Jennifer Lopez for InStyle Australia - January 2019
After working her famous booty off for nearly 30 years, Jennifer Lopez is not afraid to celebrate her success. - by Christopher Bagley
Jennifer Lopez is sitting by the pool behind her Bel-Air mansion, waiting for two staffers to move an umbrella closer to her chair and thinking about how her life could have turned out very differently. She sends a quick text to boyfriend Alex Rodriguez, takes a sip of ice water, and sits still for a moment while a stylist applies a piece of double-stick tape to the plunging neckline of her Alexandre Vauthier dress so there will be no cleavage mishaps during a TV appearance later in the afternoon. Then Lopez reflects on how close she came to ending up as a bank teller in the Bronx.
“If I didn’t have certain ambitions, I might have gotten married after high school and had kids and decided to get a job at a bank in Castle Hill, like my aunt did,” says the New York native. “It’s just that I had dreams and ideas that were different.”
Lopez, who turns 50 in July, has been pondering her life path a lot lately. It’s partly because in her new movie, Second Act, she plays a character whom she describes as “soooo me” — an outer-borough girl with no connections and no college degree who suddenly finds herself across the river in Manhattan, navigating a world of glamour and power and Madison Avenue shopping sprees. It’s also because Lopez, after almost three decades of relentlessly public highs and lows, now understands herself better than she used to. A mother of 10-year-old twins (with ex-husband Marc Anthony) who meditates daily while juggling the jobs of actor, singer, Vegas performer, producer, reality-show judge, etc., etc., she has developed the kind of confidence that makes it easier to talk about her insecurities. Shortly after her breakout film, Selena, came out in 1997, Lopez remembers, she was speaking with a cousin whom she has known since she was young. “He said that whenever he saw me on TV or in movies, he thought, ‘She’s scared, but she’s doing it anyway.’ And he was absolutely right — I was terrified. But I really wanted to try. I wanted to do it.”
Since then Lopez has been doing it pretty much nonstop, keeping a pace that can seem superhuman. But at a time when women are speaking out against sexism in all its forms, Lopez is less willing than ever to put up with the double standards that persist in show business. “It has taken time,” she says, “but I think we’re in a very powerful moment where women are going, ‘Wait a minute. We’re not afraid to say what we deserve.’ ” For Lopez that includes challenging the old stereotype about multihyphenate performers, especially female ones: If a woman does a bunch of things, the thinking often goes, then she’s probably not serious about any of them. “I don’t understand why you can’t be an actress and a singer and dancer as well,” Lopez says. “Like, that’s how this whole business started. Entertainment! And why can’t you be funny and also be a dramatic actress? OK, some people can’t do both. But if they can, let them!”
For more with Jennifer Lopez pick-up the January issue of InStyle Australia.
#RHoA: So Kandi Talks about Peter Thomas’ ‘Messy’ Ways during his stint on RHoA!
Boy Kandi has been really running her trap lately! Peter Thomas is no longer a part of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” since his divorce from Cynthia Bailey was finalized and she moved on with Mike Hill. But when he was on the show, he was known to get into women’s business.
During Kandi Burruss’ appearance on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” Sunday, the star addressed a fan’s question about whether or not Thomas was “messy” as a husband on the show.
“I feel like Peter was just very opinionated,” Burruss says. “But a lot of the fans don’t like it when the husbands have an opinion for whatever reason. It’s like, you say you don’t like it but then you talk about the show more, you talk about us more.”
Fans have steadily referenced Thomas’ opinionated ways in the year since he’s been absent from RHOA. In November, viewers of the Bravo show inundated the Instagram comments of a fan page when one user said, they “forgot he was a housewife.”
Many others echoed those sentiments.
“Can he finally get his peach now?”
“I thought his peach was taken away?”
“@mikell_je well he’s more interesting than Cynthia. Give that man his peach.”
“Nah y’all can give him his 🍑”
Thomas’ opinion on the show certainly was not always welcome for the ‘wives, either. During a season 6 episode, which saw the ladies and their husbands get together for a sleepover, Nene Leakes confronted Thomas. She took aim at the Bar One owner over him speaking up about a clash at a masquerade ball. Leakes had enough of Thomas’ ways and commanded him to “stay out of women business” and “stop trying to be a damn b—-.”
But Kandi????????
#Empire Fall Finale Coffin Mystery Solved Is it Andre?
