#FASHIONFAB: HOT or NOT? Janelle Monáe in Thom Browne at the BFI London Film Festival Screen Talk Event
Here’s Janelle at the BFI London Film Festival Screen Talk Event in Thoim Browne. Take a look at her look.
NICE! So is she Hot or NOT?
#RHOA: Is Phaedra Parks Is Open To Having A Sit-Down With Kandi Burruss?
Phaedra Parks had a messy fallout with Kandi Burruss ahead of her RHOA departure.
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Phaedra Parks had one of the most controversial departures in the show’s history. Although she used to be very close to Kandi Burruss, their friendship went left after Phaedra moved on from Apollo Nida. Apollo was headed to prison for fraud.
But he asked Kandi and Todd Tucker if he could leave some things at their house. Phaedra had kicked him out. And Kandi’s choice to help Apollo didn’t sit well with Phaedra. In fact, Phaedra felt like Apollo received more support from Todd and Kandi. So the tension started. Phaedra then got close to Porsha Williams. It came out at the reunion that Phaedra told Porsha the dungeon rumor.
After the revelation, Porsha felt used by Phaedra. And Kandi could not understand why Phaedra would do something so cruel. Andy Cohen said Phaedra’s contract wasn’t renewed for Season 10 because no one wanted to film with her. Phaedra hasn’t been on the show since.
Although a lot has changed on RHOA since then, some fans still hope to see Phaedra back on the show at some point. However, Kandi said she’d leave if that day ever came. So she’s not open to hashing things out with her former friend.
Interestingly enough, Phaedra spoke on Kandi recently. And she said the door isn’t closed for her when it comes to a sitdown.
Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burruss had a nasty fallout on “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Although the shocking moment took place during Season 9, it’s still a hot topic for fans on social media. Some fans want Phaedra to return to the show with a peach. Interestingly enough, some current and past peach holders share the same sentiments. In fact, Sheree Whitfield thinks Phaedra should return. And she accused Kandi of having too much power behind the scenes. Interestingly enough, others feel like Phaedra should never be asked back after what she did. As for Kandi, she said she’d make her exit if her former friend rejoined the cast.
While some have accused Kandi of giving Bravo an ultimatum, Kandi said she’s just protecting her peace. And she’s not obligated to share her space with anyone who falsely accused her of wanting to commit a serious crime.
Since it’s been years, fans are still wondering if Phaedra and Kandi can at least have a sitdown. This question was asked during Bravocon. Phaedra was on the “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip” panel. As we previously reported, Phaedra is a cast member for Season 2.
During the RHUGT panel, a fan asked Phaedra, “Now Phaedra this might have been asked before. But I’m gonna just ask it again. Just hear me out, okay? Would you ever, ever, ever, have a sit-down with Kandi?”
Phaedra answered, “Umm, I’m amenable to it. I mean I would never say never about anything. But I think both people have to be in the right place for that discussion.”
She also made it known that she’s focused on the present, “But it’s been 5 years. So I’m living in the future. Not the past.
#MusicNews: Here Are the First-Week Sales Projections for Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’
Taylor Swift will reclaim the top spot on the Billboard 200.
According to first-week sales projections shared by Hits Daily Double, the Grammy winner’s Midnights album is headed toward a massive debut. The project is expected to move between 1 million to 1.2 million units in its first week, which would make it the first record to “debut at or past the million mark in the post-bundling era.” If the projections are correct, Midnights will become the fifth Swift album to enter the Billboard 200 with more than 1 million units.
Announced during the 2022 VMAs, Midnights delivered 13 tracks with contributions from Lana Del Rey, Jack Antonoff, Sounwave, and Zoë Kravitz. The album has already broken first-day streaming records on Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify, where it racked in 88 million streams in the U.S. and 185 million streams worldwide.
Midnights is expected to receive a significant boost with its 3AM edition, which offered seven additional tracks that aren’t available on physical copies. The expanded version includes titles like “The Great War,” “High Infidelity,” “Glitch,” and “Dear Reader.”
