Coffee Table News
Pretty Little Liars GQ Shoot Causes Controversy!
School girls no more! The women of Pretty Little Liars stripped down to their teeny-weeny bikinis this week for a spread in GQ magazine, which caused a bit of controversy. And no, its not cause they were barely wearing any clothes and trying to strip really attractive men of their towels. Wait, isn’t the point of a GQ spread actually to have people talking and cause controversy?!
The scandalous shoot came under fire for being heavily photoshopped. The liars were styled in retro hairdo’s, being playful and silly poolside, in heels, squirting water guns and being surrounded by half-naked men. (So really any girls dream.)
There’s no denying the role that photoshop played in the shots. Technically, these girls don’t even need photoshop– their all so beautiful without it. But the stylization of the Ellen Von Unwerth shoot required it to look retro, glam, high-fashion and totally fake. So what’s the big deal?
But before I dive into the Photoshop controversy and the way it was handled, I do want to point out that there was also an article along with the sexy pics and that it was well worth the read. Going into their 5th season, the girls are already thinking about what they want to do once PLL is dunzo. Benson wants to star in a Woody Allen movie, while Mitchell wants to become the next Bond girl and do all her own stunts. Hale already has a second career as a country singer, with an album that just came out and is hoping that her dreams of going on tour will happen shortly. As for Bellisario, she wants to do some Shakespeare in the park, “maybe playing Lady MacBeth”. You see there’s much more to these girls than their smoothed out skin and perfect curled locks. Which is what Troian Bellisario wanted to prove when she took to Instagram to address the controversy.
Photo Credit: Troian Bellisario
She posted behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot that showed what the girls really looked like that day, while writing this really long, but really brilliant post.
“So by now you have seen many a shot from #GQ and many people have said that we were photoshopped… OF COURSE WE WERE! that’s a very specific type of photo shoot. And looking very blown out and perfected was obviously what they were looking for. Great. Cool. As long as we acknowledge how it was achieved so we know it’s not real. Here’s some behind the scenes of my body the way it is and was on the day. I’m not mad at how these pictures turned out, the girls and I had an absolute blast. More fun than we’ve had on a photoshoot in a while, and I think you can see that in our eyes and smiles. But it’s the same everywhere. It’s the same way on the posters of our show and even in women’s magazines. This industry seems to invest more in perfection than in flaw. But flaw and individuality, to me, are what make a human being interesting, they make our stories worth telling. (Unfortunately the flaws don’t usually sell products or magazines.) I’m proud of my body and the way it looks because @themarkwildman kicks my butt in aerial. But my hips and thighs are a part of me (even though they magically weren’t in some shots!). I get those things from my momma. And I’m happy to shake what my momma gave me,” she wrote under the picture caption.
Good for you Troian. Of course we live in a world where we idolize being thin and without a flaw, but isn’t that what sells magazines? These girls aren’t denying that they were digitally enhanced. They don’t actually want you to believe that they look this good all the time. You’d be a fool to actually think that. (Have you not seen the episodes where Spencer isn’t sleeping? She DOES NOT look like that.) Truthfully, I think the point of this photo shoot was to look glam and have fun doing it, which is exactly what these ladies portrayed. Their fun, edgy and not afraid to do something that’s out of the box. Plus, show me a star who hasn’t been a victim of photoshop! At least this was done tastefully and no arms and legs were cut off to give a distorted image of what we think the ideal body should look like! Can I also add that the behind-the-scenes photos and the actual print photos look really similar? I mean, Troian really does have a nice body. Shay’s legs really are that long. That’s not an illusion. That’s not digitally enhanced!
She followed up the post (which was probably cut off for being a bit long) with this: “I mean. Photoshopped or not. I work with three of the most gorgeous women on the planet. (Goddesses without hair and make up as well).” And judging by the photos her castmates posted on their own Instagrams (both behind-the-scenes and in the mag), everyone was happy with the way the shoot turned out.” And really, isn’t that the point?
Fans were surprised that they were totally fine with being portrayed so unrealistically. Ashley Benson has long voiced her opinion on photoshop (and how much she hates it). Similarly, Troian Bellisario recently admitted that she struggled with an eating disorder because of the pressure put on her to look thin and perfect. And this isn’t the first time these leading ladies have come under fire for being heavily photoshopped. Last year, even they voiced their displeasure with the Pretty Little Liars posters, which were covered in photoshop making the girls almost doll-like.
Saw this floating around … hope it’s not the post,” Benson wrote on Instagram. “Our faces in this were from 4 years ago . . . and we all look ridiculous. Way too much Photoshop. We all have flaws. No one looks like this. It’s not attractive.”
Benson also told her young fans to not let their self-esteem be affected by images they see in the media.
“Remember, you are ALL beautiful,” she wrote on Instagram. “Please don’t ever try and look like the people you see in magazines or posters because it’s fake.”
“It only causes an unhealthy mind about how you see yourself,” she added. “You are perfect the way you are.”
Check out the pictures from the June GQ shoot and let us know what you think? Did you like the photos? Did you hate the photoshop?
Featured Image: GQ/ Photo- Ellen von Unwerth
The Santa Clauses
Here’s When ‘The Santa Clauses 2’ Will Return to Bring You Holiday Cheer

