Lea Seydoux and Lashana Lynch for Entertainment Weekly!
The folks over at Entertainment Weekly is shifting the focus from Daniel Craig to the women of his upcoming 007 flick “No Time to Die”.
A new EW digital cover story explores how stars Lashana Lynch, Léa Seydoux and Ana de Armas — and let’s not forget co-writer of the film’s screenplay, Phoebe Waller-Bridge — are putting their own marks on the 60-year-old James Bond film franchise.
That, of course, is by design, as producers look to redefine the so-called “Bond girl” for the current generation of moviegoers, who have far different societal views of gender roles than audiences who watched the first Bond movie, “Dr. No”, in 1962.
Waller-Bridge’s work on the screenplay is a big part of that. “I got her in because she’s the best f**king writer around,” star Craig tells EW. “After ‘Killing Eve’ [on which Waller-Bridge was head writer for the first season], it was like, we’ve got to get her in. Her tone manages to stay serious and emotional and also manages to have jokes. I was like, we have to have her.”
In preparing for her role, Lynch details the intense training she undertook. “They taught me everything from wushu to boxing to armory to everything under the sun, really. They just prepared me for any eventuality, so if choreography should change, I was ready, and that’s exactly how I felt, completely ready,” says Lynch, describing her character, Nomi, as “just a general bad arse, kick-a**ery lady.”
In contrast, de Armas reveals her training for the film was fast-tracked. “I only had 10 days to two weeks training, which is not much for everything I had to do,” says de Armas. “I told Daniel I was nervous, and he was just like, ‘Enjoy it! If you have fun with it and trust the people you’re working with, the stunt crew and Cary and everyone, it’s going to look great.’ In the end, it all turned out very well.”
Meanwhile, Seydoux promises that her character, Madeline Swann, is far more “developed” than when she was first introduced in “Spectre”.
“We get to understand her more,” says Seydoux. “She’s not sexualized and objectified. She has become a more interesting and complex character, and I think that was needed; it was really needed.”
The entire feature can be found right here; “No Time to Die” opens Sept. 30
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Lists Georgia Mansion for $4 Million Following Her Husband Gregg's Death!
NeNe Leakes put the Georgia mansion she once shared with her late husband, Gregg Leakes, on the market earlier this week.
The Mediterranean-style 5-bedroom, 7-bathroom home, which sits outside of Georgia, was listed for $4 million by Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty agent Elaine Richardson.
NeNe bought the nearly 10,000 square-foot property in 2015 for $2.1 million, TMZ reported.
The former Real Housewive of Atlanta star's home has silver and white accents throughout. In 2016, she she went for a "white and bright" interior to contrast her former home. "I was living in a very traditional home, and I wanted something completely different," she said at the time.
She had a vision for the decor at the time. "I decided to do silvers and whites in this area because I wanted to keep it open and bright and beautiful," she said. "You can see my outdoors, and the whole idea for the outdoors was a resort, so I want some of the outdoors to come indoors."
Upstairs, there is an open office layout with couches for meetings.
The former RHOA star's bedroom is fit for a reality star with chandeliers, a tufted wall behind the headboard, floor-to-ceiling windows, a TV, a large couch and a matching ottoman.
The primary bathroom has a freestanding tub, a standing shower, and a double vanity setup.
The walk-in closet is just as big as the bedroom — if not bigger. There is plenty of space for clothing, shelving for a shoe collection, a jewelry case and mirrors.
The over-the-top aesthetic carries to the basement, which has a game room with two TVs and a pool table; a wine cellar and full bar with high top seating and club-style lounge seating; a movie theater with seating for eight; and a beauty salon that was converted from a bedroom.
"Our basement is for entertaining and having a good time," The outside of the home mimics a resort with a wrap-around covered patio, a pool and jacuzzi with fountain functions, lounge chairs, an outdoor dining table for a large party, and trees surrounding the area for privacy.
Other perks include a nearby country club, tennis courts, a golf course, and the airport.
NeNe's sale of the home comes nearly a month after her husband Gregg's death on Sept. 1.
#NewMusic: JoJo Releases New EP “Trying Not To Think About It”!
JoJo has released her brand new EP “JoJo Announces Upcoming EP “Trying Not To Think About It”. Along with the first single “Worst (I Assume)”, the project is filled with soulful records that showcase honesty, vulnerability and transparency around mental health. JoJo collaborates with the likes of D’Mile, Cardiak, Elijah Blake and Nikki Flores on here.
