Michelle Obama for Ebony Magazine - December 2018
What a week this has been for Michelle Obama! The former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, is the cover star of the December 2018/January 2019 Power 100 issue of the Ebony magazine.
Mrs Obama, who recently released a book, titled ‘Becoming‘, gave dibs on what to expect inside the book, which is more like a memoir, as well as what makes Black women magical.
Read excerpts from EBONY magazine below:
In her book, Mrs. Obama discusses the liberating nature of her post-White House experience and how being a Black girl growing up on the South Side of Chicago helped her even when it may have caused some struggle. She shared her opinion on the weight of the Black-woman-as-savior trope with the publication.
“As for why the world sometimes looks to Black women—and I have to say that I wish the world turned to Black women more often than it does—I think it’s because we’ve got a perspective all on our own,” she said. “If you’re growing up Black and female, you can’t help but really learn what’s going on down on the ground. You’re going to see a lot of the bottoms of people’s shoes coming down on you, so you learn to be nimble and resourceful.”
Mrs. Obama said the treatment of Black women leads them to be more grateful for what they have and be more optimistic about change. Living as an overlooked group compels Black women to be more sympathetic to the struggles of others.
“The trick is we need more people who are willing to listen to Black women, especially young Black women, to lift up our voices rather than shutting us out,” she said.
#RHoA: Did Eva Marcille Make a Colorist Remark About Shamea Morton’s Skin Tone? She was Forced to Clarify Comment!
After making remarks that many deemed colorist on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” Sunday, Eva Marcille was forced to explain herself.
When the model, Kandi Burruss, Porsha Williams, Nene Leakes and Cynthia Bailey went to “ATL Live On The Park” on the Nov. 18 episode, they took in a performance by Shamari DeVoe and her group Blaque.
After the performance, DeVoe, who goes way back with Burruss, came over and introduced herself.
“You don’t know her yet,” Williams says to Marcille after the newest “RHOA” peach holder walked away.
“I don’t, but Blaque is cute,” Marcille replies. “She’s Black, she’s snatched, she’s married. Shamea’s Black, too. She ain’t Blaque with a ‘q.'”
“You are being shady as f— right now,” Burruss tells the “America’s Next Top Model Winner” of her remark about Shamea Morton.
“What did you mean by ‘Shamea is Black, but not with a ‘q?'” the star explains in a confessional scene. “Like … I’m hoping she did not mean because she’s dark-skinned. I don’t like that. I like you, but I did not like that.”
Online, folks revved up the criticism of Marcille, while others dismissed the idea that skin tone was the issue.
“Eva’s joke was colorist. All the ladies are black so the ‘blaQue’ pun clearly referenced Shamea’s dark skin. #rhoa.”
“Not a fan of the Shamea being Blaque without a Q statement by Eva. It’s 2018 and we’re still stuck on color? #RHOA.”
“I don’t think Eva was shaming Shamea for her skin tone Kandi. She meant that she’s black but not #Blaque because that’s the name of Shamari group. So just stop it. #RHOA.”
“I Think @Kandi Took That ‘Blaque’ Comment Wrong. Eva’s Play On Words Was Accurate. Shamea is Black, Not Blaque Like Shamari #rhoa.”
The blowback led the mother of two to respond on Instagram by Monday.
“Saying she’s not black with the [sic] a Q clearly means she’s not in a singing group,” Marcille wrote in a note. “Never in 1 million years was I talking about skin color and how Kandi got that from what I said I’m still confused.”
She added in the caption, “Colorism is a huge issue in the black community. It is extremely irresponsible to insinuate that what I was saying had anything to do with skin color.”
Morton herself took it to be color-based, however. She responded on Nov. 19 by posting a maternity photo and writing in the caption, “My BLACK without the Q is BEAUTIFUL! ❤️ #RHOA #maternitymonday #Melanin #madeinhisimage #keepemtalking #9monthspregnant @princessshya #blackisbeautiful #chocolate #Darkskin.”
Chile stop We know she’s BLACK. We know she’s not in BLAQUE... that girl was bein shady and talking down to a dark skinned sister... smh. Act like you don’t see it but it’s clear as day.
