#MAGFAB: Lewis Hamilton for Vanity Fair - September 2022
This will likely be the headline – or maybe it’s already a headline as more and more people read the piece; Lewis Hamilton covers the new issue of Vanity Fair and reveals that he was almost in Top Gun: Maverick, the number one movie of 2022. Lewis tells writer Chris Heath that he and Tom Cruise are close (which we know, since Tom is at so many of his races, always with the Mercedes team) and was obsessed with the original movie so when he found out that they were working on the sequel, he had to be part of it:
“So when I heard the second one was coming out, I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I have to ask him,’” he says. “I said, ‘I don’t care what role it is. I’ll even sweep something, be a cleaner in the back.’” Cruise said yes. And Hamilton was not to be a cleaner; he was to be one of the fighter pilots. Then reality set in. Filming would have taken place during the climax of the Formula 1 season, and Hamilton knew he couldn’t countenance turning up on set without having done every last piece of preparation. “I’m a perfectionist,” he says. There just wasn’t time. Reluctantly, he contacted Cruise and Kosinski—“The most upsetting call that I think I’ve ever had”—to let them know.
I mean it would have been something to see: Formula One’s Top Gun in Top Gun. I wish we could know what he wanted his call sign to be.
But while Lewis’s near-involvement with Top Gun will probably be the part of the Vanity Fair profile that gets the most play, there’s so much more here because his Top Gun story is just one example of how candid he is in this interview. He talks about his upbringing, he touches on his relationships, both with his family and in his approach to dating, the racism he experienced growing up in England and that he continues to deal with today, even though he’s one of the most famous athletes in the world. Also… he discusses at length how he processed what happened in Abu Dhabi last December, when he was five laps away from his eighth championship only to have it taken away by a f-cked up decision that some of us are STILL NOT OVER. With cameos from some other high-profile people like Tom Brady and also Melody Hobson and George Lucas, who are basically Lewis’s best friends. As Lewis says, “It is very, very surreal to grow up watching Star Wars and have Yoda’s dad say positive things about you.” But it was Melody and George who were part of Lewis’s inner circle and support system in the aftermath of last year’s final race.
This is not your standard celebrity feature with the subject trying to hide more than he cares to share.
This is Lewis Hamilton, midway through one of the most challenging seasons of his professional career, considered by many to be the greatest of his sport, approaching it almost like he’s introducing himself. And not just because F1 has never been more popular (thanks in large part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive) but because he feels he has more to do. And because, as he explains in this interview, he’s been shaped by his beginnings – as one of the few Black kids in school, as more often than not the only Black person on the track, Lewis has said that “Being the first and only Black anything is a proud and lonely walk”. That lonely pride informs so much of who he is, still, even with all this success. Lewis tells Vanity Fair that he continues to unpack the ways that racism has affected him, and address scars that he didn’t even know he had, scars that revealed themselves over the last few years, following the murder of George Floyd.
All of this, in combination, might be why a profile of the biggest name in motorsport feels like a piece about a rookie. Which is refreshing in and of itself: that there are still so many things to discover about Lewis’s celebrity despite the fact that he’s been a superstar for 15 years.
Read the article HERE.
#RHOA: Fans Rally Up In Kandi Burruss’ Defense After Marlo Hampton Says She’s Only ‘Known In Atlanta’
Things get heated in this week’s episode of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” The ladies take a trip to Jamaica, however, the vacation looked anything but relaxing in episode. An argument between co-stars Marlo Hampton and Kandi Burruss ensues again sparking conversation among fans.
The two ladies were seen going back and forth with each other regarding Marlo’s decision to remove her nephews from her house.
“You do not think that it’s weird that you sent your nephews back and how that made them feel like..” Kandi began to ask before Marlo interrupted her saying, “Hell no!”
The situation between them became heated and low blows soon followed.
“B—h you ain’t nobody! You only known in Atlanta, baby,” Marlo said to Kandi.
Being held back by her husband, Todd Tucker, an amped-up Kandi responded back, “B—h, I’m worldwide!”
When the clip hit the internet, many fans rallied up in Kandi’s defense.
“I was born and raised in Europe, Kandi has been worldwide since the 90s!”
“Marlo coming for the wrong one this season. She might be able to talk like that to some of these non-resume having ladies, but Kandi BEEN a boss and an icon.”
“Check her credentials baby, she’s a superstar and has written for a lot of our faves.”
Former Basketball Wives star Tami Roman stepped into the comments section as well in defense of the former Xscape singer.
“Kandi is worldwide though, I love them both but aht aht Marlo, you set yourself up for that one.”
Marlo and Kandi have had a pretty rocky relationship throughout this season and it seemed as though things were beginning to look up until now.
#MusicNews: John Legend Announces Double Album 'Legend,' Reveals Tracklist
John Legend is living up to his name. The R&B superstar has announced his eighth studio album, Legend, which will be released on Sept. 9.
