#MAGFAB: Cynthia Erivo & Jonathan Bailey for Wonderland - Winter 2025
Nice!
#RHOP: Monique Samuels Speaks On If She And Candiace Dillard Bassett Could Ever Rekindle Friendship
Things between former friends Monique Samuels and Candiace Dillard Bassett remain estranged. The Real Housewives of Potomac staples’ friendship began to dissolve in Season 4 of the Bravo reality series before coming to a head the following season with one of the most memorable physical altercations in Housewives history.
Samuels exited the show at the conclusion of Season 5, while Dillard Bassett remained for an additional three seasons. The fight resulted in lawsuits that were eventually tossed out by a Maryland judge, and their relationship remained fractured.
Dillard Bassett accused Samuels of trying to control the narrative by leaking information to blogs in her favor and lacking accountability. Samuels alleged that she was constantly agitated by Dillard Basset. She later said the altercation was a result of marital issues between her and her now ex-husband, Chris Samuels, and that it sent her on a spiritual journey of healing and self-discovery. However, it doesn’t mean she wants to reconcile with the former beauty pageant queen.
Samuels exited the show at the conclusion of Season 5, while Dillard Bassett remained for an additional three seasons. The fight resulted in lawsuits that were eventually tossed out by a Maryland judge, and their relationship remained fractured.
Dillard Bassett accused Samuels of trying to control the narrative by leaking information to blogs in her favor and lacking accountability. Samuels alleged that she was constantly agitated by Dillard Basset. She later said the altercation was a result of marital issues between her and her now ex-husband, Chris Samuels, and that it sent her on a spiritual journey of healing and self-discovery. However, it doesn’t mean she wants to reconcile with the former beauty pageant queen.
Samuels has returned as a friend of the show in Season 10, coming in via Ashley Darby. She’s also come to a resolution with her longtime nemesis, Gizelle Bryant. Their issues date back to Season 2, with Samuels accusing Bryant of trying to destroy her family in later seasons. But she says she and Bryant are now in a good place.
What did Monique Samuels say on ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen’?
During Samuels’ highley-touted return to Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Sunday, a fan asked if she’ll make up with Dillard Bassett, and it was a resounding no.
“There was no relationship, and sometimes, moving on doesn’t mean that you have to reconcile,” Samuels said. “Sometimes, you just see people for who they are, and you see your place, and you set your boundaries, and it’s OK to not rekindle something that isn’t meant to be rekindled.”
Dillard Bassett has previosuly spoken on Samuels return and said has essentially said that she’s doesn’t believe Samuels’ healing and that she’s never fully taken accountability for her actions toward her.
#MusicNews: Khalid Announces ‘It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour’ Dates
Khalid is getting ready to hit the road in 2026. The pop-R&B sensation has unveiled the dates for his It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour.
The 25-date North American leg, featuring special guest Lauv, kicks off on May 16, 2026, at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
From there, Khalid will make stops in Chicago, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New York and more. The tour wraps up June 26 in Berkeley, California.
Artist presale tickets will be available Wednesday (Dec. 10), starting at 10 a.m. local time, with additional presales running through the week. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday (Dec. 12) at 10 a.m. local time.
Khalid’s It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour will mark his first headlining tour since 2019’s Free Spirit World Tour. According to Billboard, the latter tour grossed $30 million across 35 dates in North America — three times the gross of 2018’s Roxy Tour ($9.6 million).
While the RIAA Diamond-selling star hasn’t had a proper tour in over five years, he has kept his fans fed with a few projects and standalone singles. After dropping his Scenic Drive (The Tape) EP in 2021, Khalid returned in 2024 with his deeply personal third album, Sincere.
“Wow… it’s finally time to get back on the road!!! It’s been 6 years since the last time that I’ve toured and 10 years since I started a career that’s brought me the most incredible memories,” Khalid shared on Instagram.
He added, “Still, I would’ve never imagined I’d go through this amount of GROWTH since the last time I toured. Although it feels like yesterday sometimes, I understand it’s been a while… so I’ll be performing songs from all of my eras.”
The upcoming tour follows the release of his album After the Sun Goes Down, which dropped Oct. 10 via Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records. The 17-track set was preceded by the singles “In Plain Sight” and “Out of Body,” as well as his collab with Oskar Med K, “Nobody (Make Me Feel).”
See Khalid’s tour dates for North America below.
Khalid’s It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour Dates 2026
May 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
May 18 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 20 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
May 21 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
May 23 – Hershey, PA @ GIANT Center
May 24 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre
May 26 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
May 28 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
May 29 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
May 31 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
Jun 3 – Nashville, TN @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Jun 4 – Atlanta, GA @ Synovus Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Jun 6 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
Jun 7 – Philadelphia, PA @ Skyline Stage at Highmark Mann
Jun 9 – Portsmouth, VA @ Portsmouth Pavilio
Jun 10 – Richmond, VA @ Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
Jun 12 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Jun 15 – Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Jun 17 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Jun 18 – Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
Jun 19 – Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater
Jun 21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
Jun 22 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Jun 24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
Jun 26 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre*
Get tickets at http://www.khalidofficial.com.
Khalid is getting ready to hit the road in 2026. The pop-R&B sensation has unveiled the dates for his It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour.
The 25-date North American leg, featuring special guest Lauv, kicks off on May 16, 2026, at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
From there, Khalid will make stops in Chicago, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New York and more. The tour wraps up June 26 in Berkeley, California.
Artist presale tickets will be available Wednesday (Dec. 10), starting at 10 a.m. local time, with additional presales running through the week. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday (Dec. 12) at 10 a.m. local time.
Khalid’s It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour will mark his first headlining tour since 2019’s Free Spirit World Tour. According to Billboard, the latter tour grossed $30 million across 35 dates in North America — three times the gross of 2018’s Roxy Tour ($9.6 million).
