#MAGFAB: Michaela Cole for Vogue US - November 2022:
FAB! The article is HERE!
#RHOP: Real Housewives of Potomac’s Gizelle and Robyn Explain Why They Doubted Mia Thornton’s Cancer Scare
Being questioned. Mia Thornton’s post about her past cancer scare was a hot topic on the season 7 premiere of The Real Housewives of Potomac as her costars doubted the seriousness of her health concerns.
“My first reaction when I saw the post was like, ‘Oh, my God, what’s going on? I hope she’s OK.’ And then I had a ‘wait a minute’ moment, like, ‘Why is she saying all this on Instagram, like, why is she telling this to, you know, hundreds of thousands of strangers?’” Robyn Dixon exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the Sunday, October 9, premiere. “I thought it was odd to share that type of information so prematurely because it definitely caused an emotional reaction in me and I’m like, ‘I couldn’t imagine, like, why you would share this with on a platform like this?’ I definitely had my thoughts.”
Mia made headlines in February when she wrote via Instagram that one week prior, she received a call that she needed to go to Johns Hopkins Cancer Center ASAP for further testing. “I’ve been in and out of visits to specialists every day and the storm is not over, but this experience is changing me. I am working with a phenomenal team of physicians, and I appreciate the outpouring of support. I have not been diagnosed as yet so please keep me in prayer,” she wrote at the time.
During Sunday’s episode, Gizelle Bryant wasted no time questioning Mia’s post.
“I don’t think Mia was expecting to be called out the way that she was,” Robyn continued. “I think anyone, naturally, would probably go into defense mode and say like, ‘Oh my gosh, how could you? I was sick. I wasn’t feeling well and how could you turn this into something that it’s not.’ And really be shocked by people’s response — when Mia probably thought she was being sincere about whatever she was going through. I think for her to hear like, ‘No, this is actually what it looked like and this is what we thought, and these are the things we thought about it’ — it didn’t feel good to her. But I think she quickly learned in this group; we don’t hold our tongue. We tell you our thoughts and feelings and our opinions and when something doesn’t seem right, we let you know. And so it’s like, ‘Would you rather someone tell you to your face, this is what it looked like or would you rather people just talk behind your back?’”
In her own interview with Us, Gizelle added that “not everything” is meant for social media.
Stars Who Beat Cancer
“And if there is a situation where it is something like cancer — that’s not to be played with. It’s not a joke or a game,” she told Us. “So, if you don’t have cancer, then you surely shouldn’t be telling the world that, and as Housewives, people that are on this public platform, you have to be responsible for the things that you put out there. And that’s kind of how what I was saying to her like, ‘Look, you can’t just be willing nilly with what you’re saying to the people because you’re a Housewife and this is a platform, and you have to just be very smart about the things that you’re saying publicly.’”
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs on Bravo Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
#MusicNews: Janet Jackson Releases “The Velvet Rope” Deluxe Edition To Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Album
The queen Janet Jackson has just released a deluxe edition of her iconic album “The Velvet Rope” to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the project’s release. The album originally released back in 1997 and was the sixth album overall from Jackson.
STREAM HERE
The collection also houses multiple remixes—which were only available on CD singles prior, along with ten new-to-platform bonus tracks including sought-after B-sides and remixes including two rarities, “Accept Me” and “God’s Stepchild.”
These include Teddy Riley’s TNT Remix of “I Get Lonely” featuring BLACKstreet, the J. Dilla (Ummah Jay Dee) remix of “Got ‘Til It’s Gone”, and Timbaland/Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott’s remix of “Go Deep.” Also included are club mixes of various tracks by David Morales & Frankie Knuckles, Masters at Work, Tony Moran, Jason Nevins and Tony Humphries.
“The Velvet Rope” was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Flyte Tyme Productions Inc. and Ms. Jackson. Janet’s vulnerable and poignant writing confronted themes of female sexuality through a black woman’s lens as well as domestic violence and mental health.
Included on the album were the hit singles “Together Again,” “I Get Lonely,” and last single “Every Time” as well as seminal album cuts, “Go Deep” and “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” [feat. Q-Tip & Joni Mitchell].
