8/13/26

The Daily Buzz For Aug 14☕📰☕

#MAGFAB: Rihanna Covers ELLE’s September 2026 Issue!
Rihanna covers the September 2026 issue of ELLE photographed by Inez & Vinoodh and styled by Jahleel Weaver.

In this feature, Roxane Gay (a professed RiRi fan) pays tribute to Rihanna’s status as a beauty icon, reflecting on her groundbreaking work with Fenty Beauty and her latest chapter as the face of Dior J’adore Intense.
Gay on encountering Rihanna at an after party and understanding her charisma: This one time, I was in Rihanna’s vicinity. It was in Hollywood, at an after-party for something, I can’t even remember what.
Even in a room full of reasonably famous people, she commanded the attention of all those proud peacocks. She was…absolutely entrancing. It was one of those moments when I understood, with great clarity, what charisma looks like when someone genuinely has it. Her beauty, in person, cannot be overstated. Her eyes shine bright like a diamond. (See what I did there?) Her skin is dewy and clear. And she smells amazing. As she walked by, I didn’t even try to speak to her. I just admired her and then returned to my awkward shuffle.

Gay on Rihanna keeping fans waiting and doing things on her own terms: It has been a decade since she released her last studio album, Anti, and her legion of fans has been clamoring for new music the entire time. That fevered desire has become something of a cultural punch line.
Whenever Rihanna pops out, people on social media have “jokes” that are, really, thinly veiled entreaties in the way of a greedy public foisting its expectations on public figures, as if those public figures are only there to satisfy their fans. “Where’s the album?” people ask. And she never, ever, answers the question definitively. In a 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight, she said, “To be continued,” when asked about the album. “I like to antagonize my fans a little bit. Well, they antagonize me, too! So they get it right back,” she added. Living her life on her own terms. Inspiration. Aspiration… only she knows when, or even if, she will make music again, and she won’t be rushed or pressured to do so on anyone’s timeline but her own.

Gay on Rihanna’s influence across fashion, beauty and inclusivity, from Fenty to her latest milestone with Dior: That Rihanna serves as the face of J’adore is no small thing, and it is a new milestone in her long-standing, groundbreaking relationship with Dior. In 2015, she became the first Black ambassador for the brand. In her ELLE cover shoot, you can practically smell Rihanna through the page, especially in the raw, undone images where her hair hangs in loose curls past her shoulders, and she stares at the camera, inviting the viewer closer, but not too close.

There are also the endeavors that carry her name. Savage X Fenty, her lingerie brand, reflects her unique style and ferocious sex appeal. And then there is Fenty Beauty—an inclusive makeup and skin care line that launched nearly a decade ago with 40 shades so all women could find the products they needed without having to beg for the dregs of representation. Women of color, specifically, were centered, not merely included. For Rihanna, inclusivity is not a marketing tool, but part of her beauty empire’s DNA.

Gay on what makes Rihanna’s confidence so compelling: She seems to live in her body unapologetically, and she does so with confidence and verve. It’s no easy feat given that women are, generally, punished for aging visibly and having any kind of curves. But instead of making herself smaller or living in her body according to the whims of a fickle and ever-changing audience, she lives in her body on her own terms. She is at home in her body whether she is very slender or in the rounded afterglow of childbirth. She allows her taste to dictate what she wears, not arbitrary ideas about bodies and how they should be clothed. And she is almost defiant in how she presents herself to the world. This confidence and attitude are incredibly alluring because, unfortunately, we live in a world where a woman has to defy a lot of expectations if she dares to live confidently in her body.

Story by: Roxane Gay
Photographed by: Inez & Vinoodh
Styled by: Jahleel Weaver

RIHANNA COVERS ELLE’S 2026 GLOBAL SEPTEMBER ISSUE | On newsstands August 25 and on ELLE.com now

#RHOA:Shamea Morton Says a Castmate Tried to Throw Hands During Season 17
Shamea Morton claims a castmate on Real Housewives of Atlanta tried to physically fight her during the season, with the identity to be revealed at the reunion. Someone on the cast tried to fight her. She won't say who yet. Shamea Morton nominated herself to leave the show, then made a bigger claim.

Asked which cast member should be shown the door, she volunteered herself first. What she said next went further, a claim that one of her co-stars had tried to fight her during the season. Viewers will learn the name at the reunion, she says.
Shamea Morton, 44, says a co-star tried to fight her during the season. Her comments arrived weeks after she and Porsha Williams, 45, aimed shocking allegations at one another's mothers while the cast traveled in Scotland.

V-103 Atlanta's The Big Tigger Morning Show put the question to her: which of her co-stars should exit the show, Porsha, Angela Oakley, 44, Drew Sidora, 41, or K. Michelle, 44? She nominated herself instead.
"I'll go cuz I know a lot of these girls need this sh*t. So I'mma just go. I'm just gonna nominate myself to go because I don't want to see nobody lose their job. I ain't no hater like that," Shamea replied.

She then spoke about almost getting physical during the season. "Somebody on this cast actually tried to fight me, like, 'Knuck if you buck.' So when you find that out, you'll know which one I think should go," she said.
"[They] absolutely tried to 'knuck if you buck' me, and you will hear about it on the [RHOA] reunion. You will know then which one that was and why they are now so mad," she continued.

Her response to the unnamed castmate came up as well. "I don't fight. I like to turn up to 'knuck if you buck' by crying my eyes out, but I do not like to actually 'knuck if you buck.' I'mma call the cops. Imma call security on you," Shamea shared.
RHOA fans may recall a report from the end of last year, published in the wake of the Scotland group trip. It alleged that she and Porsha almost fought before Drew prevented it.
"Porsha and Shamea got into a heated nasty ole' argument, and it got to the point where the two almost put the paws on each other…but Drew Sidora stepped in the middle," The Neighborhood Talk shared with its followers at the time.

WHO DO YOU THINK CAME AFTER SHAMEA?

#MusicNews: Donell Jones and And Joe is doing a VERZUS on August 20

If Donell Jones has his information right, R&B fans might want to clear their schedules for August 20.
The Chicago R&B veteran revealed over the weekend that he is preparing to go catalog for catalog with Joe in an upcoming VERZUZ, setting up a matchup between two of the smoothest and most consistent voices to emerge from the golden era of ’90s R&B.
Jones apparently let the cat out of the bag backstage at the Wine & Slow Jams Festival in Maryland on Saturday, August 8. While discussing new music, the “Where I Wanna Be” singer revealed that he and Joe are expected to face each other on August 20.

“For me, it’s not really a Verzuz. It’s a celebration,” Jones said. “We not going to do what the other guys did where its beefing back and forth.”
Jones made it clear that fans shouldn’t expect manufactured drama between the two veteran singers.
“We grown ass men,” he continued. “We both have two great catalogs. We’re going to treat it as such.”

That last part might be an understatement.
Jones has more than three decades of R&B ammunition to choose from. After debuting with My Heart in 1996, he broke through commercially with 1999’s Where I Wanna Be, which produced “U Know What’s Up,” “Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me)” and the title track, records that helped make him one of the defining male R&B voices of the era. His résumé also includes “You Know That I Love You,” “Do U Wanna” and songwriting work for other artists.

