#MAGFAB: Dior Homme Spring 2023 Collection
It’s HERE. The Dior Homme spring collection. Take a looK at a few pieces!
Vogue has MORE…..Me Likey. What about you?
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Calls Out Drew Sidora's 'Disrespectful' Husband: 'You're Tearing Her Down'
"I have seen the way he speaks to her," Kenya Moore said on Sunday's Real Housewives of Atlanta, calling out Ralph Pittman and his relationship with wife Drew Sidora
Drew Sidora had a surprising ally on her side in her ongoing back-and-forth with husband Ralph Pittman: former rival Kenya Moore.
On Sunday's Real Housewives of Atlanta, Moore stood up for Sidora, calling Pittman out on his "disrespectful" behavior.
Pittman and Sidora have been at odds since she joined the show last season, first arguing over his last-minute, unannounced solo trip to Tampa, Florida, and this year, butting heads when he admitted to getting "close" with his female assistant. He later ended a fancy dinner he threw for Sidora when she attempted to address their ongoing issues.
"Drew doesn't respect me, doesn't appreciate me," Pittman complained on Sunday, during a couples therapy session. "I give her the stuff that any woman would appreciate. This one here? It's like everything is a problem with her because she's insatiable! I tried to give her steak and lobster that night. Really truly, that night? She deserved a Lunchable."
"It's all these things that we haven't resolved!" Sidora snapped back, describing her marriage as "a vicious cycle of high highs and low lows" when asked by their therapist, Dr. Ken, to live more in the moment. "How can we be in this bliss that's not real?"
The compromise, at least temporarily, was for the two to partake in a 30-day cease fire, in which they agreed not to get into any combative conversations. "No yelling, no attacking, under any circumstances," Dr. Ken told them.
That didn't seem to last long, as days later — while on a cast trip to New York City — the two began to once again bicker as they discussed their issues. "Emotionally I'm still dealing with the fact that we were even dealing with another woman," Sidora told her fellow Housewives, explaining why she was no longer wearing her wedding ring.
"I had to fire the assistant," Pittman said. "I guess a question is, How do you finally get over it and say, 'This is something that happened in the past and now we can move beyond it.' "
But Kandi Burruss wasn't going to let Pittman off the hook that easily. "Come on, you know it looked real crazy," she told him of his relationship with his former assistant, who had allegedly propositioned to give Pittman a massage over text messages Sidora later found.
"And it can if you don't understand the context behind it!" Pittman said in his defense. " I did own my part ... But it wasn't like Ralph said, 'Hey, let me go and grab this assistant with a big butt!' [Drew and I] were having some extremely bad growing pains as well as we were trying to do business together. We were in a dark place."
That logic didn't work with Burruss. "That's even worse for you to have a woman who was around who was working closely with you," she shot back. "I don't understand how you don't see how she would feel a way."
Still, Pittman didn't back down. "Why are we even recounting this anymore?" he asked Sidora. "Something occurs to you a different way than it occurs to me and it's fine."
It wasn't fine to Moore, who took that opportunity to step in and stand up for Sidora.
"See, let me say this to you right now. If my husband said that to me, I would flip this table over because that is so disrespectful," she told Pittman. "You're basically saying that she's lying and how it happened was not how it happened. That would piss me the f— off if somebody said that to me to my face, especially if I'm hurting. Do you not understand that? You're tearing her down."
She also noted how Pittman's "gaslighting" was reminiscent of things her estranged husband, Marc Daly, used to do. "Ralph, you remind me so much of Marc, it's crazy," Moore said. "She doesn't want to feel invalidated. She doesn't want to say something and you get defensive and you say, 'You're crazy for thinking that.' "
"He's an assh—. He's an assh—. I have seen the way he speaks to her and it reminds me of times when Marc would speak to me like that," Moore said at the table, adding in confessional, "I'm trying to see Drew for who she is and what I can see is somebody who is really hurt."
Sidora, for her part, was appreciative of Moore's support. "Kenya's actually communicating exactly how I feel," she said in confessional. "I hope Ralph really hears, he could be doing some of the same things she experienced with Marc. And you see where they ended up."
In the end, Sidora and Pittman didn't appear to find any resolution. And while the women seemed to agree Pittman was wrong for dismissing Sidora's feelings, they also had some strong feelings about Sidora.
"Drew though ... it's you too, though. He's only doing what you allow," said Marlo Hampton, with new Housewife Sanya Richards-Ross adding, "That's a good point cause you do teach people how to love you."
"A few of us have been in fights with Drew verbally. She can not let stuff go," Moore admitted. "Drew cannot let stuff go and it's ironic because some of the things she accuses you of, she does it also. Like acknowledging when [she's] wrong."
Perhaps that's something Sidora will work on, as she admitted in the episode she's committed to fixing things with Pittman. "I want my marriage to work. I want to be married forever," she said. "All the prayer warriors are out for the Pittmans."