While the RIAA Diamond-selling star hasn’t had a proper tour in over five years, he has kept his fans fed with a few projects and standalone singles. After dropping his Scenic Drive (The Tape) EP in 2021, Khalid returned in 2024 with his deeply personal third album, Sincere.
“Wow… it’s finally time to get back on the road!!! It’s been 6 years since the last time that I’ve toured and 10 years since I started a career that’s brought me the most incredible memories,” Khalid shared on Instagram.
He added, “Still, I would’ve never imagined I’d go through this amount of GROWTH since the last time I toured. Although it feels like yesterday sometimes, I understand it’s been a while… so I’ll be performing songs from all of my eras.”
The upcoming tour follows the release of his album After the Sun Goes Down, which dropped Oct. 10 via Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records. The 17-track set was preceded by the singles “In Plain Sight” and “Out of Body,” as well as his collab with Oskar Med K, “Nobody (Make Me Feel).”
See Khalid’s tour dates for North America below.
Khalid’s It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour Dates 2026
May 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
May 18 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
May 20 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
May 21 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
May 23 – Hershey, PA @ GIANT Center
May 24 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre
May 26 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
May 28 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
May 29 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
May 31 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
Jun 3 – Nashville, TN @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Jun 4 – Atlanta, GA @ Synovus Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Jun 6 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
Jun 7 – Philadelphia, PA @ Skyline Stage at Highmark Mann
Jun 9 – Portsmouth, VA @ Portsmouth Pavilio
Jun 10 – Richmond, VA @ Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
Jun 12 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Jun 15 – Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Jun 17 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Jun 18 – Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
Jun 19 – Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater
Jun 21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
Jun 22 – San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Jun 24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
Jun 26 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre*
Get tickets at http://www.khalidofficial.com.
#HipHopNews: Kendrick Lamar 2025 Run Adds Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Kendrick Lamar earned Billboard’s 2025 R&B/Hip Hop Artist of the Year title after a year of record-breaking success.
His single “luther” featuring SZA broke records with a 23-week run at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
Beyond music, Kendrick’s Emmy-winning Super Bowl performance and sold-out tour with SZA kept him at the center of Hip Hop culture.
Kendrick Lamar continues to rack up accolades in 2025 — and beyond. The Compton rapper has been named Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Artist of the Year thanks to his music dominating the charts the entire year.
K. Dot’s critically acclaimed GNX album was released on Nov. 22, 2024, and has maintained its hit-making momentum ever since. Per Billboard, the “Money Trees” rapper was chosen based on his music activity on the weekly Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts between Oct. 26, 2024, and Oct. 18, 2025.
The majority of Lamar’s success on Billboard was tied to his “luther” single, which features vocals from SZA. The Luther Vandross-sampling track, produced by Sounwave and Jack Antonoff among others, was an unavoidable smash all of 2025. By June, it broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart after a 23-week run.
The GNX album itself debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, spent seven weeks at the peak spot, and remained in the top 10 for most of the year. The LP was full of charting singles like "tv off," "peekaboo," and "squabble up." The Drake diss track “Not Like Us” also charted throughout the year.
Beyond the charts, King Kendrick was an ever present and dominant figure in the Hip Hop zeitgeist. In February, he was the halftime headliner at the NFL’s Super Bowl, which broadcast his talents to a global audience and earned him an Emmy. The “Grand National Tour” he embarked on with SZA was a success as they routinely sold-out stadiums and featured special guests for its acclaimed performances all year. It kicked off in April, and the Australian leg is still ongoing.
And for next year, Kendrick Lamar is nominated for nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
His single “luther” featuring SZA broke records with a 23-week run at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
Beyond music, Kendrick’s Emmy-winning Super Bowl performance and sold-out tour with SZA kept him at the center of Hip Hop culture.
Kendrick Lamar continues to rack up accolades in 2025 — and beyond. The Compton rapper has been named Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Artist of the Year thanks to his music dominating the charts the entire year.
K. Dot’s critically acclaimed GNX album was released on Nov. 22, 2024, and has maintained its hit-making momentum ever since. Per Billboard, the “Money Trees” rapper was chosen based on his music activity on the weekly Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts between Oct. 26, 2024, and Oct. 18, 2025.
The majority of Lamar’s success on Billboard was tied to his “luther” single, which features vocals from SZA. The Luther Vandross-sampling track, produced by Sounwave and Jack Antonoff among others, was an unavoidable smash all of 2025. By June, it broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart after a 23-week run.
The GNX album itself debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, spent seven weeks at the peak spot, and remained in the top 10 for most of the year. The LP was full of charting singles like "tv off," "peekaboo," and "squabble up." The Drake diss track “Not Like Us” also charted throughout the year.
Beyond the charts, King Kendrick was an ever present and dominant figure in the Hip Hop zeitgeist. In February, he was the halftime headliner at the NFL’s Super Bowl, which broadcast his talents to a global audience and earned him an Emmy. The “Grand National Tour” he embarked on with SZA was a success as they routinely sold-out stadiums and featured special guests for its acclaimed performances all year. It kicked off in April, and the Australian leg is still ongoing.
And for next year, Kendrick Lamar is nominated for nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Actor Wenne Alton Davis, 60, Killed in Accident
Wenne Alton Davis, 60, who appeared in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, was struck and killed by a car in New York City on Dec. 8.
Davis was meeting with a friend for dinner and a movie in Manhattan when they crossed the street with the right of way. A Cadillac then turned left and hit the actor just before 9 p.m., police said Wednesday. Davis suffered a head injury and were rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, and died the same night.
The 61-year-old driver has not been charged in connection with the incident.
Davis was best known for playing a police officer opposite Rachel Brosnahan in the hit show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s final season in 2023. Davis also appeared in episodes of New Amsterdam, Girls5eva, Blindspot, and American Odyssey.
On top of being a working actor, Davis worked security at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“She had a huge love for New York, for acting, for her colleagues at J.F.K. and, most of all, her family and her circle of friends (which was also huge),” Jamie Harris, Davis’s agent at Clear Talent Group, told The New York Times.
