The World of SHONDALAND Take Over EW Magazine!
Shonda Rhimes and her three leading ladies, Kerry Washington, Viola Davis and Ellen Pompeo, are gracing one of the four Shondaland covers for Entertainment Weekly. The level of Girl Power is quite serious in Shondaland, and we love that the creator and writer herself is so unapologetic about it.
In the issue hitting newsstands tomorrow, the ladies (as well as the 30+ stars of "Scandal," "How To Get Away With Murder," and "Grey's Anatomy) candidly discuss racism and sexism in Hollywood...and hold nothing back. That's one of the beauties of having a black female showrunner as your boss.
Here are a few highlights from their discussion that took place in L.A. over wine and cheese right before Viola's husband whisked her away for her fabulous 50th birthday:
Viola Davis on colorism in the entertainment industry: “You have to come from Detroit or Atlanta to be black. If you have John Denver on your iPod and you come from Central Falls, Rhode Island, then: Eh, you trickle-down black woman.”
Kerry Washington on why it’s different to work for a female showrunner: “I was talking to an actress who’s pregnant and really worried about telling her bosses, and I said, ‘Yeah, when I told my boss I was pregnant, she literally jumped up and down in my trailer.’ I don’t know if there’s a male showrunner who would do that.”
Shonda Rhimes on why her parents were Gladiators: “When I encountered something that felt like racism—like my high school guidance counselor saying to me, ‘Honey, I don’t think you were made for Ivy League schools’—I called my mom at work and said, “Mom, this lady says I’m not made for Ivy League schools.” And my mother said, “Hold on, I’ll be there in five minutes.” My mom drove up to the school, walked into the guidance counselor’s office, came out, and said, “Everything’s fine now.”
Fab! #TGIT returns September 24th.
S.C. To Seek Death Penalty For Dylann Roof In Charleston Shooting
The white man accused of murdering nine people at a historically black church in Charleston, S.C., in June will face the death penalty, according to court documents filed Thursday.
South Carolina Solicitor Scarlett Wilson spoke to reporters shortly after filing the court paper announcing she would pursue the death penalty for Dylann Roof, according to the Associated Press.
She called Roof's actions "the ultimate crime that deserved the ultimate punishment" and said that while she took into account the desire of some of the victims' family members for forgiveness, she "appreciated that they all respected her decision to seek the death penalty," the AP reports.
She also said it should not be the responsibility of the victims' family members to have a say in what punishment awaits Roof.
"People who have already been victimized should not bear the burden of making the decisions on behalf of an entire community. They shouldn't have to weigh the concerns of other people. They shouldn't have to consider the facts of the case," she said, according to the AP.
Roof, 21, has been charged by the state with nine counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and the use of a firearm during a violent felony. He has not yet entered a plea for the state charges, as his lawyers were waiting to see what punishment the state would pursue. He also faces 33 federal hate crime counts, to which a not guilty plea has been entered on his behalf.
The court filings state that prosecutors will present evidence showing motive for the crimes, planning and premeditation and an "utter disregard and lack of remorse for the nine people he murdered" in the June 17 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
That evidence against Roof will include "photographs, video tapes, diagrams of the scene and victims, expert testimony, and statements by the Defendant, internet postings by the Defendant and other testimony related thereto," according to the filings.
As the Two-Way reported, Roof is charged with gunning down nine parishioners at a black church in June. His attorney said his client initially wanted to plead guilty.
The Associated Press reports:
"During a brief arraignment in federal court, defense attorney David Bruck said that he couldn't advise his client, Dylann Roof, to enter a guilty plea without knowing the government's intentions.
"U.S. Magistrate Judge Bristow Marchant then entered a not guilty plea for Roof, 21, who faces federal charges including hate crimes, weapons charges and obstructing the practice of religion. Appearing in court in a gray striped prison jumpsuit, his hands in shackles, Roof answered yes several times in response to the judge's questions but otherwise didn't speak."
May God have mercy on your Soul…You’ll need it!
#TEAMEMPIRE "Empire" Debuts Two New Songs Featuring Jussie Smollett & Yazz
As we gear up for the Season 2 debut of “Empire”, which premieres Sept. 23rd at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Columbia Records has released two new songs off the second season's forthcoming soundtrack.