Joe certainly isn’t showing up empty-handed either. The Grammy-nominated singer’s catalog includes “I Wanna Know,” “All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do),” “Don’t Wanna Be a Player,” “Stutter” and “More & More,” along with major collaborations such as Mariah Carey’s “Thank God I Found You” and Big Pun’s classic “Still Not a Player.”

In other words, this could turn into one of those VERZUZ nights where picking a winner becomes secondary to realizing just how many records both artists have accumulated.
The potential matchup also feels tailor-made for the original spirit of VERZUZ. Created by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland during the pandemic, the platform eventually grew beyond its Instagram Live beginnings into a cultural celebration where legendary artists could revisit their catalogs, tell the stories behind the records and receive their flowers in real time.

Some of the platform’s most memorable nights have come from R&B, including Babyface and Teddy Riley, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, Brandy and Monica, and Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight.

Jones versus Joe would fit comfortably in that lineage.
There is one catch: Jones may have announced this one before everybody else was ready.
Although he says August 20 is the date, VERZUZ has yet to formally announce the battle, and no official venue or streaming information has been released. Complex, which has been involved with recent VERZUZ events, even responded to reports of Jones’ announcement by asking, “y’all know something we don’t???”

Whether Jones jumped the gun or simply gave R&B heads an early heads-up remains to be seen. But if August 20 is indeed locked in, this isn’t a battle that needs manufactured tension or Internet theatrics.
Donell Jones and Joe can simply press play.

With those two catalogs, that’s more than enough.

#HipHopNews: Tyga's $TARFACE Album Gets Rare 0/10 Pitchfork Rating For Using A.I.
Tyga's having a rough rollout for his latest album ... because Pitchfork just gave it an impressively awful 0/10 rating ... and it sounds like robots did him no favors.

Reviewer Drew Miller deemed the record "slop pop," calling it "smug and complacent and depressing."
He continued by delivering a lethal blow ... "Its very existence has made the world a worse place."

Miller slammed the musician for admittingly using A.I. on the project, saying ... "I'm not saying the record is A.I.-generated; all I'm saying is that I was personally able to generate a song that sounded exactly like '$TARFACE,' assuming it had included a song about a critic trying to write a review of a Tyga album."

In Vibe interview from earlier this month, Tyga copped to using A.I. as a tool, saying ... "And I know people are going to be mad about me saying this, but it's where technology is going. It's no different than when Auto-Tune came out."
This was a bit of a pivot from his People interview published a week before the Vibe piece, where he claimed ... "Everything that we used was stuff that they used in the '80s."

He continued ... "Now everybody uses the plug-ins and everything in Pro Tools. But we used a lot of the original hardware, and it just really gave it that warm sound."
Miller goes in on the artist, dissecting Tyga's lack of "human breath" and similarities to Fenix Flexin's song "Rubberz," which people speculate was also made using A.I. elements.
He called out the music industry as a whole for encouraging A.I.-generated music to get out of paying songwriters and session musicians for their time and art.

According to Miller, the result in Tyga's case is an album he says is "smug and complacent, an amalgam of '80s synth-pop and disco slapped together by someone who's seemingly never cared to listen to one synth-pop or disco record in his life."
But hey, at least Tyga can say he accomplished something only a select few artists have ever done ... scoring a zilch from Pitchfork.

Janet Jackson turns a landmark album Control into a cinematic event

Four decades after the album that rewrote her story, the pop icon books a Florida arena, a camera crew, and a career-spanning setlist for Control 40.

The year was 1986, and a 19-year-old walked out from behind her family’s enormous shadow and told the world, in four defiant syllables, that she would be running things from here on out. Forty years later, Janet Jackson isn’t just marking the anniversary of the album that made that declaration stick. She’s putting it on film for good.
Jackson has scheduled a single, cinematic performance built to celebrate four decades of Control, the record that turned her from “Michael’s little sister” into a generation-defining force. Titled Janet Jackson: Control 40 The Airtab Music Movie, the event will be captured Dec. 12 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, then packaged for a global theatrical rollout before landing on streaming.

Anyone expecting a straight track-by-track re-creation of a 1986 tracklist should recalibrate. The concert reaches across her entire body of work: the snarling swagger of “Nasty” on one end, the sleek millennium shimmer of “All for You” on the other, and a long string of chart-conquering singles filling the space between. In other words, this is less a birthday party for one album than a coronation of a catalog.

The production leans into that ambition. Directed by Leslie Small, a filmmaker with deep roots in shooting live performance, the movie promises a multi-camera concert presentation stitched together with exclusive behind-the-scenes access, the kind of intimacy that turns a show into a document. The people behind it are betting the result will stand as the definitive filmed record of an artist who has spent a career being underestimated and then proving everyone wrong.

To understand why this particular anniversary earns a movie, you have to rewind to what Control actually did. It arrived in February 1986 as Jackson’s third studio album, but it functioned like a debut the first time audiences met the real her.
She had just walked away from a young marriage and, more consequentially, from the family machinery that had steered her early career. In its place, she found two Minneapolis architects of sound, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and together they built something the radio had never quite heard: a hybrid of R&B, funk, disco, hip-hop cadence, and cold, gleaming electronics. The beats hit like machinery. The lyrics hit like a woman done asking permission.

The results were seismic. Control became her first album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the opening act of five consecutive chart-toppers. Its singles didn’t trickle out; they detonated. “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “When I Think of You,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” and the title cut each stormed into the top five of the Billboard Hot 100, a feat that made Jackson the first woman to send five songs from a single album that high. “When I Think of You” delivered her first No. 1. The album has since moved more than 10 million copies around the world.

Numbers only tell half of it. Control handed the pop playbook a rewrite that artists are still running plays from today. It fused choreography and identity so tightly that the videos became inseparable from the songs, helping pull MTV toward a broader, Blacker, more danceable future. It gave Black women a template for crossover stardom on their own terms: the sound of an artist seizing authorship of her image, her label negotiations, her narrative, all at once.

That through-line is exactly what makes a filmed celebration feel earned rather than sentimental. The story of Control was never really about nine songs. It was about a young woman deciding that the person telling her story would be her. Four decades on, she’s still the one holding the camera’s gaze and now, quite literally, the camera itself.

For now, the essentials are set: one night, one arena, one performance engineered from the ground up to translate to screen. The global theatrical release will come first, with a streaming home to follow, ensuring that fans who can’t make it to South Florida in December will eventually get their own front-row seat.

There’s a poetry to the timing. An album about taking ownership becomes, at 40, a film Jackson controls from stage to final cut. The teenager who once had to fight to be heard now gets to decide precisely how the world remembers the fight framed, lit, and preserved on her terms.

In 1986, she declared that she was in charge. Control 40 is simply the proof, printed in light, that she never once let go.

Brandy Norwood Returning for Lifetime’s ‘Christmas Everyday Again’
*Brandy Norwood is returning to Lifetime this holiday season for a sequel to last year’s “Christmas Everyday.”
The Grammy-winning singer and actress will star in and executive produce “Christmas Everyday Again,” currently a working title. Production recently wrapped on the film, which will debut as part of Lifetime’s annual “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” holiday lineup.

Norwood reprises her role as Chicago fashion designer Francine “Fancy” Ballantine, a performance that earned her an NAACP Award nomination. Her real-life daughter, Sy’rai Smith, is also returning as Fancy’s younger sister, Belle, per the news release.
“I’m so excited to step back into Fancy’s world,” Norwood said. “Making Christmas Everyday was such a special experience, and I’m thrilled that audiences will get to continue this journey with these characters.”