The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays (8 p.m. ET) on Bravo.
#NewMusic from Olivia Returns With New Single “No Permission”
Check out the brand new single from Olivia called “No Permission”. This is the first new music we’ve got from Olivia in a few years.
The song was produced by High Volume and co-written by Olivia alongside Tejai Moore.
LISTEN HERE
The singer has also taken to social media to hint that a new album is on the way which is currently untitled. She has yet to release a follow up album to her J Records self titled debut album from 2001.
She has however released a string over singles and made guest appearances over the years. Most recently, she ended a previous musical hiatus by releasing the song “Join Me” in 2020.
#HipHopNews: Travis Scott’s New Nike Sneaker Receives 1 Million Entries In 30 Minutes
Travis Scott’s comeback is in full effect. Just days after returning to the stage at the Billboard Music Awards, the Houston rapper surprised fans with his first Nike drop of 2022.
The Cactus Corp. collection includes apparel and Travis’ take on the Air Trainer 1. In order to give fans a better shot at scoring the sneakers, which come in “grey haze” and “chocolate” colorways, he launched a raffle. A source close to Travis tells TMZ that over one million people signed up in just 30 minutes of the raffle launch.
The collection, inspired by the “the workwear seen in Texas,” also includes rain jackets, hiking pants, and insulated vests. It was originally slated to arrive in December, but was postponed in the wake of the Astroworld festival, which resulted in 10 deaths.
Travis’ relationship with Nike started in 2017 with the release of his first Air Force 1 design. Throughout the years, they have collaborated on popular releases including the Air Jordan 33, Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 6, and the SB Dunk.
If there was doubt whether he has the same pull with fans, the entire Cactus Corp. collection sold out within minutes. Travis shared a message of gratitude after the drop, writing, “Emotions high. Love u guys.”
He is reportedly planning more Nike drops next week, including an Air Max next Friday.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Travis is awarding $1 million in scholarships to 100 students at HBCUs. Each soon-to-be grad who finishes their final semester with at least a 3.5 GPA will receive a $10,000 scholarship from Travis’ Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund.
On Sunday, he made his first television appearance since Astroworld at the Billboard Music Awards where he performed “Mafia” and debuted his new song “Lost Forever.”
‘Bad Boys 4’ Was Never Halted After Will Smith’s Oscar Smack, That Movie’s Been In Development And Still Is says The Chairman of Sony Pictures
Will Smith’s viral Oscars moment didn’t stop all of his movie checks from coming in.
As previously reported, a number of the award winning actor’s film projects were reportedly paused, after Will Smith stormed the Oscars stage and smacked the host, comedian Chris Rock. Of these projects, was the fourth installment to the Bad Boys franchise, which is produced by Sony Entertainment and stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Following box office success of the franchise’s third film, Bad Boys For Life, Sony announced it greenlit a fourth movie.
However, Sony’s chairman recently confirmed the project was never paused and says its still in development. According to reports, chairman Tom Rothman was asked about speculations that the next Bad Boys film had been halted indefinitely. In response, Tom stated:
“That was inaccurate….That movie’s been in development and still is, There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving.”
Will Smith shocked viewers around the nation back in March, after he hit his fellow actor Chris Rock on live TV. The smack was the result of a Jada Pinkett Smith, G.I. Jane comparison, where Chris joked about the actresses bald head.
In an apology note, the King Richard star reasoned that his wife’s pain due to her ongoing struggle with alopecia caused his violent outburst of emotion. After winning his first Oscar for best actor, Will received a 10 year ban as a result of the hit.
Tom also gave his two cents on the Oscars incident, stating:
“That was a very unfortunate thing that happened, and I don’t think it’s really my place to comment, except to say that I’ve known Will Smith for many years, and I know him to be a good person,That was an example of a very good person having a very bad moment, in front of the world. I believe his apology and regret is genuine, and I believe in forgiveness and redemption.”
According to reports, other projects The Fresh Prince actor was slated to star in have been paused, including two Netflix movies Fast & Loose and Bright 2. Additionally, reports say that Will’s series with Apple+TV Emancipation also had its release date pushed back. There have been no updates about the status of those projects at this time.
Mike Tyson Comments on Airplane Altercation With Passenger
Boxing legend Mike Tyson offered his first public comments addressing his altercation with a passenger on a JetBlue flight in April during the newest episode of his self-titled show.
The former heavyweight champion explained the reason behind his actions while speaking to co-host DJ Whoo Kid and guests Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson podcast. Tyson, 55, made headlines last month after repeatedly punching a passenger seated behind him on an April 20 flight headed for Florida.
“He was f----– with me, man,” Tyson said before sharing he took pictures with the passenger prior to the incident. His remarks confirmed the eyewitness testimony reported in April by TMZ Sports, who originally broke the story. The witness claimed Tyson was cordial with the passenger and took selfies with him before asking him to leave him alone, which eventually led to the altercation after the man ignored the warning.