Following the album’s announcement, Swift took to social media to share the following message:
We lie awake in love and in fear, in turmoil and in tears. We stare at walls and drink until they speak back. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that we aren’t—right this minute—about to make some fateful life-altering mistake. This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams. The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching—hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve … we’ll meet ourselves.
#HipHopNews: Lil Baby’s ‘It’s Only Me’ Tops Billboard 200 With Biggest First-Week Sales Of His Career
Lil Baby‘s latest album It’s Only Me has topped the Billboard 200 chart with the biggest first-week sales of his career so far.
The Atlanta rapper’s third solo album debuted at No. 1 with roughly 216,000 total album-equivalent units in its first week, consisting of 209,000 SEA units (88.97 million on-demand song streams), 6,500 album sales and 500 TEA units. It boasts the third-largest streaming week for an album in 2022.
It’s Only Me serves as the third biggest Hip Hop debut this year behind Kendrick Lamar‘s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (295,000) and Future‘s I Never Liked You (222,000). It also sold more than Drake‘s Honestly, Nevermind (204,000) and Gunna’s DS4EVER (150,000) in its first week.
In comparison, Lil Baby’s last solo album My Turn debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2020 with roughly 197,000 total album-equivalent units in its first week, going on to top the chart for five weeks and becoming one of the best performing albums that year.
His last album The Voice of the Heroes — a collaborative project with Lil Durk — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in June 2021, earning roughly 150,000 total album-equivalent units in its first week.
It’s Only Me features the likes of Young Thug, Future, Pooh Shiesty, EST Gee, Jeremih, Nardo Wick, Rylo Rodriguez and Fridayy. During a recent interview with XXL, Lil Baby acknowledged his position as a rapper as success continues to come his way.
“The position that I’m in now and the level in my career, I consider myself a rap star for sure,” he admitted. “I think the qualities of a superstar is like a strong fan base. A sustainable amount of time ’cause you could be hot like a one-hit-wonder hot, like superstar hot. It could go quick. So, a different time bracket.
“I would say your appearance, the way you carry yourself to the way you perform. The type of things you perform at or the type of places you will perform at and the money that you get. I feel like I need to work more on my appearance.”
He added: “I don’t want to act like a superstar, but there’s certain times I have to think like a superstar because you have to think as you are.”
#RIP SADNESS: Leslie Jordan Killed in Car Crash After Suffering Medical Emergency
Leslie Jordan, the beloved actor, writer, and singer, has died at the age of 67.
TMZ reports that Jordan died Monday (October 24th) after suffering a medical emergency and crashing his car into the side of a building.
A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jordan was known for roles on television series including Hearts Afire, Will & Grace, and American Horror Story, as well as in the stage production and subsequent big-screen adaptation, Sordid Lives.
In 2021, Jordan released his debut album, Company’s Comin’, which saw him team up with the likes Dolly Parton, Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile, and more to sing a set of gospel hymns. He spoke about the project during an appearance on Kyle Meredith. The last time we saw Leslie out in public was pretty recently ... our photogs got him just last month, gauging his reaction to Elton John and Britney Spears releasing a new song together.
Leslie was 67.
This is a developing story….
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Black Adam’ Debuts at No. 1 With $67 Million, ‘Ticket to Paradise’ Scores $16 Million
“Black Adam,” a superhero adventure starring Dwayne Johnson as a villain who promises to change the “hierarchy of power” in the DC universe, towered over box office charts with $67 million in its domestic debut.
The Warner Bros. comic book movie handily took down the weekend’s other new nationwide release, Universal’s romantic comedy “Ticket to Paradise,” which landed in second place with a better-than-expected $16.3 million from 3,543 cinemas. “Black Adam,” heading into the weekend, was projected to open to $62 million while playing in 4,350 theaters, but ticket sales were stronger than anticipated on Saturday and Sunday, leading the studio to revise estimates.