#Empire: Recap, Andre’s Shady Crusade
Even though we did not get a new episode of ‘Empire’ Wednesday we’re still recapping from the last episode. After getting out from prison, it’s Andre who has a noble arc this season—or so we think. He’s still on a personal mission to help free Quincy (Skylan Brooks), with a little bit of sweet lovin’ from Quincy’s mom, Teri (Meta Golding). When Quincy’s lawyer seems to not care about his case, Andre does everything he could to free Quincy. Now, I don’t know what Andre is getting from Quincy’s freedom (aside from getting in bed with his mom), but this is starting to feel a little bit like the old Andre’s pre-sinister tactics. Of course, not much is known about Andre’s real intentions, but it seems as if he really wants to see Quincy out of prison and nothing else.
Andre visits his former prison colleague, Mouse (Anthony Lee irons), to ask for a favor that could help free Quincy. Later, Teri gets a call from Quincy’s lawyer that someone else has confessed to Quincy’s crimes, and the judge will now process Quincy acquittal. Despite the good news though, there’s still a question of Andre’s hidden intentions. Just what is it that he wants from Quincy and Teri?
#NewMusic from After 7 ‘The Loneliest Christmas’
After 7 is offering the world a poignant and profound holiday gift via a very special single, “The Loneliest Christmas”.
The song is a melancholy ballad penned by Daryl Simmons destined to be an instant classic that will resonate deep within the spirit of anyone finding their heart empty while the rest of the world is full of yuletide cheer.
LISTEN HERE
The heart-tugger showcases the high tenor of Kevon Edmonds on a misty starlit night backed by blues brushed snare drum, airy strings and warm After 7 harmony.
Meanwhile, the group continues to ride the successful wave of their return album “Timeless” which released in 2016. They’re currently on their unprecedented fifth single from the album, “If I”, which is in the Top 10 at Urban A/C radio.
#HipHopNews: Meek Mill Partners With Foot Locker And Tidal For ‘Championships’ Album Release
Meek Mill is gearing up to release his long awaited fourth studio album, Championships, next Friday (Nov. 30). With the release date creeping closer, the Philadelphia heavyweight has announced a new partnership with Tidal, Foot Locker and Puma for a collaborative pre-sale package.
The pre-sale plan, a first of its kind, goes live today (Nov. 21). To participate, fans are encouraged to visit their local Foot Locker location and purchase a special collector’s booklet for $3.50. From there, fans will be given instant access to the album once it drops next week and will be given six months of free streaming on Tidal. Additionally, fans can also receive the collectable Championships item with the purchase of any Puma sneaker from Foot Locker stores or Footlocker.com while supplies last.
In addition, those who participate in the pre-sale plan will also be able to unlock an exclusive Meek Mill experience on Tidal, which includes playlists curated by the rapper himself, tickets to future shows and never-before-seen images from his studio sessions and recent performances.
Fans will also be able to redeem a download of Championships with the purchase of exclusive Dreamchasers merch available on Meek’s online store. The available merch includes hoodies, long-sleeve T-shirts, short-sleeve T-shirts, posters and more.
After the album drops, Meek will sit down with Tidal’s Director of Culture & Content Elliott Wilson for a new interview on Dec. 2, and is also slated to appear on both Ellen and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The announcement of Meek’s new album partnership arrives after he and Juice Wrld starred in a new campaign for Foot Locker’s “Week of Greatness.”
Robert De Niro and wife Grace Hightower split after over 20 years
Robert De Niro and his wife of over 20 years, Grace Hightower have split, Page Six has exclusively learned.
A source close to the couple confirmed that they are no longer living together.
We hear that they’re expected to potentially announce their breakup publicly in the coming weeks.
Said a pal, “They are not living together at this time.”
Social sources have noticed that “Raging Bull” star De Niro has been solo at events he’d usually attend with Hightower over the past months. Said one source, “De Niro and Grace are breaking up. He’s been at a few things since the very end of the summer without her — and rumor has it they are done.”
De Niro was at a MoMA film benefit on Monday night to honor Martin Scorsese, along with Leo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Harvey Keitel.
