Hollywood Star Idris Elba Covers Esquire’s October/November Issue!
Idris Elba is the cover star of the new October/November issue of Esquire. The coolest man on the planet won’t be shaken from his master plan. But after a bruising 18 months, the multitalented Englishman, who acts, deejays, and podcasts, and this month stars in the all-Black Western, “The Harder They Fall,” wants to clear up a few things.
On the backlash he faced when announcing he tested positive for Covid-19:“The good favor that some people in the public eye get–which I definitely benefit from–was gone in an instant. In an instant. People that loved me one moment absolutely f*cking hated me the next. It was like, ‘You’re fake; you’re being paid.’ No one really believed. It was really a tough time. So where I am now, you’re looking at a man that’s very thankful. You’re looking at a man that’s very reflective of what’s happened over the last eighteen months. You’re looking at a man that doesn’t really have time to waste on pretending to be anything but what I am. Who I am and what I am.”
On the loss he felt when his father passed away: “The biggest loss I ever had was watching my dad die. I remember a profound feeling I had after that, which was like, ‘Wow, oh, there is nothing after the day you die.’ Looking at my dad, I don’t know where he’s gone, but the man that was lying there is gone. Not there. It was so final.”
On the downside of fame: “It looks amazing from the outside, but there’s a lot of stuff that happens in the public eye that’s not fun. I’m not allowed to just go out and get drunk and have a rant and get kicked out of a pub and then feel bad the next day. Part of your duty is to be an example.”
On the racist comments made about his acting roles: “…I’ve had it in many different shapes and forms. When I got the role as Heimdall in the Marvel Universe, there was a real outcry from a sect of the fans. From one perspective, hey, there’s a logic: He’s Norse; he shouldn’t be played by a Black man. But from another sect, there was like ‘Idris Elba’s a c*nt, he’s disgusting, he’s not f*cking James Bond, he’s never going to be James Bond.’ It was hatred. If you get to a level like mine, I can’t sit here and worry about some d*ckhead who’s got a pseudonym writing, ‘Idris is Black, he shouldn’t play. . .’ I don’t care; I shouldn’t care about that. Plus, I’ve got a thick skin, man. I’m old and ugly enough to know that they love you, then they hate you, then they love you again.”
On his favorite performances: “Mandela would be in there. Beasts of No Nation, Sometimes in April. Stringer Bell. John Luther. Robert DuBois in The Suicide Squad. They weren’t all necessarily overly successful as films, but for me personally, there are some very big moments, career-wise, that really I just cannot forget.”
On his character Luther being his James Bond: “I say this in jest, but this is my answer to Bond. [Luther] is my big character that lives in the same space as the Bournes, as the Bonds in the world. Not in terms of spy works or spying, but this is a character that fights evil and then will stop at nothing to do it. And we created him from scratch. Me and [showrunner] Neil Cross really plowed our hearts into making John Luther. And I’ve never been more thankful for a character that keeps going. I love him. And it’s a hard character to play. It’s very absorbing, but I’ve liked bringing him to life every time. I’ve loved it.”
BREAKING NEWS: Colin Powell, former secretary of State DIES of COVID complications at 84!
Colin Powell, the former secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has died from Covid complications at the age of 84.
Powell was previously diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that hurts the body’s ability to fight infections.
“General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19,” the Powell family wrote on Facebook.
“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,” the family said, noting he was fully vaccinated.
Powell, the son of Jamaican immigrants, became the first Black national security adviser during the Reagan administration. President George H.W. Bush tapped Powell to be the youngest and first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As chairman, he oversaw America’s Desert Storm operations during the Persian Gulf war. After 35 years of military service, Powell retired from the U.S. Army as a four-star general.
In 2001, he became the first Black secretary of State under President George W. Bush.
#RHOA: Phaedra Parks Serves Quick Silver At The Covenant Screening In Atlanta!
Phaedra Parks has been loving life as a blonde bombshell. The mother of two, and former Real Housewives of Atlanta cast mate made an appearance at the COVENANT screening in Atlanta clad in a silver metallic off-the shoulder midi dress and long, luscious hair that fell to her waist.
The 47-year-old mortician and attorney has been shutting down the gram lately with her flawless makeup and sexy style. Her refined look makes for a perfect re-entry to the Housewives of Atlanta cast. Rumor has it, Phaedra will re-join the cast as Cynthia Bailey and Porsha Williams confirm they will not be returning. NeNe Leakes, the OG of the Housewives crew, left the show the season before last, and she also will not be returning this season.
