THIS IS THE CHRONICLES OF EFREM: The Daily Buzz For Mar 22 ☕📰☕

#FASHIONFILES: Keke Palmer in Christopher John Rogers at JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!

Keke Palmer sauntered into the Jimmy Kimmel studios looking fierce, fabulous, and bold in the designer of the moment.

We’ve already noted that Christopher John Rogers has become the designer of choice among celebrity ladies at the moment, but we don’t think we’ve ever mentioned why we think that is. To be fair, he’s been a rising designer for several years now, but we think a bunch of social factors had a huge influence on his popularity now: the desire of celebrities and the larger public to wear things that are bold, colorful and uplifting post lockdown; the fact that his styles are comfortable and relatively easy to wear, and a rising interest in the mainstream fashion and celebrity worlds to promote and uphold the work of designers of color. But really, it comes down to the fact that they’re just great clothes. We love this, if you can’t tell. We wonder how well these pieces break up. Like, could you wear the shirt over the pants without the jacket? Could you wear the jacket over the shirt, without the pants? Could you wear the shirt on its own as a dress?

Style Credits:

– Christopher John Rogers Ensemble from the Resort 2022 Collection

– Dolce & Gabbana Shoes

Styled by Seth Chernoff | Hair by Ricardo Roberts | Makeup by Jordana David

#RHOA: Porsha Counts Down to PJ's 3rd Birthday with a Precious Photo of Her Mom and Daughter

Porsha Williams is getting ready to celebrate her daughter Pilar Jhena’s third birthday. The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum commemorated the upcoming milestone by sharing the sweetest photo of her daughter and her mom Diane on Instagram.

On March 17, Porsha took to Instagram to capture a precious moment between her mother and the toddler. In the sweet photo, PJ can be seen flashing a sweet smile while striking a pose alongside her grandmother. “Most precious blessings a mother & a daughter,” Porsha wrote in the caption of the photo.

The proud mom went on to add, “Can’t believe PJ will be 3 on the 22nd !! She’s definitely giving me baby fever.” She concluded with a hashtag that read “my besties.”

Diane also can’t believe how fast PJ is growing up, taking to her own Instagram to post several heartwarming pictures with her granddaughter. “Whittle Pooh Bear @pilarjhena will be 3 soon !! Where did the time go,” she captioned the post, also adding PJ’s birthday, “3/22.”

Last month, Porsha documented another cute moment featuring PJ and her mom, as well as her own grandmother. “4 generations,” she wrote in the caption.

Diane also shared more photos from the recent family reunion. “So much to be thankful for!” she wrote alongside the post. “May this year continue to bless you and your families !!!!!”

Cute

#MusicNews: Erykah Badu, Lucky Daye, Muni Long & More To Perform At Inaugural R&B Only Fest

There’s a new kid on the music festival block with the announcement of the R&B Only Fest, powered by COLORS Worldwide, the masterminds behind the R&B Only brand. R&B Only is expanding their wildly-popular, all-R&B live events with the inaugural R&B Only Fest coming this May to the Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta.

R&B Only Fest is showing out for their first music festival with an enviable lineup of R&B stars past, present and future. The always entertaining and enchanting Erykah Badu will headline the festival, which should be enough to have you making plans to attend. But with the likes of Miguel, Lucky Daye, Lloyd, Ty Dolla $ign, dvsn, Muni Long and Maeta on the bill, it’s a done deal. Sign us up and take our money!

Newcomers Ann Marie, Dende and Will Wildfire will get some time to shine on the R&B Only Fest stage and show attendees why they’ve got next. Hip-hop artist Wale will also be in attendance with a special set featuring a few of his R&B collaborations. Expect to see Wale and Miguel perform “Lotus Flower Bomb” live and for Lloyd to join him to perform their tracks “Sabotage” and “All Of Me.” With so many artists calling Atlanta home, there’s no telling who else will dip onto the stage to join Mr. Folarin during this once-in-a-lifetime performance.

With the R&B Only Fest happening on Saturday, May 28th, Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta is sounding like the move. Visit the R&B Only Fest splash page to sign up for early access to discounted presale tickets. Keep up with all of R&B Only’s upcoming live events on their official website, Instagram and Twitter.

