Sharon Stone for The Telegraph Magazine - September 2020!
She looks great! Article is HERE!
#RHOA: WOW! Kandi Burruss STUNS In Hot Bikini Pictures Channeling '2 Live Crew' Album Cover!
Kandi Burruss just lit Instagram on fire after posting a smoking hot set of bikini photos, where she is showing off the upside to gaining a few pounds while under quarantine!!
The reality star teased her 18-year-old daughter, Riley when she posted the sexy snaps -- where she sported a high-waisted Louis Vuitton bikini that fits perfectly in all the right places!
The 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta' star shared the stunning shots after recently revealing she had gained a few pounds amid lockdown for COVID-19, but it appears to have landed in the perfect spot!
The first pictures showed Burruss standing on the beach, decked out in the designer swimwear where she decided to go barefoot and show off her drop-dead gorgeous high-waisted bikini.
But, for the second sexy snap, Kandi had someone shoot it from behind -- as they walked up the boardwalk stairs to a beach house. In this one, she is sporting stiletto heels and is smiling while looking over her shoulder. Ya, it's that good!
#NewMusic from Christopher Williams & Alexander O’Neal Come Together for New Song “Roses”
Veteran singers Christopher Williams & Alexander O’Neal come together for a special duet on the new song “Roses”. The song was written by Gregg Jackson and produced by Mark Morrison.
This epic collaboration gives us a timeless slow jam centered around love. This is vintage R&B in its purest form.
LISTEN HERE
The single is being released via Morrison’s own label Macklife Records.
#HipHopNews: Logic Reacts To Reason’s Diss, Says He Doesn’t Know Who Reason Is!
Sometimes, rappers wage war against one another on diss records. Other times, they turn the other cheek. Logic seems to have taken a page out of that playbook following TDE's Reason taking a few shots at him on his new song.
During recent interactive livestream, which began circulating the internet on Wednesday (Sept. 23), Logic appears to be responding to a fan who inquired about the jab the Top Dawg Entertainment rhymer took at him on his newly released record, "The Soul (Pt. 2)." "Did Reason diss you on his new song?," the former 2013 XXL Freshman says before responding, "I don't know who that is."
The bars in question are on the song's second verse. "Niggas pronounce my name wrong, tell me that I ain't did much/See y'all mistake my name for Logic's, y'all got me fucked up/ How you compare a nigga that take from the culture/Versus a nigga that's for it? This shit gettin' borin'," Reason raps on the track, which dropped on Monday (Sept. 21).
In a since-deleted tweet, the Carson, Calif. native addressed the diss, revealing that he penned the lyrics a year ago. Long before Logic announced his retirement back in July. "I’ll talk about the logic thing if necessary later," he said. "But I do wanna make clear I didn’t wait til he retired to take a shot. I wrote this shit a year ago. That’s corny to do that now after he’s announced retirement. Take care, enjoy the music!."
Reason hasn't responded to Logic's reaction to his new song just yet.
Cynthia Nixon Reveals Her Pick to Replace Kim Cattrall in Potential 'Sex & the City 3'!
Cynthia Nixon isn’t giving up hope on a potential Sex & the City 3 movie!
During her appearance on Watch What Happens Live! on Tuesday night (September 22), the 54-year-old actress – who played Miranda Hobbes on the HBO series – revealed that she thinks Sharon Stone would be a “totally amazing” pick to replace Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones.
“I think Sharon would be of course totally amazing,” Cynthia said. “Kim was incredibly great as Samantha, I think Sharon would totally make it her own.”
Cynthia and Sharon are co-stars on the new Netflix series Ratched.
“But I’ve also heard many people say, including Kim Cattrall herself, that if we were to have a different fourth woman that maybe it would be a woman of color this time,” Cynthia continued. “And I think that would be amazing as well.”
A few years ago, Sarah Jessica Parker announced that plans for a Sex & the City 3 were scrapped after Kim declined to return for the movie.
Shortly after, Kim called out her co-stars – particularly SJP – saying that they have “never been friends.”
During a recent interview, Kim said she has no regrets about publicly slamming SJP.
Gigi Hadid Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Zayn Malik!
