The Hollywood Reporter’s TV Drama Actresses Roundtable 2020!
Voting for this year’s Emmy nominees starts July 2nd and that means the stars are (virtually) out campaigning. One of the big stops is always The Hollywood Reporter’s roundtable series; this year’s drama actress roundtable includes Janelle Monáe (Homecoming), Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show), Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show, Little Fires Everywhere, Big Little Lies), Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown), Rose Byrne (Mrs. America), and Zendaya (Euphoria).
Given the current cultural conversation it would be tone deaf for these actresses not to talk about race. In fact, the virtual hang was set to take place two weeks before but, as mentioned in THR’s cover story, they all “collectively decided they needed the space and time to properly process what was happening around them.” Some took this time to collect their thoughts, others, like Jennifer Aniston offered “Yeah,” and “I agree with you.”
The most blinding moment was after the first question, when the group was asked about both the pandemic and social unrest. Reese Witherspoon, arguably the most powerful voice at the table (in terms of content producing) was unsurprisingly the first to speak, with what seemed like a carefully crafted answer about “being an awake, aware, conscious, empathetic, thoughtful human being.” Then Jen Aniston entered the chat:
“…having the [space] to be alone and not be distracted has been almost divine timing in terms of the order of how everything has unfolded. I think that's a blessing of this pandemic because there wasn't any chance for people to get distracted going back to work or going out to dinners or whatever. We were all pulled together, and it feels extremely unifying and oddly beautiful. And I've never read more in my life.”
In the middle of a pandemic and racial injustice protests around the world you’re talking about the blessing of not having to go out to dinner or go to work? Jen… some people don’t have a work to go to anymore. I don’t want to drag her, because she did donate $1 million to racial justice charities this month, and money talks! So, let’s chalk this up to Jen’s inability to thrive in serious conversations?
It’s interesting that the conversation largely revolved around race, but the two Black women who got a seat at the table didn’t speak until after Reese, Jen, and then Helena Bonham Carter, who acknowledged her own privilege. I think maybe she said what Jennifer Aniston was trying to say:
“…with the Black Lives [Matter] movement, because it's happening now, we have the time to properly consider it and see what everyone can do about it. People have said, "Do you think it would have happened if COVID hadn't happened?" And I feel unfortunately not.”
After Helena specifically brought that to the table, Janelle Monáe, who’s relatively new to acting in comparison to the other veteran actresses, and most certainly new to TV, chimed in. I felt like she was consciously making a rebuttal to Jen’s comments, when she explained this is such an exciting time for the Black community, but that’s one side of the coin. The other side is dealing with the trauma of seeing your community being killed by police, and seeing COVID-19 disproportionately affect underserved communities.
"One of the things that I learned about me is that I'm not settling for those who say that they're allies. I'm not settling for lip service. If you want to show me that you're an ally, it's going to have to be rooted in acts of service.”
The youngest actress of the group, at just 23, Zendaya didn’t contribute to the conversation until she was called upon. Even Rose Byrne, who faded into the background for me, spoke before Zendaya. Maybe she’s just happy to get a seat at this table? She didn’t look happy in the interview, but I try not to judge women based on their facial expressions — we’re past that.
She’s the lead of what I would consider one of the hottest shows of the last couple year, HBO’s Euphoria. It was a particularly daring for someone who’s largely known for her work on the Disney channel to make the jump to HBO, especially given this show’s subject matter, but she did it with grace, and I think this contributes to her ‘Emmy story.’
In the interview, she speaks on the fact that some of her audience was not going to be able to watch this project and she wrestled with that for a while before ultimately deciding it was the right move in her career. She also opens up about how in her career she’s felt the pressure of being a Black woman in Hollywood, although she recognizes her privilege as someone light-skinned.
When asked if she still asks her reps to get auditions for her when the casting calls for white actresses, she says, “Absolutely.” As mentioned in the interview, Euphoria is inspired by the lived experiences of the show’s white creator, Sam Levinson, and her character had no physical descriptors when she signed on.