#HipHopNews: Miami Rapper Baby Cino Murdered Minutes After Being Released From Jail

MAIMI, FL – Gun violence continues to plague the rap community. According to the Miami Herald, Timothy Starks — an aspiring local rapper who goes by Baby Cino — was fatally shot just minutes after walking out of jail.

The 20-year-old Florida native was released from Miami-Dade jail on Wednesday afternoon (March 16) after posting bond on a gun charge. As the red Nissan he was riding in turned onto the Palmetto Expressway, he was ambushed in broad daylight.

Sarks was struck in the head, still wearing the wristband given to inmates at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The driver, 20-year-old Dante Collins Banks, was wounded. Witnesses reported seeing “a dark-colored vehicle” fleeing the area at a high rate of speed,” but detectives have yet to identify any suspects.

Law enforcement sources suspect the shooting is related to a series of public ambushes in recent months believed to be connected to Miami street gangs, including the January murder of Wavy Navy Pooh, who was fatally shot in his car near Zoo Miami.

Sources told police Starks was associated with a Little Haiti area gang known as “Boss Life.” His main single, “Big Haiti Shottas,” features him and a crew rapping about violence at an apartment building on Northwest Third Avenue and 56th Street.

Starks was arrested in Opa-locka on Tuesday night (March 15) by members of Miami-Dade Police’s Robbery Intervention Detail unit.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas hospitalized with infection

Justice Clarence Thomas was hospitalized on Friday after experiencing flu-like symptoms, and has since been diagnosed with an infection, the Supreme Court announced Sunday evening.

Thomas is receiving care at the Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. He was diagnosed with an infection after undergoing several tests, and is being treated with intravenous antibiotics, the Supreme Court said. Thomas' symptoms are improving and he expects to be released in a day or two.

Supreme Court spokesperson Patricia McCabe said Thomas will "participate in the consideration and discussion of any cases for which he is not present on the basis of the briefs, transcripts, and audio of the oral arguments."

Trevor Noah Says Kanye West Should Be Counseled, Not Canceled After Grammys and Instagram Bans

Trevor Noah wants to clarify his stance on Kanye West following recent controversy.

After the news of the rap artist's recently Grammys performance ban amid "concerning" online behavior and a 24-hour suspension from Instagram for directing a racial slur at the Daily Show host, the comedian, who is hosting the upcoming music award ceremony, issued a statement on Twitter on Sunday, March 20.

"I said counsel Kanye," Noah wrote, "not cancel Kanye."

The tweet from the host, who has spoken out against "cancel culture" before and has himself faced criticism over some past jokes, comes a day after Kanye's rep confirmed a March 18 report from The Blast, which quoted sources close to Ye as saying that the Donda rapper's team was told over the phone that evening that he was pulled from the lineup of performers for the Grammys due to his "concerning online behavior."

Kanye from performing" at the award show, in which the rapper is nominated for five honors.

"He was not offended by Kanye's Instagram post and Trevor responded on Instagram," the source added. "The notion that Trevor or his team asked the Grammys to ban Kanye is ridiculous."

Last week, Kanye was suspended from Instagram for 24 hours after posting a racial slur directed at Noah, with parent company Meta saying Ye violated the group's policies on hate speech, bullying and harassment. In recent weeks, the rap artist has mostly used Instagram to express grievances with ex Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend Pete Davidson, whose likeness is subjected to violence in Ye's recently released "Eazy" music video. Following a backlash about the footage, Kanye wrote, "Art is therapy" and "is not a proxy for any ill or harm."

Ye had shared his offensive post about Noah a day after the host expressed concern about the rapper in a serious monologue on The Daily Show, during which he cited what he called the rapper's "belligerent" behavior and treatment of Kim and Pete.

Noah noted that from age 9, he grew up in an abusive relationship and recalling a memory of learning about his own mother being shot and wounded by his stepfather,. "What I see from the situation [about Kanye]," he said, "is a woman who wants to live her life without being harassed by an ex-boyfriend or an ex-husband or an ex-anything."

Both Kanye and Pete have in the past spoken publicly about struggling with their mental health. During a recent text exchange between the two, the SNL star texted Kanye a selfie, saying he was "in bed" with Kim, before offering to "help" him. In his Daily Show monologue, Noah expressed criticism of Pete's move.