Davis’ friend and neighbor, Edward Reynoso, told the New York Daily News that he saw them at their Queens apartment before their evening plans. He says Davis told him, “I love you, I appreciate you,” which, to him, “felt like she was saying goodbye.”
On Dec. 8, Reynoso grew concerned when he didn’t hear anything from Davis, who used they/them pronouns according to their Instagram, later that night.
“She always texts me when she is about to leave or come home and I didn’t receive any text or anything and I found it weird,” he told the outlet.
“I was worried,” he added. “I was texting her and she didn’t respond.”
Following Davis’ death, Reynoso said it’s been a hard adjustment. “I’m numb to tell you the truth. I can’t believe it.”
“She was very driven, compassionate, giving,” Reynoso added. “I will miss her smile, laugh and joie de vivre.”
Wenne Alton Davis, 60, who appeared in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, was struck and killed by a car in New York City on Dec. 8.
Davis was meeting with a friend for dinner and a movie in Manhattan when they crossed the street with the right of way. A Cadillac then turned left and hit the actor just before 9 p.m., police said Wednesday. Davis suffered a head injury and were rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, and died the same night.
The 61-year-old driver has not been charged in connection with the incident.
Davis was best known for playing a police officer opposite Rachel Brosnahan in the hit show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s final season in 2023. Davis also appeared in episodes of New Amsterdam, Girls5eva, Blindspot, and American Odyssey.
On top of being a working actor, Davis worked security at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“She had a huge love for New York, for acting, for her colleagues at J.F.K. and, most of all, her family and her circle of friends (which was also huge),” Jamie Harris, Davis’s agent at Clear Talent Group, told The New York Times.
Davis’ friend and neighbor, Edward Reynoso, told the New York Daily News that he saw them at their Queens apartment before their evening plans. He says Davis told him, “I love you, I appreciate you,” which, to him, “felt like she was saying goodbye.”
On Dec. 8, Reynoso grew concerned when he didn’t hear anything from Davis, who used they/them pronouns according to their Instagram, later that night.
“She always texts me when she is about to leave or come home and I didn’t receive any text or anything and I found it weird,” he told the outlet.
“I was worried,” he added. “I was texting her and she didn’t respond.”
Following Davis’ death, Reynoso said it’s been a hard adjustment. “I’m numb to tell you the truth. I can’t believe it.”
“She was very driven, compassionate, giving,” Reynoso added. “I will miss her smile, laugh and joie de vivre.”
Andy Dick Reportedly Suffers Apparent Overdose in Public After Being Found Unresponsive in Hollywood
Andy Dick reportedly suffered what appeared to be an overdose while out in public in Hollywood on Tuesday, December 9.
Photos obtained by TMZ showed the comedian, 59, slumped over and unresponsive on a set of cement steps with his black-rimmed glasses on the ground in front of him. Friends and bystanders rushed to help, some shouting “Wake up,” before someone called 911.
Per the outlet, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the scene. Narcan — a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses — was requested and administered at the scene, according to the outlet.
Hours later, TMZ said they reached Dick by phone. He didn’t offer details on what happened but confirmed he was alive and doing ok.
Dick is best known for roles in Zoolander and the TV sitcom NewsRadio. He has a long history of substance abuse and has been open about being in and out of rehab
Dick’s rep tells the National Enquirer that the comedian is “fine.”
“They were filming part of a documentary as well as a live stream. He was just drinking heavily and fell asleep,” says Dick’s rep, adding, “Be sure to watch his new movie T Bird that aired last month to catch his latest film work.”
Photos obtained by TMZ showed the comedian, 59, slumped over and unresponsive on a set of cement steps with his black-rimmed glasses on the ground in front of him. Friends and bystanders rushed to help, some shouting “Wake up,” before someone called 911.
Per the outlet, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the scene. Narcan — a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses — was requested and administered at the scene, according to the outlet.
Hours later, TMZ said they reached Dick by phone. He didn’t offer details on what happened but confirmed he was alive and doing ok.
Dick is best known for roles in Zoolander and the TV sitcom NewsRadio. He has a long history of substance abuse and has been open about being in and out of rehab
Dick’s rep tells the National Enquirer that the comedian is “fine.”
“They were filming part of a documentary as well as a live stream. He was just drinking heavily and fell asleep,” says Dick’s rep, adding, “Be sure to watch his new movie T Bird that aired last month to catch his latest film work.”
Touré Says Biggie Clip in 50 Cent’s Diddy Doc Is Taken Out of Context
Touré is calling out 50 Cent’s Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning for using a Biggie Smalls interview clip in a way he says is misleading and historically inaccurate.
In a TikTok video shared this week, Touré clarified that the viral soundbite from The Notorious B.I.G., where the rapper says he fears someone will kill him, was not recorded shortly before Biggie’s death in March 1997, as the documentary suggests by putting footage from the night the rapper was murdered immediately after the clip. Instead, he says the soundbite came from an interview he conducted years earlier, during Biggie’s Ready to Die era.
“So I did that interview, he’s talking to me,” Touré said. “The doc places this right before the Peterson Auto Museum, March 9th. But you know what? We did that interview on the first album.”
Touré explained that Biggie’s comments about danger and fear referred to street life, not the East Coast–West Coast tensions that defined the final months of his life.
“That’s him talking about the street, not the [rap] game,” Touré said. “That’s him saying, ‘I’m afraid of getting knocked off on the street.’”
According to the journalist, the interview took place in the hallway of Biggie’s building and members of his entourage stood guard to protect him in case anyone from the neighborhood tried anything.
“If anyone started walking up, somebody from the crew would go down with a hammer,” he recalled. “Big said to me, ‘I am afraid, afraid of the street. But I gotta be out here. I gotta live. I gotta show ‘em my music. I gotta show ‘em I’m not afraid, but I am definitely afraid.’”
The journalist's description of the hallway setting, and the tenor of Big's comments (though not the rapper's exact words), match this December, 1994 New York Times article he wrote entitled "Biggie Smalls, Rap's Man of the Moment."
