Kerry Washington for Variety - February 2020!
Kerry Washington says her role in Little Fires Everywhere was a "coming of age" experience for her as a performer.
Washington, 43, discussed in an interview with Variety published Tuesday how her character in the new Hulu miniseries challenged her as an actress.
Washington plays Mia Warren, a talented and guarded artist of few words. Her co-star Reese Witherspoon described the character as "180 degrees different" from Washington's role as Olivia Pope on the ABC series Scandal, which had a seven-season run.
To portray Mia, Washington conveyed emotion through cool stares and weighty silences, rather than Olivia's fiery and dense monologues.
"My lived experience has allowed me to, in this role, feel like I could fill space without a whole song and dance," Washington said. "I spent seven years on a show filling space by doing, all the time -- and to allow for more economy and nuance and trust, it felt exciting [here]."
Little Fires Everywhere is based on the Celeste Ng novel of the same name, which centers on Mia and Elena (Witherspoon), two mothers with very different lives and views who clash in the seemingly progressive suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio. The story explores issues of class, race, immigration and sexuality.
Washington said playing Mia as a black woman added an extra level of complexity to the character, whose race is not specified in the book. She said the cast and crew reflected on their own experiences while exploring the story's themes.
"It's very vulnerable material and work," Washington said. "We all took a lot of risks in revealing our inner lives to each other, our perspectives and our thoughts throughout the process. Not only did that vulnerability require opening up; it demanded a certain level of willingness from everyone involved to admit what they didn't know."
Little Fires Everywhere premieres March 18 on Hulu.
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Says Kenya Moore 'Will Be the Demise of' 'RHOA'!
NeNe Leakes is saying a big no-no to Kenya Moore. "That girl is crazy," NeNe tells ET of her Real Housewives of Atlanta co-star. "Something is really wrong with her. No, seriously."
The folks at ET's Lauren Zima sat down with the Housewives icon when she guest-hosted the show on Tuesday, just two days after Andy Cohen confronted Kenya on Watch What Happens Live over her claim that NeNe was being "phased out" of RHOA, a comment Kenya actually made in a recent ET interview. Andy brought up the comments after NeNe herself tweeted into the show, asking him to press Kenya on the allegation.
"How does she know? I mean, does she... is she in production?" NeNe asks. "I don't know. I don't know why she says the things that she says, but what I do know is, for whatever reason -- I don't know how it sounds, I don't know if it's great to even say -- but I think that she would love for me to be gone, so she could be, in her mind, the head of the show, or the queen of the show, or the one that everyone is talking about. With me there, it's very difficult for her to have that kind of thing. So, I also think that, if I leave the show and Kenya stays on the show, she will be the demise of the show."
"If it was my time to go, I absolutely have no problem with that, because the show has been good to me," NeNe adds. "I've been there since day one, and I opened up this door so that Kenya 'Big Mouth' Moore could walk through it, OK?"
"I think sometimes when you're that personality, that's powerful -- like me, you've been there since day one -- I feel like I'm a threat to certain girls," NeNe goes on to offer. "I don't know why, because I personally think that everybody has their own lane. The problem is, don't you cross over in my lane. Stay over there. We don't want to have a car crash! Stay in your lane, girl."
NeNe and Kenya, essentially, have the same review of one another, both claiming that the other has no place in "the group."
"She's a nasty girl," NeNe scoffs. "Her attitude is nasty. She's not a cool girl. None of the girls -- she tries to say none of the girls like me. None of them like her! I mean, her attitude is stank.
NeNe says she attempted to "smooth it over" with Kenya "several times," but the former Miss USA was never receptive to it. Kenya told ET it’s because she doesn’t think that NeNe's olive branches were genuine; NeNe has a different idea.
