Naomi Osaka Covers Women's Health's September Issue!
Naomi Osaka wants everyone to be more understanding.
The 23-year-old tennis champ made headlines for amplifying the conversation about athletes' mental health after she withdrew from the French Open in May, citing anxiety surrounding media interviews. The next month, she then withdrew from Wimbledon to take "personal time" before competing at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Osaka told Women's Health for the magazine's September issue cover story, out Monday, that because "we live in a world where people are so quick to speak and to comment," her "silence is almost uncomfortable" to some people.
"I hope I was able to help some people and for them to see that even athletes are still humans like the rest of us. And we all are dealing with something in our lives," she said.
"Growing up," Osaka later added, "being [labeled] 'the quiet one' puts you in a box and, even worse, makes you stand out when all you want is to blend in. But now I try to embrace and own it."
Osaka explained that, to help quell some of her anxieties, she listens to music from artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Saweetie right before a tennis match: "[It] helps dull my social anxiety. Music calms me, it silences the noise that won't help my game. For me, music is inspiring and uplifting."
However, the athlete assured there's more to life than just playing tennis at its highest level.
"Now more than ever I see that you can be more than just one thing. More than just someone who plays tennis," she said.
powerful essay for Time magazine last month, Osaka said she felt pressured to disclose personal details about her mental health so people would believe her reasoning for withdrawing from the French Open.
"In any other line of work, you would be forgiven for taking a personal day here and there, so long as it's not habitual. You wouldn't have to divulge your most personal symptoms to your employer; there would likely be HR measures protecting at least some level of privacy," she wrote.
"In my case, I felt under a great amount of pressure to disclose my symptoms — frankly because the press and the tournament did not believe me," continued Osaka. "I do not wish that on anyone and hope that we can enact measures to protect athletes, especially the fragile ones. I also do not want to have to engage in a scrutiny of my personal medical history ever again. So I ask the press for some level of privacy and empathy next time we meet."
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
#RIP: Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at age 80!
Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones’ drummer since the legendary rock group formed, has died at age 80, according to his London publicist, Bernard Doherty.
Doherty announced in a statement Tuesday morning: "It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family. Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of the Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation. We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time." The statement was later shared by the Stones' official Twitter account.
The news comes after Watts underwent an undisclosed medical procedure earlier this month. At that time, a spokesperson for the band said the procedure had been “completely successful,” but it was unlikely that Watts would participate in the Stones’ rescheduled, 13-date “No Filter” fall U.S. tour because he needed “proper rest and recuperation.”
Charles Robert “Charlie” Watts was born in Bloomsbury, London, on June 2, 1941, and he started drumming around age 13 after he was inspired by a recording of Chico Hamilton playing Gerry Mulligan. His first drum was actually a banjo head that he played with brushes; in 1955, his parents bought him his first real drum kit, and he practiced by playing along to his beloved Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington records, never taking actual lessons. Three years later, Watts began his professional musical career in a jazz band called the Jo Jones All Stars.
In 1961, Watts joined Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, and a year later he met his future Stones bandmates, Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards, in the London blues scene. In January 1963, Watts officially joined the Rolling Stones, and his swinging, deceptively laid-back style became as integral to the Stones’ sound as Jagger’s swagger and or Richards’s riffs.
Rob Wallis of drumming video series Hudson Music once said, “Charlie’s got rock-solid time. His playing swings and his shuffles are great because of his comfort with jazz-ride patterns. Without him, the Stones would be a completely different-sounding band with a very different feel,” while Later … With Jools Holland drummer Steve White said “Like all that generation of great British drummers — Ginger, Ringo, Moonie, Mitch — Charlie’s playing is effortless and swinging, musical and cool. No one else sounds like him.” Lenny Kaye called Watts "the backbone of the Rolling Stones," while Blondie's Clem Burke stated, "Charlie Watts lays it down, and the others follow. He is the Law."
