"Sister Wives" Family Wins Polygamy Case in Court

When the stars of the TLC reality show Sister Wives aren't taping their shows, they've been fighting for their plural marriage in court. And after a years-long court case, they came out on top – for now.

Kody Brown and his wives, Meri, Robyn, Janelle, and Christine, sued the state of Utah in 2011 after a county prosecutor threatened to charge them with bigamy. They argued Utah's law violated their right to privacy. Because a 2003 ruling overturned Texas' ban on sodomy, they argued the law can't punish polygamists for their "intimate conduct" as long as they're not breaking other laws, like trying to get multiple marriage licenses. (Kody Brown is only legally married to one of his wives, Meri.)

On Thursday, a federal judge in Utah officially struck down parts of the state's anti-polygamy law, saying a rule forbidding cohabitation was unconstitutional. That ruling had made living with a person to whom you are not married punishable by up to five years behind bars, and the law was often used to prosecute polygamists, activists say.

The decision was a big win for the Browns, who have 17 children. "Families like the Browns can now be both plural and legal in the state of Utah," the Brown family's lawyer, Jonathan Turley, wrote in a blog post.

"This decision brings closure for our family and further reaffirms the right of all families to be free from government abuse," Brown said in a statement. "While we know that many people do not approve of plural families, it is our family and based on our religious beliefs."

The ruling actually happened in December, but wasn't made final until Thursday because of procedural issues and a final charge related to the investigation. But the Browns' case is far from over; the state's attorney general, Sean Reyes, has said he plans to appeal the decision.

[h/t Entertainment Weekly]

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Watch a Porn Star Discuss Sexuality With His Family on a New Reality Show

Gay porn site Broke Straight Boys has just released the first episode of its new reality show, and there are two surprising things about it: It's safe for work, and it's kind of endearing [via Gawker].

Porn star Paul Canon talks about his life before porn and the drug overdose that turned his life around, then joins his family in their living room for a talk about how they reacted when they found out not only that he was a porn star, but that he was a gay porn star.

The conversation is oddly refreshing (although decidedly not politically correct). It's a family of five arguing about sexuality and brotherhood, cameras be damned. Even when Canon's family is making the kind of comments that would singlehandedly end a politician's career, it's all done out of love.

But like most parents, they're confused about Paul's choices and they reflect society's need to label sexuality. Paul, meanwhile, doesn't see why he even needs to spend time convincing people that he's not necessarily bisexual or, well, anything. "It doesn't matter," he says to the cameras. "It makes no fucking difference." Word, Paul.

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Having A Friend Or Family Member Officiate Your Wedding: Yea or Nay?

Blake Shelton will be double-booked the night of Kelly Clarkson's wedding, but not the way it sounds.

The American Idol alum has asked her pal to not only sing at her wedding to fiance Brandon Blackstock, but also to officiate it. No word yet whether the country crooner is certified yet to perform the nuptials, but these days, he can do that in one afternoon on the internet.

Full disclosure: My younger brother holds a degree from Harvard—and an online verification from the Universal Life Church saying he can proceed over weddings as a minister. He, Conan O'Brien, and 20M others, who have all been ordained online. If you're looking to get ordained yourself, or get someone ordained, it's not too difficult: Just type it in to Google, and hundreds of sites will pop up, a lot of them linking you back to the Universal Life Church.

This is the most popular, and quickest, way to become an ordained minister, or person to marry two people in this country, although it differs from state-to-state on what is considered legal. For instance, Connecticut, Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee, a part of Pennsylvania, and oddly enough, Las Vegas does not necessarily recognize the credentials of those who get ordained online to proceed over weddings.

Having family members and friends perform this duty at weddings seems to be a growing trend that's seeping into our consciousness—how else?—via Hollywood. Emma Stone officiated her publicist's wedding back in November, after introducing her to her director husband.

Vanessa Williams oversaw her Ugly Betty co-star America Ferrera's wedding to Ryan Piers Williams in 2011, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden were married by pal Rev Run in 2010, Mark Consuelos played the part at Howard Stern and Beth Ostrosky's 2008 nuptials, and Victor Garber married off his Alias co-star and close friend Jennifer Garner to Ben Affleck in 2005. Closer to home, a friend of mine had her sister officiate her wedding instead of being the Matron of Honor.

"I felt as my sister she deserved an even greater position in my wedding," she explained to me. Her sister took classes at a local community center in Indiana to prep for her duties and to make it official.

But is this an honor you'd want to bestow on a pal, parent, co-worker or sibling? Or does it take away from the authority to have your brother who gave you wedgies growing up to then marry you? If I ever get married, my little bro won't be my first choice (or probably any of them) to proceed over the wedding, but he's definitely offered up his services to myself, all of his friends, and anyone else on their way to the altar. Any takers?

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Ben's Family Gets Involved...

Ben Sr. and his wife, Amy, made an impromptu visit yesterday. When they arrived, the Bens had the following exchange.

Ben Sr.: So how about we take you to lunch?

Ben: How about brunch?

Ben Sr.: Sure, how about sushi?

Ben: That’s not brunch.

Ben Sr.: Why not?

Ben: There are no eggs on the menu.

Ben Sr.: Amy and I had breakfast before we left.

