Pink for Stellar Magazine - 16th May 2021!
She is a bonafide pop superstar with eight studio albums, countless hits and seven tours over the past 20 years.
And Pink – real name Alecia Moore – weighed in on whether women can ‘have it all’ in an interview with Stellar magazine for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph this weekend.
Like most women, the 41-year-old admitted that she’s unsure if it’s at all possible.
'My answer isn't a good one': Pop superstar Pink, 41, weighed in on whether women can 'have it all' in an interview with Stellar magazine for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph this weekend. Pictured on tour in France in July 2019
‘My answer isn’t a good one’: Pop superstar Pink, 41, weighed in on whether women can ‘have it all’ in an interview with Stellar magazine for Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph this weekend. Pictured on tour in France in July 2019
‘I don’t think my answer is a good one,’ she began. ‘I guess you have to decide what ‘all’ is, first of all. But I don’t think it’s possible to have it all.’
‘I think it’s possible to have enough. Women have to compromise in a way that men just don’t, and aren’t primordially set up for. It’s just the way it is.’
The Raise Your Glass artist shares two children, daughter Willow Sage, nine, and son Jameson Moon, four, with husband Carey Hart, 45.
Her upcoming documentary, All I Know So Far, captures Pink on the road with her family during her Beautiful Trauma World Tour in 2018 and 2019.
While it could be considered daunting, the thought of touring a different city a day with young children, Pink told Stellar the children are ‘included at every turn’.
‘You can make it as hard as you want it to be. It can be, “Oh, we’re going to get on the bus tonight and we’ll wake up in Germany and then we’ll have a new hotel room”. Or you can make it, “This is the adventure of a lifetime and we’re on it together”.’
‘This is the adventure of a lifetime and we’re on it together’: While it could be considered daunting, the thought of touring a different city a day with young children, Pink told Stellar the children are ‘included at every turn’
A trailer for All I Know shows behind-the-scenes footage from the tour bus and inside various auditoriums.
She says that her team is ‘a group of people that believe in each other that believe each person is enough’.
The trailer winds down with a number of candid behind-the-scenes shots as Pink adds: ‘I want it to be worth it for my family. It’s a concert, it’s a tour, but it’s also the story of our life.’
In the spotlight: Pink: All I Know debuts on Amazon Prime Video on May 21. Her Stellar magazine interview is out now in Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph
#RHOA: Kandi Burruss’ Spinoff, ‘Kandi OLG Project,’ Gets Late 2021 Premiere on Bravo!
Kandi Burruss is one of the stars of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The reality TV personality has been a mainstay since joining in season 2. Burruss has showcased her ups and downs and fans will get to see how her empire keeps on growing. Bravo has confirmed that the Kandi OLG Project is set to premiere in late 2021 as the spinoff becomes official.
What is Kandi Burruss’ spinoff going to be about?
Burruss has created quite an empire in Atlanta. The Grammy-award winning star is expanding her culinary establishments and making a show about it. RHOA fans got an insight into the making of the Old Lady Gang restaurant during season 5. The southern eatery is based on recipes from Burruss’ mother Joyce Jones and the latter’s sisters: Bertha Jones and Nora Wilcox.
“In this new docu-series, we’ll watch as Kandi, Todd [Tucker], and the Old Lady Gang (comprised of Mama Joyce, and Aunts Nora & Bertha) continue to build their restaurant empire while keeping their over-the-top and opinionated staff in line and making their vision come to fruition,” the press release states.
“The new series follows the staff in and out of the restaurant, witnessing how workplace slights bleed into their social lives,” the show’s description continued. “Everyone at OLG has a passion – be it for dancing, comedy or just to follow in Kandi’s mogul footsteps, and these dreams can get in the way of running food and ensuring customers don’t leave those dreaded one-star Yelp reviews.”
“And the fact that some are single and constantly flirting with the cute clientele – and each other – doesn’t exactly help things either. It’s a monumental task to face, but if anyone can do it, it’s Kandi!”
Bravo has only confirmed that it will premiere in Late 2021 but has not specified the actual date yet
#NewMusicVideo from H.E.R. & Chris Brown Join Forces on ‘Come Through’!
R&B superstar H.E.R. reunites with Chris Brown for their latest collaboration ‘Come Through’. On Wednesday, the songstress shared the news about the sensual ballad along with the cover art.
