#MAGFAB: Bukayo Saka For British GQ Style
England and Arsenal footballer Bukayo Saka has spoken about how his faith has helped him “find fearlessness” as he appears as the cover star of British GQ Style’s Spring/Summer 2022 issue.
The winger, 20, appears on the first of four covers to be released this week, with Saka’s edition also marking the inaugural issue of the Spring/Summer magazine for Adam Baidawi, British GQ’s newly announced head of editorial content.
Sports star Saka, talking to author Musa Okwonga, says: “Throughout life, you keep exercising your faith, so when you get into different challenges you decide, ‘this time I’m going to trust God’, and God comes through for you.
“That’s how it kept building and building for me, so I can be confident and go into places knowing that God’s got me. That’s why a lot of times I can be fearless.”
He also revealed two of his favourite musicians are British rapper Central Cee and Ed Sheeran, saying: “When I’m in the car with my girl, we listen to Ed Sheeran!”
Saka, who a few weeks ago had to withdraw from the England squad after a positive Covid test, told GQ Style he is thankful to be playing professionally.
He said: “Our coach would always say – even when we were young – he would look at the group and say, ‘only one or two of you is going to make it’.
“We would all look at each other because we were all so good, we were unbeaten, and everyone was baffled, like, who’s it going to be?”.
Writing in his debut editor’s letter, Baidawi, who is also the deputy global editorial director of GQ, said: “There is no homogenous blob of luxury, the worst-kept secret is that there is no singular Britain.
“There are of course many Britains. The cast of stars, characters and creators that occupy the pages of this magazine have little in common with one another — each of theirs is a different lane of Britain, a different tune of luxury.
“We want to be the glue that brings them together — which is why we called this issue ‘United’.”
The Spring/Summer 2022 issue of British GQ Style is available via digital download and on newsstands on April 14.
#RHOA: Ya Girl NeNe Leakes Alludes To Being Blacklisted After Posting Message About Supporting Black Women
Reality television has made a handful of everyday people into millionaire celebrities that garner anywhere between five to six figures per episode depending on the show’s popularity. Of the most-watched is Bravo’s The Real Housewives franchise, and the fan-favorite Atlanta offshoot would be nothing without standout star NeNe Leakes.
Since leaving the show back in 2020, Leakes has kept a low profile on the scene aside from launching her ATL hotspot The Linnethia Lounge. However, the ex-RHOA castmate is now under the impression that her absence from the industry is actually due to being blacklisted.
A quick look at NeNe’s Instagram bio reveals the words “BLACKLISTED” in capital letters next to “TV PERSONALITY & ENTREPRENEUR.” Her message was alluded to further with a series of posts that together spell out “SUPPORT BLACK WOMEN.” It appears that not only does NeNe feel ousted from the same industry she spent years at the center of, from judging the Miss USA pageant in 2013 to acting in the Jill Scott-led BET+ comedy First Wives Club, but also ignored based on being an outspoken Black woman in Hollywood.
This may also just be another chapter in her ongoing feud with Bravo and RHOA affiliate Andy Cohen, but it is a bit surprising that NeNe hasn’t been seen on another reality show in years. This year’s season of Celebrity Big Brother for example would’ve been a perfect fit.
While we can’t confirm 100% that NeNe is in fact being blacklisted, we can only hope she’s gets back on tube soon enough. Last month it was rumored that she’ll be participating in a reboot of BET’s College Hill, so we may see the return of NeNe Leakes soon enough.
Do you think NeNe Leakes is being blacklisted or just having a dry spell in her career?
#MusicNews: Mariah Carey Declared As Top Certified Female Artist for Albums Sold by RIAA
Mariah Carey’s legendary career continues to reach even greater heights.
The Recording Academy Association of America (RIAA) has declared Mariah Carey as the top certified female artist based on album certifications. This spans her entire career during which she’s garnered over 69 million records sold.
Those numbers include all of her 16 albums released to date including her fifth album, Daydream, which has achieved Diamond status with over 11 million units sold and her Multi-Platinum singles Always Be My Baby (5M+ units sold), Fantasy (5M+ units sold), and Honey (2M+ units sold).
Additionally, last year Mariah earned the first Diamond certification on a holiday single for her timeless hit “All I Want for Christmas is You”.
In other Mariah Carey news, she recently announced that her upcoming MasterClass is slated for an April 2022 release. In the class, Carey teaches how to use the voice as a vehicle for expression through music.