Internationally, “Black Adam” kicked off with $73 million from 76 markets for a global tally of $140 million.
“As a spin-off, this is a strong opening,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “‘Black Adam’ should do well abroad and be comfortably profitable.”
For a superhero origin story, the $67 million start for “Black Adam” isn’t Earth-shattering, though it ranks in line with its fellow DC movie 2018’s “Aquaman” ($67.8 million) and above 2019’s “Shazam!” ($53.5 million), which each managed to stick around in theaters long enough to validate the hundreds of millions that Warner Bros. spent to produce those films. Compared to antiheroes outside the DC space though, “Black Adam” earned far less than 2018’s “Venom,” which also centered on a lesser-known comic book character and opened to $80 million despite terrible reviews.
In the case of “Aquaman,” led by another hulking figure in Jason Momoa, the movie had the added benefit of playing around the holidays, ending its theatrical run with a robust $335 million domestically and $1 billion globally. “Black Adam” isn’t expected to have that kind of multiple, but since it cost a massive $195 million before marketing fees, it’ll also need to keep playing on the big screen for some time.
“Black Adam” is the sixth Warner Bros. film (out of six) this year to open in first place at the domestic box office, following “The Batman,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” “Elvis,” “DC League of Super-Pets” and “Don’t Worry Darling.”
And, in a win for movie theaters, “Black Adam” is the first film to open above $50 million since “Thor: Love and Thunder” in July. It’s also the first time the overall box office has collectively surpassed $100 million in one weekend since mid-July.
Thanks to the combined charm of Julia Roberts and George Clooney, “Ticket to Paradise” successfully served as counter-programming to “Black Adam.” And with the challenges facing romantic comedies at the box office, that wasn’t a given — even with Roberts and Clooney centerstage. It didn’t come close to matching the start of “The Lost City,” a two-hander starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum that opened earlier this year to $30 million, but that film managed to expand its appeal by leaning heavy on the action and explosives, at least compared to the traditional rom-com. “Ticket to Paradise” stands as one of the better starts for meet-cute stories this year, beating “Bros” ($4.8 million) and “Marry Me”($7.9 million, while landing simultaneously on Peacock).
It also adds to the movie’s stellar business overseas, where “Ticket to Paradise” has already generated $80 million. Now that it’s opened in North America, the film is nearing the $100 million mark, with ticket sales currently at $96 million globally.
“These are two of Hollywood’s biggest stars and they still have large followings overseas, where audiences are more loyal to celebrities than they are in North America,” says Gross. “That’s where this movie is making very good money.”
Older audiences were especially charmed by “Ticket to Paradise,” which cost $60 million to produce. Nearly 50% of ticket buyers were 45 or older and 64% were above the age of 35. Opening weekend patrons seemed to enjoy the movie, awarding it an “A-” CinemaScore. Ol Parker (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”) directed “Ticket to Paradise,” which follows Roberts and Clooney as hostile exes who fly to Bali to stop their lovestruck daughter’s shotgun wedding.
“‘Ticket to Paradise’ became an event for all audiences this weekend, but especially older adults, which are difficult to get to theaters,” says Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. Its better-than-expected start, he says, “points to the incredible word-of-mouth the movie is generating.”
Elsewhere at the domestic box office, last weekend’s champion “Halloween Ends” fell to fourth place with $8 million, a shocking 80% decline from its $41 million debut. It’s one of the worst week-to-week falls in recent history for a movie that opened in first. “Halloween Ends” withstood an even steeper drop than its predecessor, 2021’s “Halloween Kills,” which also debuted day-and-date on Peacock and plummeted 70% in its second weekend. That film tapped out with $92 million at the domestic box office.
So far, “Halloween Ends,” which is positioned as the final showdown between Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode and her nemesis Michael Myers, has grossed $54.17 million in North America and $82 million worldwide.