“That's why the Rolling Stones was a more interesting band than bands like Freddie and the Dreamers, Herman's Hermits, the Searchers or the Hollies,” Watts himself explained in the book According to the Rolling Stones. "We had a much broader, much deeper, musical background."
In a 2008 interview with If It Ain’t Got That Swing, Watt discussed his distinctive, unfussy style: “I was brought up on the theory that the drummer is an accompanist. I don’t like drum solos. I admire some people that do them, but generally I prefer drummers playing with the band. The challenge with rock 'n' roll is the regularity of it. My thing is to make it a dance sound; it should swing and bounce.”
Declared “rock's greatest drummer” by esteemed music critic Robert Christgau, Watts was voted into Modern Drummer magazine’s Hall of Fame in 2006 (joining other legends like Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, and Buddy Rich) and was named the 12th greatest drummer of all time by Rolling Stone. The perfect foil to his Glimmer Twins bandmates, he was known as an anti-rock star of sorts, preferring a private, family-man existence aside from a brief dalliance with drugs in the '80s that he described as a mid-life crisis. He was married to his wife Shirley Ann Shepherd (whom he met at his first Alexis Korner rehearsal in 1961) for 57 years.
Watts also enjoyed a jazz-oriented solo career outside of the Stones, playing alongside longtime Stones pianist Stewart in the band Rocket 88, releasing several albums with his Charlie Watts Quintet and the 32-piece Charlie Watts Orchestra, and performing at London’s famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club with his big band, Charlie Watts & the Tentet. In 2000, he collaborated with another drumming great, Jim Keltner, on the surprisingly electronica-leaning Charlie Watts/Jim Keltner Project.
Watts is survived by his wife, Shirley Ann Sherpherd; his daughter, Seraphina; his granddaughter, Charlotte; and his step-grandson, Dylan. Upon hearing of this tragic news, famous admirers and peers of Watts took to social media to pay tribute
#RHOA: #TWIRL See Kenya Moore's Beautiful New Pool and Dreamy Cabanas!
The pool is complete at Moore Manor, and it has a resort-style seating area to boot. In a recent Instagram Story, Kenya Moore came at followers live from her morning "dip," and in the process she showed off the gorgeous results of a project that she'd started in August 2020.
As a crew worked to install an in-ground pool at her home over the past year, Kenya shared updates with her followers. ("ShotCrete" day was a very exciting day indeed.) Then, on Season 13 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kenya offered an updated peek at her pool, and announced then that cabanas would be coming soon.
And as of her recent Instagram post, it's clear that the former beauty queen's cabanas have arrived. "I just wanted to tell you guys to start your day off doing something that you really love to do," she said in her video, as she stood happily in the pool, with the new cabanas visible behind her.
"I love to swim," Kenya continued. "I just feel so blessed being able to have a pool, but when I didn't I would swim at apartment complexes or at friends' homes." But these days, it's swim season at her very own manor.
#NewMusic From Keithian – Chance?
New Orleans native Keithian returns with the new single “Chance?” This is the second single from his upcoming EP “Green Clouds”.
He adds about the song:
“Chance? is a play on the card you pull in Monopoly, you never know what you’re gonna get so it’s a tease. So, when I wrote this song, I had an experience in mind, where I did everything, I could get the attention of this girl, but she treated me like shit. Then right when I got uninterested, she started to have interest in me. I then started to play games and do things that I knew got to her just because I resented her for playing hard to get. But the awkward thing was, I knew both of us were not gonna be honest enough to make it right or leave, so we just stayed in it and played the game.”
LISTEN HERE
After years of writing and producer for other artists, Keithian is fighting to stay true to his culture and heritage in his music which will be heard throughout the upcoming project. Following stints at major labels, the artist takes it back to his Louisiana roots as an independent artist to follow his own vision.
HipHopNews: Kanye West Floods Instagram With Cryptic Images Ahead Of ‘Donda’ Release Date!