From Supermodel To Super Mom! Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are officially parents. The two welcomed their first child together and mama and baby are doing well. Zayn posted about the momentous occasion on social media and confirmed the exciting news.
"Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful," he tweeted on Wednesday, Sept. 23. "To try put into words how i am feeling right now would be an impossible task. The love i feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding. Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine, & thankful for the life we will have together x"
Fans first speculated that the couple welcomed a baby when Gigi's dad Mohamed Hadid posted a handwritten note titled "Grandpa's Heart" on Instagram Sept. 16. "In the name of God the The merciful I want to say l love you and so proud of you. @gigihadid," he captioned the post.
Prior to giving birth, the new parents waited out the arrival of their baby in New York City. Gigi and Zayn hunkered down in her beautiful Manhattan apartment.
Gigi and Zayn have been together on-and-off since late 2015 and confirmed the pregnancy news earlier this year. Gigi shared it publicly in an interview with Jimmy Fallon during a virtual appearance on The Tonight Show.
"Obviously, we wished we could have announced it on our own terms," she shared. "But we're very excited and happy and grateful for everyone's well wishes and support." Being pregnant during a pandemic provided its own challenges, but the supermodel took it all in stride.
She shared her thoughts on being pregnant during quarantine saying, "Especially during this time, it's a nice silver lining to be able to be home and be together and really experience it day by day."
Throughout her pregnancy journey, Gigi opted to stay on the private side and keep the experience as personal as possible.
"That's a reason that I felt that it's not really something that I need to share apart from with my family and friends. Obviously, a lot of people have lost lives due to [the] coronavirus that was in the beginning of quarantine and still happening," she told V Magazine in July 2020. "And then we moved obviously into the reemergence of the BLM [Black Lives Matter] movement, and I thought that our presence on social media should be used for that."
She also shared that she wanted to keep it as personal as possible to really enjoy the moment. "I just am not rushed to do it," she explained about sharing her pregnancy on social media. "and I feel like, right now I just want to experience it, and I write in my journal a lot, and I just don't want to worry about waking up every day during my pregnancy and, like, worry about having to, like, look cute or post something."
However, in early September she thankfully blessed the world with her sweet maternity photos and expressed her gratitude for all the love and support she had received throughout the journey.
"Cherishing this time," the model wrote on Instagram alongside the snapshots taken by Luigi Murenu and Iango Henzi of Luigi and Iango. "Appreciate all the love & well wishes. Will never forget creating these special images with my friends @luigiandiango @gabriellak_j @erinparsonsmakeup Thank you. I love you!"
Social media or not, the parents enjoyed some time to themselves to prep for their little one.
"Zayn and Gigi are really excited and have been loving this experience together,""They both are reading parenting books, have had fun planning the nursery and picking out items together. Things are going really smoothly, and they are closer as a couple more than ever."
Mariah Carey Has An Explanation For That 'Thanksgiving Is Cancelled' Tweet!
We all know that Mariah Carey is the Queen of Christmas. However, you'd think that the pop titan wasn’t a big fan of its festive November predecessor based on a recent tweet.
On Monday (September 21), the superstar, 50, took to Twitter to share a strange tweet that read: “THANKSGIVING IS CANCELLED.” It was followed-up by some other equally head-scratching messages like "RESTING IN PIECES," "THERE CAN BE MIRACLES," and "CALAMITY AND DOG HAIR,” leaving one to wonder: Has Mariah's account been hacked? Well, the answer is no. After the Lambily quipped with some concerned replies, Carey cleared up the confusion, clarifying that the posts were teasers for her upcoming memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. The phrases were chapter title names, to be exact.
"C'mon, I could never cancel Thanksgiving I just wanted to share a few chapter titles from my memoir #TMOMC," Carey wrote in response to the confusion. Yet, the hardcore Lambily knew the reference. When one fan replied with an interview snippet of Carey declaring that "Thanksgiving is cancelled,” the fan said, "I feel like there’s a bigger story here," MC simply wrote: “There is. #TMOMC."
The memoir, which is set to drop next Tuesday via Andy Cohen Books, was a years-in-the-making project and may or may not include talk about her fling with Eminem. "This book is composed of my memories, my mishaps, my struggles, my survival and my songs," Carey revealed in a message to fans ahead of its release. "Writing this memoir was incredibly hard, humbling and healing. My sincere hope is that you are moved to a new understanding, not only about me but also about the resilience of the human spirit."