The sequel finds Fancy juggling two major milestones: protecting the future of her successful boutique and preparing to marry her fiancé, Jaylen.
Robert C. Riley returns as Jaylen, while Debbi Morgan reprises her role as Fancy and Belle’s mother, Evelyn. Fancy initially appears to have her family, career and wedding plans under control. However, growing pressure at work and the unexpected return of a reformed ex begin creating problems.

Rather than relying on those closest to her, Fancy attempts to handle everything herself and begins pushing Jaylen away. With Christmas approaching, she must confront her past before it threatens the future she is building.
Kajuana S. Marie, Journey Carter, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Lamman Rucker also return as Deena, Tia, Germaine and Richard, respectively. Gregory Alan Williams joins the sequel as Earl.

Roger Bobb returns to direct from a script by returning writer Meg DeLoatch.
“Christmas Everyday Again” is produced for Lifetime by FOX Entertainment Studios, Relevé Entertainment and Motion Entertainment. Norwood is among the film’s executive producers, alongside Dr. Holly Carter, Ryan Ramsey, Stella Bulochnikov and others.

Lifetime has not yet announced a premiere date for the sequel.

Tiffany Haddish’s DUI case ends in Georgia, Here's the details

Nearly five years after her first brush with the law on a Georgia road, Tiffany Haddish has closed one of the most drawn-out legal chapters of her career. The actress and comedian appeared in court virtually and entered a guilty plea, bringing a case that once threatened to overshadow her professional life to a quiet but consequential close.

It was January 2022 when Haddish was first taken into custody in Georgia after she was allegedly found asleep behind the wheel. The arrest made headlines almost instantly, and what followed was years of legal back-and-forth that kept her name attached to the story long after the initial shock wore off.
Her legal team eventually pushed to have the case dismissed entirely, arguing that the prolonged delays had taken a measurable toll on both her career and personal well-being. A judge reviewed the petition and denied it, leaving Haddish with little choice but to see the case through.

Under the terms of the agreement, Haddish pleaded guilty to DUI driving less safe and will serve no jail time. Instead, she was sentenced to 12 months of probation, during which she will check in periodically by phone. Probation officials are expected to reassess that requirement after the first six months.

Beyond the check-ins, the terms are notably strict. Haddish must complete a DUI education course and log 40 hours of community service. She is also required to stay away from drugs and alcohol, with the exception of any medication that has been prescribed to her, and will be subject to random testing throughout the probation period.

Her driving privileges in Georgia have been suspended as part of the sentencing as well.
This was not Haddish’s only encounter with DUI allegations in recent years. In November 2023, she faced a separate DUI charge in Beverly Hills. That case was resolved months later when she pleaded to a reduced reckless driving charge, sparing her a second DUI conviction on her record.

The back-to-back legal situations painted a difficult picture during what should have been a period of career momentum for the actress, who had built significant goodwill following her breakout performance in Girls Trip and a string of high-profile roles and hosting gigs that followed.
With the Georgia matter now settled, Haddish has the cleaner slate she has needed. The road ahead still comes with conditions, from the community service hours to the sobriety requirements, but the legal uncertainty that has followed her since 2022 is finally off the table.

Her team has not issued a public statement since the plea was entered, and Haddish herself has not spoken publicly about the resolution. What is clear, however, is that the comedian who once seemed to be everywhere has spent a significant portion of the past few years navigating legal turbulence rather than simply building on her momentum.
Whether this moment marks a genuine turning point or simply a legal formality will likely become clearer in the months ahead. For now, the case is closed.

Oprah Winfrey, Stedman Graham Step Out for First Joint Appearance in Nearly 7 Years
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham made their first joint appearance in nearly seven years for The Oprah Winfrey Show’s 40th anniversary in Chicago. Oprah Winfrey may love bread, but she’s even more smitten with Stedman Graham.

And that’s why the former daytime TV host recently stepped out with her longtime partner for the 40th anniversary celebration of The Oprah Winfrey Show, marking the couple’s first appearance in nearly a decade. 
During the event at Navy Pier in Chicago, Winfrey and Graham, enjoying their first public outing in almost seven years, spent quality time with friends, family and food by Chef Art Smith’s restaurant Reunion. 

As Winfrey said in a video shared to the restaurant’s Instagram account while Smith and Graham held up a massive plate piled high with chicken wings, “Hey, Art’s fried chicken!”
For the occasion, Winfrey, 72, wore a pinstriped matching set and white sneakers, topping off her casual look with sunglasses. Meanwhile, Graham, 75, looked dapper as ever in a black suit and dress shoes, which he paired with a white button-down shirt underneath.

And while the couple keep a low profile when it comes to their romance, with their last public event being at Tyler Perry Studios Grand Opening Gala in 2019, Stedman wouldn’t have missed Winfrey’s special milestone for the world. 
“Our Reunion team was filled with gratitude this weekend as we had the honor of hosting Oprah Winfrey and the Harpo Studios crew for a very special anniversary celebration of The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Smith wrote on Instagram Aug. 10. “A true Chicago legend, Oprah has touched countless lives throughout the years.”

The caption concluded, “Here’s to lasting friendships, unforgettable memories, and the people who make Chicago such a special place.”
Winfrey and Graham first met at a charity event in 1986—the same year The Oprah Winfrey Show premiered—and have been inseparable ever since. 
Though they’re notoriously private about their connection, Winfrey previously shared why the pair opted not to marry even after Graham proposed in 1993.

“The moment after I said yes to his proposal, I had doubts,” she wrote for Oprah Daily in 2020. “I realized I didn’t actually want a marriage. I wanted to be asked. I wanted to know he felt I was worthy of being his missus, but I didn’t want the sacrifices, the compromises, the day-in-day-out commitment required to make a marriage work. My life with the show was my priority, and we both knew it.”

And supporting each other’s dreams is how Winfrey and Graham’s relationship has stood the test of time.  
“The thing about our relationship is I want the best for her,” Graham told Ellen DeGeneres during a rare 2019 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “So, you know, I’m dedicated to her happiness.”

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Widow Gets $150K GoFundMe Campaign As She Fights Over His Estate In Court

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow and their 9-year-old daughter are receiving public support as a fight over the actor’s estate continues.
Destiny Rael, Tenisha Warner’s closest friend of 19 years, launched a GoFundMe Tuesday with a $150,000 goal. Rael said Tenisha has “stretched every resource she has” while grieving, homeschooling her daughter and handling unexpected flooding at the family’s home.

“I know she would never ask for this kind of support herself, so I am asking on her behalf,” Rael wrote.
Malcolm d*ed at 54 in an accidental drowning during a Costa Rica family vacation in July 2025. Tenisha says he planned to replace his 1996 estate plan and provide for her and their daughter, but d*ed before signing updated documents.

The widow is now pursuing claims involving his mother, Pamela Warner, who serves as successor trustee of the Warner Family Trust. Tenisha alleges Malcolm also agreed to obtain a $1 million life insurance policy naming her as beneficiary but never secured it.
Rael stressed that the fundraiser is not asking supporters to choose sides. Instead, donations will help Tenisha maintain stability while she navigates single parenthood, grief and unresolved estate proceedings.

