Simone Biles for Glamour US June 2021!
Glamour Magazine’s cover fashion story images by photographer Kennedi Carter have infused the gymnastic star with a magnetic, spirited, human-beyond-words presence. I always say that on rare occasions with model or subject and the photographer — all hell breaks loose, and it’s like nobody else is in their universe.
Men — at least cis men — have used sexual magnetism to convince themselves that this photographer-model chemistry exists, when a really good model is just doing her job. Like women faking orgasms, I’m always more interested in the model’s narrative of how the photo shoot went down
In this Glamour US June issue case, both women gave far beyond the capacity they originally brought to the fashion shoot. AOC isn’t clear if the women met before — we did a quick search that came up empty. But given Kennedi Carter’s recognition as a truly gifted human portrait photographer and Biles being among the best athletes in the world — and their shared experiences as women of color excelling beyond all expectations they ever had of themselves — well that recipe for connection beats out 95% of sexual seductions any day. And their gift is all ours to savor and appreciate deeply.
If you watch the video on Glamour, it’s clear that Kennedi Carter and/or Glamour senior visual editor Lauren Brown didn’t just pick a few winning shots. The screen rolls on and on, and the two women are locked in an artistic dance. Biles literally steps out of herself in a totally fabulous way, turning herself over to Carter’s technical and creative mastery. Trust of and genuine like Carter are written all over the gymnast’s face. And her eyes!!! OMG!
AOC never just pulls two-three paragraphs to quote from an article, pasting it in a blog post. We always use interviews to learn more about the person’s life and the cultural dynamic around her. In this case, writing about Simone Biles leaving NIKE for the Gap was on our intention list. And all the crap haters are throwing Biles’ way over her GOAT appliques on her competitive performance clothes is too much. Both those events are in my Simone Biles brain folder.
In fact, this Houston goddess has had quite a day, and we don’t pretend to understand all the details of the story. Posted this evening at 6:45 PM ET by CNN, the headline reads: Brother of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is acquitted of murder charges from 2018 shooting.
In May, the murder trial of Simone Biles’ brother Tevin Biles-Thomas, ended in a mistrial.
The case came before Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Joan Synenberg in a retrial discussion today, Tuesday June 15. The judge granted a Rule 29 motion for judgment of acquittal by the defense for lack of evidence, dismissing Biles-Thomas' murder charges and acquitting him of voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault charges, court spokesperson Darren Toms said.
Biles-Thomas was arrested in 2019 on charges of murder, voluntary manslaughter, felonious assault and perjury in connection with a New Year's Eve fatal shooting in Cleveland. On that night, uninvited guests walked into a house party and a fight ensued. That fight led to the shooting in which multiple people were injured -- two of whom died at the scene and a third who later died at a hospital.
Cleveland police identified Biles-Thomas as the shooter, a charge he has always denied. "This was a horrible tragedy, three families lost three family members and you know, absolutely horrific. So, we understand emotions were running high," Biles-Thomas attorney, Joe Patituce, said."But today, Tevin Biles was vindicated, what he's waited to get for the last two and half years."
Patituce added that Biles-Thomas has maintained his innocence for the last two and a half years "because he is frankly innocent of these charges and today we were able to see that the state had absolutely no evidence that he was guilty of this offense."
Simone Biles has experienced a traumatic family history herself, and is definitely close to her brother. What an incredible gift this day has brought to the world’s greatest gymnast ever.
Biles is now committing feats considered to be impossible for the human body — and she is doing them at an advanced age for a gymnast .In May, at her first competition since COVID began, Simone Biles flawlessly executed the Yurchenko double pike vault — never performed in competition.
Kudos all around for Simone Biles and everything this young woman stands for — especially her commitment to helping other survivors of sexual abuse, for advancing women athletes, and for being willing to take on permanently USA Gymnastics, the governing body of her sport — a system that ignored staggering sexual abuse by team doctors of young women in their care. Biles has been a leader in that ongoing fight.
Derek Chauvin Has Been Sentenced 22.5 Years For The Murder Of George Floyd!
African American man who was a victim of police violence in the United States, killed by Derek Chauvin
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 and a half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, more than one year after Floyd’s death sparked an international movement against police brutality.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, who presided over Chauvin’s murder trial, handed down a sentence of 270 months for charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25, 2020, death. Chauvin received a credit of 199 days served in prison. A jury convicted him of the charges on April 20.
“What the sentence is not based on is emotion or sympathy,” Cahill said. “But at the same time, I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family. I’m not going to attempt to be profound or clever because it’s not the appropriate time. I’m not basing my sentence on public opinion. I’m not basing it on any attempt to send any messages.”
Chauvin faced significant prison time for Floyd’s death. The most serious offense, second-degree murder, carries a penalty of up to 40 years in prison, according to Minnesota law. The other charges, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, can result in imprisonment of up to 25 and 10 years, respectively. Prosecutors wanted 30 years, while Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, asked for probation and time served. Floyd’s family wanted the maximum sentence.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution of Chauvin, said the sentence is “one of the longest a former police officer has ever received for an unlawful use of deadly force."