STEAM IT HERE
Prior to this release, JoJo put out her fourth album “Good To Know” back in May 2020.
JoJo will also be hitting the road this year for a series of shows:
October 2, 2021 Boston, MA Sinclair
October 4, 2021 New York City, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
October 5, 2021 Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
October 7, 2021 Atlanta, GA Terminal West
October 9, 2021 Nashville, TN Exit/In
October 11, 2021 Los Angeles, CA El Rey
#HipHopNews: Lil Nas X Claps Back At Trolls Over Album Sales!
Lil Nas X is clapping back at his critics. The rapper’s debut album Montero opened at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 last month with 126,000 equivalent album units, including 147 million streams, but took the runner-up spot to Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. While second-week sales are not officially in yet, it appears that he will slide to No. 3 behind Drake and YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s Sincerely, Kentrell.
Despite Nas’ solid numbers, which Billboard described as an “excellent performance for a debut album,” his critics couldn’t resist the opportunity to declare him a “flop,” claiming he “sold his soul” but it wasn’t enough to get him the No. 1 spot.
“Lil nas X danced on the devil, came out as gay & sold his soul just for his album to not overcome drake’s or Youngboy. FLOP. Real overcomes all!” wrote one Twitter account.
But Nas had the perfect response to the trolls. “y’all have tweeted 10 different versions of this tweet,” he replied, while touting his stats. “meanwhile my album has already sold almost 2 million copies worldwide and is already the 8th most streamed project of the year. cry & cope.”
He also retweeted an account that claimed Montero has sold an impressive 1,947,000 units worldwide in just two weeks.
The album, which features appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, and Jack Harlow, has also spawned three top 10 singles including “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” “Industry Baby,” and “That’s What I Want.”
#SADNESS: The Body of Miya Marcano Has been found: Sheriff Says!
A body believed to be that of missing Florida college student Miya Marcano has been found, authorities said Saturday.
Marcano, 19, was last seen on Sept. 24 after she disappeared from the Arden Villas Luxury Apartments in Orlando. During a search of an apartment complex in Orange County on Saturday, police found a body in a wooded area nearby “that we believe to be that of Miya Marcano,” Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during a press conference.
“Although we are very certain of the identity, the positive identification will have to come from the medical examiner’s office,” Mina added. “At this time we cannot identify a cause of death.”
Earlier this week, the FBI joined the search for Marcano, and authorities found a person of interest in the case, 27-year-old Armando Manuel Caballero. Caballero, a maintenance worker in Marcano’s apartment building, had been “repeatedly rebuffed” by the woman after he continuously bothered her, police said.
Caballero, who police said had a master key to Marcano’s apartment, was found dead on Monday in an apparent suicide.
Tyler Perry and Blumhouse Entertainment to Join Forces for the First Time on Thriller ‘Help'!
Tyler Perry and Jason Blum are partnering on a new thriller titled Help.
The pair shared the news on Friday at the second annual BlumFest, which took place virtually, Deadline reports. It will be the pair’s first feature production together, between their respective banners Tyler Perry Studios and Blumhouse Productions.
While plot details haven’t yet been shared, the movie will begin filming at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta next year. Alan McElroy—known for his work writing and producing Star Trek: Discovery and the Wrong Turn horror films—is slated to write and direct Help. Tim Palen will also produce next to Perry and Blum through Perry and Palen’s Peachtree and Vine label.
Blumhouse has been busy with its Universal/Miramax sequel Halloween Kills, which arrives in theaters and on NBC’s Peacock streaming service on Oct. 15.
Perry is also starring in Adam McKay’s new ensemble comedy Don’t Look Up for Netflix. Set to debut in theaters on Dec. 10 and on the streaming giant on Dec. 24, the film boasts an A-list cast that sees The Wolf of Wall Street co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill together once again, as well as Kid Cudi, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Rob Morgan, Mark Rylance, and Rob Perlman.
Raiders' Carl Nassib Reveals He Has an 'Awesome Guy' in His Life After Coming Out: 'He's the Best'!
During an appearance on Comeback Stories with Donny Starkins and Darren Waller, the 28-year-old Las Vegas Raiders player revealed that he has "met an awesome guy."
