#MAGFAB: Pierce Brosnan For British GQ, October 2022,
Pierce Brosnan’s boys look just like their dad! The actor’s youngest two children — Dylan, 25, and Paris, 21 — joined their father for an epic British GQ cover shoot, published on Thursday.
The trio front the October 2022 issue in matching neutral ensembles by Fear of God, but wore plenty of wilder looks for the spread.
Brosnan, 69, sported a statement Dolce & Gabbana suit with red jewels on the lapel and pockets while posing on the beach.
Paris, for his part, rocked a sequined silver suit jacket from the same fashion house, while his older brother paired his sheer turtleneck with a faux fur coat.
The siblings gushed about their dad in the interview, calling the “Mamma Mia!” star the “nicest guy” they know.
“I always thought he had a lot of friends, growing up because people would come up to him in the street, and … he talk[ed] to everyone for a really long time,” Dylan told the magazine, noting that he doesn’t “tell anyone” who his father is.
The musician went on to reflect on their normal childhood spent between Los Angeles and Hawaii homes.
“[We were] a bunch of kids running around a forest, looking for something to do, riding bicycles down the street, going to caves and swimming and surfing and stuff,” Dylan explained.
While Brosnan’s children have both worked on films, the producer revealed that he has always tried to dissuade them from following in his acting footsteps, calling it “f—king hard work.”
The Golden Globe nominee said, “It’s a cross to bear. You’re constructing and destroying yourself.”
Instead, Dylan and Paris have pursued careers in music and modeling, respectively, with Brosnan sharing his “fatherly pride” over their accomplishments.
The “Mrs. Doubtfire” star shares his boys with wife Keely Shaye Smith and is also the father of Cassandra Harris’ sons, Christopher, 49, and Sean, 39.
Brosnan has brought Dylan and Paris to multiple red carpets over the years, with the then-teenagers making headlines in November 2019 when they were named the Golden Globe ambassadors for 2020.
The brothers were “over the moon” about the honor, Dylan wrote in a statement at the time.
Coolio Found Dead at Age 59
Coolio, the rapper best known for his chart-topping single “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has died at the age of 59, according to TMZ.
Citing the rapper’s longtime manager, TMZ reports that Coolio died from cardiac arrest on Wednesday. At the time of his death, he was at a friend’s house, his manager said. After the rapper went to the bathroom and never returned, his body was found laying on the floor. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Released in 1995, the Stevie Wonder-sampling, L.V.-featuring “Gangsta’s Paradise” was an ominous yet infectious document of gangster life, a darker offering from a man with a pretty lighthearted persona (if his iconic hair wasn’t proof enough, Coolio’s earlier output had built him a reputation for bringing a humorous perspective to his tales of violence). The track spent three weeks at No. 1 and earned a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The song was also famously parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic, who reimagined it as “Amish Paradise.”
Coolio’s other notable songs included “Fantastic Voyage” and “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” — both of which cracked the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Coolio was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. on August 1st, 1963. After moving from Monessen, Pennsylvania to Compton, California, he came up in the West Coast rap scene of the 1980s and ‘90s, releasing his first single, “Whatcha Gonna Do?”, in 1987. In 1991, he joined WC and the Maad Circle, appearing on their debut album Ain’t a Damn Thang Changed.
In 1994, Coolio signed to Tommy Boy Records. The same year, he released his solo debut, It Takes a Thief, home to the platinum single “Fantastic Voyage.” “Gangsta’s Paradise” arrived in 1995 and became one of hip-hop’s rawest, most enduring singles.
Following the success of “Gangsta’s Paradise,” Coolio wrote “Aw, Here It Goes!” as the theme song for Nickelodeon’s Kenan & Kel, and joined the likes of Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan, and Fat Joe for America Is Dying Slowly, a compilation album for the AIDS-awareness group Red Hot Organization.
Coolio also had a number of acting roles throughout his career, featuring in television shows like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Nanny, and Gravity Falls and becoming a fixture of 2000s reality TV by appearing on Celebrity Big Brother and Wife Swap. His eighth and final studio album was 2009’s From the Bottom 2 the Top.
Just two weeks prior to his death, Coolio performed at the 2022 edition of Riot Fest in Chicago.
#RHOA: Kandi Burruss Suggests Marlo “Rehearsed” Speech on Trauma for RHOA Reunion
Kandi Burruss appeared on Sunday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live, where she confessed to feeling that Marlo Hampton‘s Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion performance was rehearsed.
After Marlo was seen discussing her traumatic childhood amid her many feuds with the ladies of the show, Kandi reacted to a virtual fan, who wanted to know if her opinion of Marlo had changed after seeing how emotional she became at the reunion.
“I know that a lot of people are going to think I’m coldhearted for saying this, but I felt like the speech was rehearsed. It gave me rehearsed, especially when she went down to each person,” Kandi admitted on a recent episode of WWHL. “How do a lot of people cover up some of the things that they’ve wronged people is to bring up their traumas and make you feel sorry for them. So it gave me rehearsed, not to say that she hasn’t experienced trauma, because she has. But don’t bring it up every time you dog somebody or drag them.”
