Meet The Ladies for Variety’s ‘Power of Women in Comedy’ Issue!
Michaela Coel, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Kate McKinnon, Maya Rudolph, and Sofia Vergara cover Variety‘s ‘Power of Women in Comedy’ issue photographed by Sophy Holland.
Michaela Coel
“Even though it’s fictional, there’s something very transparent about the show. I know a lot of people will say, ‘You think you know me, but you have no idea.’ And I feel like, ‘No. You probably do have a pretty good idea.’”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
“I had no sense of arrogance whatsoever about this thing. When you’re face-to-face with your mortality in the way that cancer takes you there — the pandemic I found to be strangely the same.”
Kate McKinnon
“People are often confused when they meet me because I’m soft-spoken and pensive. I am extraordinarily introverted.”
Maya Rudolph
“Before any thoughts of quarantine, I was feeling very burned out, I was weirdly well on my way to retooling, and I think I’m still there. I feel less ashamed to admit that I would like to go a bit slower.”
Sofia Vergara
“I was very young when I signed my first contract, and I did it myself. I needed a manager, and that didn’t exist for a Latina personality. It existed for Latina musicians, but not on TV.”
Get more at Variety!
#RHOA: Porsha Appears to Debunk Pregnancy Rumors By Having Cocktails with Friends!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams appears to be debunking pregnancy rumors about her by enjoying a fun boozy brunch with her friends. Porsha had fans wondering if she was expecting a second child following her recent engagement announcement. However, it looks like Porsha is now subliminally shutting down those claims.
Porsha Williams became a huge trending topic last week after she posted a selfie alongside Simon Guobadia confirming their relationship. Simon followed up her post with one of his a post of his own, confirming that he proposed to Porsha. The fans had already grown suspicious over what was going on between the two after the Dish Nation host shared a Mother's Day post resting her hand on Simon's shoulder, while her ex-fiance Dennis McKinley stood to the side like a friend. He left a comment telling her congratulations, which sent her followers into a frenzy wondering if Porsha was expecting another child.
The new couple has been under fire for getting together despite Simon's recent divorce from Porsha's former friend Falynn Guobadia. Many are accusing Porsha of betraying Falynn after she welcomed her into their home last season. While Porsha remains unbothered by all the shade, she took some time to seemingly address the pregnancy rumors about her. "Brunching with Bae @shameamorton & fam! Happy Birthday Boo," she captioned the video included below.
Porsha Williams followed it up with another photo in the gym wearing a skintight red bodysuit. "Back at it. Loading..." she captioned the pic. “Welp. This kills the preggo rumors,” one follower wrote. The two posts show how unphased Porsha appears to be about all the chatter in her life. Shortly after her engagement news, Bravo announced her three-part solo special on her life. Show fans are anticipating what she might share about her newfound romance with Simon on the show. Her cast members have all expressed their mixed reactions to the engagement, including former housewife NeNe Leakes.
NeNe first said "love wins" in support of Porsha's big announcement. Later, however, she came back onto Twitter to say that she didn't watch the last season, and that she had no idea Simon was someone else's husband on the show. Porsha has claimed that she and Falynn are not friends when she shared a timeline on her romance with Simon, but some Real Housewives of Atlanta viewers think that there might still be a time-lapse. Simon has also taken to Instagram to deny cheating claims against his ex-wife and current fiance. It looks like Porsha has successfully strengthened the viewership for season 14.
#MusicNews: Six-Part Paul McCartney Documentary Series Coming To Hulu In July!
A six-episode documentary series on the music of Paul McCartney will premiere on Hulu on July 16.
McCartney 3,2,1, which was first announced in December, features McCartney diving deep into his catalog with legendary music producer Rick Rubin.
“Never before have fans had the opportunity to hear Paul McCartney share, in such expansive, celebratory detail, the experience of creating his life’s work — more than 50 years of culture-defining music,” said Craig Erwich, president, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment. “To be an observer as Paul and Rick Rubin deconstruct how some of the biggest hits in music history came to be is truly enlightening. It is an honor that Paul chose to return to Hulu to share this one-of-a-kind series.”