In the wake of Lucious’ discovery that archenemy Kingsley has Lyon DNA coursing through his veins, the mogul’s newfound son added insult to injury by breaking the news to the rest of the family — in the middle of the LMF showcase event, no less — before Lucious could do so himself. The revelation prompted a humiliated Cookie, Jamal and Hakeem to storm off stage. Andre, meanwhile, made a beeline for his older bro and, in front of a standing-room only audience, threatened to “end” him. Determined to get in the last word, Kingsley responded, “Unless I end you first, baby bro.”
And with that, the action jumped ahead three months to show Andre being rushed into the ER in critical condition, a distraught Lucious and Cookie in tow. The episode’s ominous final image was that of Andre’s heart monitor flatlining. Coffin mystery solved, right? Not so fast, cautions showrunner Brett Mahoney.
“It could be Andre [in the coffin] but it is not definitively Andre,” the EP hedges. “There is still a lot more to be revealed about that mystery as the back half of the season unfolds.” Suffice it to say, when Empire resumes its fifth season in early 2019, “Andre will face life and death circumstances that will rock the entire Lyon family,” Mahoney teases.
Regarding the coffin conundrum, Mahoney admits that not even he knows definitively whose corpse is hidden within that pine box. Although he admits to having “several candidates in mind,” the scribe confesses, “I won’t know who is in the coffin until I sit down to write the season finale [next month].”
What do you say, Empire fans? Do you think Andre’s “death” (we’re qualifying that word with quotes because his heart was only idle for a few seconds) was a red herring?
#NewMusicVideo from India.Arie ‘That Magic’
With her latest single “That Magic” steadily rising up the R&B chart, India.Arie releases the official music video.
The beaming clip features the earthy songstress and her leading man Lyriq Bent enjoying the beauty of a deep, meaningful relationship. In the midst of their lovesick avails, Arie’s cameraman boyfriend gets beauty shots of her in dazzling outfits and hairdos. She also hits the stage for an epic performance.
WATCH HERE
In February 2019, Arie will release her Worthy new album. The project, which includes “That Magic,” follows her EP, SongVersation: Medicine, which released earlier this year.
#HipHop: Teyana Taylor, Ghostface Killah & Method Man Bring Classic Hip Hop/R&B To “Gonna Love Me” Video
Teyana Taylor just unveiled a self-directed music video for the Wu-Tang Clan’s remix of her K.T.S.E. track “Gonna Love Me” featuring Ghostface Killah, Method Man and Raekwon.
The cinematic visual opens with Tey arguing with Ghost about a phone she’s never seen before. As their argument escalates, the song begins and she angrily storms out of their apartment with her hair still wrapped in a doobie, letting viewers know she is mad, mad.
Meth observes this and the two end up on a rooftop together. Immediately, the scene brings back nostalgic visions of Mary J. Blige and Meth’s music video for their Grammy Award-winning duet “You’re All I Need.” Even her dance moves seem to be inspired by Auntie Mary.
Though Raekwon is missing from the video, his verse narrates the last scene where Ghost, Meth and Tey are all in a club at the same time and someone ends up getting popped.
WATCH HERE
Ariana Grande Issues Apology To Kanye West: "It Was A Joke"
TWITTER – After Kanye West accused Ariana Grande for exploiting his mental illness to promote her new “Imagine” single, the pop princess has issued an apology.
“with all due respect, i don’t need to use anyone to promote anything. period,” she tweeted on Saturday morning (December 15). “i was making a comment ab what men were doing at the time vs. women. it was a joke which i understand now was probably insensitive. i apologize if i was in any way triggering and hope u feel well today.”
Grande’s apology came after Kanye’s Twitter explosion aimed at Drake. Grande’s original tweet — which she has since deleted — insinuated the two Hip Hop heavyweights were arguing back-and-forth but Drake’s only reply to ‘Ye’s rant was a series of laughing emojis. It was mostly ‘Ye just spouting off about a myriad of topics, including Drake’s sub shots on Travis Scott’s No.1 song “Sicko Mode.”
“guys, i know there are grown men arguing online rn but miley and i dropping our beautiful, new songs tonight,” she said. “so if y’all could please jus behave for just like a few hours so the girls can shine that’d be so sick so thank u.”
Grande’s tweet didn’t go over well with Kanye and she has evidently realized how her tweet could’ve been misinterpreted.
It’s GOLDEN: Papoose & Remy Ma Welcome A Baby Girl
Remy Ma and Papoose welcomed a bouncing baby girl on Friday, December 14.
