#FASHIONFAB: Cardi B for Vogue Singapore July-August 2022
Rapper Cardi B covers the July-August 2022 issue of Vogue Singapore. Law Roach styles the mother of Kulture and Wave — with fashion director Desmond Lim — in Poster Girl, Richard Quinn, Thom Browne, Tom Ford and more for images by Lea Colombo [IG]./ Hair by Tokyo Stylrz; makeup by Erika Roman
Cardi B zooms with Amelia Chia — and the subject is motherhood. “It’s been very stressful,” the superstar says about life with four-year-old daughter, Kulture Kiari, and soon-to-be one-year-old son, Wave Set.
Cardi B on Responsible Motherhood
As for the nanny Cardi B explained would be her right hand in the work of motherhood and keeping her young career on an upwards trajectory — there is no nanny. There never was a nanny. “When the baby got here, I couldn’t even think about getting a nanny because I was afraid of anybody being around her besides my family.”
There are 36 cousins spread across New York City, but the superstar is clear that making her parents “the nanny” is also not an option.
“Your parents have already lived their life and raised their kids. They are older and don’t have the same energy as someone in their 20s. I’m never far from my kids because that’s my responsibility as a mother.”
Judgment Days
The rapper is circumspect about being judged for leaving her job at an Amish deli in Tribeca to “hop across the road” to work as a dancer in a strip club. Aware of disapprovals from some people, Cardi B just reminded herself that she was earning much more money than most people in her community, funding an education for herself, and living in her own place.
Cardi is honestly defensive about the constant judging of her — and saying now that her career is over because she hasn’t make new music in a year. “They compare me to every female rap artist, new or old. I get downplayed despite everything I’ve accomplished and worked so hard for. I need to sit down and say to myself, ‘Girl, you did that’.”
This reality check comes in alignment with her income. “Whenever I get an offer for a show, I’m not getting little baby girl money. I’m getting big girl money. It lets me know that the real people in this business that know real numbers, they know. My worth is way more than what people want to make me feel like I am.”
The Value of Money
The talent stresses that she wants her children to understand the value of money, and not think “I’m going to get it because I’m Cardi and Offset’s kid”. She expresses concern that her kids won’t know what struggle feels like, saying “Even though my kids are well-off, I want them to know that when you work for things and achieve it, it’s more respected—especially when people see that you bust your ass for it.”
Pursuing that goal, Kulture had a special birthday celebration last week, as reported by dad Offset on his Instagram Story. The little girl holds a stack of cash in a black SUV — a special present from her parents. Offset asked his baby girl, "what is that?" Kulture replied, "a ticket". Wrong, explained Dad. "A ticket is a million, girl. That's 50. Say, 50!".
No million bucks for Kulture on her fourth birthday in the back of a SUV, lensed for Instagram. To keep her humble, Mom and Dad settled for $50,000 for the public handoff.
#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey On Starring In 'Terror Lake Drive,' Acting Being Her Full-Time Career Now And Thriving Businesses After 'RHOA'
When Cynthia Bailey said her next chapter after 11 seasons on The Real Housewives of Atlanta was acting, the former supermodel was not playing. Bailey has remained booked and busy since leaving the reality series with a string and acting and TV hosting gigs and has no intention of slowing down. Fresh off her latest Lifetime movie, the high-cheekboned beauty is starring in ALLBLK’s anthology series Terror Lake Drive: Single Black Female. The second season of the 7-episode scripted series premiered on June 23 and airs weekly on Thursdays.
The new season takes place two years after the chain of events that traumatized the tenants of the Freeman Lake Apartments in season one, bringing a new and unsuspecting tenant to the mystifying apartment complex. Bailey stars as Rose, a new resident of the Freeman Lake Apartments, along with her nephew, whom she cares for.
It was a role that Bailey felt she could dig into. Not only does she relate to the role as a mother, but she was able to challenge herself by transitioning into a boy mom, something she hasn’t done fully previously.
“I was very attracted to the role of Rose as a mama bear, she told Shadow and Act recently.
“The only difference was I had a nephew, a son in this role. So it’s very different, especially in our community, the difference between raising a Black young man and a Black young woman in our world.”
Bailey is mom to 22-year-old model and influencer, Noelle Robinson, who she shares with legendary actor Leon. “Fun fact: I actually, when I found out I was pregnant with Noelle, I wanted a son. I was like, ‘Oh, I hope it’s a boy. I hope it’s a boy.’ So I secretly now know what that’s like,” she said.
And unlike other roles Bailey has done, including Games People Play and Lifetime’s Cruel Instructions, she didn’t have to audition for it. It’s something she was honored and humbled by at this point in her career.
“I'm getting to the point now where I'm starting to get offers for stuff. And be clear, it's not like I had a big part. But I was actually offered the part. It’s new for me to actually just get offered a part,” she explained.
She typically auditions, which she has no problem continuing to do. And almost immediately after wrapping, she began work on her latest project, which is also due out soon. Bailey says this is her full focus right now.
“[People keep asking me] ‘What's after acting?’ Nothing. This is it. This is not modeling reality TV acting. This is the last stop. And this is my primary focus, and I want to be great at it. And I think that if I work hard and I continue to focus on this, I think I can be great,” she said.