"Now you've added to the mental health of a person that you're trying to help them with," Noah said. "It's a little bit like roasting somebody while you're giving them CPR."

In his comment on Kanye's since-deleted Instagram post about him, Noah expressed compassion for the rapper, telling him, "There are few artists who have had more of an impact on me than you Ye...Which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this."

He continued, "I don't care if you support [Donald] Trump and I don't care if you roast Pete. I do however care when I see you on a path that's dangerously close to peril and pain. You have every right to fight for your family. But you have to know the difference between that and fighting your family...If you're just joking about it all and I'm an idiot for caring, then so be it. But I'd rather be the idiot who spoke up and said something to you in life, than the cool guy who said nothing and then mourns for you in prison or the grave."

Soulja Boy Expecting First Child: ‘It’s A Boy!’

Soulja Boy is going to be a dad! The “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” rapper is expecting his first child, a baby boy, with Los Angeles-based hairstylist Jackilyn Martinez.

Soulja Boy, 31, announced the exciting news via Instagram on Saturday with a video from their outdoor gender reveal party.

“It’s a boy ‼️👶🏾🙏🏾🥺😝🥳,” he captioned the clip, which showed him excitedly jumping up and down as he celebrated with family and friends.

The couple at one point happily hugged and kissed as their guests cheered and screamed.

“Aww congrats. What a blessing,” one fan wrote in the comments section, with another adding, “Congratulations super star ❤️🔥🔥.”

In a post shared to her own Instagram feed, Martinez joked that she was “no nervous” she thought her “titty was gonna fall out 😭.”

“It turned out beautiful tho 💙,” she gushed. “Not baby girl @darbzdedicated falling out when it was a boy 💙🙏🏽😭🤣”

“We are blessed with a baby boy 💙,” another post read. “can’t wait to see you 😍.”

Soulja Boy also shared the news to his Instagram Stories on Sunday, writing, “THANK YOU GOD. SUCH A BLESSING. DEAR SON I WILL LOVE U FOREVER.”

The rapper had previously been vocal about his desire to have kids someday.

“I have everything I want in life except for a son,” he said via his Instagram Story in September 2021. “God please bless me I’ve been patient.”

Soulja Boy is best known for his 2007 hit “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” and 2008’s “Kiss Me Thru the Phone.” Meanwhile, Martinez has worked with a number of celebrity clients including Brandy, French Montana, Kim Kardashian and Tamar Braxton.

Donald Glover Teases What's Ahead in 'Atlanta' Season Three at SXSW Premiere

Donald Glover and Zazie Beetz hit the red carpet for the season three premiere of Atlanta during the 2022 SXSW Festival held at The Paramount Theatre on Saturday (March 19) in Austin, Texas.

The two stars were joined by executive producers/writers Stefani Robinson and Stephen Glover, as well as writer/director Hiro Muria for the event.

While at the event, Donald teased what fans can expect in the upcoming season.

“I’ma be honest. There’s a lot more in season four. I think season three is more about Van than Earn,” Donald shared with Vibe.

Zazie added, “I don’t want to give anything away. I think it’s a very honest season. I think all of the characters are sort of out of their element, which allows things to rise to the surface that you would otherwise be able to, in [both] habits and in comfort, suppress. Here, you can’t because you have nothing to catch you. I think it’s a lot of truth, and I think reflections of where we’re all at as ourselves and as people.”

Atlanta will return next week, March 24 on FX.

Maury Povich Issues Statement About 'Maury' Show Ending

Maury Povich is speaking out. The 83-year-old host spoke out on Sunday (March 20) following the report that Maury would be coming to an end after more than 30 years on air.

NBCUniversal confirmed that Maury will be wrapping with the current season, and said that it was a mutual decision between the studio and the host.

“Maury and I decided two years ago that this season would be the farewell season for the show, and while his retirement is bittersweet, we are so happy for him to be able to spend more time on the golf course,” said NBCUniversal’s Tracie Wilson to Deadline.

“Maury is a television icon, a pop culture legend and we couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of his incredible career.”