“I shouldn’t even be taking public planes,” Tyson further explained. “My wife gets mad that I take public planes but what am I gonna do on a f-–– plane with my friends?” The retired boxer also shared he feels “triggered” by situations like the one that transpired on the flight.
The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office announced on May 11 that Tyson would not face charges for the altercation.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Get Married (Again) in Italy
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker are married — for the third time.
After a Las Vegas ceremony in April and an intimate courthouse wedding in Southern California on May 15, Kourtney and Travis tied the knot in a lavish outdoor ceremony in the village of Portofino in Italy on May 22.
via E!:During the European nuptials, Kourtney, 43, and Travis, 46, said “I do” on a red carpeted altar at the 16th-century Castello Brown in front of friends and family, including her children Mason, 12, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 7, and Travis’ kids Landon, 18, Alabama, 16, as well as his stepdaughter, Atiana De La Hoya, 22. (Kourtney co-parents her trio with ex Scott Disick while Travis shares his kids with ex-wife Shanna Moakler. Neither of the exes attended the wedding.)
Kourtney’s siblings—Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner—as well as mom Kris Jenner were also in attendance.
Days before flying to Italy, Kourtney and Travis legally wed in Santa Barbara, Calif., with her grandma Mary Jo “MJ” Campbell and his dad Randy Barker serving as witnesses.
Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Has Biggest No. 1 Debut of 2022
Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers has had the biggest No. 1 Billboard debut of 2022 so far. Mr. Morale stepped over Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti peak—274,000 album-equivalent units—with 295,500 album-equivalent units; Bad Bunny had previously beaten Future’s I Never Liked You high of 222,000. This marks Lamar’s fourth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper revealed that he was working on new material last summer, posting a statement to a new website titled Okloma. He said that the project would be his final release for Top Dawg Entertainment. In February, he joined Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Eminem for the Super Bowl halftime show, and he formally announced Mr. Morale in April. He offered one more cryptic teaser about the record a few weeks later.
Ahead of Mr. Morale’s release, Lamar continued his “The Heart” singles series with “The Heart Part 5.” He developed the deepfake video for the track—where he took on the faces of O.J. Simpson, Kanye West, Nipsey Hussle, and more—alongside South Park creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone, but the track didn’t appear on the album, in keeping with the series’ tradition. Lamar released a video for Mr. Morale’s “N95” shortly after the record came out. He’s set to tour the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand with Baby Keem and Tanna Leone beginning in July. His tour includes stops at Rolling Loud Miami and Glastonbury.
Mr. Morale arrived five years after its predecessor DAMN., for which Lamar earned the distinction of being the first hip-hop artist to win a Pulitzer Prize. In the time between solo albums, Lamar curated and performed on the Black Panther soundtrack, which earned him a Best Rap Performance Grammy for the track “King’s Dead” with Jay Rock. They ended up having to share the prize with Anderson .Paak.
Lamar has made a handful of guest appearances on other tracks in recent years, joining Baby Keem for “Range Brothers,” “Vent,” and “Family Ties,” with the latter winning a Grammy for Best Rap Performance. He’s also dropped in on Busta Rhymes’ “Look Over Your Shoulder,” Terrace Martin’s “Drones,” and SiR’s “Hair Down.”
Outside of music, Lamar has dedicated his time to pgLang, his media firm with longtime associate Dave Free, who had announced his own departure from TDE in late 2019. In addition to ushering forth Baby Keem’s The Melodic Blue, the organization has also had a hand in campaigns for Calvin Klein and Converse. Lamar is also working on a live-action comedy movie with Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
Katherine Schwarzenegger Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 2 With Chris Pratt
Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt and wife Katherine Schwarzenegger have welcomed their
Everything is awesome because Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger have welcomed another child together.
The adorable newborn, named Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt, was born on May 21, joining big sister Lyla Maria, 21 months. "We are so excited to announce the birth of our second daughter," the duo wrote on Instagram May 22. "Mama and baby are doing well. We feel beyond blessed and grateful. Love, Katherine and Chris." Chris also co-parents his son Jack, 9, with ex Anna Faris.
The Guardians of the Galaxy actor, 42, and best-selling author, 32, confirmed that they were expecting their second child together in December 2021. On the same day, Katherine was photographed with a baby bump while out and about in Los Angeles.
While they have both shared the most un-bear-ably adorable photos of Lyla and Jack on their respective Instagram accounts in the past, the couple have tried to protect their little ones by not publicly showing their faces online.
"I think one of the greatest gifts that my parents ever gave me and my siblings is the gift of privacy and having a really normal upbringing," Katherine, the daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, told Today in March 2021, "or as normal of an upbringing as possible."
She continued, "We had a really normal and magical childhood, and we were allowed to kind of be our own people and have our own identity and kind of choose to step into whatever form of being public we wanted to when we felt comfortable. That was such an incredible gift to have given us kids."
