Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Miss for Entertainment Weekly
Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss resurrect a 20-year love story with The Matrix 4.0
Decades after The Matrix changed movies forever, the franchise stars return for the year's most timely .
Keanu Reeves is jet-lagged. The 57-year-old Hollywood lifer has just arrived in Los Angeles after a flight from Jordan, where he was filming the fourth John Wick, a punishing franchise not exactly known for its leisurely pace. He hasn't been home in eight months, but instead of sleeping it off, he's at a photo shoot. Fatigue sets in. He buries his eyes in his palms, trying to rub life back into his strained pupils after the continuous pop, pop, pop of the camera's flash.
Getting his picture taken doesn't rank high on Reeves' list of favorite things. It never has. But he looks up and smiles when a pair of comforting hands rest on his shoulders: They belong to Carrie-Anne Moss, his longtime costar from the Matrix movies, positioning herself behind him for the shot. There's an ease between them that comes from 20-plus years of friendship — a friendship that began in the late '90s when the pair met on the genre-redefining sci-fi film that turned out to be so influential, it single-handedly introduced phrases like "glitch in the Matrix" and "red-pilling" to the pop culture lexicon.
Moss calls their connection effortless. "We've been through this experience together as partners," says the actress, 54. "The only way I can describe it is like a soul friendship." Their unique bond made 1999's The Matrix what it is today, and The Matrix, in turn, changed the course of moviemaking on the eve of a new millennium.
That first film, inspired by then-geekier genres like cyberpunk and anime, envisioned a grim future in which our world, unbeknownst to us, had been taken over by machines: Using a simulated reality, artificial intelligence keeps humans docile enough to harvest for energy. At the center of this brainy high concept was Reeves' Neo, a bored office worker moonlighting as a computer hacker who escapes the simulation, and Moss' Trinity, a woman from the real world with the ability to jack into the Matrix — not to mention a talent for executing gravity-defying combat moves while clad in slick black leather.
After all these years, neither star would've guessed that they'd be back together talking about yet another sequel, The Matrix Resurrections, which lands in theaters and on HBO Max Dec. 22. How could they? Sibling directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the architects of the franchise, were firm in their resolve that the first three installments would serve as a complete trilogy, definitively ending in 2003 with The Matrix Revolutions… and (two-decade-old spoiler alert!) with both Neo and Trinity dying at the end.
When asked why he agreed to return to the series after a nearly two-decade hiatus, Reeves offers a very simple explanation: "We had filmmakers who you wanted to say yes to," he says. Plus, he adds, "[we had] material that you wanted to commit to, to give everything that you could to."
The actual journey to Resurrections, however, was a little more complicated than that. At a Berlin screenwriting panel back in September, Lana said that every year, Warner Bros. would ask her and Lilly to make another Matrix movie, but they always declined. In 2017, screenwriter Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, The Avengers) revealed that he was working on undisclosed Matrix projects without the involvement of the Wachowskis, who had stepped away from feature filmmaking after the disastrous reception to 2015's Jupiter Ascending. Lilly told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020 that corporate interference on her films pushed her to a "breaking point." Instead of continuing her collaboration with Lana, she said that she needed to "reconnect" with herself as an artist by going back to school and working on other projects.
"The Matrix was a revolutionary film and giving that legacy to someone else I think [would have been a] horrendous mistake," says Jada Pinkett Smith, returning for Resurrections as her character Niobe from the first two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.
Get more at EW!
#RHOA: Is Kenya Moore Seemingly On The Outs With Sheree Whitfield And Marlo Hampton?
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is facing a seismic shift going into their next season, which is filming now. We have two notable exists from the show. One being long time fan favorite, Porsha Williams, who ended up being a not-so-fan favorite after she alleged stole another woman’s husband. But that move paid off with not only a giant ring for Porsha, but a spin off too. So now she won’t have to answer to her RHOA castmates. Another exit came from longtime housewife, Cynthia Bailey. Look, she’s been boring on the show for years. And now that she’s married, I didn’t see much of a storyline there either.