“Six years ago when I was ready to retire, my the NBCUniversal family asked me to continue the show,” Maury said in a statement.

“Even though I told them I was ready for assisted living, out of loyalty to NBCUniversal and my more than 100 staff and crew members, Tracie Wilson and I agreed to one more deal. I’m so proud of my relationship with NBCUniversal and all those who worked on the Maury show but as I occasionally tell my guests on Maury, ‘Enough, already!’”

Daymond John blasts NCAA Tournament, calls it “modern day slavery”

The NCAA has faced an onslaught of criticism for its handling of student athletes’ well-being and for profiting largely off the backs of players who previously were prohibited from earnning income.

Although the Indianapolis-based organization announced an interim policy that allows student athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness (NIL) — there are still some who criticize the collegiate governing body.

In an interview with TMZ Live on Friday (March 18), FUBU co-founder Daymond John took aim at the NCAA tournament.

“I think this is horrible actually guys — not where the progression is now — but as I dug deeper into it… There’s no other business like this and this is the modern-day version of slavery,” John said.

The esteemed entrepreneur broke down several of the organization’s lopsided revenue streams. “TV rights in 2021 alone made over $50 million; sportsbooks are going to gamble somewhere around 10 billion for March Madness, and that has nothing to do with the merch; what New Orleans is going to make,” John explained. “Other alums who are donating to the schools and selling more entry levels to the schools and the players make nothing — zero off all that.”

“I think this is modern-day slavery and their just giving them a little bit of a crumb,” John added.

In June 2021 the Supreme Court addressed the matter in the NCAA v. Alston ruling stating that NCAA restrictions on “education-related benefits,” such as tutoring or scholarships, for college athletes violate antitrust law.

John’s remarks mirror Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh’s comments on the matter.

“Nowhere else in America can businesses get away with agreeing not to pay their workers a fair market rate on the theory that their product is defined by not paying their workers a fair market rate,” Kavanaugh wrote at the time. “And under ordinary principles of antitrust law, it is not evident why college sports should be any different … The NCAA is not above the law.”

The “Shark Tank” investor also clarified that the NCAA is not directly paying athletes now that its NIL policy has gone into effect. Instead, as John notes, it’s businesses, brands and people like him who are paying them for endorsements.

#RIP: News Reporter (Sierra Jenkins) Killed in Norfolk, VA Shooting

Virginian-Pilot newspaper reporter and former CNN news assistant Sierra Jenkins was among the individuals shot and killed in an early Saturday morning shooting that left one more person dead and three others injured, Norfolk, Virginia, police said. She was 25.

Jenkins was leaving a downtown Norfolk restaurant, Chicho’s Pizza Backstage, when an argument started outside the establishment, followed by gunfire.

Officers responded to the scene around 2 a.m. and found Jenkins and two men with life-threatening gunshot wounds. One of the men, 25-year-old Devon M. Harris, was pronounced dead on scene, and the second was transported to the hospital, police said in a news release.

Jenkins was also transported to the hospital, where she later died, police said.

Two more men found by police at the scene with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds were also taken to the hospital for treatment, according to police.

Jenkins was “a bright and talented woman with so much promise,” said Virginian-Pilot editor-in-chief Kris Worrell. “Her passion for journalism was undeniable and our community is better because of her reporting. She brought both energy and empathy to her work as an education reporter.”

“To have the life of such a talented young person cut short is devastating,” Worrell added. “Our thoughts are with Sierra’s family and all those who knew and loved her. We are absolutely heartbroken.”

After hearing about the shooting, a newspaper editor attempted to contact Jenkins, who was on a breaking news shift Saturday morning, but couldn’t reach her, Worrell told CNN.

“When he didn’t hear back, we called in another reporter,” Worrell said. “In reporting the story of the shooting, we discovered that Sierra was one of the victims.”

Jenkins had also been an editorial research intern with CNN for three months in summer 2020, and a news assistant with CNN Health from September to December 2020. She began her job at the Virginian-Pilot shortly after as a breaking news reporter. Jenkins had recently been reporting on school policies and issues across the region, the newspaper said on Facebook.

She had also previously worked as an editorial researcher at Atlanta Magazine.

