Laurence Fishburne for UK’s Sorted Magazine Sept/Oct 2019!
The ‘Matrix’ Man Keeps the Faith Having ensured his name stands the test of time in the pantheon of sci-fi greats, Laurence Fishburne discusses the parallels between his time in cinema and his faith off-screen.
With his imposing frame and booming voice, Laurence Fishburne would have suited the life of a preacher. Though he may have chosen acting as his profession – and now with a host of acclaimed performances to his name –the idea of Fishburne having a career in the Church is not as far-fetched as it seems.
“I wasn’t raised in a religious environment, but I’ve always had unshakeable faith,” the 57-year-old nods. “Always. And I’m grateful for that. God is real for me. Whatever name you want to give him is up to you. But I know that there is one. I know, because I believe.”
You can almost hear the sermon in Fishburne’s stage-honed voice.
“I believe in myself,” he declares. “I believe in God; I believe in my children; I believe in human beings. I believe in the goodness that is in human beings. I believe in many, many things that I cannot prove. I believe that there is the world of the seen and the world of the unseen.
“We’ve all had experiences. I mean, everything good that’s happened to me is proof to me of my relationship to God. I work for God, in fact. It’s total unshakeable faith. It’s comforting. Very comforting.”
Perhaps there was something about Fishburne’s hypothetically clerical manner that can be traced back to arguably his biggest success in his real-life vocation. Known mostly for starring alongside Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss in the Wachowskis’ genre-defining Matrix trilogy, Fishburne’s black-clad and sunglass-wearing character Morpheus is an influential leader and teacher.
“People still like to call me Morpheus, but that’s cool!” he laughs. “It’s the kind of role that sticks to you and I’m fine with that, although I have to tell people my name is not Morpheus. It was a great chapter in my life and those films affected people and impacted audiences in a big way. I believe that The Matrix paved the way for all these big comic book films that have become so important in the last decade especially. The Matrix films changed the landscape.
“I knew it would be great, but I didn’t know if anybody would watch it. I knew we were making something amazing. But how people would respond to it was something else. It was the most original material that I had ever encountered. What was great about playing Morpheus is that he is like Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi rolled up into one.”
Aside from fellow sci-fi references, Morpheus also represents a veritable smorgasbord of mythology and religious manifestations. Named after the Greek god of dreams, the character’s relationship with Reeves’ Neo – or ‘The One’ – has many similarities with the biblical story of John the Baptist. In fact, Fishburne believes that the twin ideologies of sci-fi and theology are often intertwined – with his most recognisable work playing a key part in that duality over the years.
“The Matrix franchise changed the landscape of movies,” he explains. “It brought philosophy to science fiction. For me, it’s an old story, biblical in its scope. It’s the story of the Messiah who saves the earth. But those movies took that story and added contemporary symbols in the form of technology. There was something ancestral told in a contemporary and universal way. I loved science fiction to begin with, because I am convinced that we are not by ourselves in the universe. I grew up with the Carl Sagan Cosmos series and Star Trek – I’m very curious about the world and everything that lies beyond.”
Fishburne’s interest in the more nuanced aspects of science fiction, and its relationship to his own ongoing search for guidance through his faith, could go some way to explaining most of his recent filmography. There has been standard sci-fi fare such as The Signal (2014) or Passengers (2016), and roles in several comic book adaptations, including DC’s Man of Steel in 2013 and Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp last year.
Fishburne’s first major project came a lot closer to home, however, as Tyrone ‘Mr Clean’ Miller, the gangly gunboat-manning GI accompanying Martin Sheen’s Captain Willard in Francis Ford Coppola’s visionary Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now. Though now considered a classic of the genre, Coppola’s film was originally met with mixed reviews – a disappointment for the 14-year-old Fishburne who had told the legendary director he was 16 in order to make his way onto set.
“It’s still regarded as one of his best films and one of the greatest films ever. I was pretty disappointed by the fact that the public didn’t respond to it the way a lot of us were expecting, but I think that was because the Vietnam War was such a bitter experience for Americans and not enough time had gone by for people to want to confront the reality of that.”
Still, Fishburne acknowledges the effect Apocalypse Now has had on him in terms of both his acting career and wider life off-screen.