Touré emphasized that the moment shown in the film had nothing to do with Biggie’s impending trip to Los Angeles years later in March 1997, a trip many believe Biggie felt uneasy about due to rising tensions following Tupac Shakur’s death.
“But the doc makes it like that bite about his fear relates to the Big–Pac situation and his fear ahead of going to L.A.,” Touré said. “He may have been afraid because he knew he was in danger of being in L.A. in that moment, but that clip is way out of context. It’s from years earlier.”
Touré is calling out 50 Cent’s Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning for using a Biggie Smalls interview clip in a way he says is misleading and historically inaccurate.
In a TikTok video shared this week, Touré clarified that the viral soundbite from The Notorious B.I.G., where the rapper says he fears someone will kill him, was not recorded shortly before Biggie’s death in March 1997, as the documentary suggests by putting footage from the night the rapper was murdered immediately after the clip. Instead, he says the soundbite came from an interview he conducted years earlier, during Biggie’s Ready to Die era.
“So I did that interview, he’s talking to me,” Touré said. “The doc places this right before the Peterson Auto Museum, March 9th. But you know what? We did that interview on the first album.”
Touré explained that Biggie’s comments about danger and fear referred to street life, not the East Coast–West Coast tensions that defined the final months of his life.
“That’s him talking about the street, not the [rap] game,” Touré said. “That’s him saying, ‘I’m afraid of getting knocked off on the street.’”
According to the journalist, the interview took place in the hallway of Biggie’s building and members of his entourage stood guard to protect him in case anyone from the neighborhood tried anything.
“If anyone started walking up, somebody from the crew would go down with a hammer,” he recalled. “Big said to me, ‘I am afraid, afraid of the street. But I gotta be out here. I gotta live. I gotta show ‘em my music. I gotta show ‘em I’m not afraid, but I am definitely afraid.’”
The journalist's description of the hallway setting, and the tenor of Big's comments (though not the rapper's exact words), match this December, 1994 New York Times article he wrote entitled "Biggie Smalls, Rap's Man of the Moment."
Touré emphasized that the moment shown in the film had nothing to do with Biggie’s impending trip to Los Angeles years later in March 1997, a trip many believe Biggie felt uneasy about due to rising tensions following Tupac Shakur’s death.
“But the doc makes it like that bite about his fear relates to the Big–Pac situation and his fear ahead of going to L.A.,” Touré said. “He may have been afraid because he knew he was in danger of being in L.A. in that moment, but that clip is way out of context. It’s from years earlier.”
Former President Barack Obama reads to Chicago elementary students at public library
Former President Barack Obama surprised a group of elementary school students at a Woodlawn branch of the Chicago Public Library Monday.
Former President Barack Obama surprised a group of elementary school students at a branch of the Chicago Public Library in the city's Woodlawn neighborhood Monday.
The students, who ranged from kindergarten through 2nd grade, were doing a coloring activity about leadership qualities and story time when Obama surprised them at the Bessie Coleman branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Wearing a red Santa hat, Obama read "Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman's Dreams Took Flight" by Karyn Parsons to the students.
The students were also gifted a winter hat, gloves and a book to take home.
Obama is in town this week to check on the progress of the Obama Presidential Center, his project that's nearing the finish line after over a decade of planning and construction.
The center, that contains a museum, library and gathering spaces, is expected to be finished in spring 2026.
Former President Barack Obama surprised a group of elementary school students at a branch of the Chicago Public Library in the city's Woodlawn neighborhood Monday.
The students, who ranged from kindergarten through 2nd grade, were doing a coloring activity about leadership qualities and story time when Obama surprised them at the Bessie Coleman branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Wearing a red Santa hat, Obama read "Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman's Dreams Took Flight" by Karyn Parsons to the students.
The students were also gifted a winter hat, gloves and a book to take home.
Obama is in town this week to check on the progress of the Obama Presidential Center, his project that's nearing the finish line after over a decade of planning and construction.
The center, that contains a museum, library and gathering spaces, is expected to be finished in spring 2026.
Ex-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore in custody amid assault investigation after being fired for 'inappropriate relationship'
Sherrone Moore's time at Michigan is suddenly over. The Wolverines fired their head football coach Wednesday afternoon. The school fired Moore for cause due to an investigation of Moore, saying Wednesday the coach "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member." Further specifics of that relationship, or when the investigation actually started, are unknown.
"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. "Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
"This conduct constitutes a clear violation of university policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior."
Moore, according to ESPN's Dan Wetzel, was then detained by police in Saline, Michigan — which sits just south of Ann Arbor — on Wednesday night. He was turned over to police in Pittsfield Township for an investigation into potential charges.
Moore was eventually taken into custody at the Washtenaw County Jail. Officials said that was done after an alleged assault investigation that took place earlier on Wednesday afternoon, and that the incident "does not appear to be random in nature." Further specifics about the incident, or any charges that Moore may be facing, are not yet known.
His mugshot was released later in the evening.
Michigan named associate head coach Biff Poggi as the team's interim coach. Poggi, a former head coach at Charlotte, also served as the team's interim head coach earlier this season while Moore served a two-game suspension in the wake of its sign-stealing scandal.
Moore, 39, was first hired at Michigan ahead of the 2018 season as the team's tight ends coach. He was the Wolverines' offensive coordinator during their undefeated national championship run through the 2023 season, and he was promoted to replace Jim Harbaugh when Harbaugh left to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. That made Moore the first Black full-time head coach in Michigan history.
Moore finished 18-8 leading the Wolverines. They went 8-5 during his first season at the helm, and just finished a 9-3 run this past season. He won his first two games against Ohio State in their rivalry matchup, too, including one in 2023 when he was serving as the interim head coach while Harbaugh was suspended. Ohio State beat Michigan 27-9 last month. Michigan is set to take on Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl later this month, too.