‘Everyone loved her,’ father says

Speaking to the Virginian-Pilot newspaper, Jenkins’ father, Maurice Jenkins, described his daughter as a hard-working young woman who loved being a journalist.

“She wasn’t much of a going-out kind of person at all,” Maurice Jenkins said. He said her childhood best friend was in town and the two decided to go out together.

“Everyone loved her,” he said. “She was such an energetic, caring and giving person. A real go-getter. She’d do anything for anyone.”

Both Virginia’s governor and Norfolk’s commonwealth’s attorney expressed their condolences to the families of the victims on Saturday.

“Locally, we will do our utmost to seek justice and accountability with the laws we have, but the solutions to gun violence start with good personal choices and sensible reforms to our national and state laws to keep guns out of the hands of bad actors. We must come together,” Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk commonwealth’s attorney said on Twitter.

Authorities say they’re continuing to investigate the shooting and are asking the public to come forward with any information.

Black Schoolgirl Suing London’s Met Police After Being Wrongfully Strip-Searched While On Period

A Black schoolgirl is suing London’s Met Police after she was wrongfully apprehended and strip-searched while on her period back on December 3, 2020. While on her campus, the then-15-year-old student, known as Child Q, was accused of “smelling strongly of cannabis and possibly possessing drugs.”

The Metropolitan Police searched the teen’s bag and forced her to undergo a strip-search, without another adult present and in the knowledge that she was on her period. The teen was asked to remove her sanitary napkin (pad); and after being searched, no drugs were found and she was sent home by taxi. Since the incident, three police officers investigated for misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct; and the Met Police have issued an apology. Now, the child’s family has lawyered up and is suing the Met Police, for the unjustified, racially-charged incident.

Chanel Dolcy — a solicitor at Bhatt Murphy specializing in police misconduct — is representing the teen and says, “Child Q has launched civil proceedings against the Metropolitan Police and relevant school. She seeks to hold both institutions to account including through cast-iron commitments to ensure this never happens again to any other child. The Metropolitan Police has seemed incapable of reform for generations, and it is difficult to say that will ever change. Nevertheless, this is a pivotal time for the Metropolitan Police as it awaits the appointment of a new Commissioner.” Apparently, the Met’s outgoing commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick, was forced to resign last month after a series of scandals – including the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving officer.

#BoxOfficeNews: ‘The Batman’ Rules Again, Crosses $300 Million in North America

Robert Pattinson’s gritty superhero adventure “The Batman” is the No. 1 movie at the domestic box office for the third weekend in a row.

That feat is not surprising because March has been relatively light in terms of new releases. But even though there hasn’t been much competition, “The Batman” has managed to score impressive week-to-week holds. The movie collected $36.8 million from 4,302 theaters between Friday and Sunday, representing only a 45% decline from last weekend.

Those ticket sales push “The Batman” past $300 million in North America, making the comic book adaptation the second pandemic-era movie to cross that benchmark after “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

At the international box office, the Warner Bros. film opened in China — where 43% of the country’s theaters are closed due to COVID-19 cases — to a muted $12.1 million. In total, “The Batman” added $49.1 million from 76 overseas markets, taking its global total to a mighty $598 million. Those returns represent a needed commercial win for Warner Bros., which spent $200 million to produce “The Batman” and many millions more to market the film to audiences across the world.

Three new movies opened nationwide, but the manga adaptation “Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie,” A24’s slasher thriller “X,” and the Focus Features mystery drama “The Outfit” did not pose a threat to “The Batman.”

In second place on domestic box office charts, the PG-13 “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” notched a remarkable $17.6 million from 2,340 locations in its debut. Anime films have been increasingly popular in North America, and Funimation, which recently merged with Crunchyroll and is mostly owned by Sony Pictures, has been at the forefront. Last spring, the film company opened “Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train” to $21.2 million, a huge result at a time when cinemas were operating at reduced capacity.

“This is a terrific opening,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “Reviews are exceptional for this and for all of Funimation/Crunchyroll movies. They have not missed.”

Meanwhile, “X” landed in fourth place with $4.2 million from 2,865 venues. Those numbers mark a quieter start, especially considering the loud praise “X” received after premiering at the South by Southwest film festival earlier this month.