At that point, host Andy Cohen stepped in, attempting to take responsibility for Marlo’s potential gas lighting, saying, “But I feel like I was the one bringing it up,” and later suggesting he “brought up a lot of her trauma because I thought it was important to hear what she’s been through in order to understand where she is now.”
Pump Rules' Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz Settle Divorce as Katie Requests to "Terminate" Spousal Support Amid Raquel Rumors
Still, Kandi agreed with fellow guest Karamo Brown, who accused Marlo of being emotionally manipulative and playing victim to cover up her bad behavior.
“That was a great way for her to be able to make you feel like you brought it up the whole time. Because she does it through the whole entire season,” Kandi added.
#MusicNews: Rihanna Considering Guests For Super Bowl Halftime Show
Rihanna may be joined by some special guests when she takes the stage at the Super Bowl next year.
Just days after her big announcement, the singer and her team are hard at work planning the show. According to a report from TMZ, Rihanna is still figuring out whether or not she wants guests.
There are nearly 50 possible names in the running including collaborators like JAY-Z, Drake, Kanye West, Eminem, Paul McCartney, Calvin Harris, Kendrick Lamar, and more.
There’s still a chance she performs solo, but it’s likely she will have at least one guest, if past years are any indication. Ultimately, Rihanna will have the final say on any potential guests.
The new mom has been spending a lot of time in the studio in recent days. On Monday night, she and A$AP Rocky were spotted at a New York City recording studio, fueling rumors that they are working on music together.
While the Super Bowl is still five months away, Rihanna fans have been weighing in with their dream set lists. Dr. Dre, who headlined this year’s halftime show, also shared his excitement over seeing Rihanna perform.
“I’m a super fan of Rihanna. I can’t wait to see what she’s going to do,” he told Apple Music. “I just like her and what she does, and her get down, and how she approaches her artistry and the whole nine. It’s fantastic. She has the opportunity to really blow us away.”
On Sunday, Rihanna confirmed that she would headline the show after turning down an offer to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl in support of Colin Kaepernick, who protested police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.
Super Bowl LVII will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12.
#HipHopNews: Kanye West Previews New Song In London
Ye is getting back to the music. The rapper was at an after-party for Burberry in London on Monday where he previewed a brand new collaboration with James Blake, reportedly titled “Always.” Ye joined Jordss behind the DJ booth and played a snippet of the melodic track off his iPhone for the excited crowd. Blake’s vocals can be heard as Ye repeats the “always” hook.
Some fans thought the song was a sample, but Blake set the record straight.
“Doesn’t sample ‘always’. It’s new,” he tweeted.
Bella Hadid, Daniel Kaluuya, Erykah Badu, Naomi Campbell, and Ye’s ex Irina Shayk also joined the Yeezy mogul at the after-show to celebrate Burberry’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection.
During his trip to London for Fashion Week, Ye also debuted some questionable new footwear. He was seen walking the streets in bedazzled flip-flops, a look that received a mixed response on social media.
But Ye didn’t seem to care about the criticism, posting a photo of his footwear on Instagram and writing, “Don’t talk to me.”
#PRAYERS: 'Chicago Med' Star Marlyne Barrett Reveals She Has Uterine and Ovarian Cancer: 'I'm Holding Onto Faith'
Fans of Chicago Med's Marlyne Barrett will recall emotional scenes the actress filmed in 2019 when her character, charge nurse Maggie Lockwood, was battling breast cancer. Yet what the star hasn't revealed until now is that she has been quietly facing cancer herself, ever since doctors discovered a football-sized tumor on her uterus and left ovary in July.
"I'm an extremely private person, but I felt a responsibility to tell my story," says Barrett, 44, who has 11-month-old twins Joshuah-Jireh and Ahnne-N'Urya with her husband, pastor Gavin Barrett. "When my character went through breast cancer, I had a sea of people reach out to me through social media. They brought me courage, and so I felt a sense of inevitability to meet their hearts where they met me."
Barrett, who is also known for her role on The Wire, says she also hopes to inspire others to share their own painful or uncomfortable truths. "We as human beings are so scared to face the mortality of life, or to even pronounce the word cancer," she says. "But we have so much more strength inside of us than we think."
Barrett's arduous cancer journey began two months ago when, following a hernia repair in April, she started feeling off. "I had this accumulation of fluid [in my abdomen] that I couldn't shake," she says. "I looked like I was nine months pregnant. And I also had shortness of breath, but no pain, which was interesting."
On July 18, doctors informed Barrett that she had a mass on her ovary and uterus; the actress was stunned by the news. "The initial experience was a shock, a shock to my womanhood," says Barrett, who has no family history of either uterine or ovarian cancers. "I didn't believe them, but when they showed me the CT scan, I went, 'Oh my word.' The first questions were, 'Am I going to live?' I just fell into my husband's arms. It still takes my breath away when I think about it."
