner of the response of the year award is in the ... cake? Our hosts are faced with the task of demolishing five cakes in order to find the category's pick. "This feels like Nickelodeon!" Watts cries before Schwartzman pulls the envelope from the crumbs. Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix's cover of Imagine Dragons' Radioactive are the big, sugary winners here, and the hosts have to keep from getting frosting on the victor during her acceptance speech.

 No boundaries: Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler the Creator take to a frenzied crowd in a tight space for Sasquatch, and though the thrashing, crowd-surfing crew seems into it, it's difficult not to cringe — if there really are no scripts or boundaries, who's to say an audience member won't get kicked in the teeth in the name of innovation?

 A weighty win: DeStorm's See Me Standing is the voters' pick for the innovation of the year award, which DeStorm calls "the dopest paperweight ever" before passionately thanking the platform and his fans.

 Backstage, DeStorm is elated. "I've been doing videos for like ever. This one means a lot to me. To be one of the winners at the first awards, it just felt good to be a nominee. ... It was actually a surprise for me!"

 Who's a fellow YouTuber that DeStorm finds innovative? Fellow winners Lindsey Sterling and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. "I want to work with people who can take my craft to another level," he says.

 Michael Shannon, left, and Vanessa Hudgens perform in a live music video at the YouTube Music Awards. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz FilmMagic for YouTube)

 You know this will end badly: The next live-music video experiment brings high Hollywood wattage to the stage — or DJ booth — for Avicii. Michael Shannon and Vanessa Hudgens star as a DJ and a girl who's ditching her ex-boyfriend for the booth, and a high-strung concert-goer puts her in a headlock before Wake Me Up revs up in the background.

 Puzzling it out: "It was very nerve-wracking just because there were so many things that had to be right from so many people, like a giant jigsaw puzzle," Stirling says backstage after her video experiment. "In between my takes, I had to run from one side of the stage to the other while playing."

 For Sterling, the YouTube win is huge, as she credits the network for being the first place to accept her as an artist. "I'm an artist that was fully born through YouTube," she says. "That was the only platform that gave me the chance to make art that I loved. ... It was the only place that accepted what I did."

 It happens: Hudgens reveals that the Avicii video/short film didn't go according to plan. Apparently, they missed a sound cue and were left hanging for a second, but Hudgens rolled with it. "I love that about doing something live! It's live, (expletive) happens!" she says with a laugh.

 "Trying to get everyone on the same page at the same moment, it's tough," she says of the quirks of a live show. "I survived! As I got up, I realized my earring fell off, and I was like, 'Classic chick-fight move!' "

 And what did Hudgens think of Lady Gaga's performance? "It was very un-Lady Gaga! She's really raw and emotional and breathtaking."

 Girls' Generation's Tiffany on the group's video-of-the-year win: "Being part of the nominees was an award in itself, but to win, speechless."

 Girls' Generation beat out Lady Gaga, among others, for the title of the night, which was clearly a shock to the young singer. "It's surreal — she was sitting right in front of me. It's all thanks to the fans. I personally loved her video!"

 So what'd you think?: How does Watts feel about the broadcast? Great, though a couple of moments were hair-raising. "It was hard to be reluctant to a degree, because things just happened, but ... I didn't want to break a baby!" he says of his least predictable moment. "When Rashida Jones hands you babies, you take them. You ask her where she got them from, but you take them."

 He's particularly excited about looking back on the videos created here tonight, specifically Arcade Fire's "awesome and inspired" Afterlife.

 The show's haphazard approach worked for him. "I'm used to that," he says. "That's the way I like to work. Jason was a bit more nervous, but he's a natural at being a natural."

 Next year's plans: Is Schwartzman up for hosting the YouTube Music Awards again? Totally. "In my mind, it wouldn't be doing the second YouTube Awards, it'd be like we were doing it again for the first time!" he says.

 Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1hbOPzc ||||| The first YouTube Music Awards webcast wasn’t broadcast-quality in any sense — it was marred by video and sound snafus, and the show’s hosts looked adrift as they tried to wing it without scripts — with Eminem and a South Korean girl group winning top prizes based on fan votes.