However, Gross points out, “Horror is not expensive to make — clever cinematography, editing and sound design go a very long way. ‘X’ should recover its costs and make a few dollars after all ancillary money is counted.”

Ti West wrote and directed “X,” which follows actors making an adult film in rural Texas. But once the reclusive hosts, an elderly couple, catch the guests in the act, things get messy.

Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman promises that “X” will “earn your fear.” He calls the movie “a deliberate, loving and meticulous homage that isn’t simply trying to cash in on the legacy of the greatest horror film of the last half century.”

“The Outfit” debuted in eighth place, amassing a soft $1.5 million from 1,324 locations. Directed by Graham Moore and starring Mark Rylance and Zoey Deutch, “The Outfit” has gotten positive reviews and holds a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Tom Holland’s video game adaptation “Uncharted,” now in its fifth weekend of release, pulled ahead of “X” on box office charts to secure third place. The Sony Pictures action-adventure scored $8 million from 3,700 theaters, taking “Uncharted” to $125.8 million at the domestic box office.

At the international box office, “Uncharted” crossed the $200 million mark, boosting its global tally to $337.3 million.

Channing Tatum’s canine adventure “Dog” took the No. 5 spot, pushing “Spider-Man: No Way Home” out of the top five for the first time in 14 weeks.

“Dog” lapped up $4 million from 3,307 locations, bringing the film’s North American total to $54 million. It’s a great result for the road-trip buddy comedy, which cost only $15 million to make. And it’s encouraging evidence that studios can still make non-superhero movies turn a profit — as long as budgets don’t get out of hand.

And “Spider-Man: No Way Home” — even after three and a half months on the big screen — was no slouch, pulling in $3.2 million from 2,585 screens. After this weekend, the comic book epic has generated $797.56 million at the domestic box office. It’s only a stones throw from becoming the third movie in history to cross $800 million in North America following “Avengers: Endgame” ($858 million) and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($936 million).

Shooting At Arkansas Car Show Leaves 1 Dead, 27 Wounded

A total of 28 people were shot, one fatally, after two people “got into a gunfight” at a car show in southeast Arkansas on Saturday, authorities said Sunday.

One person has been taken into custody after gunfire “swept through a crowd” at the event in Dumas shortly after 7 p.m. A search is ongoing for two people who are believed to have been the source of the gunfire, Arkansas State Police and Dumas Police said at a joint press conference late Sunday afternoon.

“It was two individuals who got in a gunfight and exchanged gunfire and unfortunately we had [multiple] victims of the shooting incident,” Arkansas State Police Colonel Bill Bryant said at the press conference that updated the number of wounded victims from the previous number of 24.

The individual arrested, who was not immediately identified, was being held Sunday on unrelated charges, Bryant said.

Six of the shooting victims were under the age of 18 and taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, roughly 85 miles northwest of Dumas, for treatment. Most of the victims have been treated and released, a hospital spokesperson told HuffPost Sunday afternoon.

The one fatality was identified Sunday as 23-year-old Cameron Shaffer from Jacksonville, Arkansas.

Bryant said the violence rocked the area, which he described as a small, farming community of roughly 5,000 people.

“You just don’t expect that from small-town Arkansas,” he said.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said in a statement on Twitter that he will work to see if “there are any steps that could have been taken to prevent this type of tragedy.”

Wallace McGehee, who organized the event, teared up Saturday while expressing his condolences to those impacted by the gun violence.

“Something like this to happen, man, is a tragedy,” he told a reporter with local ABC affiliate KATV. “We did this here for 16 years without a problem. You know what I mean? And we want our community to come back. Be strong. We’re gonna get through this.”

Chris Jones, a Democrat running for Arkansas governor, said he was attending the car show earlier in the day.

“We registered voters, enjoyed good music and celebrated a positive family environment,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter. “I am deeply saddened (and honestly angered) by this tragedy.”

Maryland Park Police Officers Facing Lawsuit After Making Racist Comments In Group Text

Several Maryland-National Capital Park Police officers are under fire for making disparaging remarks about people of color in a group text meant to discuss work assignments. According to a lawsuit, some of the comments were aimed at Black Lives Matter protestors, including that they hope they died.