Sidney Starr Asks Judge For Bond After Remaining Jailed Since Arrest
A new court filing finds Sidney Starr arguing that she is not a flight risk and should be released on affordable bond.
The immediate legal fight in Sidney Starr’s criminal case has shifted to whether she should remain behind bars while the charges against her move through court. In a new filing, the transgender reality TV personality is asking a Georgia judge to grant her bond, arguing that there is no reason to treat her as a flight risk or a danger to the community.

Starr has remained in custody since her August 2 arrest. According to documents obtained by TMZ, she points to her lack of a criminal history and says she has lived in Chicago her entire life. She also identifies her work in television as another indication that she has established ties outside Georgia and would have reason to appear for future court proceedings.

Money is also part of the request. Starr describes herself as “indigent” in the filing and says she cannot afford anything beyond a “nominal bond.” She is asking the court to set an amount she can reasonably pay rather than leave her jailed because of her financial circumstances.
The request comes as Starr faces serious allegations stemming from an encounter at an Embassy Suites in Hapeville. Authorities arrested her after police were called to the hotel over an alleged sexual encounter involving a minor. Court records previously cited by PEOPLE list charges that include aggravated child molestation and sexual battery against a child under 16. She is also charged with sodomy.

The police account reported by TMZ states Starr told officers that the person she met at the hotel had represented himself as 18. Police later spoke with his parents, who said their son was younger than 16. Starr has denied the allegations against her and indicated that she intends to fight the case through the legal process.
TMZ’s report did not indicate that the judge had ruled on Starr’s latest request. For now, she remains focused on getting out of jail as the criminal case continues.

Travis Kelce Breaks His Silence on Taylor Swift Wedding Weeks After Tying the Knot

Travis Kelce broke his silence on August 12 about his wedding to Taylor Swift last month.
He briefly discussed their star-studded Madison Square Garden nuptials during a Kansas City Chiefs press conference.
“Wedding was the best night of my life,” Kelce shared.

Weeks after exchanging vows with Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce is finally discussing the couple’s New York City nuptials. Speaking at a press conference during training camp for his upcoming season with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kelce remained relatively tight-lipped while discussing the star-studded event.

“Wedding was the best night of my life,” the athlete, 36, told reporters in a clip posted on X. “I appreciate everyone who came out and celebrated and had fun with us. That’s about all I really got from that night.”

“It was a crazy night,” he continued. “It was full of a lot of celebration.”
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Kelce and Swift tied the knot at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan on July 3. Approximately 1,000 guests—including Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, and Ciara—were in attendance as the couple married after three years of dating.

Swift has yet to comment on the headline-making affair, which reportedly included “a forest” of real trees for decor. Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks performed during the reception, while Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony.
One of the couple’s famous guests recently detailed Kelce’s touching reaction as Swift walked down the aisle. Appearing on a July 25 episode of the “Starkville” podcast, sports commentator Joe Buck revealed that Kelce shed a few tears after seeing his bride for the first time.

“Travis was a puddle watching his nieces come down the little ramp that they built,” Buck said, referring to Jason Kelce’s four daughters, who served as flower girls. “And then, you know, when [Swift] walked out, he was a puddle.”
Buck also elaborated on the couple’s vows, which reportedly lasted “20 minutes each.”
“Their vows were long,” Buck confirmed. “They were really well written. They were funny. They were sweet. They were emotional.”

Rosie O'Donnell Recalls Feeling 'Doomed' as a Lesbian After 'Intense' Breakup

Rosie O'Donnell says she felt forced to grieve one of her earliest relationships in private before she came out as a lesbian.
The comedian and former talk show host was a guest on the Tuesday (Aug. 11) episode of podcast Good Hang with Amy Poehler, where she empathized with those who haven’t yet come out by recalling an emotional breakup.

Around the 24-minute mark of the interview below, O’Donnell shared that the breakup was with a woman named Corby, who was roughly 10 to 12 years older than the entertainer, and has since died. The couple dated for seven years and was one of O’Donnell’s first relationships.
"The pain of it was so intense," O'Donnell explained. "And I couldn't even tell my family. My family didn't want to hear about it."
Her family had been aware she was living with Corby and noticed when that changed, yet no one raised the subject or checked on her.

"Even though they knew I was living with her and they knew that now I wasn't. No one brought it up. Nobody said, 'Are you OK?' And that is very, very isolating and lonely," she said.
O’Donnell added, "It makes you feel that you're sort of doomed by being gay," before comparing it to being “left-handed or having blue eyes.”
“Like you people don't choose it. Who would choose it? It's not an easy life, but it's a true life if you know that that's who you are, you know?" she concluded.

O’Donnell publicly came out in 2002 during a stand-up engagement and joked in a 2020 episode of Red Table Talk: The Estefans that she decided to because of the Sept. 11 attacks the year prior.
The entertainer has been married twice: first to Kelli Carpenter before their marriage was annulled the same year, and also to Michelle Rounds, whom she divorced in 2015 after three years of marriage.

Russell Westbrook Announces NBA Retirement 
Russell Westbrook is hanging up his jersey. The 37-year-old NBA point guard has announced he is retiring from the sport after 18 years.
Russell shared the news with a retrospective video shared on social media on Wednesday (August 12). Michael B Jordan narrates the clip, which ends on a black screen with the words, “The greatest thing he left behind couldn’t fit inside a museum.”

“Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end,” he shared in the caption. “You had to be there. And now it’s over.”
Russell started his NBA career after being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008, which relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder a week later.

He played with the team for 11 years, before being traded to the Houston Rockets, where he played for one year.
Russell‘s career then pivoted to the Washington Wizards for the next year, before going to the Los Angeles Lakers for two years, followed by a move to the Los Angeles Clippers for a year.
He then went to the Denver Nuggets in 2024, and signed with the Sacramento Kings on a one-year contract, which ended earlier this year.

Throughout his storied career, Russell is a nine-time NBA All-Star, has earned the NBA MVP Award, and is a back-to-back NBA All-Star Game MVP!
He is also a two-time scoring champion and a three-time assists leader in the league.

Lionel Richie Takes a Jab at Usher & Chris Brown During Concert
Lionel Richie is taking some shots at Usher and Chris Brown.
The 77-year-old music industry icon spoke out during a recent concert while on the Sing a Song All Night Long Tour with Earth, Wind & Fire.
In the video, he compared his own time with The Commodores with the 47-year-old “Yeah!” entertainer and the 37-year-old “Run It!” star, who are currently on their own joint The R&B Tour.

“Usher…Chris Brown….see they try to do something new,” he began, as seen in viral fan footage from teh show.
“The Commodores with Earth, Wind & Fire, we were doing that back 40 years ago,” he continued.
“:Only difference is, between then and now….we didn’t go to jail,” he went on to say with a smile and an apology afterward.

While Usher hasn’t gone to jail, Lionel was likely referencing Chris‘ multiple confrontations over the years, including his assault of ex-girlfriend Rihanna, for which he pled guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation, and a more recent attack of a music producer in a nightclub, to which he also pled guilty.
Chris went to jail for a probation violation in 2014 following an arrest for misdemeanor assault. He was also arrested and held in police custody last year.

He has also been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages to former housekeeper Maria Avila after a brutal dog attack took place in his home back in 2020.

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Doesn’t get much better than a Midwest Walmart
This guy has a good sense of humor.