McCartney himself suggested fans mark their calendars for the series.
Rubin and McCartney cover albums and songs by The Beatles, Wings and more than 50 years of McCartney as a solo artist.
A teaser clip, which you can view via the player above, features the pair listening back to classics like "Lovely Rita," "Paperback Writer," "Come Together," "Michelle" and "Live and Let Die."
WATCH
McCartney 3,2,1 was directed by Emmy Award-winner Zachary Heinzerling and executive produced by McCartney, Rubin, Scott Rodger, Peter Berg, Matthew Goldberg, Brandon Carroll, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern with Leila Mattimore serving as co-executive producer.
Hulu has previously handled Beatles content. In 2016, the platform premiered the acclaimed Ron Howard documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years.
#HipHopNews: Migos Announces ‘Culture III’ Release Date!
They’re back. After much anticipation, Migos has announced an official release date for Culture III. The third installment in the beloved Culture series will arrive Friday, June 11.
Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff shared the news in a short statement via their label Quality Control Music.
“June 11th. We’re Back,” they declared.
It’s been over three years since Migos’ last album, Culture II, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 2x platinum. The original Culture arrived in January 2017 and spawned hits like “Bad and Boujee,” “T-Shirt,” and “Slippery.” In the interim, Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff each released solo projects.
“The vibe on the album is more of Culture, and that’s all I should really share,” Quavo told GQ. “We feel good. We feel new and refreshed.”
On Friday, Migos kicked off the Culture III era with the first offering “Straightenin,” which arrived alongside a video.
See the Beautiful Mansion Where Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez Got Married!
By now, you've probably heard that Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez secretly tied the knot over the weekend in an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara. The couple kept things very low key for the big day, and opted to celebrate the nuptials at Ariana's own home. According to the Daily Mail, though, Ariana lives in a $6.75 million house, so there was plenty of room for all of her loved ones to enjoy the occasion. But you have to see this place because it is gorgeous.
In photos published by the Daily Mail, you can see the English Tudor home in all its glory. The place is apparently made up of two barns, Porter Barn and Black Barn, both of which were originally built in Surrey, England in 1700s and later brought to the US in the '80s.
Because of its age, the house reportedly has many antique features, like exposed beams and brick fireplaces. There are also gardens and large brick terraces outside, where it's possible the wedding took place.
Unfortunately, we still don't have too many details about the ceremony (I need dress pics ASAP), but now we have a better idea of where the occasion took place\ and I can totally imagine it was a magical evening.
Naomi Campbell Welcomes Her First Child Calls It: 'A Beautiful Little Blessing'!
Naomi Campbell is a mom! On Tuesday (May 18), the legendary supermodel announced that she welcomed her first child, posting an Instagram photo of her hand holding her baby's feet.
"A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother," Naomi captioned the post. "So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love."
The 50-year-old model was quickly showered with comments congratulating her on becoming a first-time mom. "many many many congratulations to you and to your family," Jodie Smith wrote. "the village that will now rally around you and support you in cultivating that little angel!!!! what an incredible blessing!!!"
Zoe Saldana also sent a sweet message of support, writing, "❤️❤️❤️ oh my goodness congrats lady! What a blessing!!!"
Back in 2017, Naomi spoke about wanting to have a child, telling, Evening Standard magazine, "I think about having children all the time, but now with the way science is I think I can do it when I want."
Then in 2019, Naomi updated WSJ on her journey to motherhood, telling the mag, "Not yet — I'll see what the universe brings me."
Terrence Howard Threatens to Sue Triumph Producers for Using His Image Without Permission!
Triumph star Terrence Howard isn't happy that the wrestling drama was released before he officially signed off on it.
drama that was released in theaters on April 30. Directed by Brett Leonard and written by Michael D. Coffey, the movie stars Breaking Bad alum RJ Mitte as a high school senior with cerebral palsy who strives to succeed in wrestling. Howard co-stars as the young man's coach, and his name and likeness were featured prominently in the movie's marketing.