“It’s difficult to see anybody lose their freedom,” Ellison said after the sentencing. “But seeing someone lose their life through torture [for] over nine and a half minutes is incomparably worse."
In a statement issued after the sentencing, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents Floyd's family, called the sentence "historic" and said it "brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability."
"For once, a police officer who wrongly took the life of a Black man was held to account. While this shouldn’t be exceptional, tragically it is. Day after day, year after year, police kill Black people without consequence. But today, with Chauvin’s sentence, we take a significant step forward — something that was unimaginable a very short time ago."
The Rev. Al Sharpton acknowledged that the sentence "is the longest we've seen," but said it doesn't quite amount to justice.
"Because George Floyd is in a grave tonight, even though Chauvin will be in jail," he said during a news conference. "So let us not feel that we're here to celebrate, because justice would have been George Floyd never having been killed. Justice would have been the maximum. We got more than we thought only because we had been disappointed so many times before. Twenty-two and a half years is longer than we've ever gotten but shorter than what we should have gotten."
Brandon Williams, Floyd's nephew, said at the news conference that the sentence is too light. “I feel that he should have received a life sentence,” Williams said.
Chauvin now has 60 days to appeal his sentence with the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He can also appeal Cahill’s Friday ruling that denied his bid for a new trial.
Chauvin was found guilty of murdering Floyd during an arrest outside the Cup Foods convenience store in Minneapolis. Video taken by a bystander, showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck — depriving him of oxygen — played a key role in helping the jury decide to convict the former officer.
The sentence came after members of Floyd’s family read aloud victim impact statements at Friday's hearing. They included Floyd’s 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, and his brother Terrence.
“I wanted to know from the man himself, why,” Terrence Floyd, who paused at times to gather himself, told the court. “What were you thinking? What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brother’s neck?”
Gianna Floyd said she loves and misses her father and hoped to play with him again.
“We used to have dinner meals every single night before we went to bed,” she said. “My daddy used to help me brush my teeth.”
Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, spoke in support of her son, telling the court that he is not the person he’s been portrayed as since Floyd’s death.
“My son’s identity has been reduced to that [of a] racist,” she said. “I want the court to know that none of these things are true. And that my son is a good man.”
Speaking on behalf of his client, Nelson told the court that Chauvin's "brain is littered with what-ifs."
"What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if, what if what if," Nelson said.
Chauvin declined to give a statement at the hearing, but he did offer his condolences to the Floyd family. “There's going to be some other information in the future that will be of interest, and I hope it will give you some peace of mind,” he said.
His sentencing may mark the end of the state’s case against him, but his three co-defendants are set to stand trial next March on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Additionally, all four former officers were indicted in May by a federal grand jury on charges that they deprived Floyd of his rights under the law during his arrest.
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Shared the Cutest Update on Marc Daly and Brooklyn!
Kenya Moore didn't let Father's Day pass by without taking to Instagram to open up about daughter Brooklyn Daly's dad, Marc Daly. The Real Housewives of Atlanta mom shared a handful of photos of Marc and Brooklyn doing all sorts of father-daughter activities, including going to the zoo, swimming, taking naps together, and sharing giggles.
"Happy Father’s Day Marc! Brookie loves you so much and watching you two together and witnessing the undeniable bond you have makes my heart so full. Thank you for my miracle baby. You will forever be our family and we love you so much!" Kenya wrote on Sunday (June 21).
In February, Marc posted another snapshot of himself with his little girl. Several weeks back, Marc shared an outing with Brooklyn to Instagram and captioned it "Happy Sunday [heart emoji]."
Kenya lives in Atlanta, while Marc lives in NYC, where he works as a restaurateur. Season 13 of RHOA followed the parents' ups and downs after they separated in September 2019 following a little more than two years of marriage.
When Brooklyn isn't busy hanging out with her dad, she's, of course, spending time with her mom, as well as exploring and learning the world around her. "My goal in life is to keep [Brooklyn] happy and empowered so she can be the Queen she is destined to be," Kenya recently wrote on Instagram when she shared a magazine cover that she graced alongside her 2-year-old daughter.
#MusicNews: Elton John Announces His Final North American Tour Dates!
Elton John eagerly announced the final European and North American dates for his postponed 'Farewell, Yellow Brick Road' tour on Wednesday.
Sir John will conclude his touring career in early-2023, but not before making stops at stadiums across America next year, including a two-night stand at Dodgers Stadium commemorating his historic performance there in 1975.
"Hello, all you wonderful fans out there. I’m coming to you today with an announcement I’ve been working towards for, well, all my life: the shows that I announce today will be my
final tour dates ever in North America and Europe. I’m going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I’ve ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career. Whether it’s next summer in Frankfurt or at the legendary Dodger Stadium for the grand finale in the United States, I can’t wait to see you all on the road one last time. This has been an incredible tour so far, full of the most amazing highs, and I look forward to making more wonderful memories with you at these final shows.
To all my friends down under, We’ll be seeing you too. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in your town.”
Get all the North American dates below. For tickets and more information, go to EltonJohn.com.