“Out of the whole experience, what I learned is that sometimes you get disappointed in life,” he says. “You’ve got to figure it out and get over it, then move on. It’s not the disappointment that matters; it’s how you deal with it. As it is, I think of that movie as a kind of home movie. That movie is like my high-school yearbook. And I’ll never forget Martin Sheen being really generous and helpful to me one day after I had done 40 or 50 takes and I was having trouble with a scene I was doing. He saw I was struggling, and he came over and whispered in my ear: ‘Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a really good actor?’ He gave me something I needed at that moment as a human being.”
The list of acclamations to Fishburne’s name includes a nomination for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It, and a Tony and Emmy Award win for Two Trains Running and TriBeCa respectively. As he nears his milestone sixtieth birthday, Fishburne can look on the majority of his life as having been spent on the stage or screen.
“I became a professional actor at the age of ten,” he reveals. “I did my first play at the Henry Street Settlement Playhouse in New York, and as soon as I was up on stage, I knew that I could do this for the rest of my life. I was completely sold on acting and the creativity and excitement that comes with it.”
Like many successful actors, Fishburne relied on the support of his mother Hattie to help him overcome hardships. A product of both America’s Deep South and the Big Apple, Fishburne’s family instilled the values of both in him from the outset.
“I was born in Georgia but then my family moved to New York when I was two and I grew up in Brooklyn,” he explains. Later, Hattie became invaluable in Fishburne’s future career, offering financial incentive for the Hollywood hopeful, and placing her young son’s acting advancement ahead of her own professional life.
“My mom encouraged me to keep auditioning for parts because she would tell me that I could earn several hundred dollars per week doing theatre or even more doing a series,” he chuckles. “My first gig turned out only to pay ten bucks a week, which was kind of a disappointment! But it didn’t matter, I was hooked on it. I loved acting.”
“There was something of the stage mother about her, I can’t deny that, but I could never have done Apocalypse Now had she not been willing to stop her life and be there with me. She was a great mother and I’m very grateful that she did that for me. She knew how important that role was and everything else that has happened to me in this business is the result of that film.”
As for his own family – consisting of son Langston and daughter Montana from his first marriage to actress Hajna Moss, and daughter Delilah with former wife and co-star Gina Torres – Fishburne is happy to emulate the kind of help his own mother showed him during his formative years. But he hasn’t yet been called upon to make good on that intention.
“I don’t know if they will become actors. I don’t know what they will become. They have their own ambitions and when they’re ready to share those ambitions with the world, they will. My children will become the people that they want to become. I would encourage them to do whatever they want to do, but nobody’s come to me yet and said, ‘Dad, I want to be in the business...’”
Incredibly for someone who was sharing a screen with Martin Sheen, Dennis Hopper et al by their early teens, Fishburne entertained ideas of pursuing a profession that would have made similar use of his naturally influential persona, and been more in line with his mother’s talents as a science and mathematics teacher.
“The first thing I wanted to be was a doctor, so I was always interested in science,” he says. “So that was an early introduction to the kinds of film projects I would end up doing later in life. As an actor, I realised I could be anything. When I had an opportunity to use my scientific knowledge or curiosity in later roles, I would try to do that and explore my interest.”
Recently, Fishburne has revisited his most successful cinematic venture – at least in part – by starring opposite Keanu Reeves once again in the second and third instalments of the hugely popular John Wick series. His career on-screen may well be rooted back to Morpheus and the pair’s Matrix partnership, but it seems that the star himself is looking ever outwards at the prospect of bringing a sense of divine intervention and exploration to everyday life.
“It’s funny, but when I think of The Matrix, I’m not a tech freak at all,” he smiles. “I have a smartphone, but I don’t live with it the way most people do. I don’t use social media – I’d rather talk to people. And I still call people instead of sending text messages! But the real questions that interest me are more along the lines of: ‘What is the nature of God?’”
#RHOA: Ex Hubby of Cynthia Bailey Peter Thomas’ sports bar shutters over $237K in unpaid taxes
Cynthia Bailey‘s ex-husband’s troubles aren’t over yet. Peter Thomas‘ Sports One Bar and Lounge in Charlotte, North Carolina, is shutting down over a $237,000 tax lien after the former “RHOA” star committed to other projects and finances ran dry, TMZ reports. The bar will close for three to six months while Thomas and the bar’s legal team pay off the debt and settle the situation.