"You know, I'm not gonna back down, girl, I'm not gonna back down," she says. "And I think that's what [Kenya] knows, so she knows she can get some drama from me, 'cause I'm not gonna back down. I don't mind -- I don't want to argue every day. I'm on a spiritual journey. I have someone who's guiding me a lot, and has helped me a lot. I don't want to bicker every day with these girls. And I always feel like, no matter what I do, it's very hard for them to forgive. But, they forgive each other in five seconds, all the time. And they've done worse things to each other than I've ever done to them."
"Kenya, I've never had a friendship with her," she adds. "I've never had a friendship with her. She's always come around and wanted to bicker with me, and I think she wanted to bicker with me because it looks good in the press."
More of that "bickering" will play out in the back half of season 12, including a much-teased moment in which NeNe appears to spit at or on Kenya.
"I don't even know what was going through my mind in that moment, but what I do know is, I didn't spit on her -- but I sorta, kinda wish I had," NeNe says. "I'm just gonna be honest about that, because I just think some of the things Kenya says is really nasty and really dirty. And I just feel like, girl, you are just -- you probably need to be spit on. You just probably need to be. And it may not sound great, but she probably needs to be spit on. And I have no sympathy for her. I just don't."
NeNe says she did the "act of" spitting, but didn’t actually spit at her co-star. Kenya, however, claims that NeNe did, in fact, spit on her.
"Of course she wanted to run with it, and that's fine by me," NeNe replies. "I don't care, girl. Run with it -- I only wish I had spit on you, girl."
NeNe has yet to make a decision about her future on Housewives -- and the network doesn’t make casting decisions until after a season has fully wrapped, reunion included -- but she does note that she doesn't "want to continue to be in a setting where I feel like they're being very malicious towards me."
"Everybody's human on this show, and everybody makes mistakes -- and I feel like I've definitely made mistakes, but I also feel like my mistakes are forgivable, and if they can forgive each other, I don't see why they can't forgive me for any little thing," she laments. "And the whole thing that they're trying to hold against me is last year. Last year, my husband had cancer, and I was his caretaker. I dealt with so much last year, and I feel like I don't get a break for that, or I don't get any sympathy for that, because I'm NeNe. We never had cancer in our home before. And everyone is like, 'Well, last year...' Girl, last year, I don't even know who I was last year. Like, I went through so much last year."
The demise of NeNe’s friendship with longtime co-star Cynthia Bailey was wrapped up in that last year. On Sunday's episode, fans saw as Cynthia and NeNe reconciled -- but NeNe cautions, they will never be the friends they once were.
"We will never be the same," she shares. "But, I think that we are better now -- we can be in the same setting, we can laugh, we can talk, that kinda stuff. But, as far as, hanging out, calling each other like we used to, that will never happen again."
NeNe admits she’s not interested in returning to the "Friendship Contract" days with Cynthia, and confesses that she does not think their friendship can survive "being on a show together."
#MusicNews: Usher, TLC and Lauryn Hill to Headline Lovers & Friends Festival in Los Angeles!
There’s a new festival coming to town.Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella, has announced its inaugural Lovers & Friends Festival. The one-day event — scheduled for Saturday, May 9 in Los Angeles — will be headlined by Ms. Lauryn Hill, Usher and TLC.
The massive lineup also includes Brandy, Monica, SWV, Dru Hill, Next, T-Pain, Mario, Amerie, Jhene Aiko, Ginuwine, Tweet, Summer Walker, Megan Thee Stallion and more.
Pre-sale will begin on Thursday, February 20 at 10 a.m. PT.
more information, visit loversandfriendsfest.com.
#HipHopNews: BREAKING! Rap Artist Pop Smoke Reportedly Killed During Home Invasion Robbery!
Pop Smoke was fatally shot during what is believed to be a home invasion robbery early Wednesday, according to TMZ. He was 20 years old.