Sherrone Moore's time at Michigan is suddenly over. The Wolverines fired their head football coach Wednesday afternoon. The school fired Moore for cause due to an investigation of Moore, saying Wednesday the coach "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member." Further specifics of that relationship, or when the investigation actually started, are unknown.
"U-M head football coach Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. "Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
"This conduct constitutes a clear violation of university policy, and U-M maintains zero tolerance for such behavior."
Moore, according to ESPN's Dan Wetzel, was then detained by police in Saline, Michigan — which sits just south of Ann Arbor — on Wednesday night. He was turned over to police in Pittsfield Township for an investigation into potential charges.
Moore was eventually taken into custody at the Washtenaw County Jail. Officials said that was done after an alleged assault investigation that took place earlier on Wednesday afternoon, and that the incident "does not appear to be random in nature." Further specifics about the incident, or any charges that Moore may be facing, are not yet known.
His mugshot was released later in the evening.
Michigan named associate head coach Biff Poggi as the team's interim coach. Poggi, a former head coach at Charlotte, also served as the team's interim head coach earlier this season while Moore served a two-game suspension in the wake of its sign-stealing scandal.
Moore, 39, was first hired at Michigan ahead of the 2018 season as the team's tight ends coach. He was the Wolverines' offensive coordinator during their undefeated national championship run through the 2023 season, and he was promoted to replace Jim Harbaugh when Harbaugh left to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. That made Moore the first Black full-time head coach in Michigan history.
Moore finished 18-8 leading the Wolverines. They went 8-5 during his first season at the helm, and just finished a 9-3 run this past season. He won his first two games against Ohio State in their rivalry matchup, too, including one in 2023 when he was serving as the interim head coach while Harbaugh was suspended. Ohio State beat Michigan 27-9 last month. Michigan is set to take on Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl later this month, too.
Moore had three years left on his initial five-year deal with Michigan. According to USA Today, Michigan paid Moore about $6.1 million for the 2025 season. His buyout earlier this month was just shy of $14 million. But since the school has fired him for cause, the Wolverines will avoid having to pay Moore's buyout altogether.
Angela Bassett Says Age Isn’t Slowing Her Down at 67: “Half the Time I Forget How Old I Am”
Speaking with AARP, she explained that she treats birthdays as celebrations. Bassett said that when a birthday comes around, she enjoys the “birthday season,” but doesn’t focus on the specific number because “plenty enough of people will remind you.” Instead, she encourages others to “keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep loving life [and] embracing it,” and believes “the best is yet to come” if you stay committed to your goals.
Bassett also credits her work with helping her feel energized. “They say if you love what you do, you never work a day,” she noted, saying she is “still loving” her craft and that it keeps her “vibrant and out there.” For her, a major factor in aging well is mindset: she described having “a very positive” attitude and said the way a person looks at life is “a great part” of staying active.
Beyoncé Named 2026 Met Gala Co-Chair Alongside Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman & Anna Wintour
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has revealed that Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour will serve as co-chairs for the next Met Gala. The star-packed fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute is scheduled for May 4 and follows a record-setting edition last year that raised $31 million for the department. Williams will be co-chairing the event seven years after her sister, Serena Williams, held the same role. Beyoncé previously served as honorary chair in 2013, while Kidman was a co-chair in 2003 and 2005. Wintour continues her long-standing role overseeing the gala.
Alongside the co-chairs, the museum announced a host committee chaired by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz. The committee includes musicians Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, LISA, Sam Smith and Yseult; dancer Misty Copeland; actors Teyana Taylor, Elizabeth Debicki, Gwendoline Christie and Lena Dunham; WNBA star A’ja Wilson; models Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser and Lauren Wasser; Vogue editor Chloe Malle; and artist Anna Weyant
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has revealed that Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour will serve as co-chairs for the next Met Gala. The star-packed fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute is scheduled for May 4 and follows a record-setting edition last year that raised $31 million for the department. Williams will be co-chairing the event seven years after her sister, Serena Williams, held the same role. Beyoncé previously served as honorary chair in 2013, while Kidman was a co-chair in 2003 and 2005. Wintour continues her long-standing role overseeing the gala.
Alongside the co-chairs, the museum announced a host committee chaired by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz. The committee includes musicians Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, LISA, Sam Smith and Yseult; dancer Misty Copeland; actors Teyana Taylor, Elizabeth Debicki, Gwendoline Christie and Lena Dunham; WNBA star A’ja Wilson; models Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser and Lauren Wasser; Vogue editor Chloe Malle; and artist Anna Weyant
The dress code for the 2026 gala has not yet been released, but it will be tied to the museum’s upcoming spring exhibition, titled “Costume Art.” Announced earlier, the show is designed to highlight “the dressed body” through art history by pairing garments from the Costume Institute with objects drawn from across the Met’s collections. “It’s a show that can really live in fascinating ways at the museum and can pull from all different areas of our collection — paintings, sculpture, drawings,” museum CEO and director Max Hollein said in a previous interview. The announcement also comes as Venus Williams continues her own career milestones. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion returned to competition in July at age 45 after nearly a year and a half away from the WTA Tour, becoming the oldest player to contest singles at the U.S. Open since 1981.
Wendy Williams had 'alcohol-induced dementia,' her lawyer claims
In a Dec. 9 segment on ABC News' "Nightline," the talk-show icon's high-profile attorney Joe Tacopina confirmed that a New York City neurologist who specializes in Alzheimer's Disease, Dr. Samuel E. Gandy, has evaluated the 61-year-old and disagreed with her 2023 brain disorder diagnosis.
"Williams does not have frontotemporal dementia," Tacopina said. He later added that Gandy's assessment should be believed "because he's the top" expert.
Instead, the attorney claimed, Williams' faculties were impacted by alcohol addiction.
Wendy Williams may instead have 'alcohol-induced dementia'
"There's something called alcohol-induced dementia. That may have been something Wendy was suffering from back in [2023], 24. She was an alcoholic, no question about it," Tacopina said. "Wendy was drunk almost 24 hours a day. She looked like she needed help. She did need help. She needed alcohol rehabilitation."