Thomas, 58, was first sued for $225,000 over an alleged assault at Sports One in 2016. He was later arrested for writing fraudulent checks in March.
He took to Instagram at the time to address the situation in a seven-minute-long video and claimed that he wrote a $4,000 check to a talent agency but the “checking account was compromised.”
“Six days I spent in jail,” he added. “[The] ‘celebrity status’ I had made them put me around no one for six days. I don’t wish that on anyone, but I had a lot of time to think, and I had a lot of time to take medication because I’m claustrophobic.”
Thomas did not immediately get back to us, but he did comment via Instagram: “Hard work never stop over here, got to get these people their money, The shuffle hustle is real.”
#Empire Has Returned Last Night Without Jussie Smollett. And Here’s How They Wrote Him Off.
While the foreign narrative surrounding Jussie Smollett’s departure from Empire had already been teased to viewers, on Tuesday night, we finally got confirmation about what the hell is going on in Jamal’s life. (As for Smollett’s life? Well, that’s another story entirely.) As was very briefly mentioned during the show’s season premiere, Jamal and his fiancé decided to move to London to escape the Lyon family’s near-constant petty drama, in the hopes of restarting their lives with the help of Pimm’s and a pledge of allegiance to Arsenal.
Brexit be damned! Jamal’s mother, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) is the relayer of such intel, telling a pal the details during a night-in of pampering. “No wonder that boy ran off to London,” Cookie joked, gesturing to her pink onesie. “Please don’t get me started. I miss him so much.” Smollett is still lying low after the criminal charges against him, for allegedly staging a hate crime, were dropped.
#NewMusic from K. Michelle ‘Supa Hood’ With Yung Miami & Kash Doll!
K. Michelle keeps it “Supa Hood.” The R&B songstress is back with her new single featuring City Girls’ Yung Miami and Kash Doll. Over a heavy-hitting beat, K. Michelle sings the praises of her man. “The hooder the better, we better together / The richer the ni**a, the pussy get wetter,” sings the former “Love & Hip Hop” star, while Yung Miami and Kash Doll celebrate their own hood love.
LISTEN HERE
After parting ways with Atlantic Records, K. Michelle is now working on her fifth album All Monsters Are Human, the follow-up to 2017’s Kimberly: The People I Used to Know. The project is due this fall via Entertainment One.
#HipHopNews: Kanye West's "Jesus Is King" Album Might be DELAYED!
Par for the course, the release date for Kanye West’s next album is up in the air. According to Variety, a source said Jesus Is King is not dropping on Friday (September 27) as previously reported.
However, Ye’s wife Kim Kardashian retweeted a recent post from someone named “Colin” indicating Jesus Is King will arrive in two days as initially expected. (It’s of note Kanye follows the account.)
Following Kanye’s erratic album release schedule last year, this comes as no surprise. The G.O.O.D. Music mastermind delivered five albums in five weeks, including Nas’ NASIR, Pusha T’s Daytona and Kids See Ghosts’ self-titled debut.
But the majority of them came with a few snags. For example, the listening party for his Ye solo album came with a lot of waiting. For starters, there were issues with the WAV stream and when that magical hour of midnight finally arrived, the album didn’t drop.
After the late night, the owners of the Wyoming ranch where it was held promptly issued a “no rappers” policy.
Then, Kanye promised a new album called Yandhi would arrive in September 2018. After that failed to materialize, he took off for Africa and postponed it multiple times.
Last month, Kardashian shared a photo of what appeared to be the tracklist for Jesus Is King with the date “September 27” written at the bottom. Now, it’s a waiting game.
Former French President Jacques Chirac, has DIED At 86!
Jacques René Chirac, a champion of Europe and fierce opponent of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, has died. The former two-term president was 86.
Chirac spent half a century in the public eye. Before he was president of France, he was the mayor of Paris. He also served two terms as prime minister and represented his rural district in the French Parliament for nearly 30 years.
"My countrymen, I love France passionately and have put my whole heart, energy and force into serving her and you," Chirac said when he left office in 2007. "It has been the engagement of a lifetime."
Chirac leaves a mixed legacy in France, where his charm and good looks were paired with a killer's instinct for winning elections. And he raised France's — and his own — profile by speaking eloquently about the need to "humanize" globalization and close the gap between rich and poor.
