Jennifer Hudson for Sunday Life - 8th August 2021!
With just 3400 seats, the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana, was compact enough that even a person in the back row had a pretty amazing view of Aretha Franklin, who sang there many times over the course of her long career.
Sure, for a woman who’d performed at prestige venues such as Radio City Music Hall, the White House and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, it was a fairly low-key gig. But not, in 2004, for a relatively raw young singer named Jennifer Hudson, who was booked to open for the Queen of Soul.
This was in the aftermath of Jennifer’s success on American Idol – the talent show’s third season, in which she had placed seventh – and a year before she landed the part of Effie White in the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, alongside Beyoncé Knowles.
When the legend and the ingénue met backstage at the Star Plaza there was, understandably, some measure of deference. Aretha expected to be referred to as “Miss Franklin”, and it was a courtesy Jennifer retained in every one of their subsequent meetings.
Thinking back to that encounter, Jennifer says, “It wasn’t so much the conversation, because it wasn’t much of a conversation, but the opportunity that she had given me to be backstage, so close to the stage, watching Aretha Franklin perform and knowing that I got to be a part of the show.
“At that point, you’re like, ‘Wait a minute, you know I exist?’ For her to know my name and then to give me an opportunity like that, I think that’s like every dreamer’s dream, artist’s dream, singer’s dream,” Jennifer says. “All of us hold her in very high regard as a musician, so to be acknowledged by her at a time like that, it was a wow moment for me.”
It would be some 15 years until the pair met again, this time because Aretha had decided that she wanted Jennifer to play her in what was then just the grain of an idea for a biopic. “We sat down, we had some breakfast, and I was terrified, like, oh my god, this is Aretha Franklin,” Jennifer says. “We talked about – not the concept, because there was no script at the time – but vision.”
By the time of this second meeting, though, the little girl had grown up.
In 2006, she’d won an Oscar and a Bafta for best supporting actress for her work in Dreamgirls. Her debut studio album, Jennifer Hudson, had snared her a Grammy in 2009. She’d performed Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah for Pope Francis in 2015. And, somewhere in the middle of all of that, she’d played Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant Louise, a small but resonant role, in the Sex and the City movie. Best of all, she’d done all this while somehow keeping her private life relatively private.
Now wheels were being set in motion that would bring Jennifer into focus as Miss Franklin in the film Respect, directed by Liesl Tommy and written by Tracey Scott Wilson.
It’s these same wheels that bring Sunday Life to an unremarkable stadium in Duluth, Georgia, where Jennifer is re-creating one of Aretha’s best-remembered performances of the song Respect, and a famous meeting with Dr Martin Luther King jnr.
The scale of the production is stunning. And Jennifer’s evocation of a musical legend for whom, until now, there has been no worthy copy, is equally breathtaking. As she walks into a backstage dressing room, everyone she passes tries not to double-take. Even with the studio lights off, Miss Hudson’s channelling of Miss Franklin’s presence is palpable.
In some ways this is a role Jennifer was born to play. Though many of the specific details of their individual lives are very different, they share some powerful touchstones. Both were raised in Baptist families – Aretha in Detroit, Jennifer in Chicago – and both came to singing through church. Jennifer acknowledges their common background in gospel music. “We’re both singers who became well known for that. So in that way, it’s familiar or similar, but everyone has their own track, their own story, I guess.”
The film itself is a detailed study of Aretha’s life. At the same time, some of the most moving scenes are not of its stars but of the women, black and white, who bore witness to the Queen of Soul’s success. In Respect they’re often seen mouthing the words to her songs, an almost-mime which demonstrates Aretha’s enduring impact.
Jennifer is fully aware of the title song’s context in 1960s America. “Respect, it’s a song, right, and okay, this woman is talented and I love this song. But when you go back and look at what was going on, who would ever have thought that a woman could stand up and demand respect back then? You barely had a voice.
“It gives the role that much more power, knowing what you were representing, knowing what you were singing through. Because now you get to understand where the material came from, what it represented, what the message was, and why it was so impactful that Respect came from
a woman during a time like that.
“We barely had rights. You could barely have a voice or take up space in the room. It gives the song its meaning when you know what was going on, because this woman stepped up and had a voice which became the voice of women, the anthem of women, and of people. Of all the oppressed.”
“I do what I do because I love it, and I’ve never tried to think about the accolades, or the attention. But it’s a very true perspective of fame.”
Jennifer first stepped onto the stage as a young girl, singing in her church choir, encouraged by her grandmother and her mother, Darnell. In 2004, her star soared as one of the contestants on the third season of American Idol, and while she didn’t win, she became one of the show’s most successful alumni along with Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.
The speed with which Jennifer achieved such significant fame serves to remind her of its fragile, ephemeral nature. This is reflected in a line in the film: “You stop for five minutes and they forget all about you,” Aretha says.