In stark contrast, Paramount’s R-rated horror film “Smile” continued its killer run, landing in third place with $8.3 million (a slim 34% decline) in its fourth weekend of release. The movie, which cost an economical $17 million, has been the unexpected horror hit of the fall season, with $84.3 million to date. At the international box office, “Smile” has generated a huge $81.9 million for a healthy global total of $166.2 million.
Sony’s animated family film “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” rounded out the top five with $4.2 million from 3,536 venues over the weekend. After three weeks, it’s generated a lackluster $28.7 million in North America and $8.4 million internationally.
In sixth place, the off-the-radar slasher film “Terrifier 2” landed a bloody-good $1.89 million from 755 locations, bringing its domestic tally to $5.2 million after three weeks. The indepdenent movie, which is distributed by Bloody Disgusting, is already wildly profitable on its $250,000 budget. And although the stomach-churning movie is reportedly causing audience members to vomit and/ or faint in the aisles, it’s somehow benefitting from word-of-mouth. Ticket sales were up 84% from last weekend.
Several new releases succeeded at the indie box office, including Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy “The Bashees of Inisherin,” “A24’s “Aftersun” and director Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave.”
Searchlight’s “The Banshees of Inisherin,” an Irish-set film starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as life-long friends at an impasse, brought in $181,000 from four theaters, translating to a huge $45,250 per location. That’s a better screen average than “Tár” ($40,000 per location), “Triangle of Sadness” ($21,007 per location) and other recent awards hopefuls. By next Friday, Searchlight is expanding “The Banshees of Inisherin” to about 11 additional markets before opening nationwide in the coming weeks.
Paul Mescal, of “Normal People” fame, stars in “Aftersun,” which grossed $66,355 from four screens and averaging a solid $16,588 per location. A24 is slowly rolling out the well-reviewed movie through November.
Mubi is distributing “Decision to Leave,” which brought in $296,436 from 48 screens and translates to a softer $6,176 per location. Now in its second weekend in limited release, the romantic thriller has generated $437,116 to date.
Stacey Abrams Joins Latto on Stage With ‘My Body, My Choice’ Sign in Atlanta
Stacey Abrams held up a “my body, my choice” sign on stage as Latto performed “Pussy” in Atlanta Saturday night (Oct. 22).
The Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia took the stage at the State Farm Arena, where Latto was opening for Lizzo on The Special Tour. The message on the sign Abrams held high was echoed with a speech given to the crowd.
“I’m not gonna interrupt your fun. I just want to remind you that if you believe in my body, my choice, I need your vote,” Abrams said.
“I need your big energy,” she added. “Let’s get it!”
On Instagram, Abrams posted: “Thank you for sharing your stage with me, @latto777. Time to vote and protect a woman’s right to choose. StaceyAbrams.con/voting.”
Abrams debated with current Republican Governor Brian Kemp earlier this week, as early voting commenced.
“This is a governor who for the last four years has beat his chest but delivered very little for most Georgians,” she said, according to reporting by The Associated Press. “He’s weakened gun laws and flooded our streets. He’s weakened … women’s rights. He’s denied women the access to reproductive care. The most dangerous thing facing Georgia is four more years of Brian Kemp.”
Climate Activists Arrested After Throwing Mashed Potatoes at $110 Million Monet Painting
Two protesters were arrested after throwing mashed potatoes at a Claude Monet painting inside the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany.
The museum released a statement via Twitter declaring “Grainstacks,” the 1890 painting from Monet which was targeted in the protest, was not damaged after undergoing an “immediate conservation investigation.” The pair was eventually charged with trespassing and property damage.
According to Reuters, “Grainstacks” was sold for a record $110.7 million at an auction in 2019.
The German climate activist group the Last Generation took responsibility for the incident. “If it takes a painting—with #MashedPotatoes or #TomatoSoup thrown at it—to make society remember that the fossil fuel course is killing us all,” the tweet reads. “Then we’ll give you #MashedPotatoes on a painting.”