WATCH HERE
This isn’t the first time the pair have worked together. Last year, Brown was featured on H.E.R.’s ‘Slide’ remix, and their collaboration ‘Come Together’ was one of the many songs on Chris’ Indigo album. H.E.R. was also a part of Breezy’s Heartbreak On A Full Moon tour in 2018, as one of the opening acts. There’s no denying that when these two get together, they’re bound to create a hit song.
#HipHopNews The Official Tracklist For DMX’s ‘Exodus’ Album Unveiled!
DMX’s longtime friend and collaborator Swizz Beatz has unveiled the official tracklist for the rapper’s posthumous album, ‘Exodus’.
Swizz Beatz took to his Instagram page on May 14, to unveil the official tracklist for X’s ‘Exodus’ album. The album consists of 14 tracks featuring Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Bono, Usher, Alicia Keys, The LOX, and Griselda. There is also a collaboration with Hip-Hop legends, JAY Z and Nas. Swizz captioned the post;
“Let’s get to the magic !!!!!! 5/28 EXODUS the ALBUM ❌ Long live @dmx The Great 🙏🏽❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌ official tracklist”
Others acts on the album include X’s son Exodus, Moneybagg Yo, and Mr. Porter. The album will be officially released on May 28, 2021.
View the official tracklist for ‘Exodus’ below.
WOW Rest In Peace X!
Wendy Williams Shades Ellen DeGeneres: 19 Years On TV Exposes The Person You Really Are!
Wendy Williams isn’t letting Ellen DeGeneres leave TV without doing what she does best–making her opinion on the matter known!
As you may recall, Ellen DeGeneres announced on Wednesday (May 12th) that the upcoming 19th season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show will be its last.
Following this announcement, Wendy Williams addressed the decision on yesterday’s (Thursday, May 13th) episode of The Wendy Williams Show. She starts off her commentary with seemingly innocent praise, claiming:
“Nineteen years is a very good run, congratulations to you, Ellen.”
However, immediately following this acknowledgement, Wendy Williams starts to promptly shade the television star. She states:
“Considering all you’ve been through all those 19 years, including the workplace conditions–which, by the way, I believe she’s leaving because the workplace conditions. You know. I mean, we all know people who’ve worked there, and people who’ve worked here themselves, Ellen.”
Wendy continues: And here’s the thing: I’m glad that you thanked your ‘Ellen’ fans, or whatever you call your nation. But 19 years on TV doesn’t change your life. It exposes you for the person you really are.”
Then, Wendy Williams goes on to speculate that troublesome acts take place behind the scenes of Ellen’s show, including “rules” such as staff not being allowed to ride the elevator with Ellen DeGeneres or even make eye-contact with the host.
Then, Wendy addressed Ellen‘s comments regarding her talk show being a positive atmosphere that leaves guests pleased, claiming:
“I’m not sure all the guests are happy. I was a guest. I wasn’t happy.”
At this point, Wendy Williams goes on to speculate that she doesn’t believe Ellen DeGeneres informed her production staff of the decision beforehand, claiming:
“I don’t know whether she told her current staff, though. She seems like the type of person who could come out on stage and announce it to everybody.”
Shortly thereafter, Wendy wraps up her commentary with the following statement:
“Good luck, I know you like to buy houses and do [business] projects–you’ve got pet food, whatever you want to do. You’ve been on for 19 years, we should be so lucky.”
What do you think about Wendy Williams’ commentary on Ellen DeGeneres leaving TV next year?
Black-ish Will Get an Eighth and Final Season on ABC!
Black-ish, Kenya Barris’s award-winning ABC comedy, will end after its upcoming eighth season. Barris announced the news with an emotional Instagram post on Friday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show’s creative team and cast lobbied for an additional six episodes of the comedy on the Disney-owned ABC. “In this day and age it is rare to get to decide when your show should come to an end, and we are grateful along with ABC to be able to make this final season exactly what we’d hoped for — and to do it with the entire and AMAZINGLY STELLAR cast coming back to close this chapter out with us the right way!”
Barris wrote, along with a video announcing the news. “This show has changed my life in so many ways and I am so proud of the conversations we’ve started along the way. None of this would have been possible without our audience and supporters, who have championed the show every step of the journey; allowing us to change not just the narrative of Black Families, but of Family, Culture, and the World in general. All the while allowing us to talk about things that people were not supposed to talk about, period, and especially on a network television comedy.”