“That’s the nature of the business,” says Jennifer. “I do what I do because I love it, and I’ve never tried to think about the accolades, or the attention. But it’s a very true perspective of fame.”
But equally, Jennifer adds, had she not been eliminated in the final rounds of American Idol back in 2004, she would not have stepped onto the set of Dreamgirls and had the opportunity to fine-tune her craft alongside Beyoncé, Anika Noni Rose and Sharon Leal.
“I think the girl on the Idol stage could not be the girl that’s here today,” says Jennifer, who was 22 at the time. “I don’t think I would have been able to do it if I’d had this opportunity back then. I feel like everything prepares you for the next thing.
“Everything – the stage experiences, the life experiences, having that dream to draw from, to stand on – it gave me the strength and the courage. I would tell myself, ‘If I can get through Idol, I can get through anything.’ ”
“Music is so powerful – it’s soul-changing, it can be therapy, just hearing a song can take you back to places.”
These would prove to be portentous words. In 2008, Jennifer’s mother Darnell, brother Jason and nephew Julian were killed by her brother-in-law. In response, Jennifer and her sister Julia created the Hudson-King Foundation, for families of murder victims, and the Julian D. King Gift Foundation, in her nephew’s name, which donates Christmas presents and educational supplies to families in Chicago.
“It’s a matter of how you deal with it,” Jennifer told The Guardian in 2019. “When you experience trauma, it comes and goes. It’s always there. To live in a way that honours them is what presses you forward.”
In the here and now, Jennifer’s happiest place is a very solitary space, sitting at the piano. It is also where she feels closest to Aretha. In the film we see glimpses of those moments in flashback to her childhood where, amid the turbulence of her home life, the future Queen of Soul found consistency and clarity of purpose.
‘I was successful, rich and terribly unhappy’: Natalie Imbruglia on life after Torn
“I feel as though Aretha expressed herself mostly through song, so I feel like that’s when she’s most vulnerable and honest and open, when she’s on the stage singing,” says Jennifer. “That’s when she expresses herself.”
Speaking about the experience of standing alone on stage, in front an audience, Jennifer says, “It’s so intimate and it’s so open, at least for me. Music is so powerful – it’s soul-changing, it can be therapy, just hearing a song can take you back to places.
“That’s what touched me so much in the scenes where her mother came to visit her, because I had so many moments like that with my mom and family. It spoke to me. And I imagine maybe it was a similar thing for her as well.”
Respect opens in Theaters Friday!
#RHOA’: What Kenya Moore Is Asking for in Her Divorce From Marc Daly!
After a lengthy separation and failed attempts at reconciliation, it appears the marriage between Kenya Moore and Marc Daly is finally over. The Real Housewives of Atlanta star announced their separation in 2019 ahead of the Season 12 premiere. Viewers remember watching their union crumble and were shocked by Daly’s treatment and verbal abuse toward his wife.
Despite such, Moore was hopeful they could work things out. But now, new divorce documents have surfaced and the two are battling it out over child custody and finances.
Radar Online reports that Moore filed for divorce in May 2021. Per the court documents, Moore lists their date of separation as September 19, 2019, and says they have lived in a “bonafide state of separation since that date.”
Moore states the marriage is “irretrievably broken” and there’s no chance of reconiliation. She’s made several attempts to repair her marriage but says Daly constantly flip flops on whether he wants the relationship.
For Moore, the biggest priority is their daughter Brooklyn. She opened up during Season 13 about being the primary parent of Brooklyn. Daly lives full-time in New York where he owns and operates a restaurant. Brooklyn lives with Moore in Georgia. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Moore says Daly has only seen Brooklyn a handful of times.
She’s requesting full physical and legal custody of Brooklyn. Moore’s lawyers requested an emergency hearing in May to address custody, writing: “To date, there are various issues impacting the care, safety and well-being of the minor child that could be continuously impacted if not addressed at least on a ‘Temporary’ basis. Without assistance and direction for this Honorable Court, it is our belief that the un- resolved matters as to the minor child will continue, and could become irreparable.”
Marc Daly is not fighting Moore for physical custody of Brooklyn, However, he does request joint legal custody. The request is not shocking for fans.
Moore has been open about Daly wanting a certain level of control and say in how Brooklyn is raised. Daly specifically does not want Brooklyn to appear on RHOA in any capacity. Brooklyn did not make any on-camera appearances in Season 13. Moore explained at the reunion special that it was due to Daly’s demand that Brooklyn not appear on the show.
The two recently reunited with Brooklyn in June for a Father’s Day vacation in the Bahamas. Moore told fans on an Instagram live stream that they were not back together but it’s important for them to remain cordial and participate in some level of family activities for the sake of Brooklyn.
Moore and Daly do not have a prenuptial agreement. Per Moore’s request, her attorney states “the parties have acquired other joint personal property as a result of their marriage by way of gifts or joint purchases which must be equitably divided as well as martial debt which must be equitably divided.”