 The kudocast, which may be prelude to YouTube launching a music-subscription service, was held Sunday at New York City’s Pier 36 and streamed live over the Internet.

 A peak of more than 220,000 people were concurrently live-streaming the event, which started at 6 p.m. Eastern and clocked in at just under 90 minutes. That’s compared with 10.1 million who tuned in for MTV’s Video Music Awards in August to witness a writhing Miley Cyrus. The Grammys in February drew 28.4 million viewers for CBS.

 The YouTube video stream froze at several points, and microphones malfunctioned. Performers missed their cues several times. And even when the video played normally it often wasn’t clear what was going on. Instead of producing zany water-cooler moments, the unscripted nature of the show felt muddled.

 Nine-member K-pop supergroup Girls’ Generation “I Got A Boy” won video of the year, beating out bigger-name nominees in the music biz including Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, One Direction and Psy. The announcement of the win by Girls’ Generation — a group popular across Asia — elicited a muted reaction (evidently a collective “who?”) from the Gotham crowd.

 Related Two Elton John Tribute Albums — With Mary J. Blige, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, More — Coming in April Lyor Cohen Talks YouTube, Run-DMC, Russell Simmons Allegations at SXSW Keynote

 “There’s nothing scripted tonight — it’s about anything happening,” co-host Jason Schwartzman said at the start of the show.

 Problem was, nothing very interesting happened. Schwartzman was dusted with blue powder near the end; that was after members of the band OK Go painted him to look like Gotye in the video for “Somebody That I Used to Know.” The actor-musician hosted the show with comedian-musician Reggie Watts. Both were handed babies by actress Rashida Jones for some reason.

 The YouTube Music Awards — a.k.a. “YTMA,” following the nomenclature of MTV’s VMAs — featured live performances by Lady Gaga (wearing a baseball cap and flannel shirt), Eminem, Arcade Fire, Avicii, M.I.A., Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator, Walk Off the Earth, and YouTube musical acts Lindsey Stirling and CDZA. Confusingly, most of these were staged as “live music videos” with actors instead of the usual live-performance presentation.

 The show was directed by filmmaker Spike Jonze and exec-produced by Vice Media and Sunset Lane Entertainment. Kia Motors was the title sponsor. At the close of the show Jonze thanked YouTube “for letting us make this mess.”

 Other YTMA winners: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won in the breakthrough artist category; Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix won best response video for their version of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive”; Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” won in the “phenomenon” category (songs that generated the most fan videos) though Swift was not in attendance to accept the award; and YouTube personality DeStorm won innovation of the year for “See Me Standing.”

 The full list of YouTube Music Awards nominees is available here. YouTube determined the nominations based on data over the last 12 months, to represent the artists and videos with the highest levels of engagement, including views, likes, shares, comments and subscriptions.

 Fans voted by sharing the official YTMA nomination videos for each nominee via Facebook, Twitter or Google+, with about 60 million “votes” cast. The voting kicked off Oct. 21, with the final tallies taken right before the show, according to YouTube.

Summary: – YouTube threw its first awards show last night, and the results were ... interesting. The unscripted show, directed by Spike Jonze and hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts, took place in New York City and was livestreamed on YouTube. Awards were handed out and artists offered up performances (er, "live music videos," as they were called). The consensus? It was all a bit weird: "Scripts, it turns out, were invented for a reason," writes Jessica Gelt in the Los Angeles Times. Sure, we love unscripted YouTube moments involving cats and babies, but when it comes to actual music on the site, "quite a bit of care and planning goes into most YouTube videos that go viral." But the YouTube Music Awards were pure chaos, from random crying babies to a "deeply strange and out-of-tune performance" from Lady Gaga, who was also randomly crying. And what was up with Eminem winning Artist of the Year? Sure, 60 million YouTube viewers voted, so the result was democratic—but "YouTube is famous largely thanks to its rich landscape of unknown creators who post videos of themselves singing Eminem songs or put their own oddball visions up onscreen and cross their fingers that they'll be discovered," writes Gelt in a separate Times article. "Shouldn't YouTube try harder to honor its own?" "Unfortunately, [the show] got distracted by its own gimmick, and the chaos overwhelmed the otherwise inspired performances and subsequent dance parties," writes Hilary Hughes for USA Today. It was "frenzied, disorganized," and "confused." Sure, parts of it were also fun, but while the awards "sought to redefine expectations for a celebration of popular music," the show "instead fell short of revolutionizing them." On Variety, Todd Spangler calls the webcast "glitchy and awkward." It "wasn’t broadcast-quality in any sense—it was marred by video and sound snafus, and the show’s hosts looked adrift as they tried to wing it without scripts." The video stream "froze at several points, and microphones malfunctioned. Even when the video played normally it often wasn’t clear what was going on." And, though one would think an unscripted show would allow for some good moments, "nothing very interesting happened." But not everyone hated it: On Spin, Chris Martins deemed it "a charming mess" and declared that all the imperfections were reasons to keep watching. And in the New York Times, Jon Caramanica says that while the show was "essentially [of] no consequence" and "often inexplicable," it was also a "surprisingly easy-to-watch jumble."