Chirac also took the historic step of formally recognizing his country's responsibility for playing a role in the Holocaust. In 1995, 50 years after World War II, Chirac became the first president to acknowledge France's collaboration with its German occupiers in deporting Jews — French and non-French — to death camps.
But while he proved himself to be a political survivor and global statesman, Chirac rarely showed a deft touch on the domestic front, and corruption allegations followed him for years. In 2011 he was found guilty of misusing public funds while he was the mayor of Paris, a post he held from 1977 to 1995. Under Chirac, a court ruled, the city paid some $1.8 million in salaries to political allies who held fake jobs.
In an editorial, Le Figaro says Chirac is viewed as a unifying father figure by most French people today, though the newspaper notes that part of the outpouring of affection for him may be nostalgia for a less divisive time.
Chirac won his final term as president in 2002, when French voters overwhelmingly embraced him in a runoff against Jean-Marie Le Pen, a right-wing anti-immigrant candidate. At the time, many voters said they were simply choosing "the crook" over "the fascist," as a matter of conscience.
For Americans, Chirac may be remembered best for his fierce opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 to oust Saddam Hussein. Speaking in a CNN interview on the eve of the war, Chirac said France was simply telling America the truth, as a friend should.
"I'm telling my American friends beware, be careful," he said on the eve of the war. "Think it over seriously before you take action that is not necessary and that can be very dangerous, especially in the fight against international terrorism."
Chirac, fluent in English, knew the United States well. During a summer study stint at Harvard as a young man, he worked flipping burgers at a Howard Johnson's restaurant.
Though his opposition to the war provoked widespread hostility in the United States, he did not consider himself anti-American. Rather, Chirac was a champion of France and Europe, believing in a multipolar world.
Political journalist Harold Hyman says Chirac thought he could sway George W. Bush because he had a good relationship with his father. "And it wasn't the case," said Hyman. "He was sort of like a jilted lover. He would have loved to have a great Franco-American relationship."
Cardi B Opens Up About Being Sexually Assaulted During A Magazine Shoot
Cardi B opened up about her own #MeToo experience while chatting with Angie Martinez on the upcoming episode of We tv's Untold Stories of Hip Hop.
"I will never forget how I went to shoot for this magazine and the photographer, he was trying to get close to me like, 'Yeah, you want to get in this magazine?' Then he pulled his di** out,” Cardi recalled in the clip of the show, which premieres on Thursday (September 26). "I was so f**king mad, and I was just like, 'This is crazy.'"
"I was like, ‘[You’re] f**king bugging. You know what? I’m out,'" she continued. "You know what’s so crazy? I told the magazine owner and he just looked at me like, ‘So? And?’ When I see the Me Too movement — there’s girls from the hood I know that went through the same type of treatment, like they make you feel like you got to do a certain type of thing for the most bullsh*t sh*t. It happens, really, every day."
Angie then asked if similar incidents still happen to her at this point in her career, to which Cardi responded, "Oh, hell no. I’ll put you on blast on my Instagram … I’ll f**king violate."
Cardi previously spoke out about the magazine shoot incident during an interview with Cosmopolitan in 2018. "When I was trying to be a [music video] vixen, people were like, 'You want to be on the cover of this magazine?' Then they pull their di**s out. I bet if one of these women stands up and talks about it, people are going to say, 'So what? You’re a ho. It don’t matter," she explained.
Cardi’s episode of Untold Stories of Hip Hop airs Thursday (September 26) at 10 p.m. ET on WE tv.
Queen Latifah To Headline Quibi Drama Series ‘When the Street Lights Go On’
Word comes from The Hollywood Reporter that Queen Latifah will play a lead role in When the Street Lights Go On, a drama series at shortform streamer Quibi.
The series is about the ripple effects of a girl’s murder. Latifah plays a detective investigating the case.
From creators Eddie O’Keefe and Chris Hutton, When the Street Lights Go On is set in a suburban town that’s rocked by the murder of a young girl. The victim’s sister and friends struggle to find a sense of normalcy while the investigation into the killing hangs over them.