Anyone even remotely interested in a new Kanye West album is privy to the fuckary going on behind the scenes by now — botched release dates, delayed livestream events, producer Mike Dean allegedly quitting the project (he didn’t, by the way). And now, Kanye and Drake have revived their 2018 beef.
But while Ye is busy doxxing Certified Lover Boy, he’s still got other things to do in terms of the Donda rollout. On Thursday (August 26), the eccentric Hip Hop billionaire, who’s in the middle of a divorce from reality television queen Kim Kardashian, is expected to host a third public listening event at Chicago’s Soldier Field Stadium.
According to Kanye’s manager Abou “Bu” Thiam, Donda will “absolutely” be released to all digital streaming platforms shortly after the event is over.
As the 44-year-old artist inches closer to the listening party, he’s cleared out all the posts on his Instagram account and replaced them with five new, cryptic posts, including a portrait of his childhood home in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood and photo of his now-infamous black, full-face mask on a sidewalk. The images are likely linked to his tenth studio effort, but only time will tell.
In between time, fans can be distracted by Kanye and Drake’s tit for tat on social media. It all started on Friday (August 20) when Drake fired a shot at Ye on Trippie Redd’s single “Betrayal.” Kanye then shared a screenshot of a text thread that included a photo of the Joker and Pusha T “added to the conversation.” Pusha T, of course, flamed Drake in 2018 on the diss track “The Story of Adidon,” revealing he was first-time father.
Then on Monday (August 23), Kanye posted (then deleted) Drake’s address, and Drake responded by posting a video of himself laughing hysterically.
While the next move has yet to be revealed, fans are betting on who will drop their albums first — Drake, Kanye West or Kendrick Lamar, who appeared to kick off his album rollout on Friday (August 20) with the announcement his follow-up to 2017’s DAMN. will be his last for Top Dawg Entertainment.
BET+ Greenlights Gospel Drama Series ‘Kingdom Business’ From DeVon Franklin, Holly Carter & Kirk Franklin!
BET+ has given a series order to Kingdom Business, a music-driven drama executive produced by DeVon Franklin (Miracles From Heaven), Holly Carter (The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel), multi-Grammy-award-winner Kirk Franklin and Michael Van Dyck. The eight-episode series explores the gospel music industry through the lenses of family, faith, love and the redemptive power of music.
Written by John Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart, co-creators of Mr. & Mrs. Smith the series, Kingdom Business is centered around the reigning Queen of Gospel Denita Jordan, and her ex-producer/songwriter/lover, Caesar, who created her sound and launched her career. Denita, who also runs an in-house record label and megachurch, is determined to guard her family and its many secrets at all costs to retain her place on the throne. Things seem to be unfolding in Denita’s favor until an unsuspecting young woman on the rise with a checkered past enters the scene. Destined and anointed to challenge gospel music conventions, Rbel, also a former exotic dancer, will see if her new-found voice can carry her to the top of the gospel kingdom.
Kingdom Business, which was originally set up for development at NBC during the 2019-20 season, is executive produced by Lenhart and Sakmar as well as Carter, founder of Relevé Entertainment; DeVon Franklin, CEO of Franklin Entertainment, Kirk Franklin, CEO of Fo Yo Soul Entertainment, who will also serve as the show’s executive music producer; and Van Dyck, veteran TV and literary agent and founder of Inspired Entertainment. The series, which is already casting, is produced by DAELight.
On streamer BET+, Kingdom Business will join Tyler Perry’s drama series Ruthless.
Carter is repped by CAA and Darrell Miller at Fox Rothschild. DeVon Franklin is repped by WME and attorney John Meigs at Hansen Jacobson. Kirk Franklin is repped by Inspired Entertainment, Ron Hill of Fo Yo Soul Entertainment and attorney Bonnie Berry LaMon of B2L Entertainment Law. Sakmar is repped by Inspired Entertainment, Lenhart by RBEL and Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo.
Issa Rae Announces Premiere Date For The Last Season Of ‘Insecure’!