The raptress took to social media to announce the birth of her daughter writing:
The Golden Child is here!!!
Thank you @papoosepapoose for making me the happiest wife in the planet 🥰 #BlackLove #RemAndPap #BabyMackie #ShesMADDDDcute �
This is the first child for the “Love & Hip Hop” stars’ who tied the knot over a decade ago.
Both Remy and Papoose have one older child from previous relationships.
Congrats to the happy family!
Oprah hosting The Oscars???? She said NAH!
The 64-year-old media mogul is known for her work as the host of her eponymously titled talk show, but has said she isn't looking to fill in as the host of the Academy Awards in 2019 after Kevin Hart - who was previously lined up for the prestigious job - quit the position following the controversy that arose when his previous homophobic tweets were resurfaced.
When asked by TMZ if she would consider hosting the Oscars if the Academy were to ask her, Oprah simply said: "No."
'Get Hard' star Kevin, 39, stepped down as host after past tweets he'd posted re-emerged, and said he didn't want to be a "distraction".
He tweeted: "I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to for my insensitive words from my past."
"I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again. "
And although the role won't be going to the 'A Wrinkle In Time' star, former host Whoopi Goldberg has suggested the job go to 'Crazy Rich Asians' star Ken Jeong.
Responding to the comments Whoopi recently made on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', Ken said: "I was just so flattered that Whoopi had even said that."
"I didn't even know she was gonna go on 'Colbert'. I just saw her on 'The View' yesterday morning, and, off camera, she was really serious about it. Like, 'You know, you should host,' and 'I'm gonna talk to the Academy,' and it was so lovely, you know, coming from her."
Ken also admitted he'd relish the opportunity to host the annual awards show.
He said: "If they asked me to be an on-set medic for it, I'd be glad"
"I think the Academy has done an amazing job in kind of just trying to get more representation on screen ... and I really think, with the success of 'Crazy Rich Asians', 'Black Panther' and so many amazing movies right now, and so much diversity that is in these amazing movies, it's exciting. It makes me so proud and excited to call myself an actor."
Janelle Monáe Joins Cast of Gloria Steinem Biopic
While 2018 may be winding down, the year of Janelle Monáe is still in full swing. According to Deadline, the singer-actress has joined the cast of The Glorias: A Life on the Road, a biography on the life of activist and journalist Gloria Steinem. Monáe will portray Dorothy Pitman Hughes, a civil rights activist and co-founder of Ms. Magazine.
Monáe is no stranger to the silver screen. She made her on-screen debut in 2016’s Oscar-winning film Moonlight, and later in Hidden Figures as mathematician and aerospace engineer Mary Jackson.
Directed by Julie Taymor and produced by Alex Saxs along support from Taymor and Lynn Hendee, The Glorias will explore Steinem’s journey to become an advocate for equal rights and her trailblazing work as a journalist and campaigner.
In other Monáe-related acting news, she will appear in DreamWorks Welcome to Marwen, later this month. She has also signed on for other major productions, including STX’s animated film UglyDolls, Disney’s Lady and the Tramp remake, and an unannounced role in the upcoming Harriet Tubman biopic, Harriett.
On top of her acting gigs, Monáe recently landed two 2019 Grammy nominations for her Dirty Computer work, which was accompanied by an emotion picture. The LP is up for Album of the Year, while “PYNK” is nominated for Best Music Video.
Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke Ordered To Pay Marvin Gaye’s Family $5 Million In “Blurred Lines” Lawsuit
Back in 2013, Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams released their mega-hit, “Blurred Lines,” which peaked at number one in the U.S., where it was also the longest running number one single of the year. It also became one of the best selling singles of all time, all while breaking the record for the largest radio audience in history.
The song was produced by both Thicke and Williams with the intention to create something with the groove of Marvin Gaye’s 1977 hit, “Got to Give It Up.” Five months after its release, Thicke, Williams, and T.I.. who rapped over the beat, were slapped with a copyright infringement lawsuit over the similarities.
Now five years later, a judge has ordered Thicke and Williams to pay $5 million to Gaye’s family.
Both Williams and Thicke were found liable in 2015, after a judge determined the two owed the estate $7 million in the suit, but after the pair’s appeal the amount was reduced to $4,983,766.85, Billboard reports. Gaye’s family will also receive 50 percent of the song’s future royalties.