Executive produced by Legend and Ryan Tedder, the double album marks the first time the 12-time Grammy winner has officially embraced his legendary name.
“Until this point, I’ve never used an aspect of my name as the title of an album,” Legend said. “I had to earn that, to live up to it by delivering in the performance and the music. And this is me saying, I’m proud of who I am, I’m confident in the work I’ve done, and I’m just going to declare it.”
The 24-track album is divided into two acts and includes appearances from Rick Ross, Jhene Aiko, Ty Dolla $ign, Jazmine Sullivan, Amber Mark, Jada Kingdom, Rapsody, Ledisi, and Saweetie, who joins Legend on his new single “All She Wanna Do.”
“It kinda reminds me of Michael Jackson Off the Wall energy, Whitney Houston ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody,’ and it feels so good,” he said of the uplifting track, which was co-written and produced by Tedder, Monsters and Strangerz, Zach Sketon, Andrew DeRoberts, and Halatrax. “It’s about a woman that you see out at a club who is just living her best life, embracing the party life, and you want to be a part of it.”
The album has previously spawned singles including “Honey” with Muni Long and “Dope” featuring JID.
Earlier this week, Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen announced that they are expecting another child, two years after the pregnancy loss of their third child, Jack.
Tonight, Legend will kick off the second leg of his residency, “Love in Las Vegas,” which runs through October.
Legend Tracklist
ACT I
1. “Rounds” feat. Rick Ross
2. “Waterslide”
3. “Dope” feat. JID
4. “Strawberry Blush”
5. “Guy Like Me”
6. “All She Wanna Do”
7. “Splash” feat. Jhene Aiko and Ty Dolla $ign
8. “You”
9. “Fate” feat. Amber Mark
10. “Love” feat. Jazmine Sullivan
11. “One Last Dance”
12. “All She Wanna Do” feat. Saweetie
ACT 2
1. “Memories”
2. “Nervous”
3. “Wonder Woman”
4. “Honey” feat. Muni Long
5. “I Want You to Know”
6. “Speak in Tongues” feat. Jada Kingdom
7. “The Other Ones” feat. Rapsody
8. “Stardust”
9. “Pieces”
10. “Good” feat. Ledisi
11. “I Don’t Love U Like I Used To”
12. “Home”
#HipHopNews: Nicki Minaj To Receive Video Vanguard Award At 2022 MTV VMAs
Nicki Minaj is making history. The rap star will be honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, it was announced today. She will also take the stage to perform for the first time since 2018.
Minaj has been nominated for 17 VMAs and won five throughout her career, including Best Hip Hop Video for “Chun-Li” (2018), “Anaconda” (2015), and her first Moon Person for “Super Bass” in 2011. She is nominated again this year for Best Hip Hop for “Do We Have A Problem?” with Lil Baby.
“Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry,” said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events, Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music, Paramount+. “She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically ‘Nicki’.”
She joins a prestigious list of Vanguard Award recipients including Madonna, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, and Missy Elliott.
The announcement comes as Minaj readies her new single “Super Freaky Girl” for release this Friday, Aug. 12. She also recently debuted a trailer for her new docuseries “Nicki.”
The VMAs will air live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday, Aug. 28.
FBI Raided Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago Resort,
The FBI raided former President Donald Trump’s Florida resort and home, Mar-A-Lago, he said Monday night.
“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said in a statement. “Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”
The circumstances of the raid are unclear, but the Justice Department has been ramping up its investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s efforts to remain in power after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden.
The New York Times first reported that the search appeared to be related to classified material Trump brought with him to Mar-A-Lago after he left the White House.
The raid is an extreme move against a former president and would require approval from the highest echelons of the Justice Department. The Times added that the FBI would have been required to convince a judge it had probably cause to search the premises.
The FBI is led by Director Christopher Wray, who was nominated by Trump in 2017 after his predecessor, James Comey, was fired.
The Washington Post added that Trump — who was not at Mar-A-Lago during the raid Monday morning — was not given a heads up about the search.
The saga surrounding the classified documents began earlier this year after the National Archives retrieved 15 boxes of documents Trump took with him to Mar-A-Lago when he left the White House. The agency said in February that those boxes contained classified information and materials subject to the Presidential Records Act, which requires such items be turned over to the federal government.
Prosecutors have also reportedly homed in on Trump’s efforts to stay in power through widespread, and false, claims of voter fraud, as well as an effort to install slates of fake electors in battleground states that would circumvent the will of the people. The Washington Post reported last month that prosecutors had asked witnesses before grand juries detailed questions about meetings Trump held after his November, 2020 election loss and what instructions he gave his attorneys regarding the fake electors plan.
The Department of Justice has also issued subpoenas to senior White House officials in recent weeks, including former White House counsel Pat Cipollone and two top aides to former Vice President Mike Pence.
The Justice Department investigations are separate from the ongoing investigation by the House select committee looking into the Capitol attack. Unlike Congress, Justice Department officials have the power to levy criminal charges against the president or others in his circle.