Ho ho ho—it’s a Christmas miracle.
Tim Allen is gearing up to jump back into the Santa suit as Disney+ announced the premiere date for the second season of The Santa Clauses.
The Santa Clauses 2 will hit the streaming service on Wednesday, Nov. 8, airing its first two episodes of the six-episode season.
Episodes will then air weekly leading up to the Dec. 6 finale!
While there was some hesitation from fans of the original film franchise when it came to the TV spinoff, the first season of the series was positively received with viewers wanting more Christmas magic from Scott Calvin and his jolly family.
As for what’s to be expected from season 2, Allen’s man in the red suit will face off against a new foe, Magnus Antas, known also as the Mad Santa, played by Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet.
Per the synopsis, Mad Santa reigned during the 14th century and is now trying to reclaim his spot at the North Pole, which we know the Calvins will staunchly protect against any danger, disaster, or threats.
Stonestreet isn’t the only heavy-hitter joining the series, however, as comedian Gabriel Iglesias will star as Kris “Kringle” Moreno, the owner and operator of a Christmas-themed amusement park called Santaland,” while 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan will bring his comedic chops to the Easter Bunny role. And lastly, Marta Kessler will appear as a “take-no-prisoners gnome” known as Olga, who is also Magnus’ sidekick.
So much for that retirement Calvin dreamt up in season 1, right?
In addition to all the new drama, Calvin will also be training his son, Cal, played by Austin Kane, who is set to take over the family business, though, personally, we’re still on Team Sandra (Elizabeth Allen-Dick).
Also returning in their series regular roles are Elizabeth Mitchell as Carol aka Mrs. Clause and Devin Bright as Noel, while Matilda Lawler, Santa’s chief of staff and Noel’s love Betty, will reappear as a recurring guest star.
Liam Kyle as Gary, Isabella Bennett as Edie, Sasha Knight as Crouton, Ruby Jay as Riley, Mia Lynn Bangunan as Pontoon, and Laura San Giacomo as La Befana, the Christmas Witch will also grace the screen.
If you missed the first season of the series, or simply want to catch up, you can check out all of our coverage here!
Hallmark Gets Into the Holiday Spirit With ‘Countdown to Christmas’ Lineup
Only Murders in the Building
Will There Be a Season 4 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’?

With just a few episodes left in the third season of Only Murders in the Building and the action ramping up, fans are wondering whether we’re about to reach the end of the road with Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin) and Oliver (Martin Short), the dynamic murder-mystery-solving-podcasting trio.
It would be a shame to wrap up a series with a cast that has such a genuine bond and chemistry, however, one has to wonder how many murders three people can endure without it taking a toll on their mental health.
This season alone, it seems like they’re over death taking such a strong hold over their lives, but then again, getting to solve the unsolved mysteries and helping those wrongly incarcerated get out of prison is important work.
As for writing, Hulu has not given word on whether it will renew or cancel Only Murders in the Building. This means Only Murders in the Building Season 4 is not guaranteed, and it can go either way, however, it does have plenty working in its favor. Each season, there’s a better and more star-studded cast, leaving fans wondering how the series can top itself.
There’s also plenty of buzz and interest in the show, along with rave reviews, including Emmy wins and nominations. The writers continue finding new and fresh ways to expand the storyline, with season 3 roping in potential suspects outside of the walls of the Arconia (though the murder does still happen there) through Oliver’s Broadway play.
There are so many reasons for Hulu to give the series a green light, however, we may have to wait a smidge longer as it’s impossible currently due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. The strikes have halted production on most shows, and that extends to any talks of renewals.
Until an agreement is reached between the union and the studios, we likely won’t get any information about the show’s fate, unless there was an agreement for a fourth season in place prior to the strikes.
If there are any developments, we’ll update this post quickly and accordingly.
What to Watch
Hallmark Gets Into the Holiday Spirit With ‘Countdown to Christmas’ Lineup

Move over, spooky season—it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Hallmark.
The network is starting the Christmas season in October, unveiling its 40-movie holiday lineup on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Fans will be thrilled to know that 31 of the movies will air on Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” schedule and nine will be available on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ “Miracles of Christmas.”
The beloved TV movie event that fans look forward to each year will kickoff on Oct. 20—yep, while most networks are still airing all of their Halloween content.
The streaming service, Hallmark Movies Now, will also offer early access by a week to two upcoming premieres, along with other perks like two original films available only for streaming—An Ice Palace Romance and Rescuing Christmas—along with extended versions of two 2022 original fan-favorites, A Holiday Spectacular and Three Wise Men and a Baby.
There’s plenty of familiar faces returning to the network, including Tyler Hynes, Jonathan Bennett, Brennan Elliott, Dan Jeannotte and Bethany Joy Lenz, along with some new exciting faces making their debut like Virgin River’s Mark Ghanimé, Phylicia Rashad, and Bryan Greenberg.
The full lineup is below, so mark your calendars and let the Christmas vibes:
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