#MAGFAB: Brooke Shields for Marie Claire Greece - January 2023
The Iconic Brooke Shields and the article is HERE
BREAKING: Rapper Tory Lanez found guilty on all charges in shooting of Megan Thee Stallion
A jury in Los Angeles found rapper Tory Lanez guilty on all three charges in the shooting of hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion on July 12, 2020 in the Hollywood Hills.
ABC News has reached out to Lanez' attorneys and a request for comment was not immediately returned.
"The jury got it right. I am thankful there is justice for Meg," Megan Thee Stallion's attorney Alex Spiro told ABC News in a statement after the verdict was announced.
Jury deliberations began Thursday and a verdict was announced Friday afternoon.
Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, shared her account of the incident in an emotional testimony last week and accused Lanez of shooting her following an argument.
Pete testified that on the night of July 12, 2020, she got out of a car following an argument with Lanez and as she walked away, she turned her head and saw him with a gun, according to a reporter with Los Angeles ABC station KABC, who was in the courtroom.
"He was holding the gun pointing at me," she said, according to KABC, and claimed that he said "dance b----" and fired his gun, injuring both her feet.
"I froze ... I felt shocked," she said. "I wasn't really sure if this was happening. ... I looked at the ground and saw the blood ... everyone was shocked."
Lanez, a popular rapper whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was initially charged in October 2020 with one felony count each of assault with a semi-automatic firearm (personal use of a firearm) and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, according to charging documents obtained by ABC News. "Personal use of a firearm" is not a separate charge but a sentencing enhancement linked to the first count that could increase Lanez's possible sentence.
He was charged earlier this month with an additional felony count of discharging a firearm with gross negligence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed to ABC News.
Lanez, who chose not to take the witness stand during the trial, pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
"It's a very unfortunate case," Lanez's defense attorney, George Mgdesyan, said during closing arguments on Wednesday, according to KABC. "Someone got shot. Megan Pete got shot ... my client is not the shooter ... my client is being falsely accused."
The jury began deliberations on Thursday
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Accused of Wearing ‘Cheap Party City Wig’ In Season 15 Confessional Look
Avigail is an Entertainment blogger at All About The Tea, who specializes in The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac. Avigail has a background in marketing. She's a Brooklynite living in the Bahamas, with a passion for travel, writing, reality TV watching, pop culture and spoken word.
Kenya Moore Accused of Wearing ‘Cheap Party City Wig’ In Season 15 Confessional Look
Kenya Moore will debut a new confessional look when Season 15 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta returns in 2023, and fans are clowning the former Miss USA’s wig choice.
Kenya Moore’s new talking head confessional photos surfaced on social media on Tuesday and features the reality diva sporting a Farrah Fawcett style blonde-orange colored wig.
Kenya Moore’s new do wasn’t well received by many Real Housewives of Atlanta fans, who were quick to share their thoughts.
One person wrote, “I love my girl Kenya, but this cheap party city wig is not it.” Another fan commented, “I don’t think this fits Kenya …”
Someone else wrote, “Well it’s not a pretty look and I don’t like Kenya but she is a beautiful woman but this look is not her only Cynthia can where that color hair and with that style ijs not the look for a woman as pretty as Kenya and Cynthia Bailey is simply gorgeous.”
A fourth person tweeted, “She literally looks worse each season and the wigs are just blasphemous!!! What happened to her beautiful natural hair?!?”
“it’s giving me nene vibes and i’m not loving it.” Someone noted.
Another stated, “Nope…the makeup and hair is a nope for me…looking like JT and the rest of the girls with that makeup lips… I hate it.”
Someone else pointed out, “This big lip and red hair has her looking like an AGED TURKEY @KenyaMoore it’s a NOOOO.”
A critic stated, “What in the cheap party city wig is Kenya wearing.”
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star recently switched things up with a shorter, straighter new hairstyle.
As fans know, Kenya Moore’s hair is a signature part of her look since she owns a haircare line. Viewers have seen Kenya rock loose waves to her natural curls, it’s no wonder the Michigan native started her own haircare line that’s even used by her own RHOA castmates.
Kenya took to her Instagram Stories on November 21, the haircare mogul showed off a pin-straight style with fringe bangs, tagging Everyday Wigs — which has also provided styles for RHOA alum Cynthia Bailey — for the straight look.
“Monday,” Kenya wrote over the post, perhaps hinting at a work engagement for which she rocked the ’90s-style look. Also echoing that era’s supermodel vibe was Kenya’s makeup, which perfectly complemented her hair with a smoky eye, long lashes, peachy-pink blush, and a glossy nude lip.
Kenya will also star on FOX’s ultimate celebrity social experiment, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. The reality series will make its series premiere, a two-hour special event, on Jan. 4, at 8:00pm ET.
The all-new series features household names who endure some of the harshest, most grueling challenges from the playbook of the actual Special Forces selection process. There are no votes, and no eliminations – just survival.
These celebrities, who are so used to being in the spotlight, quickly learn the meaning of “no guts, no glory” – and no glam. The other celebrities joining Kenya Moore are: Danny Amendola, Mel B, Hannah Brown, Tyler Florence, Kate Gosselin, Dwight Howard, Montell Jordan, Gus Kenworthy, Nastia Liukin, Carli Lloyd, Beverley Mitchell, Mike Piazza, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Anthony Scaramucci and Jamie Lynn Spears.