No former U.S. president has ever been charged with a crime, despite investigations into misbehavior.
Trump, who said his FBI agents had broken into a safe, decried the search warrant in his statement, saying the raid was “prosecutorial misconduct” that reflects a “weaponization of the Justice System.”
“Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries,” he said. “Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.”
“What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee?” he asked. “Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States.”
During his tenure, Trump regularly came under fire over his efforts to leverage the Justice Department to do his bidding. Attorney General William Barr resigned in December 2020 after the agency rejected Trump’s claims of voter fraud.
Republicans quickly condemned the raid. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) echoed Trump’s claims the search reflected a state of “weaponized politicization,” vowing to investigate the Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear you calendar,” McCarthy said.
Ezra Miller in Trouble, AGAIN! Charged with Burglary, Allegedly Stole Alcohol in Vermont
Actor Ezra Miller is in trouble with the law again. They’ve been charged with felony burglary after being accused of stealing alcohol from a home in Vermont.
Vermont State Police claim the troubled actor, 29, burglarized a private residence in Stamford in May and allegedly took several bottles of booze, according to an official news release.
The homeowners were away when the alleged incident occurred on May 1 at 5:55 p.m. according to the report.
The report also states that after reviewing surveillance videos, police found “probable cause was found to charge” the “Perks of Being a Wallflower” actor with felony burglary into an unoccupied dwelling.
It appears Miller was missing for some time as the report states they were just “located” on Sunday, at which time they were ordered to appear at Vermont Superior Court Bennington’s Criminal Division for their arraignment in late September.
Vermont State Police directed us to the official news release when we reached out for further information.
Miller is facing a slew of serious allegations all over the US that began in early 2022.
The “Fantastic Beasts” actor — who uses they/them pronouns — was arrested in March for disorderly conduct and later pled no contest.
They were also accused of allegedly throwing a chair at a woman and being the subject of 10 911 calls in less than a month in Hawaii.
In June, Miller was accused of grooming a teenager with “cult-like” behavior. The teen’s parents filed a lawsuit in Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court that claimed the actor “uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions and drugs to hold sway over a young adolescent Tokata.”
Tokata, however, denied the statements made by their family and friends on social media.
Another worried parent in Massachusetts accused the actor of behaving inappropriately toward their 12-year-old. Both parent and child were granted a temporary restraining order against Miller, according to The Daily Beast.
In late June, Miller was then accused of housing three young children and their mother in a weapon-filled farm in Vermont. Two sources told Rolling Stone at the time that they feared for the safety of the children, aged 1 to 5.
Fat Joe Responds to Irv Gotti's 'Drink Champs' Interview & Ashanti Comments
Fat Joe has some thoughts on Irv Gotti’s recent ‘Drink Champs’ interview and comments made about his fling with Ashanti over 20 years ago.
On Sunday (Aug. 7), Fat Joe went on Instagram and gave his thoughts on Irv’s inebriated interview on Drink Champs where Irv Gotti lamented about his tryst with Ashanti in detail. Fat Joe called Irv a sucker exposing the past.
“Irv Gotti a sucker, man. He a sucker,” Fat Joe starts in the video. “Y’all can @ Irv Gotti, Ja, whatever the fuck you want,” he continued. “Whatever Irv has with Ashanti is 20 years old, right. I know he was making some points that mean a lot to him. But when you keep ranting about somebody 20 years later, it felt like he’s not over the young lady, right.”
“It’s okay, if its in a documentary,” Joe added. “You gotta see your truth in your documentary. But to go to Drink Champs and to keep calling her a bitch, keep disrespecting … Um, guys, I’m not gonna be the guy to ‘stand up for Ashanti, the brother that’ … Ja Rule was standing right next to him. And so I’m not gonna be that guy. But, I’m not telling stories about a girl I was with 20 years ago. In fact, I hope you die. Fuck you, bitch. Leave me alone, right. So, when you doing this, it looks like you caught up, you aint get over the shit.”
Irv Gotti had the internet going nuts after telling all about his alleged side relationship with Ashanti, which occurred while he was still married, in the early 2000s. The Murder Inc. cofounder sounded heartbroken when recounting how Ashanti moved on and started dating Nelly in 2003.
“I can get past you wanting to be with Nelly,” Irv said in the interview.
“Sounds like you didn’t get past that, I’ma be honest,” N.O.R.E countered.
“Listen, at the time it happens, any man is hurt,” Irv Gotti replied. “The chic you fucking in love with is with this nigga.”
“You wanna hear how I found out?” Irv continued. “I was at home … listen to this shit. This is God wanted me to find out. I was at home. NBA package, I like watching sports. ‘Oh my God, what’s this commotion going on in the stadium?'” Irv adds, imitating a sports announcer. “‘We just found out what the commotion is. Nelly just walked in with Ashanti.'”