Judging from Phaedra’s Instagram page, blondes really do have more fun. From short bobs to long, luxurious tresses, Mrs. Parks is slaying in her latest hair obsession. If we’re being honest here, we’re slightly infatuated with the look ourselves. Phaedra’s new look is full of flair, and it’s more than just the hair. Her entire wardrobe oozes confidence and HBIC energy. We love to see it! Can’t wait to see this play out on screen.
#NewMusic from Jon Batiste and Tori Kelly ‘Sing’!
Jon Batiste has teamed up with Tori Kelly for a new duet titled “Sing.”
Over a moving and joyful production, the two offer an ode to their profession, laying down verses about how they sing to soothe the woes of life.
The soulful tune starts with a slow tempo that picks up right around the chorus. As the tempo changes, the song picks up this groove that makes you want to get up and dance.
Batiste shared in an Instagram post, “I just love this lady—she is one of the best singers in the world. This song is healing and I bet it’ll make your heart SING!!”
With the release of “Sing,” Batiste announced the deluxe edition of his latest album, WE ARE, which will arrive on October 15. This new version adds six new tracks featuring appearances from some music friends, including BJ The Chicago Kid, Big Chief Romeo, Big Freedia and Kelly.
The original album arrived earlier this spring and featured the breakthrough single, “I Need You.”
Back in July, Jon Batiste partnered with Spotify to launch their Live At Electric Lady EP series with Electric Lady Studios. The Spotify exclusive eight-song EP included new renditions of his WE ARE songs and his twist on classics.
Kelly has been keeping a relatively low profile as far as music goes this year. She will reprise her role as Meena, the singing elephant, in Sing 2.
In 2020, she released two projects: her Solitude EP and the holiday-themed album, A Tori Kelly Christmas.
Take a listen to Jon Batiste and Tori Kelly’s “Sing” HERE
#HipHopNews: Drake & Future Producer D. Hill Passes Away!
D. Hill, the multi-platinum producer who worked with Drake, Future and Lil Uzi Vert during his burgeoning career, has reportedly passed away.
The sad news was announced on Thursday (October 14) by fellow producer Mojo Krazy and later confirmed by Hill’s grandmother, who wrote on Facebook, “Y’all please pray for my family .. My sweet grandson Darius Hill has passed away .. Continue to Pray for his Family and Friends as we all go through the day ahead.”
Details surrounding D. Hill’s death remain scarce, though, with a cause of death yet to be revealed.
Hailing from Hartwell, Georgia, D. Hill (real name Darius Hill) is best known for co-producing Drake and Future’s 9x platinum, Grammy-nominated hit “Life Is Good,” as well as the duo’s Dark Lane Demos collaboration “Desires.”
He also produced several songs on Future and Lil Uzi Vert’s joint album Pluto x Baby Pluto, including “I Don’t Wanna Break Up,” “Sleeping On the Floor” and “Over Your Head.”
Tributes to D. Hill have been pouring in from the rap community since the news of his passing broke, with the likes of Playboi Carti, Sonny Digital and TM88 among those mourning his death.
Carti broadcast a “RIP D. Hill” message on stage during his concert in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday night (October 14) while Sonny left a heartfelt comment on Hill’s most recent Instagram post that read, “Damn my brother. Love 4L.”
In a Complex feature from February 2020, D. Hill revealed he began pursuing a career as a producer in 2017 and would often sleep on couches during work trips to Atlanta, as well as occasionally in his car.
He also explained how he connected with Future and Drake for “Life Is Good,” saying, “There’s a guy named Guap Tarantino and he’s a Freebandz artist. After working with him and staying consistent with him, everything else started to unfold.”
D. Hill continued, “Future’s part is solely produced by me. OZ, he works closely with Drake, so that was his production, along with Ambezza, a producer who is super talented. The idea of them merging two songs together, that’s something [Future and Drake] did. I sent that beat to Future months ago.
“I’m glad they merged the two songs together. That was a good collaboration opportunity, and it’s going crazy right now.”
Jay-Z & Beyoncé Put New Orleans Mansion Up For Sale After Arson Attempt!
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JAY-Z and Beyoncé are letting go of their New Orleans abode, months after an arsonist attempted to burn it to the ground. According to TMZ, Hip Hop’s first family are listing the 13,000+ square foot mansion for $4.45 million, chump change for them but undoubtedly an amazing come-up for someone wanting to dwell in a space formerly occupied by Hov and Queen B.
Built in 1925, the estate and former Presbyterian church is located in New Orleans’ famed Garden District and has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. Over the years, it’s been refitted to not only be a more than spacious dwelling but also a major event space in the city.