Universal Pictures apologizes after Laverne Cox is dubbed by male actor in ‘Promising Young Woman’!
Universal Pictures has apologised after trans actor Laverne Cox was dubbed by a male actor in an Italian language version of Promising Young Woman.
The film was due to arrive in Italy today (May 13), but it has been postponed after a clip of Una Donna Promettente, shared by Universal Pictures Italy, received heavy criticism for overdubbing Cox with a male voice.
In the clip Cox’s character, Gail, could be seen talking to Carey Mulligan’s character, Carrie. Cox’s voice is dubbed over with that of male voice actor, Roberto Pedicini.
The situation has happened previously, with Cox’s Orange Is The New Black Character, Sophia Burset, voiced by male actor Andrea Lavagnino in an Italian-language version of the show.
As The Guardian notes, a cis man was also cast to voice Cox in the Spanish and German versions of Promising Young Woman.
A spokesperson for Universal Pictures International told The Guardian in a statement: “We are deeply grateful to Laverne and the transgender community for opening our eyes to a bias that neither we nor many in our industry had recognised.
“While there was no malicious intent behind this mistake, we are working diligently to fix it. We have begun redubbing Ms Cox’s voice with female actors in our international territories and are pushing back release dates to ensure the correct version is available.”
“We are sorry for the pain caused but are thankful that we can address the situation on this film and prevent similar mistakes from happening again on future projects.”
Gary Owens’ estranged wife requests $44K per month in spousal support!
According to reports, Kenya Duke is seeking $44K a month in spousal support as the couple that has been together for almost twenty years heads to divorce court.
As previously reported, the duo has been married since 2003 and shares two adult children, but in March Duke filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Despite speculation, the official reasons for the couple parting ways remains unclear. But documents obtained by TMZ allegedly show that Duke is now requesting $44K a month in support, the amount she claims is equivalent to what Owen would normally deposit into her account for bills, living expenses, and other miscellaneous necessities.
She also notes that she was tasked with abandoning her own budding career in order to support her husband’s dreams of stardom, so he is directly responsible for why she can’t cover her own expenses. She then claims that her estranged husband’s monthly income usually hovers between $200K and $400K and has never dipped below $100K a month, even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the documents, Duke said it was common for her spouse to have uncashed checks ranging between $300K and $600K piling up and that due to his affluence he was never in a rush to deposit them into his accounts.
Owen, who got his start on BET’s Comic View in 1997, is most known for his stand-up and minor roles in films like Daddy Day Care, Think Like a Man, and Ride Along.
In an interview with theGrio‘s Natasha Alford in 2016, the couple said they enjoy a fun, successful marriage, and lovingly embrace the challenges of race within the context of their own interracial, blended family.
When speaking about being the first white man Duke ever dated, Owen laughed, saying, “That to me is a bigger honor than having a show on BET!”
He continued, “The fact that my game was so strong, that I was able to pull this beautiful Black lady.”
When recounting the story of how they met at a comedy club nearly two decades ago, he gushed, “I was like, ‘Look, I know I’m supposed to wait three days, but you’re gonna meet a lot of dudes in three days. I’m just letting you know now — I’m interested.’”
In 2019, per Page Six, Owen accused a Delta Airlines ticket agent of racially profiling Duke as she stood in a line for first-class passengers.
In an Instagram video, which rehashed the incident involving his wife and daughter after it had occurred, Owen said “So, they tell everybody to line up for first [class].”
“My wife gets in line, and the guy working the gate at B21, Cincinnati Airport, asks my wife, ‘Oh, are you in first?’ And my wife said, ‘Yeah, I am.’ And then my wife said, ‘Are you not gonna ask the guy behind me?’ And he goes, ‘No.’ My wife said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Cause I don’t feel like it.’”
Owen continued, “The guy behind her’s a white dude, and the ticket agent was a white dude. But he asked the Black lady, ‘Are you in first?’” Owen made it a point to say that his anger was not directed at the many employees of Delta who perform their jobs without insulting the dignity of others.
Delta originally deflected the accusation, but later apologized to Duke and her family in a response via Yahoo Lifestyle.
Vanessa Bryant delivers moving speech as Kobe is inducted into Hall of Fame!