Pop Smoke, born Bashar Barakah Jackson, was at a residence in the Hollywood Hills area when, around 4:30 a.m., two men are said to have broken into the home. According to law enforcement sources cited in the report, the men "fired multiple shots," ultimately "critically wounding" Pop Smoke. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
At the time of this writing, the suspects are reported as having left the scene on foot. They have not been identified. In an update shared later Wednesday, TMZ clarified that the home in question was owned by Edwin Arroyave, husband of Teddi Mellencamp. Arroyave owns several properties in the Los Angeles area.
A separate report from a regional NBC outlet stated that a man was killed in a shooting early Wednesday at a home in Hollywood Hills. That report, however, stated that their team "has not confirmed details about the deceased individual's identity." An LAPD press conference is set for later Wednesday.
Pop Smoke, whose 2019 single "Welcome to the Party" became a viral hit and saw remixes from Skepta and Nicki Minaj, released the deluxe edition of his Meet the Woo Vol. 2 project earlier this month featuring Gunna, Nav, and PnB Rock. He also appeared on Travis Scott's 2019 JackBoys comp cut "Gatti."
“This rapping is just another step in my life," Pop Smoke told XXL earlier this year when reflecting on his rise. "There's no telling what I might do after this. I'll probably open up a store or some shit."
Next month, Pop Smoke was scheduled to head out on the Meet the Woo Tour starting March 2 in Washington D.C.
#RIP: 'Good Times' star Ja'net DuBois dead at 74!
Actress Ja'net DuBois, best known for her role on Good Times, has passed away. DuBois played the Evans family's lovable neighbor, Willona Woods, on the CBS sitcom in its six-season run from 1974 to 1979. Dubois is also known for singing the iconic theme song "Movin' on Up" from The Jeffersons. She was 74.
The DuBois family tells TMZ she died unexpectedly in her sleep overnight at her home in Glendale, Calif. and was discovered Tuesday. DuBois was believed to be in good health and she hadn't complained of any specific ailments. Her last public appearance was on Feb. 1, 2020 at an autograph signing in Hollywood with her Good Times co-stars Ralph Carter, Jimmie Walker, BernNadette Stanis and Johnny Brown.
DuBois began her acting career on Broadway, performing in productions such as Golden Boy and A Raisin in the Sun. She appeared in films such as I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, as well as dozens of TV shows, including The Wayans Bros., Home Improvement and Everybody Loves Raymond.
The actress also lent her voice to animated shows As Told by Ginger and The PJs, the latter of which earned her two Emmys for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance. Her last credited acting role came in 2016's She's Got a Plan. DuBois also appeared in December's Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times' as herself. DuBois was a talented singer and songwriter, as she also composed "Movin' on Up."
DuBois is survived by her three children.
Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods Are Totally Out of Touch and Jordyn’s Done Apologizing!
Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods are completely out of touch following the Tristan Thompson cheating scandal.
Jordyn “said what she had to say” and is moving on.
Look, I know we’re all trying to move on from the *breathes exhausted sigh* Tristan Thompson/Khloé Kardashian/Jordyn Woods cheating scandal of 2019. Especially since there are more important things to be worried about, like Justin Bieber potentially regrowing his mustache or, ya know, the state of American politics. But in case you are wondering where Jordyn currently stands with America’s First Reality Family, the answer is...pretty much nowhere.
For a while there, it looked like Jordyn and her BFF Kylie Jenner might be able to move on from allegations that Jordyn hooked up with Tristan Thompson at a party, but apparently, these two are no longer in touch, Kylie has a new group of friends, and Jordyn’s done apologizing. “Jordyn’s position now is she’s going to just let it be what it is,” a friend tells People. “She said what she had to say....She’s working. She had a stint on a TV show and she has a couple brand deals coming up. She’s not doing too, too much but is staying busy.”
Meanwhile, Khloé and Tristan are continuing to co-parent, and a source told People a few months back that “Tristan is very charming and sweet to Khloé. She always wanted to keep her family together because of True. Splitting from Tristan in the past was extremely difficult for her. She is flattered that he is trying to win her back but not flattered enough to be in a romantic relationship with him. Who knows what will happen in the future though.”