Irv Gotti also claimed Ashanti recorded “Happy” following one of their sexual sessions. Nelly recently joked about the situation during a performance with Ashanti.
Lil Baby throws back to school carnival, equips Atlanta students with new swag
Lil Baby decked out Atlanta’s West End Mall for an event to remember!
As students head back to school in his hometown of Atlanta, the 27-year-old emcee teamed up with Goodr to provide 3,000 local kids with a day that was filled with music, games, carnival rides, free food, backpacks, school supplies and free haircuts.
Goodr, which is a sustainable food surplus management platform using technology to reduce food waste and combat hunger, expressed its excitement to work alongside the “Drip Too Hard” rapper once again to bring joy to area kids in the city that helped raise him.
“We are grateful to Lil Baby for his continued resolution to giving back to his community,” said Goodr CEO Jasmine Crowe. “It is an honor to continually team up with such a household name to relieve some of the ongoing financial burden people are facing.”
From the very beginning, Lil Baby has never shied away from his work as a philanthropist. As previously reported by REVOLT, the “We Paid” lyricist recently teamed up with local prominent business owner Lemont Bradley to hire 100 people under the age of 21 throughout the city of Atlanta.
“We are looking to give out 100 jobs to teenagers and young adults in the metro Atlanta area,” said both Lil Baby and Bradley in a joint statement of the news. “With the crime rate surrounding scams, robbery, and even murder being so high, we are looking to provide a positive outlet and revenue stream to those who are looking for an income.”
Furthermore, both Lil Baby and Bradley said they “are looking forward to helping boost the city’s economy,” while also working toward “lowering the city’s crime rate.”
All children in attendance at Sunday’s (Aug. 7) back-to-school event were treated to free goodies from Foot Locker, including new shoes and clothes.
NYC bodega clerk previously charged with murder relocates after "fearing for his life"
After being charged with murder for allegedly defending himself against a customer, a NY bodega clerk has relocated out of the city.
Jose Alba is also considering moving back to his home in the Dominican Republic following previous news that the murder charges against him have been dropped.
“He is taking a hiatus right now,” said Bodega Association Head Francisco Marte in an interview with the Daily Mail. “He went upstate to get away from everything. He is not going back to work at the bodega. He is taking a break fighting with his trauma, and he said he is afraid for his life.”
A fight between Alba and 35-year-old Austin Simon took a turn for the worst after the 61-year-old stabbed Simon as self-defense after he was attacked following an argument between the two.
Alba was confronted by Simon when his girlfriend’s card declined at the register. Following the tragedy, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg requested for the murder charges against the worker to be dropped after backlash from the public and criticism from New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“My heart goes out for this hard-working, honest New Yorker that was doing his job in his place of business, where a person came in and went behind the counter and attacked him,” said Adams in a previous statement. “The DA has a non-mandate, where we cannot dictate or mandate how he determines how he’s going to prosecute crimes. That is up to the district attorney, and I’m not going to second-guess the district attorney for his actions.”
Furthermore, Adams said the video evidence regarding the incident suggests that Alba did not break the law.
“We have enough people who are there for people who break the law,” he continued. “As I saw it, from the video, I saw a worker here following the law, and he should not have been approached in the manner that he was approached.”
At the time of the altercation, Alba was stabbed by Simon’s girlfriend. Her identity has not been released.
Taylor Swift Personally Responds to 'Shake It Off' Plagiarism Accusations, Says She Never Heard of 3LW Until Lawsuit
Taylor Swift is personally responding to a plagiarism lawsuit.
The 32-year-old singer is being sued by Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, the songwriters of the 2001 song “Playas Gon’ Play” by 3LW.
The 3LW song contains the lyrics “playas, they gonna play” and “haters, they gonna hate” while Taylor‘s hit song contains the lyrics, “‘Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.”
“The lyrics to ‘Shake It Off’ were written entirely by me,” Taylor said in a sworn declaration that was filed in response to the accusations.
“Until learning about Plaintiffs’ claim in 2017, I had never heard the song ‘Playas Gon’ Play’ and had never heard of that song or the group 3LW,” she continued (via Billboard).
For those who don’t know, 3LW was the girl group made up of Naturi Naughton and The Cheetah Girls stars Adrienne Bailon and Kiely Williams. Their biggest hit was “No More (Baby I’ma Do Right).”
In the declaration, Taylor said that her parents “did not permit me to watch TRL until I was about 13 years old. None of the CDs I listened to as a child, or after that, were by 3LW. I have never heard the song ‘Playas Gon’ Play’ on the radio, on television, or in any film. The first time I ever heard the song was after this claim was made.”
Taylor opened up about the inspiration for the lyrics.
“In writing the lyrics, I drew partly on experiences in my life and, in particular, unrelenting public scrutiny of my personal life, ‘clickbait’ reporting, public manipulation, and other forms of negative personal criticism which I learned I just needed to shake off and focus on my music,” she said. “I recall hearing phrases about players play and haters hate stated together by other children while attending school in Wyomissing Hills, and in high school in Hendersonville. These phrases were akin to other commonly used sayings like ‘don’t hate the playa, hate the game,’ ‘take a chill pill,’ and ‘say it, don’t spray it.’”