De Niro and Hightower married in 1997 after dating for nearly a decade, and they have two kids together. But this is not the first time the couple’s split up. De Niro filed for divorce in 1999, two years into their marriage, and they reportedly had a custody battle over their son at the time until they smoothed out their troubles and the divorce did not proceed.
Instead, they then renewed their wedding vows in 2004 at a starry ceremony in the Catskills, in front of pals including Scorsese, Meryl Streep and De Niro’s “Meet the Parents” co-star Ben Stiller, which was catered by Nobu.
De Niro met Hightower — a former flight attendant for TWA — in 1987 when she was working at famed eatery Mr. Chow in London.
She said of their early relationship in a 2013 New York Times profile: “It was an ease-in. It wasn’t a whirlwind.”
Since then, Hightower’s been a sometimes actress and singer, as well as a philanthropist and entrepreneur who founded the java line Coffee of Grace. Oscar winner De Niro’s also an entrepreneur who’s backed Nobu, the Tribeca Grill and the Greenwich Hotel.
He was married once before, to Diahnne Abbott.
Oh No! Toni Braxton’s Engagement Ring Goes Missing After Delta Flight
Toni Braxton’s engagement ring went missing after she accidentally left her train case behind on a Delta flight.
Toni Braxton‘s engagement ring is missing! The singer accidentally left her Louis Vuitton train case behind on a flight from New York to Los Angeles.
After taking to social media to make a public plea to get assistance from Delta, her train case was returned.
Unfortunately, all of her jewelry was missing – including her engagement ring!
Toni may have been a tad absent-minded because she was just getting over the flu.
In a post on her Instagram page, she said she’s feeling much better, but she’s sad about her engagement right.
The R&B diva is remaining optimistic that someone will return “Bonnie.”
Hopefully, Toni Braxton will get her ring back or I least hope it was insured.
FedEx Driver Who Fatally Punched Racist Will Not Be Charged
The Portland FedEx driver who fatally punched a racist during an altercation will not be charged for his death.
The FedEx driver who delivered the fatal blow that killed a racist man will not be charged.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Adam Gibbs released a memo saying Timothy Warren was well “in his right” to challenge Joseph Magnuson, who berated him with racial slurs and “other aggressive and abusive phrases.”
The incident occurred on Sept. 26 in Northeast Portland, when witnesses said Magnuson started the altercation by yelling at Warren “very aggressively” to slow down, the paper reported. When Warren tried to speak with Magnuson after stopping the vehicle, Magnuson called him racial slurs and threw a drink at the FedEx employee.
Some witnesses said Magnuson also hurled a bag of food at Warren, the paper reported, before he threw a punch that missed. Warren hit Magnuson above his left eye, knocking him to the ground unconscious, the report said. Magnuson later died, according to the paper.
“Oregon law contains no ‘duty to retreat’ and Mr. Warren was within his right to exit his vehicle and verbally challenge the manner in which Mr. Magnuson was addressing him,” the memo said, according to the paper. “Mr. Magnuson was the initial verbal aggressor; Mr. Warren responded in kind. Mr. Magnuson then escalated and became the initial physical aggressor; Mr. Warren again responded in kind.”
While some may argue the incident would have never escalated if Timothy had not stopped his truck, District Attorney Gibbs noted that “the decision by Mr. Warren, who is black, to not let the racist vitriol to which he was being subjected go unanswered is not of legal significance.”
Warren also waited and cooperated with police after the incident.
A medical examiner determined Magnuson’s “extremely poor health” contributed to his death.
Aaron Rodgers’ Brother, Jordan, Calls Quarterback Out For Not Reaching Out To His Family During California Wildfires
Looks like things are still pretty tense between Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his brother, Jordan.
On Wednesday, the quarterback announced a huge donation to aid those affected by the California wildfires but his gesture was quickly met with hostility when his brother, Jordan, called him out for his failure to reach out to the family in the same disaster.
In the video shared to Aaron’s Twitter, he said, “In Northern California, where I was born and raised, the city of Paradise burned to the ground, and many of the residents who got out are now displaced to my hometown of Chico and across the north state.”
