#MAGFAB: Denzel Washington Cover W Magazine’s 2022 Best Performances Issue
The highly-anticipated Best Performances portfolio is an annual feature curated by W’s editor-at-large Lynn Hirschberg and highlights stars at the forefront of cinema, from industry legends and icons to those whose phenomenal talent is ushering in a new wave of stardom.
Paying tribute to the actors who left us in awe over the past year, this year’s Best Performance issue features Denzel Washington in a unique covers photographed by Tim Walker and styled by W Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Sara Moonves.
This year’s films, many shot amid the pandemic, have a common theme celebrating family in all its forms – from the corrosive and complicated, ambitious and sexy, to joyous, close and rebellious – their performances were vibrant, captivating, mesmerizing, devastating, intimate, complex and so much more and we are beyond excited to share these gorgeous covers with you.
On whether he feels attracted to Shakespearean roles: “The second role I played in college was Othello. I was 20 or 21. With this Macbeth, I think it’s interesting to have an older couple play the parts. There’s a desperation. There’s a finality.”
Joking about the challenges of directing himself: “I wanted to fire myself a couple of times! But I always hire myself back. I make up with myself, but I do hold myself accountable. [Laughs]”
On whether he likes acting or directing more: “I like acting, but I love directing. The challenge is greater.”
On whether he thinks actors might find him intimidating: “I’m not conscious of that. I’m just me: an ordinary guy with an extraordinary job. Not the other way around.”
W Magazine’s first issue of 2022, Volume 1, Best Performances, hits stands February 8, 2022
#RIP: Legendary Emmy-winning comedian Louie Anderson has died at 68
Louie Anderson, the long-time stand-up comic and star of the TV show Baskets, died Friday in Las Vegas. He was 68 years old.
According to his publicist Glenn Schwartz, Anderson died following complications from cancer.
Anderson was born in St. Paul, Minn., one of 11 children. His decades-long stand-up career started in small Midwest clubs. Then, in 1984, he earned a spot on The Tonight Show where he charmed the audience with his affable, self-deprecating brand of humor.
From there, he worked his way into film and television — including small roles in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Coming to America. In the mid-1990's he starred in and co-created Life with Louie, a Saturday morning cartoon based on his childhood. The role got him two Emmy awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program, beating out competition from Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno.
In 2016, Anderson co-starred with Zach Galifianakis in the FX dark comedy Baskets, where he played matriarch Christine Baskets. The role earned him multiple Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, including one win.
In interviews, he often talked about how the role was inspired by his own mother, who died in 1990. Anderson wrote a book about her in 2018, titled Hey Mom, where he wrote letters to her about his life since her death. He thought it was important to grieve openly.
"We never really learn how to deal with a loss,"said in 2018. "I'm always on the verge of tears because I think everyday, you know, you should bring yourself to tears. Everyday you should be that passionate, and you should have a good laugh everyday."
Meat Loaf Dies: ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ Singer & ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Actor Was 74
Meat Loaf, the hardworking singer and actor whose Bat Out of Hell is one of the best-selling albums ever and who played Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died. He was 74.
The Grammy winner born Marvin Lee Aday died Thursday night surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends, Meat Loaf’s longtime agent Michael Greene told Media on behalf of the family. A cause of death is not being released.
“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man,” Meat Loaf’s family said in a statement. “From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!”
Written and produced by Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell is among the best-selling albums in history, racking up 14 million units sold in the U.S. alone. Worldwide sales estimates go as high as 30 million. Its U.S. singles “Two of Three Ain’t Bad” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” peaked at No. 11 and No. 39, respectively, but both were certified platinum four decades later in 2018.
“Paradise by the Dashboard Light” — a duet with Ellen Foley, who went on to star in Season 1 of Night Court — famously features longtime New York Yankees announcer “calling the action” as the teenage narrator makes a move on his girlfriend. Watch the video for the song below, with Karla DeVito lip-synching the “Stop right there!” role. She then went on tour with Meat Loaf to support the album.
Bat Out of Hell also was a smash overseas, spending more than 10 years on the UK album chart despite peaking at No. 9. It remains among the 20 best-sellers of all time there.
Meat Loaf and Steinman also collaborated on the 1993 album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which has sold more than 5 million units in the U.S. alone. Its platinum lead single “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” spent five weeks at No. 1 in the U.S. and UK to become by far Meat Loaf’s biggest hit. Meat Loaf the Grammy for Best Rock Performance, Solo.
Steinman, died last year, also teamed with Meat Loaf for 1981’s Dead Ringer and 2016’s Braver Than We Are.
