#FASHIONFILES: Maluma Turns Heads in Versace Spring Campaign
Singer Maluma dons a bold new suit as he poses with his dog Buda for Versace’s spring-summer 2022 men’s campaign.
Versace’s newest advertising campaign injects a jolt of star power into the brand. Maluma, a Colombian singer, is the face of the Italian fashion house’s spring-summer 2022 advertising campaign.
Maluma exudes effortless charm as he enters the studio with photography duo Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott to shoot this season’s campaign images. Also making an appearance is Buda, Maluma’s dog, an absolute natural in front of the camera!
Donatella Versace is overjoyed to be collaborating with Maluma for spring. According to Versace, “When I met Maluma for the first time, immediately I felt his energy and his engaging personality.”
The designer adds, “He is a forward thinker and never scared to challenge himself. He’s the kind of man that makes a difference and makes the world a better place; this makes him the perfect Versace man! I’m so excited to have Maluma in my new spring summer campaign.”
Maluma Versace Campaign 2022 Spring Summer Varsity Jacket
Donning a varsity jacket, Maluma stars in Versace’s spring-summer 2022 men’s campaign.
For Versace’s spring campaign, creative director Ferdinando Verderi embraces certain minimalism, creating a clean studio set that allows Maluma to shine as the brand’s new leading man.
Maluma is easily the star of the show. He dresses in looks styled by Jacob K. Maluma’s wardrobe includes everything from suits to a varsity jacket, which features Versace motifs and an embroidered “Donatella” across the chest.
“For me, this is a dream come true to be the face of an iconic fashion house like Versace and continuing to represent Colombia globally through music, fashion and much more,” Maluma expresses his delight at the opportunity.
“Fashion is one of my biggest passions outside of music and being part of Donatella’s vision, and the Versace family, is an honor.”
In addition, the 27-year-old singer says, “One of my greatest highlights for 2022 will be my dog Buda in his first campaign with me – a man’s best friend joins fashion. This is to many more memories with my Versace family.”
#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey’s Advice to Future ‘RHUGT’ Cast Members – Have Fun Breaking the 4th Wall
As one of the first Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip cast members, Cynthia Bailey from The Real Housewives of Atlanta has some advice for future cast members on how they make the most of filming.
The RHUGT series throws current and former Housewives from various series in a single location for a girls’ trip. The series allows cast members who have never met to connect, but also clash during filming. Bailey often found herself in the peacemaker role during the flagship season – but admits she lost her cool at one point.
Now that she’s gone through the experience, she hopes future cast members can be a little more vulnerable on this series than perhaps they are on their own show.
Breaking the fourth wall in reality television is often discouraged, but the rules are a little different on RHUGT. “First of all I’m glad [producers] are going to be taking [the trips], because I know the fans have wanted this for a long time,” Bailey told Showbiz Cheat Sheet.
“In terms of advice, I would say go into it to have a good time,” she said. “You know, at the end of the day, one of the great things is Girls Trip is very different from the regular Real Housewives of Atlanta. Breaking the fourth wall was so much fun. Like it was my favorite thing to do. But just be able to really talk about things that we don’t really get to talk about.”
Bailey loved hearing the different casting stories and how some of the women became Housewives. “Because we all have different stories,” she remarked. “But I would just say just going into it to have a good time and just be yourself because, at the end of the day, I think the fans really want to see more beyond the girls trip than they get to see on the other regular Housewife show because we can break the fourth wall [on RHUGT]. And it is that time where you can be like, ‘Oh, OK, you know, so I feel at this moment and you know, this is maybe why I’m feeling this way,’ or whatever. I feel like I was able to be a little more vulnerable on Girls Trip.”
Bailey also said the cast should embrace how the show structure provides more opportunities to open up versus the regular series. “I had a lot of time to really express why I was feeling the way I was feeling,” Bailey recalled. “And I thought that was great because when you do it on the regular show, on your regular Housewife show, sometimes it was just kind of like, you move on and it doesn’t really show up. Like if you were sad or why you were sad. How long you were sad and who made you sad, you know what I mean? So for me, I definitely felt a lot more vulnerable on Girls Trip.“
She added that the RHUGT format was filmed outside of the casts’ lives and in one location. So they weren’t distracted with regular life. “I think that definitely played a part in it,” she said about the destination series. “And it was just long days. We did all those episodes in eight days.”
“So there was not a lot of downtime or time to just kind of decompress,” she added. “So, it’s not easy. And I think we were exhausted by the end of it. But I think it was entertaining. And then again, being the first one, I was so honored to be selected to be a part of the first one to kick it off. And I think we definitely set the bar pretty high.”
But don’t forget to pack your patience
Indeed the bar is set pretty high for future RHUGT cast members. Bailey added that the different personalities and demands require patience too. She and others were tested when Ramona Singer from The Real Housewives of New York City kicked off the trip by telling the other women that she put the franchise on the map and they should thank her.
“Oh, my patience was definitely tested,” Bailey laughed. “But in the end, I just kind of a I’m a ‘live and let live’ kind of person. And in this day, like, there’s only so much you can do.”
Since leaving RHOA, Bailey has been extremely busy. She partnered with Seagram’s Escapes and recently finished filming Lockdown for the Lifetime network.
The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip is currently streaming on Peacock.