“While I understand the activists’ urgent concern in the face of the climate catastrophe, I am shocked by the means with which they are trying to lend weight to their demands,” Ortrud Westheider, director of Museum Barberini, said in a statement, obtained by USA Today. “It is in the works of the Impressionists that we see the intense artistic engagement with nature.”
A similar incident occurred earlier this month when two protesters, who claimed to be from the group “Just Stop Oil,” flung tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh’s 1888 painting “Sunflower” at the National Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square. The two were charged with criminal damage and aggravated trespassing, but the painting did not sustain any damage.
Adele's 'One Night Only' Concert Special Almost Turned Into Chaos, Says Director
Adele's "One Night Only" concert special has been unveiled to have nearly turned into chaos. According to director Paul Dugdale, the "Easy On Me" hitmaker's show was almost plunged into chaos by unusually bad weather in Los Angeles.
Paul, who directed the chart-topping artist's Emmy-winning TV special "One Night Only ", revealed to The Mirror in an article released on Sunday, October 23 that he had to make last-minute changes to save the show.
Paul divulged that the whole production had to be shifted forward to avoid the thunderous storm. "It was almost comedic. Howling wind and sideways rain… it was nuts," so he recalled. "The show definitely wouldn't have been able to happen."
Thankfully, Dugdale is familiar with handling bad weather, thanks to directing Glastonbury's "Live At Worthy Farm" gig when, naturally, it poured down. "It is only a bit of rain, but when you're playing a guitar that costs several thousand pounds in the wet, then that isn't ideal," he said. "Coldplay and Kano were the wettest outdoor performances that happened. It wouldn't have been Glastonbury without it, of course."
Antonio Brown Mocks Tom Brady With Savage Meme After Bucs' Loss To Panthers
Antonio Brown is wasting no time when it comes to trolling his former teammate Tom Brady. The NFL free agent mocked the seven-time Super Bowl champion after Tampa Bay Buccaneers were humiliated by the Carolina Panthers.
On Sunday, October 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers were defeated 21-3. The unexpected loss to the Carolina Panthers prompted Antonio to troll Tom with a savage meme he posted on his Twitter account.
AB first tweeted, "Tampon Bay. Tom Booty. ya dig." In a following post, the 34-year-old footballer posted a screenshot of the photo from his infamous meltdown against the New York Jets last season and photoshopped Tom's head over his body, while promoting his music with hashtag, "#Putthats**tOn."
Stephen A. Smith wanted Will Smith to portray him in a biopic before Oscars slap
The ESPN sports analyst revealed he has a very short list of actors he believes could pull off the role.
Stephen A. Smith wants one of Hollywood’s leading men to portray him if his upcoming memoir, “Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes,” is ever adapted into a biopic.
The book, slated to release in early 2023, will give readers insight into Smith’s childhood, his relationship with his father, and the trials and tribulations he’s experienced as a sports journalist. During his Oct. 21 appearance on “Hell of A Week with Charlamagne tha God,” the ESPN sports analyst revealed he has a very short list of actors he believes could pull off the role.
“D**mit, it would’ve been Will Smith before the slap. But I can’t go with him now. I can’t go with him,” the sports personality said, referring to the controversy that unfolded earlier this year when the Oscar-winning actor was ostracized from Hollywood after slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars when the comedian made an off-the-cuff joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald appearance.
When “The Breakfast Club” co-host suggested Will would make a comeback after the controversy, Stephen agreed. “Listen, listen; he’s Will Smith. We know he’s going to be back. We got love for him, but you just don’t do something like that. And Stephen A. wouldn’t do something like that.”
Stephen then said the only actors left for consideration are “Omari Hardwick, Michael B. Jordan — they both look a hell of a lot better than me, but d**mit, I’m stealing from them. So what do you want me to do? I’m gonna go with those names.”