Meat Loaf has sold more 100 million albums worldwide. His 1980s LPs Dead Ringer and Bad Attitude sold moderately stateside, but 1995’s Welcome to the Neighborhood made the Top 20 and went platinum. He taped an episode of VH1’s Storytellers that was released as an album in 1999.
But before Bat Out of Hell and the rest, there was The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Meat Loaf all but stole the 1975 film version of the stage musical as Eddie, a wild and wildly unlucky ex-delivery boy who belts out the hard-rocking “Hot Patootie” before meeting a difficult end. The movie, which also starred Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry, has become an all-time cult classic. Its soundtrack also hit the Top 50 and is certified gold. Meat Loaf also played the Eddie role onstage.
Born on September 27, 1947, in Dallas, he was a high school football player before relocating to New York City in the late 1960s, where he began landing roles on the stage. He appeared in the Broadway musical Hair and would return to the big stage to play Eddie and Dr. Scott in The Rocky Horror Show in 1975 and had a short run in Rockabye Hamlet the following year.
Meat Loaf was the musical guest on a 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live, on which he played Bat Out of Hell’s “All Revved Up and Nowhere to Go” and “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.” He often host the turn-of-the-century music series The List on VH1. His many other screen credits include the features Roadie, Motorama, Crazy in Alabama, Stage Fright, Spice World, Leap of Faith and Americathon. He also appeared in several episodes of the 2017-18 series Ghost Wars.
Last year, Meat Loaf sealed a deal to develop a relationship competition series based on “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” He was executive producer on the project and was set to appear as, per the logline, the ethereal figure behind the madness who would pull the strings in the show. Couples were to compete in a variety of comedic physical games designed to reveal how well they can work together and how much they really trust and believe in each other – all to a soundtrack of classic hits, performed live in studio by the original artists as well as new stars.
REST IN PEACE!
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Shows the "Beautiful" Snowy View Outside Her Atlanta Home
In 2020, Kenya Moore shared what a stunning summer view looks like from her glass-enclosed deck. While the lush greenery surrounding Moore Manor was gorgeous, Kenya proved in a recent Instagram Story that her wintery surroundings are equally breathtaking.
"Snow in Atlanta!" The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member captioned an Instagram Story video showing the deck and land around her house dusted with snow. Although she admitted, "I hope it doesn't stick," Kenya did take a moment to appreciate the sight. "Look how beautiful it is out there," she said. "Wow."
Due to the weather, Kenya stood inside the home as she admired her view from the deck, but, as she told MTV UK in a 2021 video, she typically uses the spacious deck setup for "dining al fresco" (and noted there's "plenty of room to twirl.")
Last year, Kenya made some exciting improvements to her outdoor space. In an August 2021 Instagram video, she shared a look at her new pool and surrounding cabanas. "I love to swim," she said at the time. "I just feel so blessed being able to have a pool."
Want more RHOA? Catch up on the latest season through the Bravo app.
#MusicNews: Silk Sonic Announces Las Vegas Residency
Silk Sonic is setting up shop in Sin City. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have announced their first residency, “An Evening with Silk Sonic,” at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas. The extended engagement kicks off with two shows on Feb. 25 and 26, followed by a series of dates throughout March. The first set of shows wraps April 2.
“Its happening! The sexiest party of the year! Them Silk Sonic Boyz are performing Live in Las Vegas!” tweeted Bruno.
Fans can purchase tickets via a pre-sale starting today. Tickets are priced at $125 and go on sale to the general public Friday, Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. PST.
The residency follows the release of Silk Sonic’s debut album An Evening With Silk Sonic, which was released in November and spawned the No. 1 hit “Leave the Door Open.”
Bruno Mars has previously been performing his own residency at Park MGM since 2016.
#HipHopNews: Jay-Z Wants To Pass A Law To Limit The Use Of Rap Lyrics In Criminal Cases
JAY-Z is calling on New York lawmakers to pass legislation that would restrict when rap lyrics can be used as evidence during criminal cases.
In a letter, obtained by Billboard, the Roc Nation mogul urges lawmakers to support Senate Bill S7527, known as “Rap Music on Trial,” which would limit the admissibility of someone’s music in a criminal trial.
In addition to JAY-Z, the letter was signed by others including Meek Mill, Killer Mike, Fat Joe, and Robin Thicke.
The bill, introduced in November, would limit the circumstances in which any form of “creative expression” can be shown as evidence of a crime to a jury. If passed, prosecutors could only present such material to jurors if they can show that an expressive work is “literal, rather than figurative or fictional.”