#MusicNews: Ari Lennox Says She Wants To Be Dropped By Her Label
Ari Lennox is feeling the pressure.The R&B songstress has threatened to quit music after facing criticism on social media. “I want to be dropped from the labels. I’m done and tired,” she tweeted on Sunday (Jan. 23).
Earlier in the week, the “Pressure” singer did an interview with South African podcaster Mac G, who asked her a blunt question about her sex life. Lennox was taken aback, while the interviewer suggested that he was referencing a lyric from one of her early songs, “Pop.”
“I just feel slow and ambushed and blindsighted,” Lennox tweeted after the interview was released. “Just because I happily and freely sing/write about sex don’t make any kind of creepy disrespect warranted. I clearly was in immense shock and hate that I didn’t react differently.”
She received backlash from some Twitter users who blamed her for bringing the question upon herself. She also said she was done doing interviews and vowed to never visit South Africa. “South Africa! Y’all got it!!! Heard you loud and clear. This won’t be a place I will ever visit,” she wrote in a since-deleted tweet.
The Dreamville signee went on to share her frustration over the constant judgement and scrutiny she faces on social media.
“I’m always ‘complaining’ but my twitter drama is the only thing blogs repost. I’m my best and worst publicist,” she added. “People ‘complaining’ about me ‘complaining.'”
“sm is a traumatizing unhealthy place. You are only accepted here if your perfect and seemingly happy at all times. When every single life knows that’s not realistic. People cry, people complain, people are mad in real life. I just never cared to be a fake ass bitch.”
However, she admitted that she was not drama free. “I am problematic it’s all karma,” she wrote. “And when I said I felt like this was my karma. I’m aware I’ve said some incredibly insensitive and dumb ass shit in the past. No need to keep reminding me of the regret I feel every day.”
She also had a message for her critics who continue to put her down. “Christ sakes. I realize I have no hits. I realize you all can live without hearing my music. I realize my complaining is so aggravating to y’all . I don’t ask blogs to post me when I’m at my worst. You judgemental self hating parasites wouldn’t last a day as a signed artist.”
Added Lennox, “Complaining that I’m complaining about the shit I’m going through meanwhile in real life you’re just as unhappy just as fucked up. You crying in the car too. Somebody calling you insensitive and dramatic too. You could never be honest about your demons.”
#HipHopNews: Kanye West Calls Out Netflix, Demands Final Approval On His Documentary
Kanye West wants to do final edits on his Netflix docuseries before it's presented to the masses.
Yeezy shared via Instagram on Friday (Jan. 21) that before he gives the green light for the three-part series called Jeen-Yuhs, he wants to ensure that all T's are crossed and I's are dotted.
"I’m going to say this kindly for the last time
I must get final edit and approval on this doc before it releases on Netflix
Open the edit room immediately so I can be in charge of my own image
Thank you in advance 😊" he wrote in his IG post, which included the artwork for the documentary.
The trilogy series chronicles Ye's over 20-year career, including music, business ventures, his 2020 presidential run and the loss of his mom, Donda West, whom he named his latest album after.
According to a report from Variety on Wednesday (Jan. 19), Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, directors of Jeen-Yuhs, spoke on the doc's final cut, reassuring Kanye that he needed to trust the filmmakers.
"I said, 'Dude, you have to trust me.' And he did, 100 percent,” Simmons explained. "Mind you, when his team and the business-people have gotten involved, they’re of course going to have their say. But I needed to tell this story. It’s not about making Kanye likable or not. The footage doesn’t lie. What makes the film special is that it’s not something definitive; it’s his journey through my vision."
Ye's latest creative project is scheduled to debut at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday (Jan. 23) and is expected to hit Netflix sometime next month.
Jermaine Dupri Says He Recalls Janet Jackson Warned Him When They Were Dating That She Has 6 Brothers
Jermaine Dupri is giving fans more insight into his former relationship with Janet Jackson. During a recent interview on Ryan Cameron Uncensored, the legendary producer recalled when he was dating the A-lister, she popped up unannounced at his house.
Ryan Cameron recalled the incident, stating:
“[Jermaine Dupri] was somewhere and [Janet Jackson] was somewhere else, and this is before y’all was a thing… And she was like “Jermaine where are you at?” And you was like “I’m at such and such” and she was like “okay,” and then you got home and she was, like, downstairs… Do you remember telling me that?”
To which Jermaine responds
“Oh yeah, I think I remember telling you don’t mess with rich women”
The men laughed as they recalled the story.
Jermaine Dupri and Janet Jackson dated from roughly 2000 to 2008. The two decided to go their separate ways after they were unwilling to move from their respective cities to be with the other. Reportedly, at the time of their long-lived relationship, Janet Jackson lived in Malibu, and Jermaine Dupri resided in Atlanta, Georgia, making their long-distance relationship too strenuous to last.
During the interview, Jermaine Dupri explains how rich women are different from non-rich women because they have more access to them. He recalls:
“You can’t really play with rich women. They can do whatever they want to do… You hang up on the phone with a rich woman, and call her all kinds of names and she calls you all kinds of names. You think you hung up the phone and then the doorbell rings. You’re like “What? What’s going on?” and that person be at your house”
To which the interviewer laughs, adding
“Because they got it like that! They have access to the G4’s and G5’s.”