Issa Rae has announced the premiere date for the final season of “Insecure.”
“The wait is almost over. The final season. October.”
An Instagram pic was posted on Monday for the highly anticipated HBO series. Fans were shocked when the announcement was made that the hit show will be coming to an end after such a successful run.
“Prentice [Penny] and I are so grateful that HBO believed in our show from the beginning and kept faith in us to see our vision through the end. We always planned to tell this story through five seasons, but we couldn’t have made it this far without the tremendous support of our audience,” she told Deadline.
“I feel blessed beyond measure to bring our characters’ stories to an end, on-screen at least.”
Insecure first aired in October 2016 it was renewed back in May of 2020 for its final season.
“The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” author also shared on IG that the cast wrapped on June 12th with co-stars Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Amanda Seales and Natasha Rothwell.
The executive producer and star of “Insecure” recently married her love Louis Diame at a ceremony in the South of France in July attended by a small circle of family and friends.
The stylish 36-year-old wore two Vera Wang gowns while her businessman husband wore a red velvet Dolce & Gabbana suit.
75 Florida doctors stage symbolic walkout in protest of unvaccinated COVID-19 Patients!
– Dozens of South Florida doctors staged a walkout on Monday to protest the number of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients flooding their hospital in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida,
Just before sunrise, about 75 doctors stepped outside their hospitals and offices to stand together and encourage the community to get vaccinated.
94 Sarasota sheriff’s office employees out with COVID-related symptoms, 60 test positive
“We are exhausted. Our patience and resources are running low and we need your help,” said Dr. Rupesh Dharia from Palm Beach Internal Medicine.
Now, these doctors are sounding the alarm and pleading for the community to get vaccinated. They said it’s not a political move, but a call for help.
“The vaccine still remains the most effective and reliable way to stop this madness,” said Dr. Leslie Diaz, an infectious disease specialist.
7 fully vaccinated Florida COVID-19 patients die in what doctors say is extremely rare situation
On Monday, the FDA granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, an important step that officials hope will instill more confidence among those reluctant to get vaccinated.
Lil Nas X To Serve as Taco Bell's Chief Impact Officer!
Lil Nas X on Monday assumed a new role as chief impact officer at Taco Bell, an honorary role that will allow the chart-topping artist to curate a menu of innovations, collaborations and experiences surrounding the upcoming release of him album Montero.
This isn’t the “Old Town Road” singer’s first time working with the fast-food chain — in 2017, prior to his launch into the limelight, Lil Nas X was part of the Taco Bell team at an Atlanta storefront. Now, riding the success of his No. 1 hit “Montero,” the artist will return on Taco Bell’s payroll in a top-shelf position.
“Lil Nas X knows the job, the experience and the culture Taco Bell creates for its fans – including its people,” said Mark King, CEO of Taco Bell, in a release. “This unique partnership will deliver on more than just marketing, allowing us to tap into the genius of Lil Nas X to inspire our team members and align with our commitment to unlocking opportunities for young people.”
In addition to taking on his CIO role, Lil Nas X will also partner with the Taco Bell Foundation to award young creatives with funding from the Live Más Scholarship. Beginning Monday, the singer will appear in Taco Bell’s breakfast campaign, while “continued fan engagement opportunities” will be announced later this fall, according to the statement.
Lil Nas X announced the forthcoming arrival of his debut studio album Montero in June with a Marvel Studios-inspired visual, and last month, the artist tapped Jack Harlow for “Industry Baby,” produced by Kanye West.
Lil Nas X has not yet announced an official release date for Montero.
Vanessa Bryant Remembers Late Husband Kobe Bryant on His 43rd Birthday: “Te Amo Por Siempre!
Vanessa Bryant is keeping the memory of her late husband Kobe Bryant alive. On Instagram, she shared a loving photo of Kobe Bryant and wished him a happy birthday.
Vanessa Bryant captions the photo,
“Happy Birthday, Papi. Te Amo Por siempre. Amor Eterno.”