Anne Heche's Rep Provides Update on Her Condition After Car Crash and it’s not Good!
Anne Heche‘s rep previously said that the actress was in “stable condition” after being involved in a fiery car crash this weekend. Now, the latest update is much more serious.
The 53-year-old actress has been hospitalized since Friday after the car she was driving crashed into a home in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. The car caught on fire and the firefighters fought the flames for 65 minutes until she could be pulled from the wreckage.
The home was destroyed and a GoFundMe page was launched for the woman who was living in the home at the time.
Anne‘s rep provided a new update on Monday afternoon (August 8).
“At this time Anne is in extreme critical condition she has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” the rep told Deadline. “She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident.”
The LAPD has confirmed that Anne is being investigated for misdemeanor DUI and hit and run.
Kim Kardashian 'is not happy' about Kanye West mocking Pete Davidson after their breakup with 'Skete' post
Kim Kardashian is "not happy" about Kanye West's petty reaction to her breakup with Pete Davidson.
West celebrated the demise of his ex-wife's first public romance since their divorce on Monday morning, posting a fake New York Times headline declaring "Skete Davidson Dead at Age 28." The rapper and designer, who clearly wasn't a fan of the pairing, used the nickname "Skete" to publicly disparage the comedian, who started dating Kardashian last fall. West, who shares four children with Kardashian, has since deleted it.
While a rep for Kardashian hasn't commented, a source tells Yahoo Entertainment, "Kim is not happy about the post." She and the Saturday Night Live alum "amicably split" and they're "both supportive of each other," so West's mockery is bothersome.
E! News reports that The Kardashians star "asked numerous times" that West to "take down the post." Meanwhile, a Kardashian source told DailyMail.com that it was not so much asking as it was "demanding." After being up for four hours, the post — which also took a dig at Kid Cudi — was removed from West's page.
The latter website reported that Kardashian "will never get back together with Kanye over the way he’s treated the people she loves and respects. She has tried incredibly hard to have a good co-parenting situation for the children. She won’t stand for this type of behavior from him."
News of the breakup, which took place early last week, was announced Friday. A source told Yahoo at the time it is an amicable split as Kardashian and Davidson are pulled apart by their life and work circumstances. (He's in Australia working; she lives and works in L.A., where her kids are based.)
West and Kardashian officially separated in January 2021. She started dating Davidson after she guest-hosted Saturday Night Live in October. Davidson has since gotten to know the four children she shares with West — and has talked about his dream of having his own children. But things obviously didn't progress that far. Less than a month later, they called it quits.
John Oliver Slams Marjorie Taylor Greene For Monkeypox Comments: 'Obvious Dog Whistle Bigotry'
On Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Sunday, Oliver called out Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for recent comments she made about monkeypox, which is rapidly spreading across the country, especially in the LGBTQ community. Though anybody can contract monkeypox, Greene is among those who repeatedly insist it’s strictly an LGBTQ problem.
“Of course monkeypox is a threat to some people in our population, but we know what causes it, and that’s pretty much, um — it’s basically a sexually transmitted disease, so it’s not a threat to most of the population,” Greene said. “And so it’s not a global pandemic. It’s really not. And people just have to laugh at it, mock it, and reject it. So I think it’s another scam.”
“Okay, obviously that is ridiculous,” Oliver said in response. “If the way to get rid of something awful was for people to laugh at it and mock it, that woman clearly wouldn’t be in Congress, and yet, here we all are.”
Oliver also slammed Greene for tweets she posted. One he believes to be a dog whistle for conservatives meant to push the homophobic talking point that homosexuals are “grooming” children. The other, a tweet suggesting that school children should carry guns to protect themselves.
“Greene also tweeted, ‘If monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease, why are kids getting it?’ in an act of obvious dog whistle bigotry, suggesting gay people are a danger to children,” Oliver said, “when what’s clearly an actual danger to children is the QAnon congresswoman who once tweeted, ‘The kids at Uvalde needed JR-15s.’”
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver airs Sundays at 11 p.m. on HBO.
Fetty Wap Arrested For Violating Parole, Feds Revoke Bond After He Waved Gun & Issued Threats During FaceTime
New Jersey rapper Fetty Wap has been arrested again after violating his parole. Feds have now revoked his bond and claim he made threats while waving a gun during a FaceTime call.
As a refresher: Back in October 2021, Fetty, real name William Maxwell, was arrested for drug trafficking on Long Island, New York.
The feds say the rapper allegedly worked with a crew of five other people, and together they trafficked more than 100 kilograms of drugs on the island.
Fetty ended up pleading not guilty after his arrest. The rapper was then released from jail on a $500,000 personal recognizance bond, and has since been out.