“This reform is urgently needed,” wrote Alex Spiro, JAY-Z’s attorney, and Erik Nielson, a professor at the University of Richmond. “This tactic effectively denies rap music the status of art and, in the process, gives prosecutors a dangerous advantage in the courtroom: by presenting rap lyrics as rhymed confessions of illegal behavior, they are often able to obtain convictions even when other evidence is lacking.”
The letter cited a study that showed participants viewed violent rap lyrics as far more threatening than violent lyrics from a country song.
“No other fictional form, musical or otherwise, is (mis)used like this in courts,” Spiro and Nielson wrote. “And it should come as no surprise that the overwhelming majority of artists in these cases are young Black and Latino men.”
The legislation is part of a broader legal debate over when prosecutors can or should cite rap lyrics, a practice that can unfairly sway juries and have a disproportionate impact on Black men.
The bill has already passed a committee vote by an 8-4 vote, and now moves one step closer to a vote by the full New York State Senate.
Cardi B To Foot Bill For Funeral And Repatriation Costs For Bronx Fire Victims
Bronx-born Hip-hop star Cardi B will pay the funeral costs for the 17 victims of the Jan. 9 blaze in a high-rise apartment that left others in critical condition and some without homes.
Mayor Eric Adams announced Cardi B would cover the costs, including repatriation costs for victims whose remains would be sent for burial to The Gambia, through the Mayor’s Fund, which had been collecting donations for affected families in a press release Wednesday. The fund had already raised more than $2.5 million, according to the mayor’s office.
The victims of the fire at 333 East 181st Street ranged in age from two-years-old to 50 and included parents and children, college and middle school students, and healthcare and fast food workers.
“I cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish that the families of the victims are experiencing, but I hope that not having to worry about the costs associated with burying their loved ones will help as they move forward and heal,” the Grammy-award winning rapper said in a statement. “I send my prayers and condolences to everyone affected by this horrific tragedy.”
Hundreds of people gathered at the Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx on Sunday to mourn fifteen of the deceased, many of whom had immigrated from the West African country of The Gambia. Two other victims, 12-year-old Seydou Toure and his 5-year-old little sister Haouwa Mohamadou had been remembered separately at a mosque in Harlem last week.
FDNY officials say the fire started when a space heater malfunctioned in an apartment on the third floor of the 19-story building. The doors didn’t close automatically, as they should have when the family in that apartment fled and thick dark clouds of smoke spread throughout the building.
People who remained in their apartments survived, but many who tried to flee were engulfed in clouds of smoke and some suffocated.
The building’s owners – a triad of investors from the LIHC Investment Group, Belveron Partners and Camber Property Group – had received multiple citations from the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development for doors that failed to shut automatically, including one citation from December of 2021.
It's The GLAAD Media Awards: And the Nominees Are????
Nominees have been announced for the 33rd annual GLAAD Media Awards, which acknowledge the fairness, accuracy, inclusiveness, boldness, originality, impact and overall quality of LGBTQ representations in the media.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 finalist Gottmik revealed the nominees on Wednesday, via GLAAD’s TikTok page. This year’s award bi-coastal ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 2, and in New York on Friday, May 6.
Last year’s big TV winners included Star Trek: Discovery (drama), Schitt’s Creek (comedy), I May Destroy You (limited series) and Uncle Frank (TV-movie). Scroll down for a list of 2022’s TV nominees, including in the inaugural Outstanding New TV Series category.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Dickinson (Apple TV+)
Gentefied (Netflix)
Love, Victor (Hulu)
The Other Two (HBO Max)
Saved by the Bell (Peacock)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Shrill (Hulu)
Special (Netflix)
Twenties (BET)
Work in Progress (Showtime)
Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX)
Batwoman (The CW)
The Chi (Showtime)
Doom Patrol (HBO Max)
Good Trouble (Freeform)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The L Word: Generation Q (Showtime)
Pose (FX)
Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)
Supergirl (The CW)
Outstanding New TV Series
4400 (The CW)
Chucky (Syfy/USA Network)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Harlem (Prime Video)
The Long Call (BritBox)
The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO Max)
Sort Of (HBO Max)
With Love (Prime Video)