This roughly translates to “ I’ll always love you, my eternal love.” The two met on the set of a music video when Vanessa Bryant was only 17-years-old and Kobe Bryant was 22-years-old. They were married for two decades and had four daughters within those years.
The eldest daughter, 18-year-old Natalia Bryant, also wished her father a happy birthday.
On January 26th, 2020, 42-year-old Kobe Bryant and his daughter 13-year-old Gianna Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter crash along with seven others. The crash took the lives of Payton Chester,13, Sarah Chester, 46, Alyssa Altobelli,14, Keri Altobelli, 46, John Altobelli, 56, Christina Mauser, 38, and pilot Ara Zobayan, 50. The Bryant family mourned the losses along with so many people across the world.
Kobe Bryant’s legacy and impact continue to live on today. He was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame where Vanessa accepted the honor on his behalf. His perseverance and self-discipline continue to inspire many to this day. Vanessa also continues Gianna and Kobe’s legacy through The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. It’s a nonprofit dedicated to creating a positive impact for underserved athletes and young women in sports.
Vanessa and Natalia Bryant continue to honor Kobe’s legacy and care for the two youngest siblings, 2-year-old Capri and 4-year-old Brianka.
FDA fully approves Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine!
On Monday (Aug. 23), Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was formally approved by the Food and Drug Administration, making it the first and only COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by the U.S. federal agency so far.
According to a press statement, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will now be marketed as “Comirnaty” and is fully approved to be used by people who are at least 16 years old. Individuals who are between 12 and 15 years old will still be able to receive the vaccine for emergency use.
“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said in a statement. “While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product.”
According to a June poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 31 percent of Americans said they would be more likely to get vaccinated once a vaccine was approved by the FDA.
“While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated,” Woodcock added. “Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was first approved by the FDA for emergency use on Dec. 11, 2020 after undergoing a clinical trial. To fully approve the vaccine today, the FDA tested the vaccine again in a larger clinical trial and also monitored individuals after they received the vaccination for a longer duration of time. Based on the results of the trial, the agency says the Pfizer vaccine is 91 percent effective in preventing COVID-19.
Live Nation to require COVID-19 vaccine or negative test result from concertgoers, artists
“Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said. “We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages; conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness; and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities,”
“We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines,” he added. “The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S.”
Mayim Bialik to host 'Jeopardy!' while Mike Richards is replaced!
Mayim Bialik will host the weekday, syndicated version of Jeopardy! after all — at least temporarily.
fter being named the host of the game show's primetime specials and spinoffs, Bialik will now fill in at the podium for Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards. On Friday, Richards stepped down just days into the job following the resurfacing of offensive comments he made in the past and workplace discrimination lawsuits he faced at The Price is Right while he was a co-executive producer there.
"Sony Pictures Television confirms that Mayim Bialik will fill in as host of the Jeopardy! syndicated program this week," Sony said in a statement to Yahoo Entertainment. "She is currently scheduled to tape three weeks of episodes (15 episodes) when production resumes this week."
(The show has traditionally taped five episodes in a single day.)
According to Sony's statement, additional guest hosts will be announced.
Meanwhile, sources told the Hollywood Reporter that Bialik was the "top choice" to host the main version of the show anyway, but she's constrained by the schedule for the upcoming season of her sitcom, Call Me Kat. She was already committed to it when Jeopardy! was ready to discuss terms. Yet the Big Bang Theory alum remains interested, especially if her show is canceled or her schedule for a future season can be adjusted.
A source tells Yahoo Entertainment of Bialik that "there's definitely more than guest hosting that could potentially happen here."
Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings is reportedly still being considered to take over the role that the late Alex Trebek had for 36 years before he died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020.
CNN reported that the decision on a host will be made by people other than Richards, specifically the chief executive for Sony Pictures Entertainment, Tony Vinciquerra, and the chairman of Global Television Studios, Ravi Ahuja.