“I personally reached out to my friends and the mayor of Chico to find out how to be of the most help. And raising money for both immediate needs and the long-term recovery is what is needed most right now,” he said, as he revealed his $1 million donation.
However, in response, his brother took to Twitter to address his brother’s longtime estrangement.
“Please donate, spread awareness and love,” he said, adding, “but when your own Mom is home alone during the fires, car packed ready to evacuate, & you miss the fundamental first step of commission; calling your parents to make sure they are safe….Everything else just feels like an act.”
The two have been at odds for some time now, as Jordan revealed on the 2016 season of ‘The Bachelorette.’ During his appearance, he said, while he’s close to his oldest brother, Luke, Aaron is estranged from the rest of the family.
“It’s just the way he’s chosen to do life,” Jordan said on the show, according to PEOPLE. “I chose to stay close with my family and my parents and my brother [Luke].”
Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba And More To Star In New Adaption Of The Musical “Cats”
Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo and Taylor Swift are coming together for an adaption of “Cats” the musical.
The production will be Working Title and Universal’s big-screen adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, set to star James Corden, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson and more.
Like the musical, the story will follow the lives of a group of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as “the Jellicle choice,” where they decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. Tom Hooper will act as director.
Hooper and Lee Hall (Billy Elliott, War Horse) have adapted the story, which was initially based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot, according to Billboard.com. Derulo will play a feline named Rum Tum Tugger, who is never playa by the rules and never satisfied. Hudson will play Grizabella, Elba is Macavity and McKellan is Gus the Theatre Cat.
Production will begin in December.
Nicki Minaj is sending Love To Tekashi69
Nicki Minaj took to social media to post a message of support for her babe, Tekashi69.
The 22-year-old “FEFE” rapper is now in jail on charges of racketeering and firearm charges and his future looks uncertain.
In the post on her Instagram page, Nicki revealed Tekashi label has chosen not to release his new album and she sent him and his family love.
For reasons beyond music, the record company will hold off on putting his project out for now. Danny, I love you and am praying for you, your Mother, daughter & her Mom during this time. 🙏🏾♥
She turned off the comments on her post to avoid any negative feedback.
Jennifer Lopez’s Walk of Fame Star was VANDALIZED!
Jennifer Lopez’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been vandalized.
According to reports, Jennifer Lopez now has a strange and unlikely connection to Donald Trump and Bill Cosby … because her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame caught the attention of a vandal.
Someone used what looks like black spray paint to deface J Lo’s star Tuesday … near the famed intersection of Hollywood and Vine. It’s not clear what message, if any, the tagger was trying to send.
Cops took a vandalism report and will investigate the incident. The paint job’s bad, but not nearly as destructive as what we’ve seen on the Walk of Fame earlier this year.
Did Ya Know?
Earlier this month, Alex Rodriguez’s new flame Jennifer Lopez has clashed with his ex-wife Cynthia Rodriguez over how much he ponies up in child support, sources say.
Demi Lovato’s Family Forces Her To Drop Newly Sober Henry Levy From Her Inside Circle
Demi Lovato’s family wants her to avoid Henry Levy at all cost. The two have been spotted together on multiple occasions, sparking rumors that a romance is in the works.
But Lovato’s mom, Dianna Hart, does not think she should be hanging out with Levy, who only recently got sober.
An inside source revealed that Hart intervened in her daughter’s love life and forced her to drop Levy altogether. “Henry is newly sober and he is not the type of guy that Demi should be associating herself with right now,” the source explained.
The source also told Radar Online that Levy associates with people in Hollywood who run in bad circles. Hart does not feel like Lovato is in a place where she can associate with people like Levy, which is why she urged her out of the relationship.
Levy has been in and out of sober living houses and rehab over the past few years. Like Lovato, Levy struggles with drug and alcohol addiction.
Although Hart made it clear that Lovato should steer clear of Levy, she may have ignored the advice. A source revealed that Lovato is not interested in ditching Levy and wants him to stay in her life.
The insider says that Lovato’s family is worried about what might happen if she continues to hang out with Levy. But at the end of the day, they cannot force her to stop seeing Levy. They also know that she has to be the one who decides a change is in order.