Finally, Carey is slated to release her first children’s book, The Christmas Princess, written with Michaela Angela Davis and illustrated by Fuuji Takashi, which is slated for a Fall 2022 release.
#HipHopNews: Jay-Z, Diddy & Fat Joe Show Out For Dj Khaled At Hollywood Walk Of Fame Ceremony
DJ Khaled has done a lot since coming up in the game as a Miami radio disc jockey. The We The Best CEO has a successful music career and several business ventures that continue to raise his stock. It’s safe to say DJ Khaled is a star, thanks to all of his accomplishments, and the best part about that is he actually has one he can call his own now.
On Monday (April 11), Khaled earned a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a special ceremony inducting him into the exclusive club. Several guests attended the event, but no one grabbed the spotlight more than DJ Khaled’s friends JAY-Z, Diddy and Fat Joe.
The New York legends showed out for DJ Khaled, who has a great relationship with them. In the clips shared online, fans can see Hov, Puff and Joey Crack embracing Khaled on the huge accomplishment while also taking pictures with him. According to reports, DJ Khaled’s star is number 2,719 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is located at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard, right next to Amoeba Music.
A star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame isn’t the only thing DJ Khaled is celebrating to start the week. Before his induction ceremony, the 46-year-old announced his new collaboration with Jordan Brand, which includes an apparel line and four different Air Jordan 5 colorways.
Kanye West gave his stamp of approval when Khaled showed him a preview during their studio sessions a few months ago. According to Ye, the colorways fit the deejay and his hometown of Miami, Florida.
“I like the colors for Miami,” Ye said. “Oh, them joints is pretty too. The colors are great, I like the tones and shit.”
BREAKING: Brooklyn Terrorist Subway Shooter Wore Gas Mask, Tossed Smoke Bomb, and began firing into the crowd. Suspect Is Still At Large
A gunman in a gas mask and an orange construction vest tossed a smoke bomb into a southbound R train and then opened fire on passengers early Tuesday, wounding five people, police sources said.
The mayhem began just before 8:30 a.m. at the 25th St. station in Sunset Park. As the doors closed, the man in the vest threw several smoke bombs into a train car as the doors closed and started firing, NYPD sources said.
When the train reached the 36th St. stop, the doors opened and the wounded commuters collapsed on the platform, terrifying people waiting for the train.
At least 13 people were injured, including five believed to have been shot, in a gruesome attack in a Brooklyn subway station during Tuesday morning rush hour, officials and NYPD sources told The Post.
The bloody incident broke out around 8:30 a.m. at the 36th Street station in Sunset Park, where authorities discovered several undetonated devices, FDNY and police said.
Clair, a straphanger who witnessed the event while riding the Manhattan-bound N train, told The Post there were so many rounds fired off she “lost count.”
“There was like, lots of them. I don’t even know how many,” she said.
She said she saw the man — who was described as a 5-foot-5 black man, around 170 pounds wearing an orange vest and gas mask — drop “some kind of cylinder that sparked at the top.”
“I thought he was an MTA worker at first because I was like, I didn’t like pay too much attention. You know? You’ve got the orange on,” she said.
Graphic photos showing blood-stained subway platform floors and injured people at the station have emerged on social media, but it was still unclear how many victims were injured in a possible explosion, a mass shooting or both, police officials said.
The NYPD’s bomb squad is on the scene investigating.
The suspect is believed to be dressed in some sort of construction garb, similar to an MTA worker, sources said.
Mayor Eric Adams was being briefed on the incident, a spokesman said.
“While we gather more information, we ask New Yorkers to stay away from this area for their safety and so that first responders can help those in need and investigate,” the spokesman said.
The subway station serves the D, N, R lines, and authorities urged straphangers to avoid the area as they investigate.
This is a developing story.
Britney Spears Leaves Fans Confused with Instagram Post About 'Having a Baby'
Britney Spears has fans wondering if her third child is on the way — or if she just ate a good meal.
On Monday, the 40-year-old pop princess posted a photo of a pink tea set and matching flowers to her Instagram page along with a lengthy caption about her latest vacation to Maui.
"I lost so much weight to go on my Maui trip only to gain it back 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️ … I thought 'Geez … what happened to my stomach ???' My husband said 'No you're food pregnant silly 🤪 !!!' So I got a pregnancy test," Spears wrote, "and uhhhhh well … I am having a baby 👶🏼 …"
The "Oops!... I Did It Again" singer — who's engaged to Sam Asghari, 28 — left fans in a tizzy with the post's wording, as many wondered if it served as a pregnancy announcement.