Two weeks after the release of Triumph, Terrence Howard had his lawyers send a cease and desist letter to employees at Cinemark, Digital Ignition Entertainment, Argonaut Entertainment Pictures, and others. Per the complaint, Howard alleges that his name, image, and likeness have been used in connection with the movie without his consent. Attorney Michael Saltz notes in the letter that Howard's involvement was "conditioned upon the satisfaction of material monetary and non-monetary promises made by the producers, which never happened."
It's alleged that as recently as April 15, Howard still had not officially signed off on its release. Triumph was still released anyway on April 30. Claiming that Howard's publicity rights were violated, the legal letter is threatening further legal action if Argonaut continues to feature Howard with "distribution, advertising, promotion, and/or exhibition of Triumph in any manner."
In response to the threat of legal action, Digital Ignition Entertainment told TMZ, "The producers made this film with a mission to help advance awareness of Cerebral Palsy and to do our part to promote inclusion in film. We couldn't be more proud of the job our cast and crew did to highlight the remarkable accomplishments of the writer of the film, who has Cerebral Palsy, and the lead actor of the film, RJ Mitte, who is also diagnosed with cerebral palsy."
This is not the only controversy related to one of Howard's movie roles. Originally, Howard played the role of the MCU's Colonel James Rhodes, aka War Machine, in the first Iron Man. He was the highest paid actor in the movie, taking in a bigger paycheck than lead star Robert Downey Jr. After he was reportedly offered a 50 to 80 percent pay cut for Iron Man 2, Howard didn't return for the sequel, and Don Cheadle has been playing the role ever since.
"You know what's so funny? Even though I love Don Cheadl so much and I love what he's done, I still hear a lot of fans asking, 'Am I going to come back and be War Machine? Am I going to come back and be War Machine?' I think they could have a huge franchise off of it, but f**k em," Howard said of the situation in 2018.
Cinemark and Argonaut haven't yet provided an official response to the legal letter. The movie was released on April 30 and you can watch the trailer for Triumph below. In addition to Mitte and Howard, the inspirational movie also stars Colton Haynes, Jonathan Scaech, Grace Victoria Cox, Rob Gough, and Michael D. Coffey.
T.I. & Tiny Being Investigated By LAPD Over New Sexual Assault Allegation!
Clifford “T.I.” Harris and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris are under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department over new allegations of sexual assault and drugging.
According to Daily Beast, the LAPD met with a woman, whose identity is being kept anonymous, in April who claimed the assault took place in 2005.
In the report, the woman claimed that she was given a drink by Tiny that she believes was “most likely drugged” before being invited back to T.I. and Tiny's hotel room. It was there that she alleges the rapper suggested they all go into the bathroom to “freshen up.”
“Once in the bathroom, Tiny took off all of victim’s clothing,” the report states. “Tiny was also naked, wearing only a shower cap. T.I. came into the bathroom naked. All three got into the shower and T.I. told the victim she looked better naked.”
The woman claimed Tiny began to wash her and afterward, she and T.I. went to go sit on the bed naked, according to Daily Beast. “T.I. turned on a pornographic show, handed the victim a bottle of baby oil and told her to rub his back,” the report continues. Tiny allegedly came over and “sat on victim’s back” before sliding “up and down victim’s back while they were both naked,” the report states.
The woman claims T.I. at one point penetrated her vagina with his toes without her consent and she said her last memory was sitting down on the couch before waking up the next morning with “her vagina very sore and had a burning/itching sensation.” A spokesperson from the LAPD confirmed that the investigation is active.
Daily Beast also shared details of a second alleged police report filed earlier this month in Las Vegas. The second woman, Rachelle Jenks, filed a police report with similar allegations in Las Vegas, according to her attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn, who is representing several of the women who are accusing T.I. and Tiny of sexual abuse.