'America's Got Talent': Brandon Leake Crowned as Season 15 Winner!
America's Got Talent announced the Season 15 winner on Wednesday night's episode. The finalists were spoken-word poet Brandon Leake, singer Roberta Battaglia, aerialist Alan Silva, singer Cristina Rae, acrobats the Bello Sisters, dancing pair Bad Salsa, singer Archie Williams, singer Daneliya Tuleshova, singer Kenadi Dodds, and duo Broken Roots. After a season full of exciting and dramatic performances, the show crowned Leake, who previously earned the golden buzzer from Howie Mandel at the beginning of the season, as the winner.
This season was a rather unique one for AGT. Not only did the show have to navigate the challenges from the coronavirus pandemic, but the program was also without one of its judges as Simon Cowell experienced a back injury in August that forced him not to take part in filming. Unlike previous seasons, for the latter half of Season 15, there was no live audience to root on the performers. Additionally, the judges — Sofia Vergara, Mandel, and Heidi Klum — maintained a safe distance from one another on the panel to adhere to social distancing standards.
During the season, the show also had to implement some new methods in which performers could audition. Like many others around the world, AGT utilized the power of video chat to see what some of the acts had in store. For the traditional judges' cut episode, the four judges all traveled to a drive-in movie theater to watch the various acts on the big screen in a safe, socially-distanced fashion. "We have the four judges show up separately in cars that reflect each of their personalities," Jenny Groom, NBC's executive vice president of alternative programming, told USA Today about their non-traditional set-up. "They walk on to set, and it's this big, kind of drive-in movie screen. They walk to their (socially distanced) director chairs and watch the performers on a big screen and then speak to them, live from the places that they were, about their performances and whether they were moving forward. It ended up being really inspiring."
Even though they had to navigate these changes and had to deal with Cowell being out of commission, AGT still managed to pull out all of the stops every week. From guest performances from BTS to exciting Dunkin' save moments, Season 15 really had it all. And, of course, the finale ended in spectacular fashion with Leake earning the title of Season 15 champion.
Ellen DeGeneres is Reportedly ‘Looking At Herself To Make Changes’ After Being Accused Of Being’ Mean-Spirited’!
The Ellen DeGeneres Show returned for its 18th season premiere on Monday. This is the first time the show is being filmed since this summer’s allegations of a toxic work environment.
“Ellen is definitely a perfectionist and knows she can be difficult, but she never wanted to come across as mean-spirited,” says PEOPLE. “She is looking at herself to make changes.”
The show first received its backlash after BuzzFeed News published a report in July. Current and former employees spoke out anonymously about on-set unfairness, accusations of racial discrimination, and fear of being punished for speaking out about the complaints.
In August, Warner Media conducted an internal investigation after DeGeneres issued an apology to her employees via video conference and confirmed that three of the show’s top producers were no longer returning.
On Monday, during the six-minute monologue, DeGeneres addressed the controversy in front of an audience who was watching remotely because of COVID-19.
“I learned that things happened here that never should have happened,” DeGeneres said. “I take that very seriously, and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.”
Prior to the premiere, she acknowledged in a Zoom meeting that she was in a “position of privilege and power,” and she wanted to start “a new chapter” with her employees.
DeGeneres, who is known for her “be kind to one another” motto, spoke about her own shortcomings. “The truth is I am that person you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things,” she said. “Sometimes, I get sad. I get mad. I get anxious. I get frustrated. I get impatient, and I am working on all of that.”
After the premiere was over, she was applauded by her staff as she walked off-set.
“It was an emotional moment,” says an Insider.
This season is to include guests like Kerry Washington, Adam Sandler, and Amy Schumer, in hopes to recover from the controversy.
“She did a good job of admitting her mistakes,” an industry executive claims. “It was evident that she has been trying and has made big changes. We’ll see how that goes.”
Meanwhile, another source insists that Ellen “will have to prove herself. People want to give her a chance because this show means a lot to everyone working on it, but it’s going to be a long road.”
