Cooking with Mama June

Preview: Extreme Cougars

Extreme Cougar Wives

Age is only a number for the three couples featured in TLC's new Extreme Cougar Wives special. 

The one-hour program, airing Nov. 25 at 10:00 p.m. ET, follows three older women – Hattie, Stephanie and Jude – and their romances with significantly younger men.

Hattie, 76, is introduced by calling her lifestyle "extreme." Seen with her arms around a guy who is clearly very much her junior, she explains, "There are a lot of people who use the word 'cougar' to describe an older woman who sleeps with younger men."

When her date says to her, "You don't mind being naked – you enjoy it," she tells him, "Skin. I love skin."

Then there's Stephanie, 65, who is head-over-heels for 28-year-old Octavio.

"I'm 37 years older than he is," she says of her beau, whose friends do not approve of their relationship. "You can't control who you fall in love with."

The third woman, Jude, 53, met her 21-year-old boyfriend Kevin when he dated her daughter seven years ago.

"It's amazing what falling in love will do for your self-image," Jude says.

After a scene that shows the pair appearing to exchange vows, Kevin says, "How the hell am I going to tell my parents?"

When he finally does drop the bombshell, his mom angrily says, "So she's older than your mother?"

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Extended promo for "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo"

Here comes honey boo boo

Alana (aka Honey Boo Boo Child) to have spin off reality show

Just weeks after ex-Todders and Tiaras star Eden Wood's reality show premiered on Logo, TLC announces a Toddlers & Tiaras spinoff of their own. It stars Alana, who is 6, and might be better known by her nickname "Honey Boo Boo." While Wood's reality show Eden's World is about he "fancy life" because that's what people really want to see, as her mother told me, Boo Boo's show aims to prove that "she is more than just a Go-Go Juice-drinking beauty queen," a press release states:

When she's not chasing after crowns, Alana’s with her family in rural Georgia doing what her family does best: four-wheeling through mud pits and picking up road kill for the family cookout.

HBB's family, some of whom also have food-inspired nicknames will also star in her show:

Each episode follows Alana and her family: stay-at-home mom June, chalk-mining dad Sugar Bear, and sisters 12-year-old Lauryn “Pumpkin”, 15-year-old Jessica “Chubbs”, and 17-year-old pregnant Anna “Chickadee”. From family outings to loud and crazy family get-togethers, HERE COMES HONEY BOO BOO takes us off the pageant stage and into the unapologetically outrageous family life of the Honey Boo Boo clan.

Looks like they're going for shock factor if they're publicizing the pregnancy of HBB's sister (that is, if televised teen pregnancy even makes people feel things anymore). One more of these child pageant star shows and these 6 year olds could become a full-fledged Real Housewives-esque franchise.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo premieres in August.

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TLC orders two more specials of "Virgin Diaries"

TLC has ordered two additional specials of its hit show VIRGIN DIARIES. Whether it's by choice or chance, both men and women, some well into their 30's and even 40's, are holding on to their virginity. VIRGIN DIARIES, which premiered in December 2011 to more than 1.3 million viewers, follows the lives of inexperienced individuals and couples as they go through the trials and tribulations of being a virgin in a sexually-charged culture.

From a 34-year-old Mormon who lives in his parents' basement and brings his "Wing Mom" to bars to help him meet women, to a 29-year-old lesbian virgin who loves Star Wars and dodgeball, the newest specials of VIRGIN DIARIES will take a light-hearted look inside the lives of adult virgins as they prepare for the monumental moment that has eluded them for so many years.

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Stores change policy to counteract extreme couponers

For extreme couponers who pay only a few bucks for an entire shopping cart’s worth of goods, or even earn money on their shopping trips by reimbursing coupons with a higher value than the item’s price, couponing practically functions as a part-time job. Stores are ready to give them the pink slip.

Supermarkets popular with extreme couponers have a delicate balance to maintain: They don’t want to alienate their coupon-loving customers, but they also don’t want to disappoint non-extreme shoppers who can’t buy sale items because some shopper with a file folder and dreams of TLC stardom just emptied the entire shelf of product. To that end, some grocery retailers are adding to or clarifying their existing coupon policies.

The Detroit News profiles one extreme couponer who admitted her quest to buy 34 containers of chocolate milk at once was “a moneymaker,” since she intended to get 11 cents back each by combining a coupon with her local Walmart’s sale price. While the store manager did allow the shopper to score her $3.74 cash back, the process was, according to her, deliberately annoying. Each container of milk had to be rung up as an individual purchase, and the cash back was doled out 11 cents at a time, along with 34 separate receipts.

Walmart wouldn’t comment on this practice when asked by the newspaper, but increasing the hassle factor for extreme couponers is only one of the ways retailers are trying to limit their losses and keep shelves stocked in the face of this fanatical frugality.

Online forums where couponers swap tips and gripes lit up last spring with the news that supermarket chain Kroger was barring “stacking,” that is, combining paper and online manufacturer’s coupons on the same item. Apparently, that wasn’t enough of a deterrent, because the company tweaked its policy again several months later to limit the number of online manufacturer’s coupons a shopper could use in a single day.