Last month, shortly after three additional women came forward with claims of sexual abuse against the couple, T.I. and Tiny responded to the allegations through their attorney.
"The Harrises are still waiting for the accusers to reveal themselves publicly," T.I. and Tiny's attorney Steve Sadow said in a statement, per Billboard. "By continuing to hide behind anonymous allegations, the unnamed accusers effectively render themselves not credible and unworthy of belief. We say: Let the light shine on their identities so we can go about disproving these scurrilous accusations."
Days prior to the release of their statement, a spokesperson for attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn told Page Six three additional anonymous victims have retained him, and he is “speaking with investigators from multiple jurisdictions to pursue criminal charges” against the couple.
The news came weeks after six more people came forward with sexual assault claims against T.I. and Tiny, adding to the dozens of abuse allegations against the couple that have surfaced since January.
If you or someone you know have been affected by sexual abuse, please reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800.656.HOPE (4673).
Taraji P. Henson Launches Mental Health Initiative for Black Students!
Taraji P. Henson announced the launch of a brand new campaign focused on lightening the mental health burden the educational system frequently places on Black students.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button star created The Unspoken Curriculum in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The initiative will help Black students identify signs of trauma and empower them to seek guidance. According to PEOPLE, The Unspoken Curriculum is a six-week program that will run from May 17 until June 21. It will include discussions with mental health experts, therapists and educators where students can speak openly about their experiences in school. Henson helped create the curriculum through The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, her mental health nonprofit, and public relations firm Edelman.
“We’re in a state of emergency right now,” Henson said. “But it takes us to change it… we can’t hide the ugly, you’ve got to deal with the good and the bad if we want to see change.”
Before becoming an actress, Henson worked as a substitute teacher. There, she witnessed racial bias against Black students firsthand. “I taught a special education class, but all of the students were Black boys who had all of their mental and physical capabilities. These children came from traumatic home situations, and the school labeled them ‘special ed,’” she recalled.
“These students were only in the fourth grade and they would grab my hand and say, ‘Ms. Henson! Ms. Henson! There was a shootout nearby last night, look at the bullet holes in the wall,’ and laugh,” she added. “That’s trauma — that’s not something to celebrate or normalize.”
Former students of the Baby Boy actress would get caught by the police for stealing food from local stores because they didn’t have anything to eat at home. “We need more professionals in education to recognize children dealing with trauma and help them, not criminalize them,” Henson said.
To learn more about The Unspoken Curriculum or The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation visit borislhensonfoundation.org/unspoken.
Twitter To Introduce Subscription Tiers; Twitter Blue Will Allow Users To ‘Undo’ Tweets For $2.99 A Month!
Twitter could soon introduce a new tier called Twitter Blue that will apparently be a part of its new subscription tiers.
For $2.99 a month, you could have the ability to undo tweets and bookmark collections. Twitter calls its upcoming Subscription Service ‘Twitter Blue’, priced at $2.99/month for now, including “paid features like Undo Tweets: Collections,” wrote Jane Manchun Wong on Twitter this past Saturday.
According to The Verge, a spokesperson declined to comment on Saturday.
While this information has yet to be confirmed, Twitter has made several changes and announcements to the site, most recently letting users know to refrain from posting possibly offensive tweets, and it also introduced a new feature that allows photos to now be fully shown.
This month, Twitter acquired Scroll, a $5 per month subscription service that removes ads from websites participate, The Verge reports. In just its first quarter, Twitter made a profit of $68 million on revenue of $1.04 billion. The news outlet reports a 20 percent increase in active users who are monetized daily. There are details on exactly when Twitter will launch.
Joe Budden apologizes to Olivia Dope following sexual harassment allegation!
The DJ and podcast host Olivia Dope has accused Joe Budden of sexually harassing her.
Dope was a former co-host on the See, The Thing Is podcast, which launched last year and is produced by the independent Joe Budden Network.