“I also think it's important being a light-skinned woman to recognize my privilege in that sense as well and make sure that I'm not taking up space where I don't need to.”
This isn’t the first time Zendaya’s making it clear that she doesn’t want Hollywood giving the small amount of roles allocated for Black actors to her, Yara Shahidi, and Amandla Stenberg. We need to get passed the Halle Berry archetype, the palatable Black girls.
It speaks to the hiring process in Hollywood, who’s getting pushed to hire Black women, but then making sure they cast a woman who’s not ‘too Black’? Reese Witherspoon, a powerhouse producer of premium TV in recent years, revealed it was actually working with Ava DuVernary on Wrinkle in Time that lead her to reevaluate the way the projects she’s part of get made.
"I have made a lot of movies and I can make a lot of movies, but I want to make things that matter … And that means empowering women and getting women paid — pay equity for Black women, Latinx women, LGBTQ women, differently abled women. And it's a life commitment for me.”
Although, this roundtable isn’t always representative of who will go on to receive a nomination, it’s pretty telling. Six actresses, two of them Black, but no other women of colour. Some names I’d love to see included in the nominations: Sandra Oh, Viola Davis, or any of the cast members delivering fabulous performances season after season on POSE.
Last week the Emmys announced that this year the number of nominations in each category will expand depending on how many submissions the category received. It’s a move adapting to the enormous amount of TV series being made, but also an attempt to diversify the nominees. Will it help or just add a few more similar faces?
Emmy nominations will be announced July 28th.
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Accused Of Lightening Skin Amid Firing Rumors!
"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star NeNe Leakes has some explaining to do after fans called her out, accusing her of making her skin lighter. The Bravo personality caused a stir when she posted a selfie from her home on Wednesday, June 24. Teasing that she was ready to spill the tea about the ongoing firing rumors, her post backfired when fans noticed her face looked much lighter than the rest of her body. Asking if "Karen" is doing her makeup, they made it clear they weren't impressed.
Taking to her social media, NeNe Leakes posted a shot of herself wearing gold silk pajamas with her blonde locks in a sleek ponytail and out of her face. The 52-year-old flashed a salty smirk and sported a full face of makeup. "You only see me quiet in this picture but trust i have a lot to say! Coming soon," she captioned the controversial selfie. The "RHOA" star also added the hashtag, "the truth will set you free."
NeNe Leakes thought her caption would make headlines amid rumors she's being fired from "RHOA," but her makeup took center stage. Immediately after posting her photo, the Bravo personality's comments filled up with people telling her to lay off the foundation claiming it looked way too light for her skin tone.
"WHO'S DAT WHITE WOMAN?" one follower questioned. "Who is doing your makeup? Asking for the people, is her name Karen?" added another. "I love you sis but that's the wrong shade of foundation," posted a third.
The comments bagging on NeNe Leakes' makeup just kept coming. "Why you going light?" someone else wrote. Others took a softer approach at delivering the same message. "You have a natural lovely deeply rich beautiful brown skin complexion. This pale and pasty look is noooooottt it," another shared, adding, "My black and born queens need to own that complexion!!"
As reported, NeNe Leakes is rumored to be on Bravo's chopping block after threatening to expose other stars of the network after "Vanderpump Rules" personalities Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired for a racial incident.
#MusicNews: New Music: Charlie Wilson – One I Got!
The legendary Charlie Wilson returns with the brand new single “One I Got”. On the song he borrows from The Four Tops timeless hit “Ain’t No Woman (Like the one I Got)” to tribute his lady.\
LISTEN
This comes on the heels of his previous hit single “Forever Valentine” which recently got #1 on the Adult R&B Radio charts.
#HipHopNews: Snoop Dogg Hits Studio With Dr. Dre & Kanye West!