It has been 15 months since Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash, but his Hall of Fame enshrinement was no less emotional.
Vanessa Bryant, the wife of the Los Angeles Lakers legend, accepted the honor on behalf of her late husband on Saturday, one year later than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her speech was preceded by the rest of the greatest Hall of Fame class in basketball history and she was escorted by Michael Jordan, but the moment was firmly her's as she again eulogized a man whose death remains surreal.
Here's the whole thing: HERE
Bryant opened the speech by thanking Jordan (who was pulling double duty after presenting LSU coach Kim Mulkey), then joked how she would try to publicly avoid praising her husband because she "felt like he got enough praise from his fans.
As she proceeded to praise her husband on one of the most public stages in basketball, things got briefly NSFW:
Bryant remembered her husband's famous drive and passion for the game, recalling how he took free throws on a torn Achilles and always being aware of how much his presence meant to fans. She also noted the olive branch he extended toward his own parents, with whom he had a notable turbulent relationship. His parents were in attendance at his invitation.
Kobe's accomplishments off the court were also remembered, including his Oscar win, bestselling books and, most of all, raising four daughters.
"I want to thank him for somehow finding ways to dedicate time to not only being an incredible athlete, a visionary entrepreneur and storyteller, but for also being an amazing family man," Bryant said. "Dear Kobe, thank you for being the best husband and father you could possibly be. Thank you for growing and learning from your own mistakes. Thank you for always trying to be better."
Bryant closed her speech with one more direct address to her husband:
CNN's Don Lemon Announces Newly-Named Show Hours After Saying CNN Tonight 'Is No More'!
Don Lemon has hosted his final episode of CNN Tonight.
The veteran journalist, who joined the network in 2006 and has hosted CNN Tonight since 2014, shared the news with viewers during Friday night's show.
"It's been really, really great. This is the last night that will be CNN Tonight With Don Lemon," said Lemon, 55. "So, I appreciate all the years of CNN Tonight With Don Lemon, but changes are coming, and I will fill you in."
Some viewers initially took his announcement to mean that he was leaving the network altogether, but Lemon later clarified on Instagram that he will remain at CNN and is just moving on to a different venture.
"So I got back down to my office after the show — everybody calm down," he said at the start of his Instagram video. "I didn't say I was leaving CNN, I just said it was the end of an era for CNN Tonight with Don Lemon. I am not leaving CNN so you will have to tune in Monday at 10 o'clock to see."
"That's it, so relax, I'm not leaving — I'm not leaving!" he concluded with a laugh.
The news anchor echoed that same sentiment in his caption, writing, "Whoa. It's not what you think. I'm not leaving CNN. Tune in at 10pE on Monday and I'll explain. Not to worry."
The following morning, Lemon shared further clarification with his fans, explaining that he'll be "back on Monday with my newly named show Don Lemon Tonight."
"Didn't mean to set the internet on fire," he wrote. "What I said last night was true. CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is no more. I'll be back on Monday with my newly named show Don Lemon Tonight. See you Monday."
Nicki Minaj Addresses The Alleged Drug Use Rumors!
Nicki Minaj is setting the record straight when it comes to her drug use.
Fresh off the re-release of her Beam Me Up Scotty mixtape, the Queen went on Instagram Live Friday afternoon to discuss the “topic of the day,” her sniffling. On her IG Live the day before, viewers took notice of her runny nose and frequent sniffling, sending social media into a frenzy. There was speculation that she was sniffling because she was on drugs, specifically cocaine.
But Nicki put the rumors to rest. “You would know, if you’re a fan of mine, that all you gotta do if you wanna know my drug of choice or my drugs of choice, just listen to my music, chile, ’cause it’s all right there,” said Nicki, who continued to sniffle while getting her hair done.
“I wouldn’t be embarrassed about any fu**in’ drug I did, that’s why I talk about the motherfu**in’ drugs I do in my music, always have, always fu**in’ will,” she added.
However, she made it clear that she has never used cocaine in her life. “I have never, ever in my life, with my hand to Jesus Christ…Never in my life, ever, not even once, sniffed coke—ever!” she said. “That’s just never been my drug of choice.”
She said that the sniffling comes from her ongoing allergies, which are sometimes triggered by wearing contacts. She also feels cold regularly because her “natural body temperature is just lower than the average person.”