But the family's newest addition might not remain the youngest child—at least, if Chris has anything to say about it. In July 2021, the Tomorrow War star told E! News' Daily Pop that "I would love to have more [children], as many as the man upstairs will provide."
He added, "We'll do it. I'll probably have to talk to Katherine about that but my plan is, let's go."
While reflecting on starting a family with Katherine, Chris shared that there is one thing that hasn't changed: the amount of love he has for his kids.
"The high common denominator is just kind of this unquenchable desire to want to be close to them, be next to them, to protect them and love them," he shared. "It's the best."
Viola Davis Gives Empowering Speech While Being Honored at Women in Motion Awards During Cannes 2022
Viola Davis is being honored! The 56-year-old Oscar-winning actress was honored during the 2022 Women in Motion Awards hosted by Kering held during the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on Sunday (May 22) at Place de la Castre in Cannes, France.
Taking the stage to accept the award, Viola gave an empowering speech.
“It means an acknowledgement of my legacy, which is what I want to shift the narrative of women of color to,” Viola said via Forbes. “It’s no longer acceptable for us to be defined by men, defined by any other structure other than ourselves, and it became obvious to me as I was progression in my career that I had to be the change that I wanted to see, and that why we started this. I want to see black women for the beautiful complicated beings that they are.”
Supporting Viola at the event was her husband Julius Tennon.
Also honored during the event was Swedish film director Ninja Thyberg, who won the Women in Motion Young Talent Award.
Other stars in attendance included Edgar Ramirez, Isabelle Huppert, Riz Ahmed, Passing director Rebecca Hall, Black Panther actress Letitia Wright, Normal People actor Paul Mescal, Slave Play playwright Jeremy O. Harris, and Lamb actress Noomi Rapace.
Pregnant model Adriana Lima also attended the event with boyfriend Andre Lemmers along with fellow model Carla Bruni and Chairman and CEO of Kering Francois Henri Pinault.
Beyoncé’s Ivy Park and adidas are dropping the perfect shoe for the summer
Beyoncé and her Ivy Park imprint are remixing an iconic adidas shoe just in time for summer.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, Bey’s apparel brand has partnered with adidas on a revamped icy version of the Stan Smith silhouette. They’ve dubbed the sneaker the “Super Sleek.”
Images via Ivy Park’s social media accounts indicate the shoes draw inspiration from other adidas sneakers such as the Samba — as displayed on its similar wide tongue. The Super Sleek also includes three hook-and-loop straps, which were added to the recent laceless versions of the Stan Smiths.
The Ivy Park kicks are made out of canvas and leather material and come in a dusty white tone with cactus green accents. There’s also a significant platform that’s been added to the rubber gum bottoms.
Per adidas’ website, the Super Sleek is “inspired by the liveliness of the summer season, with the warm weather and all its many activities. The new Super Sleek is designed to give you some swag, as you kick back at your favorite music festival, picnic, and outdoor activity. Even if crowds aren’t your thing, the new Super Sleek will compliment any look. Whatever your destination, slip on a pair of the new Super Sleeks and head toward the direction of the sunshine and the fun!”
In addition to the shoes, Ivy Park and adidas will release three crew-sock options to style the Super Sleeks with. Two of the socks are equipped with green and white adidas’ three stripes and Ivy Park branding, while the third feathers and IVY Park monogram printed in the dusty white colorway.
The Super Sleeks are the latest collaboration between adidas and Beyoncé’s Ivy Park. Although the initial partnership was announced in mid-2019, the first joint collection arrived in January 2020. That offering sold out within minutes of its release on adidas’ website.
The Ivy Park Super Sleek drop will officially release for $120 on May 27 via adidas’ web store and select stores worldwide.
Ben Crump‘s ‘Civil’ documentary coming to Netflix on Juneteenth
Civil, a new documentary about Ben Crump’s life and work is slated to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12.
The esteemed attorney made the announcement Sunday (May 22) via his Twitter account.
The film is described as “an intimate vérité look following the life of maverick civil rights attorney Ben Crump as he challenges America to come to terms with what it owes his clients — including the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.”
Kenya Barris is producing Civil through his Khalabo Ink Society production company along with Roger Ross Williams for One Story Up Productions. Nadia Hallgren, a double Emmy nominee for her work on the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming, directed it.
In addition to being shown at the Tribeca Film Festival, Civil, will also be screened at the 2022 American Black Film Festival in Miami Beach. The doc is expected to be one of the first films shown at the three-day event.
“We are thrilled to open the festival with Civil, a timely documentary bringing light to issues of social justice and equity in America,” Nicole Friday, festival producer and president of ABFF Ventures LLC, said in a statement. “We’ve curated an entertaining and thought-provoking lineup of features, documentaries and web series and I am so excited to share our content with a live audience again.”