The tracks go along with the theme of Season 2 which will pick up three months after Lucious’ shocking arrest and incarceration at the end of last season. Knowing Lucious won’t be held much longer in prison, Cookie and her allies within the Lyon family make a desperate attempt to seize control of the company. But as the Lyons continue to battle each other, a bigger external threat emerges that could force them to unite.
“No Doubt About It” is a Ne-yo penned track which features Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon) collaborating with Pitbull.
LISTEN HERE
The next track is “Ain’t About the Money,” which features both Jussie and Yazz (Hakeem Lyon).
LISTEN HERE
The original soundtrack from Season 1 (released in March) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and made history as the first soundtrack to debut atop the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart. We're sure this one will be equally successful.
Phaedra Parks is FABULOUS. FLAWLESS. FEARLESS.
The story of Phaedra Parks doesn’t read like your typical fairytale. Sure, within this narrative, readers find a heroine who defies the odds to eventually come out on top. But, Parks’ path to dénouement, unlike most triumphant tales, is not a linear one that tracks directly from tragedy to testimony. No, Parks’ journey is muddled with peaks and valleys:
There is success.
There is failure.
There is love.
There is loss.
The multifaceted mega-attorney and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star shared all facets of her personal journey in a revealing interview with Rolling Out. Below is a snippet of Phaedra uncensored.
I’m glad you could set aside some time for this interview. I know you’re quite busy, as your sons are starting school right now. I’m curious as to why we don’t see more of them.
A lot of people always ask me why I don’t post pictures of my kids. I don’t believe in kids being on social media, so I never post pictures of them. I just think that the lifestyle that I chose is my choice, not my children’s. I have a duty as a mom to protect them from the dangers that they may not see. People are always like, “Oh, are you going to let your children be expressive?” No, I’m old school. You don’t let your child cross the street without walking with them. As parents, it’s our job to guide them.
Do you think your old-school mindset came from the way you were raised?
Growing up in Athens, [Georgia], coming from a political family, a family of preachers, we were the quintessential old school, middle class black family. Both of my parents are pastors and educators. I went to the school that my parents taught in, so people expected more of me.
So, you grew up in a lot of structure. Being in the entertainment world as an attorney and as a reality star can be a very demanding and even chaotic. How do you make those two things fit?
I never had any intentions on being an entertainment attorney. I think this was truly my calling. My main goal was always to help someone, and I’ve always been very connected with Black men. When you look at the structure of the entertainment world and its leadership, there are not a lot of people that look like us. When I first got into the industry, that’s what resonated with most of my clients. They were the people that no one wanted. People didn’t understand them. They had issues that the majority of attorneys did not want to deal with. So, I found out what my niche was: helping people who most thought could not be rehabilitated. And I really made it my duty to show that just because someone has an issue doesn’t mean that they can’t be successful.
That’s an emotional undertaking. How do you handle cases when it seems like you want success more than the person you’re fighting for?
When people see that you believe in them, and that you have their best at heart, sometimes that’s enough to turn that around. A lot of these people get in these positions because they’ve been rejected. But now they’re coming into contact with someone who’s giving them a clean slate. When you speak life into a dead situation, things grow.
You’re on a show where you can get pulled into situations and it’s not always about “speaking life.” How do you deal with that?
I’m on a show where they speak death all the time. But the way I have conducted myself has set me apart because I really try to think before I speak. I try not to say things that I can’t come back from. I’m always very careful, and just because you’re thinking something doesn’t mean that you should say it. But there’ve been a lot of times where I wanted to rip somebody’s wig off.
And that’s often what the public wants, right?
Oh definitely. And a lot of times people will say, “You’re not a role model.” But when you’re on a platform like “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” where millions of people around the world watch you, you have a duty to conduct yourself in a way that you edify the whole race. If my children are watching this show 10 years from now, I don’t ever want there to be a moment where they’re disappointed or embarrassed, because at the end of the day, you are your children’s role model.
You always seem to be thinking two or three steps ahead. Have you ever considered that maybe you overthink things?