#HipHopNews: Jermaine Dupri Announces Verzuz With Diddy
It’s happening. Over a year after teasing a potential Verzuz, Jermaine Dupri has announced that he and Diddy will face off in a So So Def vs. Bad Boy hits battle. He made the big announcement during the ONE Musicfest in Atlanta on Saturday.
“The So So Def-Bad Boy Verzuz is happening,” JD told the crowd, according to HipHop-N-More.
This comes after Diddy revealed plans for a Bad Boy and So So Def showdown in Atlanta in the wake of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s $28 million lawsuit against Triller, who acquired Verzuz in March 2021.
“Since we ain’t fu**in’ with Verzuz no more ’cause they fu**in’ around with our boys, we don’t need to be going against each other,” Diddy said. “Let’s come together and do that Bad Boy-So So Def in Atlanta.”
Since then, Swizz and Timbaland have settled their lawsuit with Triller and it appears that the Bad Boy and So So Def battle will take place on the platform.
Back in September 2021, JD challenged Diddy to Verzuz, but Puff rejected his offer. “You aiint got enough hits,” he told the So So Def founder. “I’ll smash you with just biggie n Mary . But I do have the upmost respect on you as a musical legend.”
It’s unclear when the matchup will take place, but fans are ready.
Lizzo Seemingly Responds to Kanye West’s Comments About Her Weight at Toronto Concert
The “About Damn Time” singer took a moment during her concert at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on Friday (Oct. 7) to address her name often being brought up during media interviews.
“I feel like everybody in America got my motherf—ing name in their motherf—ing mouth for no motherf—ing reason,” Lizzo told the crowd.
“I’m minding my fat Black beautiful business,” she added before asking the audience, “Can I stay here? Who can I marry for that dual citizenship?” Watch the onstage moment via TMZ.
The R&B star’s comments arrive after Ye’s interview with Carlson on Thursday, during which the rapper shared his thoughts on the “demonic” promotion of obesity by the media that he said was part of a plot intended to hasten the “genocide of the Black race.”
“When Lizzo loses 10 pounds and announces it, the bots … on Instagram, they attack her losing weight, because the media wants to put out a perception that being overweight is the new goal when it’s actually unhealthy,” Ye told Carlson. “It’s demonic.”
During the 2022 MTV VMAs in late August, Lizzo also took a moment to not-so-subtly throw some shade at comedian Aries Spears, who made fatphobic comments about her during an interview with The Art of Dialogue.
“And now, to the b—-es that got something to say about me in the press,” Lizzo yelled into the mic while accepting the Video for Good award for “About Damn Time.” “You know what, I’m not gonna say nothing.”
A few days prior to the VMAs, a clip went viral of Spears dissing Lizzo during his appearance on The Art of Dialogue in which he was asked whether or not he thought the star was a good songwriter. “I can’t get past the fact that she looks like the s— emoji,” the comedian replied.
T.J. Miller says he won’t work with Ryan Reynolds again: ‘He hates me’
T.J. Miller says he won’t work with Ryan Reynolds again, claiming his former “Deadpool” co-star was “horrifically mean” to him while in character on the set of the superhero film.
In a new interview for the “Adam Corolla Show” podcast, the actor confirmed he won’t be in “Deadpool 3” following a “really weird” interaction he had with Reynolds while filming the franchise’s second installment.
“Would I work with him again? No, I would not work with him again,” Miller, who played Deadpool’s close friend Weasel, explained.
When host Adam Corolla asked Miller, 41, whether he and Reynolds, 45, remained close after starring in the 2016 smash hit, along with its 2018 sequel, the comedian claimed the success of the first film “changed” his former co-star.
“I got along with him a lot better on the first ‘Deadpool’ because he wasn’t a huge, huge movie star,” Miller explained, noting that he still loved Reynolds “as a comedian.”
The “Silicon Valley” alum went on to call Reynolds “kind of an insecure dude,” and noted that “it’s weird that he hates me,” before describing the tense moment that allegedly took place during filming.