"Congratulations sis!! 🥳 I'm so excited for you!!😍 Love you!!!🥰," Paris Hilton wrote in the comments.
Still, others weren't so sure. "I'm so confused… are you pregnant or not?!" wrote one fan. Added another: "Congratulations! I'm not sure if it is a food baby or a person baby, but either way yay!!!!!!!"
While the singer hasn't clarified further, the rest of Spears' Instagram caption seemed to hint that the "baby" is merely a result of vacation dining. (A rep for Spears and a manager for Asghari have not commented.)
"4 days later I got a little more food pregnant 🤰🏼🙈🙈🙈 It's growing !!! If 2 are in there … I might just loose [sic] it 😬😬😬😬😬😬," continued Spears. "I obviously won't be going out as much due to the paps getting their money 💴 shot of me 📸 like they unfortunately already have … it's hard because when I was pregnant I had perinatal depression."
Spears then spoke further on her experience with perinatal depression, which can describe any depression and stress-related symptoms felt by women any time from the start of a pregnancy to a year after childbirth, per the National Institute of Mental Health.
"I have to say it is absolutely horrible 😔 … women didn't talk about it back then … some people considered it dangerous if a woman complained like that with a baby inside her … but now women talk about it everyday," she wrote. "Thank Jesus we don't have to keep that pain a reserved proper secret 🤫 😬😬😬 …"
The post's conclusion left readers in another gray area regarding Spears' pregnancy status, as she seemingly referenced her plan for avoiding perinatal depression and wrote, "This time I will be doing yoga 🧘♀️ every day !!! Spreading lots of joy and love 💕 !!!"
Asghari later posted an Instagram that seemingly referenced Spears' post, though he did not directly confirm the couple is currently expecting.
"Marriage and kids are a natural part of a strong relationship filled with love and respect. Fatherhood is something i have always looked forward to and i don't take lightly. It is the most important job i will ever do🙏" he captioned a painting of a lion family.
Spears shares two children, Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden James, 15, with ex-husband Kevin Federline.
During a bombshell June 2021 court hearing in which she broke her silence on her 13-year conservatorship, which was officially dissolved in November 2021, the pop star spoke about her desire to have a third child and claimed she had an IUD that her conservators wouldn't allow her to remove.
"I want to get married and have a baby," she told the court. "I wanted to take the IUD out and have a baby but the conservator won't let me because they don't want me to have a baby."
In September 2021, Asghari posted a tongue-in-cheek baby announcement to his Instagram Stories in the form of a video of Spears dancing with a baby doll. "Exclusive! We had a baby 😂😂What should we name her?" he wrote in the post's caption.
Last month, Spears posted a sweet tribute to Asghari on Instagram for his 28th birthday, writing, "Happy Birthday to my Fiancé … I love you so much … I want a family with you … I want it all with you !!!!"
Glee's Amber Riley Splits from Fiance Desean Black
Amber Riley is single again after splitting from fiance Desean Black. The 36-year-old former Glee actress opened up about her breakup on an episode of the Nice & Neat podcast in March. Her rep also confirmed the split to E! News, saying, “They ask for privacy during this time.”
Amber previously announced her engagement back in November 2020. They met through a conversation in their Instagram DMs.
While promoting her Lifetime show Single Black Female last month, Amber noted, “I am a single Black female. I am, I’m a single Black female but I’m not a crazy one like in the movie.”
Amber added that her breakup was “amicable.” She said, “I wish him the best. I don’t haven anything horrible or bad to say.”
During the podcast interview, Amber also talked about making her own happiness a priority.
“It’s taken me a couple years to understand that choosing myself is not selfish,” she said. “Making those decisions to actively choose yourself has really helped me say, ‘Oh god I really don’t feel like getting up that early tomorrow to work out but I have this, this and this to do in the afternoon and I need to get my mind right.’ And that is, ‘Amber, you choosing yourself.’”
Amber recently opened up about having to deal with people calling her Mercedes Jones in public still.
Whoopi Goldberg Is Taking an Extended Break from 'The View,' Joy Behar Explains Her Absence
Whoopi Goldberg is taking an extended break from The View and her co-star Joy Behar is explaining why she will be gone from the show.
The 66-year-old Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony-winning entertainer was missing from the show’s panel on Monday (April 11) and Joy told audiences where she was.
Whoopi is currently shooting the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Anansi Boys, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s book for which he is serving as a co-showrunner.