Crump, who has earned the nickname “Black America’s Attorney General,” first gained recognition in 2012 while representing the family of Trayvon Martin. Although George Zimmerman was acquitted of a second-degree murder charge, Crump made his mark and has since been recruited to serve as the attorney for the families of Michael Brown, George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Nakia Jones, Ahmaud Arbery, Danny Ray Thomas, Stephon Clark and a few of the residents of Flint, Michigan
Civil will stream on Netflix beginning June 19.
Naomi Osaka is Back At French Open
*(CNN) — Four-time tennis grand slam champion Naomi Osaka returned to the French Open to meet the media on Friday — a year after her sudden withdrawal from the major tournament.
Twelve months on from refusing to speak to the media during the event, citing mental health reasons, Osaka met the press with reflection, humor and caution.
With a smile on her face, Osaka told reporters she was “worried about this press conference because I knew I’d get a lot of questions about this.”
Last year, Osaka was visibly stressed and emotional while addressing the media during an obligatory news conference at Roland Garros.
The former world number one subsequently pulled out of the 2021 French Open and revealed she had “suffered long bouts of depression” since winning her first major championship in 2018.
“Of course, I also didn’t like how I handled the whole situation but I was worried that there were people that I offended in some way and I would bump into them,” said Osaka on Friday.
‘For the most part, I think I’m okay’
Osaka reflected on what transpired in 2021 and revealed she was readying herself for how people might react to her return.
“I think for me where I am right now, I wouldn’t want to say that it hasn’t left my mind. Of course, I am still thinking about it.
Two months ago, Osaka was heckled by a spectator in the crowd during a match at Indian Wells in California. “Naomi, you suck,” the spectator appeared to yell out. The comment brought the Japanese superstar to tears on the court.
“I’m like kind of also prepping just in case I go on the court and some fan says something like in Indian Wells. Yeah, for the most part I think I’m okay.”
An unseeded Osaka faces No. 27 seed Amanda Anisimova on Monday in the first round of the 2022 French Open.
A New Daredevil Series Is In The Works At Streaming Platform Disney+
A new Daredevil series is in the works at Disney+.
Variety is reporting that a series is in development from Covert Affairs creators Matt Corman and Chris Ord. Rumors have been happening for a while regarding the series coming back on the Disney streaming platform, with the two stars of the Netflix series popping up in various Disney projects recently.
Charlie Cox returned as lawyer Matt Murdock in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” with Vincent D’Onofrio returning to play villain Wilson Fisk in “Hawkeye.”
Netflix previously canceled their series in 2018 after three seasons. There is no word yet on casting or a release date.
Dave Chappelle’s Attacker Charged With Attempted Murder In Separate Attack
Dave Chappelle‘s attacker has a new charge and it is completely unrelated to the Netflix is a Joke incident. According to Complex, L.A.’s District Attorney’s Office announced that 23-year-old Isaiah Lee was charged with attempted murder. The new charge is in connection with an incident from 2021.
According to authorities, Lee is accused of stabbing a roomate during an altercation at a housing apartment on Dec. 2. Lee pleaded not guilty.
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“The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime,” said LA County District Attorney George Gascón. “The incident that occurred at the Hollywood Bowl was misdemeanor conduct and rightfully referred to the City Attorney’s Office. Based on the nature and severity of the December attack, Mr. Lee is now facing felony charges which my office will prosecute.”
For his attack on Chappelle Lee was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon. At one point, Lee created a rap song called “Dave Chappell” in 2020, the song didn’t contain any messages that could assume harm would one day come to the A-List comedian.
The Los Angeles Police Department stated the man was carrying a “replica handgun” with a knife blade inside when he tackled Chappelle. After he tackled Chappelle, the man attempted to flee the area but was quickly surrounded and “stomped out,” as Chappelle alluded to onstage. Images and video from the scene show the damage to Lee’s body, most notably a severely disfigured arm.
Mick Jagger Dismisses Harry Styles Comparisons: 'He Just Has a Superficial Resemblance to My
Mick Jagger is weighing in on one of the biggest stars in pop music.
In an interview with The Sunday Times out Saturday, the Rolling Stones frontman gave his take on the comparisons between himself and Harry Styles.
Though the rock legend, 78, initially said he likes the "As It Was" singer, 28, and that they have an "easy relationship," Jagger admitted he doesn't think they actually have many musical or artistic similarities.
"I mean, I used to wear a lot more eye make-up than him," Jagger said, "come on, I was much more androgynous."
The vocalist added, "He doesn't have a voice like mine or move on stage like me; he just has a superficial resemblance to my younger self, which is fine — he can't help that."
Styles has famously been a fan of Jagger throughout his career — from taking inspiration from his clothes for music videos to doing an impression of the rockstar on Saturday Night Live.
The One Direction alum recently released his third solo album Harry's House. If Fine Line, the star's second album, was all about "having sex and feeling sad," as Styles told Rolling Stone, then its successor is about having sex and feeling euphorically happy.
Elsewhere in Jagger's weekend interview, he opened up about missing late bandmate Charlie Watts, who died in August at the age of 80.