The “First Take” commentator also noted that Jamie Foxx would have also been a shoo-in. “I would say Jamie Foxx, but he’s already trying to do Tyson [the Mike Tyson biopic]. He does [an impersonation] of Tyson exceptionally well. He does me alright, but he does Tyson really, really good. So I’m not going to give him too much credit for that.”
Janelle Monae Honored At Outfest's Legacy Awards Gala With Trailblazer Award
Janelle Monae adds a chic top hat to her look as she arrives at the 2022 Outfest Legacy Awards Gala held at Paramount Studios on Saturday (October 22) in Los Angeles.
The 36-year-old singer and actress was honored with the Trailblazer Award in recognition of her continued philanthropy and powerful messaging of being your authentic self.
“I feel like I’m at my church tonight,” Janelle told the audience in her acceptance speech, via Variety.
She continued, “I feel like I am in church and I am with people that feel me and see me and understand me…I’m just deeply humbled and just so thankful and at a loss for real words to match my feelings. So just accept my thank you. Thank you so much.”
Travis Scott Denies Rumors He Was Hanging Out With Reported Ex, Rojean Kar
The Travis Scott rumor mill is alive and well. The Houston rapper has addressed the online gossip about him allegedly rekindling with his reported ex, Rojean Kar, while he’s still with Kylie Jenner.
Scott took to his Instagram Story, telling his fans and followers, “It’s a lot of weird shit going on. An uninvited person was sneaking photos on what was supposed to be a closed set while I was directing a video. I’m saying this for the last time. I don’t know this person. I’ve never been with this person. So please stop with the continuous cyber games and the fictional storytelling.”
He posted a screenshot of a comment from someone who said she’s beeng working with Scott for eight years and that the woman, seemingly Kar, is “delusional” and that “she was not there with” Scott.
Fans thought Scott and Kar were together based on IG Stories that they both posted, which appeared to be in the same location. Scott also looks to be visible in Kar’s clip, which she captioned, “I’m directing obvi.”
According to Hot New Hip Hop, the pair have been romantically linked since at least 2013, though it was never confirmed. When Scott started dating Kylie in 2017, fans thought Kar was taking subliminal shots at Kylie online, and rumors surfaced that Kar was why Scott and Kylie parted ways in 2019.
The World Series Is Set After Astros Sweep Yankees, Phillies Oust Padres
The Houston Astros overpowered the New York Yankees throughout the American League Championship Series. With a 6-5 win at Yankee Stadium, the Astros swept the Bronx Bombers and advanced to their fourth World Series in six years.
Adding to the impressive run for the Astros, who won 106 games before the playoffs started, they have not lost a single game in the playoffs, going 7-0 through the first two series. Astros Manager Dusty Baker reflected on their achievements.
“It’s a long road to get here,” said Baker to ESPN. “There’s a lot that happens in the months to get here from spring training. It means that we persevered and we stayed together, and we made the necessary trades when we had to try to strengthen certain parts of our team.”
The Yankees now face a tough offseason, which could also end Aaron Judge’s time with the team as he enters free agency.
“We got beat by a better team right now and that’s the reality of it,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “They’re clearly setting the mark in this league that we’re aspiring to get to.”
The Astros will face the Philadelphia Phillies, who bounced the San Diego Padres on Sunday behind the stellar play of superstar Bryce Harper.
During the 4-3 series-clinching victory, Harper set a blast into left field, scoring two runs and assisting the Phillies to reach the main stage of baseball for the first time since 2009.
“I didn’t want to get back on that flight back to San Diego. I just didn’t want to get on a 5½-hour flight,” Harper said. “I wanted to hang out at home and enjoy this at home with these fans and this organization and this fan base.”
Game 1 of the World Series between the Phillies and Padres will begin in Houston on Thursday.
Tyler Perry Collaborator Zuri Craig Dead At 44
Zuri Craig, an America’s Got Talent contender and Tyler Perry collaborator, has died.
Craig’s family confirmed his passing Sunday by posting a tribute on his official ZoReMi Entertainment page, writing, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the transition of our beloved son, brother, and friend, Zuri Craig.”