No. I think anyone that’s smart is always thinking forward. The smart person is always thinking about the next phase of their life. At the end of the day, my legacy won’t be that I was on a reality show. I want my legacy to be that I’ve made a change for many people, opened doors for women, that I was a great mother juggling a family and a career. Not that I was a fool on a reality show. There’s no honor in that.
Do you ever find yourself wanting to distance yourself from people who want that to be their legacy?
I don’t think people who have that goal have anything in common with me. I’ve built my life on things that are more solid. Fame is fleeting. Wealth is what’s real. Who cares about being famous? Making strides that will go into history is what’s important to me.
On your social media pages, you share a long list of jobs and responsibilities you undertake. Is the list long because you’re still evolving as a person and finding out who Phaedra is?
Everything that I do comes from a place of passion and experience. I’m very multi-faceted, so I’m always thinking about the next frontier. My love for funerals came from experiences with death. It came from a place of pain, and I turned my pain into passion. I saw a lack of people in that business who genuinely wanted to help people and understood the grieving process. It came from some of my best friends committing suicide and getting killed. So, I really saw it as a ministry. I still do funerals for free, and haven’t made a penny off of any funeral I’ve ever done.
You’ve been speaking around the country. What is that thing that you’re really able to dig down and share with people that resonates with them?
In this past year, people have seen how I’ve dealt with my husband being incarcerated, and I became a single mom in front of the world. But I think that on the flip side, people saw me as a pregnant woman, going to school and getting my degree. I had both of my children on the show. And I was still able to come out of all of that unscathed. People have seen me at the best and at the worst of times. They’ve seen me in heated situations where I handled myself respectably. I can speak to the students because I know what it’s like to stay up all night studying. I know what it’s like to be pregnant and go to school. I can speak to the person who is in a marriage with issues; I’ve been that person. I’ve been in many adverse situations where I’ve succeeded and didn’t compromise my morals. I think a lot of these things resonate with people because these are things that we all deal with. Tests build testimonies. As long as you’re questioning, “God, why am I here?” and not accepting defeat, that’s when you know you have the option to get out.
During this age of social media, common, everyday occurrences are amplified and given great attention from the public, especially for someone like you. When the attention turns negative, how do you deal with it?
To be honest, I think if everyone’s agreeing with you, you’re doing something wrong. If you’re doing something right, that’s when everyone is criticizing you. Social media has made people so rude. But I really try not to open myself up to that kind of negativity. I don’t read the blogs because they are not news. I get my news from people who have been certified to do so.
In 2013, you published Secrets of a Southern Belle. Are we going to see another book from you?
Absolutely. I am playing with the idea of writing a book about parenting, and about Black boys. I want to talk about how you prepare a Black boy for this society that we’re in. I’m active with the Black Lives Matter movement, because although it’s 2015, the social and racial climate makes it feel like 1960.
Do you think “Black lives matter” in this country?
No. I don’t. I think Black lives have been devalued by the United States merely because of legislation and acts of people in power that say, especially to our Black boys, that they don’t matter. I see it all too often. I think that, socioeconomically, people that sit in my tax bracket are not putting money back into our community. This year, I participated in Bloody Sunday’s 50th anniversary, and I could count the number of celebrities on one hand. I saw more politicians than people who influence the culture. They haven’t taken their platform to really use it in a way that is influential in our community.
Thoughts?
Cate Blanchett Signs On For Lead In Lucille Ball Biopic
She’s one of the most beloved entertainment industry icons of the past century, and Lucille Ball is the subject of a forthcoming film.
The authorized biopic will be written by famed scribe Aaron Sorkin (The Newsroom, The West Wing) and Cate Blanchett has agreed to play Ms. Ball.
According to industry insiders, the Lucille Ball film will focus on the four-time Emmy-winning actress’ life including her time on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” Further details are yet to be released to stay linked to the GossipCenter for all the latest updates!
RIHANNAMANIA! Rihanna Poses For DIOR Magazine
Rihanna shared a few stills from a high-end fashion shoot for DIOR Magazine. You'll recall that she was named the face of Dior last year, making her the first black woman to star in a campaign for the fashion house.