The three-story building was the subject of a one-alarm fire on July 22. Although no one was injured, it took 22 New Orleans firefighters over two hours to extinguish the flames. According to the Desert-Fire website, a one-alarm fire usually calls for a “minimum of two engines, a rescue unit, ladder truck and at least one battalion chief on board to supervise.”
After a brief investigation, the cause of the fire was deemed to be simple arson.
The sale of one mansion won’t mean much in the long run to Hip Hop’s wealthiest couple. In 2017, the couple purchased their dream home in Bel Air, California for $88 million, one of the largest single-home purchases in the history of Los Angeles County.
Dwayne Johnson meant what he said about Vin Diesel Unlike him, I did not come from the world of theater."!
Vin Diesel may have viewed his highly publicized feud with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a bit of "tough love," but Johnson is not backing down from what he said about Diesel.
In a new cover story for Vanity Fair, Johnson talked about the role he played in the conflict.
In 2016, he posted a photo on his verified Instagram account -- which he has since removed -- in which he talked about filming "The Fate of the Furious.
"Some (male co-stars) conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don't," Johnson wrote at the time, leading to speculation he was talking about Diesel.
"It caused a firestorm. Yet interestingly enough...[it was] as if every single crew member found their way to me and either quietly thanked me or sent me a note," Johnson told Vanity Fair. "But, yeah, it wasn't my best day, sharing that. I shouldn't have shared that. Because at the end of the day, that goes against my DNA."
Diesel talked to Men's Health about the beef earlier this year. He said that as a producer for the "Fast & Furious" franchise, he felt he had to take a hard stance with Johnson, who played Luke Hobbs.
"It was a tough character to embody, the Hobbs character," Diesel told Men's Health. "My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be. As a producer to say, 'Okay, we're going to take Dwayne Johnson, who's associated with wrestling, and we're going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to regard his character as someone that they don't know' -- Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks."
Johnson pushed back on that in his interview with Vanity Fair, saying, "I've been around the block a lot of times. Unlike him, I did not come from the world of theater."
"And, you know, I came up differently and was raised differently. And I came from a completely different culture and environment," he said. "And I go into every project giving it my all. And if I feel that there's some things that need to be squared away and handled and taken care of, then I do it. And it's just that simple."
"So when I read that, just like everybody else, I laughed," Johnson said. "I laughed hard. We all laughed. And somewhere I'm sure Fellini is laughing too."
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Halloween Kills’ Is Killer at $50.4M!
David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills is doing killer business at the domestic box office, where it scared up the biggest horror opening of the pandemic era. It also boasts the top start for a movie launching simultaneously in theaters and on a streaming service at no extra cost.
Green’s R-rated slasher pic earned $50.4 million from 3,705 theaters in North America. Halloween Kills also launched Friday on Universal’s sister streaming service, Peacock.
Day-and-date releases, a controversial practice, have become commonplace during the pandemic as media conglomerates race to grow their streaming services and use feature movies as bait. Previously, Godzilla vs. Kong boasted the biggest domestic box office opening for a pandemic-era dual release ($31.6 million).
The performance will no doubt please advocates of drastically shortening or collapsing the exclusive theatrical window. Such advocates include NBCUniversal chief Jeff Shell, who oversees Universal and Peacock.
Peacock, like most other steamers, didn’t disclose any viewership numbers for Halloween Kills. At the box office, it came in ahead of expectations.
“We obviously had a very enthusiastic audience that was extremely eager to get out to theaters. A film like Halloween Kills is going to be best experienced in theaters, where the person next to you is gasping, and another is screaming. It makes it just that much more of a true experience,” says Universal’s domestic distribution chief Jim Orr.
The film started off overseas with $5.5 million from 20 markets for an early global total of $55.9 million, meaning the film has already earned more than double its production budget ($23 million) before marketing.
Halloween Kills, made by Universal in concert with Miramax and Blumhouse, is a follow-up to Green’s smash 2018 Halloween reboot, which opened to a record-breaking $76.2 million on its way to earning north of $250 million worldwide. The new generation of films see Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle reprise their signature roles as Laurie Strode and the menacing monster, Michael Myers.
Halloween Kills was a destination event for younger consumers, who are thus far fueling the box office recovery. Among ticket buyers, 73 percent of the audience were 35 and under, including 44 percent under 24. The audience was also ethnically diverse; Caucasians made up 38 percent, followed by Latinos (33 percent), Blacks (16 percent) and Asians/Other (13 percent), according to PostTrak surveys.
The pic posted the best start for a horror film since the COVID-19 crisis commenced, besting A Quiet Place Part II ($47.5 million). Throughout the pandemic, superhero and horror offerings have done the best.