Now to the new editions. Well, not exactly new but new and improved might be the better term to use. Sheree Whitfield is back on the show and already earning her place with a peach, thanks to drama with her paroled boyfriend. It looks like despite her best efforts, we won’t be seeing him with Sheree. Or on screen at all, courtesy of the cease and desist he sent to Bravo. The couple is reportedly not speaking over the incident so Sheree might have just wasted a few years waiting for him to get out of jail. And that brings us to Marlo Hampton, a staple of the show for many years, but only as a “friend of”.
But where Sheree and Marlo go, drama is bound to be found. This season it’s like going to be in the form of cast member Kenya Moore. Kenya has always had a tumultuous past with the two (ok and everyone else). Last season, Kenya and Marlo seemed to set their issues aside for the sake of exposing Porsha in #bologate. It doesn’t look like that lasted though. On a recent Instagram post by realhousewivesofatlthetotaltea, they found out that Kenya and Marlo unfollowed each other on IG. Kenya and Sheree also did the same.
Despite the possible beef with Sheree, it looks like Kenya was initially happy she was coming back. Earlier this month, Kenya shared her thoughts on Sheree’s return, “It’s been really amazing having her there. We have great chemistry. We are just like ladies who lunch. We are so in tune with each other right now. So it’s been really fun.”
As for Kenya and Marlo, things might have taken a quicker turn for the worst. A few weeks ago, Marlo posted a cryptic message in her Instagram stories. It read, “I will unfriend, uncousin, unf–k, unco-worker, unfollow, unfamily a draining soul REAL quick.” Fans speculated that she was shading Kenya. Marlo had already previously discussed some of her hesitation with her newfound friendship with Kenya. At one point Marlo said, “Loyalty is really big when it comes to an Aquarius, and when Kenya didn’t invite me to her housewarming party and her birthday party because her and NeNe [Leakes] reunited, that crushed me. Because Kenya and I would be on the phone, she’ll be FaceTiming me outfits, I was out in L.A. at her house. So, it’s going to take time.”
Looks like time has run out on this friendship.
#NewMusicVideo from Mary J. Blige Drops ‘Amazing’ Video With Dj Khaled
Mary J. Blige is living her best life. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul closes out the year with the video for “Amazing” featuring DJ Khaled. The celebratory clip finds the 50-year-old superstar looking better than ever as she parties with some of her closest friends including Diddy, Trina, Angie Martinez, Misa Hylton, and Justin Combs.
“I feel good, I feel great, man, I feel amazing,” she sings while sipping on her own Sun Goddess wine.
“Amazing” is one of two singles from Mary’s upcoming 15th studio album Good Morning Gorgeous, which arrives Feb. 11. Earlier this month, she released a video for the title track.
In an interview with Tamron Hall, she opened up about the follow-up to 2017’s Strength of a Woman. “Wait till you hear it, it’s gonna blow everybody’s mind,” she said. “And it’s because it’s something I had to do, and something I had to say when I was in my darkest, darkest moments in that life, to build myself up to this person that I can see and accept my nose, accept my eyes, accept my cheeks, accept all the things that I used to hate.”
WATCH
MJB will perform at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium in February, along with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Kendrick Lamar.
#HipHopNews: Jay-Z States He Has Zero Verzuz Competition
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland continue to see their Verzuz platform grow with each battle, and fans have seen legends such as The LOX, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, the late DMX, Snoop Dogg and more step into the Verzuz ring.
However, there’s one legend in particular, fans and fellow artists wonder who would be able to battle, and they’ve gotten some insight on that proposed showdown.
On Tuesday (December 21), the TIDAL Twitter page issued a tweet with a quote from JAY-Z regarding his stance on performing on the Verzuz stage. The quote was from Hov’s surprise guest appearance on Alicia Keys’ Twitter Space celebrating her new album Keys on Tuesday. According to Hov, there’s zero competition for him regarding Verzuz.
“No one can stand on that stage with me,” he said. “It’s not a chance in hell that anyone can stand on that stage with me. You gotta stand in front of the Grammy Family Freestyle live?”