Despite her fears, Barrett jumped into defense mode as doctors informed her she'd need "aggressive" chemotherapy before an eventual hysterectomy. "The best way I could experience was to meet it," she says. "There's no running from it because it's my life. And eventually you just surrender because it's so much bigger than anything you've ever faced. I found this courage and I just hunkered down and said, 'I'm going to face this.' "
When it came to the inevitability that she'd lose her hair, "I didn't want to give the power to chemo," says Barrett. "My hair has always been an essence of beauty. But I took my own razor and I shaved my head. I did it in front of my babies so they'd see it was still Mommy. I wept, I wept, I wept. But it was a beautiful experience to do it in front of them."
Throughout the journey, Barrett has also found endless comfort in Gavin, whom she wed in 2009. "I'm married to the most incredible man," she says. "I get pins and needles in my limbs from the chemo and he'll drop everything to give me food and hand massages. He's dropped everything just to give me love."
Throughout her physical discomfort, Barrett has worked steadily, leaning on her Chicago Med cast and crew for extra support when needed. "I've had people shave their heads on set to support me," she says, fighting tears.
In order to keep working, "I start an hour earlier to get my bearings before I start my day," says the actress, who also takes naps and occasional days off to keep up her energy.
In addition, "because of the mass, my mid-range is a different size, so the costume department does an incredible job," says Barrett. "Interestingly enough, my character on the show already wears a wig!" And ultimately, "work brings me a lot of joy right now," she says. "It brings me a lot of reprieve to think about something other than, 'When is my next chemo shift?' and 'How am I going to hug my children?'"
Now, as she prepares for her third round of chemotherapy at City of Hope in Los Angeles, Barrett says she's taking it "one day at a time."
"I have a wave of emotion that comes," she admits. "But it's okay not to have it all together. You can't tangibly hold onto fear. But I'm holding onto faith."
Continues Barrett: "I find new strength to carry on every day because of [my children]. I want to see them get married one day. And I will."
Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Tom Hanks Wrote A Novel About Making A Comic Book Movie
Write what you know, right? That’s what Tom Hanks has done, sort of. According to People, the Oscar-winning actor (and occasional filmmaker) is adding “novelist” to his CV. It’s called The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, and it’s about — that’s right — the movies. Specifically, it’s about the making of a movie. Even more specifically, it’s about the making of the kind of movie he, in his nearly 45-year career, has never made: comic book movies.
As per the book’s official synopsis, Motion Picture Masterpiece concerns the behind-the-scenes business of a “colossal, star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film and the humble comic book that inspired it.” Hanks says he drew from personal experiences.
“Every character in the book does something I’ve experienced while making a movie, as well as discovered a philosophy or learned an important lesson,” Hanks said. “Even the foolish moments are some kind of stunt I’ve pulled or mistake I’ve survived.”
The only catch, of course, is that he’s never had to play a mentor or even a villain to some some younger dude in a cape, as so many of his generation have done. It’s a gig he’s been able to avoid, probably because he’s Tom Hanks. Of course, had he done, say, Thor: The Dark World or something, would he have considered one of the only four “pretty good” films he’s ever made — a private list he will probably never make public? Who’s to say. But he’ll probably wouldn’t have graded it higher than Forrest Gump.
The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece is set to hit bookshelves on May 9, 2023.
‘SNL’ Alum Chris Redd Reportedly Dating Kenan Thompson’s Ex-Wife
Just a few months after Kenan Thompson filed for divorce from Christina Evangeline, the latter is dating Thompson’s former Saturday Night Live co-star Chris Redd.
According to TMZ, Redd and Evangeline “became official within the past year, and there was no overlap or cheating when it happened.” Although Thompson filed for Evangeline, his wife of 11 years, in May, the couple had been separated for a few years.
“We’re told Kenan’s aware of his ex’s romance with Chris and has no hard feelings – he’s apparently moved on and is happily dating other people,” TMZ noted.
The news arrives several months after the couple’s separation was announced. Back in May, it was reported that Thompson and his estranged wife have agreed to joint custody of their two daughters, 3-year-old Gianna and 7-year-old Georgia.
Sources told TMZ in May that the couple had been separated “over a year now,” and had been successfully co-parenting their children as they worked on separate coasts. Insiders didn’t provide details on the couple’s split, stating they “simply grew apart, but are able to remain great friends.”
Thompson, 44, reportedly met Evangeline, 33, while she was working as an interior designer. They tied the knot in November 2011 in an Atlanta ceremony. The SNL star spoke about his family during a 2020 interview with People magazine, while promoting his Apple+ documentary film, Dads.
Thompson joined SNL 2003, and is now the longest-running cast member. Meanwhile, Redd revealed last week that he’s leaving SNL after five seasons on the show.
‘Star Trek 4’ Removed From Paramount Picture’s Release Calendar
The future of the Star Trek film franchise continues to be in flux following the unsurprising news that Paramount has now taken the movie planned for next year off of their release calendar.
The saga of the next movie continues
Paramount Pictures has now removed the Star Trek film set for release on December 22, 2023. The news first came from the trades, with Variety noting the move was “inevitable” following the news from last month of director Matt Shakman exiting the project.
After Shakman left the project, producer JJ Abrams and Paramount were reported to have started a hunt for a new director. There are no details on the current status of the project and no new statement from Paramount today. Last month following Shakman’s exit the studio did issue a statement that said (in part), Paramount was “excited about the creative vision of this next chapter and look forward to bringing it to audiences all around the world.”