Daly is also asking for the court to award him his “separate real and personal property.” But he wants a bid in their marital home. Moore built her Georgia mansion on the show, which she affectionately calls “Moore Manor.” Daly lists his marital property as Moore’s home and is requesting “equitable division of the parties’ martial residence.” He also wants Moore to pay his legal fees.
#MusicNews: Anthony Hamilton Says 'Love Is the New Black' His First Album In 5 Years!
Jennifer Hudson, Rick Ross and Lil Jon guest on the Grammy winner’s new album out Sept. 24
Grammy-winning artist Anthony Hamilton is coming back with his first new studio album in five years — and the first on his own My Music Box label in partnership with BMG. Billboard can exclusively reveal that the singer-songwriter’s Love is the New Black, his 10th album overall, will arrive on Sept. 24.
Love is the New Black features guest appearances by Jennifer Hudson, Rick Ross and Lil Jon (see track list below). Rounding out the 14-song set are other resonating tracks such as the confessional “Mercy” and the George Floyd-inspired “Mama Don’t Cry.” Jermaine Dupri, 9th Wonder, Bink!, Wu10 & Cardiak and 1500 or Nothin’ are among the producers on board.
The album also includes Hamilton’s latest single “You Made a Fool of Me” (a No. 9 peak on Adult R&B), which showcases his trademark, church-honed soulful vocals. Its video, directed by Terrence Crowley, marks the return of Charlene, the titular love interest in Hamilton’s 2004 crossover hit on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (No. 3) and Hot 100 (No. 19).
In a statement announcing his new release, Hamilton notes in part that he created the project because “I wanted this album to feel like what was missing throughout the pandemic. This is the restoration. We’re making this thing called life, sexy, beautiful and powerful again.”
Commenting to Billboard, Hamilton adds, “This album is long awaited and inspired by my love for love. Making music that sticks to the gut and gives you a reason to yearn for life — it's all I've ever wanted to give."
A 17-time Grammy nominee, Hamilton’s last album was 2016’s What I’m Feelin’, which ascended to No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 15 on the Billboard 200. The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductee recently starred as Kyle Kirby in the feature film Carl Weber's Influence, now streaming on BET+.
Love is the New Black is now available for pre-order HERE.
Following is the complete track list:
1. Love is the New Black
2. Threw It All Away
3. Real Love feat. Rick Ross
4. I’m Ready feat. Lil Jon
5. White Hennessy
6. Coming Home
7. You Made a Fool of Me
8. I Thought We Were in Love
9. Superstar duet with Jennifer Hudson
10. Pillows
11. I’m Sorry
12. Mercy
13. Safe
14. Mama Don’t Cry
#HipHopNews: Dababy Deletes His Instagram Apology For Homophobic Rant!
DaBaby faced an onslaught of criticism after comments he made during his Rolling Loud Miami set on July 25 were perceived to be homophobic and sexist. Although he issued two apologies for the inflammatory commentary, he kept getting dropped from music festivals left and right as the outrage continued.
But apparently, the Grammy Award-nominated rapper has deleted his most recent Instagram apology in which he expressed remorse for his “hurtful and triggering” remarks.
On Sunday (August 8), social media users noticed it had disappeared completely from his page. The statement originally read in part, “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate and learn from your mistakes.
“As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me – knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance – has been challenging.”
When the controversy bubbled up, DaBaby took a rather defiant stance in an attempt to defend himself, which did little to help his case.
“I wasn’t going on no rant — that’s called a call-to-action,” he said on July 26. “That’s what that’s called because I’m a live performer. I’m the best live performer … you interact with your fans, you get what I’m sayin? Look. All the lights went up — gay or straight. You wanna know why? ‘Cause even my gay fans don’t have fuckin’ AIDS, stupid ass n-ggas.”
As celebrities such as Madonna, Elton John, Questlove and his “Levitating” collaborator Dua Lipa grew increasingly vocal about their disapproval, DaBaby’s tone seemed to shift as he attempted to do damage control.
Despite DaBaby’s efforts, he was still dropped from Lollapalooza 2021, Day N Vegas, the Governor’s Ball and his headlining gig at Denver’s Summer Jam, which was canceled altogether.
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘The Suicide Squad’ Opens to Lowly $26.5M as Moviegoers Stay Home Amid Delta Variant!
James Gunn's antihero pic came in behind expectations as COVID-19 cases once again rise in the U.S. The film also debuted on HBO Max so that fans could watch it in the comfort of their own homes.
The box office recovery took another hit as Warner Bros. and DC’s critical darling The Suicide Squad opened to a less-than-expected $26.5 million from 4,002 North American theaters amid challenges posed by the Delta variant and a hybrid theatrical-home launch.
The movie could claim one victory: it scored the top North American opening of the pandemic-era for an R-rated title.