The regular cast also includes Chosen Jacobs (It), Sophie Thatcher (Chicago Med), Sam Strike (Nightflyers), Ben Ahlers (The Village) and Julia Sarah Stone (Aftermath). Mark Duplass (Apple’s Morning Show), Tony Hale (Veep), Kristine Froseth (The Society, Looking for Alaska) and Nnamdi Asomugha will recur, with Asomugha playing the adult version of Jacobs’ character.
O’Keefe and Hutton will executive produce with director Rebecca Thomas (Stranger Things, Limetown) and Anonymous Content’s Tariq Merhab and Chad Hamilton.
When the Street Lights Go On is one of more than 40 scripted and unscripted projects in the works at Quibi, which will launch in the spring with shows divided into eight- to 10-minute “chapters” tailored for watching on mobile devices. It will charge $5 a month for a version with ads and $8 monthly for ad-free viewing.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige Is Developing a 'Star Wars' Movie
Kevin Feige is developing a Star Wars movie for Lucasfilm, Disney confirmed on Wednesday (September 25) according to THR.
The 46-year-old president of Marvel Studios reportedly discussed the idea with Lucasfilm head Katheleen Kennedy and studio co-chairmen Alan Horn and Alan Bergman.
“We are excited about the projects Kathy and the Lucasfilm team are working on, not only in terms of Star Wars, but also Indiana Jones and reaching into other parts of the company including Children of Blood and Bone with Emma Watts and Fox. With the close of the Skywalker Saga, Kathy is pursuing a new era in Star Wars storytelling, and knowing what a die-hard fan Kevin is, it made sense for these two extraordinary producers to work on a Star Wars film together,” said Alan Horn in a statement.
They will work on new Star Wars content after the Skywalker Saga ends on December 20 with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Cassie Marries Alex Fine!
Less than a month after announcing their engagement, the singer and her fiancé Alex Fine tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Malibu.
TMZ claims the wedding took place Wednesday, but it’s unclear since Alex shared an Instagram Story of himself getting fast food on Wednesday afternoon. Director Peter Berg, who officiated, posted a photo of the couple exchanging vows. The pregnant bride is seen wearing a flowing white gown and lace veil, while the groom looks dapper in a tux.
“By the power vested in me…. @alexfine44 n @cassie Long may you ride!” wrote Berg, while Fine commented with a heart emoji.
Fine, a physical trainer, proposed to Cassie last month at Compton Cowboys stable. “My favorite day ever!” Cassie wrote on Instagram following their engagement. Added Fine, “I get to marry my best friend in the whole world. How am I so lucky!”
The newlyweds, who started dating last December, are expecting their first child together. In June, Cassie confirmed that she was pregnant with a baby girl. “Can’t wait to meet our baby girl 💗 Love You Always & Forever,” she told Fine, who gushed about starting a family with the “Me & U” singer.
“You two are my greatest loves I have and will ever have,” he said. “I cannot wait for the rest of our lives together and to raise a beautiful happy child in our beautiful happy life.”
The marriage comes nearly a year after Cassie ended her decade-long relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Why Jackson Michie looked unhappy after winning 'Big Brother' 21!
After a season of competition wins, control and controversy, Jackson Michie won "Big Brother" 21 during the show's live finale Wednesday night.
The former University of Tennessee student and Tennessee native was awarded the win and the grand prize of $500,000 by the nine-member jury of his fellow houseguests with six votes in his favor.
Throughout his time on "Big Brother," Jackson was a polarizing figure.
He often acted aggressively, earning the ire of houseguests and fans. Jackson has been a strong competitor, with more 10 competition wins, by far the most in the house, which allowed him to stay safe from eviction and eliminate others.
His game was connected with Holly Allen's, his "showmance" and closest ally. Jackson won the final Head of Household competition and chose Holly to sit next to him at final two. She placed second and won $50,000. Nicole Anthony, who was in the final three and evicted by Jackson early in the finale, won America's Favorite Houseguest and $25,000.
Jackson didn't look happy after win
After he was announced as the winner, Jackson didn't look like someone who had just won half a million dollars. He had a serious expression on his face as confetti fell around him.
An interview with all of the houseguests from the season and host Julie Chen Moonves minutes before he won took the wind out of his sails.
Chen Moonves told Jackson that some viewers believed one of his first decisions on the show was seen as discriminatory. Jackson was voted into the camp director position at the start of the show and had to banish four people with that power.