Jermaine continues “Access? They got a G4! You can’t play with the rich women, man. You can’t do that… You can’t play with a poor woman, but you can’t play with a rich woman. Not them games.”
Jermaine Dupri then told the story of Janet Jackson, warning him when they first began dating that he would not be able to get away with anything with her on account of her having six brothers.
“The one thing that Janet did tell me when I first started dating her was that, you know, “Jermaine, I got six brothers. Like, there’s nothing you can tell me that I ain’t heard. So make sure you think about what you say before you say it, because I done heard it all.” and I was like d*mn… That’s a crazy statement. She got six famous brothers, not no little regular dudes… She’s heard every lie that a man could possibly tell. “
Ryan Cameron jokes, “Was that like a warning?
To which Jermaine answered “Yeah, of course it was, 100% it was a warning that “you won’t get away with anything because I’ve heard it all…”
What did you think of Jermain Dupri’s stories about Janet Jackson?
Nick Cannon Shares Sweet Tribute to Late Son Zen: ‘Forever Our Angel’
Nick Cannon is “still missing” his “little dude.”
Cannon, 41, whose 5-month-old baby boy died of brain cancer in December, honored Zen in an Instagram post Friday. In the photo, Cannon sits with five of his children, including 10-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, whom he shares with ex-wife Mariah Carey.
The Wild ‘N Out host captioned the photo, “Still missing my little dude… His Spirit and brightness were soo strong #ZensLight.”
He continued, “‘To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord’. 2Corinthians 5:8 The whole family, We ALL miss you young King! Forever Our Angel!????????.”
Cannon shared Zen with his ex, model Alyssa Scott.
Along with Zen, Moroccan, and Monroe, Cannon is dad to 7-month-old twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, whom he shares with Abby De La Rosa, and 1-year-old daughter Powerful Queen and 4-year-old son Golden, both of whom he shares with Brittany Bell.
Cannon previously opened up to PEOPLE about explaining Zen’s death to his six other children, describing the conversation with his older children as “pretty intense.”
“But their understanding and them being there for me probably helped me keep it together as well as really deal with it,” he shared. “Specifically, even, Roc and Roe. They were there for the entire journey.”
Cannon said he was with Zen when his son took his last breath on Dec. 5, 2021. He told PEOPLE that he and Scott “had a short time with a true angel,” adding that his “heart is shattered.”
“I wish I could have done more, spent more time with him, taken more pictures,” he said. “I wish I could have hugged him longer.”
Cannon credited his oldest daughter, Roe, for helping him process Zen’s loss, telling PEOPLE, “My daughter, really, she’s so in tune and in line and wise beyond her years. I got a lot of therapists, but she’s probably my best therapist.”
He added, “She keeps me in check. She’s so pure and so honest. To be 10, she asks some really strong and powerful questions. Really, just it’s all out of love. She’s my oldest child. Even though they’re twins, she came out first and she lets everybody know it. She’s helped me keep it strong.”
Cannon first announced the death of Zen on Dec. 7, 2021. After he shared the news, Scott posted her own tribute video montage to their son on Instagram.
“Oh my sweet Zen. The soreness I felt in my arm from holding you is slowly fading away. It’s a painful reminder that you are no longer here,” she wrote. “I caught myself looking in the backseat as I was driving only to see the mirror no longer reflecting your perfect face back at me. When I close a door too loudly I hold my breath and wince knowing a soft cry will shortly follow. It doesn’t come. The silence is deafening.”
Still continuing to send Nick and Alyssa positive energy.
Mississippi’s Black Senators walk out to protest critical race theory bill
Black legislators in Mississippi walked out in protest Friday (Jan. 21) and withheld their votes as the state Senate passed a bill that would ban schools from teaching critical race theory.
The legislation, per CNN, does not mention or define critical race theory. It also does not mention any specific subject matter teachers should not discuss with students in class.
The bill passed in the Senate by a vote of 32-2 after the Black lawmakers walked out. If signed into law, Senate Bill 2113 would forbid public schools in Mississippi from forcing students to agree “that any sex, race, ethnicity, religion or national origin is inherently superior or inferior.”
During an hour long debate, Republican Sen. Chris McDaniel said that he could not “find the mischief” in the language of the bill. McDaniel said the bill would have been considered “the most dynamic piece of civil rights legislation in this state’s history” if it had been introduced in the 1950s when schools were segregated in the state.
Democrats also grilled the bill’s sponsor Sen. Michael McLendon. The Republican Sen., who is white, said his constituents told him they heard about critical race theory on national news and they don’t want it taught to their children.
According to the Associated Press, the state superintendent of education has said critical race theory is not currently being taught in Mississippi schools. The contentious concept that has dominated Republican campaigns and talking points for months actually seeks to understand and address inequality and racism in the U.S.
AP reports that McLendon struggled to define critical race theory ahead of the vote, but said, “Systematic racism should not be taught to our children.”
“So it’s a problem across the country; is it a problem in Mississippi?” asked state Senate Minority Leader Derrick Simmons. “Well, we try to make laws for the future as well as today,” McLendon replied.
Democratic state Sen. David Jordan, who said he had worked as a teacher for 33 years, told McLendon the bill was not needed.