For fans in the U.S. and Canada, the Amex® Presale begins Wednesday, June 23, at noon local time through Tuesday, June 29, at 10 p.m. local time.
Public on-sales begin Tuesday, June 29, in Europe and Wednesday, June 30, in North America.
Elton John 'Farewell, Yellow Brick Road' The Final North American Tour
Friday, July 15, 2022, Philadelphia, PA, Citizens Bank Park
Monday, July 18, 2022, Detroit, MI, Comerica Park
Saturday, July 23, 2022, East Rutherford, NJ, MetLife Stadium
Thursday, July 28, 2022, Foxboro, MA, Gillette Stadium
Saturday, July 30, 2022, Cleveland, OH, Progressive Field
Friday, August 5, 2022, Chicago, IL, Soldier Field
Wednesday, September 7, 2022 Toronto, ON, Rogers Centre
Saturday, September 10, 2022, Syracuse, NY, Carrier Dome
Friday, September 16, 2022, Pittsburgh, PA, PNC Park
Sunday, September 18, 2022, Charlotte, NC, Bank of America Stadium
Thursday, September 22, 2022 Atlanta, GA, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Saturday, September 24, 2022, Washington, DC, Nationals Park
Friday, September 30, 2022, Arlington, TX, Globe Life Field
Sunday, October 2, 2022, Nashville, TN, Nissan Stadium
Friday, October 21, 2022, Vancouver, BC, BC Place
Saturday, October 29, 2022, San Antonio, TX, Alamodome
Friday, November 4, 2022, Houston, TX, Minute Maid Park
Saturday, November 12, 2022, Phoenix, AZ, Chase Field
Saturday, November 19, 2022, Los Angeles, CA, Dodgers Stadium
Sunday, November 20, 2022, Los Angeles, CA, Dodgers Stadium
#HipHopNews: Logic Announces ‘Ys Collection Vol . 1’ Compilation!
Logic is bringing back Young Sinatra. After returning from retirement, the Maryland rapper is set to release his new compilation, YS Collection Vol. 1, consisting of songs from his decade-old Young Sinatra mixtape series.
“It’s taken us years but we finally cleared songs from over ten years ago for the fans to enjoy!” announced Logic. “Many of you for the first time. The YS Collection is compiled of songs from the Young Sinatra mixtape series. You’ve asked me for years and I’m happy to say it’s finally here!”
Logic’s Young Sinatra mixtape series started with 2011’s Young Sinatra and was followed by 2012’s Young Sinatra: Undeniable and 2013’s Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever. In 2018, he released his 14-track album YSIV.
Last week, he came back from retirement by dropping his “Intro” track, his first official release since his so-called final album No Pressure last July.
YS Collection Vol. 1 arrives Friday, June 25.]
Rudy Giuliani SUSPENDED From Practicing Law In New York Over False Statements About Trump Election Loss!
A New York court on Thursday suspended Rudy Giuliani from practicing law in New York state due to making “false and misleading statements” about the election loss of former President Donald Trump, his client.
The suspension, which takes effect immediately, is a stunning blow to Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who previously served as a top Justice Department official and as the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan.
It also comes as Giuliani is under criminal investigation by that same federal prosecutor’s office in Manhattan in connection with his work in Ukraine.
Giuliani and Trump since last November have made false claims about the legitimacy of the election of President Joe Biden, claiming that Trump was swindled out of a victory only by widespread ballot fraud in key swing states.
Giuliani’s suspension, which was ordered a day short of his 52nd anniversary as a licensed lawyer in New York, was sought by the Attorney Grievance Committee for the First Judicial Department, which encompasses Manhattan. The suspension was granted by the Appellate Division for that same department of state Supreme Court.
The court, in its 33-page suspension order, noted that “interim suspension is a serious remedy, available only in situations where it is immediately necessary to protect the public from” an attorney’s violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
“We conclude that there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump’s failed effort at reelection in 2020,” the order said.
The court also said Giuliani’s “false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent’s narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client.”
“We conclude that respondent’s conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law, pending further proceedings before the Attorney Grievance Committee.”
One of the examples cited by the order was Giuliani’s repeated claim in an effort to discredit election results that “dead people ‘voted’ in Philadelphia.”
Giuliani at various times claimed that 8,021 dead people’s ballots were cast, “while also reporting the number as 30,000.”
“As the anecdotal poster child to prove this point, he repeatedly stated that famous heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier continued to vote years after he was dead and stated on November 7, 2020 ‘he is still voting here,’ ” the order noted.
In fact, the order added, “The public records submitted on this motion unequivocally show that respondent’s statement is false. Public records show that Pennsylvania formally cancelled Mr. Frazier’s eligibility to vote on February 8, 2012, three months after he died.”
Giuliani’s suspension is temporary, pending the outcome of a full formal disciplinary hearing.
His lawyers John Leventhal and Barry Kamins said in a statement, “We are disappointed with the Appellate Division, First Department’s decision suspending Mayor Giuliani prior to being afforded a hearing on the issues that are alleged.”