Y: The Last Man (FX)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)
Outstanding TV-Movie
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (Hallmark)
The Fear Street Trilogy (Netflix)
Nash Bridges (USA Network)
Single All the Way (Netflix)
Under the Christmas Tree (Lifetime)
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Dopesick (Hulu)
Halston (Netflix)
It’s a Sin (HBO Max)
Little Birds (Starz)
Love Life (HBO Max)
Master of None Presents: Moments in Love (Netflix)
Rurangi (Hulu)
Station Eleven (HBO Max)
Vigil (Peacock)
The White Lotus (HBO)
Outstanding Reality Program
12 Dates of Christmas (HBO Max)
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Family Karma (Bravo)
I Am Jazz (TLC)
Legendary (HBO Max)
MTV’s Following: Bretman Rock (MTV)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
The Voice (NBC)
We’re Here (HBO)
Outstanding Documentary
Changing the Game (Hulu)
“Cured,” Independent Lens (PBS)
Flee (NEON)
The Lady and The Dale (HBO)
The Legend of the Underground (HBO)
No Ordinary Man (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Nuclear Family (HBO)
“Pier Kids,” POV (PBS)
Pray Away (Netflix)
Pride (FX)
Outstanding Children’s Programming
Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City, “Berry Bounty Banquet” (YouTube Kids)
City of Ghosts (Netflix)
Sesame Street, “Family Day” (HBO Max)
Muppet Babies, “Gonzo-rella” (Disney Junior)
Fancy Nancy, “Joie de Jonathan” (Disney Junior)
Ridley Jones (Netflix)
Rugrats (Paramount+)
Summer Camp Island (Cartoon Network/HBO Max)
We the People (Netflix)
Madagascar: A Little Wild, “Whatever Floats Your Float” (Hulu/Peacock)
Outstanding Kids & Family Programming
Amphibia (Disney Channel)
Centaurworld (Netflix)
The Baby-Sitters Club, “Claudia and the Sad Goodbye” (Netflix)
Diary of a Future President (Disney+)
Doogie Kamealoha, MD (Disney+)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
Danger Force, “Manlee Men” (Nickelodeon)
The Owl House (Disney Channel)
Power Rangers: Dino Fury (Nickelodeon/Netflix)
Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
The Amber Ruffin Show, “Bisexual Superman Is Not Ruining Your Childhood, B*tch Please” (Peacock)
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, “Culture War! Diverse Pilots and Trans Rights” (Comedy Central)
The Oprah Conversation, “Elliot Page” (Apple TV+)
Late Night With Seth Meyers, “Jenny Hagel Investigates Why America’s Lesbian Bars Are Vanishing” (NBC)
The View, “Mj Rodriguez on Historic Emmy Nomination and Hopes for Trans Community’s Future” (ABC)
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
The Sunday Show With Jonathan Capehart, “Capehart Condemns Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Transphobic Speech Against Equality Act” (MSNBC)
State of the Union, “Danica Roem to LGBTQ Americans: You Have to Care About Politics” (CNN)
Today, “HIV/AIDS: 40 Years Later” (NBC)
Stephanie Ruhle Reports, “McBride On Anti-Trans Bills: ‘This Is Legislative Bullying Plain & Simple'” (MSNBC)
GMA3: What You Need to Know, “Valedictorian Says His Graduation Speech on Mental Health & LGBTQ Identity Was Cut Off” (ABC)
Outstanding TV Journalism – Long-Form
Anderson Cooper Full Circle, “Anderson Speaks to Legendary AIDS and Gay Rights Activist” (CNNgo)
This Is Life With Lisa Ling, “Gay Panic” (CNN)
“Life After Pulse” (WESH)
AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, “Mama Gloria” (PBS)
“Pride of The White House” (MSNBC)
“PRIDE on ABC News Live: What’s Next for the LGBTQ+ Community” (ABC News Live)
United Shades of America, “Trans in Texas” (CNN)
“Trans in Trumpland” (Topic)
“TransAmerica” (NBC News NOW)
The Week With Joshua Johnson, “The Week in Pride” (MSNBC)
Special Recognition
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson [filmed reading + performance]
4D with Demi Lovato, “Alok Vaid-Menon” (Candence13/OBB Sound/SB Projects)
CODED: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker (Paramount+)
Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider
The Laverne Cox Show (Shondaland Audio/iHeartMedia)
Life Out Loud With LZ Granderson (ABC News)
Outsports’ Coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics
Good Luck to All!
Tyler Perry Is Bringing His Character ‘Madea’ Out of Retirement
Tyler Perry‘s long-awaited return as gun and Bible-toting matriarch Madea is right around the corner, and the entertainment mogul opened up about why now was the perfect time to bring her out of retirement.
The Madea creator and portayer retired his much-loved character in 2019 with the release of “A Madea Family Funeral” and his “Madea’s Farewell” stage play tour, but he was inspired to dust off the wig and dress for “A Madea Homecoming” thanks to the current melancholy state that the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the world into.
“I was looking at the state of the world and how polarized it is … nobody’s laughing,” Perry told “Entertainment Weekly,” which also received a first look at images from the upcoming film. “Nobody’s getting the chance to belly-laugh anymore. And I’m like, ‘What tool do I have in my arsenal that can bring that kind of laughter?'”