Following the official asylum petition by Edward Snowden to the Russian authorities, RT interviewed Lawyer Anatoly Kucherena who consults Snowden. He has explained to RT the intricacies of the Russian asylum process.

 Kucherena elaborated on the personal motivation of Edward Snowden’s petition and highlighted the legality of such a request. He stressed that the Russian decision to review the asylum request was based on the “human rights” aspect of the issue.

 RT:Can you walk us through the steps of obtaining asylum in Russia for Mr Snowden.

 Anatoly Kucherena: Yesterday Mr Edward Snowden invited me for a meeting, so I can explain to him the Russian laws. We spent a lot of time in discussion yesterday where he asked questions and I explained everything to him regarding Russia’s refugee laws, in regards to receiving political asylum, and in regards to receiving a temporary asylum. In terms of his legal status, receiving political asylum or temporary asylum would not change status. In terms of receiving political asylum status, the procedure is quite long - 6 months. Receiving a temporary asylum will only take up to 3 months. He chose this option.

 It is understandable that he is morally tired, being kept in the transit zone of Sheremetevo airport. I understand that being kept there is difficult. That is why he made this decision. If the Federal Migration Service (FMS) rules in favor of his asylum request, that was handed over in my presence and officially accepted and registered by FMS, then he will receive asylum status for one year. This status he could renew further for a year and then another year, as he sees fit. But in this case, we’re talking about his will, because in this situation, he had to fill out the application. I was there just to consult on the legal matters in this field.

 RT:Do I understand it correctly, that until a decision on the petition is made he cannot leave the confinement of Sheremetevo airport?

 AK: He could leave the neutral zone of Sheremetevo airport only when he receives proper paperwork, meaning that he does not have to wait for a final decision on his petition. He will be given appropriate paperwork. Afterwards, if FMS rules in favor of his petition, he will be issued a refugee ID allowing him to remain in the Russian Federation for a year with full rights and privileges of a Russian citizen.

 RT:Once Mr. Snowden is allowed to leave the airport, will he get accommodation or will he need to resolve this on his own?

 AK: He will most likely be handling this on his own, but we agreed that he would consult with me. He asked me to be his lawyer, so I would not leave him. I would of course help him. In terms of his future fate, it is difficult to say in regards to his settling in and accommodation. Those are the questions he will need to resolve, once a decision on his legal status in Russia is made.

 RT:You have stated today that Mr Snowden has promised to stop damaging the US’s reputation. Does that mean that he will halt his whistleblowing activities?

 AK: We had also discussed this issue and he has assured me that President Putin’s request to stop his activity against the US is “attainable.” And it is an important question, because I believe that Mr Putin first of all understands that there’re state interests and there’re human rights. If all of this is weighed and measured, then of course human rights take the upper hand. They have to be more important.

 And Russia’s humane approach in resolving this issue, without a doubt bears witness to the fact that no matter who or which country the individual comes from, in times of such difficult personal troubles, we have to act humanely toward that individual. Therefore, Mr Putin’s request in respect to the US and the overall Russian attitude signifies that we all have a good attitude towards the United States.