“We thank you in advance for your prayers. Please honor our privacy at this unimaginable time of mourning.”
The family said he passed on Friday and has not revealed his cause of death.
Craig appeared on ‘AGT’ in 2015, when he and his singing partner, Jeffrey Lewis, performed and wowed the judges and audience.
The two placed fifth on the show.
But before that, Craig was making a name in the industry. Tyler Perry noticed him and Lewis from YouTube covers they were doing as early as ’09. This landed the star a job on some of Tyler’s ‘Madea’ plays, TMZ reported.
Craig has starred in/worked on a few “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” “Madea Gets a Job,” and “A Madea Christmas.” The two also made an appearance on Oprah.
He was set to produce a live production in Atlanta, ‘Soul Food Live,’ starting in November.
Zuri was 44.
Tamar Braxton Returns to Reality TV Years After Claiming the Pressures of the Shows
Tamar Braxton is returning to the small screen years after claiming the pressures of reality television contributed to her purported 2020 suicide attempt.
Braxton, who has been a part of reality television since 2011, will join “The Surreal Life” reboot. “The Surreal Life” was broadcast on VH1 from 2003 to 2006 and follows a group of celebrities living their everyday lives in a California mansion.
Braxton will appear in the show’s rebooted 2022 season alongside Dennis Rodman, August Alsina, Frankie Muniz, Kim Coles, Manny MUA, CJ Perry, and Stormy Daniels. In an Oct. 18 interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” Braxton revealed that she accepted the offer to be a cast member on “The Surreal Life” because she was a “huge fan” when it first aired.
She said, “I was a huge fan. That’s the reason why I joined the show.” Further in the conversation, Braxton admitted that despite liking the series she didn’t know what she was getting herself into.
The 45-year-old said without revealing any details about the upcoming season, “The truth is about this new reboot of ‘Surreal Life’ I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Oh, baby, buckle up. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
As the discussion shifted to Braxton’s well-being following the tumultuous time in her life in 2020, the “Love & War” songstress disclosed that she is in a better state now than she has ever been.
She said, “I’m doing great. I’m a prime example that you don’t have to stay where you are. You can put in a lot of hard work and challenge yourself and really make the decision to want to be better and do better, and I did that. I am from where I was a year and a half, two years ago. Just for the next person who feels there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel, here I am.”
On July 16, 2020, Braxton reportedly was hospitalized following a purported suicide attempt after being found unconscious in her home. Weeks after the incident, on July 30, 2020, Braxton took to Instagram to thank fans for their support and give insight into what contributed to the incident.
Braxton claimed In the lengthy that the promises We TV offered her to “protect and portray” her life story as authentically as possible were never met. At the time, Braxton worked on numerous projects for the company, including “Braxton’s Family Values” and “Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life.”
But instead, Braxton claimed that she was taken advantage of, overworked and underpaid. The “Pieces” vocalist also said when she tried to cut ties with WE TV and be freed from her contract by sending a letter to the company it went unanswered.
One day following Braxton’s allegations, We TV would part ways with the mother of one.
Although it is unclear what prompted Braxton’s change of heart about joining reality television again, fans can see the star in action when “The Surreal Life” reboot premieres on VH1 on Oct. 24 at 9 p.m. ET.
Mariah Carey Is Already Announcing Christmas Plans For a New Show!
Mariah Carey is kicking off the holiday spirit early with the announcement of her “Merry Christmas to All” revue, where she will perform her repertoire of holiday songs. The special two-date run takes place on Dec. 11 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada and Dec. 13 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.
Tickets for the two shows go on sale Friday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. ET via Live Nation. During checkout, ticket buyers may also purchase an exclusive T-shirt as well as a copy of the singer’s illustrated holiday fairytale, The Christmas Princess, which is set to release on Nov. 1.