For those who don’t know, JAY-Z hijacked Hot 97 in 2006 for an impromptu freestyle titled “Grammy Family Freestyle” that many consider one of his best freestyles ever. The verbal assault blew listeners away with how vivid Hov’s rhymes about success and the cost of it had on him at the time.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Hov revealed his favorite moment from Verzuz was Jadakiss’ perceived annihilation of Dipset in August. Hov felt Kiss had “one of the best performances of the year.”
Although JAY-Z didn’t technically rule out a battle, he’ll likely never take the stage. That’s bad news for Rick Ross, who recently revealed his dream Verzuz opponent would be none other than JAY-Z.
“My favorite Verzuz?” he said. “JAY-Z… Yeah! Why not? To me, that’s what makes Verzuz special because it brings out the best in both parties. Oh, that’s a possibility, but I gotta give my flowers to the big homie. I got to. My homie gave me my first opportunity signing me to Def Jam Records, and he’s one-of-one.”
Kim Kardashian West joins calls to reduce 110-year sentence for deadly I-70 crash
Kim Kardashian West is joining the growing calls for a reduction of the 110-year prison sentence given to 26-year-old Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, the truck driver who crashed into stopped traffic on Interstate 70 in April 2019, killing four people.
Judge Bruce Jones said his hands were tied when sentencing Aguilera-Mederos. State legislation mandated 10-year minimums for six counts of first-degree assault with extreme indifference, and five-year minimums for 10 counts of attempted first-degree assault with extreme indifference, all to be served consecutively.
"In all victim impact statements I read, I did not glean from them someone saying, 'He should be in prison for the rest of his life, and he should never, ever get out," Jones said during the sentencing hearing. "Far from it. There was forgiveness reflected in those statements, but also a desire that he be punished and serve time in prison, and I share those sentiments."
Kardashian West took to social media to explain why she thought his sentence should be commuted.
"He was not drunk or under the influence, his brakes on the semi tractor-trailer failed," she tweeted. "Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn’t want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence. However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied. Mandatory minimums take away judicial discretion and need to end."
Kardashian West called for Colorado to change the laws that required the 110-year sentence, and appealed directly to Gov. Jared Polis to intervene in Aguilera-Mederos' sentence.
"I pray that Governor Polis, who has been a leader on supporting reforms that increase human dignity in the legal system, will commute his sentence," she said.
Kardashian West also criticized a photo a Jefferson County deputy district attorney posted on social media of a trophy she received from a colleague: a brake shoe from a semi-truck with a plaque attached.
The post from Kayla Wildeman’s Facebook page, which doesn’t include a date, was screenshotted and shared among a community of defense attorneys. Wildeman’s Facebook page couldn’t be accessed on Monday. Her other social media accounts, including her LinkedIn, appeared to have been deactivated.
Alexis King, district attorney for the 1st Judicial District, issued a brief statement Monday indicating the matter was being handled internally.
“It is not a piece of evidence from the case,” the statement, issued through a spokesman, said. “The post was in very poor taste and does not reflect the values of my administration.”
The spokesman later clarified that King finds the trophy in poor taste.
"And yet, for some reason the prosecutor thought it would be funny to post a photo of a brake shoe trophy she received from a colleague with a plaque?" Kardashian West said. "Makes me so sick."
Prosecutors have filed a motion for the court to set a hearing to reconsider Aguilar-Mederos' sentence. King filed the motion Friday, according to a news release from her office.
Polis said Tuesday that his office received an application for clemency from Aguilera-Mederos' attorney on Monday afternoon, and that his legal team was reviewing the application.
A petition calling for Polis to commute Aguilera-Mederos' sentence has received more than 4.5 million signatures as of Tuesday.
Diddy Wins Bid to Buy Back Sean John From Bankrupt Owner for $7.5 Million
Sean “Diddy” Combs has won the bidding war to buy back his Sean John fashion line from the brand’s now-bankrupt owner, according to a filing Tuesday (Dec. 21) in Manhattan federal bankruptcy court.
Three weeks after news surfaced that the hip-hop mogul wanted to buy back the apparel line, bankrupt Global Brands Group alerted a federal judge that SLC Fashion LLC, a company associated with Combs, had prevailed over other bidders.