“We had a really weird moment on ‘Deadpool’ where he said, ‘Let’s do one more take.’ And then, as the character, he was horrifically mean to me as if I’m Weasel. So he was like, ‘You know what’s great about you, Weasel? You’re not the star, but you do just enough exposition so that it’s funny, and then we can leave and get back to the real movie,’” Miller said of the purported interaction.
He later referred to the alleged incident as “not a great experience for me” and recalled members of the crew being unsure how to respond.
Although Miller made it clear he had no intention of returning to the franchise on his own, the actor implied that he wasn’t asked to come back.
“I would not have done ‘Deadpool 3’ if they came to me and were like, ‘We want you to do ‘Deadpool 3,’ and we’re going to pay you twice as much,’” he said.
“I think [Reynolds] should make a ‘Deadpool 3’ and continue to make movies. I just think he doesn’t like me, and I thought it was weird how he expressed that. I’m at a place in my life where I don’t need to do ‘Deadpool 3,’” Miller, who said he doesn’t believe in playing the same role “for more than five years,” continued.
Reps for Reynolds did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Miller, known for his turn as Erlich in HBO’s “Silicon Valley,” has previously faced allegations of his own.
In 2018, Miller denied co-star Alice Wetterlund’s claims that he was a bully on the set of the comedy series.
Rochester To Pay Record $12 Million To Daniel Prude’s Family To Settle Lawsuit
The City of Rochester has reportedly agreed to pay $12 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Daniel Prude’s family.
According to the Democrat & Chronicle, the settlement, which is the largest in the city’s history, was announced by Rochester Mayor Malik Evans via a press release on Thursday morning (October 6).
"Given the costs of continued litigation, this settlement was the best decision,” Evans said. “It would have cost taxpayers even more to litigate, and would have placed a painful toll on our community.”
Following Prude’s death, there was perception from the public that city officials tried to cover it up, leading to weeks of protests beginning in September 2020. That led to the firing of Rochester’s police chief and the departure of senior RPD command.
Prude died while experiencing a severe mental health crisis. On Thursday, Prude’s son Nathaniel McFarland said in a press release that his father’s “only crime was needing help.”
In addition to the settlement, attorneys for Prude’s estate called for the New York Legislature to pass “Daniel’s Law”, a bill that would replace police response to calls for mental health interventions with trained mental health professionals.
“No purely monetary settlement can truly address the fundamental problem of police violence that underlies this tragic case,” Attorney Matthew Piers said in the press release, according to the Democrat & Chronicle. “Policing in this country must be reformed to be more humane. This is true especially, but not only, in communities of color that are so frequently harmed by systems that purport to serve and protect them.”
Breonna Taylor: Falsified Warrant Details Furthers Police Distrust
Former Metro Police detective Kelly Hannah Goodlett admitted in federal court that she and another officer falsified an affidavit for Breonna Taylor’s home search, according to the Associated Press.
Falsified information in the warrant that led to the killing of Breonna Taylor in March 2020, has deepened the mistrust that Louisville's Black community already carried.
“What bothers me so incredibly is that so many lives were lost because of this lie,” Hannah Drake, a Louisville leader in the push for Justice said after Taylor's death. “They don’t even understand the far-reaching tentacles of what they did.”
On more than one occasion during protests in Kentucky’s largest city, law enforcement provoked situations instead of presenting calm energy.
In June 2020, a Black restaurant owner was fatally shot in his restaurant kitchen by a National Guard member. Days prior, an officer who wounded the man’s niece taunted protesters and demonstrators on social media, daring them to put up a challenge with police.
Drake urges that more systemic changes are needed, and that, for now, authorities need to apologize to protesters for their treatment during the 2020 summer. She says they should also drop any cases against people arrested for protesting that summer.
Hundreds of protesters have been cleared of charges, but there are still some that remained criminally charged.
“We were right to protest,” Louisville Urban League President Sadiqa Reynolds tweeted following Goodlett’s guilty plea. “People are dead and lives upended because of a pile of lies.”