"He's the best," Nassib told the hosts on Thursday, after saying that he felt the one thing missing from his life was being "someone's number one priority."
"That's just the one thing I wanted," he said. "And I couldn't have that, so that was the one thing, I was like, 'Man I really f------ want that.' But I got that now, so it's good."
In June, Nassib became the NFL's first active player to come out as gay.
"I wasn't really trying to break any barriers or stuff like that," he confessed. "Coming out as gay is something that, for a while, that I wanted to do and just wanted to wait for the right moment."
The decision to come out, however, wasn't easy. Though he initially "didn't want to do it," Nassib said he "felt a huge obligation" to the community, including "all the young kids out there that are struggling with their sexuality."
"If I could just help a few of them out, then I could sleep better at night," he said.
Nassib wanted to come out in 2020 during his first season with the Raiders, but the NFL's strict COVID-19 protocols led him to hold off. Without the ability to see his teammates outside of Raiders' facilities and no organized team activities (OTAs), Nassib "didn't really have a vibe for it" at first.
"I really didn't feel comfortable enough to do it," he admitted. "I wanted to make sure the guys that I went to work with every single day were good dudes, were accepting dudes — and the locker rooms I'd been in before, were absolutely the same."
Nassib's hopes of having accepting teammates were confirmed at the end of this year's OTAs when Raiders players met with the team's clinical psychologist and opened up about various real-life experiences.
"Everyone responded so well, and I was like, 'Damn, these are good dudes!'" Nassib said
Emily Ratajkowski Alleges Robin Thicke Fondled Her During ‘Blurred Lines’ Filming!
Emily Ratajkowski accuses Robin Thicke of groping her on the set of his music video “Blurred Lines” in the model’s upcoming book My Body.
via: New York Post=
Ratajkowski said Thicke grabbed her bare breasts while they were filming the “Blurred Lines” video, the Sunday Times of London reported in a forthcoming story.
The song and sexy video, including a raunchy web-only version, became a major hit around the world.
“Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt the coolness and foreignness of a stranger’s hands cupping my bare breasts from behind. I instinctively moved away, looking back at Robin Thicke,” writes Ratajkowski, now 30, in the book “My Body,” set to be released next month.
Ratajkowski was one of three models who appeared in various states of undress in the video, which also starred singer Pharrell Williams and rapper TI.
She initially enjoyed the shoot, according to the report. But then Thicke, apparently drunk, began to behave boorishly.
“He smiled a goofy grin and stumbled backward, his eyes concealed behind his sunglasses. My head turned to the darkness beyond the set. [The director, Diane Martel’s] voice cracked as she yelled out to me, ‘Are you okay?,’” the book states.
The experience in the Los Angeles studio made the model feel “naked for the first time that day,” the newspaper reported.
“I pushed my chin forward and shrugged, avoiding eye contact, feeling the heat of humiliation pump through my body,” she said. “I didn’t react – not really, not like I should have.”
Martel confirmed the incident, according to the report.
“I remember the moment that he grabbed her breasts,” she said. “One in each hand. He was standing behind her as they were both in profile. I screamed in my very aggressive Brooklyn voice, ‘What the f–k are you doing, that’s it!! The shoot is over!!’”
Martel said that Thicke had been drinking, “sheepishly” apologized and was “contrite” afterward.
“I don’t think he would have done this had he been sober,” she said.
It’s not the first time the song has caused controversy. The Marvin Gaye estate won a $5 million lawsuit against Thicke and Farrell saying that “Blurred Lines” was lifted from Gaye’s 1977 hit “Got To Give It Up.”
Garcelle Beauvais she’s Not Sure if she wants to Return to 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' for Season 12!
Say it ain’t so! While stepping out for Variety’s Power of Women event on Thursday (September 30), Garcelle Beauvais admitted she isn’t sure if she’ll be returning for season 12 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
“I’m on the fence,” the 54-year-old actress admitted to ET.
Garcelle‘s confession comes several weeks after she and her RHOBH co-stars filmed their explosive four-part season 11 reunion, where host Andy Cohen “really went in” with Erika Jayne amid her all of her legal and financial drama.