“We want all customers to be able to get the products they want when they are shopping in our stores,” a Kroger spokeswoman explained to the Detroit News.

It’s not only supermarkets starting to take a stand against hardcore couponers; pharmacy chain Rite-Aid announced that it’s test-marketing a coupon policy change on its Facebook page a few weeks ago. Previously, customers who earned loyalty rewards good for a future shopping trip could turn right around and use them immediately; now, they’ll have to wait until the following day.

Extreme couponers might complain, but they can expect stores to continue shifting their coupon policies in the future. On the other hand, cashiers are bound to be thrilled at the prospect of not having to scan dozens of coupons per order, and shoppers who just want to buy one or two sale items will be happy to find the items actually in stock.

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TLC orders new episodes of "Extreme Cheapskates"

I watched the show when it was first aired and found it very interesting! I even took a few pointers from these people on how small changes can save you money. Their money saving ways are definitely extreme but they have some reasonable methods to their madness. 

Dumpster divers and penny pinchers, your time has come: TLC plans to turn its special Extreme Cheapskates into a regular TV series.

TLC has ordered eight half-hour episodes of Extreme Cheapskates, which will air sometime this summer. If you're proud of the unconventional ways you've managed to save a few bucks, the show is currently casting.

The one-hour Extreme Cheapskates special, which initially aired on Dec. 28, featured four misers who went out of their way to save a few bucks. One person trained her family to reuse toilet paper (saving $240 a year) and another asked restaurant patrons for their leftover portions.

According to TLC, the special attracted 1.6 million viewers and became a trending topic on Twitter. It's the latest in a line of TLC programs focusing on ways that Americans are going to great lengths to save money - including, most notably, the network's Extreme Couponing.

TLC launched Extreme Cheapskates in a similar fashion to Extreme Couponing; both started out as specials airing in late December before securing a full pickup. (The most recent all-star edition of Extreme Couponing just ended its season last month.) Stephen David Entertainment is the producer on Extreme Cheapskates.

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My Strange Addiction starts tonight at 10 PM

Here are some of the stories you'll see this season:

Addicted to Mothballs

Alicia adored her grandmother and the pungent fragrance that surrounded the warmth in her house -- mothballs.

That was during "happy times" when she was a little girl, growing up in New York. But now, at 45, Alicia can't get enough of the odor that most people find noxious -- so much so that sniffing their fumes has become an addiction.

"I love the smell," said Alicia, a hair stylist who now lives in Atlanta. She hides mothballs in her car, her bed and under the sofa cushions in her house. They are cheap to buy -- only $1 a box.

"I find it irresistible and it's hard for me to stay away from it for long periods of time," she said. "I always keep a stash somewhere so I can get a smell."

But mothballs contain toxic chemicals like naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, and a doctor has told her she is endangering health and that of her children.

"He said that it can affect your eyes and that it is really unhealthy to inhale and could potentially cause cancer," said Alicia.

She said she loves her two children -- aged 15 and 18 -- and has vowed to stop.

"I am so dependent, I can't go more than an hour without the scent," said Alicia. "I'll just have to quit cold turkey and keep them away from my children.

Sex With My Car

Nathaniel from Arkansas is sexually attracted to his car, caressing its steering wheel, kissing the hood and even sliding his body under the front end and rubbing up against the metal.

The 28-year-old even has a name for his '98 Chevy Monte Carlo -- "Chase."

He met the car at a repair shop."There was something about him," Nathaniel said. "I knew we were meant to be together."

Nathaniel takes his car, whom he calls "my handsome man," on dates on scenic overlooks and keeps a photo of Chase as a screensaver on his computer.

"I love his subtle curves," said Nathaniel. They even have their own song by REO Speedwagon.

As a teen, Nathaniel loved to build model cars and one of them, Dylan, shares a bed with him. "Chase is OK with that," he said. "He knows we have a long history between us."

When he was in elementary school Nathaniel was a loner and didn't have many friends. Then later, he was in a car accident with his Dad, an event that he thinks might have triggered his obsession with cars.

"The doctor calls it objectophilia," he said, noting that others have been attracted to objects like the Eiffel Tower and roller coasters. He was delighted to find others online who share similar sexual attractions.

"At first I thought I had a problem and something was mentally wrong," said Nathaniel. "But I didn't feel so alone and it opened me up a bit."

But he worries sometimes that if people find out where he works as a customer service technician, they will think he is crazy. And so does his roommate Kim.

"She's been very supportive of me." said Nathaniel. "I talked to a therapist, mainly for insight. I wanted to learn more about it. He was supportive and only wanted to help me cope."

"I think people can tell I am really happy and there is no reason to change," he said. "But the therapist thinks I should have a more traditional relationship."

'I Eat 900 Cat Treats a Day'

Mary from Michigan has a dangerous habit. She eats cat food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and her doctor says it could kill her.

Experts say that cat food contains many ingredients that could be harmful to humans, including the body parts of dead animals.