Outside of acting, her businesses are booming. She recently opened her first physical location of CB Vior at the famed Beverly Center.
“That’s another dream come true that I'm a part of. This emerged part of the Black Pop Up Shop initiative, which where they take black-owned businesses, and they give them an opportunity to be in a space like the Beverly Center, which is super expensive if you're not part of this initiative. So kudos to the Beverly Center for even having this initiative for small businesses like myself who can't afford to really pay the rent in there normally,” she explained.
The store has been open for a few months and Bailey says the business is thriving. “Everything has become so diverse, you get all kinds of customers – young, old – we get everybody. And it’s been super exciting. And I’m thinking about extending it at least until the end of the year, and then maybe even thinking about next year, we’ll see how it goes,” she told us.
#MusicNews: Beyoncé's Album Leaks Two Days Before Release
Despite a notably airtight production line, Beyoncé’s highly anticipated 7th studio album, Renaissance, has leaked to the public, less than 48 hours before its July 29th release date.
The source of the leak is currently unclear. However, social media users have pointed out that physical copies of the album have been spotted on sale two days early at some locations in Europe.
While neither Beyoncé nor her camp has confirmed that the leak circulating online is indeed the finalized version of the album, Variety reports that its staff was able to quickly and easily find high-quality .flac files circulating on Twitter that sounded as though they are indeed full songs from the completed project.
Beyoncé is notorious for having a high level of security around all of her artistic endeavors, most famously punctuated by the 2013 surprise release of her self-titled album and its accompanying visual component. She followed suit with the 2016 release of her Lemonade visual album, which premiered on HBO with no information other than the name provided to fans beforehand. Though she has released other projects in the interim, this is Beyoncé’s first solo studio album since Lemonade’s release.
With her latest release, Beyoncé is thought to be ushering in a renaissance for dance and house music, continuing a trend that was tipped off earlier in the summer with the surprise release of Drake’s 7th studio album, Honestly, Nevermind, which shocked fans with the lack of rapping from the Canadian superstar.
Aside from her lead single, a classic dance track entitled “Break My Soul” featuring Robin S. and Big Freedia, the songstress has been, unsurprisingly, tight-lipped about her upcoming release. She did however share an album tracklist (that has fans buzzing, of course) her vision for the new sound she is exploring with fans and the feeling she wishes to evoke with her new project.
“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” Beyoncé wrote on her Instagram account when unveiling her surreal album art on June 30. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom.”
“It was a beautiful journey of exploration. I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”
Renaissance will have its official release on July 29 at 12 am on music streaming services everywhere.
#HipHopNews: Megan Thee Stallion Says Her Sophomore Album Is Done
Fresh off her three VMA nominations, the Houston rapper has revealed that she has completed her sophomore album, sharing the exciting news with fans in an Instagram Story on Wednesday.
“So happy abt my album,” she captioned of photo of the studio console. “It’s finished, it’s for the hotties, it’s honest, it’s me, it’s real.”
She has yet to announce a title or release date, however, the project should arrive before the summer is over. Megan is scheduled to perform on the GMA Summer Concert Series on Friday, Aug. 12.
The album, which follows her 2020 debut Good News, has spawned a series of singles including “Plan B,” “Sweetest Pie” with Dua Lipa, and “Pressurelicious” featuring Future, which dropped last week.
“I want to take you through so many different emotions,” Meg told Rolling Stone. “At first you was twerking, now you might be crying.”
She previewed some of her new music for the magazine, including a Murda Beatz-produced song called “Gift and Curse,” which “layers personal revelation on top of exuberant dance music,” as well as “Anxiety,” on which she confronts the loss of her mother.
With this album, Megan is on a mission to leave behind a lasting legacy. “I just always want people to remember, ‘Yes, Megan Thee Stallion, she was great, she was a rapper. She was one of the best rappers, the coldest,'” she said.
Jennifer Hudson and Common? A dinner together just set off dating rumors
Are Jennifer Hudson and Common Hollywood’s newest couple? The award-winning artists sparked dating rumors after they were reportedly spotted on a dinner date.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Hudson and Common were seen dining at a vegan restaurant in Philadelphia called Vedge. An unidentified source claimed that the outing was “cozy and flirty” and there was “lots of cuddling and giggling” between the pair. “Jennifer Hudson & Common… Interesting,” one fan tweeted, following reports on social media. “Not Common and Jennifer Hudson on a date in Philly. Alexa, play Mary J Blige, “We Got Hood Love,” another fan added.
Hudson was previously engaged to WWE wrestler David Otunga in 2008. The two welcomed their first child together, David Daniel Otunga, Jr., a year later. The ex-fiancés ended their relationship in 2017. Meanwhile, Common was romantically linked to Tiffany Haddish in 2019. The former couple called it quits in 2021.
The alleged new couple are co-stars in the upcoming action-thriller Breathe, and are currently filming in Pennsylvania. The Stefon Bristol-directed movie also stars Milla Jovovich and Quvenzhané Wallis.
NeNe Leakes In Talks With Reality Star Kathy Griffin To Become A Witness In Discrimination Lawsuit Against Bravo
It looks like reality star NeNe Leakes is preparing for a fight to win her multi-million dollar lawsuit against TV network Bravo and its affiliates.