However, Williams now "does not drink alcohol," he later clarified.
Progressive aphasia is caused by damage to parts of the brain responsible for language, while frontotemporal dementia is the result of "damage to neurons primarily in the in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain," according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Host Byron Pitts then asked Tacopina about People's reporting in August that Williams' frontotemporal dementia and aphasia diagnoses were upheld.
"I don't agree with those results because I've not seen those results," Tacopina replied. "We don't know who the doctor is; we've not seen the report!"
Guardian Sabrina E. Morrisey's attorney pushed back in a statement to "Nightline," which read, "Ms. Morrissey emphatically denies any wrongdoing, mismanagement, or self-dealing with regard to Ms. Williams' guardianship."
The statement continued, "All of the court-appointed guardian's activities are regulated and supervised by the court."
In 2024 legal filings, Morrisey's lawyers said Williams was "cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated" months after representatives for the TV personality shared her FTD diagnosis with the public.
Though she has publicly spoken out about feeling like she's living in a "prison," Williams has had a few public outings since she was housed at the assisted living facility Coterie in New York City, including for New York Fashion Week.
Her longtime friend, "The View" personality Sunny Hostin, told "Nightline" that "I spoke to her several months ago, and she just sounds like the same Wendy."
Shaquille O’Neal Denies He’s Sleeping With His Friend’s Wife
Shaquille O’Neal dismissed rumors about a photo with a married woman and called out the blog behind it for being “broke.”
Shaq fired back at an Instagram gossip page after it implied he crossed the line with a married woman during a friendly visit.
The 53-year-old Hall of Famer was photographed smiling and hugging Monique Martin, a business owner and mother of three, in a casual snapshot that later became the center of an online rumor.
The image, originally shared by Martin, was reposted by the4thQuarterTV with a caption that stirred up speculation: “Shaq surprised another man’s wife with a visit, and her reaction was: My favorite guy is back in town!”
Martin, who runs the sports memorabilia company Famous Ink, had posted the photo with a very different tone.
“My favorite guy is back in town and of course he stopped by to see his favorite people!! Class act always, which is why I love seeing that face pop in!!! #shaqattack #myfavoritehuman,” she wrote.
O’Neal didn’t waste time responding directly in the comments under the4thQuarterTV’s post. “Yes my boys wife,” he wrote. “I can tell yall site is broke and need money nice try this is the reason yall always gonna b a broke blog. Thanks for making me more money though #dummies.”
This isn’t the first time the NBA legend has clapped back at online gossip.
In October, he responded to a TikTok video from creator Noah Glenn Carter, who suggested O’Neal was romantically linked to 21-year-old OnlyFans model Sophie Rain.
Shaq shut that down with a sharp comment: “I don’t (date) that young but I will date your mom and give u a brother.”
The photo with Martin was originally posted on her Instagram before it was picked up by the blog. As of now, neither Martin nor her husband has publicly commented on the matter.
Shaquille O’Neal dismissed rumors about a photo with a married woman and called out the blog behind it for being “broke.”
Shaq fired back at an Instagram gossip page after it implied he crossed the line with a married woman during a friendly visit.
The 53-year-old Hall of Famer was photographed smiling and hugging Monique Martin, a business owner and mother of three, in a casual snapshot that later became the center of an online rumor.
The image, originally shared by Martin, was reposted by the4thQuarterTV with a caption that stirred up speculation: “Shaq surprised another man’s wife with a visit, and her reaction was: My favorite guy is back in town!”
Martin, who runs the sports memorabilia company Famous Ink, had posted the photo with a very different tone.
“My favorite guy is back in town and of course he stopped by to see his favorite people!! Class act always, which is why I love seeing that face pop in!!! #shaqattack #myfavoritehuman,” she wrote.
O’Neal didn’t waste time responding directly in the comments under the4thQuarterTV’s post. “Yes my boys wife,” he wrote. “I can tell yall site is broke and need money nice try this is the reason yall always gonna b a broke blog. Thanks for making me more money though #dummies.”
This isn’t the first time the NBA legend has clapped back at online gossip.
In October, he responded to a TikTok video from creator Noah Glenn Carter, who suggested O’Neal was romantically linked to 21-year-old OnlyFans model Sophie Rain.
Shaq shut that down with a sharp comment: “I don’t (date) that young but I will date your mom and give u a brother.”
The photo with Martin was originally posted on her Instagram before it was picked up by the blog. As of now, neither Martin nor her husband has publicly commented on the matter.
Whitney Houston Tops Gospel Charts More Than 10 Years After Her Death
Whitney Houston is back at the top of the charts—again.
More than a decade after her death, the late icon holds the No. 1 and No. 3 spots on Billboard’s Gospel Streaming Songs chart for the week ending December 13.
Houston’s version of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” climbed from No. 3 to take the top position, marking 54 total weeks on the chart. At the same time, her rendition of “Joy to the World” surged from No. 11 to No. 3, extending its run to 47 weeks.
The movement places Houston alongside longtime collaborator and friend CeCe Winans, who currently holds the No. 2 spot with “Come Jesus Come” and No. 4 with “Goodness of God.” Kanye West rounds out the top five with “God Is.”
The renewed success centers on “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, a song whose history predates Houston by decades.
Written in October 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the song was conceived as a plea for peace rather than a commercial holiday record.
Regney later said the lyrics were inspired by watching children in strollers on the streets of New York City, an image that made the looming threat of war feel especially heavy. Shayne once recalled that neither of them could sing the song straight through when it was finished because of how emotional the moment felt.
Houston recorded her version in 1987 for A Very Special Christmas, produced by Jimmy Iovine. Her performance stripped away excess and leaned into clarity, power, and restraint—an approach that resonated with audiences across gospel, R&B, and holiday music. She later included the track on the CD single for “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” in 1995.
