Hot News Mix: Padma Lakshmi’s Mom is Not Impressed, Julian Assange Opens for M.I.A. and More

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Padma Lakshmi visits Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi was on Fallon on Friday dishing about the latest season of the hit Bravo show. While Padma’s mom was prominently featured in last week’s episode of Top Chef, Lakshmi revealed that her mother is “unfazed” by her celebrity daughter’s career and the show’s success. “I always tell her, like, ‘Mom, this season the ratings are up 45 percent from last season’s premiere and there’s X million of people watching.’ And she just says, ‘OF course it’s millions of people, it’s TV. Everyone watches TV.” Watch the segment below:

Now opening for M.I.A…. Julian Assange?: Audience members at M.I.A‘s show at New York City’s Terminal 5 Friday night were probably a little surprised when controversial Wikileaks founder Julian Assange Skyped into the concert during the show’s opening. According to New York Times reviewer Jon Pareles, Assange urged the crowd “to fight the military occupation of cyberspace” while also hailing M.I.A. as “the most courageous woman working in Western music.” The rapper later tweeted the full video of Assange’s intro. (The New York Times)

An inside look at Bangladesh’s garment factories: Toronto Star reporter Raveena Aulakh received widespread attention last month after going undercover at a Bangladeshi clothing factory for four days. Readers were shocked to learn that Aulakh’s boss was a 9-year-old girl. In a new interview with Buzzfeed’s Sapna Maheshwari, Aulakh reveals how she secured employment inside the factory. “My cabbie-friend convinced a friend’s friend that I was his wife’s cousin from India, had recently moved to Dhaka and needed work, any work, for a bit to get back on my feet,” she said. (Buzzfeed)

Mindy Kaling’s Halloween costume: Ever wonder what Mindy Kaling would look like dressed as Captain Hook? Wonder no more.

Lakshmi Gandhi is an editor and co-founder of The Aerogram. Find her on Twitter @LakshmiGandhi.

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