AND NOW Meet: Ned 
It's Ned! You can see more HERE
 
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
 
Enjoy!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM

8/12/26

The Daily Buzz For Aug 13☕📰☕

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#MAGFAB: Brad Pitt and the Mavericks of Hollywood for ESQUIRE Magazine
The first in ESQUIRE’s annual September issue Mavericks of Hollywood portfolio, cover star Brad Pitt.
In A Monday with Brad Pitt, ESQUIRE’s Ryan D’Agostino spends a rare and revealing afternoon with Brad Pitt and his two dogs, chatting with a star at the peak of his powers who still needs to feel fiercely challenged and alive when he works – and who has more on his mind that we ever expected.
ESQUIRE’s September cover story featuring Maverick of Hollywood Brad Pitt is on Esquire.com now and will be available by August 25 everywhere magazines are sold.

Pitt on no longer being sober: “I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon.” Little laugh. He raises his famous opposing-diacritic eyebrows and holds a finger up: “In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, Yep, nope, not good for me. Not in big quantities.”

Pitt on a difficult period in his life involving “family stuff”: “I was never suicidal in any way. It just was not my makeup. In fact, if I have any afflictions, it’s probably being a congenital optimist. Which has helped many times, and it’s also gotten me—I’ve walked foolishly head-on into a Mack truck because of my optimism. Or, as my forever-funny friend David Fincher will say, Yeah, you see the glass as half full, but it’s half full of urine. Anyway, I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period. And in that one little period, I just thought—I just couldn’t—just didn’t see a way out. The pain was so oppressive that—I wasn’t going to act on this, but I could feel—I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief. And I thought, Oh, okay, now I understand—I understand suicide, in the sense that it’s just relief. It’s just looking for relief from the pain. But I also think we have incredible survival instincts. And for me, that immediately kicked in, but it was just . . .” He pauses, his head kind of rolling around on his neck, grappling, groping. “Yeah. Like, listen: This sh*t ain’t easy.” He stares at me. “And you’re talking to a guy who won the lottery.”

Pitt on his fifties: “God, I want my fifties back,” he says, locking in on me a second. “I would do more. Your fifties are just—man, anything that’s on your mind, go. Go attack it. Go attack it now.”

Pitt on bad acting: “Bad acting drives me crazy. It’s why I can’t watch porn.”

Pitt on the use of AI to create visual effects for movies: “There’s a lot of pushback against AI, but AI is going to be the very thing that, if used as a tool, is going to help these mid-budget films, forty- to ninety-million-dollar budgeted films, get made,” he says.

Pitt on grief: “Grief, if you survive it, leaves a gaping hole, but it also leaves profound beauty. It’s an aching beauty, but it’s beauty.”

#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey Reacts After Andy Cohen Appears To Reveal ‘RHOA’ Cast
Cynthia Bailey confirmed her return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta for Season 18 after Andy Cohen announced the cast details.
See more
American TV personality Andy Cohen has been making headlines, mainly because of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Recently, the show host revealed the cast details for The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Cynthia Bailey has now broken her silence on the announcement.
Cynthia Bailey opened up about reclaiming her peach for RHOA Season 18

Recently, the 59-year-old TV personality appeared on the Humble Brag Podcast with Crystal Kung Minkoff, where she discussed RHOA.
While reacting to Andy Cohen's comments, Cynthia Bailey shared that everyone would be returning.
Bailey said, "I definitely saw him say that this was the cast, and there was a photo I was in, so I am a part of that as well."

"You heard it here, Cynthia's back, obviously, Andy said it first," she added after laughing
The podcaster and actress further shared that she had the most fun during filming. Amid these discussions, she revealed that many people have been asking whether she has a desire to return as a full-time cast member of The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA).
Cynthia Bailey responded by saying that her current position is her "sweet spot" and that she is not looking for any casting upgrade at the moment.

According to the Blast, Cynthia said, "I'm not saying that I won't ever because I'm not an idiot. I'm not gonna say that. I may wake up next week and say [change my mind]."
"But I love the space that I'm in now," Cynthia Bailey concluded after claiming she invented 'The Friend Contract'
Talking about The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Season 17's multi-part reunion is currently wrapping up. As for Season 18, although updates and buzz surrounding the cast have been circulating, an official premiere date has not been announced yet. However, Season 18 will also see executive producer Andy Cohen returning as the host.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CYNTHIA BAILEY RECLAIMING HER PEACH FOR RHOA SEASON 18?
 
#NewMusic from Sy’rai Releases New Single “Bullseye (Nice Shot)”
Rising R&B singer and songwriter Sy’rai has officially released her latest single, “Bullseye.” Available today across all major digital streaming platforms, the deeply personal track delves into the emotional complexities of heartbreak, betrayal, and the ongoing process of healing.

“Bullseye” narrates the emotional fallout of a relationship ending in unexpected pain. Through a blend of soulful vocal delivery and transparent lyricism, Sy’rai explores the jarring experience of feeling targeted by a once-trusted partner. The song serves as a poignant reflection on how the deepest emotional wounds are often inflicted by those we hold closest.

Discussing the vulnerability that inspired the track, Sy’rai shared:
“‘Bullseye’ is about that moment when you realize the person you loved hurt you in a way you never imagined. It’s about feeling blindsided, questioning everything, and learning how to pick yourself back up. I hope people hear this song and know they’re not alone in what they’re feeling.”

LISTEN HERE:

The release of “Bullseye” marks another significant milestone in Sy’rai’s ongoing artistic evolution. By consistently choosing to lead with vulnerability, the rising artist continues to translate real-life experiences into emotionally resonant R&B. The new single highlights both her growing vocal maturity and her gift for honest songwriting, reinforcing her ability to forge authentic connections with listeners navigating similar emotional journeys.

“Bullseye” is available to stream and download now on all major digital platforms.

#HipHopNews: DJ Spinderella gets candid about where she stands with Salt-N-Pepa before tour reunion
DJ Spinderella says she and Salt-N-Pepa are in a better place as the pioneering hip-hop trio prepares to reunite on tour. The update marks a major shift after Spinderella once said their relationship was “over” amid a public dispute and Salt-N-Pepa later pushed back on claims. Now, DJ Spinderella and Salt-N-Pepa are preparing to share a touring stage again.

Speaking with People, Deidra “DJ Spinderella” Roper said she is “in a good space” with Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton today, while acknowledging that their decades-long sisterhood has had difficult periods.
“We’re in a good space today. I said today. We’re in a good space today,” Spinderella shared. “It’s a sisterhood, and sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s not so good.”

“This is the first time we’ll be on stage on a tour in years for me. They’ve been doing shows. I’ve been doing my own thing, but us coming together, this is a really big moment. So we’re doing okay. We’re doing good,” she added.
The reunion comes as Salt-N-Pepa prepares to co-headline the “It’s Iconic Tour” with TLC, with En Vogue appearing as special guests. The tour is scheduled to begin Aug. 15, and Spinderella told the outlet it will be the first time in years that she has toured onstage with Salt and Pepa.

Their renewed partnership follows years of public tension. In 2019, Spinderella said she had been terminated from Salt-N-Pepa by email. She later sued James and Denton over allegations including unpaid royalties, breach of contract, fraud and intentional misrepresentation. The dispute ultimately ended in a confidential settlement.
The tension resurfaced in 2021 when Spinderella criticized the Lifetime “Salt-N-Pepa” biopic, saying she had been wrongfully excluded from the project. She later told Billboard that she would consider reuniting only if she was respected and treated fairly.