Green’s movie had no trouble winning the weekend ahead of James Bond installment No Time to Die, which tumbled a not-so-great 56 percent to $24.3 million in its second outing for a 10-day domestic total of $99.5 million.
At the same time, No Time to Die is certainly no slouch as it nears the $450 million mark globally. The MGM and EON movie continues to ring up bigger numbers overseas, as all Bond films do. It earned another $54 million this weekend for a foreign tally of $348.3 million and $447.5 million worldwide (and that’s without China, where it lands Oct. 29).
Sony’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage opened in earnest overseas to top the international chart with a weekend haul of $62.3 million from 44 markets for a foreign cume of $115.6 million and $283.7 million worldwide. That excludes China, where Chinese war epic The Battle of Lake Changjin earned another $71 million to cross the $755 million mark in ticket sales.
Domestically, Venom 2 finished Sunday with $168.1 million after earning $16.5 million in its third weekend.
Unlike Venom 2, No Time to Die needs older adults to prosper, a demo that’s fallen out of the habit of going to the movies due to COVID. While the MGM and EON movie has succeeded in convincing many to return to the cinemas for the first time in more than 18 months, winning over older adults is a slow process.
That’s part of the reason why Ridley Scott’s A-list The Last Duel bombed in its debut with $4.8 million domestically. Set in 14th century France, the movie stars Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck.
The Last Duel, opening in fifth place, needed older adults even more than Bond; 80 percent of the audience was 25 and older, including a hefty 50 percent over 35. Ethnically, the audience mix was 63 percent Caucasian, 17 percent Latino, Latino, 11 percent Asian/Other and 9 percent Black.
Nor does it help that historical epics are a challenging genre even in normal times. And while critics embraced The Last Duel, the movie received a B+ from audiences despite glowing reviews. Disney inherited the project when absorbing 20th Century Fox.
The Last Duel started off its foreign run with a lackluster $4.2 million from 37 markets for a global launch of just $9 million.
Both that film and No Time to Die are playing exclusively in theaters.
At the specialty box office, National Geographic Film’s acclaimed Thai cave drama The Rescue, from Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, expanded into a total of 552 theaters. The documentary took in $386,400 for a 10-day domestic tally just north of $460,000.
Former President Bill Clinton Released From The Hospital!
Former President Bill Clinton, standing with his wife, Hillary, and doctors, was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center Sunday morning.
Former President Bill Clinton has been released from a California hospital where he was receiving treatment for a "non-COVID-related infection." Clinton, 75, had been at the hospital since Tuesday.
A spokesman for Clinton, Angel Urena, tweeted a statement from Dr. Alpesh N. Amin, who had been overseeing the team of doctors treating the former president at the University of California Irvine Medical Center .
"President Clinton was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center today. His fever and white blood cell count are normalized and he will return home to New York to finish his course of antibiotics," the statement said.
Amin said doctors will continue to monitor Clinton's progress.
Former President Bill Clinton expected to leave hospital Sunday
On Friday, President Biden told reporters he had spoken with Clinton about his health over the phone.
"I wanted to see how he was doing. He's doing fine. He really is," Biden said. "He's not in any serious condition."=
The president added that he hoped to have lunch with Clinton soon.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Are Engaged!
The rock star has put a ring on it! Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian are engaged. He popped the question on Sunday, Oct. 17 at Rosewood Miramar Hotel in Montecito, Calif.
"forever @travisbarker," Kourtney posted to Instagram just after Travis proposed. She included photos of the couple embracing during the magical moment.
An eyewitness tells E! News that the proposal took place just as the sun was setting at 6:30 p.m., and that Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson were both present.
"Kourtney looked very surprised to see Khloe and Tristan there," the insider shares. "Travis escorted Kourtney down to the beach, where he had red and white florals set up in the shape of a heart. It looked very romantic. I could see Kourtney smiling from ear to ear and put her hand over her mouth looking surprised. The family cheered for them and went back into the hotel."
TMZ was first to report the engagement, citing sources.
The news comes shortly after multiple sources confirmed to E! News that the Blink-182 rocker and former Keeping Up With the Kardashians star were planning a future together that may include a wedding.
"They are head over heels and never experienced love like this," an insider explained. "Kourtney is the happiest. Travis adores her and treats her so well. It's very different than her other relationships and all positive."
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker: Romance Rewind
Another source confirmed that the pair has talked about marriage as they continue to blend their families together.
Channing Tatum Addresses Dave Chappelle Controversy: 'I Understand And Hate That He Has Hurt So Many People'!