The pics were shot by Craig McDean and completely capture RiRi's essence.
And just in case you don't have a body like Rihanna or the coins to buy DIOR, you can still smell like her. A few days ago she launched her latest fragrance, RiRi by Rihanna at Macy's
Oh? MempHitz Says K. Michelle Tried to Fake a Pregnancy on Him
Former music exec Mickey 'MempHitz' Wright claims R&B singer K. Michelle tried to lie and say she was pregnant by him unaware that he'd had a vasectomy…
MempHitz explains in a conversation with Vlad TV about his reversible vasectomy when Vlad asks if any girls ever faked a pregnancy on him.
“K. Michelle! Yes! And I had to bust her f**king a** out and be like, 'Let me tell you something...I cant have kids,' and then silence."
"Liars go into silence when you expose that a**.”
LISTEN, Comes in at the 5:03 mark https://youtu.be/u2-6LlfDhkg
LOL!
Michael Ealy: Raising The Stakes, He Talks to Rolling Out Mag!
Michael Ealy knows what you’re thinking. Throughout his career, the 42-year-old actor has been one of Black Hollywood’s most fawned over leading men. Starring as a romantic lead in films like Think Like a Man and About Last Night, it’s easy to stereotype Ealy as the standard-issue Hollywood heartthrob. But one look at the path his career has taken and it’s fairly obvious that the Washington, D.C., native has carved a diverse niche for himself. But he still has had to prove that he’s not at all one-dimensional as an actor. And in his new film, The Perfect Guy, Ealy embraced the opportunity to get a little sinister.
And even after portraying some dark characters over the years, Michael Ealy knows that you don’t think Michael Ealy can be a bad guy. He gave an interview to Rolling Out Mag. Below see what he says
“In terms of characters, I always wanted to play a bad guy. And this was one of the first times where I saw a bad guy that I really wanted to sink my teeth into and that was definitely a part of the appeal,” he says.
In the film, Ealy plays Carter Duncan; a seemingly ideal man for heartbroken protagonist Leah (Sanaa Lathan) who turns out to be a psychopath. “It’s something that a lot of people didn’t think I could do. For the last five years, my whole plan has been working. I’ve [wanted] to do different things, I’ve been wanting to show a greater range.
“It’s kind of interesting and fun to be able to do something that goes against my ‘type,’ per se. I think I’ve been slowly breaking out of that for the last couple of years. Before I did [the USA Network series] Common Law, nobody thought I could do comedy; the studio for [the FOX series] Almost Human — they didn’t think I could play an android [laughs.] Being able to diversify the body of work is key for me — not for everybody, but for me. I relish the opportunity to go and do something different. At the time I did The Perfect Guy that was before I did The Following. This was my first time to really play a bad guy and with The Following I just took it further.”
Ealy decided that he wasn’t going to run away from the preconceived notions that studios and even some fans had regarding who or what he could effectively play. Instead, he used it to gain leverage and push for projects that showcased his range.
“There was that ‘heartthrob’ label put upon me,” he admits. “I had the opportunity to either embrace it and limit myself by riding it out, or I could use it to try and take some chances … and try and change the narrative. You think I can do that? Great. Wonderful. I’ve done that. This is what I want to do now. Since I’ve already built an audience doing what you think I can do, let me go do [this] and see if my audience rides with me on that, too. That’s been a huge joy. I think part of the appeal of this movie is the opportunity to see me play a character that’s not a ‘heartthrob.’ I’m looking forward to seeing people’s reactions after this. I feel like people will be happy with this.”
Ealy and Lathan served as executive producers on the film and he was especially eager to have a degree of control over the entire project.
“The opportunity to produce the film was huge for me because it allowed me to be even more passionate about the project because I was involved in the development of the project,” he explains. “So that in and of itself made a pretty big difference on my end. That was huge for me and that was hopefully the first step of many toward me producing more and more of my own projects.