The “Don’t Look Up” actor revealed that he had a new Madea project in the works in an Instagram video he shared with followers in June 2021. “Madea’s coming to Netflix. We need to laugh, man, too much is going on in the country. We need to laugh, so, I was done, but she’s coming back. Madea on Netflix. I can’t wait,” he said while interjecting throughout as Madea.
The latest addition to the collection, which Perry wrote and directed, reportedly will follow “Madea’s great-grandson’s college graduation, but hidden secrets and family drama threaten to destroy the happy homecoming.” Fans of the film franchise can look forward to seeing the return of favorites including Tamela J. Mann, David Mann, Cassi Davis, Brandon Black, and Isha Blaaker in the upcoming 12th installment.
Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Homecoming” heads to Netflix on Feb. 25.
Michael B. Jordan Gets to Work Fiming 'Creed III' in Atlanta
Production for Creed III has officially begun! Michael B. Jordan was spotted arriving on set of his upcoming movie on Tuesday afternoon (January 18) in Atlanta, Georgia.
For his afternoon on set, the 34-year-old actor was spotted wearing a black winter coat over an army-green hoodie, tan pants, and white sneakers while staying safe in a black face mask.
If you didn’t know, Michael is making his directorial debut with the latest installment in the Creed movie franchise.
Michael has previously starred as aspiring boxer Adonis “Donnie” Johnson Creed, the son of Apollo Creed, in Creed (2015) and Creed II (2018). He’s set to reprise his role in Creed III as well.
#RHOSLC‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ Star Jennie Nguyen Apologizes for Racist Social Media Posts
‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ newbie Jennie Nguyen has issued an apology for a bunch of racist social media posts from 2020 that have resurfaced.
via Page Six: “I want to acknowledge and apologize for my deleted Facebook posts from 2020 that resurfaced today,” Nguyen wrote via Instagram. “At the time, I thought I was speaking out against violence, but I have since learned how offensive and hurtful my words were.”
“It’s why I deactivated that account more than a year ago and why I continue to try to learn about perspectives different from my own. I regret those posts and am sincerely sorry for the pain they caused.”
(When we visited the account Nguyen had posted from earlier Wednesday, it had not been deactivated.)
Nguyen allegedly posted and reposted images throughout 2020 at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, using phrases like “BLM Thugs” and “Violent Gangs.”
Material posted by the Vietnamese-American Nguyen also included mentions of “blacks” and a debunked theory about George Floyd assaulting a student in Spain.
Another cartoon appeared to make light of the rash of protesters who were rammed by cars during the protests, a figure the Boston Globe found at least 139 instances ofbetween May 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021 — three of which were fatal.
Fans pointed out that the discovery of the posts was especially galling in light of a recent “RHOSLC” moment in which Nguyen accused co-star Mary M. Cosby of being racist after Cosby told her that she has “nice slanted eyes.”
Jennie grew up in Long Beach — she should know better.
#RIP: Lusia Harris, the first and only woman to be drafted into NBA, passes away at 66
“We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, grandmother, Olympic medalist, The Queen of Basketball, Lusia Harris has passed away unexpectedly today in Mississippi,” Harris’ family said in a statement. The cause of her death is not yet known.
Harris, most known as the first and only woman drafted by an NBA team, shone on the court years before she was recruited. While a member of Delta State University’s basketball, she led the school to three consecutive Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national championships from 1975-1977. She was also given the opportunity to play in the 1976 Olympics when women’s basketball was first introduced to the international event and helped the US team bring home a silver medal that year. Her basketball skills eventually caught the attention of the New Orleans Jazz, who drafted her in 1977.
Despite making history as the first woman to be drafted into the NBA, Lucy — who was pregnant at the time — turned down the offer to start a family with her husband and joined the Women’s Professional Basketball League in 1979-80. Her accomplishments were later honored as she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. Per Delta State, she still holds the record for the most points (2,891) and rebounds (1,662).
“The recent months brought Ms. Harris great joy, including the news of the upcoming wedding of her youngest son and the outpouring of recognition received by a recent documentary that brought worldwide attention to her story,” Harris family penned in a statement. “She will be remembered for her charity, for her achievements both on and off the court, and the light she brought to her community, the state of Mississippi, her country as the first woman ever to score a basket in the Olympics, and to women who play basketball around the world.”
Frito-Lay Reveals Megan Thee Stallion As Super Bowl Commercial Star
Frito-Lay has revealed Megan Thee Stallion as the star of its Super Bowl spot featuring Cheetos and Doritos.