Overseas — where COVID-19 is likewise on the rise in a number of territories — The Suicide Squad collected a muted $35 million from 71 markets for a foreign tally of $45.7 million and global take of $72.2 million.
Heading into the weekend, Warners was predicting a $30 million start in North American theaters. The film was made available simultaneously on HBO Max, a practice that many box office pundits say hurts theatrical releases.
The studio so far has not disclosed streaming viewership numbers for its 2021 slate of films, including the DC Cinematic Universe tentpole. However, HBO Max chief Andy Forssell revealed Sunday that Suicide Squad boasted the second-most viewed opening of any film premiering day-and-date on HBO Max. Sources say Mortal Kombat is No. 1, although no one is certain of the viewership tally.
“As the country faces new challenges due to the COVID variant, we’re happy to continue to offer fans the option of viewing movies in their homes,” the executive said. “Many chose to do just that as Suicide Squad emerged as the second most viewed film over an opening weekend on HBO Max since we began day-and-date releases with theaters.”
A month ago, Disney and Marvel’s Black Widow opened to a pandemic-era best $80 million on the big screen. F9, which debuted in late June, is runner-up at $70 million.
However, as concerns over the Delta variant made headlines throughout August, the impact was felt at the box office as moviegoing comfort level fell. Over the July 30-August 2 weekend, Disney’s tentpole Jungle Cruise opened to $35 million domestically, a poor number in normal times (it did, however, outperform expectations).
“This weekend’s performance of The Suicide Squad shows yet again the unpredictability of a theatrical marketplace whose success rises and falls based on an ever-evolving set of disparate factors including not only the usual film-centric metrics, but also the impact of concerning pandemic news on consumer behavior,” says Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian. “Of course, the day-and_date release of any film has implications, but in today’s environment it’s too simplistic to analyze a movie’s performance based on that variable alone since there are so many moving parts.”
A home release on HBO Max certainly complicates matters for Suicide Squad‘s theatrical potential, as does a Disney+ Premier Access option for Jungle Cruise. The latter, however, cost an extra $30 to watch on Premier Access, while Suicide Squad is offered at no extra charge to all HBO Max subscribers.
Both Warner Bros. and Disney maintain that they need to hedge their bets during the pandemic (they also want to grow their streaming services).
Critics adored Gunn’s Suicide Squad, which sports an impressive 92 percent “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were slightly less enthused, giving it a B+.
Males fueled the film, while also flocking to watch it in Imax and other premium large format screens. Combined, those screens turned more than 30 percent of the gross.
The Suicide Squad performed best on the West Coast.
The movie hopes to reinvigorate the franchise following 2016’s Suicide Squad, which was directed by David Ayer and debuted to $175 million domestically. It is the 16th title in the DC Cinematic Universe and opened even lower than Birds of Prey, which also stars Robbie ($33 million) and launched in early 2020.
The Suicide Squad follows a group of convicts as they demolish a Nazi-era laboratory. Along the way, they encounter a giant alien named Starro.
Jungle Cruise earned $15.7 million in its second weekend, a relatively low drop of 55 percent (most even pics have fallen off steeply during the pandemic in their sophomore outings.) The live-action tentpole stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
Disney did not update Premier Access numbers for Jungle Cruise, which collected $30 million from Disney+ on its opening weekend.
Jungle Cruise has now earned $65.3 million domestically. At the overseas box office, it grossed another $15.1 million for a foreign tally of $56.5 million and $121.8 million globally.
Universal and M. Night Shyamalan’s Old placed No. 3 domestically in its third weekend with $4.1 million for a North American total of $38.5 million and $65.2 million domestically.
Black Widow held in at No. 4 in its fifth weekend with $4 million for a domestic cume of $174.4 million and $185.4 million overseas. Globally, its box office cume is $359.8 million.
Focus Features and Tom McCarthy’s Stillwater, starring Matt Damon, rounded out the top five in North America with $2.9 million for a 10-day total of $10 million
Tichina Arnold Files For Divorce From Husband, After Announcing Split 5 Years Ago!
It looks like Tichina Arnold is officially calling it quits, ending her marriage to husband Rico Hines. The couple married in 2012 and have no children together.
The actress & Sacramento Kings staff coach split in 2016. At the time, there was an alleged sex tape scandal with her husband and another woman. An alleged video was made with him and an unidentified woman. At the time Tichina said,
“I had that feeling of, you know, beyond him being my husband, this is supposed to be my friend, my confidant. Somebody who I can trust. And when you can’t trust the person that you sleep with every night, there’s a problem. I could no longer trust him. I could no longer lay with him. And it doesn’t make him a horrible person. We all make mistakes, but not with me and not on my time and not in my life.”
According to TMZ, Tichina filed for divorce from Rico Hines this week, citing the usual irreconcilable differences. She lists the separation date as January 12, 2016 and she’s asking to block the court’s ability to award spousal support to either of them.
Neither have publicly commented on the latest divorce news.