Fresh off the announcement of his partnership with Gap, Kanye West found himself in a studio on Friday (June 26) with none other than Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, the latter was on hand to secretly document it all.
Ye and Dre have reportedly been working on the sequel to Ye’s 2019 album Jesus Is King and Snoop can be found in the back of the studio, narrating the recording session.
“Kanye West got some hot music. Shhhhh,” Snoop whispers. “Kanye West got some hot shit. Only I can get exclusive footage. Shut up. Kanye West got some hot shit. It’s finna come out. Dr. Dre touched it.”
Snoop’s video falls right in line with Kanye’s tweets shared earlier this week where he apologized to Dre for spilling a drink on the carpet during the recording session.
“IM SORRY DOCTOR DRE I SPILT THESE THREE DROPS OF ORANGE JUICE MIXED WITH UUUUUUM WHILE WE WERE FINISHING OUR FIRST PROJECT,” Yeezy said.
Snoop’s involvement in the project is arguably an interesting one. Back in 2018, the D-O-Double-G routinely found himself dissing ‘Ye for his affiliation with Donald Trump, saying the Chicago producer and fashion mogul had been “brainwashed” by Trump and was lacking the support of a strong Black woman in his life after his mother Dr. Donda West died in 2007.
The Long Beach legend added fuel to the fire when he suggested Drake had slept with Kanye’s wife Kim Kardashian-West but in October 2018, all heads seemed to cool. Ye was spotted rocking a Snoop Dogg t-shirt and the Doggystyle OG appeared to have forgiven him.
“Forgiveness is everything,” Snoop said of the gesture.
With Dre’s involvement for Jesus Is King II, it completes a mission Kanye has set out to achieve since he started producing.
“I used to spend all my time trying to make my beats be mixed as good as Dr. Dre, who knew all I had to do was do an album for God and then Dr. Dre would start mixing my beats,” he told a Sunday Service crowd in 2019. “Spend your time on God and he will handle the rest.”
Nipsey Hussle Family Frustrated Over 'Marathon' TM!
Nipsey Hussle's family's stuck in an odd limbo with a Crips company -- over a trademark -- and it's got them worried something shady's going on.
Sources close to the late rapper says... his family's legal conflict with the Crips LLC -- yes, the gang's gone corporate -- over the rights to Hussle's "The Marathon Continues" slogan has carried on, leaving family members frustrated.
Here's the deal ... the Crips organization filed a couple trademarks for the phrase in 2019 -- one for clothing and one for various services. Shortly afterward, however, it apologized and vowed to back off, saying it would not get into a legal battle with the family ... which has several 'Marathon' trademarks of its own related to Nip's clothing store.
So, it seemed like all would be well, but according to our sources ... the Crips didn't take any action to withdraw its filings, which forced Nip's family to lawyer up and file oppositions to the trademark applications.
The good news for the family ... the Crips didn't fight the opposition to the clothing trademark application by the deadline, so the application was deemed abandoned earlier this month.
There's a good chance the same thing will happen with the other application too, but we're told Crips LLC has gone silent about the issue ... which hasn't been helpful for the family.
Family Guy: Cleveland Voice Actor Mike Henry Steps Down From Role!
Family Guy fans can expect a big change in the show's upcoming 19th season. Voice actor Mike Henry announced he'll no longer be playing the role of Cleveland Brown on the long-running animated sitcom.
Henry made the announcement via Twitter, saying, "I love this character, but persons of color should play characters of color. Therefore, I will be stepping down from the role."
Henry has been a mainstay of the series since its debut in 1999, serving as a writer and co-producer as well as voicing several other recurring characters like Herbert and Consuela. Henry also co-created the spinoff series The Cleveland Show, which ran for four seasons from 2009 to 2013.
Fellow Fox series The Simpsons will be undergoing similar changes in the near future. Fox released a statement declaring "Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters.”