“I launched Sean John in 1998 with the goal of building a premium brand that shattered tradition and introduced hip-hop to high fashion on a global scale,” Combs said in a statement to Billboard. “Seeing how streetwear has evolved to rewrite the rules of fashion and impact culture across categories, I’m ready to reclaim ownership of the brand, build a team of visionary designers and global partners to write the next chapter of Sean John’s legacy.”
SLC Fashion will pay $7.551 million for the Sean John brand’s assets, according to the court filing – nearly double the initial $3.3 million bid, but still far less than he likely received when he sold it in 2016. Another company, United Ventures, offered $7.5 million. The judge will consider whether to approve the sale at a hearing on Wednesday.
Diddy launched Sean John in 1998, eventually building to annual retail sales of around $450 million in 2016, according to Women’s Wear Daily. But that year, Diddy sold a 90% stake in the company to Global Brands, calling it a partnership that “provides us the opportunity to reach the Millennial customer on a global level.”
The relationship had soured by 2021, when Diddy sued Global Brands for trademark infringement over its use of his “Vote or Die” slogan. He said the phrase rightly belonged to him, and that using it with Sean John was meant to imply that he was still in control of the brand.
This past summer, Global Brands’ U.S. unit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. And earlier in December, the GBG unit that controls Sean John filed its own bankruptcy petition.
Listed in that petition was noticed that SLC Fashion was seeking to buy the brand. The proposal was what’s known in bankruptcy law as a “stalking horse bid” – an agreed-upon early offer to buy assets out of bankruptcy at a pre-set price. The procedure typically affords a buyer like Diddy certain advantages in return for guaranteeing Global Brands a minimum price for the sale.
Former Model Beverly Johnson Claims Chris Noth Once Threatened To Kill Her
Things are going downhill pretty quickly for Sex and The City’s Mr.Big, and amidst sexual assault allegations, the actor is now also being accused of threatening his ex Beverly Johnson back in the day.
In court documents obtained by Page Six, Noth’s ex-girlfriend Beverly Johnson had filed for a restraining order against him with claims that he allegedly “punched [her] in the chest and ribs.”
Johnson dated Noth from 1990 to 1995 and had filed a temporary restraining order in Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 1, 1995, claiming that he had threatened to kill her.
“Chris Noth punched me in the chest and ribs, injuring my ribs, making it difficult to breathe, punching and bruising my face and body in which I had to have medical attention,” she said in the documents “On July 27, 1995, he made repeated threats on my life making up to 25 calls per day threatening to kill me [and] destroy my face. Threatened to kill dog.”
The judge approved the temporary restraining order on Oct. 3, 1995.
“Neither party shall make any derogatory statements about the other of any nature or description to another person or entity not encourage or participate in any party making any such derogatory comments about the other to any third person or entity,” the judge wrote at the time.
As we reported, Noth was accused of sexual assault by three women shortly after the show’s revival, “And Just Like That” aired
To Celebrate Her 41st Birthday Christina Aguilera Bares Her Breasts
Christina Aguilera celebrated her 41st birthday by sharing a handful of sexy topless photos to her social media on Sunday.
via: AceShowbiz Taking to her Instagram account on Sunday, December 19, the Grammy-winning artist posted a series of sexy pictures. In the snapshots, the singer could be seen wearing nothing but some black leather gloves as she covered her breasts and posed for the camera.
Christina also wore her signature blonde hair and makeup. In some of the images, she rocked black sunglasses as well. “XTINA XLI,” she wrote alongside the racy photos. Her caption read 41 in Roman numerals.
People quickly flooded the comment section of Christina’s post with well wishes. “Oh okk! Happy birthday love !!” wrote musician and producer Tayla Parx. In the meantime, makeup artist Kristofer Buckle commented, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY [love emojis].”
“Happy Birthday Beautiful! Thank you for all the songs and for all your amazing live performances,” wrote singer Kathleen Hanna. “Deep diving you singing live on youtube is how I get thru the bad times and celebrate the good ones!”