Though he noted that it's "very dangerous" to do so, Channing Tatum has waded into the controversy surrounding Dave Chappelle's new special for Netflix and accusations that it includes harmful transphobic remarks.
In a statement posted to Instagram Stories on Sunday, Tatum appeared to both show appreciation for Chappelle's past work while acknowledging the "hurt" the comedian has caused with his latest special, The Closer, in which he describes himself as "Team TERF," as in trans-exclusionary radical feminist.
Tatum's post included a link — reposted from comic D.L. Hughley — to Chappelle's 2019 speech at the Kennedy Center to accept the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which the Magic Mike star credited with helping him.
"I understand that Dave is a very dangerous person to talk about at the moment," Tatum wrote. "I understand and hate that he has hurt so many people with things he has said.
"Any human can hurt someone (usually cause they're hurt) but any human can heal and heal others just the same," he continued. "This little piece healed me back in the day. I can't forget that."
The clip features Chappelle sharing the advice his mother gave him when he was a "sensitive" child.
"I was a soft kid," the comedian says in the clip. "I was sensitive, I’d cry easy and I would be scared to fistfight. My mother used to tell me this thing… ’Son, sometimes you have to be a lion so you can be the lamb you really are.’ I talk this s**t like a lion. I’m not afraid of any of you. When it comes word to word, I will gab with the best of them, just so I can chill and be me.
"And that's why I love my art form, because I understand every practitioner of it. Whether I agree with them or not, I know where they're coming from. They want to be heard. They've got something to say. There's something they noticed. They just want to be understood. I loved this genre. It saved my life."
Tatum added that his admiration for Chappelle's past work "does not excuse anything hurtful [though] to be clear."
UK Website Offers $7,000 To Watch All 706 Episodes Of The Simpsons!
A casino website based in the UK is looking to hire someone who can watch all 706 episodes of The Simpsons for $7,000 and indicate future life events.
Platin Casino made the offer on their website for one major fan to cash in the opportunity to watch all 33 seasons of the animated series plus the movie. The goal is to see if The Simpsons actually predicted past and future major events throughout its 30-year run.
“In our industry we too like to predict what the future has in store for us. The Simpsons Series Analyst will get paid to note down standout events from the show, to help us predict the probability of each one happening.”
The program requires for the participant to spend approximately 35.5 hours a week with access to a computer and must be fluent in English.
“The Simpsons Series Analyst is an eight-week long role.- The job would require a minimum of 35.5 hours of work a week, so all 284 hours of the TV show and spinoff film can be watched over the employment period.- The Simpsons Series Analyst will watch and analyse all episodes from the 33 seasons, along with The Simpsons spinoff movie.- During each episode the professional will be asked to take notes on stand out storylines to feedback to us and our team of prediction experts. We will then compile the events into a list of future predictions with a probability of each one happening.
Lil’ Kim Has Revealed Nick Cannon Is Her New Manager!
Lil’ Kim has a new manager. The Queen Bee recently revealed on Complex’s “Hiking With Rappers” interview series that she has enlisted Nick Cannon to steer her career.
“I just shot a movie with Nick Cannon,” she told host King Keraun. “Nick Cannon, people don’t even know, like he’s one of my best friends. We’ve been best friends for years ... And we just shot a movie called Miracle Across 125th Street. I really did that movie for Nick, but I love doing movies.”
“It’s part of my next level,” she continued. “Nick is convincing me. You know he’s my manager?”
Twitter jokingly says the ‘Certified Lover Boy’ album cover should be Nick Cannon’s
“I did not know that,” Keraun replied. Through his Ncredible Entertainment company, Cannon has helped artists such as The Black Squad (Hitman Holla, Conceited, Charlie Clips), Ty only, Justina Valentine, and more. The multi-talented entertainer also started managing Amber Rose circa 2014, however, it’s unclear whether she is still a part of Cannon’s Ncredible imprint.
In addition to starring in Miracle Across 125th Street, Kim is prepping the release of her upcoming memoir “The Queen Bee.” As REVOLT previously reported, the book is slated to be released on Nov. 2 by Hachette Books. Lil Kim not only blazed trails for women in hip hop, but also inspired the careers of those who followed,” read a statement from the publisher. However, life at the top hasn’t been easy, either. Lil’ Kim also talks about the hidden moments of her reign: her complicated high-profile relationships, the misogynistic industry she fought to change through sex positivity, the challenging double standards of self-image and beauty in the spotlight, and the momentous act of loyalty that ultimately landed her in prison.”