 Of course there’re politicians that want to use certain issues for their personal advantage, but overall it is this request by Mr Putin that testifies that our good relations cannot be ruined by some nuances in domestic or foreign policy approaches.

 I consider this question of vital importance and we need to understand it correctly, that today this issue had to be resolved. The issue was not being resolved only because Edward did not know how to act. Nobody could advise him, because being in the presence of airport employees, of course he understood that there had to be an expert, a lawyer who would advise him on how to correctly fill out the forms, which had plenty of questions, such as the place of birth, parent’s name, personal motivation statement.

 And there, when asked a question by the FMS agent why he chose to file a petition in Russia and why he came here, he replied that he fears for his life and wellbeing, that he is also afraid of torture, and that he could get executed. And what he says sounds quite convincing, because the US still administers capital punishment and torture.

 Therefore, I believe that under such circumstances and his written petition, it is necessary for him to be granted temporary asylum. I think it will be a humane step, and since Russia is acting humanly the US government cannot view it as a hostile step or hostile behavior toward the US. Because they have to understand that an individual faced with harsh life circumstances also needs refuge and protection from the state where it happens to be.

 RT:Are the guarantees issued by Snowden temporary? Could he resume his activities after asylum is granted?

 AK: You know, after talking to him for a while during our three meetings, I believe that he will be true to his word. Obviously, based on his moral stance he is a human rights activist, because yesterday and today we covered a number of questions that arise from everyday life both in Russia and US and in Europe. From his replies, I can understand that he is an adamant human rights activist and when he says that his past employment duties blatantly violated universal human rights, he says it sincerely. Because he, unlike someone else, understands that he used certain methods to spy on people, to read their communication.

 To tell you the truth, the first time we met, when he met the human rights activists, he started his speech with “dear ladies and gentlemen, in front of you, you see an individual who until recently listened to your phone conversation and read your communications.” Therefore, I personally think that he is an ideologically driven person that thinks that it is unacceptable to violate universal human rights on such a large scale.

 RT:Why do you think Mr Snowden has not yet decided whether or not he will travel to Latin America?

 AK: I think now, his moral and psychological state requires him to understand how his fate will play out in the time to come. Because he, answering FMS’s questions, replied that he has never witnessed such persecution conducted by the US government in regards to other people.

 This is disproportionate pressure. These are disproportionate requirements on behalf of the US government for us, Russia in regards to his deportation. There is no law in place that would require Russia to extradite him. I’ve addressed this question to our American colleagues asking them to name a legislative norm that would allow you to extradite Edward. There is no such law. There is no such clause in international law or our national law.

 RT:Did you volunteer to help Edward Snowden?

 AK: I volunteered for this but he took the initiative, he invited me and of course as a professional lawyer I could not leave a person in need and because I understood that to solve this stalemate, one needs to understand jurisprudence. I had to explain, first of all to him, the way our laws work, what it means to be granted this legal status, his rights, etc. The only reason he has been stuck there for so long is because he could not understand the process behind it. Authorities have no communication with him. He only talks to airport staff.

 RT:Do you think Mr Snowden could stay in Russia?

 I’m not eliminating this possibility because he told me that he would like to stay in Russia. He will become a citizen with all rights and privileges.

 ||||| Former two-term GOP Senator Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire emailed Edward Snowden yesterday [emphasis added]:

 Mr. Snowden, Provided you have not leaked information that would put in harms way any intelligence agent, I believe you have done the right thing in exposing what I regard as massive violation of the United States Constitution. Having served in the United States Senate for twelve years as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Armed Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee, I think I have a good grounding to reach my conclusion. I wish you well in your efforts to secure asylum and encourage you to persevere. Kindly acknowledge this message, so that I will know it reached you. Regards,

 Gordon J. Humphrey

 Former United States Senator

 New Hampshire

 After I contacted Sen. Humphrey to confirm its authenticity, he wrote to me [emphasis added]:

 Mr. Greenwald, Yes. It was I who sent the email message to Edward Snowden, thanking him for exposing astonishing violations of the US Constitution and encouraging him to persevere in the search for asylum. To my knowledge, Mr. Snowden has disclosed only the existence of a program and not details that would place any person in harm's way. I regard him as a courageous whistle-blower. I object to the monumentally disproportionate campaign being waged by the U.S. Government against Edward Snowden, while no effort is being made to identify, remove from office and bring to justice those officials who have abused power, seriously and repeatedly violating the Constitution of the United States and the rights of millions of unsuspecting citizens. Americans concerned about the growing arrogance of our government and its increasingly menacing nature should be working to help Mr. Snowden find asylum. Former Members of Congress, especially, should step forward and speak out. Regards,

 Gordon Humphrey

 Snowden's reply to Sen. Humphrey:

Summary: – What has a former Navy SEAL calling Edward Snowden "very naive"? This fairly wild statement, plucked by Business Insider from a letter Snowden wrote to a US senator that was published by the Guardian: No intelligence service—not even our own—has the capacity to compromise the secrets I continue to protect. While it has not been reported in the media, one of my specializations was to teach our people at DIA how to keep such information from being compromised even in the highest threat counter-intelligence environments (ie, China). You may rest easy knowing I cannot be coerced into revealing that information, even under torture. Geoffrey Ingersoll, writing for Business Insider, is gobsmacked. "Pretty strange coming from a guy who allegedly fled Hong Kong for fear of losing Internet, who's now growing 'tired' of living in a Moscow airport's hotel." Of course, there might be a little bluster involved. RT interviewed a lawyer who is consulting Snowden, and he had this to say: "When asked ... why [Snowden] chose to file a petition in Russia and why he came here, he replied that he fears for his life and well-being, that he is also afraid of torture, and that he could get executed. And what he says sounds quite convincing, because the US still administers capital punishment and torture."


Ivanka Trump, in an oversized winter sweater that defied the laws of physics and draped perfectly across her body, spoke to NBC’s Peter Alexander about, of all things, President Donald Trump’s sexual misconduct accusers.

 Alexander sat down with Ivanka on Today for a wide-ranging interview as she took in some of the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

 “Do you believe your father’s accusers?” Alexander asked, to which Ivanka balked.

 “I think it’s a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter if she believes the accusers of her father when he’s affirmatively stated that there’s no truth to it,” Ivanka replied.

 “I don’t think that’s a question you would ask many other daughters,” she added. “I believe my father, I know my father.”

 “I think I have that right as a daughter to believe my father.”

 (By that logic, someone should ask Chelsea Clinton if she believed her dad, too.)

 In the first daughter’s wide-ranging interview with NBC, she also spoke about her experience at the Winter Games, and weighed in on Trump’s proposal to arm teachers, saying ” it is an idea that needs to be discussed.�?

 Watch above, via NBC.

 [image via screengrab]

 Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com ||||| Tweet with a location

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 Trying to figure out what part of this is inappropriate. She works for the taxpayers, says she focuses on women’s issues, was at the interview because she went to the Olympics to represent the USA, is an adult, and has spoken publicly about accusations against others.https://twitter.com/TODAYshow/status/968103581944606720 …

Summary: – A reporter asked Ivanka Trump about the allegations of sexual harassment against her father, and her response is making headlines for two reasons: First, she says she believes her father's denials. And second, she thinks the question itself was out of bounds. It came from NBC's Peter Alexander, who asked the first daughter if she believed the women who've accused the elder Trump of inappropriate behavior. "I think it's a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter if she believes the accusers of her father when he's affirmatively stated that there's no truth to it," Ivanka replied, per Mediaite. "I don’t think that's a question you would ask many other daughters." But she then went on to provide an answer: "I believe my father, I know my father. So I think I have that right as a daughter to believe my father." Other reporters pushed back against the assertion that the question was inappropriate. "The White House went out of its way to make clear that Ivanka Trump traveled to South Korea as a senior adviser to the president, not a First Daughter," tweeted Jenna Johnson of the Washington Post. "But as soon as she's hit with a difficult question, suddenly she's a daughter." Jake Tapper of CNN had a similar take: "She works for the taxpayers, says she focuses on women's issues, was at the interview because she went to the Olympics to represent the USA, is an adult, and has spoken publicly about accusations against others." (One of the president's accusers is running for office herself.)