There have been instances where Louisville officers have been disciplined, fired and even charged for abusing protesters.
Currently, Louisville is putting together multiple reforms for a new 911 diversion program. They look to increase leadership reviews of search warrant requests and the improvement of police officer training.
“We could have avoided all this,” Hannah Drake said. “And I think that’s where the pain comes from — we were right!”
Leaked recording exposes LA councilmember's racially charged comments about a Black child
A new exposé by The Los Angeles Times uncovered a leaked recording of a conversation between members of the Los Angeles City Council and an LA County Federation of Labor official, where several derogatory and racist remarks were made.
The story, which was published Sunday (Oct. 9), revealed that Council President Nury Martinez, and councilmembers Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo were in the midst of a heated dialogue in 2021 when Martinez took aim at fellow councilmember Mike Bonin, who is white, and his Black child.
In the recording obtained by The Times, Martinez said, “They’re raising him like a little white kid.” Her remarks stemmed from 2017, when the child and Bonin attended a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. The councilmember and his child joined in the festivities by riding along the route in one of the floats.
Martinez’s remarks continued, “I was like, this kid needs a beatdown. Let me take him around the corner, and then I’ll bring him back.” Other snide comments about the child included referring to him as “ese changuito,” which means little monkey, and “su negrito,” which is a demeaning means of referring to a Black person.
Elsewhere in the recording, Martinez took aim at Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. “F**k that guy. He’s with the Blacks.” She issued a statement explaining the context in which the remarks were made after learning she and other councilmembers were recorded.
“In a moment of intense frustration and anger, I let the situation get the best of me and I hold myself accountable for these comments. For that, I am sorry. The context of this conversation was concern over the redistricting process and concern about the potential negative impact it might have on communities of color,” read her statement.
Martinez has resided over LA City Council since 2020. She is the first Latina president in the council’s 171-year history. Her statement concluded with “My work speaks for itself. I’ve worked hard to lead this city through its most difficult time.”
Is Madonna Going on a World Tour in 2023?
It appears the Queen of Pop might be hitting the road again soon. Madonna‘s team has reportedly booked a stadium for a concert in November of 2023, according to a report in Uruguay’s newspaper El Observador.
Estadio Centenario, the stadium with a capacity of over 60,000 people located in Montevideo, is being reserved for a Madonna show by production company AM. Ricardo Lombardo, executive president of the administrative commission, reported the alleged booking to the outlet.
If true, it would be Madonna‘s first time playing in Uruguay. She was reportedly in talks to do so for the MDNA World Tour in 2012, but the negotiations fell through.
Madonna last toured between 2019 and 2020 on the Madame X Tour throughout the United States and Europe.
“I want to go on tour again, I’m a creature of the stage. That is my happy place,” she teased in an interview with Variety over the summer.
UC Berkeley Set To Offer Nicki Minaj Course In Spring 2023
Want to learn everything about Nicki Minaj? Well, Barbz, are ready to go to college?
The University of California, Berkeley announced on Friday they will offer a new course about the award-winning entertainer Nicki Minaj in the Spring 2023 semester. The course will be taught by Twitter user Tcmccr.
The course is titled “Nicki Minaj: The Black Barbie Femmecee & Hip Hop Feminisms.” It will explore how Minaj’s impact on the hip-hop music industry connects to the broader historical-social structures and hip-hop feminisms. The Nicki Minaj course joins a trend of celebrity courses in high education across the United States.
Nicki Minaj expressed interest in visiting the course on Twitter, where she tweeted: “I’d love to stop by.”
The University of California, Berkeley confirmed the upcoming course as they retweeted the professor’s announcement.
ABC censors Constance Wu's hilarious Final Jeopardy! response
It’s a good thing Celebrity Jeopardy! doesn’t air live, because Sunday’s show featured some risqué language. The celebrity contestants were Ike Barinholtz, Jalen Rose and Constance Wu. And Wu struggled to keep her language in check.
After incorrectly answering a question, Wu yelled, “Damn it!” Realizing that language is probably frowned upon by the family-friendly game show, she quickly said, “Darn it… Gosh darn it!”