Last year, Christina rang in her 40th birthday with a super stylish TikTok video. In the clip, she let her long blonde locks fall in a straight cascade down her back as she strutted down a hallway to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Body”.
At the end of the video, the “Dirrty” hitmaker flipped her hair over one shoulder and looked back, giving a sexy stare to the camera. “Comin for you 40!” she captioned the fun footage, which prompted Megan to reshare it on her Instagram Story alongside a string of heart-eye emojis.
Not stopping there, Christina also wrote a powerful message about turning 40. At the time, the former “The Voice” judge encouraged people to be strong in facing difficulties. “We have to be brave; we have to stand in the discomfort and push ourselves to new heights where we can find our greater purposes,” she advised. “I have always faced my life challenges head on, and what I have learned from doing that for 40 years is that I always come out on the other side as a stronger and wiser person.”
More recently, Christina has made her return to releasing music. In October, she dropped “Pa’ Mis Muchachas”, featuring Becky G, Nathy Peluso and Nicky Nicole. The track is set to be on an upcoming Spanish album.
“This album is a coming-full-circle moment for me. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for so many years,” she said of her upcoming project. “I have an amazing team behind me that’s so supportive.”
Christina went on saying, “I’ve been in music for a really long time, but there’s nothing like being around Latin musicians and artists, the energy they bring to the table, the love and the passion they just bring and exude.” She added, “I actually am reinspired by music all over again, making this album.”
Christina seems to be on a look recreation high as she also brought her iconic “Dirrty” chaps back to the red carpet at the People’s Choice Awards earlier this month. The risqué look was given a modern-day makeover complete with fishnets, wide-leg bottoms, and a full black-and-yellow bodysuit as opposed to the bikini top she once rocked in 2002.
Beyonce, Jay-Z, U2 and Ariana Grande Among Music Superstars Shortlisted for Oscars’ Best Song Nominations
The music shortlists for Oscar consideration, announced Tuesday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, might just be the most star-studded lineup in history.
Nearly all of the 15 songs on the list for potential nomination have been written or recorded by pop superstars, and the approximately 375 members of Oscar’s music branch are going to have a difficult time paring the list down to five best-song nominees.
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The most interesting matchup involves spouses Jay-Z (cited for his song “Guns Go Bang” from “The Harder They Fall,” Jay-Z also serving as the film’s producer) and Beyoncé (for her “Be Alive” from “King Richard”).
Three songs on the shortlist are by past Oscar winners: H.E.R., last year’s surprise victor for “Fight for You,” has “Automatic Woman” from “Bruised” in contention; “La La Land” songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are co-writers of “The Anonymous Ones” from “Dear Evan Hansen”; and Jennifer Hudson is one of the writers on “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” Hudson could potentially be in the running for Best Actress come nominations morning.
James Bond theme “No Time to Die” — already a Grammy winner for writers Billie Eilish and Finneas — is a likely lock for a nomination. Songs from animated movies are always serious contenders, and this year they include Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto” and U2’s “Your Song Saved My Life” from “Sing 2.” Should Miranda go all the way, he would complete his EGOT with the win here.
Sparks has “So May We Start?” from “Annette,” Ariana Grande “Just Look Up” from “Don’t Look Up,” and Idina Menzel “Dream Girl” from “Cinderella.”
Music royalty from earlier generations who could snag nominations include Van Morrison for “Down to Joy” from “Belfast,” Brian Wilson for “Right Where I Belong” from the documentary “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road” and Carole King, co-writer with Hudson on the song from “Respect.”
Twelve-time nominee (thus far without a win) Diane Warren is back in the mix with “Somehow You Do” from the obscure drama “Four Good Days,” and the well-liked “CODA” is also on the list with “Beyond the Shore,” by veteran pop producer Marius De Vries.
Most of the 15 original scores on Oscar’s 2021 shortlist were predictable, including two by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood – “The Power of the Dog” and “Spencer” – and two by movie-music veteran and past Oscar winner Hans Zimmer: the sci-fi “Dune” and the 007 epic “No Time to Die.”