Kylie Jenner Threw a Prima Donna Tantrum at L.A. Hotel, Says Source

 but I'm not going to sit around and let grown adults create untrue stories about me underage drinking & partying every night with a fake I.D — Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) October 23, 2013

 ..And F.Y.I. regarding the "club nights", I was with my father & family supporting my brother and sister-in-law — Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) October 23, 2013

 And to all the young girls out there just like me, carry yourself with class and dignity and don't let ANYONE determine your future — Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) October 23, 2013

 Is Kylie Jenner whipping up a new bad-girl image for herself?On Oct. 18, the 16-year-old Keeping Up With the Kardashians star reportedly cruised into a luxe Beverly Hills hotel around 8:30 p.m. with her longtime friend Jaden Smith, 15, and a group of other young pals.According to a hotel source, Kylie was in "a good mood" – that is, until she requested employees provide her and her pals alcohol and bottle service.An insider claims that when Kylie was turned down, she berated the hotel host, asking, "Do you know who I am?" The source adds that the reality star also declared the swanky hotel "not worth her time."We're told the host held firm as Jenner stormed out of the bar with her entourage while reportedly cursing that the establishment was "f–– lame.""She was a complete nightmare," says the hotel source. "She started out really nice. But when she didn't get what she wanted, it was like someone flipped a switch."Reps had no comment, but Kylie took to Twitter on Wednesday to address recent reports that she and sister Kendall, 17, are headed down the wrong path."I'm not going to sit around and let grown adults create untrue stories about me underage drinking & partying every night with a fake I.D. And F.Y.I. regarding the 'club nights', I was with my father & family supporting my brother and sister-in-law," she wrote on her Twitter page Though the teen defends her dad-supervised evening on Oct. 19 at The Troubadour, she sidesteps reports of a much wilder night out four days prior with Scott Disick and older sister Khloé Kardashian Odom at Vignette Lounge, a 21-and-over sex-themed club in Los Angeles.Photos show the youngest of the Jenner clan leaving the raunchy nightclub in the wee hours of the morning looking out of sorts At the time, the girls' mother, Kris Jenner, said her daughters did not know they were at an adults-only venue and did not use fake IDs to enter the club.Finishing off her rant, Kylie doled out advice to her young fans: "To all the young girls out there just like me, carry yourself with class and dignity and don't let ANYONE determine your future," she Tweeted. ||||| Tweet with a location

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Summary: – Kylie Jenner, Jaden Smith, and a group of other similarly-aged friends (Jenner and Smith are 16 and 15, respectively) went out to a fancy hotel in Beverly Hills last Friday night ... and things went reportedly sour when the hotel refused to provide them the bottle service Jenner requested. She started throwing around the "Do you know who I am?" line, a source tells People, and soon declared the hotel "f---ing lame" and "not worth her time" as she stormed out with the rest of her group. Jenner hasn't addressed the story directly, but this week she tweeted about reports that she and 17-year-old sister Kendall are too wild. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but Kendall & I will not grow up to be let downs. I know that's what some people would unfortunately like to see... but I'm not going to sit around and let grown adults create untrue stories about me underage drinking & partying every night with a fake ID," she wrote. "..And F.Y.I. regarding the 'club nights', I was with my father & family supporting my brother and sister-in-law."


KATIE Holmes is reportedly moving on from being a "single girl".

 The 33-year-old actress announced her split from husband Tom Cruise a few months ago.

 Now sources say the former Dawson’s Creek star has been in touch with her ex-fiancé, Chris Klein, but is keeping things low-profile.

 “It’s tough on Tom, of course, but you can’t expect Katie to live the life of a single girl forever,” a source told the latest edition of British magazine Grazia.

 “She is very sensitive about not embarrassing him, so she and Chris have been incredibly careful not to be seen together. When he visits, he goes into the building through the underground car park to make sure that nobody spots him.”

 Chris found fame via the hit franchise American Pie and has been known to have a rebellious streak.