According to Radar Online, “Real Housewives Of Atlanta” veteran NeNe Leakes, 54, is pulling out all the stops necessary to help her win her discrimination lawsuit. The TV personality is reportedly working towards teaming up with one of Bravo’s heavy hitters, reality star Kathy Griffin, 61
NeNe Leakes, born Linnethia Monique Johnson, filed a discrimination lawsuit in an Atlanta court over claims that she suffered years of racist remarks from former castmate Kim Zolciak-Biermann, who is white.
Leakes claims her co-star made racially charged remarks to her repeatedly with no consequence and accuses Bravo, NBCUniversal, and host Andy Cohen of fostering a racially toxic work environment. A judge granted both sides until August 19 to “negotiate” the dispute outside of court. A source connected to the lawsuit stated:
“Kathy was one of the first-ever stars on Bravo.”
“Long before The Real Housewives, Kathy had her own hit show on Bravo. My Life on the D-list put Andy Cohen on the map at a time when the network was basically still a start-up.”
The source added:
“Kathy knows everything about Bravo and Andy. She was there from day one and saw how the machine operates. NeNe knows that.”
In addition, sources say most celebrities associated with the network are refusing to help Leakes. The source noted that if Kathy Griffin agrees to be a witness, then the “floodgates will open up.”
As previously reported, the entertainer accused Andy Cohen of getting her Blacklisted after she called the network out for racist behavior. Leakes recently revealed she’s been working on a book for the past year that will seemingly address the racist allegations and how she’s been treated by the network.
Chris Brown says he Didn't Bail Last Minute ...On Hurricane Relief Show!!!
Chris Brown says the organizer of a benefit concert for victims of Hurricanes Ida and Nicholas has it all wrong -- he didn't bail only hours before the event, and he's even offering a donation to support the community.
Ms. LaJuan Bailey recently blasted CB, claiming he bailed on a March 19 show at the Toyota Center in Houston -- called "One Night Only" -- to raise money for people whose homes were damaged in the 2021 storms.
Bailey says she advanced more than $1 million for Brown's performance fees, accommodations and private plane ... only to get word he was canceling during sound check.
We've spoken to sources close to Chris and have seen a letter his legal team allegedly emailed to event organizers on March 17, informing them CB would no longer perform.
The letter states Bryson Tiller, who was also to perform at the event, had been removed from the lineup without a viable replacement, a violation of the contract Chris had in place ... so Chris wasn't going to perform.
The letter appears to have been sent 2 days before the show, not during the sound check ... when Bailey claims she found out. It's unclear if her team knew earlier and just hadn't told her.
Now, our Chris sources say both sides have been in negotiations to settle the situation -- with Chris offering to make a 6-figure donation to a Houston-based charity, but no agreement's been made yet.
Bailey recently vowed she'd take Chris to court if he didn't make things right.
Chris Rock Says Will Smith Oscars Slap 'Hurt' but He 'Shook' It Off: 'I'm Not a Victim'
It has been four months since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars and the comedian is now sharing how he felt about it.
During a stand-up show on Sunday alongside Kevin Hart at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, Rock said, “I’m not a victim, motherf—er,” according to a report from Us Weekly.
The comedian, 57, was addressing the March incident in which Will Smith walked onstage at the Academy Awards and slapped Rock in the face after he made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. (Jada, 50, lives with alopecia.)
“Anyone who says words hurt has never been punched in the face,” Rock said Sunday, per Us Weekly. “Yeah, that s— hurt, motherf—er. … But I shook that s— off and went to work the next day … I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut.”
Reps for Rock did not respond to request for comment.
At the March 27 ceremony, before his win for Best Actor, Will, 53, walked onstage and hit Rock on live television after taking issue with the joke about wife Jada. Will explained in a statement days later that the punchline was “too much for me to bear” and he “reacted emotionally.”
Will, who later resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending their ceremonies for the next 10 years, said in his statement, “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
In the time since the Oscars, Rock has made brief jokes at standup performances referencing the moment, but he hasn’t yet spoken about it in length. He has said he’ll “talk about it at some point” eventually.
Jada addressed the incident on the June 1 episode of her Facebook Watch show Red Table Talk, saying, “About Oscar night: My deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile.”
“With the state of the world today, we need ’em both, and we all actually need one another more than ever,” the actress continued. “Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years — and that’s [to] keep figuring out this thing called life together.”
Meanwhile, Rock and Hart, 43, recently wrapped their five-date joint comedy tour, titled Rock Hart: Only Headliners Allowed, with a show in Brooklyn, New York, on Monday.
Near the end of their Saturday show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden — during which they were also joined by Dave Chappelle — Hart surprised Rock onstage with a goat, in a nod to Hart considering the latter the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time).
In one moment from the show, Chappelle, 48, asked Rock, “What are you gonna name this goat, Chris?”
“The name is Will Smith,” Hart responded, as the audience laughed.
In all seriousness, though, “[Chris is] my G.O.A.T. — he’s my guy,” Hart told Jimmy Fallon Monday on The Tonight Show, recalling the memorable moment. “And I wanted him to feel that and experience the world of understanding how I feel about him in front of that audience.”