“This is unprecedented as we believe that our client does not pose a present danger to the public interest,” the statement said. “We believe that once the issues are fully explored at a hearing Mr. Giuliani will be reinstated as a valued member of the legal profession that he has served so well in his many capacities for so many years.”
New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman, (D-Manhattan, who had filed the formal complaint with the Attorney Grievance Committee, said, “I’m glad” about the suspension.
“The profession of law is a sacred and noble one,” Hoylman said in a statement. “And there can be no room in the profession for those who seek to undermine and undo the rule of law as Rudy Giuliani has so flagrantly done.”
#SOUTHFLORIDA Miami-Area Condo Collapses; Many Feared Dead!
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — A wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed with a roar in a town outside Miami early Thursday, killing at least one person while trapping residents in rubble and twisted metal. Rescuers pulled dozens of survivors from the tower during the morning and continued to look for more.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett warned that the death toll was likely to rise, saying the building manager told him the tower was quite full at the time of the collapse around 1:30 a.m., but the exact number of people present was unclear.
“The building is literally pancaked,” Burkett said. “That is heartbreaking because it doesn’t mean to me that we are going to be as successful as we wanted to be in finding people alive.”
About half of the building’s roughly 130 units were affected, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told a news conference. Rescuers pulled at least 35 people from the wreckage by mid-morning, and heavy equipment was being brought in to help stabilize the structure to give them more access, Raide Jadallah of Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue said.
Sally Heyman, of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, told CNN that 51 people were unaccounted for — but that some may not have been in the building at the time of the disaster. The tower has a mix of seasonal and year-round residents, and while the building keeps a log of guests staying, it does not keep track of when owners are in residence, Burkett, the mayor, said.
Earlier, Burkett said two people were brought to the hospital, one of whom died. He added that 15 families walked out of the building on their own.
Work was being done on the building’s roof, but Burkett said he did not see how that could have caused the collapse. Authorities did not said what the cause may be.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said officials were “bracing for some bad news just given the destruction that we’re seeing.”
The collapse, which appeared to affect one leg of the L-shaped tower, tore away walls and left a number of homes in the still-standing part of the building exposed in what looked like a giant dollhouse. Television footage showed bunk beds, tables and chairs still left inside. Air conditioner units were hanging from some parts of the building, where wires now dangled.
Piles of rubble and debris surrounded the area just outside the building, and cars up to two blocks away were coated with with a light layer of dust from the debris.
Barry Cohen, 63, said he and his wife were asleep in the building when he first heard what he thought was a crack of lightning. The couple went onto their balcony, then opened the door to the building’s hallway to find “a pile of rubble and dust and smoke billowing around.”
“I couldn’t walk out past my doorway,” said Cohen, the former vice mayor of Surfside. “A gaping hole of rubble.”
He and his wife made it to the basement and found rising water there. They returned upstairs, screamed for help and were eventually brought to safety by firefighters using a cherry-picker.
Cohen said he raised concerns years ago about whether nearby construction might be causing damage to the building after seeing cracked pavers on the pool deck.
At an evacuation site set up in a nearby community center, people who live in buildings neighboring the collapse gathered after being told to flee. Some wept. Some were still dressed in pajamas. Some children tried to sleep on mats spread on the floor. When a news conference about the collapse appeared on the TV, the room went silent.
Jennifer Carr was asleep in a neighboring building when she was awakened by a loud boom and her room shook. She thought it was a thunderstorm but checked the weather app on her phone and saw none. The building’s fire alarms went off, and she and her family went outside and saw the collapse.
“It was devastation,” Carr said. “People were running and screaming.”
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said in a tweet that more than 80 units were “on scene with assistance from municipal fire departments.”
Teams of firefighters walked through the rubble, picking up survivors and carrying them from the wreckage.
Nicolas Fernandez was waiting early Thursday for word on close family friends who lived in the collapsed section of the building.
“Since it happened, I’ve been calling them nonstop, just trying to ring their cellphones as much as we can to hep the rescue to see if they can hear the cellphones.”
The seaside condo development was built in 1981 in the southeast corner of Surfside. It had a few two-bedroom units currently on the market, with asking prices of $600,000 to $700,000.
The area has a mix of new and old apartments, houses, condominiums and hotels, with restaurants and stores serving an international combination of residents and tourists. The community provides a stark contrast from bustle and glitz of nearby South Beach with a slower-paced neighborhood feel.
Patricia Avilez considered spending the night in her brother-in-law’s vacant condo on Wednesday but didn’t — only to awake to news of the collapse.
“And then I came here, and it’s gone,” she said. “Everything is disaster.”
Britney Spears Asks Judge To End Conservatorship In Explosive Court Hearing!
Britney Spears broke her silence in her 13-year conservatorship battle, telling the judge that she wants the legal arrangement to end once and for all.
On Wednesday afternoon (June 23), the pop titan made a virtual court appearance, telling Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny, "I want to end the conservatorship without being evaluated. In the meantime I want this therapist to come to my home… I'm not willing to go to Westlake and be embarrassed by all these paparazzi."
"I haven’t done anything in the world to deserve this treatment. It’s not OK to force me to do anything I don’t want to do," she continued in her address.