 However, he has apparently calmed down, which Holmes finds attractive.

 “Chris was a real ladies’ man when they were first together...he also had a major problem with alcohol,” the source continued.

 “He’s really cleaned himself up since then...Katie likes the new Chris a whole lot more.” ||||| By Radar Staff

 While Katie Holmes isn’t ready to date just yet – she’s told pals that when she does it won’t be with any actors, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.

 The former Dawson’s Creek star has sworn off thesps and is instead being introduced to artists by her fashion business partner, Jeanne Yang.

 However, Katie, 33, is in no hurry to be tied down and is enjoying the single life right now.

 PHOTOS: Katie Holmes Working At Fashion Week

 “Katie doesn’t want to tie herself down just yet, but she says she’s done going out with actors,” a source revealed.

 “Her previous relationships with Joshua (Jackson), Chris (Klein) and Tom (Cruise) didn’t work out, so she thinks she should look away from her own profession.

 “Jeanne Yang, her business partner for the Holmes & Yang fashion label, has taken Katie to some art gallery openings recently and she’s met tons of interesting artists.

 PHOTOS: Tom Cruise And Katie Holmes’ Relationship Through The Years

 “She’s been saying now that if she does date anyone, it could be someone who works in the arts world.

 “Katie’s more interested in the quiet life now and an unassuming artist would fit the bill perfectly for when she’s ready,” the source revealed.

 As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Katie is happily single since divorcing Tom Cruise and has no plans of dating anytime soon.

 PHOTOS: Tom Cruise And Katie Holmes’ Relationship Through The Years

 “Katie is just flourishing in her new life,” a source close to the situation previously told Radar.

 “Yes, there have been some dark moments but she was more than ready to embark on the next phase of her life post-Tom Cruise. Katie felt that her professional career suffered because she was married to Tom and that she didn’t have the final say in her acting roles. Katie is currently busy preparing for her role in Dead Accounts.

 “Katie believes in love and hopes to get remarried one day, but she has absolutely no plans on dating anytime soon. Katie is devoted to being the best parent possible to Suri and continuing a smooth transition into their new lives together. Katie knows bringing a new man into the situation would only cause more stress for Suri right now, and the actress is still recovering from the end of her marriage to Tom.”

 PHOTOS: Tom Cruise Pictured In Iceland After Katie Holmes’ Divorce Filing

 Meanwhile, leaked legal documents dated August 17 and signed by New York State Supreme Court Judge Matthew F. Cooper, offer details of the divorce decree, including the specifics of the A-list couple’s custody agreement.

 The “marital relationship” had “broken down irretrievably for a period of at least six months immediately preceding,” the papers state.

 Tom, 50, and Katie, 33, tied the knot in a lavish wedding in Italy in 2006. However, the legal documents say they officially married “in a civil ceremony” in Los Angeles on November 11, 2006. A prenuptial agreement was acknowledged and signed by Holmes months earlier.

 PHOTOS: Sad Suri Cruise Steps Out With Mom Katie Holmes

 In terms of child support, Tom was ordered to pay $400,000 a year to cover Suri’s “medical, dental, insurance, unreimbursed medical and dental, education, college, extracurricular and camp expenses.”

 RELATED STORIES:

 Where’s Tom? Suri Cruise Goes To First Day Of School With Just Katie Holmes!

 Tom Cruise’s Recruited Girlfriend, Told It Was A ‘Hush-Hush Mission’ That Would Change The World

 Katie Holmes On Divorce: ‘There Are A Lot Of People With Much Bigger Problems’

 Off-Broadway Date A Deux? Katie Holmes Steps Out With Jeremy Strong ||||| I don't wanna to wait ... for our lives to be ohh-ver ... I want to know right now what will it beeeee ... I don't wanna to wait for our lives to be ohh-ver ... Will it be yes or will it beeeee saw-reeeeeeee? Are the tingles coursing along your spine? You know that opening theme ... you long for it. Every bone in your body aches for it. And GAH! there's not only talk of a Dawson's Creek movie, but of a Dawson's Creek REUNION. Of the Joey and Pacey kind. 'Cause did you hear that Katie Holmes wasted no time after her divorce in calling her old boyfriend Joshua Jackson? They were Robsten before there was Robsten! They were Katson!