“If you’re wondering where Whoopi is, the girl’s got a movie she’s making and she will be back when she finishes whatever she’s doing,” Joy said on The View. “So she’s gone for a while.”
It was announced last week that Whoopi is playing Bird Woman, “the god of birds and one of the story’s primary antagonists. She and the other newly cast actors will play gods who make up the World Before Time — a place where the animals are gods who still walk and that’s full of beauty, magic and danger,” according to THR.
‘American Idol’ Contestant Kenedi Anderson Drops Out Of Competition For “Personal Reasons”
Platinum ticket winner 18-year-old Kenedi Anderson has dropped out of the 20th season of American Idol. The early frontrunner was one of three contestants to win the coveted platinum ticket which fast-tracks them past Hollywood Week.
Despite her audition receiving high praise from American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan (you can watch it below), Anderson left the competition after the Round of 24. Show host Ryan Seacrest made the announcement on tonight’s show, immediately following Anderson’s performance of Christina Perri’s ‘Human’. “You might have noticed that there was no voting information during Kenedi’s performance just now. Since we taped these shows in Hawaii earlier, Kenedi has decided to withdraw from our show for personal reasons.”
He then added, “We send her our well-wishes, and needless to say, we have incredible talent on this historic season, with more iconic Idol performance coming up for you right now.”
With Anderson’s departure one contestant of the remaining 11 performers in the Monday will be cut to round out the top 20.
Following the on-air announcement. Anderson posted a message on Instagram, calling this “one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make” but “I I know it’s necessary.” She also used “personal reasons” to explain her abrupt departure.
There have similar withdrawals in the past. Just last year, another frontrunner, Wyatt Pike, pulled out after the Top 16 round, also citing “personal reasons.”
Kerrion Franklin, Son Of Gospel Icon Kirk Franklin, Arrested In LA Without Bond
Life has been controversial to say the least for Bad Boys: Los Angeles star Kerrion Franklin, mainly due to his publicly tumultuous relationship with famous dad and gospel music legend Kirk Franklin.
Kerrion’s latest mishap now has him in a Los Angeles county jail without bond after being taken into custody by Beverly Hills Police over the weekend on charges that still aren’t entirely clear. However, it may involve a missing woman whose car he was caught driving after she was later found dead.
Radar Online was able to obtain court records that shed light on specific details, including the fact that Kerrion was arrested in the early hours at 7:36 AM and later booked into jail at 10:28 AM. There also was an exclusive from Larry Reid Live (seen above) delivering a message by way of Kerrion from jail to say he was “wrongfully arrested and stopped because of his taillight.” He’s expected to see a judge tomorrow (April 12). It appears that he’s being help without bond due to an incident in Texas, in addition to a gun being found in the car during his arrest. He’s since denied any connection to the gun.
Details surrounding the woman’s death and why Kerrion was allegedly found driving her car haven’t made it to the public just yet, but we’ll be sure to follow-up on this situation as more details come to light.
The unfortunate case Kerrion Franklin finds himself in currently is yet another negative headline for the troubled 33-year-old that we can only hope isn’t as morbid as it sounds. As you might expect, Kirk has yet to make a comment and probably won’t given their sour relationship at the moment. Prayers for all involved
"Abbott Elementary" is donating 150,000 meals to Feeding America
“Abbott Elementary” is not only making on-screen impact, but continues to bring positive change off-screen as well. ABC’s hit sitcom is donating 150,000 meals to Feeding America, Variety reports. For every dollar donated to Feeding America, the non-profit provides at least ten meals to families in need through a network of member food banks. The gesture is timed with the finale of “Abbott Elementary’s” Season 1.
In addition, from Apr. 11-15, Warner Bros. TV will partner with chefs Eitan Bernath and Ahmad Alzahbi, who will create lunchbox meals while discussing the impacts of food insecurity. “Abbott Elementary’s” Think Outside the (Lunch) Box campaign aims to raise awareness about food insecurity with a week-long series on social media encouraging others to support Feeding America.
“Elevating the issue of food insecurity is essential in the fight to end hunger,” said Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America. “We are grateful to Warner Bros. Television, ABC/Disney and the ‘Abbott Elementary’ team for joining us to help ensure that our neighbors facing hunger get the meals that they need.”
According to AP, “Abbott Elementary” became ABC’s first comedy to quadruple its ratings since its premiere. The show, which has only aired seven episodes thus far, follows a quirky elementary school staff struggling to make ends meet at an underfunded Philadelphia school.