As for why she didn't speak up publically, Spears said that she felt like no one would believe her. "I haven’t been back to court in a long time because I don’t feel like I was heard on any level," she told the court. She went on to admit that she's been traumatized by her father, Jamie Spears, and the control that he's had over her. "I've told the world I'm happy and OK," the singer said, adding. "I'm traumatized. I'm not happy, I can't sleep."
Additionally, she detailed how the conservatorship has extended to her own body, admitting that she was not allowed to take her IUD out. "I wanna be able to get married and have a baby," she said. She also said she is not allowed to see her friends, have her boyfriend, Sam Asghari, drive her or own even start a family under the legal entanglement.
Back in April, the pop titan's probate attorney in the case, Samuel Ingham III, asked the court to set today's date "on an expedited basis," for when the star would address the court. "Britney wants to address the court directly," Ingham said, adding that she would like it to happen within the next month. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny responded to the request and scheduled a hearing to allow her to speak on the "status of the conservatorship."
Elsewhere in the month, her mother, Lynne Spears, voiced concern with how Jamie Spears was spending money from their superstar daughter's estate amid her battle for freedom. In court documents, Lynne, 65, objected to the four-month fee of $890,000 that was spent by Jamie's law firm, Holland & Knight, arguing that the fees requested by his attorneys were "procedurally and substantively improper." Additionally, Lynne claimed that the firm's services were not "performed in good faith for the benefit" of their daughter. She also asked the court to review the costs and requested at least $224,000 be "immediately repaid" to Britney's estate.
Spears has backed the #FreeBritney movement via Ingham, where she previously announced that she welcomes the informed consent of her fans. The controversy prompted the February airing of the Framing Britney Spears documentary, which highlighted the unusual legal entanglement.
Sharon Stone ranted about Meryl Streep's career after shutting down interviewer: 'there are other actresses equally as talented'!
Sharon Stone shared some candid thoughts about Meryl Streep's acclaimed career during a recent interview with Zoomer magazine.
Stone was profiled by the publication last month following the release of her recent memoir, "The Beauty of Living Twice."
During the sit-down, the interviewer cited a passage from the memoir in which Stone wrote about how Hollywood forces women to compete for jobs and then began to ask the "Basic Instinct" actor what it had been like to "finally" work with Streep on Steven Soderbergh 2019 film "The Laundromat."
But before the reporter finished the question, Stone interjected and took issue with the question.
"I like the way you phrase that, that I finally got to work with Meryl Streep," Stone said. "You didn't say, 'Meryl finally got to work with Sharon Stone.' Or we finally got to work together. Because that's the way her life went, she got built up to be, 'Everyone wants to work with Meryl.' I wonder if she likes that?"
"The way you structured the question is very much the answer to the question," Stone continued. "The business was set up that we should all envy and admire Meryl because only Meryl got to be the good one. And everyone should compete against Meryl. I think Meryl is an amazingly wonderful woman and actress. But in my opinion, quite frankly, there are other actresses equally as talented as Meryl Streep."
She added that "the whole Meryl Streep iconography is part of what Hollywood does to women."
Sharon Stone won an Oscar for her performance in "Casino." Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Stone then continued to name a collection of actors that she believes are just as talented as Streep.
"Viola Davis is every bit the actress Meryl Streep is," she said. "Emma Thompson. Judy Davis. Olivia Colman. Kate Winslet, for f---'s sake. But you say Meryl and everybody falls on the floor."
She added that she believes she is a "much better villain than Meryl."
"Meryl was not gonna be good in 'Basic Instinct' or in 'Casino,'" Stone said. "I would be better. And I know it. And she knows it. But we're all set up to think that only Meryl is so amazing that when you say her name it must have been amazing for me to work with her."
Stone's comments on Streep began to recirculate online and started trending on Tuesday — Meryl Streep's birthday — after a Twitter fan account shared an extract of the interview. Naturally, many people had thoughts.
R. Kelly Transferred To Same NYC Jail As Ghislaine Maxwell Ahead Of Trial!
Disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly has been moved to the notorious Brooklyn jail that is also holding accused madam Ghislaine Maxwell, while he awaits trial in federal court on sex-trafficking and racketeering charges, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
Kelly was moved to the Metropolitan Detention Center from a federal lockup in Chicago, according to the Bureau of Prisons’ website, which provides information about where inmates are being detained.
The MDC in Sunset Park has long been criticized by detainees, attorneys and even a senior federal judge for horrific conditions suffered by prisoners in the jail.
On Wednesday, the family of a former inmate who died in the jail after being pepper-sprayed by guards filed suit against the US government and unnamed guards, claiming they did nothing as he “slowly died” in June 2020.
The suit claims the guards sprayed so much of the substance at inmate Jamel Floyd that a cloud formed and spread, causing him to collapse and his heart to fail.
Maxwell, one of the most high-profile prisoners at the jail, has detailed unsanitary conditions at the lockup in a number of letters to a federal judge while she awaits trial for allegedly procuring underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to abuse.
In her most recent missive, Maxwell’s attorney wrote that raw sewage “permeated” her cell and “vermin droppings fell from the air vents.”