A teaser released by the PepsiCo snack giant this morning shows the singer arriving at a backlot munching on a bag of Cheetos. A security guard proceeds to ask whether the electrifying 26-year-old rapper is allergic to dogs or cats—and to foxes, bears, water buffaloes, sloths, or crocodiles. The 35-second clip portends what could be a wild spot for advertising's biggest night.
The Super Bowl spot promises to be an unusual one for Frito-Lay, which for the first time is promoting two brands in one ad—it’s Flamin’ Hot varieties of Cheetos and Doritos. The company is preparing a separate ad for its Lay’s potato chip brand, marking its first appearance on the Super Bowl stage since 2005. That news was accompanied by the release of NFL team-branded chips, which were made of potatoes grown in soil of their respective home stadiums and available only to winners of a sweepstakes conducted on Twitter. Last week, an ad featuring retired NFL stars including brothers Peyton and Eli Manning showcased multiple food and beverage brands from the PepsiCo portfolio debuted in an effort to spark sales ahead of the big game.
PepsiCo is an official sponsor of the NFL and title presenter of the Super Bowl halftime show.
Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers set for auction
Virgil Abloh’s designs are still making headlines. Louis Vuitton and Nike announced on Wednesday that they will release a limited-edition drop of the late designer’s Air Force 1 sneakers, which debuted last June as part of the fashion house’s Spring 2022 collection.
Abloh died in November at the age of 41, following a private two-year battle with cancer.
Two hundred pairs of the coveted kicks will be auctioned at Sotheby’s, with proceeds going to the Virgil Abloh “Post Modern” Scholarship Fund, according to WWD.
Abloh launched the scholarship fund for black fashion students in 2020 with an initial endowment of $1 million.
The auction will run from Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, and the shoes will be available in an exclusive colorway and a range of sizes from 5 to 18, with bids starting at $2,000.
200 pairs of the shoes will be up for grabs, featuring a unique colorway and Louis Vuitton’s signature
However, those not lucky enough to score an exclusive pair from the sale can wait for the commercial launch of the sneakers later this year, when they’ll be available in limited quantities exclusively at Louis Vuitton.
Just a few days after Abloh’s death, the French fashion brand staged his Miami fashion show as planned, with larger-than-life tributes to the man himself and his lasting legacy.
Louis Vuitton also plans to show his men’s Fall 2022 collection in two shows on Thursday as part of Paris Fashion Week.
Nick Cannon Reveals He’s Insecure About His ‘Skinny’ Body ‘When It Comes To Being Intimate’
Nick Cannon hosted a “Man Panel” on Wednesday’s episode of his self-titled daytime show, Nick Cannon, and he and four friends admitted to some of their “insecurities in the bedroom.”
During the Wednesday taping of the show, Cannon confessed that he hides his body in the bedroom.
“I’ve got to tell you, I definitely have an insecurity when it comes to being intimate,” the father of seven shared. “I’ve been skinny my whole life, so therefore I’ve never liked to be completely naked. It’s usually like, I hide under the covers. As much as I boast about being in shape.” “So that’s my insecurity,” he shared, before asking the rest of the panel for theirs.
Majors then says that “for me and for a lot of guys, it’s a lot about trying to make her feel good by having an orgasm.” “It’s that pressure,” he said.
And Michaels revealed that he agree’s with Cannon when it comes to feeling insecure about his body.
“I am completely clothed up in a Snuggie,” Michaels said. “I hate my body, so I am with you Nick. I totally am insecure about that. Like I want lights off, I want covers, I want blankets, I want a ski mask. I am totally not that confident, sexy, Rick Ross fat guy.”
Cannon replied, “But women don’t think about that, I’m pretty sure, because that’s when we’re our most vulnerable, when we’re making love, when we’re tapping in to our sensuality,” Cannon said. “That’s when we are our most open.
NBC Delays ‘American Song Contest’ Over COVID Concerns; ‘AGT: Extreme’ Debuts Next Month
NBC has pushed “American Song Contest,” its ambitious U.S. take on the legendary Eurovision Song Contest, back a month in order to give the production more time to handle COVID concerns when it comes to having a live audience.
“American Song Contest” will now premiere on Monday, March 21 at 8 p.m. ET, and air there (in a two-hour slot, until 10 p.m.) for eight weeks, with a finale on May 9. The show was originally set to launch on Monday, Feb. 21; in its place, “America’s Got Talent: Extreme” will now premiere that day at 8 p.m. and air in that timeslot (also for two hours weekly) for four weeks.
“America’s Got Talent: Extreme” completed its season despite an accident on set last fall, in which stuntman Jonathan Goodwin was injured while performing a daredevil stunt. Production paused in October after the incident, and was resumed in January.