In an interview with Rolling Stone Music Now, the singer discussed her upcoming book, The Christmas Princess. “It’s got very layered characters and a lot of undertones,” she said. “The parents or grandparents that buy this for their kids or whatever are gonna, I feel, enjoy it. And I think the kids will too. It’s an homage, a little bit, to my childhood.”
The singer’s holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has been a perennial favorite since it first arrived in 1994 and it made Rolling Stone’s “The Greatest Rock & Roll Christmas Songs, Holiday Songs” list. The song has spent time at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the last three consecutive Decembers.
Last month, Carey performed during Global Citizen, where she reunited with Jadakiss and Styles P for the first performance of the remix for “We Belong Together” in 17 years.
Adult and teen killed in St. Louis school shooting, police say
A teen student and an adult were killed in a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis on Monday morning, police Commissioner Michael Sack said.
Police located the shooter, and he was shot during an exchange of gunfire, he said. He was later pronounced as deceased, Sack said. Police previously said the gunman was in custody.
Authorities did not immediately identify the victims or the shooter, but Sack said during a news conference those slain were a woman who was pronounced dead at a hospital and a teen girl who was killed at the scene. The shooter was a man who appeared to be about 20 years old, he said.
Eight victims were transported to an area hospital, the commissioner said. News of the shooting arrived via social media.
Police arrived within minutes, Sack said, and spoke to students who described the attacker as carrying “a long gun.”
Sack would not say how the gunman entered the school, but said the school doors were locked, which delayed the suspect and bought responding officers time.
“The security staff did an outstanding job identifying the suspect’s efforts to enter and immediately notified other staff and ensured that we were contacted,” Sack said.
The St. Louis Police Metropolitan Police Department reported the active shooter on Twitter, and about 45 minutes later, tweeted, “At this time, the scene is secure and there is no active threat.”
Teacher: Multiple bursts of gunfire
Speaking on the phone, math teacher David Williams said the gunshots erupted shortly after 9 a.m. (10 a.m. ET) and everyone went into “drill mode,” turning off lights, locking doors and huddling in corners so they couldn’t be seen.
There was a bang on the door, and it shook, he said.
“Someone was trying to open the door,” Williams said.
Sirens emerged in the distance, and then Williams heard three shots, he said. Someone with an adult voice could be heard screaming, “You are all going to f**king die,” he recalled.
Shortly thereafter, a bullet came through one of the windows in his classroom, Williams said.
The gunshots picked up pace, he said. Where the first three shots sounded as if they came from a pistol, the rapid fire of subsequent shots made Williams think they came from a semi-automatic weapon, he said.
About then, officers from tactical teams arrived – a huge group of them, well organized – and there was another round of gunshots before Williams heard a woman announcing herself as police, he said.
Williams and the students ran to an emergency exit, he said, adding the ordeal lasted about 40 minutes.
Police engaged the shooter on the third floor, where Williams’ classroom is located, Sack said.
FBI, ATF assisting
The high school is a magnet school about 6 miles southwest of downtown.
Students were being evacuated from campus “to safe and secure sites,” the district said. People are being asked to avoid the area, and parents have been informed they can pick up their children at Gateway Stem High School, about a mile and a half north of CVPA.
Word of the shooting comes on the same day Michigan teen Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to murder charges in a Michigan school shooting last year that left four people dead and seven injured. On November 1, Nikolas Cruz will be sentenced for the February 2018 shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people died.
As the shooting in St. Louis was unfolding, a Michigan prosecutor addressed the nation’s gun violence in the wake of Crumbley’s guilty plea.
“It’s not just about sharing with other departments. Gun violence is preventable. That’s what I’ve learned, and the fact that there is another school shooting does not surprise me – which is horrific,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. “It is preventable, and we should never, ever allow that to be something we just should have to live with.”
The FBI’s St. Louis field office is assisting local law enforcement in its response to the shooting, spokesperson Rebecca Wu said. The Kansas City, Missouri, field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive is assisting as well, spokesperson John Ham said in a statement.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
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Just covering up
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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