Um. Nervous.
Lark Voorhies felt ‘hurt’ after being left out of ‘Saved by the Bell’ reboot!
“Saved By the Bell” is one of the many ’90s sitcoms getting a reboot, but not everyone from the original cast is included. Lark Voorhies — who played Lisa Turtle in the original series — confessed on the “Dr. Oz” show that she felt snubbed when producers did not reach out to her for the revival, according to NBC News.
“I have to admit I did feel a bit slighted and hurt when I was not invited to be a part of the ‘Saved By the Bell’ reunion, as well as other cast members’ events,” Voorhies read aloud from her diary in a teaser clip for the episode.
Nothing has been revealed about the episode airing Wednesday other than addressing mental health and not being inviting to the revival. In 2012, her mom told PEOPLE that Voorhies was battling bipolar disorder.
“Yet, I also realize having this puzzling disorder may have played a major part in that factual decision [to leave me out],” Voorhies continued. “With that in mind, I am truly thankful for having had the chance to work on a show that has been so successful.”
Voorhies is not the only original cast member who has not been asked to join the reboot. Tiffani Thiessen, who played Kelly Kapowski, also has yet to be asked. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley are all set to reprise their roles, and Josie Totah will bring in a new character to the series.
Britney Spears Hospitalized After BREAKING Foot In Freak Dancing Accident!
Britney Spears has been hospitalized after suffering a broken foot, and her boyfriend says the injury came after a freak dancing accident.
According to Britney's boyfriend, Sam Ashghari Britney broke her foot while doing what she loves...dancing.
Britney fractured her 'metatarsal bone' on her foot, which are a "group of five long bones in the foot, located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes."
Sam posted several photos and a video of himself and Brit inside of the emergency room, where he signed her new cast with the word "stronger."
The metatarsal bone on her foot doing what she loves which is dancing 💃" Sam posted on Instagram.
He continued, "Wishing her the best recovery so she can jump, run, and dance her butt off 💪🏽 #stronger"
In the photos, you can see Britney is in a hospital gown and sitting on a hospital bed. It's unclear how long the pop star was forced to be there or if she was just fixed up and released.
Britney's Broken Foot...Injured Her Metatarsal Bone!
Neither Sam nor Britney was any more specific about what type of dance moves caused her to break her foot. But, photos surfaced a few days ago of Britney walking around in a boot. So it seems this may have happened last week.
Cardi B’s Heavily Pregnant Best Friend Star Brim Charged in Sweeping NYC Bloods Gang Roundup!
The best friend of Bronx rapper Cardi B has been charged with racketeering and slashing a person, court documents released Tuesday say
Star Brim is allegedly the highest-ranking female member of the Bloods subset 5-9 Brims in New York City, the "Godmother," the documents revealed
Cardi B posted about her friend's legal troubles to her tens of millions of followers in 2018, saying how proud she is of her getting her life on track
The best friend of Bronx superstar Cardi B has been charged in a sweeping roundup of members of the 5-9 Brims, a violent Bloods street gang. But the heavily pregnant Star Brim won't be arrested until she gives birth, officials say.
Brim — real name Yonette Respass — was one of 18 defendants named in an indictment of gang members in the Southern District of New York Tuesday. She is accused of being the highest ranking female member of the gang and is charged with slashing a person and participating in a racketeering conspiracy.
In addition to those defendants, Respass and 10 other members of the 5-9 Brims were also charged in an indictment by the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn.
That indictment alleges these members had been feuding with a rival faction of the gang called the "Real Ryte," with some of the defendants either participating in or conspiring in the murder of rival members. Others face racketeering, conspiracy, narcotics, fraud and firearms charges.
According to the EDNY indictment, members of the 5-9 Brims violently beat a bartender at the Angels night club in Flushing, Queens, after the woman apparently disrespected another member of the gang. Respass, from behind bars, ordered other members to "pop that bottle" on the bartender, saying "I want hands put on them. I don't even want no talking."