However, since Fetty’s release, the feds say they caught him making a threatening video call to a John Doe on December 11, 2021, leading to his arrest on Monday (Aug. 8).
Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York state in new court documents that Fetty violated the conditions of his release with said video call.
Court documents claim Fetty called the man a “rat” and threatened, “I’mma k*ll you and everybody you with,” then again repeated, “I’m gonna k*ll you.“
An FBI agent wrote in an affidavit, “This was a direct violation of both state law and the condition of his release.”
During Fetty’s bail revocation hearing in Central Islip federal court, Magistrate Judge Steven Locke revoked Fetty’s bond pending trial in his drug trafficking case.
Meanwhile, the rapper’s attorney, Elizabeth Macedonio, claimed that her client was set up.
Macedonio says that days earlier, John Doe attacked her client first after he allegedly posted a photo of the rapper’s deceased 4-year-old daughter, Lauren Maxwell, and captioned the post, “I’m happy she’s dead because her father is a rat.”
Back in July 2021, Fetty’s daughter Lauren died of complications caused by congenital heart arrhythmia.
Macedonio told Judge Locke, “He was very manipulative in trying to get a rise out of Mr. Maxwell, to agitate him in a way no parent would have to face…the death of one’s 4-year-old daughter is something no one should use as a ploy.”
While the judge admitted he was sympathetic to anyone who had lost a child, he still ordered that the rapper have his bond revoked and remain detained. Judge Locke claimed Fetty was “clearly deploying a gun to threaten to kill someone.”
ESPN Is Reportedly Expected To Lose Big Ten Football Rights, With CBS And NBC Taking Their Place
For more than 40 years, ESPN and the Big Ten have been synonymous when it comes to the broadcasting of college football and college basketball. Though FOX has emerged as a prominent partner for the Big Ten, both in showcasing top-tier games and actually owning a majority stake in the Big Ten Network, ESPN is often associated with the conference due to a longstanding relationship that provides the network with a great deal of programming. However, a report from John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal indicates that could be changing in the near future.
Ourand notes that, while “there remains the possibility ESPN could wind up with a package,” it would take a “last-minute change of direction” for the worldwide leader to keep a piece of the Big Ten’s media rights on its next deal. FOX already secured the most prominent part of the Big Ten’s next package, but Ourand reports that CBS and NBC are now “clear front runners” to split the rest of the conference’s offerings.
In addition to FOX’s branding of “Big Noon Saturday” built heavily around the Big Ten in the early window, their agreement also includes Big Ten Network and FS1 rights for both football and basketball. In the arrangement that could be coming together in the near future, CBS would replace its vacated SEC rights in the 3:30 pm ET time slot (after ESPN swiped those away), with NBC reportedly projected to carry Big Ten games in prime time.
The loss of the Big Ten would be quite jarring for ESPN, though Ourand’s piece does hint at a potential run at the Pac-12 and/or Big 12 to replace some of the tonnage. Still, that doesn’t quite carry the same luster, particularly with the recent agreement for UCLA and USC to join the Big Ten and the Big 12’s loss of Oklahoma and Texas. Elsewhere, NBC adding the Big Ten alongside its current agreement with Notre Dame would be quite intriguing, and CBS avoids the large-scale absence of college football after the well-publicized shift away from the fabled SEC on CBS broadcast.
ESPN certainly can’t be ruled out until the ink is dry on a signed agreement, but this would be a big loss for the network. It would also set up a situation in which Big Ten fans could be treated to national windows from noon and into prime time with the conference’s programs on display across the board.
Wait! There’s A Live-Action Pac-Man Movie On The Way
Live-action video game adaptations are making some headway in Hollywood these days, as a pair of Sonic the Hedgehog movies and a forthcoming Mario movie of approximate Italian-ness is in the works as well. But Monday brought news that another legendary game will give live-action a go.
The Hollywood Reporter shared that a live-action Pac-Man movie is in the works. Based on a video game that debuted in 1980, the movie will apparently revolve around an endlessly hungry yellow sphere that will somehow be filmed with real live humans. As the report notes, a pair of TV shows have been made about Pac-Man over the years, and the gaming franchise is legendary. But those were cartoons, which certainly fit the concept of the game itself a bit better considering its main character is a vaguely anthropomorphic sphere.
Retro games have had an interesting history at the cinema, and it’s hard to get more retro than Pac-Man. Which is sort of why a live-action adaptation of pixelated ghosts chasing after pixelated circles seems so odd. The Hollywood Reporter story did include an intriguing note about the project: it will be an “original” idea from someone who has previously worked on the Sonic films.
The project will be based on an original idea from Chuck Williams (Sonic the Hedgehog) of Lightbeam Entertainment. Baldoni, Manu Gargi and Andrew Calof will produce on behalf of Wayfarer Studios; Williams and Tim Kwok will produce on behalf of Lightbeam.