Report: The U.S. Has Offered To Swap A Russian Arms Dealer For Brittney Griner And Paul
Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia since February, as the WNBA star was arrested for having hashish oil cartridges in her luggage after flying into Moscow, facing a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Griner has plead guilty to the charges but has told the Russian court she brought the cartridges unintentionally, which is the start of the process to getting her trial over and sentencing done. Russia will not release her back to the United States in any sort of diplomatic arrangement until then, but the dialogue about how to get her back has escalated to a “substantial offer” being made from the Biden administration in recent weeks.
According to CNN, the administration signed off on an offer to send Viktor Bout, a Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year sentence, back to Russia in exchange for Griner and Paul Whelan, who has been in Russian custody since 2018 on charges of espionage and, like Griner, is considered “wrongfully detained” by the U.S. government.
“We communicated a substantial offer that we believe could be successful based on a history of conversations with the Russians,” a senior administration official told CNN Wednesday. “We communicated that a number of weeks ago, in June.”
The official declined to comment on the specifics of the “substantial offer.” They said it was in Russia’s “court to be responsive to it, yet at the same time that does not leave us passive, as we continue to communicate the offer at very senior levels.”
It remains to be seen if that will be enough to secure Griner and Whelan’s release from Russia — which again cannot happen until Griner’s trial is completed — but it’s an encouraging step for the public (and Griner) to hear, as there has been a steady push from the WNBA, basketball fans, and beyond to do more to secure her release. This is the most substantial step yet, and the hope is that Russia will agree to the swap and Griner and Whelan will be able to return to U.S. soil sooner than later.
2 former cops convicted in George Floyd's death sentenced to prison
Two former police officers convicted on federal charges in the death of George Floyd were both sentenced Wednesday to prison terms.
Former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson in back-to-back hearings.
Magnuson, who noted that Kueng was a rookie cop at the time of Floyd's death, sentenced him to serve three years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, according to St. Paul ABC affiliate KSTP.
In a separate hearing, Magnuson sentenced Thao, who had been a nine-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department at the time of Floyd's death, to 3 1/2 years in prison, also followed by two years of supervised release, KSTP reported.
Kueng was sentenced first in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Prior to Kueng being sentenced, Floyd's cousin Sabrina Montgomery and his girlfriend, Courtney Ross, gave victim impact statements.
Ross addressed Kueng directly with compassion, telling him, "This sentence will not define you," and urging him to "define your purpose," KSTP reported.
"This does not mean you cannot find your footing to stand up for what's right in the future," Ross told Kueng.
Montgomery asked Magnuson to give both Kueng and Thao the maximum sentence.
"All of these men deserve to serve longer sentences," Montgomery said, according to KSTP. "The system these officers operated in is flawed, but again, where is their humanity?"
Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda Sertich told Magnuson that Kueng, who was a rookie cop at the time of Floyd's death, admitted during his trial testimony that he was aware that it was his duty to intervene, but he failed to act.
"All he had to do per MPD policy was attempt to intervene ... but he didn't say a word. Not one word," Sertich said, according to KSTP.
Kueng declined to make a statement in court before he was sentenced. But his attorney, Thomas Plunkett, spoke on his behalf, telling Magnuson, "He's a nice young man that attempted to help the community by taking on a difficult role … and now he's being sentenced for that."
Both Kueng, 28, and Thao, 35, were convicted by a federal jury in February along with their former police colleague Thomas Lane, 39, who received a sentence last week of 2 1/2 years in prison for violating Floyd's civil rights.
Federal prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 6 1/2 years for Lane, which according to federal sentencing guidelines, was the maximum.
All three men were convicted of using the "color of the law," or their positions as police officers, to deprive Floyd of his civil rights by willfully being indifferent to his serious medical needs.
During Thao's sentencing hearing, Montgomery again asked for the maximum sentence. Ross also spoke at Thao's sentencing, but did not offer him words of encouragement like she did when she addressed Kueng and called for a maximum sentence.
"Mr. Thao, as you watched my love being suffocated under the knee of your co-officer, I will never forget you saying to the onlookers, 'This is why you don't do drugs,'" said Ross, citing video played at the officers' trial.
Thao's lawyer, Robert Paule, described Thao as "a decent person who was just trying to do his job."
Thao gave a statement in court, telling Magnuson he found God after being arrested in Floyd's death and saying that he had learned to lean on his faith.
Prosecutors said Kueng, Thao and Lane, who was also a rookie cop, all failed to intervene as the handcuffed, unarmed 46-year-old Black man was pinned under the knee of their senior officer, Derek Chauvin, for more than nine minutes on May 25, 2020, outside a Minneapolis convenience store where Floyd was accused of using a phony $20 bill to buy cigarettes.
Thao and Kueng were also convicted of violating Floyd's right to be free of an unreasonable seizure by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Chauvin from applying bodily injury to Floyd.
Chauvin was sentenced on Thursday by Magnuson to serve 21 years in prison after pleading guilty in December to violating Floyd's civil rights and admitting he kept his knee on Floyd's neck even after he became unresponsive. Chauvin also pleaded guilty to depriving a then-14-year-old boy of his constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by an officer, which resulted in bodily injury to the teen, according to the Justice Department.
Magnuson also sentenced Lane.