Later that same night, three of the defendants are accused of going to the bar where they lured the bartender away from the bar, held her hair while beating her in the face and throwing a bottle at her. One of the members allegedly recorded the attack on cellphone, and it was sent to the member on whose behalf Respass ordered the attack.
While many of the gang members named in the indictments have been arrested, Brim was not as she is expected to give birth in the coming days. Prosecutors say they are in discussions with her attorney regarding a time and date for self-surrender.
“The 5-9 Brims is a violent criminal organization that has terrorized residents of Brooklyn and Queens by committing brutal acts of violence in public places, trafficking narcotics on the streets and defrauding victims through financial schemes,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.
The summary of charges in the 5-9 Brims cases reveals startling details about the organizational structure of the gang — including real names and street names of the gang's highest ranking members and their roles in the criminal operation. There are two rank structures — one for 5-9 Brims who are in prison and one for those who are free, prosecutors say. The heads of the "Prison Lineup" and the "Street Lineup" each have their own leader, who is named the "Godfather."
Prosecutors from the SDNY say they arrested Street Lineup Godfather Willie Evans, or "Mills," in the Bronx borough of New York at 6 a.m. Tuesday. He is facing two murder charges as well as racketeering, firearms and conspiracy charges. They also arrested a number of the 5-9 Brims borough leaders, or "High 020s," Tuesday morning, including Queens High 020 Albert Shoulders, aka "Bundy," and Bronx High 020 Jamarr Simmons, aka "Show Off."
Prosecutors say Brim is the highest-ranking female member of the 5-9 Brims, also known as "Godmother." Female members of the gang who do not report to other gang officials are required to report to her. Previous "Godmother" Jerlaine Little, aka "Noni," was also arrested.
The 18 gang members named in the SDNY indictment also face two murder and five attempted murder charges , in addition to narcotics and firearms offenses.
Brim has become somewhat of a celebrity alongside her longtime friend Cardi B, with more than 920,000 followers on Instagram the day of her arrest. Cardi B has posted about Brim to her millions of followers previously, saying in 2018 she was "proud of her" and outlining some of her previous run-ins with the law.
Cardi B has previously opened up about her past with the Bloods gang. She told GQ magazine she started hanging out with Bloods when she was 16 and members urged her to join.
But she said feared for her future when it became understood that being in a gang was a "lifelong commitment." She said becoming a stripper at 19 helped her move away from a life of crime.
The Boy Scouts of America File Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Mounting Sex-Abuse Lawsuits!
Amid many legal claims of sexual abuse and misconduct, The Boy Scouts of America, one of the nation’s oldest and largest youth organizations that instills life skills into young boys, has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
Officials have not specified how many abuse lawsuits have been filed or the amount paid in settlements and judgments. However, attorneys for the plaintiffs claim that the number of lawsuits are into the hundreds. Countless others were settled out of court with NDA agreements before lawsuits were filed, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The filing comes amid declining membership due to the countless sex abuse lawsuits. This includes the departure of approximately 400,000 Scouts in troops sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which cut ties with the Scouts. These suits have soured after several states, including California and New York, expanded legal options for childhood victims to sue. The bankruptcy petition, which was filed early Tuesday, lists assets of $1 billion to $10 billion and liabilities of $500 million to $1 billion, according to the LA Times. The documents did note that local Scouts’ councils are not part of the bankruptcy.
In 2012, the Los Angeles Times published internal Scout documents that involved nearly 5,000 men on a blacklist known as the “perversion files.” This set of sealed records tell the story of sexual abuse allegations against Scout leaders and others in the organization that date back a century. About 1,200 of these files were most famously used by Attorney Paul Mones in 2010 to win a $19.9-million verdict against the Scouts in Portland, Oregon, on behalf of a man who was sexually abused in the 1980s by members of the Scouts.