But this year’s list was also surprisingly diverse, including one woman and four persons of color: Mexican-American composer Germaine Franco was cited for her colorful “Encanto” score. Three African-American composers also made the list: Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe for “Candyman,” Jeymes Samuel for “The Harder They Fall” and Kris Bowers for “King Richard.”
The only other past Oscar winner to gain a spot on the list is Alexandre Desplat, for “The French Dispatch,” although four previous Oscar nominees are also included: Daniel Pemberton for “Being the Ricardos,” Nicholas Britell for “Don’t Look Up,” Alberto Iglesias for “Parallel Mothers” and Carter Burwell for “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” Two period pieces round out the list: “The Last Duel” by Harry Gregson-Williams and “The Green Knight” by Daniel Hart.
Conspicuous by their absence: Nathan Johnson’s score for “Nightmare Alley,” which may have been unveiled too late for most voters to see; and two songs by The National from “Cyrano.”
Music-branch voters chose from 84 eligible songs and 136 eligible scores. Voting for the final five nominees in each category begins Jan. 27, and the nominations will be announced on Feb. 8. The 94th Academy Awards are on March 27.
The alphabetical lists follow. The Academy announced only the film titles and song titles, not the specific composers or songwriters.
Music (Original Score)
“Being the Ricardos”
“Candyman”
“Don’t Look Up”
“Dune”
“Encanto”
“The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun”
“The Green Knight”
“The Harder They Fall”
“King Richard”
“The Last Duel”
“No Time to Die”
“Parallel Mothers”
“The Power of the Dog”
“Spencer”
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Music (Original Song)
“So May We Start?” from “Annette”
“Down To Joy” from “Belfast”
“Right Where I Belong” from “Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road”
“Automatic Woman” from “Bruised”
“Dream Girl” from “Cinderella”
“Beyond The Shore” from “CODA”
“The Anonymous Ones” from “Dear Evan Hansen”
“Just Look Up” from “Don’t Look Up”
“Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto”
“Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days”
“Guns Go Bang” from “The Harder They Fall”
“Be Alive” from “King Richard”
“No Time To Die” from “No Time to Die”
“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from “Respect”
“Your Song Saved My Life” from “Sing 2”
Cedric The Entertainer Says Chappelle Might Cancel Himself By Thinking He’s Bigger Than Everybody Else
Cedric The Entertainer, one of the original “Kings Of Comedy”, was never really outspoken when it came to social issues, but now that some of those issues have affected another fellow comedian, the Barber Shop star has something to say. As Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special The Closer continues to stir up more controversy, Ced says that could actually cause Chappelle to cancel himself.
In an exclusive interview on the Domenick Nati Show, Cedric says that the fans might end up turning against the shit stirring comic simply for thinking that he’s better than everyone else. Is that Chappelle’s true mindset? Well, that’s not for certain, but Cedric says that he knows that Chappelle is simply going too far right now.
The comedy king spoke about other things during the interview, such as the Alec Baldwin shooting and the Astroworld Festival tragedy, but his comments about Chappelle will definitely catch the most attention.
Mariah Carey & Boyfriend Bryan Tanaka Go Christmas Shopping in Aspen
Mariah Carey is in Aspen for the holidays! The 52-year-old entertainer singer and boyfriend Bryan Tanaka bundled up to do some do some shopping for Christmas gifts on Monday evening (December 20) in Aspen, Colorado.
For their outing, Mariah dazzled in a shimmering, long black coat while the 38-year-old dancer stayed warm in a fur-trimmed jacket.
The following day, Mariah took to Instagram to share a super cute video of her singing “All I Want for Christmas Is You” with her 10-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan and their dogs!
Tina Knowles announces new Facebook show ‘Talks With Mama Tina’
Beyoncé and Solange’s mom Tina Knowles-Lawson took to her social media Tuesday to announce her new Facebook talk show, “Talks With Mama Tina.”
“I’m so excited to announce the launch of my new @wetheculture @Facebookwatch show ‘Talks With Mama Tina’ where I’ve invited some of my favorite people over to my home and have a talk with me,” she announced on Instagram.