Maxwell has also claimed she’s been abused by a guard during a pat-down search and is subjected to sleep deprivation by guards who shine a flashlight into her cell every 15 minutes throughout the night.
Manhattan federal Judge Colleen McMahon also recently blasted conditions at the jail during a sentencing of a drug dealer.
McMahon said both the MDC and a similar federal lockup in Manhattan were “run by morons” and vowed to try to bring attention to the conditions.
“[T]here is no excuse for the conditions in those two institutions. … [Detainees]
shouldn’t suffer for the incompetence of the United States Department of Justice
and its subsidiary agency, the Bureau of Prisons,” McMahon said at the sentencing of convicted drug dealer Tiffany Days.
Kelly, who was arrested in the summer of 2019, will face trial in Brooklyn on Aug. 9 on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering for allegedly running a scheme to recruit underage girls to engage in sex acts with him.
Mary J. Blige Admits It Was ‘Painful’ Reliving Her Childhood In New Documentary!
Mary J. Blige found it “painful” to revisit the dark moments of her childhood for a new documentary.
The 50-year-old singer has recalled significant moments in her childhood for “Mary J. Blige: My Life,” and she admits it’s been a “heavy” experience.
She shared: “To go back and actually show them where the pain came from, it was heavy, but it was nothing because those are my fans.
“In order to do a ‘My Life’ documentary, you have to go back and show people what happened, you know? Why it happened and where did all this pain come from.”
The award-winning star — whose childhood experiences inspired her 1994 album My Life — was determined to be open and honest with her fans in the documentary.
However, she confessed that it was tough to relive some of her darkest moments.
Blige told “Entertainment Tonight”: “That was painful because the most painful part is, ‘Why so much stuff, so much stuff had to happen to a little girl?’ But that happens, you know? Little girls aren’t safe. Little boys aren’t safe.”
The chart-topping star has also discussed her mother’s pain during those years.
She said: “Just speaking about all of that and how my mother was single and she was trying to raise us and she was being hurt. And she was in pain. And we all was in pain, but we were trying to survive without everyone knowing we were in pain.”
Blige has managed to transform her life through her music career and, looking back on her journey, she can barely believe what’s she managed to achieve.
She shared: “It’s just beautiful. It’s amazing. It’s humbling, and for me, it’s just a responsibility ’cause, you know, I got something right.
“I’m just grateful. I’m so grateful that people love me like that. I never thought I would ever touch people.”
U.S. Software Mogul John Mcafee Dies By Hanging In Spanish Prison, Lawyer Says!
U.S. technology entrepreneur John McAfee hanged himself in his prison cell on Wednesday after the Spanish high court authorised his extradition to the United States on tax evasion charges, his lawyer told Reuters.
Known for his eccentric behaviour, McAfee, 75, was a pioneer of anti-virus software, introducing his eponymous program in the 1980s. He had been indicted in Tennessee on tax evasion charges. He also was charged in a cryptocurrency fraud case in New York.
McAfee was arrested in the Barcelona airport then jailed there in October. Prison authorities were investigating the cause of death.
Spain's high court agreed to extradite McAfee to the United States, a court document released on Wednesday said. The provincial justice department confirmed that a U.S. man aged 75 was found dead in his cell on Wednesday.
McAfee still had opportunities to appeal his conviction but could not stand more time in jail, the lawyer Javier Villalba said. "This is the result of a cruel system that had no reason to keep this man in jail for so long," Villalba said.
During a court hearing last month, McAfee said that given his age, he would spend the rest of his life in jail if he were to be convicted in the United States. "I am hoping that the Spanish court will see the injustice of this," he said, adding "the United States wants to use me as an example."
McAfee, who sold his software company to Intel in 2011 and no longer had any involvement in the business, lived a colourful life.
He said in 2019 that he had not paid U.S. income taxes for eight years for ideological reasons. That year, he left the United States to avoid trial, largely living on a megayacht with his wife, four large dogs, two security guards and seven staff.
He offered to help Cuba avoid a U.S. trade embargo using cryptocurrency and sought to run for U.S. president for the Libertarian Party.
McAfee, who said in 2018 that he had fathered at least 47 children, lived in Belize for several years. He fled after police sought him for questioning in the 2012 murder of a neighbour. He had a million followers on Twitter.
He met his wife, Janice McAfee, when she solicited him as a prostitute while he was on the run, he said.
Janice McAfee said in a post on Twitter on Sunday, Father's Day: "Now the U.S. authorities are determined to have John die in prison to make an example of him for speaking out against the corruption within their government agencies... There is no hope of him ever having a fair trial in America."
Tamir Rice’s Mom Blasts Shaun King, Calls Him ‘A White Man Acting Black’!
Tamir Rice‘s mother used no uncertain terms when addressing Shaun King in a recent social media post that called him out for sharing the details of a recent conversation they had.