Both announcements come as more and more scrutiny is being directed toward animated projects that feature white actors voicing characters of color. Earlier this year, The Simpsons' Hank Azaria stepped down from his decades-long role as Apu, in response to criticisms raised by Hari Kondabolu's 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu. Family Guy executive producers Rich Appel and Alex Sulkin also announced in 2019 the series would begin phasing out gay jokes.
It's unclear when exactly Family Guy's Cleveland overhaul will take effect or how far along the recasting process is. Given the show's long production lead time, it's likely Henry has recorded dialogue for at least some Season 19 episodes. That said, it's entirely possible those lines will be re-recorded when a new actor is cast.]
Justin Bieber Files $20 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against 2 Women Who Accused Him of Sexual Assault!
Justin Bieber is seeking legal recourse against two anonymous women who previously accused him on social media of sexual assault.
In a filing of a defamation lawsuit against the two Jane Does (who remain anonymous save for their Twitter handles @danielleglvn and @ItsnotKadi and respective names they went by on social media: Danielle and Kadi, respectively), Bieber's lawyers say the accusations against him are "factually impossible, and disproven both by indisputable documentary evidence and the individuals’ own admissions."
"Danielle claimed she was sexually assaulted at the Four Seasons Hotel on March 9, 2014, however, Bieber did not stay at that hotel in March 2014 and there are multiple witnesses and documentary evidence to dispute Danielle's malicious lie," the complaint, filed on Thursday, says, before calling Kadi's accusation "likewise factually impossible, are contradicted by her own prior written statements, are supported only by falsified or faked texts."
"Danielle fabricated her sexual encounter with Bieber at the Four Seasons Hotel because it was publicly reported that Bieber had dinner at the Four Seasons Restaurant on March 10, 2014 and presumed that Bieber was at the hotel because of the public reports of him dining at the restaurant," the filing continues. "However, even though Bieber went to the restaurant, he did NOT stay at the Four Seasons Hotel."
According to the filing, Bieber and his then-girlfriend Selena Gomez both attended his last-minute, surprise performance at SXSW that night, with him dedicating a song to her.
He was later photographed leaving the venue with Gomez, according to the filing, and they then went back to a rental property they were staying at "along with several friends." In one of the exhibits, Bieber's legal team presents "details and receipts of the Rental Property where Bieber and Gomez and friends stayed, and for the Westin Hotel stay the next night."
Meanwhile, Kadi tweeted that on the early morning of May 5, 2015, at "around 2:30am, I was invited ... to Bieber's hotel (Langham hotel)" in New York City, before she was sexually assaulted.
"The allegations are factually impossible, revealing and evidencing beyond any doubt that her social media post and allegations are a complete fabrication, an elaborate hoax," the filing says. It also points out that Kadi is a Bieber "superfan, a Belieber," who, the filing claims, is "desperate to meet him and desperate his attention and for fame."
"Kadi has admitted on her Twitter page that she wants to be famous, to be a star on a Netflix series by using Twitter, stating in a pinned tweet, 'I wanna star in a netflix series! twitter do ur thing' " in 2018, according to the filing.
The filing also says that, because of the timing of tweets both from Danielle and Kadi, it appears that Kadi "knew and had the details of the Danielle Tweet/post prior to its release, and had her accusation ready to also release in conjunction."
"Kadi, as an apparent superfan, may have waited outside his hotel at times, and like other fans, may have managed a fan photograph with him, but (if so) that is where any reality of her story ends, and her false, defamatory statements begin," the filing says, adding that the idea that Bieber could have sexually assaulted someone on the night of the Met Gala is an "outlandish" fabrication.
Kadi alleged that Bieber invited her to his hotel room at 2:30 a.m., "which was the same time Bieber was actually at the Met Gala after-party with dozens of witnesses," the filing says.
The filing cites several tweets from Kadi in which she says that she has never met Bieber. In one, she allegedly wrote, "I swear if we don't meet I'll find you and f— you @justinbieber #JustinForMMVA," according to the filing, and in another, "@justinbieber ... you're so cute I love You!!! I'll pay you to rape me, ok?"