“The biggest takeaway from that trial was that the public saw for the first time that the BSA had this vast knowledge base of sexual abuse that they sat on and did not educate the Scouts or their parents, and kept it from the public,” Mones later said.
During the LA Times examination of the files, hundreds of cases were located that proved the Scouts concealed allegations from authorities, the public, and parents. Instead, they urged alleged abusers to resign before covering up the reasons for the resignations.
Roger Mosby, the Scouts president, and chief executive officer, confirmed the filing in a statement, stating “the Boy Scouts of America “cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children.” He continued by saying, “While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered, we believe the Chapter 11 process — with the proposed Trust structure — will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA’s important mission.”
Sadly, the bankruptcy will halt ongoing lawsuits while settlements are negotiated, as well as require new abuse claims to be handled outside of state courts.
Gilion Dumas, a Portland, Oregon attorney, has handled more than a dozen lawsuits pending against the Scouts in California. According to her, halting the process will only leave her clients in limbo as the lawsuits will fall in line with other creditors who are owed. This includes a client who would finally get his day in court this March for allegations of sexual abuse at the ages of 9 and 10 by a Scout leader.
“He was finally going to get his day in court, and that is going to be yanked away from him, and he will be stuck in line with a lot of other people in bankruptcy court. He will have to wait another two years to get any kind of compensation for his injuries.” Dumas revealed.
Jill Scott and H.E.R. to Perform at the 51st Annual NAACP Image Awards!
On February 22, the 51st annual NAACP Image Awards will kick off in Pasadena, California, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Airing on B.E.T., the awards show, which celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of people of color in their respective fields of tv, music, literature, and film, will be hosted by Anthony Anderson.
The star-studded event will feature appearances by Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Janelle Monae, Tiffany Haddish, and more, with special performances by Jill Scott and H.E.R.
If that wasn’t enough, the award show will also honor the music and fashion icon, and multimillionaire businesswoman, Rihanna, with the President’s Award, while Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis will be honored with the NAACP Chairman’s Award.
Nicki Minaj Fans Think She May Be PREGNANT!!
Nicki Minaj posted a sexy photo of herself being held from behind by her husband Kenny Petty, but it's the caption the fans are going nuts about thinking the rapper may be PREGNANT!!
The 'Anaconda' rapper posted the photo on Instagram and included the caption, "When u let ya man drunk friend take y’all pics I got 2 days of pics that all look like this. But there’s a lot to celebrate. ♥️🙏🏾 #Yikes deleting this soon lol."
Almost immediately her fans started thinking the celebration is because she is pregnant with her first child.
"u pregnant sis? thats what u celebrating???" one fan commented after seeing the Instagram post.
Another simply said, "Pregnant????"
One fan tweeted at the rapper asking what she is celebrating, and she just added fuel to the fire by responding, "life."
Recently, Nicki sparked rumors of a possible child on the way during an episode of Queen Radio, saying, “I’m not saying I’m pregnant. That’s the end goa. I think I have what I was striving for, just happiness. It was so hard to get to a happy place. Now that I’m there I don’t want to compromise that for anyone or anything.”
Prince Harry & Duchess Meghan May No Longer Be Able to Use the 'Sussex Royal' Name!
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will have to review the usage of the name "Sussex Royal" as a part of their official branding, according to a royal source. Discussions are still underway.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior members of the royal family earlier this year, and expressed plans to become financially independent of the throne and continue charitable endeavors outside of the monarchy.
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan may be expected to phase out their "Sussex Royal" brand name following their decision to step down as senior members of the royal family.
"As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are stepping back as senior members of the royal family and will work towards financial independence, use of the word ‘royal,’ in this context, needed to be reviewed and discussions are still ongoing," a royal source tells BAZAAR.com. "As part of the process to transition the Duke and Duchess of Sussex into their new chapter—planning has been well underway around the launch of their new non-profit organization. Details will be shared in due course."