In a 26-minute video post on Instagram yesterday (May 17), Dope explained that Budden’s alleged behaviour towards her during a recording of one episode of See, The Thing Is in January was the “final straw” that ultimately led to her departure from the show.
“I sat with this for three months, anxiously debating with myself if I feel comfortable enough to express my reasoning for my departure,” she explained. “I am here today, still uncomfortable, but I find the bravery to speak out on a very embarrassing situation.
“On January 18, 2021, Joe Budden sat in on a recording of the female-led podcast I was a part of and continuously made sexual, suggestive remarks to me that made me extremely uncomfortable, as well as fearful of dampening the mood if I didn’t laugh along while he made those sexual remarks to me. Those moments not only live on the internet forever, it also forced me into the decision of quitting the podcast.”
The DJ then provided examples from the January 18 episode of See, The Thing Is to further outline her allegations against Budden, including one moment which she claims was edited for the final cut where “Joe says him and I should speak more because he ‘been wanted to fuck me since we’ve met'”.
“Everyone in the studio, including production staff, laugh uncomfortably while one of my co-hosts confirmed that to be true. I am mortified by this revelation, not only because it was done in front of the entire production staff but it was done while we were recording audio as well as visual.”
Dope also cites another edit which was made because, she alleges, “Joe makes another suggestion to having sex with me”.
“Joe makes a comment that I am throwing my singleness in his face. And he thought we were going to be a network power couple. Once again, I’m trying to laugh all of this off.”
Towards the end of the episode, Budden asked Dope for an on-air hug which was captured on camera: “It’s unbeknownst to me until I actually watch back the episode that he was moving his hips while he was hugging me.”
Dope recalled that once she decided to leave the show, her lawyer contacted Budden’s lawyer “and informed [them] that these are the reasons my client is leaving this network”.
“I then informed my castmates via text that I am not built for the Joe Budden network. No-one responded in that moment and I was removed from the group chat. But I did speak to both of them a week after.”
Budden has since apologised “sincerely” to Dope, “her former co-hosts, our staff, and the public” in a statement (via Rolling Stone), writing: “As a podcaster, it is my job to address topics and create dialogue around them. During the conversation on the See, The Thing Is podcast I didn’t handle the topics with the sensitivity they deserved.
“I recognize my words and power in that situation created an upsetting environment for Olivia. Upon reflection, both the network and I take accountability for this.”
He continued: “We support all women’s rights to feel comfortable and protected in the workplace. We fell short of that in this instance. We support Olivia in her quest to heal, applaud her for finding the strength to share her experience, and wish her the best in all her future endeavors.
Budden went on to explain that he is now “taking the time to listen and learn”, adding: “We have already begun to make the necessary changes to ensure this is a safe environment for all moving forward. We at the network endeavor to continue to elevate Black women’s voices and create opportunities to have constructive conversations to impact change.”
Dope said that what she experienced on the January 18 episode “was traumatising [and] embarrassing” and that she’s now “decided that I have to actually speak up, because not only was it important for me to walk away from it, it also is important for me to speak up to let others know this probably wouldn’t be the best situation for you to enter into, working with this person.”
Back in August 2020, Budden ended his exclusive deal with Spotify after claiming that his show had been “undermined and undervalued” by the streaming service.
Jake Paul Responds To The Game Calling Him Out To Fight!
Jake Paul is ready to throw hands with The Game.
The west coast rapper tweeted that he wants to shoot the fair one with the YouTube star. In the message, The Game called out Logan and Jake Paul. He said,
“Yerrr, @jakepaul, @LoganPaul…. meet me & my little brother downtown LA in front of staples center and let’s just fight head up fades…. no gloves, no money needed…. just on some me & my brother will f*ck you & your brother up sh*t.” Take a look:
Jake responded on social media and said, “hate it or love it; you would get knocked out.” Jake also warned The Game that he would need his “whole family.”
Logan is currently training to fight Floyd Mayweather. Jake is looking for his next opponent. Last year, Jake violently knocked out former NBA star Nate Robinson and UFC fighter Ben Askren.