President Obama Has His 60th Birthday Party and Supposedly Stirs Up Controversy!
Former President Barack Obama was seen dancing without a face covering at his weekend 60th birthday bash.
via: People:The former President still had “a great time” during an intimate, outdoor gathering of about 200 family members and close friends on Saturday under a massive tent on the grounds of his 29-acre Martha’s Vineyard estate. “He never stopped smiling,” a source close to the event tells PEOPLE. “Literally, every time I saw him, he had the biggest smile.”
The insider adds that the birthday boy “danced all night.” Obama was in good company with a guest list that included Gayle King, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Steven Spielberg, as well as performances from John Legend, H.E.R., and Erykah Badu.
Barack dressed for summer in a light grey, floral button-down shirt with the sleeves cuffed, completed with white pants and a festive, black beaded necklace. Michelle Obama dazzled in a resort-ready, green halterneck dress, which she accessorized with gold jewelry.
Custom black masks were provided for guests, but many opted not to wear them, although they were required for those working the event. The masks, cocktail napkins, and staff badges all featured a special 44×60 monogram.
Barack and Michelle, 57, originally planned a COVID-safe outdoor party on the grounds of their Martha’s Vineyard home, with required testing and other strict protocols for all guests.
“The Obamas are hosting a party to celebrate President Obama’s 60th birthday with family, friends, and former staff,” a source told PEOPLE last weekend, noting that the family enlisted a medical professional to ensure that all CDC, state, and local pandemic protocols would be followed.
After the lengthy guest list and other details of the party were criticized, they scaled back the event for a more intimate gathering, with only friends and close family invited. They also cited the coronavirus pandemic and the rapidly spreading Delta variant for their decision.
“This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with COVID safeguards in place,” Hannah Hankins, a spokeswoman for the Obamas, told PEOPLE. “Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends.”
President Obama, was captured in now-deleted footage posted by Erykah Badu living his best life beside other maskless attendees on what appeared to be a stage while loud music blared on Saturday.
Without a doubt, everyone in attendance was vaccinated and probably tested before hand. But that didn’t stop Right wing folks on social media from losing their minds.
Marcin Urbas Demands Sprinter Christine Mboma Should Take Gender Test For “Running Too Fast”1
Former Polish athlete Marcin Urbas is demanding Nambian sprinter Christine Mboma should undergo a gender test after winning a silver medal for the 200-m sprint.
Mboma won the silver medal on August 2 in Tokyo after placing second next to Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah who won the gold at a time of 21.53 seconds. Despite Thompson-Herah being 0.28 seconds faster than Mboma, Urbas tried to criticize the 19-year-old sprinter and wondered why she was faster than him due to her age.
“I would like to request a thorough test on Mboma to find out if she definitely is a woman,” he said. Despite his “inquiry”, Mboma was barred from competing in races between 400-m and 1000-m due to her high testosterone levels.
Urbas continued to discuss her testosterone levels and said, “The testosterone advantage of Mboma over other participants is seen with the naked eye. In construction, movement, technique, at the same time as speed and endurance. She has the parameters of an 18-year-old boy. At that age, my PB was 22.01, and she has done it in 21.97 in Tokyo.”
According to Insider, Urbas is currently a sprinting coach and he was the record holder for the 200-m with 19.98 seconds.
Jim Belushi Files For Divorce From Wife Jennifer After 23 Years Of Marriage!
Jim Belushi and his wife, Jennifer Sloan, are calling it quits after 23 years.
The "Saturday Night Live" and "According to Jim" actor and comedian, 67, filed for divorce Friday in Los Angeles from Sloan, according to legal documents obtained by USA TODAY. Sloan, who has worked in Hollywood as a casting assistant and assistant voice director, is listed in the court filings as Jennifer Blair Belushi.
The former couple tied the knot in May of 1998 and share two children: Jamison Bess Belushi, 22, and Jared James Belushi, 19.
Jim Belushi and Jennifer Sloan attend the "Wonder Wheel" screening at Museum of Modern Art on November 14, 2017 in New York City.
Jim Belushi and Jennifer Sloan attend the "Wonder Wheel" screening at Museum of Modern Art on November 14, 2017 in New York City.
They reportedly filed for divorce previously in 2018, but later decided to reconcile and dismiss the case. Last year, Belushi acknowledged the couple's past troubles in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, noting that Sloan spends the majority of her time in Los Angeles where she runs a children's boutique, while he runs a marijuana farm in Eagle Point, Oregon.
“I can’t go there," Belushi said at the time when asked about the state of their relationship. “As of this moment, we’re still together.”
Belushi made waves in 2020 opening up about his choice to leave Hollywood in favor of starting up his farm, inspired in part as he continued to mourn his late brother, John Belushi, which was chronicled in his 2020 Discovery docuseries, "Growing Belushi."