"The detailed narrative and Defamatory Kadi Accusations are fabricated malicious lies," the filing states. "Bieber did not sexually assault Kadi, or anyone else, in a hotel room in New York, on the night of May 4, 2015, early AM of May 5, 2015."
The Twitter account @ItsnotKadi did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. It is unclear if either defendants have legal representation.
Before the filing, Justin Bieber previously produced screenshots of emails and hotel receipts to refute a sexual assault claim posted Saturday by the anonymous Twitter user under then name Danielle, whose tweet and account were later removed from Twitter.
Danielle has not otherwise spoken publicly about the claim. After the Twitter account was removed, Danielle was not able to be reached by PEOPLE for additional comments.
"I don't normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife [Hailey Baldwin] and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight," Bieber, 26, wrote in a series of tweets on Sunday evening.
"Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don’t take lightly. I wanted to speak out right away but out of respect to so many victims who deal with these issues daily I wanted to make sure I gathered the facts before I made any statement," Bieber wrote.
"In the past 24 hours a new Twitter appeared that told a story of myself involved with sexual abuse on March 9, 2014 in Austin Texas at the Four seasons hotel. I want to be clear. There is no truth to this story. In fact as I will soon show I was never present at that location," he said.
Bieber shared several posts on Twitter, including links to articles from the time period in addition to proof of receipts and emails, to deny the allegation.
Furthermore, the singer said: "We have also confirmed with the Four Seasons regional manager that I was never on property on the 9th of March 2014 and never a guest on the 9th or the 10th and I welcome all press to inquire with them if needed or wanted."
Bieber concluded his series of tweets, writing, "Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed. However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with twitter and authorities to take legal action."
Abel And Ola Osundairo Will Testify Against Jussie Smollett After All!
The two brothers at the heart of the Jussie Smollett hate crime saga are walking back their decision to not testify against the disgraced actor, saying Thursday they plan to continue to cooperate with investigators.
Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who claim Smollett paid them to stage a hate crime, announced late Wednesday the Chicago Police Department couldn’t locate belongings seized during a 2019 raid and for that reason, they were no longer willing to help investigators.
Their lawyer, Gloria Schmidt Rodriguez, released a statement on their behalf Thursday afternoon saying they’ve had a change of heart now that the belongings have been found.
“Due to the intervention of Special Prosecutor Dan Webb and his team, earlier today we were informed that a properly registered 9mm handgun that was missing from a locked safe seized by the Chicago Police Department on February 14, 2019, has been located,” Schmidt Rodriguez’s statement reads.
“The missing gun was a reason for Abel and Ola’s decision to cease voluntary cooperation, in addition to the unnecessary complication brought to this situation by CPD’s Corporate Counsel in treating them like suspects. Abel and Ola will recommence their cooperation in the Smollett case now that the handgun has been produced by the Special Prosecutor’s office.”
Last winter, CPD investigators zeroed in on Abel and Ola as the two primary suspects wanted in connection with a hate crime Smollett allegedly endured.
When the two brothers were questioned, they told investigators they were friends with Smollett and he’d asked the brothers to help him stage a hate crime because he was dissatisfied with his treatment on the set of Fox’s hit show “Empire,” where Smollett played a supporting role.
Prior to the brother’s testimony, their home had been raided and they’d been treated like suspects until CPD detectives turned the case against Smollett and decided not to bring any charges against the brothers.
For “more than a year,” the brothers have been trying to get back the items seized during the raid and on June 5, Abel filed a motion with the court requesting to inspect all of the items that were seized, their lawyer said.
Judge Richard Linn granted the request but during the inspection, Abel realized his legally owned handgun, along with ammunition, was missing, Schmidt Rodriguez said.