He chose David Alexander, Kemi Fakunle, Jessica Milagros and Cliff Hogg. Chen Moonves told Jackson that some viewers thought his decision was based on race and age since David, Kemi and Jessica are people of color and Cliff was the oldest houseguest.
In response, Jackson said he is not racist, and it was a decision based on game strategy because Kemi did not interact with him and Cliff, Jessica and David also campaigned to be camp director.
“Absolutely not. I’m not racist ... The only time Kemi ever talked to me was when I was showering. She was brushing her teeth, and this was all based on first impressions. The three people who raised their hands (Cliff, Jessica and David) exemplified strength and courage and maturity and what looked like a sense of responsibility for the house, and if they had the ability to raise their hands and stand up, I figured if I should do the same that I could potentially have my game threatened by these individuals," said Jackson.
"It had nothing to do with race or age or gender or minority ever. Everything I did in this game did not see that. This was strictly players against players. I even advocated for everything staying game in my first HoH. Race, age, religion, gender, none of that ever had anything to do with any decision I made.”
Jackson's response after winning was also telling. Chen Mooves inquired about his feelings in the moment.
“I did it for my family. I did for my mom. I did it for my dad," said Jackson. "At the end of the day, what matters more to me than half a million is that they’re proud of me, and I just hope that everything’s alright.”
How did the jury vote?
Jackson won against Holly in a 6-3 vote. He received votes from Cliff, Christie Murphy, Tommy Bracco, Jack Matthews, Analyse Talavera and Nick Maccarone. Holly got votes from Nicole, Jessica and Kathryn Dunn.
Before the vote, the jury asked Jackson and Holly about their gameplay and actions throughout the season.
Jackson was questioned about his jury management and his treatment of women in the house. He said his actions weren't personal.
“I’m a very intense person and anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing with 110 percent effort in everything I do. I’m very passionate and my actions and decisions have shown that in this game. I have never at any point disrespected a woman’s character or her physical appearance or in any way demoralized her as a person. I do get amplified. I do care about everything that I do, and I’m very intense, and I have never made anything personal with anyone male or female," he said.
"I respect women more than anything. I love my mom to death, and she raised me right, and at no point have I ever wanted to come across as degrading. I know myself, and I know that I get worked up, and I’m working on it, but at no point in any argument ever did I ever let things be made personal or make jokes or make slanderous remarks ever.”
At the start of the show, Jackson joined an alliance called Gr8tful with Holly, Christie, Tommy, Analyse, Jack, Nick and Isabella Wang. Eventually, the group became the Six Shooters (Gr8tful minus Nick and Isabella).
The Six Shooters remained in power for weeks before eventually falling apart, which left Jackson and Holly on the outs. The two stuck around longer than the rest of their former alliance through competition wins and forming a final four alliance with Nicole and Cliff.
Jackson stayed mostly loyal to his allies. He didn't target members of the Six Shooters until the group fell apart and kept his final four deal with Holly, Cliff and Nicole.
Jackson's loyalty ended up causing problems for his game, too, giving him blind spots where he should've been more careful. He trusted Jack with information that Holly and Kathryn knew each other before coming on "Big Brother" from the beauty pageant circuit. Jack leaked the info the Christie and Tommy, and theSix Shooters imploded.
At the final five, Jackson had to come up with a plan when Cliff and Nicole, who had power, considered voting out Holly instead of Tommy and breaking their final four deal. He made up a lie about Tommy and instigated a fight with him to sway Cliff and Nicole. He also made deals with Cliff and Nicole that he said he wouldn't honor because of their near betrayal.
Jackson's plan ultimately worked, and he sent Cliff out the door the next week, leaving him, Holly and Nicole as the final three.
Jackson's relationships with the other houseguests on "Big Brother" have shown the positive and negative sides to his personality.
Near the beginning of this season, Jackson and Holly began a romantic relationship and remained close allies until the end. They weathered the Six Shooters break up together and won several competitions in order to stay safe from eviction.
Jackson and Holly's relationship was also tumultuous. One episode put the spotlight on one of their confrontations and showed Jackson ignoring Holly and making her cry after an argument. Holly wasn't completely innocent in the fight either, and cursed at Jackson in front of other houseguests.
Along with other members of Gr8tful, most notably Jack, Jackson played a part in bullying other houseguests.