“It’s a waste of time, your time and mine. I know there are people out there who got fear but as a good senator you can relay to them that there is no basis for it,” Jordan said. “It is sad that we have wasted so much time on something that’s not even necessary.”
“We cannot continue to stumble into the future backwards. That’s what this bill does. That’s why we don’t need it,” he added.
“This bill is not morally right,” Democratic Sen. Barbara Blackmon of Canton said during the debate.
Senate Bill 2113 still has to pass through the Mississippi House of Representatives and be signed by Gov. Tate Reeves before it becomes a law.
Adele’s residency allegedly destined for ‘disaster’ amid arguments with set designer
Adele’s Las Vegas residency was allegedly destined for trouble before the singer postponed the shows.
Sources close to the “Easy On Me” singer told The Sun that the residency – which was scheduled to begin Jan. 21 and run through mid-April – was “heading for disaster” amid the singer’s “explosive arguments” with A-list set designer Esmeralda Devlin.
“In spite of the set costing millions to put together, Adele was unhappy with the result, and she made her feelings very clear to Es,” an insider claimed.
“She [Adele] was already nervous and the falling out sent her spiraling into a panic because she was desperate that everything should be perfect,” the source continued, noting that Devlin also worked on Adele’s 2016 world tour.
Devlin has previously worked with A-listers like Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus.
A second insider claimed that the alleged rift between the pair came amid “endless changes” to the set list and running order.
“There was no real clarity around what Adele wanted for the show because of the endless changes being made to the production,” the source said.
“It seemed that while she has always preferred a stripped-back performance, she was under some pressure to come up with a huge extravaganza. So there was a constant ricochet between those two versions of what the show should be, and it did cause some quite explosive arguments.”
Adele reportedly got into "explosive arguments" with set designer Esmeralda Devlin.
Adele offered a tearful apology to her fans after dropping the news that she was postponing her shows.
Instagram/@adele
The source went on to explain that while most shows have “teething problems,” there had allegedly “been a feeling for some time that these shows were heading for disaster.”
“It is well known that Adele suffers badly with anxiety when it comes to performing live, so it’s hard to imagine her going ahead if she wasn’t happy,” the insider added.
Reps for Adele did not immediately return request for comment.
The residency was set to take place at Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas.
Getty Images
Earlier this week, Adele apologized profusely to fans for postponing her “Weekends With Adele” residency at Caesars Palace.
“Hi. Umm, listen. I’m so sorry, but my show ain’t ready,” the singer, 33, said in a clip shared to Twitter. “We’ve tried absolutely everything that we can to put it together in time and for it to be good enough for you, but we’ve been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and COVID.”
She continued, “Half my crew, half my team is down with COVID — they still are — and it’s been impossible to finish the show. I can’t give you what I have right now, and I’m gutted. I’m gutted, and I’m sorry it’s so last-minute.”
Fans had already arrived in Vegas for the first show when Adele postponed the residency.
The “Oh My God” artist said that she and her team have been “awake for over 30 hours now trying to figure it out.”
The residency was first announced in support of the 15-time Grammy winner’s fourth studio album, “30,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S.
Sources at The Daily Mail previously claimed that “tension” built up between Adele, managers and the venue, when the “perfectionist” singer was asked to perform “Skyfall” with a 60-member choir. The outlet reported that Adele was looking to keep the performance “low-key” and “all about the voice.”
Kanye West Makes Red Carpet Debut with Julia Fox in Matching Denim During Men's Fashion Week in Paris
Kanye West and Julia Fox have made their relationship red carpet official.
On Sunday, the 44-year-old rapper and the Uncut Gems star, 31, attended the KENZO fashion show together as part of Paris Men's Fashion Week in France.
There, the couple sported matching denim ensembles with black gloves. West accessorized his outfit with black boots, while Fox wore large gold jewelry and denim boots to compliment her Schiaparelli attire.
The actress also rocked winged eyeliner and a dark smokey eye as she kept her brunette hair pulled back into a bun.
Sunday's show also marked Bape founder Nigo's official debut as KENZO's creative director after taking over for Felipe Oliveira Baptista.
During the event, West and Fox were reportedly seated next to Pharrell Williams, Pusha T, and Tyler, the Creator, per Entertainment Tonight.
Earlier this month, Fox detailed her romance with the Donda rapper in an essay for Interview magazine, titled "Date Night." She shared that the two had an "instant connection" after meeting in Miami on New Year's Eve.
"His energy is so fun to be around. He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night," she wrote.
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Fox added, "Everything with us has been so organic. I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride."
A source previously told PEOPLE that despite West's new relationship with Fox, "he's still telling people that he wants to have [Kim Kardashian] back and he is willing to make appropriate changes to do so." Kardashian filed for divorce last year.
Fox's outing with West on Sunday comes about shortly after the actress said she isn't bothered by the chatter surrounding their relationship on Friday's episode of her Forbidden Fruits podcast.
While opening up about how she's evolved from being an "attention seeker" in her younger days, Fox appeared to address headlines over her connection to the Grammy-winning musician.
"It's funny cause I'm getting all of this attention, but I really couldn't care," she said. "People are like 'Oh, you're only in it for the fame, you're in it for the clout, you're in it for the money.' Honey, I've dated billionaires my entire adult life, let's keep it real."