Over the years, her recording has topped multiple Billboard gospel charts, making her one of the few artists to earn No. 1 singles across four—and later five—separate decades.
Also appearing in this week’s top 10 is Solomon Ray, an AI-generated gospel artist who lands at No. 8 with “Find Your Rest.” The project is backed by conservative rapper and content creator Christopher Jermaine Townsend, known as Topher, who has described the AI persona as an extension of his creative work rather than a replacement for human artists.
More than a decade after her death, the late icon holds the No. 1 and No. 3 spots on Billboard’s Gospel Streaming Songs chart for the week ending December 13.
Houston’s version of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” climbed from No. 3 to take the top position, marking 54 total weeks on the chart. At the same time, her rendition of “Joy to the World” surged from No. 11 to No. 3, extending its run to 47 weeks.
The movement places Houston alongside longtime collaborator and friend CeCe Winans, who currently holds the No. 2 spot with “Come Jesus Come” and No. 4 with “Goodness of God.” Kanye West rounds out the top five with “God Is.”
The renewed success centers on “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, a song whose history predates Houston by decades.
Written in October 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the song was conceived as a plea for peace rather than a commercial holiday record.
Regney later said the lyrics were inspired by watching children in strollers on the streets of New York City, an image that made the looming threat of war feel especially heavy. Shayne once recalled that neither of them could sing the song straight through when it was finished because of how emotional the moment felt.
Houston recorded her version in 1987 for A Very Special Christmas, produced by Jimmy Iovine. Her performance stripped away excess and leaned into clarity, power, and restraint—an approach that resonated with audiences across gospel, R&B, and holiday music. She later included the track on the CD single for “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” in 1995.
Over the years, her recording has topped multiple Billboard gospel charts, making her one of the few artists to earn No. 1 singles across four—and later five—separate decades.
Also appearing in this week’s top 10 is Solomon Ray, an AI-generated gospel artist who lands at No. 8 with “Find Your Rest.” The project is backed by conservative rapper and content creator Christopher Jermaine Townsend, known as Topher, who has described the AI persona as an extension of his creative work rather than a replacement for human artists.
SZA Slams White House for 'Rage Baiting Artists for Free Promo' After Her Song is Used in New ICE Video
SZA is the latest artist to slam the White House for using her music without permission.
Earlier this week, the official White House account on X posted a video mocking the ICE arrests and set the video to the song “Big Boys,” which the 36-year-old entertainer featured during an appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2022.
“WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN. ⛓️ Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America,” the White House wrote along with the video.
SZA‘s manager Terrence “Punch” Henderson first slammed the Trump administration for using the song, writing on X, “Trying to provoke artist to respond in order to help spread propaganda and political agendas is nasty business. Knock it off.”
Then on Wednesday (December 10), SZA got involved.
“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK,” SZA tweeted. “Inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring ”
Nearly half of ICE detainees have no criminal record, according to CBS News.
Government figures show ICE has held over 65,000 people in detention facilities throughout the United States.
SZA is not first artist to call out Trump‘s White House for using her music in promotional materials or in rally settings. Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and many other entertainers have also slammed the Trump administration for using their music without permission.
SZA is the latest artist to slam the White House for using her music without permission.
Earlier this week, the official White House account on X posted a video mocking the ICE arrests and set the video to the song “Big Boys,” which the 36-year-old entertainer featured during an appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2022.
“WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN. ⛓️ Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America,” the White House wrote along with the video.
SZA‘s manager Terrence “Punch” Henderson first slammed the Trump administration for using the song, writing on X, “Trying to provoke artist to respond in order to help spread propaganda and political agendas is nasty business. Knock it off.”
Then on Wednesday (December 10), SZA got involved.
“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK,” SZA tweeted. “Inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring ”
Nearly half of ICE detainees have no criminal record, according to CBS News.
Government figures show ICE has held over 65,000 people in detention facilities throughout the United States.
SZA is not first artist to call out Trump‘s White House for using her music in promotional materials or in rally settings. Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and many other entertainers have also slammed the Trump administration for using their music without permission.
Music Icon Diana Ross to Headline ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026’
Diana Ross will take center stage in Times Square to welcome 2026 as the headlining performer for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.”
The live broadcast, airing Wednesday, December 31 from 8:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m. EDT on ABC and next day on Hulu, promises a spectacular celebration featuring 39 artists performing across New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Puerto Rico, and more.
“Together we begin a new year. Let’s embrace a new beginning, new opportunities, new joy — a celebration of love, where we all come together as we begin 2026,” said Ross, who will perform a medley of her iconic hits.
Per the news release, the NYRE 2026 lineup includes superstar performances from 4 Non Blondes, 50 Cent, 6lack, AJR, BigXthaPlug, Chance the Rapper, Charlie Puth, Chappell Roan, Ciara, Demi Lovato, DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! Starring Busta Rhymes, T.I. & Wyclef Jean, Filmore, Goo Goo Dolls, Jess Glynne, Jessie Murph, Jordan Davis, KPop Demon Hunters: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X – EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, Leon Thomas, LE SSERAFIM, Lil Jon, Little Big Town, Madison Beer, Maren Morris, Mariah Carey, New Kids on the Block, OneRepublic, Pitbull, Post Malone, Rick Springfield, Russell Dickerson, The All-American Rejects, Tucker Wetmore, and Zara Larsson.
Ryan Seacrest will host from Times Square alongside co-host Rita Ora, with Chance the Rapper leading the first-ever Central Time Zone countdown from Chicago. Rob Gronkowski returns to Las Vegas with co-host Julianne Hough. The broadcast will also be available on 150 iHeartRadio stations nationwide, as well as the iHeartRadio app, allowing fans across the country to tune in.
This year’s telecast is the longest in the show’s history, with an additional hour and a half of programming and more than 85 songs performed, ensuring a grand celebration of music and entertainment. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” continues to be the nation’s most-watched New Year’s Eve special, delivering unforgettable moments year after year.