The length of the sentences for Kueng and Thao are lower than the recommended federal sentencing guidelines, which called for 4 1/4 years to 5 1/4 years.
"The facts of this case do not amount to second-degree murder under federal law," Magnuson wrote in a ruling last week. "Defendants Kueng and Thao each made a tragic misdiagnosis in their assessment of Mr. Floyd."
Magnuson noted that Kueng and Thao believed Floyd was suffering from a drug overdose and "excited delirium" -- a syndrome in which a subject displays wild agitation and violent behavior that can sometimes lead to death.
Lane was the only police officer involved in Floyd's fatal arrest to express concern for the man's well-being. Police body-camera video played at the three former officers' federal trial captured Lane asking twice if they should roll Floyd onto his side from a prone position to help ease his breathing.
Chauvin, 46, was also convicted in state court in April 2021 on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced in June 2021 by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill to 22 1/2 years in state prison.
Lane also pleaded guilty to state charges of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the top charge against him of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder. Lane is awaiting his sentence in state court.
Kueng and Thao are scheduled to be put on trial in state court on Oct. 24 on charges of aiding and abetting in murder and aiding and abetting in manslaughter. They have both pleaded not guilty.
Following Wednesday's sentencing hearings, Ross expressed disappointment in the punishment handed down, especially for Thao.
"The sentence, particularly for Tou Thao, didn’t really seem to match the crime to me," Ross told reporters outside the courthouse. "I’m saddened, but I suppose we have to take all these little small triumphs and know that we’re going to move forward even though there just little crumbs that they kind of keep giving us, but maybe one day we’ll get a loaf of bread.”
Mero opens up about sudden split from Desus: "Everybody grows"
Fans of Desus and Mero continue to reel from their sudden breakup following the cancellation of their eponymous Showtime series. Recently, Mero called in to Keith McPherson’s radio show, where — in addition to the expected sports talk — he opened up about the breakup heard around the world:
“I mean, you know, it’s just natural progression, man, you know what I mean? You know, it’s like we said on the podcast, ‘It’s Hollywood, baby.’ You know what I mean? … You develop strengths and things that you wanna explore and do … things come through naturally. Things just happen naturally. Like Spike Jones said on the VICELAND show, ‘Everything is finite.’ … What’s the corny cliché? ‘Don’t be sad that it’s gone, be happy you experienced it?'”
He continued by praising Desus for his achievements while also alluding to a possible reunion in the future:
“Everybody grows … I’m sure D got his things that he wanna do, I got my things that I wanna do … and they’re very specific to us. ‘Cause you know, we’ve been a duo for a long time, you know what I’m saying? I love everything that he’s done … it’s just natural. I got my life, my world view, my things going on, and he got his. So it’s only right that … instead of just like saying like, ‘Yo, we’re only gonna do this one thing,’ you know, let’s explore, let’s break out, let’s see what we do as individuals and then, you know, form like Voltron later on. Who knows?”
As previously reported Showtime took to social media to announce the end of “Desus & Mero” following rumors of a rift between the Bronx talents:
“Bodega Hive: The illustrious @desusnice and @THEKIDMERO will be pursuing separate creative endeavors moving forward. #DESUSandMERO will not be returning to SHOWTIME. It’s been a good run, fam.”
Black Trump supporter gets one of the longest sentences for Jan. 6 Capitol Riots
“It was on this day, Mark Ponder realized he’s a Black man in America,” one reaction tweet read.
Yesterday (July 26), D.C. District Judge Tanya Chutkan delivered one of the harshest sentences yet for anyone involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol Riots. Mark Ponder, a Black man, was sentenced to over five years in prison for his role as an insurrectionist. In April, Ponder pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officials and has been held without bond since March 2021, according to CNN.
The 56-year-old Trump supporter was captured on video repeatedly striking an officer with a red, white and blue pole. Sgt. Aquilino Gonell is a U.S. Capitol Police officer who was beaten by Ponder. “He didn’t care whether I was a police officer or not. He didn’t care [if] I had a family or not,” Gonell testified yesterday. “Please do not fall for his plea because that day he didn’t care about me,” the officer said to the judge. Just before informing the court of the sentence, Chutkan said Ponder “wasn’t defending himself or anyone else; he was trying to injure those officers.”
According to reports, the U.S. Justice Department recommended Ponder receive 60 months in prison for his crimes. Chutkan’s sentence added several months to that. Social media users quickly discussed how Ponder, a Black man, received one of the longest sentences for the Capitol Riots. “So out of 850 [Jan. 6] defendants so far, the one with the longest sentence is Mark Ponder, the only Black guy? Seriously? [Eight hundred and fourty-nine] white folks looking at more lenient charges than the one Black guy? That’s just, wow,” a tweet said. Another user added, “It was on this day, Mark Ponder realized he’s a Black man in America. Oh yes, just another Black man in America. On another note, I think I’ll have pizza for dinner.”
The only other insurrectionist to receive such a lengthy sentence so far is Robert Scott Palmer. Palmer, who is white, received a 63 months last year. He reportedly assaulted officers with a fire extinguisher. Yesterday, Ponder told the court, “That day I wasn’t thinking, and I’m extremely sorry for that.”