Five years later, the tone is markedly different.
Spinderella told People that she is concentrating on her mental and physical health before the tour, including avoiding negative energy and trying to stay healthy. She also reflected on Salt-N-Pepa’s legacy of inspiring women, noting that women have told her she inspired them to become DJs.

DJ Spinderella and Salt-N-Pepa were also inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, another recognition of their influence on hip-hop and women in music.
 
Brandy Brings Her Voice To ‘A Different World’ Theme Song For Netflix Sequel

Today, Netflix has tapped Brandy Norwood to perform the theme song for its upcoming A Different World sequel series.
The Grammy Award-winning singer will record a new version of the familiar theme from the original sitcom. Dawnn Lewis, who played Jaleesa Vinson on the series, co-wrote the song, which was performed by several singers during the show’s six-season run, including Aretha Franklin. Lewis will also appear as a guest star in the new series. “It feels amazing to be a part of the legacy,” Brandy said in a statement to TUDUM. “I just hope I can do it as much justice as Ms. Franklin.”

“Singing this iconic theme song for A Different World means everything to me,” the singer explained. “It was one of those shows that I had to watch every time it came on. I remember the song and how it made me feel.”

The 10-episode comedy brings viewers back to Hillman College, this time following Deborah Wayne, played by Maleah Joi Moon. Deborah is the youngest daughter of Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne, the characters made famous by Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. The story begins as she arrives at the fictional HBCU and starts college alongside a new class of students.

Guy and Hardison are among the original cast members returning for the sequel. Cree Summer will reprise her role as Freddie Brooks, while Darryl M. Bell returns as Ron Johnson. Newcomers Alijah Kai, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, Kennedi Reece and Chibuikem Uche round out the main cast.

Felicia Pride created the series and serves as showrunner and executive producer. Debbie Allen, who directed several episodes of the original sitcom, returns as an executive producer and directs the premiere. Tom Werner, Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood are also executive producers.

The original A Different World debuted in 1987 and ran for six seasons, following students as they made their way through life at Hillman. Brandy’s rendition of the theme will introduce a new generation of characters while providing another connection to the series that came before it.

Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” Profits At Risk Over Unlicensed Sample
Beyoncé’s facing a copyright lawsuit over a sample used on her “Renaissance” album track “Alien Superstar” without proper licensing from the rights holder.
Beyoncé is facing a legal battle over a sample used on her 2022 Renaissance album track “Alien Superstar.”

Hirose Enterprise and producer Shuji Hirose filed suit claiming they own the rights to a song called “Moonraker” performed by John Holiday, and that Beyoncé’s team sampled the spoken-word introduction without proper licensing.
The lawsuit reveals a licensing gap that’s raising questions about how the sample was cleared.
According to court documents, Beyoncé’s team never obtained a license before releasing the album but secured one from Holiday himself weeks after the album’s release.

The problem is that Hirose claims Holiday transferred his entire interest in the song decades ago, meaning he had no authority to grant permission.
According to TMZ, the company says it put Beyoncé’s company on notice about the infringement, but the record continued selling.
The case centers on whether Holiday actually owned the rights he licensed to Beyoncé’s team. Hirose is seeking an injunction to stop the song from generating revenue and is asking for unspecified damages.

This isn’t the first time a major artist has faced sample-related legal issues, but the timing here is particularly interesting: the licensing occurred after the album’s release rather than before.
What makes this case notable is the procedural complexity around who actually controls the rights to “Moonraker.”
If Hirose’s claims are accurate, then Holiday may have breached his own obligations by licensing material he no longer owned.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance album has been one of the most successful projects of her career, and “Alien Superstar” remains a fan favorite.

Michael B. Jordan & Singer RAYE ‘Really Like Each Other’ After Multiple Dates, Source Claims

A source close to RAYE claims she and Michael B. Jordan “really like each other” after going on several dates.
The singer, 28, and the 39-year-old “Creed” actor sparked romance rumors after fans spotted them on rides together at Six Flags Magic Mountain near Los Angeles on Friday, August 7. However, the source said their amusement park visit was not their first outing.

“Michael and RAYE have been on a couple dinner dates before this,” the source told PEOPLE. “Things are new between them, but they really like each other. RAYE tells friends that Michael is her type and that he is warm and kind.”

Photos showed Jordan and RAYE sitting beside each other on a roller coaster and talking. A video captured RAYE raising her hands before another ride and nudging Jordan to follow her lead.
A second source insisted the pair are still “just friends” and attended Six Flags with a group of people.

Neither Jordan nor RAYE has commented on the speculation, and their representatives have not responded. Jordan previously dated Lori Harvey from 2020 to 2022, while RAYE has never confirmed a relationship.

What are your thoughts on these two allegedly dating?

California AG Accuses Paramount of ‘Blackmail’ Over Warner Bros. Merger
Paramount CEO David Ellison is reportedly threatening to start moving the company out of California as soon as October 1 if the state doesn’t resolve its antitrust case blocking Paramount’s planned $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal already cleared by federal and international regulators.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta blasted the move as “blackmail,” vowing to keep fighting what he calls an “illegal merger” that would raise costs, shrink options, and cut jobs in Hollywood even as Paramount faces a looming “ticking fee” of about $7 million per day if the merger isn’t closed by October.
The stalled takeover has already rattled the industry, with Warner Bros. struggling to retain talent—Quinta Brunson just moved her overall deal to Disney’s 20th Television—and creatives hesitating to commit long-term while thousands of jobs and Warner’s entire studio and streaming future hang in the balance.

The fight over Paramount's stalled Warner Bros. Discovery takeover just escalated from the courtroom to California itself.

According to Bloomberg, California Attorney General Rob Bonta accused Paramount of "blackmail" on Tuesday, August 11, following reports that CEO David Ellison is prepared to begin moving the company out of the state if officials don't negotiate a resolution to the antitrust case blocking its $110 billion Warner Bros. merger.
"In a span of weeks, Paramount agreed to halt the merger until a court decision or until June 2027, asked for a November trial, and is now back with another attempt to blackmail the state into letting an illegal deal through," Bonta wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

This illegal merger will result in higher costs, fewer options, and fewer people making movies.
My office remains committed to stopping illegal consolidation and protecting a vibrant California economy for businesses that play by the rules.
Ellison has discussed a five-year plan that could begin moving Paramount's operations out of California as soon as October 1, starting with its Los Angeles headquarters. The reported plan comes as Paramount faces mounting costs from the delayed Warner Bros. transaction and uncertainty over how long the court fight could continue.

October carries a particularly expensive deadline. If the merger remains unfinished, Paramount will begin accruing a "ticking fee" for Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders worth approximately $7 million per day. The fee is designed to compensate investors for delays in closing the transaction.

Bonta isn't backing down.
"This illegal merger will result in higher costs, fewer options, and fewer people making movies," he wrote. "My office remains committed to stopping illegal consolidation and protecting a vibrant California economy for businesses that play by the rules."
Paramount has not publicly responded to Bonta's latest comments.