Lovato’s addiction to drugs almost ended her life earlier this year. In July, Lovato almost died after experiencing a drug overdose in her mansion in Hollywood Hills.
She has not commented on the rumors surrounding Levy.
Levy was recently involved in a lawsuit after a former employee accused him of fraud, drug use, and discrimination. Brendan Thompson, who worked for Levy in 2014, claims that his boss constantly made racially insensitive comments and used illegal drugs at work.
Thompson is suing Levy for $5 million.
Meghan Markle Excited To Teach The Royals About Thanksgiving And Celebrate With Them!
According to new insider reports, Meghan Markle is super excited to spend Thanksgiving with the Royals and show her new family how Americans celebrate this holiday. She is supposedly determined to tell them all about ‘turkey day.’
Despite the historical background that may make this awkward, since the Pilgrims left England to flee religious persecution and moved to America, Meghan is allegedly still excited to teach the Royal Family all about Thanksgiving.
One source tells HollywoodLife that ‘As the birth of her first child approaches she feels like it is important to hold onto and pass down her heritage while embracing her new life in the UK at the same time. Therefore, starting with her very first holiday as a Royal, she’s determined to share with Harry some of her favorite traditions.’
And apparently, the younger of the two British princes is all for it!
Besides, as the source explains, it’s in his best interest to be supportive about celebrating Thanksgiving since his wife loves to bake and is very good at it.
Usually, the insider shares, she makes delicious vegan pumpkin pies for the special day.
Furthermore, she also proved she was great at cooking the traditional turkey back in 2016 before becoming a royal.
Meghan took to social media at the time to post a pic of her and a turkey getting grilled, sharing that she felt the pressure to make the ‘perfect turkey’ again.
Another source went on to tell the outlet that ‘Another one of her biggest Thanksgiving traditions is volunteering, usually by serving meals to those less fortunate. Meghan is very big on service all year but even more at the holidays and she absolutely will be passing that down to her little one.’
Margot Robbie Started a Fire While Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner!
Margot Robbie may not be the best cook but that doesn’t stop her from trying!
The 28-year-old actress just revealed that she set the yams on fire while making Thanksgiving dinner last year.
“Last year for our Friendsgiving, all the ‘orphans’ in town, we just [cooked] a big feast. I was in charge of the yams and I lit them on fire. It was terrible. So this year we’re dividing up who’s cooking what and I was like, ‘I’d really like to give the yams a go again!’” Margot explained to USA Today.
Margot added that the yams weren’t the only kitchen fire she’s caused!
“Last Christmas I lit the ham on fire, which, again I was like, ‘Can I do the ham this year?’ And everyone was like, ‘We want to be able to eat the food, we don’t want it to be charcoal and just have nothing,’” Margot laughed.
Hopefully holiday cooking is going better for Margot this year!
Fox News Offers On-Air Apology After Guest Compares Hillary Clinton To “Herpes”
Fox News issued an on-air apology after one of its guests compared former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to herpes during a broadcast.
Anna Paulina, Turning Point USA’s director of hispanic engagement, appeared along with political analyst Doug Schoen to discuss a favorite Fox News topic, Clinton’s deleted emails.
Host Rick Leventhal made an offhand remark about how Clinton remains in the news, prompting Paulina’s caustic remark.
“She won’t go away. She’s like herpes,” Paulina said, causing Leventhal to appear stunned.
“OK, that is news that we are breaking here,” Leventhal responded. “Not appropriate.”
Paulina disappeared from the segment, which was cut short with Leventhal apologizing to the viewers for “some of the language used in the segment.”
Fox News anchor Arthel Neville extended a separate Thanksgiving Day apology to Clinton.
“We are all Americans, and that is the focus and we want to reiterate that we do not condone the language that Anna Paulina just displayed here, and we apologize to Secretary Clinton for that,” she said after the segment concluded. “Fox News does not condone her sentiments.”
The news site The Daily Caller was the first to report the remark.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘PREPARED FOR GREATNESS?’
How his day was spent with the onslaught of food and booze that is Thanksgiving Day.
#EGGPLANT NATION Meet Allan!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
ENJOY!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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