“Despite the Brothers making themselves continually available to CPD, CPD’s Corporate Counsel, and the Special Prosecutor’s office, 24 hours after it was discovered that the handgun was missing, CPD’s Corporate Counsel’s office sent an email directly to Abel essentially blaming him for not including the second search warrant for the gun in his motion and refusing to produce the gun for inspection on that basis,” the brothers’ lawyer wrote in a statement.
“Abel and Ola believe that the CPD’s Corporate Counsel concocted this excuse to distract away from the fact that the police could not produce the handgun on June 23. Simply stated, the inability of the CPD’s Corporate Counsel to facilitate the logistics of getting all parties to inspect all of the property seized caused Abel and Ola Osundairo to feel alienated and uncomfortable with the lack of transparency in this process.”
Special Prosecutor Dan Webb, who was appointed to re-investigate Smollett, intervened and was able to get the handgun produced.
Judge names special prosecutor to investigate Jussie Smollett case
“The Osundairo Brothers at no time lost any faith in the Special Prosecutor’s case against Mr. Smollett and have been vocal that their grievance was squarely with the CPD and their Corporate Counsel. Abel and Ola Osundairo continue to stand 100 percent by their earlier statements and testimony about their involvement in the staged attack and, thanks to the issue being resolved today, will continue working cooperatively with Special Prosecutor Dan Webb and his team.”
Rapper Huey Reportedly Shot & Killed In His Hometown Of St. Louis!
Rapper Huey, whose 2006 hit "Pop, Lock & Drop It" has 50M views on Youtube and is still in DJ's rotations, was reportedly killed in a tragic shooting in his hometown of St. Louis. Details inside.
St. Louis rapper Lawrence "Huey" Franks has reportedly died after he was shot during an attack last night in St. Louis.
The NY Daily News reports: Huey, whose real name is Lawrence Franks Jr., arrived at a hospital late Thursday night suffering from a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead a short time later. Police told Fox 2 the musician was fatally wounded during an attack outside a Missouri home in Kinloch around 11 p.m.
The 31-year-old is survived by his 13-year-old daughter Lawren whom he often posted "dad moments" with.
Police have stated that a second gunshot victim, who is believed to also be a part of the same shooting, also turned up at the Ferguson Police Department wounded.
Huey was working on new music, and was also planning to shoot a music video Saturday.
Our condolences and prayers go out to all of Huey's loved ones. Such a senseless act of crime that has taken yet another life.]
17 Corrections Officers To Be Disciplined In Trans Woman's Death At Rikers Island Jail!
More than a dozen New York City Department of Correction officers will be disciplined for their conduct surrounding the death of Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco, 27, a transgender woman who died last year while in solitary confinement at Rikers Island jail.
Three officers and one captain will be suspended without pay immediately, the department said in a statement Friday. It was not immediately clear what disciplinary actions the remaining 13 officers would face.
The announcement comes several weeks after Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark declined to file charges following a six-month investigation into the circumstances of Cubilette-Polanco’s death.
"We are committed to ensuring that all of our facilities are safe and humane," Department of Correction Commissioner Cynthia Brann said in a statement. "Even one death in our custody is one too many and this swift and fair determination on internal discipline makes clear that the safety and well-being of people in our custody remains our top priority."
Cubilette-Polanco died in June 2019 after being placed in solitary confinement despite the objections of at least one doctor due to her history of seizures.
In declining to file criminal charges, Clark said in a statement that "the purview of this office is not to determine whether it was a wrong decision" to put Cubilette-Polanco in solitary confinement. Instead, it was the district attorney's role to "determine whether that decision rose to the level of criminal behavior."
After an "in-depth investigation," Clark's office determined that it would unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that officers committed a crime that caused Cubilette-Polanco's death.
White N.J. corrections officer caught on camera mocking George Floyd's death could lose job
Several weeks before she died, Cubilette-Polanco had been hospitalized at the Elmhurst Hospital Prison Ward for psychiatric care after “showing radical changes in behavior” including shouting, crying, rolling around on the floor, talking to herself, expressing suicidal thoughts and charging at a jail guard, according to a Board of Correction report.