Samaria Rice, mother of a 12-year-old boy gunned down in 2014 by police in Cleveland within seconds of seeing him — is already an outspoken critic of social justice activists who she says are “chasing clout.” She doubled down on that sentiment on Tuesday by putting King on blast in an Instagram that questioned everything from his integrity to his race in response to the activist and journalist publishing an episode of his podcast that apparently included too much information for her liking.
She began the post with a simple question — “Why do you think it’s so important to tell folks we had a conversation? — before going on to say that King is trying to attract attention to himself instead of the social justice causes he purports to cares so much for.
Referring to reports that King allegedly embezzled thousands of dollars by exploiting her son’s name, Samaria Rice also revived criticism of King’s fundraising practices that came under fire when a 2015 Washington Post article couldn’t account for $60,000 in online donations.
“Personally I don’t understand how you sleep at night,” Samaria Rice added. “I never gave you permission to raise nothing.”
She went on to say her “cop and donut conversation” with King included “all lies” from him.
“Please stop thinking we’re on the same page,” Rice wrote. “As a white man acting black you are an imposter that can not be trusted.”
After repeating her plea for the Department of Justice to reopen an investigation into Tamir Rice’s murder, she punctuated her post by writing: “You are a selfish self centered person and God will deal with you White man.”
The episode in question, posted on King’s website on Tuesday, appears to be deactivated and was not listed among the previous “Breakdown with Shaun King” podcast installments, all of which were still active.
Samaria Rice in March offered some scathing criticism of several high-profile social justice activists, calling them “ambulance chasers” and publicly accusing them of exploiting controversial killings of Black people for financial gain. Also in March, Rice and Lisa Simpson, the mother of Richard Risher, a teenager killed by police officers in Los Angeles, called out King and other social justice activists in an open letter for not giving them “anything substantial for using our loved ones’ images and names on their flyers.”
And just last month, Rice made it a point to say that she had never met King.
“I ain’t never talked to Shaun King a day in my life,” she said in an interview with New York magazine. Shaun King raised all that money [for Tamir] and sent me a $60,000 check. I ain’t know Shaun King from a hole in the wall.”
The allegations that King was lining his pockets at the expense of Black death have dogged him for years.
In 2019, King, in the name of transparency, released a fundraising report that he said showed “every single penny I’ve raised since” the Black Lives Matter movement took off following Michael Brown‘s police killing in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
In response to King’s report, DeRay Mckesson — who once worked closely with King before they had an epic falling out that played out on Twitter years ago — implied King stole money from an organization called Justice Together.
“To date, it is not clear that Shaun filed the appropriate taxes for Justice Together, as there is no 990 form available for public review from the IRS website,” Mckesson wrote.
The families of Nia Wilson, Philando Castile, Terence Crutcher and multiple other people killed in recent years, however, vouched for King. The family of Botham Jean has also had nothing but glowing words for King.
Khloe Kardashian Lashes Out Over Latest Tristan Thompson Cheating Claims!
Over the weekend Khloe Kardashian's on-again off-again boyfriend / baby daddy NBA player Tristan Thompson was caught cheating again for the umpteenth time [click here if you missed that].
Khloe was NOT amused...
Tristan was rumored to have been seen exiting a bedroom with three women and one man, looking quite dishevled, at a party thrown by Internet influencer Tana Mongeau. Khloé made her feelings known after 'liking' a post going off on Tana for confirming Tristan was indeed at her party.
Father Of Pharrell Williams' Slain Cousin Files Suit After Virginia Beach Police Shooting!
The father of Donovon Lynch, the slain cousin of Grammy-winning producer and musician Pharrell Williams, has filed a federal lawsuit, saying that his son was innocent and posed no threat when he was fatally shot by a Virginia Beach police officer.
Lynch, 25, was killed in March following a chaotic night of shootings at the oceanfront. At the time of his death, police were investigating three shootings in the area.
Lynch's father said in a lawsuit filed Monday that his son was not involved in the violence but was "unlawfully" shot twice and killed by Officer Solomon Simmons.
According to the suit, Lynch was at a restaurant with a friend when gunfire rang out around 11:20 p.m. ET March 26. Lynch and his friend decided to leave and were walking toward their cars when they encountered Simmons.
"Immediately, unlawfully, and without warning, Officer Simmons fired his police-issued firearm at Mr. Lynch, shooting him twice and killing him," the lawsuit says. "At all relevant times, Mr. Lynch was not speaking or acting in a manner that would suggest that he posed any threat, let alone a deadly threat, to Officer Simmons or anyone else."
Lynch was not a suspect in the incident Simmons was responding to, according to the suit, which alleges the officer failed to identify himself as law enforcement and did not take the time to learn Lynch's identity.
It further states that the "shooting was motivated at least in part by Mr. Lynch’s race as a Black man."
The lawsuit names Simmons and the City of Virginia Beach as defendants. Simmons could not be reached Tuesday at phone numbers listed for him. A city attorney said they were made aware of the filing on Monday but have not yet been served, so they could not comment on the lawsuit.
Virginia Beach police have not publicly identified the officer who shot and killed Lynch, and the department did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Police released a statement in March and said that the involved officer, as well as an officer who witnessed the incident, reported that Lynch was "brandishing a handgun at the time of the shooting."