“A true page-turner from start to finish,” the statement continued. “The Queen Bee will reportedly be “as every bit as fierce, empowering, and badass as the woman at the heart of this story — and firmly cements her legacy as a true feminist icon.”
Queen Latifah Reveals She was Bothered by ‘Living Single’ Cast Being Told to Lose Weight!
*In an interview w @essence, Queen Latifah recalls an experience on ‘Living Single‘ when the cast was told to lose weight.
She says, “I remember when I was doing Living Single, the word came down that we needed to lose weight and it was like, what? Now mind you, we have the number one show among Black and Latino, Latinx audiences, at the time. And we have a hit show and you’re telling us we need to lose weight.” Living Single, which was led by an all black cast, aired in Aug. 1993 and ran for six seasons on Fox network.
As for changing their appearance Latifah said:
“We look like real people. We look like real women. We all look different. And those are the kind of things that come to you that can chip away at your self-esteem. That’s the kind of insensitivity that we’re fighting against right now. That’s the kind of shame planting that can destroy self-esteem.” She added,
“That did bother me. But of course, it didn’t make a difference. I didn’t change anything as a result of it. If anything, I’m just the rebel. Don’t tell me what to do, because I’m going to do the opposite. But it did make me cognizant.”
Subway Worker Fired For Walking On Food and Placing Sandwich Meat On A Toilet Seat, Admits He Did It For Clout!
A Subway worker was fired for posting videos to the internet showing him stepping on food and placing sandwich meat on a toilet seat.
A Subway spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek that the employee was employed at one of its franchises located in Providence, Rhode Island.
The former employee, who goes by Jumanne Way, also posted videos of him trashing the restaurant. He is seen stepping into the bins that hold sandwich fillings and placing them back on the counter.
In another video, he threw trays of bread on the floor and stepped on them. In the video that shows meat covering a toilet, you can see lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers on the bathroom floor.
Why is doing all this? Sadly, he told the Daily Mail it was done to bolster his views as a content creator.
“Unfortunately, I’m a content creator, so I create controversial videos to be able to potentially monetize my audience on YouTube and other social media platforms,” Jumanne Way told the outlet.
He admitted that he’s not sure if his clout chasing has paid off yet, but he accepts that there might be consequences.
#RHOP: Mia Thornton and Candiace Dillard Tearfully Apologize to Each Other After Explosive Fights!
The ongoing feud between Mia Thornton and Candiace Dillard Bassett appears to finally be over.
During Sunday's episode of The Real Housewives of Potomac, the costars agreed to talk out their issues and apologize after having multiple explosive fights over the past several weeks.
Their drama first began when Mia, 36, called Candiace's music video "low budget," and Candiace, 34, replied, "Your mama's low budget." That was a particularly loaded comment for Mia who, unbeknownst to Candiace at the time, has opened up on the show about being placed in foster care as a child and having a strained relationship with her mother.
The initial fight came up several more times, including during the couples' trip to Chesapeake Bay, when Mia and Candiace had a screaming match that ended with them throwing salad at each other.
Later on in the trip, the cast took a boat on the water, and Mia and Candiace decided to take the opportunity to bury the hatchet. Mia began by saying sorry for probing about Candiace and her husband while talking to Candiace's mom at the music video shoot.
"Obviously I said something that struck a nerve with you, right, and I know that I'm just now getting a chance to know you and I never want to be responsible for inflicting negative energy onto someone. I own that, and I'm sorry for that. And I apologize for hurting you by asking questions that, maybe, it's none of my business," she began.
"I appreciate you saying that, but it wasn't the questions to my mom that triggered me so much as the comment about my project," Candiace replied, referencing the "low budget" comment.
"I don't want to cry," she continued, while holding back tears. "I was hurt by what you said. Because I have worked so hard to really live out this dream again, and it's really important to me. I don't know if I'm doing it right, and I'm scared if it's going to be received well. I don't ever want to feel like something that I'm doing is not being respected at the very least."
"Trust me, I get it," Mia said.
"You don't have to understand or appreciate my creative journey, but at least respect it," Candiace concluded.
"I'm sorry for that," Mia responded. "Now I know my boundaries with you, and I'll be mindful of that, and I'll try not to purposely hurt you."
"Thank you, I appreciate you saying that," Candiace said, while Mia added in her confessional, "I never want to intentionally hurt someone, but I'm going to forever be honest, and now I can kind of know how to maneuver around Candiace."
Next, it was Candiace's turn to apologize. "So now to you. I was not aware that you had stuff with your mom. Honestly, when I said your mother's low budget, I did not realize that I was pushing a button in you that is traumatic and hurtful. I don't ever want to be responsible for contributing to that kind of hurt," she said.