Whether that means a truly Pac-Man-based origin story for the film or something more like Pixels or Free Guy — i.e. movies set in video game-line universes but not necessarily adherent to any particular game-specific plot points — seems up in the air right now. As is who will play any Pac people or the vibrantly colored ghosts.
Chris Brown Roasts Childish Gambino's Outfit At Beyoncé’s Club Renaissance Party
NEW YORK, NY – Chris Brown has roasted Childish Gambino (real name Donald Glover) for the outfit he chose to wear at Beyoncé’s “secret” Renaissance party over the weekend.
Not long after the Instagram account Fit Ain’t Nothing shared a photo of the Atlanta creator rocking what looks like a sheer, white leotard with his chest and belly button exposed at the New York City event on Friday (August 5), Brown couldn’t help himself from commenting.
“This is CHILDISH NANBINO !!!” the caption read. “Oooo weeee @donaldglover this ain’t NOTHEEN !! … N-gga dressed like he finna walk a tight rope and Hike Stone Mountain at the same time. this shit so nasty , Mysterious and Chaotic all wrapped into that Tinfoil windbreaker you got on my bwoiiii.
It continued: “I don’t give a damn if THIS IS AMERICA you look like you go Hang-gliding to Pretty little thing for a side mission NAN!!”
Brown replied in the comments section: “I can hear the tambourines when he walk.”
The famous faces came out in droves for Beyoncé’s soiree at the Times Square Edition hotel over the weekend. Dubbed “Club Renaissance,” the event adhered to a Studio 54 theme and was attended by a bevy of guests like such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kendrick Lamar, Janelle Monae and Yara Shahidi.
JAY-Z joined Beyoncé at the event, but so far there are no photos of the couple.
Kevin Durant Reportedly Tells Nets Owner to Choose Between Him or Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks
Nets owner Joseph Tsai took to Twitter Monday to declare that he stands behind the team’s front office and coaching staff.
“Our front office and coaching staff have my support,” Tsai wrote. “We will make decisions in the best interest of the Brooklyn Nets.”
Tsai’s tweet comes hours after the Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Kevin Durant met with the Nets owner over the weekend and told Tsai he will need to choose between the 12-time NBA All-Star or general manager Sean Marks and head coach Steve Nash.
“The Nets plan to move Durant where they can get the best possible deal,” Woj said. “With four years on his contract, there’s no shortage of teams willing to unload assets for Durant.”
Gabby Petito’s Family to File $50 Million Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Utah Police Interaction
The family of Gabby Petito has announced plans to file a multimillion-dollar wrongful death lawsuit over a widely criticized interaction with police in Utah.
Per KTVX, the suit in question sees family members seeking a reported $50 million in damages. At a press conference that included members of the regional law firms of Parker & McConkie and Zimmerman Booher, attorney Jim McConkie said he and his partners had filed a notice of intent on Monday morning at the request of Petito’s parents.
“Gabby Petito’s parents have asked the law firms of Parker & McConkie and Zimmerman Booher to represent them in a lawsuit against the Moab police for their negligent failure to first understand the law and enforce it and second, for the wrongful death of their daughter,” he said. “In this regard, this morning we’ve filed a notice of claim which is the first step in initiating future litigation.”
The suit was further described as merely one piece of a larger effort to raise awareness about domestic violence, both throughout the U.S. and elsewhere. Elsewhere in the press conference, which also included virtual appearances from Petito’s parents, lead attorney Brian Stewart said a suit of this type was the “only effective way” to push for departmental changes while also holding people accountable, including, in this instance, police.
Prior to going missing and eventually being discovered to have been killed by Brian Laundrie, police in Moab (as seen in body cam footage that was later made public) carried out a traffic stop involving the two.
In an interview with NBC News that aired via the Today show last week, Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, announced a donation of $100,000 from the Gabby Petito Foundation to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. She also addressed the release of journal excerpts from Laundrie.
“That was his character,” she said in the interview. “Even in his last moments, he wanted to make sure he looked like the good guy.”
Gabrielle Union Shares Nude Photo: ‘Naked & Unafraid’
*Gabrielle Union took to Instagram on Friday to share a photo of herself naked while sitting in a makeup chair.
The actress, 49, captioned the photo, “Naked & Unafraid. The Rebirth Will Be GLORIOUS.” She also thanked actress Lauren London who “dropped some knowledge” that Union found to be life-changing.
“PS Thank you @laurenlondon you showed up like the angel you are and dropped some knowledge & love on me that has changed the course of my life,” Union continued. “Won’t He do it. PSS THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to pour into me these last few months as I’ve struggled mightily. THANK YOU!!!!!”
Last September, Union appeared topless on social media to share an empowering message.
“Giving strong dancing cricket vibes but when folks ask what it feels like to be so publicly vulnerable… This right here,” she wrote at the time on Instagram, Yahoo reported. “Seriously though, if you have ever felt like you might literally die from humiliation, being vulnerable can be a challenge but lemme tell youuuuuuu, it’s actually FREEDOM. Peace & joy can live side by side with vulnerability.”