As previously reported, creator Quinta Brunson previously delved into how she wanted the show to represent Black educators. “I think it’s amazing that now we have this opportunity for a group that hasn’t been shown too much— a group of Black educators — to be on screen, and not only be on screen, but then have some fun, too,” she said.
When she first came up with the idea for the show, Brunson said she wanted to make it a comedy. “And then I just like my comedies to have heart in them,” she explained.
“Those are my two goals: heart and humor. I think when you put both of those things in a school, an elementary school — sorry, a public, underfunded elementary school — naturally, it uncovers some of the larger issues at play, right?”
For more information and to donate, visit feedingamerica.org/abbottelementary
Rachel Maddow Says She’ll Go To Once-A-Week Schedule In May
Rachel Maddow announced that she will go to a weekly schedule, hosting MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show solely on Monday nights starting in May.
Rotating hosts will fill in the rest of the week, and there are no immediate plans for a replacement host at this time, according to a network spokesperson.
“This might change….We will see how things go, but that is the plan as of now,” Maddow said on her show on Monday, when she returned from a two month hiatus to work on special projects, including a film version of her Bag Man podcast and book.
Ever since she signed a new deal with MSNBC and NBCUniversal last year, there have been reports that she planned to scale back her schedule. She has hosted the show since 2008 and has been MSNBC’s top-rated personality, but reportedly has been wanting to move away from the rigors of the weeknight schedule. Yet as she has been absent, the viewership for that hour has fallen compared to the same period last year.
Maddow told viewers that she will continue to host from Mondays to Thursdays this month, and she also will be back for special events coverage.
When she announced her hiatus in February, Maddow indicated that she may be taking another one.
But she said on her return on Monday, “One of the things I realized to my surprise is that I actually don’t need another hiatus. This one was great. But I think I only needed the one. I still have these other irons in the fire, all these other things I am working on that I want to bring to fruition.”
The once-a-week format will be a test to see if Maddow’s presence at the start of the week helps retain viewers for the rest of the nights.
Al Velshi has filled in for Maddow on many nights during her hiatus, but the network has not indicated the long-term plans for the hour. Maddow said that she was “really, really grateful that he helmed things so ably while I was gone, I sort of feel like I have big shoes to fill coming back, given what a good job he’s been doing.”
MSNBC recently shuffled its morning and late evening lineups, as Stephanie Ruhle shifted from the 9 AM slot to 11 PM, where Brian Williams had hosted The 11th Hour until his departure in December. A fourth hour of Morning Joe filled the 9 AM slot.
Cam Newton Trends After Saying He’s Not A Fan Of ‘Bad B—h’ Women Who ‘Can’t Cook’ And ‘Don’t Know How To Be Quiet’
During a recent appearance on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast, the free-agent quarterback spoke about his childhood before transitioning to his opinion on women’s roles.
“I had a perfect, a perfect example of what a man was in my life by my father. My parents have been together for 36, 37 years now and it’s a beautiful thing,” Newton said. “I grew up in a three-parent household. My mom, my father, and my grandmother. And I knew what a woman was, not a bad bi***.”
“A bad bi*** is a person who is just, you know, ‘Girl, I’m a bad bi***, I’m doing this, I’m doing that. I look the part but I don’t act that part.’ And there’s a lot of women who are bad bitches, and I say bit**es in a way not to degrade a woman, but just to go off the aesthetic of what they deem is a boss chick,” Newton said.
“Now, a woman for me is, handling your own but knowing how to cater to a man’s needs right? And I think a lot of times when you get that aesthetic of, ‘I’m a boss bitch, Imma this, Imma that.’ No, baby. But you can’t cook. You don’t know when to be quiet. You don’t know how to allow a man to lead,” the former first-round pick shared.
Can Newton has been open about his relationships with women lately. In a recent interview, with Brittany Renner the football star spoke about why he never married Kia Proctor who he shares 4 children with.
“That’s a great question… The thing is that person that I was while we were having children together, I couldn’t be the best husband. I wasn’t prepared to be a husband then,” Newton explained. “I was on temptation island. A football player, young, ‘no’ is not even in my vocabulary,” said Newton, the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and 2015 NFL MVP.I just found myself in this downward spiral. Did she deserve better? I would humbly say, yes, she did… I was falling deeper into my own selfishness and realizing I gotta be better.”