"I would prefer for you to attack me, always, because, I mean, she did time in prison, she is a recovering addict, and she's doing well for herself, and she's really strong into her word, she goes to church, she reads her Bible every morning," Mia said of her mom.
"I just don't want her to be hurt by anybody's comments that she had nothing to do with. It's not fair because she's worked too hard for her sobriety, and I want her to stay there," she added.
Mia also shared more of her mother's backstory, revealing that she has been sober for 10 years and was in prison for eight.
"Her mom and her dad both died while she was in prison so she didn't get a chance to bury her parents," she said.
"Typically they let people out to bury their parents," Gizelle Bryant commented, as Mia explained, "So we were able to get her out, she chose not to because they wouldn't take the shackles off of her ankles, and she didn't want to come into the church in shackles."
"That's terrible," Gizelle, 51, said.
Mia then began crying remembering the deaths of her grandparents. "That was a hard day, I'm sorry," she said. "Because my grandmother was everything. You know, she did the best that she could with her."
Candiace, meanwhile, seemed to be seeing Mia in a whole new light. "I know how I have felt having my mom issues, I can't imagine going through what Mia has gone through," she told the cameras, later adding, "I'm grateful that I have been given this information about who she is for real."
"Thank you for apologizing for that, and you know, we good," Mia told Candiace, who confirmed, "Yes."
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
Chicago Wins First WNBA Title With Win Over Phoenix!
Candace Parker returned home to bring Chicago a championship. She did just that, leading the Sky to the franchise’s first WNBA title.
Allie Quigley scored 26 points and Parker added 16 points, 13 rebounds and five assists and Chicago beat the Phoenix Mercury 80-74 on Sunday in Game 4.
“This one is so sweet,” a champagne-soaked Parker said. “To do it with this group. I love this group, I love this team. And to do it here at home, it was just supposed to be.”
Courtney Vandersloot added 10 points and 15 assists for the Sky, who won the series 3-1, rallying from a 72-65 deficit with 4:42 left. Chicago scored the next nine points to take a two-point lead on Stefanie Dolson’s layup. She then added another basket to make it 76-72 with 45.8 seconds left.
Diana Taurasi was fouled on the next possession shooting a 3-pointer and made the first two free throws, but missed the third.
Vandersloot then scored in the lane to seal the victory and set off the celebration. As the final buzzer sounded, Parker sprinted to the corner of the court and hugged her family with tears in her eyes.
“It was amazing to just hug my dad and my mom,” Parker said. “It was just an amazing feeling to be from here and see so many people in the stands that have been supporting you since you started. It’s just a moment where you just have to really take it in.”
It was a full-circle moment for Parker, who triumphantly returned home to Chicago this season after spending 13 years with Los Angeles. She has been continually called the Sky’s missing piece throughout the playoffs, a label she proved accurate many times during Chicago’s stunning run, winning the title as a six-seed.
“It feels amazing. My high school coach is here,” Parker said. “I know Pat’s (Summitt) watching. Got the whole city here. We got the whole city here. We are champions for life now.”
Brittney Griner was a focal point of Phoenix’s offense early on. The seven-time All-Star finished the game with 28 points, 18 of which came in the first half. Griner and guard Skylar Diggins-Smith helped lead a 9-0 run to finish the second quarter and give Phoenix a 44-37 edge at halftime.
Yet, Quigley’s fourth-quarter outburst ultimately undid any attempts Phoenix could make to stave off elimination.
“It wasn’t our night,” Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello said. “Allie made some really big shots for them. We left her open, and she made them. It would be nice to be going back to a Game 5 now, but it’s not going to happen this year.”
The Phoenix Mercury players declined to come to the postgame press conference.
Parker initially had trouble getting into a rhythm offensively, going one for six from the floor with just four points by the end of the first half.
Phoenix’s lead stretched to 14 at one point in the third, but the deficit wasn’t big enough to shake Chicago’s confidence down the stretch.
“We stayed together,” Sky coach James Wade said. “It was a microcosm of our season, where you go down and you keep pushing. By the end of it, the crowd took over, our players stayed together and you started to see who we were. I never doubted for a minute that we were going to win that game.”
Kahleah Copper, who had been a force in the first four games of the finals, earned MVP honors of the championship.
“I have this edginess and grittiness about me that’s going to keep me going,” Copper said. “It was very important for me to be consistent coming in this year and better than I was last year. You put the work in and you get rewarded.”
After the game, Parker mentioned a picture she took with her daughter on the court after she won her first championship with Los Angeles. She keeps the photo on her wall, and her daughter’s desire to be part of a similar moment helped convince Parker to come back home.