The clash follows a federal judge's decision to pause the merger after California and 11 other states sued to block it under federal antitrust law. The states contend that combining Paramount and Warner Bros. would eliminate a major Hollywood competitor and concentrate too much control over theatrical releases and cable programming.
That legal limbo is already affecting both companies. Warner Bros. has faced difficulties retaining talent as the merger drags on, while thousands of jobs could be eliminated if the companies ultimately combine.

Quinta Brunson recently moved her overall deal from Warner Bros. Television to Disney's 20th Television, and creatives have raised concerns about committing long-term projects while the company's ownership remains unsettled.
The California fight is the latest obstacle in a takeover that has already survived a remarkable series of challenges.

Paramount initially fought Netflix for Warner Bros. Discovery after Netflix reached an agreement to acquire Warner's studio and streaming operations. David Ellison's company continued raising its offer until Warner ultimately accepted Paramount's proposal for the entire business. Netflix declined to match the final price and exited with a $2.8 billion breakup fee.
Paramount subsequently secured Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder approval and cleared major regulatory reviews in the United States and abroad. Britain recently approved the acquisition, following clearances from the European Union and other international regulators.

But the multistate lawsuit has stopped Paramount from converting those approvals into an actual closing.
The delay also comes as Warner employees and creatives remain caught between two corporate structures. Warner continues producing films and television, negotiating talent deals, and operating HBO Max while contractual restrictions tied to the pending merger limit some long-term business decisions.

'Love & Marriage: Huntsville' Season 12 Trailer Promises a Shocking New Arrival
Love & Marriage: Huntsville returns to OWN for Season 12 on September 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with Destiny Payton, Martell Holt, Kimmi and Maurice Scott, LaTisha and Marsau Scott, and Nell and Chris Fletcher all back amid new wins, losses, and a surprise arrival that shakes up the group.
Martell kicks off the season riding high after earning his builder’s license, but a “surprise introduction to the group” threatens his bond with Destiny and destabilizes the cast’s long-standing dynamics.
As the long-running series leans into “emotional breakthroughs” and “hard truths,” Marsau and LaTisha juggle a 20th anniversary and a major property loss, Nell becomes a full-time caregiver, Maurice and Kimmi adjust to an empty nest, and the show rides ratings growth and an AAFCA win into its new season.

The Huntsville crew is suited up, camera-ready—and headed straight for another collision. OWN has released the official cast photos and first teaser for Season 12 of Love & Marriage: Huntsville, returning Saturday, September 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Destiny Payton, Kimmi and Maurice Scott, Martell Holt, Nell and Chris Fletcher, and LaTisha and Marsau Scott are all back as new wins, painful losses, and one surprise arrival threaten to rearrange the group.

Per Deadline, Martell opens the season on a high after earning his builder’s license, marking a major step forward in his career. But the celebration quickly gives way to tension when “a surprise introduction to the group” disrupts the existing dynamic. The fallout could hit his friendship with Destiny especially hard, putting one of the cast’s closest connections under immediate pressure.
Created by Carlos King, Love & Marriage: Huntsville began in 2019 with successful Black couples joining forces to revitalize Huntsville, Alabama, through a real estate venture known as the Comeback Group. The deals soon became only part of the story.

Over 11 seasons, the OWN hit has followed marriages breaking down, friendships shifting, families blending, and entrepreneurs attempting to protect their businesses while their private lives play out on television.
Season 12 raises the stakes across the board. Marsau and LaTisha are approaching their 20th wedding anniversary, but the milestone comes as they absorb the devastating loss of their first residential investment property.
Nell becomes a full-time caregiver for her aging father, creating a new reality for her marriage to Chris. Maurice and Kimmi, meanwhile, are entering their empty-nest era while wrestling with concerns about Maurice’s son and his future.

OWN is promising “emotional breakthroughs, hard truths” and “authentic, deeply personal storytelling.”
The drama arrives with real momentum behind it. According to OWN, the show’s most recent season climbed by double digits across every key demographic compared with the previous season. It also ranked as Saturday night’s No. 1 original cable series among Black women ages 25 to 54.

The numbers are not its only win: Love & Marriage: Huntsville recently earned the African American Film Critics Association award for Outstanding Unscripted Series after previously receiving an NAACP Image Award nomination.

Kingdom Reign Entertainment and ITV America produce the series, with King, Jordana Hochman, Andrew Hoagland, Markus Burns, and Nisa Ahmad serving as executive producers.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Splits from Longtime Love Riley Roberts
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and longtime love Riley Roberts have called it quits.
On August 11), TMZ confirmed that the 36-year-old Congresswoman has split from the web designer. Puck‘s Chief Washington Correspondent Leigh Ann Caldwell, who was first to report the news, says that AOC and Riley actually split roughly two years ago.

The pair usually kept their relationship very private, and only made one public appearance together at the 2021 Met Gala. A year later in May 2022, AOC confirmed that she and Riley were engaged. At the time, she revealed that Riley popped the question while they were in Puerto Rico.

The two met as undergraduate students at Boston University, and have dated for several years. They met at BU’s Coffee & Conversations in 2011, a student town hall. They later broke up after school when he moved back to Arizona, and they rekindled their relationship in New York.
News of the split comes just one day after AOC revealed she is freezing her eggs and documenting her journey, which she admittedly described as “very daunting.” In her video, she made no mention of Riley as she spoke about the process.

Rod Stewart Cancels Tour as He Recovers After Undergoing Heart Procedure

Rod Stewart is recovering after a recent surgery. On Tuesday (August 11), the 81-year-old “Have I Told You Lately” singer announced that he was canceling the all of the upcoming concerts after successfully undergoing a routine coronary stent procedure.
“Doctors are pleased with his recovery, and Rod is doing very well and has returned to his normal daily activities,” Rod‘s rep shared in a statement with People. “On the advice of his doctors, he will take the next four weeks to recuperate and regain full fitness before returning to the stage. Unfortunately, this means he will be unable to continue his current tour dates.”

The Grammy winner was scheduled to be on One Last Time Tour through September 3 and had six Las Vegas residency dates set for late August.
Also in the statement, Rod said that following the heart procedure, he “already feeling better and very much on the mend.”

“I want to thank the doctors, nurses and everyone who has taken such wonderful care of me,” he said. “I’m deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down, but I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you all again soon.”
The new health date comes just two days after Rod was forced to postpone a show in Cincinnati at the last minute due to “an unforeseen but minor medical procedure that required prompt attention.”

He also faced several other health woes while on tour. While performing in Utah in June, Rod was in the middle of performing when he abruptly stopped the show to use an oxygen tank onstage, nearly fainting.
Before that, Rod canceled a show in San Diego at the last minute after he was diagnosed with laryngitis. However, he faced a lot of backlash from fans when he attended a 2026 World Cup match just hours later.
Despite the health woes, Rod made it very clear in 2025 that he has no plans on retiring.

“I still enjoy what I’m doing. I love it,” he told People at the time. “You can tell it’s written all over my face. Absolutely love it.”

Rihanna shares rare photos with all 3 kids on vacation
Rihanna took her three kids down memory lane with a sweet visit to the street she grew up on in Barbados.
On Monday, the musician posed alongside her sons RZA, 4, and Riot, 2, and 10-month-old daughter, Rocki Irish, while visiting Westbury New Road, which has been renamed Rihanna Drive.
"One minute I feel like that kid from Westbury … the next minute I'm bringing my own kids back to 'Rihanna Drive,'" she captioned sweet Instagram photos of herself and her little ones.
"Trippy how life works! And the Glory STILL and WILL ALWAYS belong to the Almighty Creator!!!" Rihanna, 38, added.