Currently, the "Sussex Royal" moniker is a huge component of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's public persona. The couple's official Instagram account, dubbed @sussexroyal has over 11.2 million followers and the couple have accompanying website for their brand under the domain sussexroyal.com. The pair have also been actively working on premiering their new charity organization in the coming months that was also expected to take on the Sussex Royal name.
Prince Harry gave insight into his and Meghan's decision to step back from the royal family during an event benefiting his charity Sentebale late last month.
"The decision that I have made for my wife and I to step back, is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges. And I know I haven’t always gotten it right, but as far as this goes, there really was no other option," Harry told the crowd. "I’ve accepted this, knowing that it doesn’t change who I am or how committed I am. But I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life."
Father Sues Hospital After Wife Dies During Childbirth!
LOS ANGELES, CA (CNN) — After his wife died giving birth to their baby boy, a father of two began research into the “maternal mortality crisis” in the United States, the only developed country with a rising death rate for pregnant or new mothers. He is now pushing for policy changes and awareness.
Kira Johnson’s husband, Charles Johnson, hasn’t stopped remembering the birth of his youngest son, 3-year-old Langston, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. It was also the night that led to his wife’s death.
Charles Johnson says doctors told them Langston’s birth would be a routine Caesarean section, but soon, he started noticing issues.
“I can see the Foley catheter coming from Kira’s bedside begin to turn pink with blood,” Charles Johnson said. “I just held her by her hands and said, ‘Please, look, my wife isn’t doing well.’ This woman looked me directly in my eyes and said, ‘Sir, your wife just isn’t a priority right now.’”
As critical minutes turned into hours, Charles Johnson says he was continually ignored by the staff, as his wife’s health continued to suffer.
“When they took Kira back to surgery and he opened her up, there were 3 and a half liters of blood in her abdomen from where she’d been allowed to bleed internally for almost 10 hours. Her heart stopped immediately,” Charles Johnson said.
Charles Johnson is now suing the hospital for his wife’s death. With the case pending, Cedars-Sinai said in a statement it could not respond directly because of privacy laws but that “any situation where there are concerns about a patient’s medical care” is thoroughly investigated.
Kira Johnson was a successful entrepreneur who spoke five languages. She could fly planes and skydive and seemed invincible to her family, which is why her death is so much harder to understand. In the wake of it, her husband began research into maternal mortality and says the U.S. is in the midst of a “crisis.”
Approximately 700 women in the U.S. die in childbirth every year. It is the only developed country with a rising death rate for pregnant or new mothers. For black women, like Kira Johnson, the risk of death is even higher.
Globally, more mothers die in childbirth in America than in Iran, Turkey or Kazakhstan.
“We are in the midst of a maternal mortality crisis that isn’t just shameful for American standards. It’s shameful on a global scale,” Charles Johnson said.
The charity Every Mother Counts, which was founded by supermodel Christy Turlington, says many of the deaths in the U.S. are because of an unequal healthcare system and systemic racism.
Public health experts warn this crisis is not just affecting poor or sick mothers but also healthy, college-educated black women.
“A well-educated African American woman with more than a high school education has a five-fold risk of death compared to a white woman with less than a high school education,” said Wander Barfield, director of the Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Now part of an unnecessarily large number of Americans who have lost partners in childbirth, Charles Johnson is pushing for policy changes, raising awareness and trying to hold doctors and hospitals accountable.
“There is a failure and disconnect for the people who are responsible for the lives of these precious women and babies to see them and value them in the same way they would their daughters, their mothers, their sisters,” he said.
Charles Johnson is also raising his sons and teaching them about their mother.
“If I can simply do something to make sure I can send other mothers home with their precious babies, then, it’s all worth it,” he said. “What I try and do is wake up every day and make Mommy proud.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘MEATY LEGEND’
Maybe this is the Walmart version of Santa, where he just sits in the meat section and passes out Johnsonville brats to any kid that sits on his lap.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
No comments:
Post a Comment