“I was shocked, too. I mean, it was a long-ass — oops! A long day! Long day,” Garcelle added. “You know, Andy Cohen really went in, and I know some people on social media were saying, ‘Is he going to be too soft?’ I really feel like he asked the questions that people want to know from all of us, especially though from Erika. There were a lot.”
Garcelle first joined RHOBH for season 10 back in 2020.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
CNN’s Don Lemon Sued For Sexually Assaulting Man At NYC Bar!
According to a report from USA Today, famed news anchor Don Lemon is being sued for allegedly sexually assaulting a bartender in a New York City bar.
Dustin Hice, the alleged victim and former bartender at Murf’s Backstreet Tavern in Sag Harbor, is suing Lemon for “demeaning, unprovoked and offensive assault.” A CNN spokesperson says that Lemon “categorically denies these claims.”
“The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts,” a statement said Tuesday. “This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon.”
The suit claims that Hice met Lemon at the bar and offered to buy him a drink, which the news anchor refused. The lawsuit claims that later that night, Lemon sexually assaulted Hice.
We will update this story as details develop.
Toni Braxton to Produce, Star in Lifetime’s ‘Fallen Angels Book Club’ Movie Series!
*Toni Braxton reportedly signed a deal with Lifetime to star in and executive produce “The Fallen Angels Book Club,” a multi-part movie series.
Braxton will play Hollis Morgan, an ex-con turned amateur detective setting out to solves a series of murders at her book club.
The seven-time Grammy Award winner does have quite a few IMDB credits and TV Movies to her name. So, it couldn’t hurt to clear to hate, we mean space, in your mind to consider that perhaps she may do a good job.
“Toni has a magic touch for making movies that resonate with our audience,” Tanya Lopez, EVP of Scripted Content at Lifetime & LMN, said in a statement. “We’ve seen Toni’s acting range through the years and I can’t imagine anyone else as Hollis. This role was made for Toni.”
Based on a series of mystery novels by author R. Franklin James, the Hollis Morgan mystery series was first published in 2013.
Rhonda Baraka will direct the first movie and wrote the scripts. She will also executive produce.
The first installment of “The Fallen Angels Book Club” will be released in 2022, according to UrbanHollywood411.
Broader Focus initiative, which supports the hiring of women in key production roles.
Braxton has partnered with the cable network on previous projects, including executive producing and starring in “Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart,” “Faith Under Fire: The Antoinette Tuff Story” and “Every Day is Christmas.”
#SHEISCOMING: Adele Teases Return With ‘30’ Billboards!
Adele’s comeback may be near. On Friday (Oct. 1), a series of mysterious billboards started popping up across the globe with the number “30,” which could signal Adele’s first album in six years.
Fan accounts shared photos of two “30” billboards appearing in Dubai and Ireland. “Something is happening,” tweeted Adele Daily.
To add to the speculation, Adele’s close friend Jedidiah Jenkins also liked tweets that reported about the billboards.
Fans speculated that the 15-time Grammy winner could be dropping new music as soon as this week after Canadian radio host Mauler tweeted, “New Adele. This week.” However, the tweet was later deleted.
Another fan page cited a “very reliable insider” who said that Adele’s long-awaited fourth album had been finalized and that a video for the lead single was recently shot.
The 30 title would follows Adele’s previous pattern of naming albums after her age following 2018’s 19, 2011’s 21, and 2015’s 25.
Rihanna DMs Yung Baby Tate After She Was Body-Shamed On Social Media!
Yung Baby Tate was body-shamed on social media and many people are showing their support for her — including Rihanna.
Following her performance at last weekend's AfroPunk, the “I Am” singer was met with harsh comments from people who criticized the way her body looked in the leopard ensemble she wore. One person even advised Yung Baby Tate to “lose 10 pounds” and called her “out of shape” and “tired.” However, she did not let the haters and trolls get to her and she encouraged her “natural-bodied” followers to post photos of their favorite body pictures on Twitter.
She joked, “Y’all gone be so mad when I link with Savage X Fenty in this bomb ass body of mine.”
A day later, Yung Baby Tate revealed that the Fenty mogul sent her a direct message following all of the hate she received. “I’m really crying y’all Rihanna just dmd me,” she tweeted. “NOBODY CAN TELL ME SHIT 4 THE REST OF MY LIFE OKAY!”