"I don't really expect him to be there any more if I turn round during a show," Jagger shared of the drummer. "But I do think about him. Not only during rehearsals or onstage, but in other ways, too ... I miss him as a player and as a friend."
Box Office: ‘Downton Abbey 2’ Starts Strong With $16 Million as ‘Doctor Strange’ Reigns Supreme Again
The Crawley family still has the royal touch at the box office. “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” a sequel to the big-screen continuation of the beloved British television show, captured $16 million from 3,815 North American theaters in its domestic debut. Though down slightly from initial projections, those returns mark an encouraging start at a time when older audiences have been selective about going to the movies.
There had been understandable concern about the second “Downton Abbey” in terms of commercial prospects, and not because long-time fans of the series had tired of devouring the onscreen palace intrigue and class-system drama. Other than “House of Gucci” and James Bond sequel “No Time to Die,” many pandemic-era films catering to adults (such as Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake” and the Will Smith sports drama “King Richard”) struggled to sell tickets despite positive reviews. So it’s no small feat that nearly 50% of ticket buyers for “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” a feel-good story set in a familiar franchise, were 55 and older.
“The fanbase for ‘Downton Abbey’ is very dedicated. We found that out after the first movie,” says Lisa Bunnell, president of domestic distribution at Focus Features, the specialty studio behind the film franchise. “It’s like going to visit your family.”
Moviegoers, consisting mostly of females, awarded the film with an “A” CinemaScore, the same grade as the first film.
Bunnell adds, “The only way you are going to get older audiences to theaters is to offer them films they want to see.”
The homecoming, of sorts, landed “Downton” in second place, as ticket sales were not enough to dethrone Disney’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” The latest Marvel movie, which has towered over box office charts for three weekends in a row, added another $31.6 million from 4,534 theaters between Friday and Sunday. To date, “Doctor Strange” has generated $342 million in North America and $461 million internationally, pushing the film past $800 million at the global box office. If “Doctor Strange 2” is able to sustain momentum, the superhero adventure could become only the second movie in COVID times to cross $1 billion at the box office after “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Since the “Strange” sequel (like “No Way Home”) isn’t playing in China or Russia, it’s been harder for the tentpole to reach the coveted billion-dollar mark.
At the international box office, “Downton Abbey: A New Era” has earned $35 million, boosting its worldwide tally to $51.7 million. The sequel cost $40 million to produce (twice as much as the original film, which cost $20 million) because COVID safety protocols and additional production locations inflated the budget. That means the movie still has ways to go before getting into the black.
“Downton Abbey “creator Julian Fellowes returned to write the sequel, with Simon Curtis directing. The first “Downton Abbey” movie became a surprise box office hit in 2019, opening to $31 million at the domestic box office and ultimately grossing $96 million in North America and $192 million globally.
The warmly embraced sequel picks up as the wealthy Crawley family voyages to the South of France to uncover a mystery about the dowager countess’ (played by Maggie Smith) newly inherited villa. The cast also includes Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggatt and Brendan Coyle. Variety’s Peter Debruge called the film an “affectionate group hug,” which, of course, is the kind of escapism that “Downton Abbey” loyalists want in their historical soap operas.
David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, called Fellowes “the George Lucas of period English sitting-room drama.”
“This is a very good opening […] Reviews are excellent, as they were for the first movie,” Gross said. “‘Downton Abbey’ is a unique and accomplished series.
“Downton Abbey: A New Era” wasn’t this weekend’s only new nationwide release. A24’s mind-bending horror film “Men,” from ““Ex Machina” director Alex Garland, opened in fifth place, grossing a soft $3.29 million from 2,212 screens.
In Variety’s review, Debruge predicted that “audiences are all but guaranteed to leave this folk-horror bizart-house offering feeling disturbed,” which explains the movie’s rare, terrible “D+” CinemaScore. (Even the horrific-in-a-different-way musical “Cats” landed a “C+” grade.) “Men” may manage to get people talking, but those exit polls do not bode well for the film’s theatrical prospects.
A24 still has something to celebrate. Its genre-defying “Everything Everywhere All At Once” climbed past $52 million over the weekend, becoming the studio’s highest grossing domestic release in history. Adam Sandler’s tense thriller “Uncut Gems” ($50 million) previously held that record. Now in its ninth weekend in theaters, “”Everything Everywhere All At Once” landed in sixth place with $3.1 million, marking a minuscule 4% decline from its prior outing.
In other box office milestones, Paramount’s adventurous romantic comedy “The Lost City” is inching closer and closer to the $100 million mark, an impressive milestone for a genre that’s been otherwise written off as a theatrical proposition. At No. 9, the Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum-led movie added $1.5 million from 1,392 theaters, bringing its domestic tally to $99.2 million.
Elsewhere at the domestic box office, holdover titles “The Bad Guys” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” took spots three and four.