After returning to Rikers Island, jail staff tried to get her sent to restrictive housing, or solitary confinement, as a punishment for charging at the guard, according to the report. However, a psychiatrist “verbally stated that due to [her] medical history as it pertains to seizure disorder, that he would not be able to authorized [sic] a cell housing placement” in a restrictive housing unit.
Cubilette-Polanco died after suffering an epileptic seizure, according to the medical examiner’s report.
“The death of Layleen Polanco was an incredibly painful moment for our city,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement Friday. “What happened to Layleen was absolutely unacceptable and it is critical that there is accountability.”
YouTube Star Shane Dawson Under Fire Over Willow Smith ‘Masturbation’ Clip!
YouTuber Shane Dawson is being called out — once again — this time for appearing to touch himself inappropriately to a poster of Willow Smith when she was just 11 years old.
The disturbing clip that surfaced Saturday morning shows Dawson staring at a photo of a pre-teen Smith while pretending to masturbate. He also sexualizes the lyrics to Smith’s 2010 debut single, “Whip My Hair.”
Dawson is 12 years older than the “Red Table Talk” co-host, who is now 19.
“Shane Dawson?? Doing this to a picture of Willow Smith? DISGUSTING!!! No apology can erase that, just disappear my guy,” wrote one tweeter, with another adding, “YOU KNOW DAYUM WELL IF HIS HUMOR WAS DIRECTED AND PLAYED OUT LIKE THAT TOWARDS THE YOUTH IN YOUR LIFE, EXCUSES OF HUMOR WOULD NOT BE A ON THE TABLE!!!”
Just hours before the clip was brought to light, Dawson, 31, issued an apology via YouTube for past comedy bits that include racial stereotypes and blackface.
“I was at least 20 when I started YouTube, and I made the decision to play stereotypes of Black people, or Asian people, or Mexicans, or pretty much every race. I made that decision. I said, ‘Oh this is funny,’ and I put that on the internet,” he admitted. “Now, years later, I look back at that and … when I say I hate that person, I mean it in the most intense way possible.”
Kanye West YEEZY Partnership Causes 42 Percent Gap Stock Surge!
Shortly after kicking off #WESTDAYEVER with the announcement of his Gap partnership, the American worldwide fashion purveyor saw a 42 percent stock surge as a direct result of Kanye West‘s YEEZY announcement.
News of “YEEZY Gap” created a sudden stock-price increase that added more than $1 billion USD to Gap’s market capitalization, lifting it to around $4.8 billion USD. Despite the good news, Gap stock is still down more than 20 percent this year.
The unprecedented 10-year partnership will see Kanye design a line of affordable adult and children’s clothing to be sold online and at physical locations.
Already off to a good start, Gap is hoping that tapping ‘Ye will generate $1 billion USD in annual sales after five years. The fashion company also noted that the rapper, songwriter, record producer, composer, entrepreneur and fashion designer will receive royalties and possible equity tied to the sales performance of YEEZY Gap.
'Black is King' Directed & Written by Beyonce Will Be Released on Disney Plus!
Beyonce is releasing a new movie on Disney+! It has been announced that the 38-year-old entertainer will be releasing the visual album Black is King, based on the music from her 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift.
Black is King is written, directed and executive produced by Beyonce.
“Black Is King is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience,” Disney+ said in a statement. “Videos for ‘My Power,’ ‘Mood 4 Eva,’ and ‘Brown Skin Girl’ are extravagances of elegance and soul. The film is a story for the ages that informs and rebuilds the present. A reunion of cultures and shared generational beliefs. A story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and a purposeful future.”
Earlier this month, it was rumored that Beyonce has teamed up with Disney to release several projects.
Black is King will be released on Disney+ on July 31 – you can watch the trailer on Beyonce.com.