“Rihanna is one of my biggest LIFE inspirations like I did a fkn PowerPoint project on this woman in 8th grade man,” she wrote. “I can’t believe the words she just shared with me. #RichGutGang 4L.” The “Love and Hip Hop” star then posted a TikTok of herself celebrating the DM by dancing to Cardi B’s verse in “Island Girls.”
While Yung Baby Tate did not share the details of the message, Rih is known to be someone who promotes body positivity. Her Savage X Fenty fashion shows have always showcased models of all shapes and sizes.
The brand, which is now worth $1 billion, “strikes a unique balance between affordability, fashion, and comfort, stands deeply for inclusivity and diversity and has differentiated itself by building an extraordinary level of affinity and unmatched customer loyalty,” said Jon Owsley, co-managing partner of L Catterton’s Growth Fund.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Dine at Nobu with Friends After February Divorce Filing!
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West are friendly exes. On Thursday, the 40-year-old Keeping Up with the Kardashians alum and her estranged rapper husband, 44, enjoyed a night out with friends at Nobu Malibu. The duo was photographed leaving the celebrity hotspot with Kardashian West's pal and Chief Marketing Officer of KKW Brands Tracy Romulus.
A source says that during the dinner, Kardashian West and West "acted more like friends."
"Kim and Kanye had dinner with a small group of people. It seemed like a business dinner. Kim and Kanye sat next to each other. They acted more like friends. Kanye was in charge of the conversation. Kim was more quiet. Kanye also picked up the check," the insider adds.
For the evening out, Kardashian West wore a bright purple gloved catsuit, which she accessorized with a long maroon leather coat and a pair of sunglasses.
West, meanwhile, kept it cool in an all-black ensemble, which he paired with a black hat, sunglasses and a silver chain around his neck.
The outing comes after the SKIMS founder filed for divorce from the musician back in February after the pair weathered a tumultuous year together that included West's unsuccessful presidential bid. They were married for about seven years.
Kardashian West and the "Stronger" rapper started dating in 2012 and tied the knot in May 2014.
Together, the estranged couple share four children — daughters North, 8, and Chicago, 3½, plus sons Saint, 5½, and Psalm, 2.
Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
Kardashian West and West "have come a long way since Kim filed for divorce."
"It's taken them months to get to this point. Kim is happy that they get along and that things are amicable," the source continued.
Their focus shifted away from their personal issues and instead went towards their children, the source added. "The kids will always be her number one priority. She wants to have a friendly relationship with Kanye, because it benefits the kids," the insider said of Kardashian West at the time.
"Filing for divorce was always the most difficult decision for Kim," the source continued. "She only filed because they had issues that they couldn't solve. She will always love Kanye though."
Kelly Clarkson Is Awarded the $10.4 Million Montana Ranch in Divorce From Brandon Blackstock!
Kelly Clarkson’s estranged husband, Brandon Blackstock, has to hand over the keys to their Montana ranch.
via: E! News: The court rejected Blackstock’s position that the Montana ranch is marital property and should be shared equally by both exes, according to the Sept. 30 order obtained by E! News. Instead, the judge upheld their premarital agreement.
The decision means Clarkson takes control of the farm since she purchased the home, according to a source.
“The Court further finds that the Montana Ranch and the other two Montana properties are not titled in both of the Parties’ names either as joint tenants with right of survivorship or as tenants by the entireties, as required under the PMA to create marital property,” reads the decision. “The Court therefore rejects Respondent’s position that the Montana Ranch and other Montana properties are marital property owned 50/50 by the Parties.”
The situation appears to be complicated for the pair: While Clarkson owns the property, Blackstock is the one living there.
After separating from The Voice coach, Blackstock made a “deliberate choice” to “change his life” and become a full-time rancher, according to an August filing obtained by E! News. At the time, he was “exclusively using” the Montana ranch as his “residence and business.”
Clarkson previously requested permission to sell the ranch because of the “financial burden” of maintaining a property that was only being used by her ex-husband. The costs of maintaining the ranch are $81,000 per month, the court determined.
However, the judge initially rejected her request to sell the Montana site. Blackstock was ordered to pay the hefty property fees beginning in April 2021.
For her part, Clarkson is required to pay nearly $200,000 per month to Blackstock, a former music manager, in spousal and child support. He is responsible for “100% of the cost” of transporting their two children (River, 7, and Remington, 5) to and from Montana. He has a 25 percent custodial timeshare.