Fox noted that she only cares about creating art and "putting things into the world." "Watch my movie, read my book. That is more thrilling to me now than eyes on me. I couldn't care less," she claimed.
JoJo Siwa marks 1 year since she 'shared with the world that I was gay'
It's been a whirlwind year for JoJo Siwa, one that's seen the teen sensation compete on Dancing With the Stars in the show's first same-sex pairing and fall in love.
And to think, it all, more or less, started with a social media post. As the 18-year-old influencer shared on Saturday, it's been one year since she "shared with the world that I was gay" by posting a photo of herself wearing a T-shirt that reads "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever." The post came on the heels of a TikTok in which Siwa lip synced to the Lady Gaga LGBTQ anthem "Born This Way." Just a couple of weeks later, Siwa, then 17, opened up about her sexuality during an appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, confirming that she had a girlfriend later revealed to be Kylie Prew; the couple announced their split in October after nine months of dating.
"In the last 365 days I’ve felt more love than ever," the star shared in her new post marking the year anniversary of her coming out announcement. "A year ago today I posted this picture and shared with the world that I was gay."
Siwa, who told Fallon last year that there was a "really big risk" in sharing her love life, went on to address the response she's received, and how it's affected her relationship with her young fans.
"I get asked a lot 'was coming out scary for you'… and the answer is yes of course, anything that’s different about you is scary, however… it’s what makes me… me. So I had no fear with sharing it with the world," she wrote.
"I also get asked a lot 'your demographic is so young are you worried about telling kids [you're] gay,'" she continued. "Truthfully I feel like I was put on this earth to be a role model for kids, and letting all the kids of the world know that loving everyone for who they are no matter what is something that I will always believe in and always share. Please never forget that no matter who you are, what you look like, who you LOVE that you are absolutely perfect."
She signed off by thanking her supported for "showing me the most love throughout this year and throughout my entire life." Her post has since received praise from the likes of Paris Hilton and Rebel Wilson.
Siwa reflected on her newfound role as a young gay icon in an interview with Yahoo Entertainment in November.
"I think something that I appreciate hearing the most is actually something that comes from adults when they say, 'I wish I had someone like you when I was little,'" she shared. "There is a lot of weight on my shoulders and there is a lot on my mind all the time, but it’s almost like the world just loves who I am. That gives me so much joy knowing that there are kids who are little who now have me, and it's just a constant reminder of be yourself."
The Winners and Losers of Divisional-Round Weekend Rams beat Bucs and The Chiefs beat Bills
Every week this NFL season, we will celebrate the electric plays, investigate the colossal blunders, and explain the inexplicable moments of the most recent slate. Welcome to Winners and Losers. Which one are you?
I don’t know how actual fans of the Chiefs and Bills could have possibly handled that. I have my guesses. Kansas City fans are probably trying to scream so loudly in celebration that their brain can’t hear their thoughts about how their team just stared certain death in the face. Bills fans are probably staring into a moonlit snowdrift, wondering why bad things happen to good football teams. I can only know how I reacted when I got done watching the best playoff game in recent memory, a 42-36 overtime thriller that could have decided this year’s Super Bowl champion.
This season has always felt like it would come down to Bills-Chiefs. The two teams met in last year’s AFC championship game, with Kansas City winning 38-24. They met again earlier this regular season, with Buffalo winning by the eerily similar score of 38-20. When they both hung 40 points on their opponents in the wild-card round, it set up the rubber match.They are two peas of the same pod, high-powered offenses led by spectacular quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes is somehow inventing new ways to throw a football; Josh Allen is somehow combining the running style of Cam Newton with the throwing style of a surface-to-air missile. Nobody has ever played the game like either.
The game was a banger from start to finish. The Bills’ first touchdown was immediately followed by the Chiefs’ first touchdown on the next drive. The Chiefs’ second touchdown was immediately followed by the Bills’ second touchdown on the next drive. The largest lead of the game was nine points—but that lasted for only one play, as the Bills answered a Kansas City TD with this 75-yard pass from Allen.
Regulation ended with a remarkable flurry of three go-ahead touchdowns in a span of 110 seconds. First was this touchdown to Gabriel Davis to give the Bills the lead:
Then Tyreek Hill scored a 64-yard touchdown, speeding past the Bills defense and throwing up the peace sign at the 15-yard line:
And then Davis scored another touchdown—his fourth of the game, an NFL playoff record—to give Buffalo the lead with 13 seconds left.
That should have guaranteed the win. Stathead features dozens of examples of teams scoring go-ahead touchdowns with less than 15 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of a game, dating back to 1994. None of these came in a loss. But with Kansas City trailing by three, Mahomes completed passes to Hill and Travis Kelce to gain 44 yards. The Chiefs got themselves into field goal range in less time than it took Dak Prescott to run one unsuccessful QB draw. Kansas City tied the game, won the coin toss to start overtime, and won on a touchdown pass from Mahomes to Kelce:
Sunday was the first game in postseason history with three go-ahead touchdowns in the final two minutes of regulation—and that’s without including the Chiefs’ 13-second miracle. Allen and Mahomes both made spectacular plays. Mahomes threw a sidearm bullet while rolling out to his right that, even for a throw innovator like Mahomes, seems like a new one. Allen threw a 75-yard touchdown over a two-deep safety look from Kansas City specifically meant to prevent Allen throwing the ball 60 yards in the air; the touchdown had the most air yards of any that Allen has ever thrown, and it didn’t look like he put much effort into throwing it. They both threw for at least 300 yards and ran for at least 50 while completing 70 percent of their passes. That had happened only twice in postseason history before Sunday, and then Mahomes and Allen did it in the same game. The Bills and Chiefs have now played three times in 365 days; the combined score of those three games is Kansas City 100, Buffalo 98. With all due respect to the Bengals and Rams and 49ers, I wouldn’t mind if we skipped the Super Bowl and just have these teams play a best-of-seven series.