She takes Allegra at least once a day to relieve her allergy symptoms. “This is me all day, runny sniffly all the time.”
She has friends who do coke, but she’s never done it personally. “I’ve never tried it, never wanted to, never asked them to—especially in the fashion world, that’s so common and normal.”
Nicki has shared her preference for pills on songs including “Pills N Potions” and “Miami,” on which she raps about Percs, Xannies, and Addies.
Later on, she revealed that she enjoys the smell of rubbing alcohol and bleach. “I love sniffing rubbing alcohol and I love sniffing bleach,” she admitted. “I started sniffing bleach a little bit when I was pregnant.”
On Friday, Minaj celebrated the 12th anniversary of her mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty by releasing it to streaming services for the first time featuring three new tracks including “Seeing Green” with Drake and Lil Wayne.
#OHBABY: Ludacris And Eudoxie Bridges Are Expecting A Baby!
Ludacris and his wife, Eudoxie Bridges, are expecting their second child together.
The couple made the announcement on their Instagram accounts on Friday, which was also Bridges’ birthday.
“Blessed year indeed,” she captioned a photo of her posing in front of bouquets of flowers.
Ludacris also celebrated their announcement by sharing the same photos of Bridges.
“How is it YOUR birthday [and you’re] giving me the greatest gift?” the Atlanta rapper wrote.
The two share 5-year-old daughter Cadence. Ludacris is also father to daughters Karma and Cai. The couple is also raising Bridges’ youngest sister, Christella.
Bridges thanked her followers for their well wishes in an Instagram story posted on Friday. She also thanked those close to her who helped keep her pregnancy private, sharing that she had previously experienced pregnancy loss.
“I know this was, like, the biggest secret to keep, and I appreciate those who stood by me and understood that this is such a sacred moment for me, especially after experiencing a miscarriage,” she said.
Ludacris celebrated Bridges on Mother’s Day last week, writing in an Instagram post that his wife was “full of love.”
“Happy Mother’s Day to the sexiest mother I know on [the] planet,” he added.
‘Bridgerton’ Gets Young Queen Charlotte Spinoff From Shonda Rhimes!
The Bridgerton-verse is expanding. Following the recent renewals for a total of three more seasons of the hugely popular series, Netflix and Shondaland will add a second show to the franchise, a limited prequel series based on the origins of Queen Charlotte, which will be written by Shonda Rhimes.
Additionally, Shondaland veteran Jess Brownell, who has worked on the first two seasons of Bridgerton, the upcoming Rhimes Netflix series Inventing Anna and Rhimes’ Scandal, has been named showrunner for Seasons 3 and 4 of the Regency-era drama, Netflix’s biggest series ever that attracted 82 million households around the world in its first four weeks. Brownell will pick up the baton from Bridgerton creator/executive producer Chris Van Dusen, who served as showrunner for Season 1 and is also running Season 2, now in production in the UK.
The Queen Charlotte limited series will center on the rise and love life of a young Queen Charlotte, the reimagined character added to the Bridgerton series that was not in Julia Quinn’s novels on which the show is based. Played by Golda Rosheuvel, Queen Charlotte quickly became a fan favorite and one of Bridgerton‘s breakout characters. The spinoff will also tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury. Rhimes will write the series and serve as executive producer alongside Betsy Beers and Tom Verica.
“Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I’m thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton,” said Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria. “Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled.”
Bringing Brownell on as showrunner for Seasons 3 and 4, and Rhimes herself taking on the Queen Charlotte offshoot, will allow Shondaland to rapidly scale the Bridgerton universe, with Brownell focusing on breaking Seasons 3 and 4 while Van Dusen oversees filming and post-production for Season 2, which chronicles Anthony Bridgerton’s quest for love.
“As we continue to expand the world of Bridgerton, we now have the opportunity to devote even more of the Shondaland fold to the Bridgerton-verse,” Shondaland CEO Rhimes said. “We’ve worked with Jess Brownell for over a decade and have long wanted to find the right project to place in her hands. When it came time to pass the baton, I knew this unique voice was vital to the future of the show.”
Added Shondaland’s Betsy Beers, “Chris has been part of the Shondaland team for his entire entertainment career, and Shonda and I are very proud of all he contributed to help create this series for fans around the globe.”