She continued, “I loved filming this show and sitting down with so many amazing people because we got to have such honest heartfelt conversations and I got to make them my famous GUMBO!”
Knowles-Lawson also went on to thank her oldest daughter and grandchildren for performing the opening of her theme song.
“Thank you to my baby @beyonce and my beautiful grandbabies for making this special theme song for the show,” the proud grandmother continued. “Are you guys ready to watch?”
The guest lineup includes A-list names like Kevin Hart, Zendaya, Tiffany Haddish, musical artists Chole x Halle Bailey, Ciara and former Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland.
To continue the theme of motherhood, Paulette Washington — wife of Oscar winner Denzel Washington and mother of actor John David Washington — will also make an appearance.
“I even got the pleasure of sitting down with some of the mothers of these talented superstars. I’m really proud of this show and all the people who helped make It happen! You won’t want to miss an episode!” she says.
Her granddaughter Blue Ivy, 9, also has something to celebrate, winning Best Voiceover at the 2021 Voice Arts Awards for the audiobook narration for the children’s book “Hair Love,” at the Society Voice Arts Awards.
Knowles-Lawson’s show starts Wednesday.
Ludacris Blesses Atlanta Homeless With Food Gift Cards For Christmas
Ludacris is combating the issue of homelessness one gift card at a time. The Fast and Furious actor recently walked around the city of Atlanta and blessed homeless residents with gift cards ahead of the Christmas holiday. A clip posted on his Instagram page captures as he anonymously walks up to a man in a wheelchair and offers him a certificate worth $50.
“Merry Christmas, there’s $50 on there, go on in, man,” the “Rollout” rapper tells the guy, who blissfully replies, “Oh, I’m going in!”
According to Luda’s accompanying caption, the gift cards will allow recipients to use the money for food while proving his father’s theory wrong.
“My pops used to always say ‘If you give a homeless person money they’re just going to go buy booze wit it.’ I always wanted to disagree with him because as a kid, in my heart I always felt that couldn’t be 100% true,” he explained. “So I’ve been masked up/disguised experimenting in these streets, and giving the homeless food gift cards instead so that they have more of an incentive to buy food. I flipped his theory, and I added my own twist to it because I REFUSE to NOT believe in HOPE #merryludacrismas #tistheseason #lovewins.”
Days before Christmas, Ludacris also spread some holiday cheer to patients at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. According to a series of recent Instagram posts, the “Fear Factor” host and The Ludacris Foundation surprised children and their families with gifts, including coats and toys, meals and a visit from Santa Claus.
“When our Founder Chris @Ludacris Bridges & Our President Ms. Roberta @msrjstlf Shields created #Ludacrismas, it was simply to bring joy to as many families as possible, and to remind them that no matter what they may be currently going through there is ALWAYS a blessing waiting for them on the other side!” read a post from the foundation
President Biden Considering Another Extension Of The Student Loan Payment Pause
Student loan payments are set to resume at the end of next month. President Joe Biden and his administration are considering extending the payment pause for those who have student loans.
According to CNBC, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education said they are weighing their options. “Since day one of the Biden Administration, we’ve been hard at work delivering meaningful relief to student loan borrowers,” the spokesman said on Tuesday (Dec. 21). “That started with an extension of the pause on federal student loan repayment until Jan. 31, 2022. Later this week, we will be announcing whether to extend the pause further.”
Since March 2020, borrowers have been able to pause their student loan payments — without interest — due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the payments are set to resume at the end of next month.
As previously reported, last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki revealed the news about the extension ending during a press conference. “We are still assessing the impact of the Omicron variant,” she said. She also stated that student loan borrowers can expect “more details” about the administration’s plan for restarting payments in the forthcoming weeks.
“We will engage directly with federal student loan borrowers to ensure they have the resources they need and are in the appropriate repayment plan,” Psaki continued, adding that a “smooth transition back into repayment is a high priority for the administration.”
There are more than 41 million student loan borrowers who have benefited from the payment break. The Department of Education is examining whether Biden is legally allowed to cancel student debt through executive action, but the administration has not delivered a timeline of that assessment.