“I asked her if it was OK if I came to Chicago,” Parker said. “And she was like ‘I want another picture like that.’ It’s crazy, because she came out to the court and said ‘we did it,’ and it was just surreal.”
U.S. Religious Group Says 17 Missionaries Kidnapped In Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A notorious Haitian gang known for brazen kidnappings and killings was accused by police Sunday of abducting 17 missionaries from a U.S.-based organization. Five children were believed to be among those kidnapped.
The 400 Mawozo gang kidnapped the group — which also included some elderly people — in Ganthier, a commune that lies east of the capital of Port-au-Prince, Haitian police inspector Frantz Champagne told The Associated Press. The gang was blamed for kidnapping five priests and two nuns earlier this year in Haiti.
The gang, whose name roughly translates to 400 “inexperienced men,” controls the Croix-des-Bouquets area that includes Ganthier, where they carry out kidnappings and carjackings and extort business owners, according to authorities.
Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said the kidnapped group consisted of 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian, for a total of five children, seven women and five men. The organization said they were on a trip to visit an orphanage.
“Join us in praying for those who are being held hostage, the kidnappers and the families, friends and churches of those affected,” Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. “As an organization, we commit this situation to God and trust Him to see us through.”
Haiti is once again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings that had diminished in recent months, after President Jovenel Moïse was fatally shot at his private residence on July 7 and a 7.2-magnitude earthquake killed more than 2,200 people in August.
Nearly a year ago, Haitian police issued a wanted poster for the gang’s alleged leader, Wilson Joseph, on charges including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, auto theft and the hijacking of trucks carrying goods. He goes by the nickname “Lanmò Sanjou,” which means “death doesn’t know which day it’s coming.”
Joseph, who could not be immediately reached for comment, has posted videos detailing the alleged crimes the gang has committed in recent years.
Once, when the gang opened fire on a small bus carrying several passengers and killed an infant, Wilson said it was not their fault because the bus driver refused to stop. In a more recent video, he appears holding a bottle of alcohol surrounded by heavily armed men. Another video from June shows people inside a church fleeing as gunfire erupted outside on a Saturday morning. The gang was accused of raiding the area and setting cars on fire.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States is in touch with Haitian authorities to try to resolve the case.
Christian Aid Ministries came under public scrutiny in 2019, when one of the group’s former workers based in Haiti was convicted of felony sexual abuse against minors in Ohio. Jeriah Mast, 40, is serving a nine-year sentence in an Ohio prison. During the hearing, the judge said Mast told him that he also molested at least 30 boys in Haiti in the span of about 15 years, according to The Daily Record newspaper in Ohio.
Amid the spike in kidnappings, gangs have demanded ransoms ranging from a couple of hundred dollars to more than $1 million, according to authorities.
Last month, a deacon was killed in front of a church in the capital of Port-au-Prince and his wife kidnapped, one of dozens of people who have been abducted in recent months.
At least 328 kidnappings were reported to Haiti’s National Police in the first eight months of 2021, compared with a total of 234 for all of 2020, according to a report issued last month by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti known as BINUH.
Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, busloads of passengers and others as they grow more powerful. In April, a man who claimed to be the gang leader of the 400 Mawozo told a radio station that they were the ones responsible for kidnapping five priests, two nuns and three relatives of one of the priests that month. They were later released.
The spike in kidnappings and gang-related violence has forced Haitians to take detours around certain gang-controlled areas while others simply opt to stay home, which in turn means less money for people like Charles Pierre, a moto taxi driver in Port-au-Prince who has several children to feed.
“People are not going out in the streets,” he said. “We cannot find people to transport.”
A protest is scheduled for Monday to decry the nation’s lack of security.
“Political turmoil, the surge in gang violence, deteriorating socioeconomic conditions — including food insecurity and malnutrition — all contribute to the worsening of the humanitarian situation,” BINUH said in its report. “An overstretched and under-resourced police force alone cannot address the security ills of Haiti.”
On Friday, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to extend the U.N. political mission in Haiti.
The kidnapping of the missionaries comes just days after high-level U.S. officials visited Haiti and promised more resources for Haiti’s National Police, including another $15 million to help reduce gang violence, which this year has displaced thousands of Haitians who now live in temporary shelters in increasingly unhygienic conditions.
Among those who met with Haiti’s police chief was Uzra Zeya, U.S. under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights.
“Dismantling violent gangs is vital to Haitian stability and citizen security,” she recently tweeted.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
HAGRIDS WIFE
Just getting supplies for his husband from Hogwarts
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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