On Monday, Mark Miles filed the lawsuit, claiming that his supervisor and other officers “mocked, demeaned, ostracized and humiliated” him for being Black. He is alleging harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, according to CNN.

Miles joined the park police in 2019 and began working under Stephanie Harvey in 2020. On August 4 of that year, Harvey referred to Miles as “colored.” She also mentioned the comment was a joke, alluding to knowing it was offensive.

“Joke, don’t turn these texts over to [Internal Affairs] and get me fired for hate speech!” she wrote. Miles reported the messages that same month.

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, Harvey sent text messages about the Black Lives Matter protesters. In one statement, she said it’s “time to start killing,” and “Well they got the Army out there sooooo … hopefully they will get to kill some people.” At one point, Harvey wrote “Kill em all” when referring to the protesters.

The lawsuit provided more than a dozen text messages as examples of hateful comments. No one was safe from nasty remarks. The texts were aimed at Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Jewish people. In addition, anti-LGBTQ messages were sent in the chat.

The Maryland-National Capital Park Police said in a statement that it launched an investigation when the messages were first reported. Several of the officers were suspended or referred for termination. The agency did not comment further.

In November, Miles was forced to transfer to a “less desirable” night shift. According to the lawsuit, he was pressured to leave the unit after making several complaints between August of 2020 and March of 2021.

The lawsuit seeks economic and compensatory damages; for a judge to order park police to refrain from retaliating against him, an independent monitor is appointed to ensure compliance with the court’s decision and punitive damages against Harvey. It also asks for the termination of her employment.

Dog Surrendered To North Carolina Shelter For Being ‘Gay’

A North Carolina dog was ridiculously surrendered to a shelter because his owners believed he was gay. As sad as this story is, maybe the dog is better off without his original owners.

TMZ reports that the dog, named Fezco, was brought to a shelter in Stanly County after his owners observed him humping a male hound. Of course, this is a sign of dominance in the dog world and not necessarily that he liked the other pooch. Not that it should matter.

The shelter posted Fezco’s story on Facebook, and they said they have been receiving adoption applications for the 5-year-old canine. According to them, he’s well behaved and good with people and other animals.

According to the Daily Mail, the shelter is asking for volunteers to foster the 50-pound dog until he finds his fur-ever home.

Shanghai Disney Resort to close from Monday as China battles COVID outbreak

SHANGHAI- The Shanghai Disney Resort said on Sunday it will temporarily close until further notice from Monday, citing the coronavirus pandemic in China.

"Due to the current pandemic situation, Shanghai Disney Resort, including Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown and Wishing Star Park will be temporarily closed from Monday, March 21, 2022," it said in a statement.

"We will continue to monitor the pandemic situation and consult local authorities, and will notify guests as soon as we have a confirmed date to resume operations," it added.

China is fighting its biggest wave of locally transmitted COVID cases since it contained the initial outbreak centred on Wuhan in 2020. Shanghai has shut schools and launched a city-wide testing programme that has seen dozens of residential compounds sealed off for at least 48 hours.

On Sunday, mainland China reported 1,656 new locally transmitted cases for March 19.

Miracle Watts Joins Her Real-Life Boyfriend Tyler Lepley At The PYNK On P-Valley

Looks like Miracle Watts is living her best life. She’ll be joining her real-life boyfriend Tyler Lepley on the hit STARZ show "P-Valley." Deets on her spicy character inside…

Now, THIS is what a man is supposed to do when he comes into your life - add value and level it up.

IG model/former dancer Miracle Watts will be joining her real-life boyfriend Tyler Lelpey at The PYNK on the new season of the STARZ hit show, “P-Valley.” And she’ll be playing a fiery new character on the show.

Miracle Watts will recur as Big Bone, a fighter and a biter with sky-high ambitions. She is a rambunctious new presence at The Pynk blessed with a molasses-thick body, knees of steel, and a tongue more lethal than a draco. Spicy! It’s her first-ever television role and we wouldn't be surprised if Tyler pulled some strings to help get her on the show.

There will be more fresh faces joining Season 2 as well. John Clarence Stewart (“Luke Cage”, “Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist”) and Shamika Cotton (“The Wire”, “The Equalizer”) will also be joining the cast in recurring roles.