This Star Trek project was already delayed once before with Paramount previously setting a June 2023 release. The film appeared to have momentum in February of this year when producer JJ Abrams announced plans to move forward with another film in the Kelvin Universe era with hopes for production to begin this fall. While Chris Pine and other stars have all expressed their interest in doing a fourth film, they also expressed skepticism it could move ahead that quickly. Earlier this month Pine was still talking about how he would like to see the script.
Twitter is horrified after Rachel Dolezal's OnlyFans pictures leak
Rachel Dolezal, the former white NAACP chapter president who made headlines in 2015 for claiming she identified as Black, is currently trending on social media after her OnlyFans page was leaked.
According to TMZ, Dolezal’s account is real and her representative confirmed that she’s had it for most of the year. Apparently, the 44-year-old created it to show off her Savage X Fenty lingerie.
“Welcome to my OnlyFans page, where I post creative content and interact with fans more than on any other platform! Subscribers get to see how my sensual side pairs with my creative spirit through intimate images inspired by color, light, and lingerie on the weekends. Thanks for joining my OF Crew! I welcome feedback [and] hope you enjoy my content,” her bio reads on OnlyFans.
Some of Dolezal’s steamy pictures made their way onto Twitter Monday (Sept. 27) night and many users were disturbed. “[If] you post Rachel Dolezal’s [OnlyFans] on my TL, you’re getting blocked,” one user tweeted.
“The worst part of the Rachel Dolezal [OnlyFans] is all the money spent on seeing a nude white woman pretending to be Black that could have been going to other hard-working actual black women on [OnlyFans]. She keeps finding new ways to take from the Black community,” BlackKnight10k tweeted.
“Rachel Dolezal’s OnlyFans nudes going across my timeline is truly proof that Jesus Babatunde Harold Christ just needs to come collect us. Just play the trumpet. Let’s be done,” another disturbed user tweeted.
SlackSupremacy questioned what race category is her OnlyFans profile is filed under. “Rachel Dolezal filed her Onlyfans nudes under ‘ebony’?”
“I really hope you negros aren’t subscribing to Rachel Dolezal’s [OnlyFans],” wrote PierceFair89.
“Rachel Dolezal having an OnlyFans was something I did not want or need to learn existed,” another user tweeted.
Tamar Braxton Claims ‘It Wasn’t Shade’ After Fans Suggest She Attempted to Steal Moment from ‘Big Brother’ Winner Taylor Hale
Fans are calling out Tamar Braxton for seemingly throwing shade at “Big Brother” winner Taylor Hale. She’s the first black woman to win the reality competition series in 24 seasons following its first Black winner, Xavier Prather, in season 23 last year. Many celebrated Hale’s historic win and showered her with congratulatory messages online.
“Tonight Taylor Hale made ‘BB’ History. Becoming the first Black woman to win ‘Big Brother,'” tweeted a fan page of the NBC show. “She did it for herself but also in honor of all the black women who played ‘BB’ and sadly were not given a fair shot at the game. Congrats and thank you Taylor for this victory.” The tweet also included a heart emoji and the hashtag #BB24.
However, fans in the comments are confused by Braxton’s response, which was captured by The Shade Room. The singer wrote, “Whew! But congratulations,” paired with the thinking face emoji.
Some called the fellow “Big Brother” “shady” among other things for stealing the shine from Hale’s historic moment. “Petty and looking for attn is what it’s giving,” said one person while another wrote, “Tamar this really isn’t about you…” A third individual added, “The shade is clearer than the sky.”
For those who recall, Braxton is the first Black house guest to win “Celebrity: Big Brother” season two in 2019. Fans reminded the Grammy winner that her version was for celebrities, while Hale won the CBS series among other individuals in the regular version.
“Celebrity Big Brother is not the same! Just say congratulations lol.”
“Celebrity big brother and the original big brother two different shows! Let this woman have her moment.”
“Girl, celebrity big Brother and the main one are two different things. Tamar, come on.”
“Don’t be that girl Tamar you know what they meant. Also you played for 3 weeks and she played for 3 months. Let’s not do that.”
“I think Tamara is confused… Tamar was the first black woman to win OVERALL, Taylor is now the first black woman to win in the main series.”
“I’m rooting for everyone black. But I was confused on this, lol.”
After seeing the backlash, Braxton returned to the comments to say her message didn’t show shade at all. She wrote, “It wasn’t shade but go awf. Over everyone thinking I have a problem with everything and everyone.”
“Big Brother” has a long-standing history of allegations of house guests making racist, bigoted remarks toward Black women or women of color, as reported by TMZ. The show also has a history of guests saying other outlandish and horrific things, which some call bullying. There’s also a record of guests using racial and homophobic slurs and mistreatment toward Black contestants.
Braxton dealt with her share of mishaps during season two of “Celebrity: Big Brother,” including an alleged physical altercation with another house guest, Lolo Jones, who viewers deemed as a “racist.” The show also helped end her feud with fellow singer and “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss.
Hale’s experience on season 24 was not far removed. Prather and more fans spoke up about her mistreatment in July. He alleged she dealt with “micro-aggressions and unconscious biases” and possibly felt “ostracized within the Big Brother House for simply existing.”