So how did I react when this game ended? I smiled, because I’m not a Chiefs fan or a Bills fan, just a football fan. This was one of the best football games ever—and it seems like Mahomes and Allen are going to keep playing games like it for a long time.
In the 2019 AFC championship game, Patrick Mahomes stood on the sideline and watched as his MVP season ended with an overtime loss. The Chiefs and Patriots had scored 31 points in the final eight minutes of regulation—touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, then a game-tying field goal by Harrison Butker. But the Patriots won the overtime coin toss and scored a touchdown on their opening drive in overtime. And under the NFL’s controversial overtime rules, that meant the game was over. Mahomes never got the chance to answer back.
Sunday’s game was remarkably similar. The Chiefs and Bills scored 25 points in the final two minutes of the game—touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, then a game-tying field goal by Harrison Butker. But this time, the Chiefs won the overtime coin toss, and they scored a touchdown. This time, Josh Allen stood on the sideline and watched as the Bills’ spectacular season ended in overtime.
Defenders of the NFL’s overtime system will argue that the 2018-19 Chiefs and 2021-22 Bills should simply have gotten stops if they wanted to get their offenses back onto the field. But it seems pretty likely that if the coin had flipped the other way, the 2018-19 Patriots and 2021-22 Chiefs would not have gotten stops. The Pats had allowed back-to-back TD drives and a field goal drive back in 2019 when OT started, similar to the Chiefs tonight. Nobody was getting stops late in these games. These are the greatest offenses in the greatest offensive era in NFL history, and they were facing exhausted defenses who’d been dragged from end zone to end zone on back-to-back-to-back scoring drives. In a touchdown battle like this one, losing the toss is a death sentence.
The last two minutes of Bills-Chiefs were a euphoric celebration of what makes the NFL great. We love watching these preposterously talented quarterbacks one-upping each other with magnificent score after magnificent score. These are the biggest stars in the game, shining on the biggest stage. I would have watched them go touchdown for touchdown until the heat death of the universe. But the NFL’s overtime rules specifically prevent that back-and-forth dynamic from continuing. Why? Why not let the league’s biggest stars keep shining in these big moments? Why do we let a coin decide these games instead of the best football players ever?
Sunday was the clearest illustration of why the NFL’s overtime rules need to change. Hopefully, the fact that one of the greatest games we’ve ever seen ended in this way can be the impetus for that change. But I’ve been complaining about this for a while, and even Super Bowls and championship games decided on the first possession of OT haven’t led to change on this issue. The fact that the Chiefs won this time may seem like karmic payback from their loss three years ago, but there’s no karma here. Just a flipping coin. If your team benefits from the OT rules today, you should be fighting to change these rules before the coin flips the other way.
#BoxOfficeNews: Spider-Man: No Way Home Immediately Dethrones Scream At The Weekend Box Office
Well, the change of pace was nice while it lasted, but Spider-Man: No Way Home has already reclaimed the top spot on the U.S. box office charts, proving that nobody—not a handful of legacy movie villains, not the Ghostface, and not Bono’s lion character from Sing 2—can beat the ol’ web-head. Maybe someone should try and make a movie with even more Spider-Mans than No Way Home has?
Anyway, as for the numbers, Spidey made $14 million, which is a big drop from when it was at the height of its spider-powers, but it has already made more than $720 million in the U.S. alone. It doesn’t need any more than that. (But it will surely make more, especially once it hits VOD and those of us who are too scared of COVID to see it in theaters can finally see what the fuss is all about.)
Scream, last week’s big winner, dropped nearly 60 percent and made $12.4 million for a grand total of $51 million after two weeks, which is already reportedly more than its budget (so that’s good news for them). After those two is Sing 2, a movie that there isn’t much to say about beyond the fact that we’d be talking about it a lot more if not for Spider-Man. This week’s total ($5 million) brought it to $128 million, which is higher than Ghostbusters: Afterlife, another movie with no Spider-Men but with some kid cachet.
In fourth we have church-y romance Redeeming Love, a movie our esteemed Film Editor A.A. Dowd said is a “kinky power fantasy in the halfway convincing disguise of wholesome faith-based entertainment.” It made $3.7 million in its debut. Then we have our weekly “Oh, You’re Still Here?” award, which goes to The King’s Man, a movie that has surely made as much money as it’s going to make now with a meager $1.7 million added to its total (only $30 million or so after five weeks).
Then it’s female-led spy movie The 355, church-y football movie American Underdog, long-shelved mermaid movie The King’s Daughter (only $750,000 and still in the top 10, as if we’re talking about the January 2021 box office). Finishing out the top 10 are West Side Story and Licorice Pizza, two movies that probably deserved to do better since they opened before Spider-Man, but oh well. Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson are going to be fine.