One example of this came when Jackson, who was in the Head of Household room with other members of Gr8tful, shut the door in Nicole's face because they were all making fun of her.
This prompted Ovi Kabir, another former UT student on the show, to stand up for Nicole and to tell Gr8tful through the closed door that their actions weren't acceptable.
Jackson and Nicole's relationship improved throughout the season. They gained a brother/sister relationship after forming their final four deal weeks ago.
Chris Brown Cancels Ohio Show Due To The Flu!
Chris Brown was forced to cancel his Indigoat Tour performance in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday night due to a slight case of the flu.
In a post on his Instagram Story, Breezy issued an apology to his fans and said his doctors ordered him to rest.
my ohio fam… I deeply apologize for cancelling the show but my doctors have ordered me to rest as i’ve been battling a slight case of the flu for a while now.
I promise we are gonna announce the makeup date asap, i’m coming back to give you an even better show.
Love breezy
Get well soon.
Terrence Howard's Kids was the BIG ACT at His Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony!
Terrence Howard made it a family affair at his Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony!
The 50-year-old Empire star was joined by wife Mira and their sons – Qirin, 4, and Hero, 3 – as he received his star on Tuesday afternoon (September 24) in Hollywood, Calif.
During the ceremony, Terrence to the mic to thank his fans for their support throughout the years.
“Because of all of you my fans my friends, because of friends like this, I will never be forgotten, because my name is written in stone in Hollywood,” Terrence said. “As long as there’s a Hollywood Boulevard, Terrence Howard will still stand and I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you, for all of this.”
If you missed it, Terrence revealed his surprising plans after the final season of Empire wraps in 2020.
Malik Yoba SNAPS During Interview When Grilled About Soliciting Sex From A Minor!
Malik Yoba stormed out of an interview with The Root and then snapped thee fluck OUT when he grew tired of being questioned about claims that he allegedly purchased a transgender minor for sex years ago.
You may recall, after Malik announced he was “trans attracted,” trans rights activist Mariah Lopez Ebony took to Facebook and accused the longtime actor of purchasing her for sex when she was 13-years-old and again when she was 16-years-old.
During his press run, Malik Yoba denied the allegations and stated he doesn’t even know Mariah.
While chatting with The Root Senior Editor, Terrell Jermaine Starr, Malik grew visibly agitated with every question that led back to the allegations.
Apparently, the gentlemen had a 4-hour conversation beforehand about how the interview would go, but Malik accused Terrell of “setting him up” with his line of questioning in his post interview rant.
Malik also demanded the cards out of the camera and told them not to air the interview. Clearly, they did not listen.
Some feel Malik Yoba had every right to snap because he was blindsided during the interview. Others think it’s simply a guilty man lashing out!
Baby Archie Makes His Royal Tour Debut and Looks Just Like Dad Prince Harry!
The wait is over — baby Archie made a surprise appearance during his parents' royal tour to South Africa.
On Wednesday (September 25), Meghan Markle and Prince Harry brought their baby boy to meet anti-apartheid activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe in Cape Town, the third day of their 10-day tour, which includes stops in Angola, Botswana, and Malawi.
During the meeting, Harry at one point put his arm around Meghan and leaned over to tell his son, “You get to meet Arch!” Despite being only four-months-old, Archie appeared to understand his dad's dad joke and let out a little giggle, which led to his parents laughing as well.
For the outing, Archie wore a white shirt and a pair of striped blue overalls from H&M. Meanwhile, Harry donned a dapper navy suit and Meghan wore a Club Monaco's Dremah silk dress.
Being that all eyes were on the little guy doing his royal tour debut, many couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between the father and son. Not only does baby Archie look like a mini-Prince Harry, but he also looks exactly like Harry as a baby.
Following their meeting with the Archbishop, Harry and Meghan shared multiple photos to Instagram.
"This morning The Duke and Duchess were honoured to introduce their son Archie, to Archbishop, Desmond Tutu and his daughter, Thandeka," the couple wrote on IG. "The Archbishop, a globally respected figure in anti-apartheid movement, is one of the world’s great champions of equality, and has spent his life tirelessly battling injustice. Their Royal Highnesses have joined The Archbishop and Thandeka to learn more about the work of The Tutu and Leah Legacy Foundation, and see first-hand how they are focusing on global awareness of the critical issues affecting the world."