Obama says that The Affordable Care Act Will ‘Likely’ Survive Judge’s Ruling!
He reassures Americans as he reminds people to sign up for the health care program before the
Barack Obama reminded people that Saturday was the last day to sign up for Obamacare, and declared that a Texas federal judge’s ruling striking down the law making the insurance possible will “likely” not prevail.
Saturday is “the deadline to make sure you and the people you love have health insurance in 2019. So head over the HealthCare.gov to get covered!” Obama tweeted. He added that “it’s so important for you to know” that the ruling Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor declaring the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional “changes nothing for now.”
As “this decision makes it way through the courts, which will take months, if not years, the law remains in place and will likely stay that way,” he added. “Open enrollment is proceeding as planned today. A good way to show that you’re tired of people trying to take away your health care is to go get covered.”
Today is the last day of open enrollment. That means it’s the deadline to make sure you and the people you love have health insurance in 2019. So head over to http://HealthCare.gov to get covered! Here’s what else you need to know today about health care:
If O’Connor’s ruling stands, it would deal a major blow to the U.S. health care system. According to an analysis by the Urban Institute, eliminating the Affordable Care Act, which was passed in 2010, would increase the numbers of uninsured by 50 percent with an additional 17 million people having no health coverage.
The Supreme Court upheld the law in 2012 and in 2015. It was modified by Congress in 2017 to eliminate the tax penalty for most Americans who refused to obtain health insurance. The law could now be headed to the top court for the third time.
Shakira Charged For Tax Evasion in Spain
Shakira has been charged with tax evasion in Spain for her alleged failure to pay $16.4m in taxes between 2012 and 2014.
According to the Guardian, Spanish prosecutors claimed the Colombian superstar avoided paying millions in taxes by claiming to live in the Bahamas while residing in Catalonia. In docs obtained by the publication, Shakira updated docs to reflect her move from the Bahamas to Barcelona in 2015, after she’d already been living in Spain with her partner, Gerard Pique, for years prior.
As a result, prosecutors say she missed out on taxes for those years, since she was, in fact, a resident and her travel abroad was for short periods for work. They’re demanding she pay tax in Spain on her worldwide income.
In the meantime, a judge will decide if the matter will go to trial.
Offset Interrupted Cardi B’s Rolling Loud Set With Flowers To Ask For Forgiveness
A lovesick Offset interrupted Cardi B‘s Rolling Loud set bearing flowers to ask his ex to take him back. Rolling out four boxes of flower arrangements that spelled out “TAKE ME BACK,” the lovelorn rapper popped up from backstage to apologize to Cardi, who seemed less than impressed by the public show of affection.
While the crowd jeered, Offset said, “I just want to tell you I’m sorry. You’re my best friend in the world. Whatever I got to do to show I love you, I’ll do.” Unfortunately for him, she didn’t seem all that amenable to reconciling — at least, not in front of thousands of howling fans, many of whom have already taken to Twitter to voice their opinions, from imploring Cardi to consider forgiveness, to upbraiding Offset for upstaging his ex, to sassing both for pulling what some are calling a publicity stunt.
WATCH
Cardi B first announced that she was splitting up with her husband and co-parent to her daughter, Kulture, two weeks ago, when she posted an Instagram video explaining that they’d be divorcing soon. Since then, rumors have swirled accusing Offset of repeated infidelities that Cardi eventually could no longer abide. Meanwhile, Offset has made a few plays at getting her back, despite the fact that she’s even changing her “Motorsport” verse lyrics to reference their impending divorce.
He used part of his own surprise appearance at Rolling Loud during 21 Savage’s set yesterday to induce the crowd to perform a “take him back” chant, then apologized for being a “selfish, messed up husband” on Instagram this morning. In the middle of all this, he never got around to releasing his long-promised solo album, an oversight for which some of his fans are already blaming Cardi.
Sarah Silverman says she will STOP making homophobic ‘jokes!
Shortly after black comedian Kevin Hart stepped down from hosting the Oscars over his past homophobic tweets and stand-up routines, American rapper Nick Cannon posted similarly homophobic jokes made in the past by white female comedians Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer and Chelsea Handler.
Cannon wondered whether these white women faced any similar backlash for their use of anti-gay slurs. For a while, the comediennes didn’t respond — Schumer and Handler still haven’t — but Silverman has since stating that she’ll no longer use gayness as a punchline.