"I’ve done it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter of his time in Los Angeles. “I raised my kids there, went to all the premieres. I went to award shows. I’ve been to Toscana 1,600 times. I have a grateful feeling for the life I had there – I’m just moving on to kind of a new reinvention."
Belushi was previously married to Sandy Davenport from 1980 to 1988, with whom he shares son Robert Belushi, 40. He was also married to Marjorie Bransfield from 1990 to 1992.
Chris Brown Shares Touching Tributes To Children!
Breezy posted a photo of himself watching over his son Aeko Catori Brown, who turns two in November, along with some sweet words.
“Catori, I hope Im being the father you love and feel safe at all times with,” wrote Chris, who calls his son Simba. “I’m scared all the time I DONT let you down. ❤️ I want you to be beautiful to this world and not let it destroy you. I want to show u love is the only thing that matters… forever, daddy.”
He also shared a loving message to his first born, Royalty, alongside a photo of her splashing in the ocean.
Markie Post, Night Court and The Fall Guy Actress, Dies at 70 After Battle With Cancer!
Actress Markie Post has died. She was 70. The Night Court star died Saturday after battling cancer for nearly four years, manager Ellen Lubin Sanitsky confirmed to Deadline.
In a statement to the outlet, Post's family paid tribute to her electric personality both on and off the set.
"But for us, our pride is in who she was in addition to acting; a person who made elaborate cakes for friends, sewed curtains for first apartments and showed us how to be kind, loving and forgiving in an often harsh world," the statement read.
Post's former costars Melissa Joan Hart and Sophia Bush are among those honoring the late actress following her death.
"I'm heartbroken to lose an angel here on earth! My dear friend and TV mother #MarkiePost is finally at rest after a long hard battle with cancer," said Hart, Post's Holiday in Handcuffs costar, wrote in an emotional Instagram post on Sunday.
Hart also thanked Post for their friendship and "the kindness she demonstrated" over the years alongside a smiling shot of the two in winter attire.
"Her example to me of how to be gracious, professional, find the fun in life and be a great mother at the same time will always live in me," Hart added. "I am heartbroken but I know she is at peace. Now this angel on earth gets to spread her wings and be an angel to us all from above. Love you so much Markie! You will be forever missed! 🦋💫."
Bush, who played Post's daughter in ABC's Chicago P.D., shared a separate tribute on her Instagram story.
"I am just heartbroken to heart about the passing of my friend, scene partner (she was a phenom) and forever Bunny, #MarkiePost. Too soon," the 39-year-old actress wrote atop an image of the two smiling for a selfie. "Prayers to her family, who she always spoke of with a twinkle in her eye."
Born on November 4, 1950, in Palo Alto, California, Post spent four decades in the television industry. She worked behind the scenes on several game shows, eventually working her way up to associate producer credit on Alex Trebek's Double Dare and appearing as a card dealer on NBC's Card Sharks.
Among her first credited acting roles in 1979 were parts on CHiPs, Barnaby Jones, The Incredible Hulk, The Lazarus Syndrome, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Hart to Hart.
In 1982, Post earned the role of bail bondswoman Terri Michaels in ABC series The Fall Guy, which ran through 1985. Post is also known for her role on NBC's Night Court, regularly appearing as public defender Christine Sullivan. She assumed the role for 159 episodes between 1985 and 1992.
Later in her career, Post adopted recurring roles on shows like ABC's Scrubs and Chicago PD She returned to her game show roots for five episodes of CBS' Hollywood Squares in 2000 as well.
She is survived by husband Michael A. Ross, daughters Kate Armstrong Ross and Daisy Schoenborn as well as son-in-law Bryce Schoenborn and a five-month-old granddaughter,
Simone Biles rocks tie-dye bikini after winning bronze at Tokyo Olympics!
The 24-year-old gymnast couldn’t stop smiling while posing in a tie-dye bikini in a pair of photos posted to Instagram Sunday.
“sweet like candy,” Biles captioned the pictures, in which her toned, medal-worthy abs were on full display.
She matched her bikini with fluffy slippers, which she showed off in a mirror selfie posted to her Instagram Story the same day.
Biles spent the afternoon with her boyfriend, Jonathan Owens, who was on pool duty in another video that showed the Houston Texans safety, 26, skimming the water.
“finest pool boy I ever did see,” Biles captioned the post.
Owens proved he is Biles’ biggest cheerleader by celebrating her bronze medal win in the Olympic women’s balance beam final event Tuesday. The medal marked Biles’ seventh Olympic medal win and her second consecutive bronze medal win in the event.
“Words can’t explain how proud I am of you right now!!” the NFL player wrote on his Instagram Story along with a photo of Biles at this year’s Olympics.
Biles’ win came after she dropped out of multiple highly anticipated gymnastics events due to a mental block that athletes refer to as “twisties.” As the gold medalist herself put it, her “mind and body” were “not in sync.”
“I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competitive surface,” Biles, who won four gold medals at the 2016 Olympics, wrote on social media Friday.