Jussie Smollett Asks Chicago Court To Dismiss Charges Against Him Once Again!
According to a motion released on Tuesday, Jussie Smollett has yet again asked for the Chicago court to dismiss all charges against him.
Smollett’s Legal team filed a motion on September 9, in which they argue that his indictment was based on “illegal and incompetent evidence” that was taken from Abimbola and Olabinigo Osundairo during the beginning of the investigation, which was later ruled invalid.
The Osundairo Brothers claimed that they received money from Smollett to stage a hate crime against him because he was not happy about the salary that he was receiving from Fox’s TV show, “Empire.”
In March of last year, felony charges against Smollett were dropped. Judge Michael Toomin ruled the case as invalid from February 13, 2019, to the day that the Cook County State’s Attorney, Kim Foxx, removed herself from the case.
Judge Toomin ruled that everything from the case, including the decision to drop charges, were null and void. As a result, he demanded the case be investigated by a special prosecutor so that they could restore the public’s faith in the criminal justice system.
In February of this year, Special prosecutor Dan Webb brought new charges against Smollett for allegedly staging the hate-crime against himself in January 2019, following the second round of the grand jury’s testimony.
The grand jury depended on the testimony taken from the Osundairo Brothers on February 20, 2019. But Smollett’s lawyers argued that their testimony was invalid because of Judge Toomin’s order.
The motion states that “The OSP cannot have it both ways. It cannot convene a special grand jury based on Judge Toomin’s Order but then rely on the transcripts from those ‘void’ proceedings to secure a new indictment.” It then states that “Furthermore, there is no legitimate reason why the Osundairo brothers were not called to provide live testimony to the special grand jury, particularly when they live locally in Chicago, were available and cooperating with the OSP, and reportedly met with the OSP for hours only one month earlier.”
According to Smollett’s attorneys, the only reason for not producing them is because the “OSP did not want to suborn further perjury by the Osundairo brothers, it did not want to risk having the brothers make additional contradictory statements prior to trial, and it did not want to allow the jurors their statutory right to question the Osundairo brothers about the incident.”
Smollett’s attorneys say that the omissions are “substantial and prejudicial,” and they are asking the court to drop charges against Smollett since he was not granted his due process rights as required by the Fifth Amendment.
‘His Attorneys then argue that Webb’s team ignored a statutory requirement to inform the grand jurors that they had the right to demand live testimony if they desired.
”Thus, based on the record available to the defense, the grand jurors were not aware that they could subpoena and question the Osundairo brothers instead of relying on their one-sided testimony presented by the OSP from proceedings which have been invalidated by the court. The grand jurors were also not advised that they had the power to make their own investigation unaided by the special prosecutor or the court,” the motion read. “The OSP’s failure to inform the special grand jury at the commencement of the proceedings, before each witness testified, and before a true bill was requested, misled the grand jury and deprived Mr. Smollett of his right to the due process of law.”
On October 14, a hearing for the matter is scheduled. Webb did not return a request for comment.
‘Cake Boss’ Star Buddy Valastro Mangles Hand In Bowling Accident!
“Cake Boss” star Buddy Valastro is recuperating following a grisly accident in his home bowling alley.
Valastro, 43, was spending “quality time” with his family at his New Jersey abode, his rep told People, when the alley’s pinsetter equipment malfunctioned — “a common fix in the past,” the rep noted — and Valastro attempted to fix it.
“After trying to release the bowling pin from the cage mechanism, his right hand became lodged and compressed inside the unit,” the rep relayed. “Unable to remove his hand, he can see a 1-1/2″ metal rod slowly and repeatedly impale his hand three times between his ring finger and middle finger.”
Valastro’s sons, Buddy Jr., 16, and Marco, 13, were able, after five minutes, to free their father by cutting through the rod with a reciprocating saw.
The television star subsequently underwent two surgeries: one in New Jersey, and another by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michelle Carlson in Manhattan. Released Wednesday, he is currently convalescing at home.
Valastro’s rep adds that he’s facing “an uphill battle,” given that the chef’s dominant hand was the one affected. “He will need prolonged recovery and therapy,” they added, perhaps unnecessarily.
Still, the New Jersey native and Carlo’s Bakery head seems upbeat, at least on social media.