DaBaby Returns to the Stage at Hot97’s Summer Jam, Says He “Never, Ever Meant to Offend Anybody”!
It’s been a few weeks since “cancel culture” tried to get rapper DaBaby up out of here for his homophobic comments at Rolling Loud Miami last month.
This past weekend During Hot97’s Summer Jam in New Jersey, DaBaby told the crowd that he “never, ever meant to offend anybody.”
Hot97’s Summer Jam was one of the few concerts that didn’t drop DaBaby following his Rolling Loud Miami comments. The rapper told his fans to shine their cellphone flashlights if they “didn’t show up today with HIV/AIDS, any of the deadly sexually transmitted diseases that will make you die in two to three weeks.”
The rapper reiterated his comment later when he said his LGBTQ supporters “don’t have HIV / AIDS” since they are not “nasty” or “junkies.”
After the excessive backlash, DaBaby made excuses on Twitter and Instagram, which he later deleted.
At the start of his Summer Jam set, DaBaby aired a video montage thanking Hot97 for “allowing me to share my gift, share my blessing with y’all out here live on this stage amongst all the chaos and all the backlash. So hats off to y’all for that. … They accepted my sincerity and all my apologies when I said I never, ever meant to offend anybody or say anything to make anybody feel any type of way live on that stage a few weeks ago.”
He continued: “And Hot 97 was also willing to stick they neck out on the line, willing to go against all odds with everything going on out here in the world — they still allowed me to come right here on this stage and utilize their platform. They helped the world move forward and become a better place and not dismiss people off mistakes made like we ain’t human.”
Complex reported that DaBaby allegedly debuted his hit “Cry Baby” with Megan Thee Stallion and confronted the crowd live after the video was finished.
“Check this out,” he said, “Other than the people that, you know, was truly offended, I feel like the rest of y’all motherfuckers being cry babies.”
Chrissy Teigen Opens Up About Struggles With Processing Loss of Her Baby Jack!
Chrissy Teigen posted a lengthy note on Instagram Sunday where she spoke about her struggles with fully processing the loss of Jack, her third child with husband John Legend.
Teigen revealed she has been “slightly down lately” ever since the day she had been trying to figure out a caption for the follow-up to her two previous cookbooks, Cravings and Hungry For More, and typed, “My third baby is here!!” Even though she was referencing her third cookbook, those words made her realize that her “third baby will never be here.”
“Then I realized I threw myself into the book to not think of the real, actual third baby,” she wrote. “I don’t really feel like I fully processed jack and now that I don’t have the alcohol to numb it away, things are just…there, waiting to be acknowledged.”
Teigen shared the heartbreaking news of her pregnancy loss in September. “We never decide on our babies’ names until the last possible moment after they’re born, just before we leave the hospital,” she wrote. “But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack. So he will always be Jack to us.”
In late December, Chrissy took to her Stories to talk about a book she received from her “doctor and friend” one month prior, and how it inspired her to quit drinking. The following month, she updated her followers on her continued sobriety while attending Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration.
Teigen’s newfound sobriety coupled with fully processing her pregnancy loss has made her realize that “life is so fucking complicated.”
The First ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Trailer Shows Peter Parker And Doctor Strange Messing With The Multiverse!
When last we saw Peter Parker — which is to say Tom Holland’s incarnation of him — he was about to be outed. One of those mid-credits MCU scenes dropped into the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming showed a criminal on the verge of revealing Spidey’s real identity. The first trailer for Holland’s third solo go reveals that all hell broke loose: The world now knows Peter is NYC’s own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and no, he does not like it.
via: New York Post: On Monday, Marvel and Sony Pictures released a breakneck first trailer for the much-anticipated sequel film “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” starring Tom Holland as the teenage superhero. But Spidey nearly got scooped on Sunday when a janky portion of the teaser was leaked online ahead of the planned reveal at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon 2021.