“And she was around me through a lot of success, a lot of downfalls and I respect her for that to this day, but it never led to the ultimate commitment, and that is a ring… We just grew apart and we have a great working relationship now and where we have beautiful children and we’re seeing them grow day in and day out,” Newton said.
“We were both young … But at the same time, the person that she was when I met her, it wasn’t the person she was when I left her. When I met Kia, and I say this protecting her, she wasn’t the one to be like, ‘I want to be married.’ My parents been together for 36 years. I know what marriage looks like: the ups, the downs, the trials, the tribulations… I seen Kia really evolving into a woman where her standards were, ‘I ain’t just no baby mama,’ and when she kept putting pressure on me I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is what I really want,’” he said.
Selena Gomez Slams Trolls For Criticizing Her Weight: ‘B***h, I’m Perfect The Way I Am’
Selena Gomez took to her official TikTok account on Sunday to address the trolls who’ve been criticizing her weight.
The Hands To Myself singer gave her opinion in a short clip posted on the social media platform, where she acknowledged having seen comments from people who have persistently felt the need to make negative comments about her body.
The 29-year-old said she’d been “trying to stay skinny” but gave into temptation when she made a stop at a fast-food restaurant and ended up indulging in a variety of things on the menu.
“So I be trying to stay skinny, but I went to Jack in the Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings and a spicy chicken sandwich,” Selena told her followers.
“But honestly, I don’t care about my weight because people bitch about it anyway: ‘You’re too small.’ ‘You’re too big.’ ‘That doesn’t fit.’ ‘Meh meh meh meh.'”
She then continued with a direct message to the body shamers as she stared directly into the camera and stated, “B****, I am perfect the way I am. Moral of the story? Bye.”
Selena received an outpouring amount of support in the comment section as fans praised her for not allowing others to dictate what she can and cannot eat.
“You are perfect Selena just the way you are I love you know matter what I don’t judge anyone ever,” one fan gushed in response to the video.
Another commented, “You’re hot and sweet and funny and i love you…. i dont even care about your weight….”
The Texas native is currently said to be working on her fourth studio album, which is the follow-up to her third record, Rare, released in January 2020, spanning the singles Look At Her Now, the self-titled track, and Lose You to Love Me.
Fans were left somewhat concerned in March 2021 when Selena told Vogue she was considering quitting music because she didn’t believe her artistry was taken seriously.
Despite having sold a reported 15 million albums and landed multiple high-charting entries with hits such as The Heart Wants What It Wants and Good For You, the Disney alum admitted to often feeling discouraged and unmotivated to carry on singing.
“It’s hard to keep doing music when people don’t necessarily take you seriously,” she told the reputable magazine. “I’ve had moments where I’ve been like, ‘What’s the point? Why do I keep doing this?'”
Los Angeles Lakers fire head coach Frank Vogel after disappointing season
The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Frank Vogel after the franchise missed out on the NBA playoffs this season.
Despite a victory over the Denver Nuggets in his final game on Sunday, Vogel was unable to steer the squad into the postseason after the Lakers suffered eight consecutive defeats from March 24 to April 8.
Rob Pelinka, the team's vice president of basketball operations and General Manager, announced the decision via a news release.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Frank both on and off the court. Frank is a great coach and a good man. We will forever be grateful to him for his work in guiding us to the 2019-20 NBA championship.
"This is an incredibly difficult decision to make, but one we feel is necessary at this point. All of us here wish Frank and his wonderful family all the best for the future," Pelinka stated.
When Lakers star forward LeBron James was asked about Vogel's situation ahead of the team statement release, James said, "I respect Frank as a coach, as a man. Our partnership that we have had over a few years here has been nothing but just candid with great conversations. This guy gives everything to the game and prepared us every single night along with his coaching staff as well. ... I got nothing but respect for him."
In Vogel's first season at the helm, he led the Lakers to a 52-19 record and the franchise's 17th NBA title, tying the Boston Celtics for most championships in league history, during the Covid-19 pandemic-shortened 2019-2020 during the Covid-19 bubble season in Orlando, Florida.
Last season, Los Angeles lost to the eventual Western Conference champion, Phoenix Suns, in the first round of the playoffs.
Vogel compiled an 127-98 regular season and 18-9 postseason record with the Lakers.
Overall, the 48-year-old has a 431-389 regular season record, 48-39 in postseason in 11 seasons with the Lakers, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers.
Vogel had signed a contract extension last year to keep him at the Lakers until 2023, but the team struggled this season, due in part to injuries.