Parquet Courts’ Sean Yeaton hates Don McLean’s arrogant “American Pie”
Jeff Goldblum reviewing Jeff Goldblum impressions brings us close to cosmic collapse
Saturday Night Live makes Will Forte seem ordinary, somehow
Universal sued for de-Ana-De-Armas-ing Danny Boyle's Yesterday
The full list is available at Box Office Mojo, and you can see the top 10 list again in handy top 10 list format below if you’re a computer that just likes to see the titles rather than reading this playful analysis of them.
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
2. Scream
3. Sing 2
4. Redeeming Love
5. The King’s Man
6. The 355
7. American Underdog
8. The King’s Daughter
9. West Side Story
10. Licorice Pizza
Garrett Hedlund reportedly arrested for public intoxication following his split from Emma Roberts
Garrett Hedlund was reportedly arrested on Saturday. As reported by TMZ, Garrett Hedlund was arrested on Saturday for public intoxication while in Franklin County, Tennessee. The news of Hedlund's arrest comes days after it was reported that the actor split from Emma Roberts. According to People, a bond for the misdemeanour arrest had been set at USD 2,100. It was previously confirmed by People that Hedlund and Roberts were parting ways.
As per a People source, it was reported that Emma and Garrett called it quits weeks ago. The couple who share a one-year-old son together had been going through a rocky patch before they decided to split. A source informed People, "It's sad, and they are trying their best to co-parent. It's been hard."
Roberts and Hedlund began dating in March 2019 and welcomed their first child together, Rhodes in December 2020. The former couple had also shared the baby's first photo and his name in January with a message that said, "Thank you 2020 for getting one thing right. Our bright light Rhodes Robert Hedlund."
Recently, Garrett was also in the news earlier this week for another legal trouble as the actor was sued nearly two years after for a DUI charge. According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Hedlund is being sued for negligence by a mother and daughter who allege they were "severely" injured in a "horrible head-on crash."
As for his split from Roberts, neither Hedlund nor her have released any official statement about the same via social media or their representatives.
Edmonia Lewis: Forgotten Black Artist to be Honored with US Postage Stamp
*Stamps have become the new ground for honoring artistry figures who didn’t get their fair share of honor in their days. For over a decade, the U.S. Postal Service has gone out of its way to recognize these artists whom the mainstream art institutions have somewhat ignored.
One such artist to posthumously benefit from this effort is Edmonia Lewis, who historians widely consider to be the first Black artist in her line of art to succeed in North America and Europe. She was of Haitian and Ojibwe descent. Her inclusion is part of the USPS’s “Black Heritage” series that has also included other unsung heroes such as tennis player Althea Gibson and playwright August Wilson, amongst others.
By the late 19th century, Lewis had made her mark as a sculptor and was famous across the U.S. and beyond, thanks to her elegant, marble-made sculptures. Many of her contemporaries in sculptures are lost to history, so it is remarkable that she still stands out.
Born in 1844 in upstate New York, Edmonia Lewis went on to become an influential sculptor in Rome, employing up to 12 assistants at her studio. This month, she is getting her own postage stamp.
Her most famous piece of art has to be Death of Cleopatra (1876), which gobbled up more than 3,000 pounds of Carrara marble. The creation captures the moments soon after Cleopatra committed suicide. The work is now a property of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, in Washington, D.C.
Lewis’s postage stamp is based on a portrait taken of her between 1864-1871 by Augustus Marshall.
Lewis was born in 1844. She went to study at Oberlin College. Soon, she was accused of poisoning her white roommates. She was kidnapped and almost killed during the trial. However, she was later acquitted even if she never managed to complete her studies thereafter being accused (again!) of stealing art supplies. She left for Rome, which was the popular destination for many a sculptor, to refine her craft even more.
CeeLo Green, Erykah Badu, Lionel Richie, Nelly and Norah Jones to Perform at Jazz Fest in New Orleans
New Orleans, LA. – Spring will be here before you know it. This is exciting news for the global community of music aficionados. The highly anticipated lineup for the pandemic delayed New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell was announced Thursday, January 20. Social media platforms were buzzing for this awesome lineup. One can find something on the lineup to satisfy a multitude of musical tastes.
Lionel Richie, Norah Jones, Erykah Badu, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Ludacris, Nelly, CeeLo Green’s Tribute to James Brown, Kool & The Gang, Bettye LaVette, and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue are just a few of the hundreds of artists that are scheduled to perform at this year’s Jazz Fest from April 29 – May 8 (2022).
There is no denying that the beautiful city of New Orleans is the destination of choice for people seeking a GT, not Gin & Tonic (although this is debatable and negotiable). What I meant by GT is a GOOD TIME!
Locals and tourists alike fatefully and enthusiastically return to New Orleans each year for Jazz Fest, to partake of and celebrate the cuisine, music, and culture of the Crescent City. This year is significant because we can all sing in harmony and in unison “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?”
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell has become an annual Springtime tradition for music lovers for over 50 years. Organizers consistently showcase a stellar lineup of musicians to entertain hundreds of thousands of international fans, who travel from all over the world to the wonderful city of New Orleans. No need to ‘Fest In Place’ attendees can experience Jazz Fest again, live and in person.