The live broadcast, airing Wednesday, December 31 from 8:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m. EDT on ABC and next day on Hulu, promises a spectacular celebration featuring 39 artists performing across New York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Puerto Rico, and more.
“Together we begin a new year. Let’s embrace a new beginning, new opportunities, new joy — a celebration of love, where we all come together as we begin 2026,” said Ross, who will perform a medley of her iconic hits.
Per the news release, the NYRE 2026 lineup includes superstar performances from 4 Non Blondes, 50 Cent, 6lack, AJR, BigXthaPlug, Chance the Rapper, Charlie Puth, Chappell Roan, Ciara, Demi Lovato, DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic Live! Starring Busta Rhymes, T.I. & Wyclef Jean, Filmore, Goo Goo Dolls, Jess Glynne, Jessie Murph, Jordan Davis, KPop Demon Hunters: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X – EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, Leon Thomas, LE SSERAFIM, Lil Jon, Little Big Town, Madison Beer, Maren Morris, Mariah Carey, New Kids on the Block, OneRepublic, Pitbull, Post Malone, Rick Springfield, Russell Dickerson, The All-American Rejects, Tucker Wetmore, and Zara Larsson.
Ryan Seacrest will host from Times Square alongside co-host Rita Ora, with Chance the Rapper leading the first-ever Central Time Zone countdown from Chicago. Rob Gronkowski returns to Las Vegas with co-host Julianne Hough. The broadcast will also be available on 150 iHeartRadio stations nationwide, as well as the iHeartRadio app, allowing fans across the country to tune in.
This year’s telecast is the longest in the show’s history, with an additional hour and a half of programming and more than 85 songs performed, ensuring a grand celebration of music and entertainment. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” continues to be the nation’s most-watched New Year’s Eve special, delivering unforgettable moments year after year.
Rep. Nancy Mace Pushes Bill To Rename BLM Plaza After Charlie Kirk
Rep. Nancy Mace woke up this week and decided to flip a cultural landmark, announcing a new bill to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC after conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This debate over the Charlie Kirk BLM Plaza renaming has already sparked national reaction.
According to her post, Mace says Kirk visited the site shortly before his death, calling the moment “mass race hysteria” and even urging officials to “Make America Great Again, get rid of Black Lives Matter Plaza.” She didn’t just stop at the tribute tweet. She also posted a video of Kirk at the construction site while crews removed the iconic yellow BLM mural, watching and cheering as the artwork that symbolized months of protest disappeared beneath fresh asphalt.
Mace’s bill, titled the “Charlie Kirk Freedom of Speech Plaza Act,” would officially redesignate the two-block stretch of 16th Street as a memorial to Kirk. Federal maps, records, and street signs would all have to be updated to reflect the new name. She framed it as fulfilling one of his wishes, signing off with, “This is for you, Charlie. No one deserves it more.”
The timeline tells its own story. BLM Plaza became a global symbol during the 2020 protests, a physical reminder that Washington had to look directly at what the country was demanding: accountability and justice. When crews removed the mural earlier this year under political pressure, the move already felt like a statement. Kirk recording himself celebrating the removal only cemented how deep the cultural divide had become.
Now Mace wants to seal that moment into law.
This isn’t just about a street name. It’s about who gets to be centered in America’s story. Turning BLM Plaza into a memorial for a conservative firebrand sends a message that the era of public acknowledgment for Black protest is being rewritten in real time. It also hands Trump-era loyalists a symbolic trophy while signaling to Black communities that their grief, their fight, and their visibility can be paved over whenever the political winds change.
Street names and murals are never just paint or signage. They mark what a city claims as truth. And when those markers shift, the country shifts with them.
Whether this bill moves anywhere or dies on arrival, the spark is already lit. DC officials, activists, conservatives, and everybody in between are gearing up to tussle. And the internet? Baby, they clocked every frame of that Kirk mural-removal video. The debate is nowhere near done.
Rep. Nancy Mace woke up this week and decided to flip a cultural landmark, announcing a new bill to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC after conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This debate over the Charlie Kirk BLM Plaza renaming has already sparked national reaction.
According to her post, Mace says Kirk visited the site shortly before his death, calling the moment “mass race hysteria” and even urging officials to “Make America Great Again, get rid of Black Lives Matter Plaza.” She didn’t just stop at the tribute tweet. She also posted a video of Kirk at the construction site while crews removed the iconic yellow BLM mural, watching and cheering as the artwork that symbolized months of protest disappeared beneath fresh asphalt.
Mace’s bill, titled the “Charlie Kirk Freedom of Speech Plaza Act,” would officially redesignate the two-block stretch of 16th Street as a memorial to Kirk. Federal maps, records, and street signs would all have to be updated to reflect the new name. She framed it as fulfilling one of his wishes, signing off with, “This is for you, Charlie. No one deserves it more.”
The timeline tells its own story. BLM Plaza became a global symbol during the 2020 protests, a physical reminder that Washington had to look directly at what the country was demanding: accountability and justice. When crews removed the mural earlier this year under political pressure, the move already felt like a statement. Kirk recording himself celebrating the removal only cemented how deep the cultural divide had become.
Now Mace wants to seal that moment into law.
This isn’t just about a street name. It’s about who gets to be centered in America’s story. Turning BLM Plaza into a memorial for a conservative firebrand sends a message that the era of public acknowledgment for Black protest is being rewritten in real time. It also hands Trump-era loyalists a symbolic trophy while signaling to Black communities that their grief, their fight, and their visibility can be paved over whenever the political winds change.
Street names and murals are never just paint or signage. They mark what a city claims as truth. And when those markers shift, the country shifts with them.
Whether this bill moves anywhere or dies on arrival, the spark is already lit. DC officials, activists, conservatives, and everybody in between are gearing up to tussle. And the internet? Baby, they clocked every frame of that Kirk mural-removal video. The debate is nowhere near done.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Courtesy of P.O.Wm
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Test before you buy: Ice Cream Edition
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