Star players LeBron James and Anthony Davis both spent time on the sidelines as a lack of consistency proved ultimately fatal for Vogel's reign.
Vogel seemed unsure about his future with the team when asked about his job on Sunday.
"I haven't been told sh*t and I'm going to enjoy tonight's game, celebrate what these young guys did in terms of scratching and clawing and getting back in this game and getting a W, and we'll deal with tomorrow tomorrow," he told reporters.
The Lakers concluded their disaster of a season with a record of 33-49, finishing 11th in the West.
Viola Davis opens up about weight struggle: 'I turned 56 and I don't know what fits anymore'
Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday to promote her new Showtime series, The First Lady. While she was there she also discussed her struggles with managing her weight.
“I turn 56, and I don't know what fits anymore,” Davis said. “That's when it hit. Everything gets wider, bulgier and here's the thing, I work out.”
Davis eats well and exercises regularly to maintain what she believes is a healthy weight. That being said, she sometimes is shocked at what the scale reads when she steps on it.
89th Academy Awards - Oscars Backstage - Hollywood, California, U.S. - 26/02/17 - Actress Viola Davis poses with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the film “Fences
Viola Davis poses with her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the film “Fences." (Photo: Reuters/Lucas Jackson
“I get on the scale,” she said. “I look at it. I get back off. I get back on. I get off. And then I'll even take a hair pin out of my hair. I'll put it on the side. I get back on. And by that time I'm mad as hell.”
While she attributes most of her weight struggles to normal aging, she also believes a change in her drinking habits may have also contributed.
“I think it has something to do with those large glasses of liquor I've been drinking during the pandemic,” she said. “I've been knocking that back.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on ABC.
Baskin-Robbins is Rolling Out New Flavors and Will Start Selling Bikes
Baskin-Robbins is getting a major update, and the update includes a new logo, a new merchandise store, and more ice cream flavors.
The 77-year-old ice cream shop’s last update was in 2006 but wasn’t as major. In this update, employee uniforms, packaging, and logos, and the new merchandise like bicycles will all be new. Before the update, Baskin Robins was in pink and blue and a childish font. Now, it’s growing up.
According to CNN Business, the new font will be in pink, brown, and white with a “crispier” font. Baskin-Robbins president Jason Maceda says, “When we really think about the journey … it started four years ago.” He talks about “listening to our guests,” which started four years ago.
The pink and brown logo comes from the original advertising campaign in 1953. “The original advertising campaign in 1953 was built around circus iconography.”
In addition to the somewhat OG logo, Baskin-Robbins is rolling out some new limited-time flavors: Non-Dairy Mint Chocochunk, Totally Unwrapped, peanut butter and chocolate ice creams, caramel swirls, fudge-covered pretzels, and fudge and caramel covered peanuts. The third flavor is Ube Coconut Swirl, made with coconut and ube (purple yam) ice creams with ube-flavored swirls.
Totally Unwrapped is the April new flavor, and the other flavors will be released throughout the spring.
The new merchandise store will have swag like scrunchies, sweatshirts, bucket hats, and bicycles. Jerid Grandinetti, VP of marketing and culinary at Baskin-Robbins, talked about the odd addition of bikes.
“We want to make sure that we celebrate along with our guests,” said Grandinetti. “What better way to do that than to provide some fun buzzworthy” items, like a bicycle and clothing that can be “part of their everyday lifestyle.”
Kmart closing in Avenel, New Jersey
The Kmart store in Avenel, New Jersey, will close permanently this week, leaving only three Kmarts left in the United States when it does.
At one time, Kmart employed more than 300,000 people and had 2,440 stores.
In social media groups with thousands of members, people follow the slow demise of this once powerful retail institution and reminisce about family trips to Kmart and relatives who worked there.
Michael Lisicky has authored several books about legacy department stores and regularly visits the remaining Kmart stores. He is sad about the closing of the retail chain and says it is a piece of "Americana."
Kmart's decline has been slow but steady, brought about by years of falling sales, changes in shopping habits, and Walmart's looming shadow.
Kmart struggled to compete with Walmart's low prices and Target's trendier offerings.
The retail chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2002, becoming the largest U.S. retailer to take that step.
A few years later, a hedge fund executive pledged to return Kmart to its former greatness, but the recession and the rising dominance of Amazon helped to derail those goals.
Mark Cohen, Director of Retail Studies at Columbia University Business School, says the retail chain has been mismanaged for decades. He predicts the remaining three stores will close within months.