Afterward, “Big Brother” host Julie Chen Moonves gave house guests the benefit of the doubt in an interview with E!’s “Daily Pop.”
The talk show host said, “Micro-aggressions are real and they happen. I don’t think most people when they are committing it, that they are even aware of what they’re doing.” She later added, “Who is anyone to judge somebody else?”
‘Heartland’ Actor Robert Cormier Dead At Age 33
Robert Cormier, who played Finn Cotter on the show “Heartland,” died on Friday. He was just 33 years old.
The actor’s cause of death is yet to be determined. Robert Cormier is remembered as “an athlete, an actor, and a great brother.”
In his obituary, Cormier is remembered as “an athlete, an actor, and a great brother,” who had “a passion for helping others and was always looking to achieve more.”
“He enjoyed movie nights with his family, and looked up greatly to his father. He impacted many people throughout his life whether it was family, teammates and friends,” the obituary further read.
“Rob’s memory will live on through his passion for art and film; as well as his three sisters who meant the world to him.”
He is survived by his parents Robert and Lisa, and his sisters, Brittany, Krystal and Stephanie.
Following the tragic news of his death, the official Instagram page for “Heartland” remembered him as a “beloved member.”
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Cormier. He was a beloved member of the Heartland cast the last two seasons. On behalf of the Heartland cast and crew, our thoughts are with him and his family, who have asked for privacy during this difficult time,” their statement read.
The show’s network, uPtv, also paid tribute to Cormier with an Instagram picture of his character.
“Robert Cormier, aka Heartland’s Finn, was an amazing talent, gone too soon. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Our sincere condolences go out to his friends, family, and co-workers. 🕊️,” they captioned the photo.
In his last Instagram post, the actor gushed about his participation in “Heartland,” sharing an Instagram photo of his scripts.
Aside from “Heartland,” Cormier appeared in “Slasher,” “Designated Survivor,” “American Gods,” and “Ransom.”
Maverick City Music Pushes 'Pause' with Singer Dante Bowe over 'Inconsistent' Behavior
Maverick City Music announced Monday night they will "pause" their relationship with singer Dante Bowe after a display of "inconsistent" behavior.
The worship collective has taken the Christian music industry by storm with songs like their Grammy-winning single "Jireh," and "Promises", which has 92 million views on YouTube.
Gospel singer Dante Bowe has been a part of the group since its inception in 2019, but on Tuesday they announced they were distancing themselves from Bowe, citing actions that contradict their values.
"Due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values and beliefs, we have decided to put a pause on our professional relationship with Dante Bowe," the statement read. "Decisions like these are not easy because of the level of nuance, both professionally and personally, but we felt it necessary to address."
The group did not specify what exactly prompted the pause in their relationship.
Bowe announced on his Instagram account Tuesday morning that he was going to take a social media hiatus and made his Instagram page private.
"In light of recent events and opinions, I've talked to some of wisest leaders and brothers around me," he wrote. "I'll be taking time off social media to rest mentally and physically."
"Years ago, when I dreamt of all I would accomplish one day, I didn't account for the pressure and opinions that would come with it. It's important for everyone to know when to step back and refocus," he added.
Earlier this month, Bowe received some criticism on social media because of singing along to a song titled "Despues De La Playa" by Bad Bunny, which contains explicit lyrics. According to The Focus, Bowe shared the video to his Instagram account of he and his friends, including some Maverick City affiliates, partying on a bus.
Maverick City music followers called out the musician for singing a song with explicit lyrics.
Some fans are applauding the group's decision to publicly hold Bowe accountable, while others are criticizing it.
"They didn't cancel Dante Bowe," one person tweeted. "Y'all only know acceptance and cancel culture. Taking corrections is far from y'all. This matter is proof."
"Maverick City handled the whole Dante Bowe situation well. A lot of things must have been happen behind the scenes that have pushed them to this decision," another person wrote. "Holding people accountable is needed."
"This Dante Bowe thing shows a lot of us have gotten so used to religious leaders not being held accountable when they fall short, that we see accountability as harsh or unloving. I feel Maverick City's statement came from a place of grace and love," another person tweeted.
Others felt it was unnecessary for the group to make a public statement.
"I feel like Maverick City should've just kept what they have going on with Dante Bowe private instead of bringing more attention to it cause half of us didn't even know about the situation till they said something," a Twitter user wrote.
"Just hoping Dante Bowe has someone around him who extends God's love & continuously reminds him that He is loved," one person wrote criticizing the collective's decision. "Public reprimand, humiliation, and shame are not easy & often feel isolating. So I hope he's surrounded by love. That's my prayer for him."
Maverick City Music is urging fans to continue to support Bowe.
"Each of us needs God's grace and our hope is that we all pray and give him the same opportunity to grow in Christ as we give ourselves," said Maverick.
'The Munsters' Movie Wasn't Allowed To Be Filmed In Black & White - Here's Why
Rob Zombie is celebrating the release of his brand new movie, The Munsters.
In a new interview with Variety, the director opened up about his passion for the project, which wasn’t allowed to be filmed in black and white, like the original 1960s sitcom was.