"It was recovered at the scene," police said. "An independent witness affirmed that Mr. Lynch had been in possession of a handgun earlier on the evening of March 26, 2021."
The department also released a photo of the firearm it says belonged to Lynch that was recovered at the scene.
Police declined to comment on what led up to the shooting, saying that it is a part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, which is conducting a separate investigation into the shooting.
The officer who shot Lynch was placed on administrative assignment pending the outcome of the investigation, a standard procedure, police said.
The lawsuit does not mention if Lynch was in possession of a firearm that night. His family said at an April press conference that they wanted police to publicly retract the word brandishing from its account of what happened.
According to the family's attorney, Lynch owned a security business and had a license to carry a firearm. He was known to carry his gun in his pants pocket, the attorney said.
"We've made repeated requests to have some things removed from their statement that they fabricated, and it's not been done," Lynch's father, Wayne, said at the press conference.
The family is seeking damages and is calling for a federal investigation into the shooting.
Shortly after the incident, Williams posted about it on Instagram.
"Thank you God for my 48th lap around the Sun," he wrote. "This one is symbolic and a first because I had to speak at my cousin’s funeral, and was choked up with emotions. Too many unanswered City and State questions. Respectfully, I am calling for a Federal investigation. I also humbly ask that you all keep the family in prayer. His name is Donovon Wayne Lynch."
The post has been deleted
Track Star Allyson Felix Launches Her Own Shoe Brand After Breaking Up With Nike!
After breaking up with Nike in 2019 and landing a sponsorship deal with Gap’s Athleta brand, track and field star Allyson Felix is launching her very own shoe business.
On Wednesday, Felix debuted Saysh, a lifestyle brand that is designed with women in mind.
Saysh’s first product, the Saysh One sneaker, retails for $150 and is currently available for preorder.
After breaking up with Nike in 2019 and landing a sponsorship deal with Gap’s Athleta, the brand’s first, track and field star Allyson Felix is launching her own shoe business.
On Wednesday, Felix debuted Saysh, which she pitches as a lifestyle brand designed with women in mind. Saysh’s first product, the Saysh One sneaker, retails for $150 and is currently available for preorder in three colors. Other products are in the works, according to the company’s website.
Customers are also able to buy membership to the “Saysh Collective,” which comes with workout videos and occasional interactions with Felix. An annual membership costs $150, while a monthly pass goes for $10.
The announcement comes after Felix finished second in the 400 meter at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials this past weekend, clinching her spot in the Tokyo Olympics. Felix is the most decorated female track and field star in U.S. history.
Time first reported on Felix’s shoe launch. In an interview with the magazine, Felix said the women’s footwear market is underserved, and that the mentality has often been to “shrink it and pink it.”
“It’s really about meeting women where they are,” Felix said. “It’s for that woman who has been overlooked, or feels like their voice hasn’t been heard.”
Felix departed a deal with Nike in 2019 after she said the company wanted to pay her 70% less following her pregnancy. She has since been invested in raising awareness around health-care inequities facing Black mothers.
Felix serves as Saysh president, while her brother and business partner Wes holds the CEO title. The company has raised $3 million in seed money from a broad range of venture investors, according to Time.
Athleta, where Felix has a multiyear sponsorship deal to design clothing, will begin to carry the shoes in the fall.
The Isley Brothers To Have 2 New Jersey Streets Renamed In Their Honor!
The legendary Isley Brothers will be celebrated on Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Teaneck and Englewood, New Jersey. The Township of Teaneck and the City of Englewood are paying homage to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees by renaming a street in the area they both share. The cities are located within two miles of each other and were pivotal starts of The Isley Brothers’ 60-plus-year career as various brothers lived in both cities early on in their musical journey.
The naming ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Van Cortland Terrace and Van Arsdale Place in Teaneck and at 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Liberty Road and Greenleaf Avenue in Englewood. Surviving members of the group, Ronald and Ernie Isley, will be in attendance for the honors and also will be presented keys to the city by Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes and the Englewood City Council.
“I’m truly grateful and humbled that Teaneck and Englewood, two cities that are so near and dear to me, have chosen to honor the Isley Brothers in this way. This is something very special to Ernie, me and the whole Isley family, and something we don’t take for granted,” Ron Isley told Northjersey.com.
In 1964, The Isley Brothers launched their own label called T-Neck Records, which paid tribute to their roots. “People around the world know about Teaneck, by way of the Isley Brothers. We were selling millions of records with that label,” Ernie Isley added. “Later on, I heard that some of the kids in Teaneck used to peel the T-Neck label off the records and put it in their notebooks or cut it out from the albums and have it hanging in their rooms.”
After receiving their honors, The Isley Brothers can be seen later that evening performing some of their classics and their new single, “Friends & Family,” on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” The Isley Brothers released the new single in April with Snoop Dogg following their Verzuz celebration with fellow R&B legends Earth, Wind & Fire.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘WHEN FLEXING MUSCLES IS A WALMART THING’
Just Walmart FlexingWell, I can’t blame them. If I had muscles like that I will flex wherever I want, even if it’s in Walmart.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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