Tiffany Haddish Opens Up About Sexual Abuse From A Police Cadet At The Age of 17!
Comedian Tiffany Haddish shared that a police cadet raped her when she was 17, according to E! Online.
“I wasn’t even taken advantage of, that motherf—cker just took me,” Haddish said.
Although the ”Like A Boss” star did not go into depth about her attacker, she said that “nobody really helped” her get justice after the incident.
Haddish revealed to Vivica Fox on a podcast that her assault changed her perspective on relationships and intimacy. In an attempt to seek revenge, she said she started dating men who worked in law enforcement.
“I dated a police officer, a judge, a lawyer,” Haddish continued. “I dated several different kinds of dudes, thinking, ‘Oh, if I date them, they’ll love me, and they’ll try to help me with my crusade of getting justice for my family and myself.”
Her plan for justice never went through, leaving Haddish feeling hopeless. She recalled feeling as if she “lost this little bit of my soul.”
To heal from her trauma, Haddish said she sought success instead of revenge.
“I had to learn revenge is not really where it’s at,” the comedian said
The actress also detailed a scary encounter with the police years after her assault. She recalled the time police officers pointed guns at her when they caught her smoking weed in her car.
The superstar, who was living out of her car at the time, said she remembers being scared for her life. She said she tried to make jokes to lighten the mood.
“I didn’t make no fuss about it or anything,” Haddish said. “I just was letting them know I was scared, and that I’m not doing anything wrong.”
Haddish said the officers then gave her a ticket for the possession of marijuana. Luckily, she received an offer that would prevent her from receiving a felony charge.
Although the star approved the proposal, she remains adamant about her innocence because she did not feel like she did anything wrong.
Mississippi Takes First Step In Removing Confederate Symbol From State Flag!
Mississippi formally began the process to remove the Confederate symbol from its state flag Saturday.
The state House and Senate voted to suspend legislative deadlines and file a bill to change the flag amid intense criticism and weeks of pressure during protests over racial injustices.
Observers at the Mississippi Capitol roared in applause as the actions were taken, with debate on a bill to begin as soon as Sunday.
“Today, you — Mississippi — have a date with destiny,” Sen. Briggs Hopson declared.
Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Jason White in the House said, “The eyes of the state, the nation and indeed the world are on this House.”
Demonstrators have flooded the streets of American cities over the last month in protest of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, with many in the South challenging the continued use of Confederate imagery, including the rebel flag and monuments.
Mississippi is the last state to include the Confederate emblem — a red field crossed with a blue X dotted with 13 white stars — in its flag.
The flag has been controversial among residents for decades but, after recent demonstrations, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves said Saturday that he would sign legislation to change the flag if the Republican-controlled Legislature passes a bill.
“The argument over the 1894 flag has become as divisive as the flag itself, and it’s time to end it,” Reeves said.
The governor had previously taken a less-firm stance on the topic, saying only that he wouldn’t veto a bill if it came before him.
A bill would remove the current Mississippi flag from state law. A commission would then be tasked with designing a new flag without the Confederate battle emblem — though it must have the phrase “In God e Trust.”
The new design would be put on the ballot Nov. 3 and would become the official state flag if a majority of voters approve of the design.
If a majority vote against the new flag, the commission will go back to the drawing board to design a new emblem under the same criteria.
“I know there are many good people who … believe that this flag is a symbol of our Southern pride and heritage,” said White, the Republican speaker pro tempore of the House.
“But for most people throughout our nation and the world, they see that flag and think that it stands for hatred and oppression.”
Democratic lawmakers celebrate a day some thought they’d never see.
“I would never have thought that I would see the flag come down in my lifetime,” said Democratic Sen. Barbara Blackmon.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘HANES HER WAY’
You know, this whole mask thing is really pissing some people off. I mean, they are really losing their shit over this whole thing. It’s a big mess and I can see why some are causing a stink.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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