“What do you think of my new accessory?” he captioned a photo of him in his hospital bed with his injured, bandaged hand elevated and an IV inserted in his other hand.
Peers like Emeril Lagasse, “Top Chef” winner Brooke Williamson and Duff Goldman — Valastro’s rival on the pair’s competition show “Buddy vs. Duff” — left comments of support on the post.
D.L. Hughley Calls Jada Pinkett Smith's Relationship With August Alsina 'Predatory'!
Jada Pinkett Smith’s relationship with August Alsina continues to take on a life of its own and remains a hot topic amongst pop culture discussions. The latest to give his take on Pinkett Smith and Alsina is comedian D.L. Hughley. Like a few other celebrities, Hughley condemns Pinkett Smith for her part in the affair, calling her involvement “predatory.”
D.L. Hughley says Jada Pinkett Smith’s relationship with August Alsina is ‘predatory’
Hughley is not a fan of Jada’s “entanglement” with Alsina. Both Alsina and Jada admit that Alsina befriended the Smith family during a time when he was most in need. At the time, he was addicted to prescription drugs and seeking help for emotional trauma. The Smith family offered to assist him.
Alsina befriended the family through his friendship with Jaden, Will and Jada’s youngest son. For that reason, coupled with Alsina’s health and mental state at the time, Hughley categorizes Jada’s relationship with Alsina as “predatory.”
“I’m not in anyone’s relationship business but when they [Will and Jada] were saying, ‘He was mentally sick and he was emotionally sick’ – that’s predatory,” Hughley tells Vlad TV in a new interview.
Hughley continues: “If you’re sick, physically ill, he’s emotionally [ill] – and then the damage you do, like this dude [Alsina] was talking about killing himself,” Hughley says. “It isn’t just you having an affair or whatever you do, it’s that in your wake because you felt bad, that dude [Alsina] was f**ed up behind it.”
Other celebrities have echoed D.L. Hughley’s thoughts about Jada Pinkett Smith’s relationship with August Alsina
Hughley isn’t the only one who’s been critical of Jada relationship with Alsina. LisaRaye McCoy condemns Jada for the relationship because of the age difference between her and Alsina. She also agrees Alsina was not in a good emotional state.
“I think and I feel that he [Alsina] was a baby,” McCoy said during a conversation on the Cocktails with Queens segment of Out Loud with Claudia Jordan.
She continues: “Now I’m all for if you want to date somebody younger, go for it. But because of his circumstance and why in which he came to her, wounded and hurt, and in her lap…how in the hell did he get from off her lap, and then you [Smith] got onto the d**k? I don’t understand.”
The Breakfast Club co-host Charlamagne Tha God believes the same sentiments. While discussing Jada’s Red Table Talk episode in which she gives her side of the story, Charlagamange says Jada took advantage of Alsina during his darkest moment.
“Jada Pinkett Smith was dead a** wrong,” he says. “August Alsina, that young man came to her broken, in need of healing, and her response is ‘I wanted to feel good, I hadn’t felt good in a long time’ so you slept with him? Nevermind how that young man is feeling, you know? You just gotta get yours? That is the epitome of toxic behavior.”
Both Jada and Alsina say they still deeply care about each other and that the relationship was a learning experience.
Chicago Bears legend and Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers dies at 77!
Chicago Bears legendary running back Gale Sayers has died at 77 , the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday morning. Sayers' family announced in 2017 that he had been battling dementia sinc 2013.
a man swinging a baseball bat in front of a crowd: May 30: Gayle Sayers, 1943.© Malcolm Emmons, USA TODAY Sports May 30: Gayle Sayers, 1943.
Nicknamed the "Kansas Comet," Sayers was the Hall's youngest inductee at 34. Sayers' legacy was cemented in seven seasons (1965-71) as his career was cut short after 68 games due to knee injuries. In that short span, he became one of the sport's most explosive running backs.
Sayers earned the NFL's rookie of the year in 1965, had four Pro Bowl seasons and was a first-team All-Pro selection in his first five seasons.
From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.
“If you wish to see perfection as a running back, you had best get a hold of a film of Gale Sayers,” Bears founder George Halas said in 1977. “He was poetry in motion. His like will never be seen again.”
Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker released a statement Wednesday.
"All those who love the game of football mourn the loss of one of the greatest to ever play this game with the passing of Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers," Baker said. "He was the very essence of a team player – quiet, unassuming and always ready to compliment a teammate for a key block. Gale was an extraordinary man who overcame a great deal of adversity during his NFL career and life.
"The 'Kansas Comet' burst onto the scene in the National Football League and captured the attention of all of America. Despite playing only 68 NFL games because of an injury-shortened career, Gale was a clear-cut – and first-ballot – Hall of Famer for his accomplishments on the field and for the man of character he was in life.
"The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Gale. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Ardie, and their entire family. We will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration for future generations. The Hall of Fame flag will fly at half-staff until he is laid to rest."
Sayers set the Bears' single-season touchdowns record with 22 as a rookie (14 rushing, six receiving and one each on kickoff and punt returns). Sayers amassed 4,956 yards rushing and 1,307 yards receiving in his career. He had 39 rushing touchdowns and nine receiving.
Mike Tyson Will Vote For The First Time This Election!
Mike Tyson to vote for first time in upcoming election originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
For the first time since his 1992 felony conviction, Mike Tyson is eligible to vote in a presidential election – and he plans to do so. The 54-year-old former heavyweight champion of the world announced on Twitter his excitement to cast a ballot in November.
“This election will be my first time voting,” Tyson tweeted out. “I never thought I could because of my felony record. I’m proud to finally go vote.”
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of one count of rape and two counts of deviant sexual conduct and sentenced to six years in prison. In many states, those with a felony conviction on their record are not allowed to participate in elections. However, Nevada (Tyson’s home state) recently passed a bill that restored voting rights to any state resident upon their release from prison, which will allow the boxer to vote in this election.
“Iron” Mike Tyson is also scheduled to return to the ring this November in an exhibition fight against another former champion, Roy Jones Jr., as a part of his “Legends Only League” initiative to give older athletes a chance to return to their sports.
Is Vanessa Bryant SHADING Kobe Bryant’s Parents With Posting His Momentos?
Vanessa Bryant shared some of her late husband Kobe Bryant’s memorabilia online and fans are accusing her of shading her in-laws. More inside…
Vanessa Bryant was hit with the worse news of her life at the beginning of the year and things don’t seem to be getting any better. However, she’s doing her best to revel with the good memories she received before the untimely death of her husband/NBA Icon Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant.
After filing a lawsuit against the L.A. Sheriff and his department, Vanessa went on a Mamba Mentality trail down memory lane. Dubbing herself a “hoarder wife,” the WAG shared some special pieces from Kobe’s legacy, including his high school jersey and warmups. However, fans feel like she’s shading her in-laws with her social media posts.
In one clip she shared on IG Stories, she took a Boomerang video of Kobe’s high school memorabilia and items from his first championship run with the Lakers with the caption, "The fact that this was auctioned off and my husband had to buy this and more back is so sad. Glad we have it back."
Kobe & Vanessa received the precious items in 2013 after his parents allegedly tried to sell his memorabilia to secure money for a house Kobe supposedly denied buying. According to reports, Kobe’s mother, Pam Bryant, wanted to sell his memorabilia to get money for a house she wanted to buy. Once Kobe learned about the action, he quickly shut it down and was able to purchase his items.
With that said, it really could just be a case of her innocuously sharing the keepsakes of her late husband.
Fans are dragging Vanessa online for seemingly shading Kobe’s parents after her own mother did an interview where she made claims that Vanessa put her out of her house and asked for her to call back.
A mess!
Uncle Ben’s Changes Name To Ben's Original Amid Criticism Over Racist Imagery!
Mars Inc. has officially retired the Uncle Ben’s brand name as of Wednesday, with an announcement acknowledging that the name and imagery on the package were perceived as racist. Now, the rice will be called Ben’s Original in what the company calls an effort to “create a more inclusive future while maintaining its commitment to producing the world’s best rice.”
The news was shared on the company’s Twitter account that still goes by “Uncle Ben’s USA.” The tweet reads, “We listened. And we learned,” before introducing the simplified name. An announcement on the brand’s website explains that the image of a white-haired Black man with a bow-tie will also be removed from the rice packaging, honoring a commitment that the brand made in June.