The report says that Universal wouldn’t sign off on the movie if that happened.
Rob says it was disappointing, but that also gave him the idea for the super colorful, hyper-saturated aesthetic for the flick.
“Sometimes you’re dealt a certain scenario. You can walk away from it, but that doesn’t create anything. You figure out how to deal with it,” Rob shared. “Sometimes you create something you would have never created.”
While there was a limitation on the black and white allowance, he did manage to slip some black and white in with a recreation of the show’s opening credits, which shows the cast of characters walking through their manor’s doorframe one-by-one.
“When they were in the trailer, the studio wanted to take those few moments and make them color because they thought if people see a black-and-white shot they’ll be confused,” he recalled. “I’m like, ‘People aren’t that f***ing stupid.’”
The Munsters, which focuses in on the love story of Herman and Lily, is now available to own on digital, Blu-ray and DVD. The film is also available to stream on Netflix.
Sam Smith Opens Up About People Messing Up Their Pronouns
Sam Smith is getting candid about identity. The 30-year-old “Unholy” singer-songwriter made an appearance on Zane Lowe in-studio show on Apple Music 1 to discuss the success of their latest single with Kim Petras, as well as their personal life.
The star, who previously came out as non-binary and expressed that their pronouns are “they/them,” got candid about the conversation around language.
“I just want to create a safe space for everyone. But also, we’re all learning together. The pronoun thing is interesting, because mistakes happen,” they said.
“Even me, I make mistakes quite a lot, and it’s an uncomfortable feeling making a mistake. I personally think that…because I’m now working, doing this a lot in terms of people changing their language. Editing yourself is great, but I think it’s really good for people to see you mess up,” Sam continued, “and then correct yourself. Because that’s what we got to get used to, because changes in language, they take time to change.”
“We need to lean into the uncomfortable feeling of being wrong sometimes, because it’s okay. I don’t know, we’re all in it together. Famously, the incredible Laverne Cox said that to so many people, this is a culture war. But it’s not a culture war. This is life and death for people, and I think that we all just need to remember that. But my job is just to spread the love with it. If I lived a life where I was just getting upset every time someone used the wrong pronoun, I would be very sad, and I’m done with being sad.”
'Stranger Things' star Caleb McLaughlin calls out 'bigotry' in show's fandom: 'Why am I the least favorite?'
Since Stranger Things first became a streaming phenom in 2016, the Netflix show's young cast has been running up that hill towards global superstardom. But one actor hasn't always felt the love. Appearing at Heroes Comic Con in Belgium recently, Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin — who plays one of the show's few Black characters, Lucas Sinclair — said that he often felt that he was treated differently from his white co-stars by the show's fans.
"It definitely took a toll on me as a younger kid," he said in comments that were captured on video and have since gone viral online. "My very first Comic Con, some people didn't stand on my line because I was Black."
McLaughlin clarified that some of the fan animosity directed at him in the show's freshman season had to do with Lucas's initially adversarial relationship with Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown. But even after that storyline went away, he noticed that his character seemed less of a fan favorite than the rest of the cast.
"Even now, some people don't follow me or don't support me because I'm Black," the 20-year-old actor said. "Sometimes overseas, you'll feel the racism, you'll feel the bigotry and it's something sometimes it's hard to talk about and for people to understand. When I was younger it definitely affected me a lot."
One area where McLaughlin sees a continued discrepancy is in the cast's social media stats. His own Instagram has 15.4 million followers compared to Brown's 58.5 million or Noah Schnapp's 27.6 million. "You’re like: 'Why am I the least favorite? The least amount of followers? I’m on the same show as everybody from Season 1,'" he observed, crediting his mother and father with being honest with him. "My parents had to be like: ‘It’s a sad truth, but it’s because you’re the Black child on the show.' [I thought] 'Wow, that’s crazy. Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin I’m not loved?'"
McLaughlin's comments echo other Black performers in the genre space. Earlier this year, Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram spoke out about the racist messages she had received from a small but vocal minority of Star Wars fans. Meanwhile, Prime Video's hit fantasy series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, has been review-bombed for diversifying J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth.
"We’re talking about a global show, and a global audience. This is now the reality. This is not about taking the narrow view,” Rings of Power star Cynthia Addai-Robinson told Yahoo Entertainment at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year. “And to me this is about inviting people in and being expansive. And if you’re going to tell this story in 2022, this to me feels like the only way to tell it, the only way to represent it. And I think people have been really hungry to see full representation in this world. Because at the end of the day this story is all about people of different backgrounds coming together for a common cause.”
It's worth noting that since McLaughlin's comments went viral, Stranger Things fans are trying to spread the love for Lucas on Twitter.
Russia Boycotts Academy Awards, Set to Forgo Oscar Submission, Several Members of Russian Committee Resign
Russia will not be sending an official Oscar candidate for the upcoming international feature film race, Variety has confirmed.
The news, which was reported by the news outlet AFP, was announced by the Russian film academy on Monday evening (Sept. 27). Several members of Russia’s Oscar committee, including its president Pavel Tchoukhraï, have resigned to protest the decision of the Russian film academy.