The official 3-minute trailer dives into Peter Parker’s newly difficult life after his nemesis, faux-superhero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), blurted out Spidey’s true identity in a video blasted on jumbotrons outside of Madison Square Garden at the end of 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”
In the new flick, Peter reaches out to magical Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in hopes he can cast a spell to erase the world’s knowledge of who Spider-Man actually is. But Peter is cautioned by Strange: “The multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little,” which sets Peter up for a meeting with Dr. Otto Octavius, a k a tentacled Doctor Octopus, a character originally played — and now reprised — by Alfred Molina in 2004’s “Spider-Man 2,” which starred Tobey Maguire as the titular superhero.
WATCH HERE
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” will be released on Dec. 17, 2021.
T.I. Defends Lizzo Against Fatphobia: ‘Listen, Sweetheart, You Are Beautiful, You Are Talented!
Rapper T.I. became the latest celebrity to add his two cents to the conversation on all the fatphobia and negativity surrounding “Rumors” singer Lizzo.
In a video shared on Instagram, T.I. explained that while he didn’t know Lizzo on a personal level, he wanted her to remember that her talent could never be diminished by the public’s perception of her weight:
“My message to Lizzo. I don’t know Lizzo personally. Listen, sweetheart, you are beautiful, you are talented, you are good enough for all the great things the world has to offer, don’t wait on nobody out there in the public to validate that,” the rapper said.
“Their perception of you has more to do with them than it does with you. All these people who out here who have negative things to say it’s because they feel negatively about themselves.”
The Atlanta rapper concluded:
“F–k them people. F–k what people say,” the rapper added. “They should have no jurisdiction or no hold on your life.”
Following the recent drop of her first single in two years, Rumors, Lizzo was vulnerable and emotional in an Instagram Live last week. In it, she explained that she was tired of receiving negative comments about her weight.
“For the most part, it doesn’t hurt my feelings. I don’t care,” the 33-year-old singer said through tears. “I just think when I’m working this hard, my tolerance gets lower, my patience is lower, I’m more sensitive and it gets to me.”
In addition to Cardi B and her husband Offset, Facebook and Instagram have also shared their support for Lizzo.
A Woman Claims R. Kelly Forced Her To Get An Abortion Against Her Will!
A woman took the stand at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn during the trial of R. Kelly on Monday. In her testimony, she said that Kelly had forced her into having an abortion in 2017, and that he had sexually and physically abused her over the course of their five-year relationship.
The woman, "Jane," is the second accuser to testify against Kelly in the New York federal trial, where charges include racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor and sexual trafficking. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
In her testimony, "Jane" said she met Kelly when she was 17 years old, in 2015. She was a junior in high school at the time, and was interested in pursuing an artistic career as an R&B singer. She was taking a heavy load of music classes and extracurriculars at school, hoped to score a music scholarship to college, and was taking on professional gigs of her own.
She went with her parents to a music festival in Orlando, Fla., at which Kelly was performing. A member of his entourage passed her Kelly's phone number, "Jane" said, and both she and her parents had hoped that the connection would help her develop her career.
"Jane" alleged that when she got the chance to audition for Kelly, he immediately pressured her into sexual activity. (She said that she originally told Kelly she was 18 years old.) "I was against it," she said. "I told him I did not come to please him. He continued to persist." Eventually she gave in, in exchange for the chance to sing for him, and he told her that he would "take care of me for life," she said.
During the audition, she testified, her parents called in a wellness check after she turned her phone off at Kelly's request. When the police arrived, she said, the police saw her legal ID that indicated she was 17, but still left her with Kelly. She soon became one of the star's girlfriends, leaving home to live with him.
"I want to groom you"
"Jane" testified that she told Kelly her real age as her senior year approached, saying that she had to go home to finish high school. He slapped her in the face with an open hand, she said, and walked away. Kelly's later solution was that she would live with him in Chicago and do homeschooling under the putative care of the mother of one of his other girlfriends, who is being called "Juice" in court. "Jane" lived with Kelly in Chicago and in Atlanta, and accompanied him on tours.