John Clarence Stewart will recur as Big Teak, a recently paroled member of Lil’ Murda’s gang—the Hurt Village Hustlas—reckoning with life on the outside. While the brothers attempt to bridge the chasm of time, Lil’ Murda’s growing fame provides unforeseen obstacles.

Shamika Cotton will recur as Farrah, a talented artist in an unconventional marriage with Coach, Mercedes’ top client. When the two women meet, they strike up an unlikely connection.

“It occurs five months after Autumn Night saves The Pynk,” P-Valley creator Katori Hall spilled in a behind-the-scenes video. “Unfortunately, the pandemic has really come in and turned everything topsy turvy. it is a business based on gathering, it is a business based on intimacy. And, the writer’s room was totally inspired by the fact that there were some very inherent struggles in that. And so, it will be very interesting to see how Uncle Clifford and new boss b**** Autumn Night deal with this huge obstacle that’s been put in their way. So, between the casino and corona, they’ve got a lot of s*** to deal with.”

Chile! This is going to be good. P-Valley” is finally set to return this June. Y’all ready?

Mathew Knowles Sells Music World Entertainment Group To APX Capital, Plots ‘King Richard’-Style Biopic As Part Of $275M Film & TV Fund

Mathew Knowles, father of Beyoncé and former manager of Destiny’s Child, is gearing up for his own King Richard-style origin story as part of a wide-ranging deal with investment fund APX Capital Group.

The media fund has acquired Knowles’ Music World Entertainment Group and will merge its film and TV division within APX Capital Group. Knowles will manage this new division, which will be responsible for a €250M (US$275M) fund for film and TV co-productions between the U.S. and Italy.

One of the first projects that is set to come out of the deal is The Mathew Knowles Story, which will trace his story of how he helped his daughters become the global superstars that they are today and how he managed both Destiny’s Child and the solo careers of Beyoncé and Solange as well as Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland.

Knowles has evidently been buoyed by the success of King Richard, the story of Richard Williams, the father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams, starring Will Smith in the title role.

As part of the deal, the company will own 10,000 hours of footage depicting the history of the Knowles family in the music industry through never-before-seen images, videos and music.

He will also develop, finance and produce a range of diverse content across feature films, scripted series and documentaries. Knowles will exec produce alongside Baram, Wiesenthal, and Pelliccia.

APX Capital Group, which takes advantage of Italy’s tax credit program, was launched by Yona Wiesenthal, former CEO of the Israel Broadcast Authority and content chief at Israeli DBS platform YES and Augusto Pelliccia, Italian film financier and CEO of Augustus Group, with New York real estate entrepreneur Noam Baram as an equity partner in North America.

Knowles will joins APX’s board immediately and the structure of the financing will be streamlined through APX’s Italian subsidiary, MMF Global Italia. It is APX’s latest deal following a move to finance several films by Kees Kassander and Peter Greenaway.

Knowles said the partnership marked a “milestone” moment for his company and career.

“The decision to partner with APX Capital Group is well made and corresponds to Music World Entertainment Group’s intent to expand its film and television portfolio. Through this unique collaboration and as head of this new division under APX I’ll be able to share the story of my life by combining compelling storytelling with access to exceptional talent and music that will both entertain and emphasize a cultural awareness that’s necessary now more than ever. This is the story of my life, and I am honored to be able to transmit it even further through this alliance.”

“Mathew’s unparalleled career in the industry is shaped by his expertise in organizational culture, ethical leadership and activism. We’re tremendously honored to partner with him to bring attention to his personal accounts and the important cultural subjects that define our shared experience,” added Noam Baram, Co-CEO and Head of North America for APX Capital Group. “These stories will encourage us all to look at our history, respect each other’s perspectives and learn to co-exist in a diverse world that’s united by universal human values.”

“We are beyond thrilled to reach this groundbreaking agreement with Mathew and his team to develop impactful content told through the voice of one of the most successful and insightful entrepreneurs in entertainment today,” said Yona Wiesenthal, Joint Co-CEO of APX Capital Group.

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES

Courtesy of P.o.WM

CASUAL BF SLEEP