Universal’s animated heist comedy “The Bad Guys” secured third place, holding on steady with $6.1 million from 3,705 North American theaters. After five weeks in theaters, the family friendly film has generated $74.3 million domestically and $182 million worldwide.
Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” has spent seven weeks in the top five. Over the weekend, the adventure sequel dropped to No. 4 with $3.9 million from 2,943 venues, bringing its North American haul to $181 million. After “The Lost City” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2,” Paramount looks to continue its winning streak over Memorial Day weekend as Tom Cruise’s long-awaited blockbuster-hopeful “Top Gun: Maverick” touches down at the domestic box office.
See this weekend’s estimated box office tally below:
1. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” — $31.6 million
2. “Downton Abbey: A New Era” — $16 million
3. “The Bad Guys” — $6.1 million
4. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” — $3.9 million
5. “Men” — $3.29 million
6. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” — $3.1 million
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Declares State Of Emergency To Prevent Price Gouging Amid Formula Shortage
New York City mayor Eric Adams issued a state of emergency on Sunday to keep the price of baby formula down amid a shortage.
“The nationwide infant formula shortage has caused unimaginable pain and anxiety for families across New York — and we must act with urgency,” the mayor said in a news release. “This emergency executive order will help us to crack down on any retailer looking to capitalize on this crisis by jacking up prices on this essential good.”
Emergency Executive Order 98 cited section 5-42 of Title 6 of the Rules of the City of New York, which serves to protect certain products from drastically rising prices. According to the code, an excessive price hike is defined as 10 percent or more above the average retail price.
“As the national baby formula shortage is playing out locally, we are using the tools available to us to protect consumers and working families,” Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer said in the press release. “The actions we are taking with this emergency declaration and executive order sends a clear message to any unscrupulous actors that may try to take advantage of this situation: not in New York City.”
Nationwide, more than 40 percent of retailers are out of stock of formula. That number is slightly higher than the national average in the tri-state area, with 43 percent of retailers out of stock.
The formula shortage was caused by a recall of name-brand formula by Abbott Nutrition. It affected all formulas produced in Michigan. The suppliers’ plant was subsequently closed down.
President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act, so US-based baby formula manufacturers could access the materials necessary to produce the formula. On Sunday, the first batch of imported formula arrived in the US. The first flight of “Operation Fly Formula” landed in Indiana with more than 70,000 lbs. of formula on board.
The Southern Baptist Convention leaders mishandled sexual abuse allegations, report says
Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) mishandled allegations of sexual abuse, intimidated victims and their advocates, and resisted attempts at reform over the course of two decades, according to an explosive report released Sunday by a third-party firm.
"Survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that the SBC could take no action," the report found, "even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation."
According to the report on the investigation conducted by Guidepost Solutions, survivors of abuse and other persons within the Southern Baptist community contacted the SBC Executive Committee (EC) to make them aware of child molestation and other forms of abuse committed by people employed by the church as well as those who were at the pulpit, but were met with inaction.
In a statement, the SBC said in part: "To the members of the survivor community, we are grieved by the findings of this investigation. We are committed to doing all we can to prevent future instances of sexual abuse in churches, to improve our response and our care, to remove reporting roadblocks."
The SBC is the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, with an estimated 14 million members across more than 47,000 Baptist churches. Last year, its members voted during the organization's convention in Nashville to approve a task force to supervise an independent investigation following accusations and stories of abuse that had been featured in the media.
The investigative firm combed through documents and interviewed current and former EC staff, trustees, witnesses and sexual abuse survivors. In total, approximately 330 people were interviewed, the report noted. The investigation targeted the period between January 1, 2000, and June 14, 2021. Here's what it found.
Report: Top priority was avoiding liability
The report lays out a timeline of the SBC Executive Committee's response to sexual abuse issues from 2000 to 2021.
The EC is governed by 86 trustees who serve limited terms. During the SBC's own internal investigation, decisions regarding sexual abuse were "largely left to the discretion" of the executive committee president and chief executive officer as well as his closest advisors on staff, with "high-level issues" brought to the SBC president, according to the report. It said the trustees were not informed nor involved in the decision-making process.
As a result, the report says, the SBC's response to sexual abuse allegations over the course of two decades was largely driven "by a small cadre of staff" as well as its outside lawyers.
"Abuse allegations were often mishandled in a manner that involved the mistreatment of survivors," the report said, adding that the primary concern of the staff and SBC's law firm "was avoiding any potential liability for the SBC."
The report highlighted that a list started as early as 2007 was maintained by an EC staff member who had been documenting reports of abuse for more than a decade; however, there was no indication that EC staff "took any action to ensure that the accused ministers were no longer in positions of power at SBC churches."
Southern Baptists grapple with race, gender, sex and God in pivotal annual meeting
The most recent list that was prepared by the staff member "contained the names of 703 abusers, with 409 believed to be SBC-affiliated at some point in time," according to the report. As part of its review, the Guidepost Solutions investigative team found nine people accused of abuse remain in active ministry or connected to active ministry, two of whom appear to be associated with an SBC church.