Ben: That’s the beauty of brunch, Dad. Everyone gets to choose if they want breakfast or lunch.

Ben Sr. was clearly confused by the concept of brunch, which Amy (and I, though I kept my poker face on) thought was hilarious. When we arrived, I ordered a mimosa and Ben ordered a Bloody Mary.

“Drinking with breakfast?” Ben Sr. asked.

“Dad,” Ben said, rolling his eyes. “It’s brunch.”

After we all ordered (Salad for Ben Sr., burger for Amy, Eggs Florentine for Ben and an omelet for me), Ben Sr. explained why they’d come.

“If you two are amenable to it, we’d love to throw you an engagement party in Philly.”

The idea of having an engagement party hadn’t even occurred to me. Apparently, it hadn’t occurred to Ben, either.

“I don’t know, Dad. I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t get what the point of an engagement party is.”

“To tell everyone you’re engaged, and celebrate it,” Ben Sr. said.

“That’s what Facebook is for,” Ben said. Amy and I laughed. “But seriously, who gets invited? Everyone who’s going to the wedding? I don’t want people to feel like they’re obligated to trek to Philly and buy us another gift.”

“What do you think, K.?” Amy asked.

“I think it’s a lovely gesture,” I said. “And I appreciate the thought, as does Ben, even though he’s not showing it.” I gave Ben a pointed look. “But it seems like a lot of money and fuss for you guys, and we don’t want you to have to do all that.”

“But we really want to,” Amy insisted.

Ben and I consulted with eyebrows, and made our decision.

“Then we would love to have an engagement party, hosted by you.”

We compared schedules, and decided on Saturday, October 22. After brunch, I called my parents to give them a heads up in case they wanted to buy plane tickets.

“We wanted to have something for you down here,” my mother lamented.

“I don’t think that will be convenient for people, Mom,” I said. “Plus, two engagement parties is too much.”

“Fine,” she said, though it was clearly anything but. “But I’ll be throwing your bridal shower. I suppose I should call Ben’s parents now before they start planning one.”

I feel like an engagement party, a bridal shower and a wedding is too much. It’s basically asking people for three gifts. Ben proposed making the engagement party a no-gift affair, but Ben’s father nixed the idea. I didn’t even propose it with my mother, as I knew it wouldn’t fly.

While I’m not excited about three separate events, I am excited about setting up a wedding registry. I’ve been drooling over housewares online all day.

Posted at 12:46 PM

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Ben's Family Gets Involved...

Ben Sr. and his wife, Amy, made an impromptu visit yesterday. When they arrived, the Bens had the following exchange.

Ben Sr.: So how about we take you to lunch?

Ben: How about brunch?

Ben Sr.: Sure, how about sushi?

Ben: That’s not brunch.

Ben Sr.: Why not?

Ben: There are no eggs on the menu.

Ben Sr.: Amy and I had breakfast before we left.

Ben: That’s the beauty of brunch, Dad. Everyone gets to choose if they want breakfast or lunch.

Ben Sr. was clearly confused by the concept of brunch, which Amy (and I, though I kept my poker face on) thought was hilarious. When we arrived, I ordered a mimosa and Ben ordered a Bloody Mary.

“Drinking with breakfast?” Ben Sr. asked.

“Dad,” Ben said, rolling his eyes. “It’s brunch.”

After we all ordered (Salad for Ben Sr., burger for Amy, Eggs Florentine for Ben and an omelet for me), Ben Sr. explained why they’d come.

“If you two are amenable to it, we’d love to throw you an engagement party in Philly.”

The idea of having an engagement party hadn’t even occurred to me. Apparently, it hadn’t occurred to Ben, either.

“I don’t know, Dad. I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t get what the point of an engagement party is.”

“To tell everyone you’re engaged, and celebrate it,” Ben Sr. said.

“That’s what Facebook is for,” Ben said. Amy and I laughed. “But seriously, who gets invited? Everyone who’s going to the wedding? I don’t want people to feel like they’re obligated to trek to Philly and buy us another gift.”

“What do you think, K.?” Amy asked.

“I think it’s a lovely gesture,” I said. “And I appreciate the thought, as does Ben, even though he’s not showing it.” I gave Ben a pointed look. “But it seems like a lot of money and fuss for you guys, and we don’t want you to have to do all that.”

“But we really want to,” Amy insisted.

Ben and I consulted with eyebrows, and made our decision.

“Then we would love to have an engagement party, hosted by you.”

We compared schedules, and decided on Saturday, October 22. After brunch, I called my parents to give them a heads up in case they wanted to buy plane tickets.

“We wanted to have something for you down here,” my mother lamented.

“I don’t think that will be convenient for people, Mom,” I said. “Plus, two engagement parties is too much.”

“Fine,” she said, though it was clearly anything but. “But I’ll be throwing your bridal shower. I suppose I should call Ben’s parents now before they start planning one.”

I feel like an engagement party, a bridal shower and a wedding is too much. It’s basically asking people for three gifts. Ben proposed making the engagement party a no-gift affair, but Ben’s father nixed the idea. I didn’t even propose it with my mother, as I knew it wouldn’t fly.

While I’m not excited about three separate events, I am excited about setting up a wedding registry. I’ve been drooling over housewares online all day.

Posted at 12:46 PM

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