"I can't see that it's harmful," said Mary, stroking her 17-year-old cat, one of three others. "One for you and one for Mama."

She eats 900 cat treats a day and said she loves the "crunchy" taste. "They are bursting with flavor," she said, estimating that she has popped more than one million morsels in her mouth so far.

Mary even eats the canned wet food, which she says tastes like chicken soup. In all, she eats about 1,500 pounds of feline food a year.

Her brother said Mary's habit is "gross," and a close friend, who had no idea she was hoarding cat food for herself, tells her she must get help.

She never eats people food and though she is unemployed, Mary spends $200 a month on cat food. Psychologists suspect that Mary's divorce five years ago may have triggered her addiction to cat food. But will she get help?

Breast Addiction

Sheyla, a 32-year-old from Houston, is addicted to her 38KKK breasts despite many health risks. She has spent nearly a quarter million dollars on 22 breast enlargement surgeries to achieve her gargantuan size.

She's even had ribs removed to fit her 14-pound implants on her size zero frame. Despite suffering a severe infection from recent implants, Sheyla continues to dream even bigger.

Will friends be able to stop her from going through with another potentially life threatening surgery?

Experts say her addiction stems from body dysmorphic disorder and a love of attention.

Addicted to Tape

Andrea from Marietta, Ga., has been addicted to eating adhesive tape for nine years. She goes through more than 200 feet of tape each day.

Doctors have warned the 23-year-old that her addiction may a cause blood infection or cancer.

Digging Her Ears

Jamie from Jacksonville, Fla., can't stop digging in her ears. For more than 12 hours every day, she scrapes her ear canal with scissors, nail files and other sharp objects until she bleeds.

Doctors have warned the 32-year-old that her addiction may cause her to lose her hearing.

Snorting Baby Powder
Jaye from Houston can't get enough baby powder. The white dust has settled over every surface in her house -- the floor, the refrigerator, the bed.

Some friends were so shocked, they thought she had an illegal drug habit.

Without her fix, the 18-year-old says, "I wouldn't be able to function."

The addiction began one day when she spilled powder and inhaled it by mistake. Over the last decade it escalated.

She loved the sensation and now instead of just sniffing the powder, Jaye shoves it up her nostrils 10 times a day.

She estimates her habit has grown to five ounces a day and as much as 1,800 pounds a year.

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The best thing to come out of Toddlers and Tiaras

I present Alana:

Extended "Virgin Diaries" trailer

Master of the modern freak show TLC has taken one of the most awkward of common human experiences—having sex for the first time—and made it a billion times worse by presenting it in a ghastly monstrosity of a vastly humiliating reality TV show. Behold the Virgin Diaries, in which a sex-abstaining couple shares their wedding preparation, night, and aftermath.



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TLC's new show "The Virgin Diaries"

Adding to the heap of toddlers, tiaras, 19 kids, little people and sister wives, TLC is adding "Virgin Diaries," the perfect counterpoint to "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant."

According to the TLC summary, "Virgin Diaries takes you inside the lives of adult virgins who reveal the challenges, truths, and anticipations of losing their virginity." A 2006 MTV UK show by a similar name (THE Virgin Diaries) had the same premise... except it followed virgins between 16 and 18 years old. This series did not go over so well.

Based on this preview, "Virgin Diaries" will be a more wholesome experience, one in which being a virgin means never having to kiss your partner before marriage.

Debbie's note: The kiss at the end literally makes me sick.




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People Magazine: Has "Toddlers and Tiaras" gone too far?

Cover of this week's People Magazine
Souce: People

For nearly three years, the hit TLC show Toddlers & Tiaras has captured the drama behind the scenes in the world of child beauty pageants. The tantrums were extreme, and the pre-show prep of spray tanning and eyebrow waxing seemed perhaps premature for little kids.

But in the last few weeks, as footage of 3- and 4-year-olds dressed in overly adult costumes (like Dolly Parton, complete with padded breasts, or Julia Roberts's streetwalker from Pretty Woman hit the airwaves, viewers and pageant skeptics have been expressing horror at an industry that is now accused of "sexualizing" young girls.

"Little girls are supposed to play with dolls, not be dolls," New York-based licensed clinical social worker Mark Sichel tells PEOPLE in its new issue, on newsstands now.

He adds that the extremes parents go to in order to prepare their children for competition – using padding, fake hair, flippers (faux teeth) and spray tans – "causes the children tremendous confusion, wondering why they are not okay without those things."

Crazy pageant mom coaching her daughter from the audience.
Credit: TLC

Now devoted pageant moms are speaking out in their own defense. Wendy Dickey, who dressed her daughter Paisley, 3, as Julia Roberts, tells PEOPLE the look was "tasteful and funny." Still, "If I knew there would be a reaction like this, I never would have used it," Dickey says. "Next time, she'll be dressed as an angel."

And Juana Myers, whose daughter MaKenzie has been featured on Tiaras, says unfair scrutiny has been placed on the pageant industry. "If this were a sport, no one would question it," she says. "This is her sport."

People