When is came time to answer the Final Jeopardy! clue, it appeared as though she may have run out of time. The final clue was, “A New York Times headline about this disaster included ‘866 rescued’ and ‘noted names missing’.” Wu wrote “tit” as her response, which ABC censored with a bleep. The correct answer was Titanic.
“I meant Titanic,” Wu argued. “Some people call the Titanic the Tit. This is a well-known fact!”
The moment reminded viewers of the popular Saturday Night Live sketch of Celebrity Jeopardy!, particularly the Sean Connery character. The Connery character, played by Darrell Hammond, would intentionally mispronounce words and phrases in hilarious ways.
Even though Wu didn’t get the final answer correct, her charity will receive a $30,000 donation from the show. She was playing for The Lotus Therapy Fund under the Asian Mental Health Collective.
Celebrity Jeopardy! airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Smile’ Beats ‘Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile’ as David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam’ Doesn’t Deliver!
David O. Russell’s star-studded period drama “Amsterdam” collapsed in its box office debut, earning an anemic $6.5 million from 3,005 North American theaters. The movie, which cost $80 million to produce, couldn’t overcome bad reviews and minimal buzz and is shaping up to be one of the biggest misfires of the year.
This weekend’s other newcomer “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” also fell short of expectations, albeit to a lesser degree, with $11.5 million from 4,350 cinemas in its opening weekend. However, Sony’s animated family film, an adaptation of the popular children’s book about an anthropomorphic reptile (who sings!) voiced by Shawn Mendes, won’t be as painful for the studio given its $50 million price tag.
There’s one undeniable bright spot in the otherwise lackluster weekend at the box office: Paramount’s creepy thriller “Smile.” The film, starring Sosie Bacon, managed to retain its crown with an impressive $17.6 million in its second weekend in theaters. Thanks to positive word-of-mouth, ticket sales for the $17 million-budgeted “Smile” declined a mere 22% from its debut, a stellar hold for a horror movie. So far, the film has grossed $49.8 million in North America and $40 million overseas, marking another 2022 victory for Paramount. The studio has also scored this year with “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Lost City,” “Scream” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.”
“Amsterdam,” which placed third on box office charts behind “Smile” and “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” also misfired overseas with $3.5 million from 30 international territories. A $10 million global start is painful for Russell, a five-time Academy Award nominee, as well as Disney and New Regency, which backed the film.
At one time, the glossy historical epic — featuring an A-list ensemble that includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington and Taylor Swift — looked primed to be an Oscar player that dripped with commercial appeal. Weeks earlier, pre-release tracking indicated “Amsterdam” could open with anywhere from $17 million to $20 million. But those projections were revised down after the film landed a sour 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Over the weekend, it landed a lackluster “B” CinemaScore, signaling it wasn’t just critics who were ambivalent toward “Amsterdam.” In any case, those grades do not bode well for word-of-mouth.
“This is a weak opening,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “The weekend figure is below average for a crime mystery, and reviews are poor.”
Audiences were fonder of “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” which holds an “A-” CinemaScore. But overall it’s been a tough year for movies aimed at younger crowds; other than “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” most kid-friendly flicks haven’t been connecting at the box office.
“Family titles have been thin this year; it’s an under-served market,” Franchise Entertainment Research’s Gross says. “But moviegoers are not excited about this crocodile.”
“The Woman King” and “Don’t Worry Darling” took spots four and five, respectively, on domestic box office charts. “The Woman King,” starring Viola Davis, took in $5.3 million from 3,342 locations in its fourth weekend of release, dropping just 24% and bringing its tally to $54.1 million. Director Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” added $3.4 million in its third weekend, a 50% decline from its prior outing. The movie, which polarized critics and audiences, has amassed $38 million to date.
Elsewhere, Billy Eichner’s romantic comedy “Bros” failed to rebound in its sophomore outing despite positive reviews. The film tumbled to seventh place with $2.1 million from 3,356 venues, a 56% decline from its debut. So far, “Bros” has grossed $8.8 million.