Leonardo DiCaprio & Jamie Foxx Spend the Day Together on Vacation in Italy
Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx are hanging out on vacation!
The two Oscar-winning actors were joined by a group of friends as they went for a boat on Wednesday afternoon (July 27) on the Amalfi Coat in Nerano, Italy.
Leo, 47, and Jamie, 54, were both seen wearing white T-shirt and sunglasses as they went for a ride around the sea before stopping at a restaurant right on the water for lunch.
Leo has been vacationing in Europe for the past few weeks. He was spotted grabbing dinner in the South of France with a longtime actor friend last week.
Leo and Jamie‘s outing in Italy comes several weeks after they joined tons of fellow A-list friends at a Fourth of July party in Malibu.
Tony Dow Passes Away at Age 77, One Day After Reps Falsely Confirmed He Had Passed Away
Tony Dow, who famously played Wally Cleaver in the iconic series Leave It to Beaver, has passed away at the age of 77, after it was falsely reported that he passed away already.
If you missed the news, reports emerged this week that Tony had passed away, but then, his representatives retracted the confirmation and explained it was premature.
“We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey,” the statement from his representatives told TMZ.
Tony was diagnosed with liver cancer in May.
Our thoughts are with Tony and his loved ones during this time. RIP.
Shawn Mendes cancels rest of ‘Wonder’ world tour due to ongoing mental health struggles
Shawn Mendes has cancelled the remaining dates of his “Wonder: The World Tour” to focus on his mental health, the singer announced Wednesday (27 July).
Mendes posted a statement on Instagram where he let fans know that he “wasn’t prepared for the toll that being back on the road would take” on him.
“After speaking with my team and working with an incredible group of health professionals, it has become more clear that I need to take the time I’ve never taken personally, to ground myself and come back stronger,” Mendes wrote.
The artist concluded by saying: “It breaks my heart to tell you this but but I promise I will be back as soon as I’ve taken the right time to heal.”
Mendes had performed just seven of the 87 planned shows across the US, UK and Europe. The British and European shows were not scheduled to take place until June 2023.
The news comes weeks after the singer announced that he was putting the tour on hold in order to “heal and take care of myself and my mental health”.
Disney Changes Hulu Policies to Accept Political Issues Ads, After Democrat-Fueled Backlash Over Rejection of Abortion and Gun Spots
Hulu will now start accepting ads for political issues, according to Disney — a move that comes after Democrats lambasted Hulu for rejecting ads calling out the GOP on abortion and gun issues.
“After a thorough review of ad policies across its linear networks and streaming platforms over the last few months, Disney is now aligning Hulu’s political advertising policies to be consistent with the company’s general entertainment and sports cable networks and ESPN+,” Disney said in a statement released Wednesday.
The company’s statement continued, “Hulu will now accept candidate and issue advertisements covering a wide spectrum of policy positions, but reserves the right to request edits or alternative creative, in alignment with industry standards.”
The hashtag “#BoycottHulu” became a top-trending topic on Twitter after national Democratic organizations complained to the Washington Post that Hulu had rejected their joint ads on abortion and guns on July 15. Disney’s ESPN and WPVI-TV, the ABC-owned station in Philadelphia, had accepted and run the same ads.
The controversy over the ads on Hulu comes after the conservative-leaning Supreme Court issued rulings this term that overturned Roe v. Wade and New York State’s law restricting permits for carrying guns in public.
“Hulu’s censorship of the truth is outrageous and offensive,” the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tweeted Monday. “Voters have the right to know the facts about MAGA Republicans’ extreme agenda on abortion — Hulu is doing a huge disservice to the American people.”
Disney has told marketers that for the ad-supported tier of Disney+, set to launch in late 2022, it won’t accept political ads, nor will it run ads for alcohol or rival streamers.
The Disney change of Hulu’s advertising policy was first reported by Axios.
Constance Wu returns to Instagram two weeks after revealing suicide attempt
Constance Wu is back on Instagram two weeks after returning to Twitter to reveal her 2019 suicide attempt over social media backlash.
The “Crazy Rich Asians” star posted a promo Wednesday for 2021’s “I Was a Simple Man,” letting her followers know that the film can be streamed on the Criterion Channel.
“While I was off the grid recovering, I took a little break from my acting career,” she wrote. “But during that time I did do a couple select small projects with people I love and trusted. ‘I Was a Simple Man’ was one of those projects.”
Wu, 40, noted that she “wasn’t able to share” the post when the project premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival due to her social media hiatus.
“Now that I’m back on here for a bit, wanted to share this beautiful film by my dear friend @makotoyogi who I love and admire very much,” she continued. “Loved the cast and crew and heart of this experience. A wonderful experience and an incredible film.”
Wu stopped posting to social media platforms in 2019 after she came under fire for tweeting that she was “so upset” and “literally crying” over the renewal of her sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat.”
The Golden Globe nominee felt “a little scared” to return to the apps, tweeting on July 14 that she was only “dipping [her] toe back in.”
She wrote, “I was afraid of coming back on social media because I almost lost my life from it.”
Wu explained that after receiving messages from fellow Asian American actresses calling her “a blight” on the community amid the 2019 scandal, she felt as if she “didn’t deserve to live anymore.”