She and Owens made their relationship Instagram-official in August 2020.
TV Journalist Comes Out, Reveals Engagement To Texas Weatherman. ‘Being Gay Saved Me’!
A beloved TV journalist and his fiancé are racking up congratulations messages after announcing their engagement in a moving social media post.
Steven Romo, a news anchor for the ABC News station KTRK Channel 13 in Houston, posted a photo of him and his soon-to-be-husband, Fox Weather meteorologist Stephen Morgan, showing off their rings in New York City.
The post was also extremely personal, in which Romo announced he is gay.
“But what they didn’t know, and was arguably even more difficult, was that I had a secret to carry all on my own: I was gay and trying with all my heart not to be,” Romo continued.
“It took me years to see — despite what people at church might’ve said — being gay saved me. It made me strong. Strong enough to eventually stand next to the best human I’ve ever met and ask him to marry me.”
Morgan, a former KRIV television weatherman according to Out, announced the engagement with the same photo on his Instagram feed.
“How relieving, though, that the truth eventually comes out. I never dreamed of uttering the words ‘I’m engaged,’ but I also never dreamed of being so happy,” Morgan wrote. “Yet here we are. I’m engaged. I’m going to marry Steven Romo.”
Ariana Grande Wishes New Husband Happy Birthday: ‘I Love You Infinitely’!
Ariana Grande is wishing her new husband, Dalton Gomez, a happy 26th birthday and shared several intimate photos of the couple’s new married life!
The ‘7 Rings’ singer posted a heartwarming message on Instagram along with a montage of photos of the newlyweds. The 28-year old singer wrote, “Happy birthday to my baby my husband my best friend,” adding “I love you infinitely.” The loving message was alongside a photo of the pair sitting in two giant wooden clog shoes during their recent Amsterdam vacation.
In the same message, Ariana shared a black-and-white selfie of the two of them kissing each other on their wedding day.
As reported, the singer married the real estate agent back in May, with a private ceremony at her Montecito, CA estate. The couple tied the knot in a “tiny and Intimate” ceremony in front of fewer than 20 people. Grande purchased the massive home from Ellen Degeneres which is a few hours north of Los Angeles. “The room was so happy and full of love. The couple and both families couldn’t be happier,” a source told People at the time. “They couldn’t be happier, they’re just so excited. This is a happy time for them, both sets of parents are thrilled.”
The famous couple went public last year, after when the two appeared in her and Justin Bieber’s music video for their song ‘Stuck With U.”
The husband and wedding photos came on the heels of Ariana’s birthday tribute to honor her ex-boyfriend — Mac Miller — during her Fortnite concert on Friday. During the set, Grande including their collaboration ‘The Way’ from her 2013 album. Miller’s voice could be heard accompanying her avatar as she claimed the steps in the game.
“By no means was what we had perfect, but, like, f—,” Grande told Vogue of their relationship. Adding, “He was the best person ever, and he didn’t deserve the demons he had. I was the glue for such a long time, and I found myself becoming… less and less sticky. The pieces just started to float away.”
Ariana Grande has dated several famous people, including a brief stint and engagement with ‘SNL’ star Pete Davidson which ended in 2018.
The singer has had a great week including the announcement that her and Bieber’s 2020 charity collaboration — Stuck With U — raised $3.5 million for the First Responders Children’s Foundation. The duo donated 100% of the proceeds from the song’s streams and sales to the foundation. The FRCF funds thousands of families of first responders, including healthcare workers, paramedics, firefighters, and EMTs.
“We were so thrilled to partner with the First Responders Children’s Foundation who have been supporting those on the frontlines of the pandemic, as well as their families. Over a year later, we are so proud to see how much has been raised and what has been accomplished. We thank the Foundation for their leadership and commitment to this work,” a rep for the project said.
Happy Birthday!
Meghan Markle Reportedly Ignored Birthday Flowers Sent From Her Estranged Father, Thomas Markle!
It looks like the fractured relationship between Meghan Markle and her father, Thomas Markle, won’t be repaired anytime soon.
According to Page Six, Thomas Markle is still trying to smooth things over with his estranged daughter, The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, but she’s reportedly still not having it.
Thomas claims he sent his daughter a bouquet of roses in honor of her 40th birthday, but he says he hasn’t received a thank you.
The 77-year-old man told TMZ he sent his daughter a dozen red roses with two yellow roses in the middle to signify Meghan and Prince Harry’s two children, along with a note that said, “Wishing you a happy birthday and brighter days.”
Markle told the outlet that he wants to be part of his grandchildren’s lives but also claimed that it was “OK” that Meghan didn’t bother to respond to him.
Allyson Felix Wins Record-Setting 11th Olympic Medal As USA Women Breeze To 4x400 Gold!
TOKYO — She got 11 with a little help from her friends.