But judging by reactions on Twitter, the move might not be enough.
Some even expressed confusion over how the updated name was chosen. A spokesperson for parent company Mars Food tells Yahoo Life that the decision was made with the help of consumers. “We put considerable time and effort to develop different options that would position the brand for future success and then solicited the feedback of thousands of our consumers around the world — including many Black voices — and our associates to make sure we did what’s right,” the spokesperson explains. “Ben’s Original is what resonated most with all of these audiences.”
The spokesperson additionally explains that removing the imagery historically associated with the brand isn’t the only effort that the company is making toward inclusivity, but that it has plans for deeper interaction and investment in underserved communities and consumers.
“In the coming months you’ll start to see us taking the first steps to live out our new purpose to create opportunities that offer everyone at a seat at the table – this will start with finalizing details with the National Urban League on a new scholarship for aspiring Black chefs,” the spokesperson shares. “In addition, in Greenville, Mississippi — where our brand has been produced in the U.S. for more than 40 years — we will invest in programming focused on enhancing educational opportunities for more than 7,500 area students, as well as furthering access to fresh foods. This will then be expanded to other underserved communities around the world.”
Mars Inc. wasn’t the only food company that committed to making changes in marketing and branding since conversations about racism throughout the country spiked in response to the police killings of Black men and women like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. PepsiCo Inc., the owners of Quaker Oats which sells the Aunt Jemima brand, made a similar commitment to retire imagery of a Black woman on its packaging. A spokesperson for Quaker Oats tell Yahoo Life that the company is still taking time to reimagine what their updated products might look like.
“Right now we are taking the time to listen to consumers and to counsel from diverse partners. Our goal is to co-create a new brand that carries on the essence of what made the original brand special and makes all of us proud for generations to come,” the spokesperson says. “Packaging without the Aunt Jemima image will begin to appear in Q4 2020, and the new identity will start to appear in 2021. While the packaging is changing, the product that consumers have grown to love will not change.”
Although seemingly steps ahead, Mars Inc. provided a similar timeline, announcing that the new Ben’s Original brand will hit store shelves in early 2021.
Wells Fargo’s CEO Apologizes for Racial Comments That Upset Many!
The CEO of one of the country's largest banks has caused a stir with his comments on racial diversity at the bank.
Earlier this summer, Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) CEO Charlie Scharf upset several employees with his comments on a lack of diversity for employees and executives.
“While it might sound like an excuse, the unfortunate reality is that there is a very limited pool of black talent to recruit from,” Scharf said, according to Reuters.
On Wednesday, Scharf issued an apology.
“There are many talented diverse individuals working at Wells Fargo and throughout the financial services industry and I never meant to imply otherwise," he said.
Why It’s Important: Wells Fargo is still trying to recover from its fake accounts scandal.
Scharf was hired in September 2019 after leading Bank of New York Mellon Corp (NYSE: BC) and having over 24 years of experience in the financial industry.
Analysts liked the Scharf hire and his focus on moving past the scandal. Scharf said when he was hired, cleaning up the regulatory issues were his top priority.
Scharf’s comments led to the bank trending on Google Trends and Twitter for negative reasons. The comments also caught the eye of U.S. Democratic House of Representatives member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Perhaps it’s the CEO of Wells Fargo who lacks the talent to recruit Black workers,” said Ocasio-Cortez.
Some took to Twitter to announce they would be switching banks or to encourage Wells Fargo customers to leave the bank.
Others shared past discrimination lawsuits against Wells Fargo due to hiring practices and higher loan rates given to minority borrowers.
Wells Fargo had previously pledged to double the number of black leaders over five years. Executive compensation is also tied to reaching diversity goals.
African Americans represented 10% of new director appointments for Fortune 500 companies last year. African Americans make up around 13% of the United States population.
Shares are down 1% Wednesday to $23.40. The stock has fallen close to 50% since Scharf was announced as new CEO.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘WOBBLE, WOBBLE’
Well kiddos, back in the day your momma decided to get after it in the club when the Wobble came on and there may have been some long term impact.
Enjoy!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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