The “Hustlers” star went on to write that she attempted suicide at the time, and a friend found her and took her to the emergency room.
“Looking back, it’s surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened,” she added. “It was a scary moment that made me reassess a lot in my life. For the next few years, I put my career aside to focus on my mental health.”
During her break, Wu wrote “Making a Scene,” a memoir that will hit shelves in October.
While she noted via Twitter that her book is “not always the most flattering portrayal,” early readers have already praised her honesty.
“Love your book. It helped me,” one Instagram user commented on Wu’s post Wednesday.
Another fan tweeted, “It’s one of the most emotionally open celebrity memoirs that I have read.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Competitive Eater Joey Chestnut Sets Record by Eating 44 Cane’s Chicken Fingers in 5 Minutes
Less than a month after dominating the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest for a 15th time, Joey Chestnut set a new eating record.
In celebration of National Chicken Finger Day, Chestnut appeared at the new Raising Cane’s location on the Las Vegas strip Wednesday to see how many chicken fingers he could eat in five minutes. The 38-year-old competitive eating legend predicted he could finish somewhere between 40 and 50, and in the last remaining seconds, Chestnut dunked his 44th chicken finger into the famous Cane’s Sauce to punctuate his latest world record.
Even after time expired, Chestnut wanted to keep eating, a testament to Raising Cane’s chicken fingers, which he considers to be the best in the world. He vowed to return and beat his new personal best.
Chestnut said he skipped breakfast and drank plenty of fluids in preparation for today’s event. He also mentioned eating just a salad for dinner the night before.
According to Major League Eating, Chestnut has 55 world records, which include knocking back 141 hard boiled eggs in eight minutes, 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes, and 121 Twinkies in just six minutes.
The Highland Park Shooter Indicted on 117 Counts
The accused gunman in the Highland Park mass shooting has been hit with more criminal charges.
According to ABC News, an Illinois grand jury indicted Robert “Bobby” Crimo III on 117 counts in connection to an attack at a Fourth of July parade in a Chicago suburb.
The 21-year-old suspect is accused of opening fire on a crowd, leaving seven people dead and dozens injured. Lake County prosecutors announced the man is now facing 21 counts of first-degree murder (three for each victim), 48 counts of attempted murder, and 48 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.
He was previously facing only seven charges of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors say the gunman gained access to a rooftop overlooking the parade in downtown Highland Park. At around 10:15 a.m., he allegedly fired more than 70 rounds into a crowd, using an AR-15-like weapon he bought legally. Authorities say more than 30 people between the ages of 8 and 80 were wounded in the attack.
The suspect was arrested the following evening after an eight-hour manhunt. Officials claim he admitted to carrying out the shooting when confronted by law enforcement.
Those who were killed in the shooting were identified as 64-year-old Katherine Goldstein, 35-year-old Irina McCarthy, 37-year-old Kevin McCarthy, 63-year-old Jacquelyn Sundheim, 88-year-old Stephen Straus, and 78-year-old Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, and 69-year-old Eduardo Uvaldo.
“I want to thank law enforcement and the prosecutors who presented evidence to the grand jury today,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a statement Wednesday. “Our investigation continues, and our victim specialists are working around the clock to support all those affected by this crime that led to 117 felony counts being filed today.”
Lil Duval Has Surgery After Being Hit By A Car While On A 4-Wheeler
Lil Duval was involved in an accident on Tuesday, July 26, involving a car and his 4-wheeler.
Duval took to Instagram where he shared videos of himself on a gurney, wincing in pain as he is being taken out of the back of an ambulance, put in a plane, and laying on the floor of the plane. in the caption of the video, Duval explains what happened, and that he has a broken leg and has to fly to Nassau to have surgery. Duval lives in the Bahamas.
“Somebody hit me in they car while i was on my 4 wheeler,” the comedian said in his IG post. “Now my leg broke and i gotta get flown over to nassau and have surgery.”
Shortly after the video was posted, many fans and celebrities alike sent their well wishes to Duval. T.I. even jumped in the comments sending Duval his best and proceeding to clown him. “Maaaaaan I’m gon pray that you get well first. Then find it in yo heart to sitcho old ass down somewhere & rest big bro…. Amen,” T.I. said.
It is unclear what the extent of his injuries are, but we wish Duval a speedy recovery.
Teaser Trailer for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Receives 172 Million Views in 24 Hour
*The teaser trailer for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” received 172 million views in its first 24 hours. After the teaser dropped, “Black Panther” garnered over 893,000 mentions on social media.
The “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” teaser has become one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s top trailer debuts for a superhero movie. Per Variety, it follows titles like the “Spider-Man: No Way Home” teaser (the biggest ever with 355.5 million views) and the “Thor: Love and Thunder” teaser (209 million views). Four “Avengers” trailers also pulled in bigger numbers: “Avengers: Endgame” teaser (289 million), “Avengers: Endgame” final trailer (268 million), “Avengers: Infinity War” teaser (230 million) and “Avengers: Infinity War” final trailer (179 million).
In related news, BP star Lupita Nyong’o chopped it up with The Hollywood Reporter at San Diego Comic-Con about the hotly anticipated sequel.
Nyong’o appeared as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe panel Saturday and noted that the movie pays tribute to star Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020 after a battle with colon cancer.