In her last race as an Olympian, Allyson Felix ran the second leg of the U.S.'s dominant gold-medal winning 4x400-meter relay team, earning her 11th career Olympic medal. She passed Carl Lewis as the most decorated American track and field athlete of all time, and is the most decorated woman ever in the sport.
The USA women ran 3 minutes, 16.85 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever. Poland won the silver medal (3:20.53) and Jamaica won bronze (3:21.24).
"I just came out really at peace, and wanting to soak it all in," Felix said. "Obviously complete confidence in this team. I think this is a really special team because we're not 400-meter runners — I don't consider myself a 400 specialist, we all do different things and it was really cool to come together and to get to close out the Olympic Games and for me, my Olympic career in this way."
The talent and star power of the U.S. quartet was nearly unprecedented. Felix received the baton from 400 hurdles world record holder and gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin and handed off to Dalilah Muhammad, who had the 400 hurdles world record before McLaughlin and won the silver medal here. The anchor was 19-year-old Athing Mu, who won the 800 gold and in June had the fastest 400 leg in NCAA history, 48.85 seconds.
"It's an amazing group of women right here," McLaughlin said. "Once in a lifetime opportunity, so I think we all just knew going in it was going to be fast and just have fun with it."
"I was just honored," Muhammad said of the chance to be part of Felix's last Olympic race. "Of course [Felix] earned it, but she's so deserving of it too and so definitely inspired by her throughout my entire career and I'm truly just honored to have been part of this team with her. I think we're going to look back at this and think about how special this moment really was."
It was the seventh straight Olympics the U.S. women have won the 4x400. Felix was a member of each of the last four, though she acknowledged that her role was different this time — where in the past she would have been one of the legs counted on to be fastest and really pull the team to a win, this time she saw herself as the veteran bringing experience.
Given the four women who ran on Saturday night, it was easy to wonder if the 33-year-old world record was in play. The Soviet Union ran 3:15.17 at the 1988 Olympics to edge out the U.S. team for gold; the Americans ran 3:15.51 that year. Getting under that mark required the women to run an average of 48.78 seconds per leg; according to World Athletics their splits were: McLaughlin 49.96 seconds, Felix 49.58, Muhammad 48.97 and Mu 48.34.
It was still the fastest 4x400 since that '88 Olympics.
The relay gold capped a stellar showing for the women of U.S. track and field. Of the 26 medals won by Americans during the meet, 15 were thanks to women, including five of the seven golds the U.S. claimed.
"I think it was awesome," Felix said. "I think the women showed up; I think we've been showing up on the track, off the track, in all of the ways. To me, I loved it. I love seeing it.
"Sitting back and watching each woman perform, it was inspiring. It was like, 'OK, who's next?' and it was kind of like a buzz."
Felix is the most decorated female track and field athlete in history, having broken a tie with Jamaica's Merlene Ottey with her 400 bronze on Friday night. Finnish distance runner Paavo Nurmi won 12 total Olympic medals across the 1920, 1924 and 1928 Games.
Standing on the podium, Felix said she closed her eyes and took a moment to take it all in.
"To be surrounded by these women in that moment was really special," she said.
While Felix repeatedly said this was her last Olympics, when asked if it's possible to see the same four women team up next year at the World Championships, which are being held in the United States for the first time, she didn't say no. Instead, she said, "We'll see."
Method Man launches comic series through his first NFT!
This is pretty cool. Method Man jumps into the worlds of comic books and non-fungible tokens at the same time.
According to a Friday (Aug. 6) report from Rolling Stone, the Wu-Tang Clan rapper is launching a comic series called Tical World through NFT. Artist Alex Smetsky is handling the illustrations, which are Killer Beez-inspired. The NFT features 3D digital animation and an unreleased song from Meth. All in all, it sounds pretty dope.
Method Man is far from the first musician to jump into NFTs. Back in June, JAY-Z celebrated the 25th anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, with a special NFT auction. Last month, SZA teamed up with American Express to unload her own special NFT collection that included exclusive concert footage and rare photos. A few months before that, The Weeknd released his own NFT that included included exclusive music.
Method Man’s new production company is producing ‘How High 3’
This new venture is another sign of Meth trying out new things. Since bursting onto the scene with Wu-Tang Clan nearly 30 years ago, he’s flexed an inimitable package of style and substance that’s made him a superstar. In the intervening years, he obviously jumped into an acting career and various other ventures. Recently, a couple of those ventures would be converging into one another.
In May, it was reported Method Man’s entertainment production company SIX AM would be producing How High 3, a sequel to two previous Meth and Redman-starring stoner flicks. How High 2 starred Lil Yachty and DC Young Fly. Now, at some point in the future, Meth and Redman will be teaming up on the big screen once again.
Now, Meth’s got a new comic series and he’s releasing it in a way no one expected. Salute, and stay tuned for more updates on the rap legend.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘PROVOKE THE CHESS GODS’
LOL! nice place to start a hobby.
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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