“AGT: Extreme” features “outrageous, unique and jaw-dropping acts of enormous scale and magnitude,” according to NBC, as contestants compete to win a $500,000 prize. Creator and executive producer Simon Cowell serves as a judge, along with WWE star Nikki Bella and motocross and rally car driver Travis Pastrana. “America’s Got Talent” host Terry Crews also hosts “AGT: Extreme, which comes from Fremantle and Syco Entertatinment. Simon Cowell, Sam Donnelly, Jason Raff and Richard Wallace are the executive producers.
As for “American Song Contest,” the series travels across the country, finding song writers and performers in all 50 states, five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia to compete. That scope presented a challenge during the recent omicron wave of COVID-19, forcing producers to take a breather, but they expect to have the show back in place and live by late March.
On the show, a solo artist, duo or a band will represent each location and perform a new original song. The live competition consists of three rounds as the acts compete in a series of qualifying rounds, followed by the semi finals and the ultimate finale, where a winner will be named.
“American Song Contest” is executive produced by Audrey Morrissey, Anders Lenhoff, Christer Björkman, Peter Settman, Ola Melzig, and Gregory Lipstone alongside Propagate’s Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens. Propagate and Universal Television Alternative Studio are behind the show.
Steve Harvey ‘Very Uncomfortable’ with Sexy Pic of Daughter Lori Harvey and Boyfriend Michael B. Jordan
*Steve Harvey hit up “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” Tuesday and dished about his stepdaughter Lori and her boyfriend, actor Michael B. Jordan.
Harvey was specifically asked about a New Year’s photo of the couple, showing Lori sitting on Jordan’s lap. When the image was shown on screen, DeGeneres gestured to the photo and said to Steve “That’s happening in front of you?”
“I’ve never seen that picture before,” Harvey replied, adding “I’m very uncomfortable with that picture right there. I’m not really feeling that picture.
Jordan and Lori confirmed their relationship via Instagram last January. The actor spent the holidays with the Harveys, and Ellen asked Steve if the “Black Panther” star was a “good gift-giver.”
“That’s why I like him,” Harvey said of Jordan. “That boy come through. He trying to impress the family.
“I’m her father, so he bought me this big 100-cigar box of the most hard to get cigars, 100 of them in this big box, and he gave that to me. He gave my wife some skis. Who do that? Only way you give your potential mother-in-law some skis is ‘cause you want her to be your mother-in-law.”
Harvey previously told Ellen, “I have tried not to like him; I have tried to find something wrong with him,” Harvey said at the time. “He is one of the nicest guys.”
Harvey also explained to People last September why he approves of Lori’s relationship with Jordan.
“I don’t speak publicly about this type of stuff, but I’m happy for my daughter right now: I really am,” Harvey told the outlet. “It’s the first time I’ve been happy for her (in a relationship). And it’s the first time she’s been happy.”
The Weeknd Beat Gunna To Gets 4th Consecutive No. 1 Album ‘Dawn FM’
The Weeknd has done it yet again with another No. 1 project. The Canadian artist has charted his fourth consecutive No. 1 album with Dawn FM. This follows 2015’s Beauty Behind The Madness, 2016’s Starboy, and 2020’s After Hours. This time he had to fight a bit more for the top position as he got a serious challenge from Gunna‘s DS4Ever.
Both albums kick off the 2022 era, and both are well received by fans. The latest stats on the album came courtesy of Hits Daily Double. According to the publication, The Weeknd’s fifth studio effort, Dawn FM, grabbed the No. 1 spot, on debut, with an estimated 154,000 total album-equivalent units earned.
Gunna’s finale to his Drip Season series took the No. 2 position behind Dawn FM with an estimated 151,000 total album-equivalent units earned. Gunna’s success came from well-thought-out features that pulled hip-hop fans in.
Some notable features included Drake on “P Power” and “Too Easy” with Future. There was also a remix of “Too Easy,” which featured Roddy Ricch. The album’s success can also be attributed to how much it trended on social media bringing in even more listeners.
The Weeknd’s numbers were previously predicted by Hits Daily Double and stood just at what they anticipated with an estimated 154,000 total album-equivalent earned units. What has to be taken into consideration is the fact that The Weeknd decided not to release physical copies of Dawn FM, something that would have probably increased the album sales.
That information was first made public in a now-deleted tweet that stated, “No physical copies (vinyls, CDs, cassettes) for @theweeknd’s ‘Dawn FM’ will be available in store during release week. Furthermore, no physical copies will be shipped the first week. This will obviously impact first week figures.”
The “Save Your Tears” crooner responded to that tweet by explaining that the numbers were of no interest to him.
“This doesn’t matter to me. What matters is getting to experience the album together with the fans during these times,” he said on January 6.