“From an actor standpoint, we tend to complain about the project not being what we want it to be. The reality is that will never be the case unless you get involved behind the camera, as well. I think other actors have proven that,” Ealy continues. “They do their passion projects — George Clooney was one of the first people, I think, who really started doing sort of ‘one for the studio, one for myself,’ and a lot of people have started to take on projects and produce projects that they’re passionate about. If you continue to do it well and you continue to find success producing projects, you become bigger than an actor. At this point, Mark Wahlberg is more than just an actor. You become a valuable businessman in this town as opposed to just an actor that they need for this particular movie.”
Little Elijah is Michael Ealy’s biggest motivation. And he wants his career to be a source of inspiration for his son in the years to come. “I’m approaching my career in a ‘bet big or go home’ [way]. And I want him and my wife to be proud of the choices I make and approaches I take to my career. I want them to see my choices as fearless now. That’s where I am. In 10 years, it might be different. In five years, it might be a different story. I might go back to wanting to get the check!” Ealy says, laughing. “But right now, when my son is old enough, I want him to be proud of the choices his dad made.” Get the entire interview at rolling out.
Willow Smith Posts “Bae” On Instagram an it’s a GIRL?
Willow Ann Smith posted a picture of a beautiful, African-American girl in a bikini top with a gorgeous natural afro with the caption: “BAE” and heart emojis. Check out the pic of Wilow’s “Bae” below.
Now we all know, based on her Instagram, that Willow is a bit eccentric and has a eclectic style – not similar to her parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s style – but could this truly be “bae”?
We’re not sure but if so she’s DOES matches Willow’s fly!
Judge Overturns Tom Brady’s 4 Game Suspension!
What four game suspension?? New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady won in his battle to have his four-game suspension overturned on Thursday. A federal judge reversed a ruling by Commissioner Roger Goodell to bench one of the league’s biggest stars in a dispute over underinflated balls he used in a January championship game. This is a huge victory for Tom Brady but a big blow to the league. Just another example of how the media, court of public opinion, and people can try to make you guilty even if you are not guilty. The courts decided that he was innocent and he will be able to play
District Court Judge Richard Berman nullified the league’s suspension of New England Quarterback Tom Brady is allowed to play in week one of NFL season.
The decision is a huge blow for the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, who decided to go to court to have the commissioner’s decision to uphold Brady’s suspension affirmed.
The NFL is expected to appeal the decision.
Jill Scott and Loretta Devine Join Being Mary Jane on BET
Jill Scott and Loretta Devine cast on BET's hit drama 'Being Mary Jane' starring Gabrielle Union...
Loretta Devine will play Cecilia, a bookstore owner whose car was hit by Mary Jane on last years season finale.
While Jill Scott is cast Niecy’s (Raven Goodwin) mom who is “back in town just long enough to show her [daughter] some tough love and Patrick some much needed sexual attention.”
Being Mary Jane premiers Tuesday, Oct. 20 in its new time slot at 9 p.m. ET on BET.
Kim Davis The Kentucky Clerk Who Refused To Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses Goes To Jail
Kim Davis the Kentucky clerk who refuses to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couple, despite the Supreme Court saying it’s her job to, is going to jail.
Davis was holding fast to her assertions that her religious beliefs (she’s an Apostolic Christian) don’t allow her to issue marriage licenses to gay couple. The judge wasn’t having.
Reports the New York Times:
A federal judge here on Thursday ordered a defiant county clerk jailed for contempt of court because of her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite a United States Supreme Court ruling.
The clerk, Kim Davis of Rowan County, was sent to jail after a hearing before Judge David L. Bunning of Federal District Court. The contempt finding was another legal defeat for Ms. Davis, who has argued that she should not be forced to issue licenses that conflict with her religious beliefs.
“The court cannot condone the willful disobedience of its lawfully issued order,” Judge Bunning said. “If you give people the opportunity to choose which orders they follow, that’s what potentially causes problems.”
Judge Bunning said Ms. Davis, who is an elected official, would be released once she agreed to comply with his order and issue the marriage licenses.
Boo-hoo.This is where we remind you that Davis has been married four times. What’s her religious viewpoint on that?
Bye Felicia.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘HOLY NIGHT’
It’s like two Christmas trees getting you ready for the season….Hey! If people can find Jesus in burnt toast, I can find Christmas trees in booty shorts.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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