Ahmaud Arbery Killers Sentencing Update: McMichaels Get Life Terms, William ‘Roddie’ Bryan 35 Years
*(CNN) — Gregory and Travis McMichael, the White father and son convicted in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, were sentenced Monday to life in prison after their federal convictions this year on interference with rights — a hate crime — along with attempted kidnapping and weapon use charges.
Their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., the third man involved in Arbery’s killing, was sentenced by US District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood to 35 years, which will be served at the same time as his state sentence.
All three men already are serving life sentences for their convictions in state court on a series of charges related to the killing of the 25-year-old Black man, including felony murder.
“My son was shot not one time, not two times, but three times,” Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones said before Travis McMichael’s sentence was handed down. She and other members of Arbery’s family asked the judge to give Travis McMichael the maximum possible sentence under federal guidelines.
Travis McMichael, his father and Bryan were found guilty of the federal charges in February, with the jury accepting prosecutors’ argument the defendants acted out of racial animus toward Arbery. Travis McMichael, who fatally shot Arbery, was also found guilty of using and carrying a Remington shotgun while his father, Gregory McMichael was found guilty of using and carrying a .357 Magnum revolver.
Travis McMichael and Gregory McMichael were also sentenced Monday to 20 years on the attempted kidnapping charges, to be served concurrently with their state sentences, Godbey ruled Monday.
Travis McMichael also received an additional 10 years for the weapons charge to be served consecutively, while Gregory McMichael received an additional seven years on the weapons charge, which will also be served consecutively. The judge ruled both McMichaels did not have the funds to pay a fine.
The sentencing of both McMichaels were preceded by emotional testimony from Arbery’s family, which told the court about how his killing had impacted them and changed their family.
They also condemned the actions of both men, with Cooper-Jones testifying to her confusion when she learned Gregory McMichael was with Travis he killed Arbery. At first, she said, she questioned whether that could be true.
“I struggled to come to the realization that a father would actually accompany his son to take a life,” she said. “I didn’t want to believe that, because me as a mother, I could never accompany my son to do any type of crime.”
Before Gregory McMichael was sentenced, he acknowledged Arbery’s family, who were in court, saying the “loss that you’ve endured is beyond description. There’s no words for it.”
“I’m sure that my words mean little to you, but I wanted to assure you I never wanted any of this to happen. There was no malice in my heart or my son’s heart that day,” he said.
Gregory McMichael also apologized to his wife and his son, saying, “I should have never put him in that situation.”
“Finally, I pray that God’s peace will come to the Arbery family and this community,” Gregory McMichael said.
Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon, Cooper-Jones said she accepted Gregory McMichael’s apology.
“Being the person that I am, I think now he realizes he made some horrible decisions back in February (2020),” she said. “Unfortunately, his apology doesn’t bring back my son, but I do accept the apology.”
Bryan later issued a similar apology.
Instagram Will Soon Test ‘Tall Photos’
Instagram is possibly working on giving its users the ability to take or post a portrait photo with a 9:16 image ratio.
It seems like we’re going to get a new feature from Instagram every other week. After being called out by its consumers, including celebs Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, IG may be trying to get back to its picture platform roots.
The next tool Insta is breaking out of its bag of tricks is a new option for posting portrait photos. Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, announced the social media platform is testing out an option for 9:16 portrait photos.
Right now, we can see “tall videos” on Instagram, like what we view on TikTok, likely Instagram’s top competitor. This time, Insta is going to try out “tall photos.” While at an AMA session, Mosseri said the platform currently supports “tall videos, but you cannot have tall photos on Instagram. So we thought maybe we should make sure that we treat both equally,” Hypebeast reports.
We’re able to post photos with a maximum ratio of 8:10, but the upcoming plan is to extend that to 9:16. The testing phase is expected to start “in a week or two,” says Mosseri.
London Museum Says It Will Return 72 Benin Artifacts Back To Nigeria After British Forces Stole Them In 1897
A London museum will finally give back Benin artifacts that were stolen by British forces in 1897.
Stolen by British soldiers back in 1897, 72 Benin treasures and artifacts are finally going to be returned to Nigeria after the soldiers gave them to the Horniman museum. The museum’s board of trustees unanimously voted on the transfer of the items, The Guardian reports.
During a raid on Benin, British forces looted about 10,000 objects, which are now being held captive in 165 museums and several private collections around the world, the news outlet reports. The Horniman is reportedly now the first government-funded insinuation to give back precious items stolen by British forces.
Last week, Oxford and Cambridge Universities claimed they planned to return more than 200 between them, The Guardian reports.
“The evidence is very clear that these objects were acquired through force, and external consultation supported our view that it is both moral and appropriate to return their ownership to Nigeria,” said Eve Salomon, Chair of Horniman museum.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘HE’S HERE AGAIN!’
He’s been spotted everywhere every branch
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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