Because Shondaland is currently planning Bridgerton through Season 4, in line with the existing renewals, it is not clear whether Van Dusen may return to the show in some capacity if it goes to eight seasons following Quinn’s blueprint of eight novels, each centered on one of the Bridgerton siblings. His original deal with Netflix (through Shondaland) was coming up this month. There had been a lot of interest in him among studios and other streamers, so he will likely be exploring those opportunities after he wraps Season 2 of Bridgerton.
”With Bridgerton, I set out to make the period show I always wanted to see. I never could’ve anticipated how much the rest of the world also wanted to see it,” Van Dusen said. “I’m deeply proud of this remarkable cast and incredible crew, and I’m so grateful for the enduring support of Shonda, who I’ve worked alongside for 17 years. Shondaland is where I learned how to make TV, craft incredibly complex characters and how to tell stories. And while it’s been an incredible journey, I have my sights set on a few new stories to tell. To that end, I’ll continue as showrunner — writing and producing season two of Bridgerton and look forward to seeing Jess continue the magic in seasons three and four. I’d also like to thank Julia Quinn and her passionate fans — for embracing my vision for bringing these beloved books to the screen. See you in Grosvenor Square!”
Brownell, 13-year Shondaland veteran writer-producer, has worked on several Shondaland series including Bridgerton
seasons 1 and 2, and the anticipated upcoming series Inventing Anna. Additionally, Brownell co-hosted Shondaland Audio’s “Bridgerton: The Official Podcast,” giving fans more insight into the makings of the reimagined world. Most recently Brownell has served as a writer on Bridgerton S1, writer-producer on Bridgerton S2, and writer-producer on Inventing Anna. Brownell was previously a staff writer on Scandal.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding working alongside Shonda, Betsy, and Chris Van Dusen on the first two seasons of Bridgerton,” Brownell said. “And now, as these beloved characters are entrusted to me, I cannot wait to lend my unique vision to the next two seasons. I feel so fortunate to have found a home at Shondaland and to have the support of Shonda and Betsy as I move forward into this new chapter.”
Lil Reese and Two Others Reportedly Shot In Chicago!
Chicago police say three men were shot Saturday morning, among those was rapper Lil Reese.
According to CWB Chicago, the three individuals were shot inside a parking garage in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.
Two of the men have been listed in critical condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the other is in serious condition at Stroger Hospital.
Lil Reese’s condition is unclear, the publication reported.
Authorities were called to 6 West Grand Avenue around 9:53 am Saturday after receiving calls of gunshots fired. Once they arrived at the scene, they found Reese and two other victims, a 20-year-old man and a 27-year-old man, wounded and a stolen Dodge Durango riddled with bullet holes that had crashed near the scene.
The shooting comes 18 months after Reese, 28, was critically wounded after being shot in the neck by a man with an AK47 assault rifle. The rapper was hospitalized for a few days at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, before returning home to make a full recovery.
The story is currently developing.
There Has Been A $10M Settlement Reached In The Andre Hill Shooting Case!
The City of Columbus, Ohio, has agreed to deliver a settlement of $10 million to Andre Hill’s family.
Hill, a 47-year-old Black man, was shot to death by former Columbus police officer Adam Coy, who is white, on Dec. 22. Coy has been charged with murder, felonious assault, and reckless homicide in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Coy, a 19-year police force veteran, was terminated by the City of Columbus shortly after the incident.
Coy and another officer were responding to a nonemergency 911 call about a car in front of the caller's house, according to audio from the released call. Body camera footage showed Hill coming out of a garage with a cellphone in his hand, just seconds before being shot by Coy. Coy hadn't activated his body camera, but the device's automatic "look back" feature captured the shooting without audio. Minutes passed before officers gave Hill medical attention.
Coy's defense attorney told ABC 6 that he mistook a ring worn by Hill for a revolver.
The settlement will be the highest amount ever paid out by the City of Columbus, and will move to Columbus City Council for a vote on May 17.
Matt Gaetz equates sex trafficking investigation with earmarks in Ohio speech!
STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida Republican mired in controversy, told a crowd of Republican activists Saturday that sexual misconduct allegations involving him are as benign as legislative earmarks.
“I'm being falsely accused of exchanging money for naughty favors,” Gaetz said at the Ohio Political Summit, a gathering sponsored by the Strongsville GOP in suburban Cleveland. “Yet, Congress has reinstituted a process that legalizes the corrupt act of exchanging money for favors, through earmarks, and everybody knows that that's the corruption.”