When asked about Cannon’s post by TMZ, Silverman replied, “Yeah, I’m done with that. I think I can find other ways to be funny. I mean, I used to say ‘gay’ all the time…’Oh, that’s so gay.’ We’re from Boston, we’d go, ‘That’s what we say in Boston. I have gay friends. I just say gay.’ And then I heard myself and I realized I was like the guy who said ‘What? I say colored…I have colored friends.’ And I realized it was stupid and I’m certainly creative enough to think of other words besides that, that don’t hurt people. But I f*ck up all the time.”
Opinions have been divided over what to make of homophobic humor, especially when it’s directed at hyper-masculine authoritarians like US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. To some, such homophobia is lazy and perpetuates anti-gay sentiment. Others see homophobic jokes as irreverent and subversive attempts to shatter fragile masculinity.
Gay comedian Billy Eichner said he considered Cannon’s point as “compelling” and added, “Here’s my personal opinion: Just don’t use the word. It’s as simple as that. There are so many other words to use. Now, because I am a grown up and not a child, I do take context, nuance and *intention* into consideration.”
He continued, “I agree that the best thing to do is to just not use the damn word! As a gay man, unless it’s perhaps a gay friend of mine saying it to me at a LIVELY BRUNCH, I don’t like hearing it. Even when I know it’s coming from an ally – and certainly when I know that it isn’t. It’s not a fun word for us to hear at this point. We’ve come too far. So maybe let’s just drop it.”
Danielle Staub Hooking Up With Al B. Sure? It seems So!
Danielle Staub’s new fling? It’s a Sure thing! The Real Housewives of New Jersey alum, 56, has been seeing R&B star Al B. Sure! amid her ongoing divorce from Marty Caffrey, Us Weekly has confirmed.
After the pair were spotted cozying up at a Harlem hotel earlier this week, a source has said that they’ve been hooking up and that Staub has been telling her friends about her encounters with the “Nite and Day” singer, 50.
A rep for Staub, however, denied the dating rumors: “They’ve been friends for a very long time. Someone might have misconstrued what they saw.”
Staub and Caffrey, her third husband, split in September after nearly four months of marriage. Before the breakup, the couple filed for temporary restraining orders against each other following a confrontation at their New Jersey home.
Michael Weatherly’s ‘NCIS’ Costars Defend Him After Eliza Dushku’s Sexual Harassment Allegation
Former costars, forever friends. Michael Weatherly‘s past colleagues are coming to his defense following an allegation that he made several sexually suggestive comments and jokes to Eliza Dushku while on the set of his series Bull.
“This man… I love, respect, trust, and I KNOW. TWO decades of friendship and respect. The best. I love you @M_Weatherly Always and forever,” Pauley Perrette tweeted on Saturday, December 15, along with a picture of the two of them smiling. (Perrette, 49, and Weatherly, 50, worked together on NCIS from the series’ inception in 2003 until his exit in 2016.)
Sasha Alexander echoed Perrette’s sentiments, tweeting a picture of herself smiling with the actor on Saturday, along with the caption, “I have been in trenches w/ my friend @M_Weatherly. Always laughs, true friend & ❤️ as big as they come.” (Alexander, 45, and Weatherly were costars from 2003 to 2005, when her character, Caitlin Todd, was shot and killed.)
The New York Times reported on Thursday, December 13, that the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress, 37, who appeared in a guest arc on the first season of Bull in 2017, was uncomfortable over remarks that the actor made in front of the cast and crew about her appearance.
According to the report, shortly after she confronted the actor about his behavior, she was written off the show, despite producer Glenn Gordon Caron saying he had plans to make her a series regular and a love interest for Weatherly.
The network eventually agreed to a confidential settlement that was the equivalent of what the actress would have earned if she’d remained on the show as a cast member for four seasons: $9.5 million.
Speaking to investigators in September, one month after she wed Peter Palandjian, Dushku told them that Weatherly said, “Here comes legs,” on a day when she was wearing a suit. On another occasion, he allegedly said, in front of the cast and crew, that he would bend her over his leg and spank her. She also claimed that he made an inappropriate comment about having a threesome with her and another cast member. Weatherly told investigators that he was joking and apologized to the star in a statement to the Times.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
KITTY WALKIN’
Just taking your cat for a casual walk at Walmart? Figured little tiger there could use a nice day out? I hate you and everything about you.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Bear Brad
Meet Brad! So you know what to do to see more. Just GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN NOR ALTER any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
You’re Welcome!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!
EFREM
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