Tchoukhraï issued a letter, unveiled by veteran journalist Larisa Malyukova, in which he blamed the Russian film academy for taking an “unilateral decision over the head of the committee” and said it was both “unfair and illegal.” Joel Chapron, an expert on the Russian film industry who is based in Paris, said Tchoukhraï had been followed by several other member of the committee who have now resigned, including Nikolaï Dostal, Sergey Selyanov, Vladimir Kott and Andrey Zvyagintsev, who is currently living in Paris.
The decision of the Russian film academy to boycott the Oscars reflects the rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia which has been at war with Ukraine since Feb. 24. Russia recently accused the U.S. administration of having a direct role in the war in Ukraine and has threatened to cut ties with the country.
Nikita Mikhalkov, a filmmaker who is a strong supporter of Russia president Vladimir Putin and chairs the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, said “it didn’t make sense” to select a film that will represent Russia in a country which, in reality, “currently denies its existence,” according to the local news outlet TASS. Mikhalkov, who resigned from the Oscar committee in August, has said he wanted to organize an equivalent to the Oscars for Europe and Asia.
Some members of Russia’s Oscar committee support the decision to forgo the Oscars, notably Karen Shakhnazarov, a Russian filmmaker, producer and screenwriter, who compared the U.S. with Nazi Germany. “Sending a film to the U.S. would be like sending a film to Germany during the Second World War to get the prize of the Third Reich,” Shakhnazarov told the local outlet Krasnaya Vesna.
Other members, such as Evgeniy Gindilis (“Mukha”), resigned from Russia’s Oscar committee months ago when the war started. “We can’t do business as usual when we’re at war. I left the committee on Feb. 27 after Russia invaded Ukraine,” said Gindilis. “While it’s wrong that film festivals or awards ceremony are boycotting Russian films, I don’t feel that it’s right to participate in promoting Russian films at this time,” added the helmer-producer, who is still living in Moscow.
Russia had been consistently submitting films for the Oscars for years. Underscoring the country’s vibrant film culture and industry, Russia was nominated in 2017 for Andrey Zvyagintsev’s “Loveless” (pictured above) which won the jury prize at Cannes; and was shortlisted twice since then, in 2019 with Kantemir Balagov’s “Beanpole” which had won a prize at Un Certain Regard at Cannes, and Andrei Konchalovsky’s “Dear Comrades,” winner of the Special Jury Prize at Venice.
A number of dissident directors have fled Russia since the beginning of the war, including Kirill Serebrennikov who delivered this year’s most prominent Russian film, “Tchaikovsky’s Wife,” which competed at the Cannes Film Festival. Serebrennikov, who left Russia after the end of a three-year travel ban, is currently living in Europe.
Shakira Has Reportedly Been Ordered To Stand Trial In Spain Over Tax Fraud Case
A judge has ruled that Shakira will have to stand trial in her tax fraud case. As previously reported, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer has been accused of failing to pay her taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, though Shakira contended that she did not live in the country and was actually based in the Bahamas at the time.
According to the AFP, however, a Spanish court ruled on Tuesday that the 45-year-old will, in fact, have to face trial, which comes just two months after prosecutors called for an eight-year prison sentence and a multi-million euro fine for her alleged wrongdoings. A rep for the Colombian hitmaker had previously denied Shakira being involved in any illegal activities, stressing that they will prove her innocence if the matter was to go to trial.
“Shakira has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and a taxpayer, and faithfully following the counsel of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, a prestigious and globally recognized tax firm,” a rep said over the summer. “Shakira is confident that her innocence will be proven by the end of the judicial process.”
In her recent interview with Elle magazine, the mother of two had broken her silence about the ongoing legal drama, insisting that she was too occupied working on the road that her schedule wouldn’t have even allowed her to be based in one country for a long period of time.
Prosecutors argued that because Shakira was allegedly in Spain for more than six months, she should pay the taxes she owes the country, to which she says she was actually based in the Bahamas and was traveling constantly for work.
“Second, I’ve paid everything they claimed I owed, even before they filed a lawsuit,” she told Elle. “So as of today, I owe zero to them. And finally, I was advised by one of the four biggest tax specialist firms in the world, PricewaterhouseCoopers, so I was confident that I was doing things correctly and transparently from day one.”
It’s been a rough year for Shakira, who is also dealing with the split from her ex Gerard Piqué over the summer — the pair share two children together but decided to call it quits after 11 years together.
While neither of them commented on what had caused the relationship to fall apart, it’s been reported that the soccer player allegedly stepped out on his former flame and has since settled down with a new woman named Clara Chia, who reportedly works at this company in the PR department.
MD Rep. Mfume and Senator Cardin Introduce Bill to Establish National Council on African American History and Culture
*WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) announced the introduction of the National Council on African American History and Culture Act of 2022 in the United States House of Representatives and Senate. This legislation would create a 12-person National Council on African American History and Culture to educate, preserve and celebrate Black history and culture.
In short, the Council would advise the National Endowment for the Humanities on how they can best amplify the work of Black creators, strengthen teaching and learning in schools to ensure Black history and culture is recognized, and provide critical resources dedicated to preserving Black history.