“It’s been a doozy of a few years for everybody,” said Nyong’o, who plays Nakia in the films. “For us as a cast, having lost our king, Chadwick Boseman, that was a lot to process, and in many ways, we’re still processing it. When you lose someone, I don’t know when you stop missing them. And of course, we felt it so much, making this film without him.”
She also noted that filming the sequel during the COVID pandemic proved to be challenging.
“To make this film against all odds is a powerful statement unto itself, and I am very proud that we did it,” she shared. “It was very therapeutic. It restored a sense of hope for me in making it, and I think we’ve expanded the world of Wakanda in ways that will blow people’s minds — not just Wakanda, but the Black Panther world. It’s gonna blow people’s minds, and I just cannot wait until it’s not a secret anymore.”
Julio Jones Joins Tampa Bay Bucs On One-Year Deal
Tom Brady has a new target this coming season. Veteran wide receiver Julio Jones will be playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season after signing a one-year deal with the team. Jones joins the Bucs after a lackluster stint with the Tennessee Titans.
Jones now joins a wide receiver room with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Scotty Miller, and newcomer Russell Gage.
Jones began his career playing for the Atlanta Falcons, where he is the franchise leader in catches, yards, and second n touchdown receptions.
Mega Millions Jackpot Hit $1 Billion For the Fourth Time in Game’s History
The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to $1 billion after no one claimed Tuesday’s prize.
No ticket was matched to Tuesday night’s numbers, which took the prize from $810 million to $1.02 billion for Friday night’s drawing. The winning numbers were 7, 29, 60, 63, 66, and the Mega Ball 15. This is only the fourth time in lottery history that the jackpot has hit the $1 billion mark. The largest Mega Millions jackpot winning was $1.537 billion on October 23rd, 2018, for a ticket purchased in South Carolina. On January 22nd, 2021, a group of four won Michigan’s $1.05 billion jackpot.
Though the chances of winning the life-changing money are roughly 1 in 302.5 million, that does not stop people from lining up for their chance to secure the grand prize.
A handful of people came close to winning the Mega Millions. Nine tickets, according to Mega Millions, matched the first five numbers but not the Mega Ball. Several people still walked away with millions. Eight tickets across the U.S. won $1 million each after matching the first five numbers. The prize for one winning ticket purchased in Ohio matched the first five numbers, earning the player $3 million since they bought an optional Megaplier for $1 extra.
For those wanting to get in on the action, pick up a Mega Millions ticket from your local convenience store or gas station for $2 per play. You may choose five numbers between 1 and 70 and one Mega Ball number between 1 and 25. Players may also utilize the Quick Pick option, which allows the terminal to randomly select numbers for you. You can only win the billion-dollar jackpot by matching all six numbers in the drawing.
The next drawing will be Friday at 11 p.m.
Female Inmates at Indiana Jail Were Raped, Assaulted and Harassed After Officer Allegedly Gave Male Detainees Access to Their Cells in Exchange for $1K, Lawsuit Says
In a lawsuit filed in Indiana, female inmates allege that male detainees gained access to their cells where they were subjected to a “night of terror.”
On Friday, July 22, eight women filed a complaint against Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel and current and former jail officers.
According to the women, jail officer David Lowe received $1,000 from two male detainees in exchange for keys to the jail’s interior on Oct. 23, 2021. The lawsuit claims that on that particular night, the two male detainees and other male inmates entered the jail’s restricted quarters where women were kept.
“Numerous male detainees used the keys obtained from Lowe to enter Pods 4(E) and 4(F), where they raped, assaulted, harassed, threatened, and intimidated the plaintiffs in this lawsuit, and other women, for several hours, resulting in significant physical and emotional injuries,” read the lawsuit.
The men allegedly threatened to continue harming the women if they pressed the emergency call button.
Despite the assaults being captured on security video, the women claim that no correctional employees intervened on their behalf.
WDRB reported that Lowe was fired and charged with trafficking with an inmate, aiding an escape, and official misconduct after admitting to accepting bribes from inmates and allowing them to access restricted areas.
According to WHAS, he will face a jury in a criminal trial in September.
Noel, Lowe, and other unnamed jail guards were the targets of a similar civil rights lawsuit by 20 women in June.
“Women were harassed, sexually assaulted, threatened, and completely terrified,” said Bart Betteau, an attorney for one of the plaintiffs. “When I met with each and every one of these women, and they broke down repeatedly, you get the impression, the understanding of what these women went through.”
When the previous lawsuit was filed, Scottie Maples, chief deputy for the Clark County Sheriff’s Department, said the rape allegations had been investigated internally, but no charges had been filed.
In response to the Oct. 23 incident, jail officials left the lights on for 72 hours, denied the women legal privileges, and confiscated pillows, blankets, and hygiene items, according to the lawsuit.
“The violation of the Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights was the result not only of a single bad actor, Lowe, but also due to a systemic failure on behalf of the Clark County Sheriff who failed to properly staff the jail, train the jail officers, and supervise the jail officers to make sure they maintained adequate security at the jail,” the July lawsuit states.
In both instances, the women ask for jury trials and compensatory damages.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘NICE HAT, SIR/MA’AM?’
We’re a little bit confused
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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