Would you want to see Jake and The Game fight?
'Jeopardy!': Anti-Defamation League Weighs in on Hand Gesture Conspiracy!
In late April, Jeopardy! contestant Kelly Donohue came under fire after his hand gesture raised some eyebrows. The hand gesture in question, which involved Donohue placing his thumb and index fingers together while the others were outstretched, had some fans drawing comparisons to a white power symbol. In light of this controversy, several former Jeopardy! contestants penned a letter in which they demanded an apology from the show's producers for airing the moment. Recently, the New York Times published an article in which they shared what the Anti-Defamation League had to say about this controversy.
According to the publication, those aforementioned Jeopardy! contestants reached out directly to the Anti-Defamation League about this matter. In return, the organization's Aaron Ahlquist responded to the group of contestants to say that Donohue's hand gesture did not give them cause for concern. Ahlquist reportedly emailed the group, which published the text of his message, “Thank you for reaching out regarding your concern over a Jeapardy [sic] contestant flashing what you believed to be a white power hand signal. We have reviewed the tape and it looks like he is simply holding up three fingers when they say he is a three-time champion. We do not interpret his hand signal to be indicative of any ideology. However, we are grateful to you for raising your concern, and please do not hesitate to contact us in the future should the need arise.”
As viewers might recall, Donohue flashed this controversial hand gesture in what was supposed to indicate his third win on the show (in his two prior appearances, he flashed his fingers to indicate his first and second wins). It wasn't before long that several Jeopardy! fans took to Twitter to share their anger over his gesture, as they believed that it was similar to one that denotes "wp" or "white power." Shortly after this scandal arose, Donohue did address the matter himself. In a post on Facebook, the former Jeopardy! champion wrote that this was all a misunderstanding and that his gesture was simply meant to indicate his wins on the program.
"I’m truly horrified with what has been posted about me on social media," Donohue wrote. "I absolutely, unequivocally condemn white supremacy and racism of any kind. People who know me personally know that I am not a racist, but for the public at large, it bears repeating: I am not a racist and I reject and condemn white supremacy and all forms of bigotry for the evil they are." He added that it was "shameful" to think that "anyone would try to use the stage of Jeopardy! to advance or promote such a disgusting agenda."
The Supreme Court Has Decided To Hear Case From Mississippi Calling For Roe V. Wade To Be Reevaluated!
The Supreme Court has decided to hear a major abortion case regarding a Mississippi law banning women from most abortions after 15 weeks.
In 2018, Republican Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill in law stating pregnancies after 15 weeks can only be aborted if there is a medical emergency or in cases in which there is a “severe fetal abnormality.” A woman would also still be banned from getting an abortion even if she was raped or the pregnancy happened due to incest. After being blocked in November 2018, it was upheld by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2019.
Right now, the Supreme Court has ruled that states may not ban abortions that happen prior to fetal viability, which is generally around 22 weeks or later, according to CNBC. What Mississippi wants is for the Supreme Court to review the viability standard. Mississippi claims the viability rule is preventing states from defending maternal health and potential life.
“It is well past time for the Court to revisit the wisdom of the viability bright-line rule,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch wrote in a brief that was filed with the justices, CNBC reports. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, an abortion clinic in Mississippi against the law, has called for the court not to take the case. “In an unbroken line of decisions over the last fifty years, this Court has held that the Constitution guarantees each person the right to decide whether to continue a pre-viability pregnancy,” Hillary Schneller, an attorney representing the clinic, wrote in a filing.
Schneller went on to say that Mississippi’s argument was “based on a misunderstanding of the core principle of” previous Supreme Court decisions. She added that “while the State has interests throughout pregnancy, ‘[b]efore viability, the State’s interests are not strong enough to support a prohibition of abortion.'”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
TO THE MOON
You know what, normally I’d bust balls, but it really does feel like we’re on a totally different planet right now, so proceed with your weirdness.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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