Management at the Avenel location would not allow employees to be interviewed on camera. Off-camera, a woman who worked at the store for 30 years said she would retire. Another employee, a department manager, said he had already lined up another retail job.
Even the store's infrastructure is on sale here: mannequins, cash machines, and exit signs.
The retail chain was an early adopter of layaway programs, which allowed customers who lacked credit to reserve items and pay for them in installments.
Transformco, the company that currently owns Kmart, did not say how long it expects to keep open the three remaining stores: in Westwood, New Jersey; Long Island, New York; and Miami, Florida.
Blac Chyna “Thankful” Trial Against Kardashians Begins This Week
Blac Chyna‘s trial against the Kardashians starts this week. She is testifying that the Kardashians “abused their power” to get her No. 1 hit show, Rob & Chyna canceled.
The trial starts on April 15, and she claims that Kris, 66, Kim, 41, Khloé, 37, and Kylie, 24, “all played a role” in getting the show canceled. Chyna’s attorney, Lynne Ciani, says, “After over four and a half years, Chyna is very thankful to be one week away from proving to a Los Angeles jury that all four defendants … abused their power to get her No. 1 hit show canceled.” Ciani referred to Kris as the “ring leader.”
Ciani continues, “And they knew they did not have the legal right to cancel Chyna’s show: all four defendants carried out their illegal activity in secret and repeatedly lied to Chyna’s face.”
Chyna lost a growing income of $92,500 per episode to nothing since the show has been off the air. And recently, the Zeus Network star has complained about giving up three cars because she is a single mother, hinting that she’s struggling. Though Tyga and Rob Kardashian confirmed their schedules and why they wouldn’t pay child support.
Tyga responded, “I pay 40k a year for my son school & he lives w me mon-sat. Why would I pay child support lol.”
“I pay 37k a year for my daughter’s school. I handle every single medical expense. I pay for all her extracurricular activities. I have my daughter from Tuesday-Saturday. Why would i pay child support lol,” Rob Kardashian wrote.
Chyna, whose real name is Angela White, seeks $40 million in lost earned damages from the Kardashians and another $60 million for future losses from the show.
President Biden to Announce New Regulations To Combat Ghost Guns Amid Rising Gun Violence
On Monday, President Joe Biden will announce new federal regulations to reduce the use of ghost guns that are appearing at crime scenes across the country.
These new rules will affect firearms assembled from do-it-yourself kits purchased online or at a store. Since there is no serial number on the weapons, the owners are difficult to track down.
Senior administration officials briefed reporters before Biden’s announcement that the new regulations clarify that the unfinished parts in the kits will qualify as firearms as defined by federal law.
As part of the licensing requirements, commercial manufacturers and sellers of the kits will be required to include serial numbers on their frames and receivers. Commercial sellers will also be required to run background checks on buyers before selling their products.
Additionally, Biden will announce that he has nominated Steve Dettelbach, a former U.S. attorney from Ohio, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the federal agency that enforces the nation’s gun laws.
After months of stalling due to resistance from Republicans and some Democrats in the Senate, Biden withdrew his first nominee for the job, gun-control champion David Chipman.
Biden’s decision to address “ghost guns” comes as Democrats in Congress are exerting greater pressure to crack down on gun deaths and violent crime.
Last May, the ATF proposed a new regulation that would expand the statutory definition of a firearm to include ghost gun parts. For nearly a year, the regulation has been working its way through the federal regulatory process. The agency’s final regulation will be announced in Monday’s announcement.
Additionally, Biden will urge Congress to prohibit the sale and possession of “ghost guns.”
Immediately following the announcement of the new rules, the gun-rights group, Gun Owners of America, vowed to sue to stop the new regulations because they violate the Second Amendment.
According to the director of federal affairs, Aidan Johnston, Biden is accused of trying to create a national gun registry and end the online sale of gun parts without passing new legislation.
In response, the group called on Congress to overturn the rule using the Congressional Review Act, which allows lawmakers to veto federal regulations.
“Ghost guns look like a gun, they shoot like a gun, and they kill like a gun, but up until now they haven’t been regulated like a gun,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, which pushes for gun control and against gun violence.
Feinblatt applauded the administration “for doubling down on its commitment to gun safety by taking action to rein in ghost guns and nominating an ATF director who will end its culture of complicity with the gun industry.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
NEW STYLE IS CLASSY
When you gotta go shopping at a limited time and grab the nearest jeans.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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