Numerous accounts included in the timeline indicate some within the EC leadership tried to minimize or ignore the allegations to protect SBC's reputation and "avoid the risk of legal liability for sexual abuse" at its churches.
The victims who sought to shed light on the issues were considered "opportunistic," or having a "hidden agenda of lawsuits," or "acting as a 'professional victim,'" the report went on to say.
The organization's communications arm, Baptist Press, also aided in shunning accusers to make them appear in an "unflattering light and mischaracterize allegations of abuse," the report said.
One of the senior leaders named in the investigation was former SBC President Johnny Hunt, who was reported by a SBC pastor and his wife to have sexually assaulted her on July 25, 2010, according to the report.
Hunt responded to the report's claim on Twitter by saying in part, "To put it bluntly: I vigorously deny the circumstances and characterizations set forth in the Guidepost report. I have never abused anybody."
The report said investigators found the sexual assault allegation credible, in part because it was corroborated by witnesses. CNN has reached out to Hunt for further comment.
The timeline of events shows, the report says, how "the derogatory attitude to survivors by some EC members continued into 2021."
Changes will require 'significant amount of work'
Guidepost Solutions proposed recommendations to improve how the SBC responds to sexual abuse and misconduct allegations.
"Some recommendations will require a significant amount of work, while other elements recognize the need for education and cultural change. A comprehensive implementation of these recommendations should help to create safe spaces for children and all members of the Convention," the report said.
The recommendations include:
Creating and maintaining an "Offender Information System" database to alert communities to known offenders.
Establishing an independent commission and, later, a permanent administrative entity to oversee comprehensive reforms.
Providing a "Resource Toolbox" that includes protocols, training, education and practical information.
Restricting the use of nondisclosure agreements and civil settlements that require confidentiality.
Acknowledging those affected through a sincere apology and tangible gesture, accompanied by dedicated survivor advocacy support and a compensation fund.
The SBC's EC will hold a meeting Tuesday to address the report.
"We have requested the members and staff of the SBC Executive Committee to closely examine the findings and recommendations of this report and begin formulating how they might be incorporated into Southern Baptist Convention polity and structure," the SBC statement said.
The 2022 SBC Annual Meeting will be held next month in Anaheim, California.
Eight People Arrested In Connection To Trafficking Texas Teen That Disappeared From A Dallas Mavericks Game
Eight suspects are in custody in connection to the trafficking of a 15-year-old Texas girl who had disappeared from a Dallas Mavericks game.
The girl went to the bathroom at the American Airlines Center and never returned, according to a press release from attorney Zeke Fortenberry of the Fortenberry Firm, PLLC., on behalf of the family. The father immediately alerted security at the arena and Dallas police when she did not return to her seat.
The teen was missing for ten days before being located at an Extended Stay America in Oklahoma City. Melissa Wheeler, Saniya Alexander, Chevaun Gibson, Kenneth Nelson, Sarah Hayes, Karen Gonzales, Thalia Gibson, and Steven Hill were all taken into custody in connection to the case.
Fox News reports that Gibson is being charged with offering to engage in prostitution. Nelson, Hayes, and Gonzales are charged with human trafficking and distribution of child pornography, and Hill is facing rape charges. Gibson and Alexander have outstanding felony warrants, while Wheeler has an outstanding robbery warrant.
“We are thankful for the work of the Oklahoma City Police Department and the recovery of our daughter,” said the girl’s mother in a statement earlier this month. “My heart breaks for the unimaginable things my daughter had to endure for the 11 days she was taken, and I am so glad she is safe as we work toward her recovery.”
While the family is happy the girl is home safe; they are demanding answers from the Dallas Police Department, which failed to open a case. Instead, they pointed to a Family Code that treats missing juveniles as runaways “unless there are circumstances which appear as involuntary such as a kidnapping or abduction.”
“My daughter was missing in Dallas, this is a Dallas case, but they refused to open a case for her,” the teen’s father said.
They are also questioning how a registered sex offender with a fake name and ID was able to rent multiple rooms at the Extended Stay America. Additionally, a ticket reseller known to the Mavericks and American Airlines Center may have sold a fake ticket to the male suspect who lured the girl from the game.
“The systems and organizations involved in this case continually failed the victim. She should never have had contact with the man at the Mavericks game. The Dallas Police should have worked quickly to investigate leads and locate the teenager before she was trafficked to Oklahoma,” Fortenberry told the outlet.
“The Extended Stay America hotel in Oklahoma City put profits ahead of people by turning a blind eye to the sexual exploitation occurring right before their eyes,” he continued. “This victim’s life will forever be changed. We hope to hold accountable those responsible and create change within these organizations so that this never happens to any other child.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
When You Need To Update Your Wardrobe Because Fall Is Coming Up
Most of the time I love that people are weird, but sometimes it's just like..
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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