“African Americans have played an essential role in creating our country as it exists today. Yet, our contributions are not always fully recognized, celebrated, or preserved, including in the humanities,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
He added: “Establishing the National Council on African American History and Culture will ensure African American history is fully integrated into the telling of American history. By giving Black professors, artists, and storytellers a seat at the table, America advances one step closer to a nation that recognizes the tremendous value of Black history and culture.”
Sweetie Pie’s Shuts Down Last Location in St. Louis
Oprah with Ms. Robbie and cast/crew of “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s”
*Robbie Montgomery, owner of Sweetie Pie’s Upper Crust in St. Louis, took to social media recently to announce that the last location of her famous eatery has closed.
The location closed on Sept. 25 and Montgomery announced on Instagram that it shut down “to make room for the more than four hundred million dollar Cochran Veterans Hospital expansion.”
This news comes amid reports that Robbie’s son, Tim Norman, was recently convicted in a murder-for-hire case after allegedly arranging the killing of his nephew Andre Montgomery in 2016. Norman is accused of orchestrating the slayin in order to collect a $450,000 fraudulent life insurance on Montgomery that he took out prior to his nephew’s murder.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Montgomery suspected Norman was plotting against him.
“TIM IS AFTER ME OR SOMETHING,” Montgomery texted his grandmother Robbie, per the report. “I’m not just bout to be sitting in STL (when) I know Tim got people looking for me.”
Robbie and Tim starred together in the OWN series “Welcome To Sweetie Pies,” which premiered on OWN in October 2011, and ended in June 2018. The cast included Andre, who was 21 when he was killed.
Norman and his Mother reportedly had a huge falling out several years ago (allegedly prior to the killing) and they’ve been estranged ever since. Norman was busted by feds for his role in the shooting death of Andre after taking out a $450k life insurance policy on his nephew in 2014. The Feds say he worked with a Memphis-based exotic dancer named Terica Ellis to allegedly pull off the murder.
Authorities say Norman paid Ellis and alleged gunman Travell Anthony Hill, 30, to lure Andre to his death. A crooked insurance broker named Waiel Yaghnam, 44, allegedly helped Norman take out $450,000 worth of life insurance policies on his nephew, River Front Times reports.
As reported by MadameNoire, Norman’s accomplices have pleaded guilty to their charges, according to the Department Of Justice. Per the report, “Hill pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one count of murder-for-hire. Ellis pleaded guilty to a murder-for-hire conspiracy charge. Yaghnam pleaded guilty to wire and mail fraud conspiracy.”
The NFL Is Switching Out The Annual Pro Bowl Game For Skill Competitions
The NFL will no longer put on the annual Pro Bowl game.
At the end of each NFL season, a Pro Bowl game is hosted by the league. However, the event is set to be replaced with “The Pro Bowl Games,” which include AFC and NFL players performing skills as part of a multi-day competition. Fox News reports one of the activities includes flag football.
The first event will kick off in Las Vegas in February; the participants will play a game of flag football along with other skills challenges that don’t feature football-related drills. The flag football games will take place on Feb. 5.
“The Pro Bowl is something that we’ve been looking at for a while, really continuing an interview with the Associated Press on Monday. “Coming out of last year’s game, we really made the decision based on a lot of internal conversations, getting feedback from GMs and coaches, getting a lot of feedback from players. We think there’s a real opportunity to do something wholly different here and move away from the traditional tackle football game. We decided the goal is to celebrate 88 of the biggest stars in the NFL in a really positive, fun, yet competitive way.”
He continued: “The feedback very directly from guys who had been in the Pro Bowl recently was to keep the construct of the week, make sure you’re having that multi-day element. It was overwhelmingly positive both from players as well as from clubs.”
Auntie Anne’s Kicking Off National Pretzel Month With All New Salted Caramel Chocolate Frost
As if Auntie Anne’s couldn’t be more tempting to those of us trying to watch our figures, the pretzel chain just unveiled its new Salted Caramel Chocolate Frost.
The icy treat is a delight in every sip, blending succulent layers for a sweet and salty taste not seen in many beverages. The Frost includes layers of salted caramel syrup merged with Hershey’s frozen chocolate on top of a bed of whipped cream. The Frost is then topped with more sea salted caramel sauce drizzled over a final layer of whipped cream.
Auntie Anne’s new Frost is the latest to the frozen lineup. To celebrate summer, the mall staple debuted its Dragon Fruit Mango Frost in July. Their frozen lemonades also got a Dragonfruit Mango makeover for the hot months.
The Salted Caramel Chocolate Frost is part of what has been dubbed the “Salted Caramel Trio.” Auntie Anne’s wants customers to get the full experience of the sweet and salty feel with a serving of its original pretzel nuggets and caramel dipping sauce.
To celebrate the arrival of the Salted Caramel Chocolate Frost, which coincides with October being National Pretzel Month, Auntie Anne’s is rolling out its own National Pretzel DELIVERY Month. For the entire month, the company will have delivery deals available exclusively on the Auntie Anne’s Rewards app every week, allowing fans to get the Salted Caramel Chocolate Frost delivered to their doorsteps.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘SPONGE BOB’
It’s spongebob if he wore suspenders
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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