There’s hope for the rom-com, though. At the international box office, Julia Roberts and George Clooney’s “Ticket to Paradise” has generated $60 million to date. The film, also from Universal, opens in North America on Oct. 21.
In sixth place, Disney and 20th Century’s “Avatar” re-release continues to impress with $2.6 million from 2,040 theaters. After three weeks back on the big screen, James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi blockbuster has generated $23.3 million in North America and $71.9 million globally. It’s a dazzling result for a 13-year-old movie, and one that certainly has box office watchers optimistic for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which opens in December.
And while “Amsterdam” did little to bring in adult crowds, the specialty box office was buzzing thanks to director Todd Fields’ drama “Tár” and Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness.” A satire about the ultra-wealthy, “Triangle of Sadness” brought in $210,074 from 10 locations, translating to a solid $21,007 per theater.
Focus Features is distributing “Tár,” which grossed $160,000 from four theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, averaging a massive $40,000 per location. The movie, which looks to be in the awards race, especially for Cate Blanchett’s leading performance as a world-famous conductor in the throes of controversy, is expanding to 30 new theaters in the coming days.
“The opening results for ‘Tár’ are wonderful as we begin to introduce this incredible film led by a tour de force performance from Cate Blanchett to theatrical audiences around the country,” says Focus Features’ president of distribution Lisa Bunnell. “Our film’s opening and the overall turn-out for adult minded films this weekend is a promising sign that bodes well for the industry overall as we navigate the fall season.”
Aroldis Chapman Left Off Yankees’ ALDS Roster For Not Showing Up To Workout
New York Yankees relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman ensured he would miss the start of the team’s postseason by not showing up to a team workout on Friday.
The left-handed pitcher was supposed to pitch batting practice in the Bronx but was in Miami instead. Manager Aaron Boone said Sunday that he did not have “an acceptable excuse.”
Chapman, who posted a 4.46 ERA this season, was not a lock to make the 26-man ALDS roster. He’s had a series of inconsistent mechanics and erratic pitching performances throughout the regular season. His last save was on May 17.
“I think he questioned whether he was going to be on the roster or not,” Boone said.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he fined the 34-year-old and that “there’s some questions about whether he’s been all in or not for a little while.” On Sunday, Cashman said he was initially shocked by Chapman’s absence but not surprised.
The team has not ruled out Chapman joining the team in later playoff rounds but made it seem unlikely he would be back.
Chapman missed time this season for an infection in one of his leg’s after getting tattooed. He was on the injured list from Aug. 24 through Sept. 16, straining a bullpen that was already spread thin.
1 Million Facebook Users May Have Had Login Info Stolen by Malicious Apps
Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook Inc, has alerted FB users about app-focused efforts to steal their login information.
In a recently shared statement, reps from Meta—specifically, David Agranovich (Director of Threat Disruption) and Ryan Victory (Malware Discovery and Detection Engineer)—announced they had identified more than 400 malicious apps across iOS and Android. These apps, they noted, are designed to steal credentials by disguising themselves as various services ranging from photo editors to mobile games.
“We reported our findings to Apple and Google and are helping potentially impacted people to learn more about how to stay safe and secure their accounts,” Agranovich and Victory said last week.
In a report from Bloomberg, meanwhile, the extent to which users may have been affected is broken down into more detail. Per the report, Meta was set to notify “roughly 1 million Facebook users” that their login info may have been stolen in connection with identified-as-malicious apps.
We’ve reached out to Facebook for additional comment. This post may be updated. In the meantime, additional information on the “malicious apps” at the heart of Meta’s recent announcement can be found at this link.
In August, per the Associated Press, Meta was revealed to have reached a settlement in connection with a lawsuit over the Trump-supporting firm Cambridge Analytica. At the time, it was widely pointed out that the tentative agreement was accomplished mere weeks ahead of a deadline that could have resulted in Mark Zuckerberg himself being subjected to an extended deposition.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
“COOKIE MONSTER”
Looks like Cookie got flattened.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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