Gaetz’s keynote speech came a day after Joel Greenberg, a former Florida tax official and associate of the congressman, pleaded guilty to six charges and is cooperating in a federal sex trafficking investigation. Federal officials are looking into whether Gaetz and Greenberg used the internet to find women they could pay for sex and whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a minor he paid to travel with him, the New York Times reported.
Documents filed in connection the Greenberg’s plea agreement do not mention Gaetz. He has not been charged with a crime and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
An audience of at least 400 in person and others online turned out for the event, billed as a major forum ahead of the 2022 midterm election. A dozen or so guests trickled out after hearing from conservative commentator Candace Owens, who spoke before Gaetz, who delivered the final speech of the afternoon. But Gaetz received a standing ovation from those who stayed, and a dozen or so others lingered afterward for autographs and selfies.
Several Republican candidates for governor and U.S. House and Senate, had planned to address the crowd but backed out in recent days. Representatives from their campaigns declined to say why on the record, but all of them had committed before Gaetz was added to the program. Another scheduled keynote speaker, Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., didn’t show.
To fill the time, organizers used everything from video footage from Trump rallies to a local conservative radio host and others who acknowledged on stage that they had been pressed into speaking duty at the last minute.
The scene at a suburban banquet hall offered a preview of how GOP campaigns, particularly in messy primaries, will proceed over the next 18 months. Strongsville is the center of Ohio’s 16th congressional district, represented by Anthony Gonzalez, one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. The Ohio Republican Party, nudged along by the Strongsville GOP, has called on Gonzalez to resign. Here, many people believe the lie that the last election was stolen. (“Trump Won,” read a bumper sticker in the parking lot.)
Attendees booed whenever someone mentioned Gonzalez or Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who has become a villain to many in the party base for his acceptance of the 2020 election results and his cautious approach to the coronavirus pandemic. Far-right activists have taken to calling DeWine a RINO, or Republican In Name Only. If DeWine is renominated next year — and this week former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale got behind former Rep. Jim Renacci as a potential primary challenger — some are considering protest votes.
“I’ll vote for Nan Whaley before I vote for Mike DeWine,” said Dave Desser, a Toledo businessman who is pushing a No More DeWine effort online. Whaley, the mayor of Dayton, is a Democratic candidate for governor whose team relishes such intramural GOP squabbling.
Aware they’d be on hostile ground, DeWine and Gonzalez had never planned to attend Saturday’s summit. Renacci bailed after Gaetz was added to the program. Max Miller, a former Trump White House aide who is challenging Gonzalez with the former-president’s endorsement, appeared via a pre-taped video. That left Joe Blystone and Jonah Schulz, lesser-known candidates for governor and the Ohio 16th, respectively, with the audience to themselves.
“We’re going to Trump this state,” said Blystone, a farmer who campaigns in a cowboy hat.
The most prominent 2022 candidate to speak was Josh Mandel, a former state treasurer who has aggressively positioned himself as the most pro-Trump candidate in the Senate race. At one point Mandel, who is seeking retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s seat, went on an extended attack against a reporter, making sure attendees knew she was in the room as he read her tweets aloud. Mandel also revved up the crowd by lying about the 2020 election.
“Let me be very clear, this election was stolen from Donald Trump,” Mandel said. “My squishy establishment opponents in this race won’t say those words. But I will.”
Gaetz spent much of his speech railing against establishment Republicans such as Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, and Paul Ryan, the former House speaker from Wisconsin. He praised one Ohio congressman, Rep. Jim Jordan, saying he aspired to be “the Robin to his Batman,” while castigating another, Gonzalez, a former first-round NFL draft pick who played in parts of five seasons.
“Is it likely that the Anthony Gonzalez congressional career might mirror the Anthony Gonzalez NFL career?” Gaetz wondered. “Whole lot of hype, first round draft pick, out in four years.”
The absent Gonzalez appeared to issue a subtle rebuke of Gaetz and the Strongsville GOP from afar.
“Ending child exploitation remains one of my top policy initiatives in Congress,” Gonzalez, alluding to the controversy surrounding Gaetz, tweeted during the event. “Anyone engaged in these heinous acts needs to be held accountable and taken off the streets.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘EAT MY FART’
That’s Gassy!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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