 And this ain't no two bit piece o' gossip. This is REAL. Cause Joshua said it himself. Katie CALLED him. And they're getting MARRIED!!! Okay, maybe not that last bit. But they talked. That's a start, right?

 US Weekly reports that Joshua, who now stars on The Fringe, said that Katie recently called him (called! not texted!) to catch up. The pair had dated before Tom Cruise brainwashed began courting her. Joshua spilled the details of their reunion chat:

 Like any old friend, it was like, "Oh, hi how are ya? What's going on?" "I had a kid." It was very nice actually.

 Nice, actually? Hmmm ... he must have wanted to keep the tingle-inducing details to himself. Or maybe his beautiful girlfriend, Diane Kruger, was there in the room when Katie called. And she was all, "Joooosssh! Who is that?! Who are you are talking to?!" and he was all, "Um, no one, babe. One of the guys."

 And how funny is it that Katie has the most famous child in the world and was like, "I had a kid." Maybe Josh was like, "I bet her name is .... Suri!" and Katie was all, "How'd you know???"

 Katie must be taking a serious trip down nostalgia lane with her little black book, as she also reportedly hooked up with ex-fiance Chris Klein post-divorce.

 Word has it that Katie wanted to do a Dawson's Creek reunion movie but Tom, that freaky Scientology buzzkiller, put the kibosh on it. Now that he's out of the picture, maybe one will happen. And Joey and Pacey will reunite ... foh-evah! So much better than Tom Cruise, amiright?

 I don't wanna waaaait ...

 Would you want to see Josh and Katie reunite?

 Image via YouTube

Summary: – Depending which news source you read today, Katie Holmes is either hooking up with an old actor flame … or not looking to date any time soon, and certainly not looking to date any actors: Radar reports that, after failed relationships with Joshua Jackson, Chris Klein, and Tom Cruise, Holmes has sworn off actors entirely. Instead, her fashion business partner is introducing her to artists. But for now, she's enjoying the single life with "absolutely no plans on dating anytime soon," a source says. But, another source adds, "She’s been saying now that if she does date anyone, it could be someone who works in the arts world. Katie’s more interested in the quiet life now and an unassuming artist would fit the bill perfectly for when she’s ready." Then again, British magazine Grazia claims ex-fiance Chris Klein himself has actually been sneaking in to Katie's buildings for visits, Australia's News Network reports. "Chris was a real ladies' man when they were first together … he also had a major problem with alcohol," a source says. "He’s really cleaned himself up since then ... Katie likes the new Chris a whole lot more." Of course, all of this comes soon after fellow ex Jackson revealed Holmes called him up after her divorce…


A woman arrested for sitting on a bench outside a Dunkin' Donuts with no clothes on told police she did it on a dare as part of joining a dance troupe, according to a Greenacres Department of Public Safety arrest report.

 Police were called to the doughnut shop, at 2995 S. Jog Road, in Greenacres, at about 9 p.m. Sunday in response to reports of a woman "completely naked" outside the business. There, an officer found Shakara Martin, 32, "fully exposed."

 The officer asked if she was all right and if she needed medical attention, according to the report. Martin apologized and said she purposely came to the Dunkin' Donuts naked for a dare that was part of pledging the dance group.

 Onlookers said Martin was offered clothes multiple times and refused them.

 She was arrested on a charge of indecent exposure and released from the Palm Beach County Jail about an hour later. ||||| The seed for Wide00014 was:

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Summary: – A Palm Beach woman better hope she makes the dance team after an apparent dare from the unnamed group landed her in jail. Shakara Monik Martin was spotted sitting naked outside a Dunkin' Donuts on Sunday, yet rebuffed numerous offers of clothes, the Palm Beach Post reports. By the time police arrived, a "fully exposed" Martin, 32, was apologetic and revealed the stunt was part of a pledge for a dance group, according to police documents, per the South Florida Sun Sentinel. She was charged with indecent exposure and released from the Palm Beach County Jail on Monday.