During her testimony, "Jane" said that soon after she became involved with Kelly, she had to follow his rules, such as not speaking to men, including ones in Kelly's employ; only being allowed to wear formless and baggy clothes; and not allowed to leave rooms without his permission, even to the point of being isolated for days. If she failed to follow his protocols, she said, she was spanked and suffered other humiliations.
She also said that she was frequently forced to have sexual encounters with other women — including Kelly's other girlfriends and women who worked for the singer — against her will, and all at Kelly's express direction. She said that Kelly videotaped the sexual encounters she had with him and with other people.
In a text message submitted as evidence, Kelly allegedly wrote to "Jane": "I want to groom you and be bonded with you one hundred percent."
The woman, who is now 23 years old, has requested to remain anonymous as a sex crimes victim. (In court documents, she is listed as Jane Doe #5.)
Much of the testimony from "Jane" echoed that of another accuser, Jerhonda Johnson Pace, who last week testified about having sexual relations with Kelly while she was underage during a six-month relationship. Pace had testified that Kelly had given her genital herpes without telling her that he had the disease or taking any precautions to avoid transmitting it, and that the singer had physically abused her. On Monday, "Jane" said that Kelly also had given her genital herpes. It was so painful, she said, that "it got to the point where I couldn't even physically walk."
Last week, Kelly's personal physician of some 25 years, Dr. Kris McGrath, testified that he had diagnosed and begun treating Kelly for genital herpes sometime between 2000 and 2007. McGrath called in herpes medication prescriptions so often to Kelly's preferred pharmacy that, the doctor said, "I had memorized the phone number to that Walgreens."
McGrath, who is based in Chicago and is on the faculty of Northwestern University's medical school, testified that he never received direct payment for his services. Instead, Kelly flew the doctor and his wife around the country to enjoy his performances, and frequently socialized with the couple.
A former low-level assistant named Anthony Navarro told the court last week about being a runner for Kelly, driving girls, cleaning studios and delivering packages for him. It was Navarro's first job in the music industry; since then, he said, he has worked as an audio engineer with musicians like Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and Kanye West.
He also referred to what he called "Rob's Rules" for employees and for Kelly's girlfriends. It was only in retrospect, Navarro said, that he realized how odd working for Kelly was by comparison.
"The things you had to do was a bit uncomfortable," said Navarro. "It was almost like the Twilight Zone. You went into the gate and it was like a different world, just a strange place."
Demetrius Smith, formerly a tour manager for Kelly, also finished his testimony on Monday. Smith reluctantly testified that he helped organize the marriage between Kelly and the late pop star Aaliyah. Smith said he bribed an employee at an Illinois state welfare office with $500 to obtain a fake ID for Aaliyah, so that she and Kelly could apply for a marriage license. (Aaliyah, whose full name was Aaliyah Dana Haughton, died in a plane crash in 2001; she is identified in the court documents as Jane Doe #1.)
At the time of the marriage on Aug. 31, 1994, Aaliyah was 15 years old, and Kelly 27. Smith said that the reason for the marriage is because Kelly believed that Aaliyah was pregnant, and that Kelly and one of his employees, former business manager Derrel McDavid, believed the marriage would prevent Kelly from potentially being prosecuted for having had sex with a minor.
Years later, "Jane" testified on Monday, she and Kelly's other girlfriends asked him about his marriage to Aaliyah. "Jane" said that Kelly told them the reason for the marriage was because Aaliyah had been pregnant, and that only Aaliyah's parents or a spouse could approve an abortion.
The federal trial in Brooklyn is expected to last about a month. Kelly faces separate federal charges involving child pornography and obstruction of justice in Illinois.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
RIDING OFF INTO THE SUNSET OF SELF CHECKOUT
And off they rode, riding off into the sunset of self checkout.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet BIG VIC
Meet VIC! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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