The hitmaker and her little ones beamed as they stood near a sign on the floor that reads "Rihanna."
The sign was gated off and placed in front of a colorful house.
The street was previously named Westbury New Road. Rihanna/Instagram

Barbados honored the Fenty Beauty founder with her own street name on the country's Independence Day in 2017.
Additionally, Rihanna also enjoyed some family time with her loved ones on board a luxury catamaran later on Monday.
The "Diamonds" songstress has been spending the past few weeks back in the Caribbean and stepped out to the Grand Kadooment Day parade for the 2026 Crop Over festival on Aug. 4.

Rihanna turned heads, wearing a massive jeweled headpiece and feathered wings designed by Lauren Austin.
The annual parade marks the end of the month-long harvest festival and concludes the sugar cane season.
During the celebration, which dates back to the 17th century, she danced with her brother Rorrey Fenty's band, Aura.

The couple have been together since 2020. Getty Images for Fenty Beauty & Fenty Skin
Earlier this month, Rihanna also threw Riot a Spider-Man-themed party for his 3rd birthday, per People.
The bash appeared to have occurred at her Barbados home.

The "Don't Stop the Music" singer shares her three kids with her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, whom she started dating in 2020.

Jaafar Jackson’s ‘Michael’ Sequel Salary Talks Reportedly Cause Family Tension
Jaafar Jackson is reportedly seeking a bigger payday to portray his uncle again after “Michael” became a billion-dollar blockbuster.
The 30-year-old actor is renegotiating his compensation as plans move forward for another film, according to In Touch. The talks have reportedly created friction between Jaafar and cousins Prince and Paris Jackson.

“Though Jaafar is loving his moment as the star of a billion-dollar movie, it’s come at a cost,” a source told the outlet. “The hope is that time — and perhaps more success — can heal these rifts.”
The insider added, “Jaafar is re-negotiating because of the first film’s massive success“He’s become a major international actor and deserves to make a fortune when they shoot a second or even a third film.”

“Michael” has earned more than $1 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing biopic in history. The Antoine Fuqua-directed film surpassed “Oppenheimer,” which collected $975.8 million globally, and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which earned $911 million.
International moviegoers contributed $629.8 million to the total, while North American theaters generated $371.8 million. Japan added more than $35 million as the movie crossed the billion-dollar threshold during its 12th weekend.

“Jaafar is re-negotiating because of the first film’s massive success,” the source said. “He’s become a major international actor and deserves to make a fortune when they shoot a second or even a third film.”
Prince, 29, served as an executive producer on the film. He and Paris, 28, also benefit from their father’s estate. The source said the movie’s success has boosted Paris financially. “It’s made her even richer than she already is, at least on paper.”

However, Paris remains involved in a separate $3 million legal dispute with an executor of Michael Jackson’s estate.
“Paris continues to fight tooth-and-nail,” the source said. “She isn’t letting up, and that makes her an obstacle in Jaafar’s journey toward playing her father again.”
Production on the next “Michael” installment could begin as early as the end of 2026. Details about Jaafar’s new salary have not been disclosed.

YouTube Just Made It Harder For Creators To Get Paid And Millions Of Views Still May Not Be Enough

YouTube monetization is about to become a much steeper climb for new creators hoping to turn their channels into a real source of income. Starting February 1, 2027, YouTube will require creators seeking ad and Premium revenue through the YouTube Partner Program to reach 8,000 qualified watch hours within the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days, according to an official announcement from YouTube. Those requirements effectively double two of the platform’s major existing benchmarks.

Under the current YouTube monetization rules, creators seeking full ad revenue eligibility generally need 1,000 subscribers along with either 4,000 valid public watch hours during the previous 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views within 90 days. YouTube’s current eligibility guidance confirms those thresholds, while the company’s August 10 announcement says the subscriber requirement will remain part of the process as the higher viewing requirements take effect. For creators still building an audience, the difference between 4,000 and 8,000 hours can represent months of additional work.

The change does not mean every creator already making money on YouTube suddenly has to hit the doubled entry numbers. YouTube said the higher YouTube monetization entry requirements will not affect creators who are already members of the YouTube Partner Program. The changes specifically raise the barrier for new creators trying to qualify for ads and subscription revenue. That distinction protects established channels from having to qualify all over again, but it also creates a much tougher starting line for the next wave of creators.

Shorts creators have another number to watch closely. According to YouTube’s announcement, creators will need 10 million qualified Shorts views during a 90 day period to remain eligible for ad and subscription revenue sharing on Shorts beginning February 1, 2027. If a channel drops below that level, YouTube says it will remain in the Partner Program and can continue earning from qualifying long form videos. Shorts revenue sharing will automatically resume once the channel crosses the 10 million view threshold again.

That setup makes consistency increasingly valuable. A creator can have a viral stretch, qualify for Shorts earnings and then lose access to that specific revenue stream if the channel cannot continue generating millions of qualified views every few months. As The Verge reported, falling below the Shorts threshold will not automatically remove a creator from the entire YouTube Partner Program. Still, the ability to generate Shorts revenue will depend on maintaining the required level of qualified traffic. For creators whose businesses depend heavily on short form videos, that makes sustained reach almost as important as hitting the milestone in the first place.

YouTube says the tougher YouTube monetization requirements are connected to the massive scale the platform has reached. In its explanation, the company said the changes are designed to “keep pace with the growth of YouTube, which now sees over 200 billion daily Shorts views and over a billion hours of watch time on TV” every day. Those numbers, which YouTube included in its official Partner Program update, show just how crowded the platform has become. More content and more viewing can create more opportunities, but higher qualification standards also mean creators have to capture a much larger piece of that attention before certain revenue doors open.

YouTube is pairing the tougher requirements with changes it says could create additional earning opportunities. The company announced that Premium Lite will expand to every country where YouTube Premium is offered. According to YouTube, revenue pools created by those subscriptions are distributed based on member watch time and views, with creators receiving a 55 percent revenue share for long form videos and 45 percent for Shorts after the applicable subscription revenue is allocated to the creator pool.

YouTube presented that subscription expansion as a potential financial benefit for its partners, writing, “With these additional subscribers, creators can expect higher earnings: when a user signs up for Premium, partners, on average, earn more than when the user was watching ads,” according to the company’s announcement. YouTube also says it plans to introduce additional creator incentives tied to areas such as shopping, brand deals and starting or growing trends, although details about those programs have not yet been fully released.

The bigger issue is what the new YouTube monetization rules mean for creators who have not reached established status. YouTube has spent years positioning itself as a place where independent creators can build audiences and businesses, but the February 2027 changes make the road to advertising and subscription revenue longer for anyone entering through the traditional Partner Program route. The platform may be growing, but creators now have to prove they can command considerably more attention before receiving access to some of the money generated by that growth.

For established creators, the transition may be relatively manageable. For newer channels, the message is much clearer: building an audience on YouTube will still be possible, but reaching the point where that audience begins generating platform revenue is about to demand a lot more views, watch time and consistency.

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
When they put too much air in your tires

This is so funny! I'm glad they aren't throwing hands.

AND NOW Meet: Karim G 
It's Karim! You can see more HERE
 
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Enjoy!

HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM

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