Biden previously said he does not believe he has the power to cancel student debt by himself, but he would support Congress in passing a bill to cancel $10,000 of student loan debt for each borrower.
Indianapolis Colts Player Ryan Kelly & Wife Emma Mourn 'Unbearable' Loss of Daughter Mary
NFL player Ryan Kelly and his wife Emma are mourning the loss of their baby girl.
On Monday (December 20), the couple shared that their daughter Mary Kate had sadly passed away.
Emma had carried Mary for 19 weeks when she learned that her daughter’s “little heart just stopped for reasons unknown” and would have to deliver the baby.
She gave birth to Mary on December 17 after 24 hours in labor.
“Nothing made me happier than being your Dad. You gave your Mom and I that gift,” Ryan wrote in a post on Instagram. “You were simply a miracle and always will be. I’m sorry you never got to open those sweet eyes and see us or take your first steps but you have angel wings now.”
“You left this world too soon but we know God had a bigger purpose for you. Your mom and I find comfort knowing you’re being loved on by your great grandparents,” he continued. “Thank you for watching over us and your future siblings. I’ll forever wonder who you’d be today. Until we meet again my sweet girl, I love you 🦋”
Emma said in her own respective Instagram post that sharing the news to social media was a way for the couple to begin healing.
“One of our Angel nurses, Kalyn, told us this would be the hardest thing we’ll ever do in our life, and I pray to God she’s right. Because this feels worse than hard, it feels so evil and cruel,” she wrote. “The pain and brokenness is so unbearable for Ryan and i [sic] we don’t even know where to begin.”
She also thanked “family, friends, community north staff, & the entire Colts community💙” for “lifting us through this.”
Our thoughts are with Ryan and Emma at this difficult time.
Stephen A. Smith Has COVID-19, Will Miss “First Take” For The Rest Of The Week
Stephen A. Smith has revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19.
The sports anchor appeared virtually on Tuesday’s episode of “First Take,” where he told viewers that his diagnosis was the reason he missed Monday’s episode. The 54-year-old says he began experiencing mild symptoms and a fever over the weekend. Smith told co-host Molly Qerim Rose, that he was tested three times the week prior to his positive test, though all of those came back negative. However, after filming Saturday’s episode of “First Take,” he tested positive for the virus.
Smith credits his mild symptoms with being fully vaccinated, though he has not received the booster shot. He says that he would likely be feeling worse if it were not for the shot. His voice was noticeably hoarse, but he says he is feeling fine.
The two then shifted the conversation to Kyrie Irving, who has publicly refused to get vaccinated, as required under NBA protocols. The Brooklyn Nets recently agreed to bring him back on the team in response to several players being out due to injuries or positive COVID-19 tests. However, Smith says he feels like allowing Irving to play is the wrong decision for the team.
“To watch the Brooklyn Nets reverse course and take this position is one of the most shameful things I think they could have ever done,” Smith stated.
Kanye West is No Longer Dating Model Vinetria
Kanye West is no longer dating model Vinetria. The pair called it quits after hooking up for a few months.
Ye no longer follows Vinetria on Instagram, but she is still following him.
In early November, it was reported that Ye had been “hooking up” with Vinetria. The two were spotted courtside at Donda Academy’s debut basketball game and she attended his Sunday Service in Los Angeles.
Prior to Vinetria, the billionaire Yeezy mogul was in a brief relationship with supermodel Irina Shayk.
The split comes amid Ye’s attempts to win back his wife, Kim Kardashian. During his “Free Larry Hoover” concert with Drake, he pleaded for her return. “I need you to run right back to me, more specifically Kimberly,” he ad libbed while performing “Runaway.”
The couple’s divorce is still proceeding. Kim recently filed legal documents to officially declare her as single. She is also seeking to drop “West” from her last name and restore her maiden name.
Kim has moved on and is dating Pete Davidson. Over the weekend, the Skims founder and “SNL” comedian rented out a movie theater in Davidson’s native Staten Island for a showing of House of Gucci.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
DECAPITATED CHOCOLATE
Poor one got treated the French way
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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