Samuel L. Jackson Becomes First Celebrity Voice Of Amazon’s Virtual Assistant “Alexa”!
You can now make Samuel L. Jackson the voice of your muthaf*ckin Alexa virtual assistant.
On Wednesday, Amazon announced it will introduce Samuel L. Jackson as the first celebrity voice for its popular Alexa virtual assistant.
You can purchase Mr. Jackson’s voice for just 99 cents. His voice package includes him reading you the news, weather reports and telling jokes. Some requests are: “Alexa, ask Samuel L. Jackson, where he is from, Alexa, ask Sam to wake me up at 7 a.m., Alexa, ask Sam Jackson to sing happy birthday.”
The new Samuel L. Jackson feature is rated mature because of …well…it’s Samuel L. Jackson and cussing is his thing. But, if you a G-rated type of consumer then you’re able to turn off the explicit language. Jackson’s voice will make its appearance later this year.
Other celebrity voices will be added next year.
JUUL CEO Steps Down Amid Ban On Flavored Products; Company Pulls All U.S Ads!
Juul Labs CEO and cofounder Kevin Burns is stepping down from the San Francisco-based e-cigarette giant, according to a press release published on the company’s website today.
The company also announced that it will stop all print, digital, and broadcast advertising in the U.S., and will no longer lobby for FDA approval.
According to Fast Company, Burns’ resignation comes in the wake of at least nine reported deaths from vaping related illness across the U.S. in recent months. While none of the deaths have been linked directly to Juul, the company has pledged to stop lobbying the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on e-cigarette related issues.
In a published statement on the company’s website, Burns wrote,
“Working at JUUL Labs has been an honor, and I still believe the company’s mission of eliminating combustible cigarettes is vitally important.”
“I am very proud of my team’s efforts to lead the industry toward much needed category-wide action to tackle underage usage of these products, which are intended for adult smokers only,” he added in a press release.
JUUL Labs announced today that K.C. Crosthwaite will be joining the company as CEO effective immediately.
Under Crosthwaite’s new leadership the entire JUUL Labs team “will continue a broad review of the company’s practices and policies to ensure alignment with its aim of responsible leadership within the industry. “
Kylie Jenner Speaks Out Amid Hospitalization Report: 'I'm Really Sick'
Kylie Jenner is too sick to attend the launch of her makeup collaboration with Olivier Rousteing of Balmain.
Hours after TMZ reported that the the 22-year-old business mogul was hospitalized due to "flu-like" symptoms, Kylie released a statement on Twitter explaining why she won't be at the upcoming Balmain show at Paris Fashion Week, where her makeup collab is set to launch.
"So as you know, I was getting ready to go to Paris for the Balmain show at Paris Fashion Week for the launch of my makeup collab with Olivier," she began. "Unfortunately I'm really sick and unable to travel. I'm heartbroken to be missing this show, but I know that my amazing team, and my friends who are in town for the event, will help me be there in spirit."
"Creating this collection with Olivier has been a dream. Of course this collection isn't just for the runway. I created this so that you could have a piece of this once in a lifetime event," Kylie continued. "I'm SO proud of this collection and of Olivier, and our friendship, vision and creativity really comes across in the products we created for you guys. Make sure you guys watch the show with me on Friday. It's going to [be] an epic event and I can't wait. I love you Olivier, congratulations, and I'm sending you all my love!!!"
TMZ was the first to report that Kylie is suffering, and has been for several days, "with an intense illness." She reportedly checked into a Los Angeles-area hospital this week with what a source described as "severe flu-like symptoms," which included nausea and dizziness.
Kylie's said to be getting "top-notch treatment" right now, but it's still unclear what her prognosis is at this point. An insider added that Caitlyn Jenner's been at the hospital checking in on Kylie since momager Kris Jenner is out of the country for work right now.
The outlet later reported that Kris is "already in Paris to oversee Kylie's Balmain partnership," and has been "speaking to Kylie regularly." Kris will reportedly be flying home on Saturday (September 28) to be with Kylie.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘MAXI PROTECTION’
This looks like a real life feminine hygiene commercial. I prefer the fake ones of models running through fields of clouds and flowers.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Sam X
Meet Sam X! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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
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