Kelly has since petitioned the court to declare her legally single and to restore her last name as Clarkson.
TikTok star Gabriel Salazar passes away after police chase ends in fatal crash!
Gabriel Salazar, a 19-year-old TikTok star with more than 2.2 million followers, has passed away in a fatal car crash. According to multiple news outlets, the popular social media star was among four people who were killed following a fiery police pursuit.
Salazar was reportedly driving his white Chevy Camaro in Zavala County on Sunday (Sept. 26) when a cop attempted to pull him over for unspecified reasons. Shortly after, the officer claimed he was chasing the car and was joined by a deputy who unsuccessfully aimed to bring the teen’s car to a stop with a tire-deflation device.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Salazar’s “Chevrolet Camaro drove off the road, over-corrected and traveled across the roadway, onto the west barrow ditch.”
It eventually “struck some trees” and “rolled several times” before catching on fire.
Salazar passed away as a result of the incident alongside passengers Jose Luis Jimenez-Mora, Jose Molina-Lara and Sergio Espinoza-Flores, who were all undocumented immigrants from Mexico.
In the wake of the 19-year-old’s death, his family asked his followers to help in raising money that will cover the cost of his funeral. “I don’t know what’s real and not real anymore, but unfortunately, Gabe pas[sed] away on a car crash September 26. We couldn’t believe it the moment we found out,” wrote Chris Vasquez, the organizer of the recently-launched GoFundMe.
“Don’t really want to get into details because it’s so hard for us to even talk about the pain he went through. Never expected this happen, but now you’re watching over us...”
“Words cannot express the heartbreak our entire community is feeling from the loss of our Gabriel,” Vasquez continued. ”Your family and friends miss you.” As of this story, the GoFundMe has raised more than $38,000. An investigation into the incident remains active.
Florida NICU Nurse Fired For Posting Photo Of Baby With Birth Defect On Instagram!
A Florida NICU nurse is out of a job after violating a patient’s privacy and posting photos of a newborn baby to her social media, mocking the infant’s birth defect.
Sierra Samuels worked as a nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami before being fired on Thursday. She had been under investigation for several weeks.
Samuels made two Instagram posts about the infant born with gastroschisis, a defect where the intestines are outside the body.
In her first post, she posted a photo of the baby along with the caption, “My night was going great then boom!” The photo was taken from inside the hospital’s NICU, according to WVSN.
In a second post, she wrote, “Your intestines posed to be inside not outside baby!” She also hashtagged the photo with the newborn’s condition.
It’s not the first time Samuels had posted herself while on the job. She has posted several pictures of herself at work.
As soon as the hospital learned of the inappropriate posts last month, she was placed on administrative leave.
“As soon as we learned of this potential breach, we immediately placed this employee under administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation,” a spokesperson for the hospital stated.
The statement continued, “Protecting the privacy of our patients is always a top priority at Jackson Health System. Any potential privacy breach is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.”
The baby’s mother was notified of the privacy breach, according to hospital officials.
FDNY Suspends Nine Firefighters Over Racist Jokes And Memes About George Floyd!
Nine New York City firefighters have been suspended without pay for mocking George Floyd’s death in a racist thread. This is reportedly the most extensive punitive action the FDNY has ever taken.
“When these memes were reported, we investigated in, and the suspension was the result,” FDNY spokesman Jim Long told The New York Post. Several Black firefighters initially reported the thread.
The suspensions were first reported on by The New York Times on Friday. They range from a few days to six months in length. One of the firefighters will leave the department after his suspension.
The investigation uncovered a secret group chat between white firefighters where they shared racist jokes and memes. They mocked George Floyd’s death, bragged that cops could “legally shoot Black children,” and about using hoses on protesters.
Among the suspended firefighters are those who served in supervisory roles and members who shared memes and messages.
This is not the first time the FDNY has grappled with racism. Several incidents of racism have been reported over the last several years.
The department, which is 75 percent white, is under a federal monitor to focus on diversity. It was put in place after it was determined the FDNY discriminated against Black and other minority candidates during its post-9/11 hiring process. To address its racial disparity, the department began recruiting from predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods. By 2017, the majority of new applicants who took the entrance exam were people of color.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
A WAY TO BEAT THE HEAT?
Saw this near a Walmart Parking lot
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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