Even with such high expectations after the blistering popularity of After Hours, The Weeknd did not disappoint. Some in the industry have already begun to shower praise on the album.
That includes respected rapper and producer Timbaland, who compared the album to Michael Jackson’s classic Thriller. Even though those comments didn’t go down so well on Twitter, it’s an indicator of how highly the producer ranked the “Blinding Lights” artist’s latest efforts.
The Weeknd’s timing for dropping the album is also sublime since there are no real challengers coming in right now. If it remains like this, he’s looking set to hold on to the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart for a second straight week.
He’ll be hoping that it can match the ridiculously impressive success of After Hours which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 444,000 album-equivalent units, which included 275,000 pure album sales. It marked the biggest first-week sales of 2020 for an album at the time. It eventually spent four weeks at No. 1 and became the first album to notch four consecutive weeks since Drake’s Scorpion in 2018.
That album has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for earning over two million album-equivalent units in the US.
Oscar Mayer Quickly Sells Out Bologna Inspired Hydrating Face Masks
Oscar Mayer has debuted a line of bologna-inspired face masks for fans of the famous meat.
The company, which Kraft Heinz owns, has teamed up with Korean beauty brand Seoul Mamas to create sheet masks that resemble its popular cold-cuts. The quirky mask is for anyone who recalls biting holes in bologna and placing it on their face as a kid.
“Oscar Mayer has a legacy bringing levity to things that have gotten too serious, and beauty is a ripe territory to playfully subvert,” Lindsey Ressler, a senior marketing analyst at the brand, explained.
After arriving on Amazon Wednesday, the masks quickly sold out for just five bucks. On its release, the hot item was listed as Amazon’s “#1 new release” in beauty and personal care. Now, bologna fans are eager to get their hands on the masks.
“Due to unexpected incredibly high demand, we are working to get the sheet masks back in stock over the coming days,” Kraft Heinz said in a statement following the stock depletion.
The light pink face mask comes in packaging nearly identical to the Oscar Mayer sandwich meat seen in grocery stores. For this reason, the company placed a disclaimer on the back that reads boldly, “DO NOT EAT BOLOGNA MASKS.”
There are no Amazon reviews on the product yet, but it will be interesting to know if the masks smell like bologna or if they resemble it
Controversial Doctor Claims Praying Can Get COVID-19 Out Of The Body
Controversial doctor, Stella Immanuel, is back in the news, now claiming that the COVID-19 vaccine can be removed from the body by praying.
Immanuel recently spoke before a large congregation during megachurch pastor Clay Clark’s ReAwaken America Tour. During the Arizona stop, Immanuel said praying for people who have received the vaccine causes a “reaction,” which leads to the vaccine being cast out of the body. She referred to the vaccine as “the devil” that must leave the body once hearing “the name of Jesus.”
Dr. Immanuel, a pediatrician, has come under fire for touting hydroxychloroquine as the most reliable COVID-19 treatment, despite extensive research confirming that the drug serves little to no benefit. Instead, it has been linked to severe health issues. In November, the Texas Medical Board fined the physician $500 for prescribing the drug to a COVID-19 patient without explaining the risks.
Former President Donald Trump has praised Immanuel. However, others have wondered how she has been able to keep her medical license after making eyebrow-raising claims, such as doctors using alien DNA to make pharmaceuticals and attributing women’s health matters to sex with demons.
Amid Releasing Fake Financial Info New York Ag Trying To Force Trump To Cooperate In Investigation
New York’s Attorney General Letitia James says the Trump Organization released fake financial information and she’s now trying to force the Trumps to cooperate.
The Attorney General says her probe of the Trump Organization uncovered evidence that suggests the company purposely overvalued some of their properties by millions of dollars, and then misrepresented the value of those assets to financial institutions for their own benefit.
Now James has taken legal action to try to force former President Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Jr. and Ivanka Trump to cooperate with her investigation and answer questions under oath about their dealings.
“For more than two years, the Trump Organization has used delay tactics and litigation in an attempt to thwart a legitimate investigation into its financial dealings,” said Attorney General James.
“The Trumps must comply with our lawful subpoenas for documents and testimony because no one in this country can pick and choose if and how the law applies to them. We will not be deterred in our efforts to continue this investigation and ensure that no one is above the law.”
The Attorney General began her investigation into the Trump Organization back in 2019 after the ex-president’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified that Trump exaggerated the value of the companies’ assets to get better loan insurance policies.
Trump has denied all allegations and called the investigation another witch hunt. Do you think Trump will cooperate?
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
WRESTLE A DEER
The fact that this deer probably found itself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and one guy was ready to show his skills.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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