Issa Rae’s Radio Lands Multi-Project Development Deal With Audible
Issa Rae lands another partnership with her audio company Raedio and audiobook streaming service Audible.
The multi-project development will have Raedio and Audible collaborate to produce “podcasts from a variety of audio genres. The podcasts will include “scripted comedy, audio extensions of existing content, and entertainment-based nonfiction projects.”
Raedio has already produced two scripted podcasts, “Looking for LaToya” and “We Stay Looking.” Both are to “satirize the true crime genre and how missing Black women are often overlooked in these narratives.”
“We’ve had tremendous success with scripted podcasts over the years. And with our Audible collaboration, we’re excited to bring fresh, original content to Audible listeners everywhere. Our goal is to continue to supply the audio pipeline from music to storytelling as an audio everywhere company,” says Benoni Tagoe, President of Raedio.
In addition, Raedio has a few artists lined up who will be a part of the company’s collaboration. Some of the recruits are South Central lyricist NCognita, vocalists Josh Levi and TeaMar, and Baby Tate.
The news breaks just after Issa’s hit series ‘Insecure’ lands 12 NAACP Image Awards Nominations. The show has nominations in the following categories:
Outstanding Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actor & Actress in a Comedy Series (Jay Ellis, Issa Rae, and Yvonne Orji)
Best supporting actor & actress in a comedy series. (Kendrick Sampson, Amanda Seales, and Natasha Rothwell)
Best Writing in a Comedy Series (Issa Rae)
Outstanding TV documentary (Insecure: The End)
Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series (Prentice Penny and Melina Matsoukas)
Most Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy or Drama (Christina Elmore)
Navient Forgives Student Loan Debt of 66,000 Borrowers, Do You Qualify?
About 0.15% of the country’s student loan borrowers will get their debt cleared as part of the settlement between the lender and dozens of states.
Navient, one of the largest student loan lending companies, was accused of giving out loans to recipients who couldn’t afford to repay them.
Under the settlement agreement’s terms, another 350,000 federal student loan borrowers will get a small check for $260 in the mail from the company.
While Navient has agreed to the settlement terms, the company denied all allegations.
“The company’s decision to resolve these matters, which were based on unfounded claims, allows us to avoid the additional burden, expense, time, and distraction to prevail in court,” Navient’s chief legal officer Mark Heleen said in a statement.
Eligible borrowers include those who hold subprime private student loans, which Sallie Mae gives to loan applicants with low credit scores.
To qualify, the loans also had to be taken out between 2002- 2014, and your mailing address must be in one of the states that participated in the settlement. Your loan account must also have been in delinquency for at least seven months.
Another group who qualifies for the cancellation are those with private student loans from Sallie Mae that attended specific “for-profit colleges” that have faced federal or state level law enforcement action.
“Borrowers do not need to take any action to receive relief under this settlement. In Spring 2022, the settlement administrator will send a postcard to each federal loan borrower eligible for a restitution payment, using the most current address on file with the U.S. Department of Education,” a statement on the website www.navientagsettlement.com explained.
Navient will contact all impacted borrowers by July 2022.
Conjoined Twin Girls Joined At The Chest Successfully Separated
Addison and Lilianna Altobelli were born joined at the chest and abdomen due to the rare condition called thoraco-omphalopagus. According to TOO FAB, the girls shared a liver, diaphragm, chest, and abdominal wall. Their parents initially assumed they were having one baby after taking a look at a 20-week ultrasound but learned that their daughters were joined at the abdomen. The twins were born on November 18, 2020, but spent 10 months at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s intensive care unit.
In October of last year, a team of surgeons successfully separated the twins after a 10-hour surgery and will adjust to breathing on their own after receiving respiratory assistance with tracheostomy tubes.
Lead Surgeon Holly Hendrick said the twins are doing very well and added that her team worked together to ensure that the surgery was successful.
“The way our team works together, it’s really incredible and special, with so many people coming together to work toward a common goal. Addy and Lily are doing well, and our hope is that they have full lives that are joyful.”
Teen Being Charged as Adult With Attempted Murder for School Shooting
A teenager is facing an attempted murder charge after authorities say he’s a suspect in the shooting of another student at his Maryland high school, per the Associated Press.
Steven Alston Jr., a 17-year-old student at Magruder High School in Rockville and suspect in the Friday shooting, is facing charges as an adult, according to the Montgomery County police.
He’s also being charged with first-degree assault and three weapons-related counts. The charges come after a 15-year-old male student was found in a school bathroom with a gunshot wound. The victim is currently in critical condition after undergoing surgery.
A school bus is stopped while picking up a student in Manhattan
Schools Across U.S. Requesting National Guard Assistance Amid Bus Driver Shortage
Photograph of the inside of a prison
Maryland Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison After Attempted Plot to Kill Someone From Behind Bars
A doctor filling out a COVID 19 vaccination card
Man Who Said He Was ‘Gonna Be Rich’ Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison for Allegedly Selling Fake Vaccine Cards
The AP reports that information about Alston’s case was not available on an online database, and that the State’s Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond with information when requested.
The school has 1,700 students enrolled, and students were dismissed Friday following a lockdown for a few hours. There is reportedly no evidence that the suspect was targeting other students.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
HORNET
A hornet just lost his stingers and is now just shopping..
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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