The series is produced by Minnow Films. Sophie Leonard, Alicia Kerr and Becky Clarke serve as executive producers.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is expected to return early 2023.
#MusicNews: SZA Scores First No. 1 Album With 'SOS'
Christmas comes early for SZA. The singer earns her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with SOS, which debuts atop the chart with 318,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 15.
The 23-track set, which features Travis Scott, Don Toliver, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, becomes the fifth-largest debut of the year following Taylor Swift’s Midnights (1.578 million), Harry Styles’ Harry’s House (521,000), Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss (404,000), and Beyoncé’s Renaissance (332,000).
With 404.58 million official on-demand streams, SOS is the biggest streaming week ever for an R&B album, the second-largest streaming week ever for an album by a female artist, and the third-largest streaming week of 2022 for any album after Midnights (250.23 million) and Her Loss (513.56 million).
Two songs off the album debut in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Kill Bill” at No. 3 and “Nobody Gets Me” at No. 10.
SOS arrives more than five years after SZA’s breakout album Ctrl, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 60,000 units. It went on to move 3.9 million equivalent album units and has remained on the chart after 288 consecutive weeks.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie also returns to the top 10 with Me vs. Myself, which opens at No. 6 with 53,000 equivalent album units, his fourth top 10 album.
Elsewhere, Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains falls 1-3 (102,000) in its second week, while Her Loss slides 3-4 (67,000).
Billboard 200 Top 10
1. SZA – SOS – 318,000
2. Taylor Swift – Midnights – 139,000
3. Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains – 102,000
4. Drake and 21 Savage – Her Loss – 67,000
5. Michael Bublé – Christmas – 62,000
6. A Boogie Wit da Hoodie – Me vs. Myself – 53,000
7. Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti – 51,000
8. Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song – 47,000
9. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas – 47,000
10. Morgan Wallen – Dangerous: The Double Album – 45,000
#HipHopNews: Joe Budden Apologizes For 'Careless' Comments About Megan Thee Stallion
Joe Budden is sorry for his “careless” comments about Megan Thee Stallion.
Amid the ongoing Tory Lanez shooting trial, the podcast host took to the airwaves to issue an apology to the “Savage” rapper after claiming she’s done “horrible things to some really great people.”
Budden said he reflected on his remarks after receiving phone calls from “women that I love and appreciate and admire.”
“I’m apologizing for the careless manner in which I joked about her mental health. That didn’t sit right with my soul and my spirit,” he told his listeners. “But that’s not funny, because whether you believe her or don’t believe her, can you afford to be wrong? And the answer is no.”
He continued, “I would not feel right if that girl went home and did something to herself. Then I would just be a part of the pile on. And there is seemingly a Megan hate train going on across socials.”
The apology comes after Budden received backlash for questioning Meg’s character, despite not actually knowing her personally.
“I want to be clear, I don’t know her as a person. She could be amazing,” he said in an earlier episode of “The Joe Budden Podcast.” “For me, personally, I’ve seen this woman do horrible things to some really great people that I have long-standing relationships with in this industry so I’m biased. You can’t just treat my friend and people I f**k with and people I’ve seen in this game of 15 years a certain way.”
During her testimony in the trial last week, Megan recalled how difficult it has been to deal with all the hateful comments from Tory’s supporters.
“Because I was shot, I’ve been turned into some kind of villain, and he’s the victim. This has messed up my whole life,” she said. “I wish he would’ve just killed me if I knew I’d have to go through this.”
The felony assault trial, for which Tory has pleaded not guilty, continues for an eighth day. On Monday, prosecutors attempted to charge Tory with witness tampering based on an alleged $1 million bribe he made to Megan and her former best friend Kelsey Harris, but a judge denied the motion.
Romeo Miller Says He’s Finally Getting His First Check from Rap Snacks After Accusing His Dad of Never Paying Him
The family drama between Romeo Miller and Master P online has taken an unusual turn. The father-son duo went back and forth on Instagram for days, airing out their frustrations toward each other.
Miller rose to fame in the early 2000s as rapper Lil Romeo. He’s starred in several films and series his father executive produced. Between his music, acting, television shows, and hosting gigs, his estimated net worth is between $5 million and $20 million.
In a recently-deleted Instagram post, the 33-year-old called out Master P, who co-founded the popular chip brand Rap Snacks. The company regularly collaborates with hip-hop artists to launch new flavors. As a partner, Miller claims his earnings have been withheld for over a decade. He claims he was misled to believe he would be compensated later after the company was sold.
“I would like to thank James and Taylor of Rap Snacks for seeking the truth and doing proper business,” he wrote. “This year, I will get my first Rap Snacks to check and finally start receiving my earnings from my bags. I was told as a kid that we owned Rap Snacks, and that my payday would come after we put in work and sold the company, silly me!”
He said, “I promoted a company for free for 15+ years based on the word of my pops, without being allowed to see any contracts or even meet with the team, and I stayed loyal…but I’m entitled and ungrateful now?”
The former child star explained that he only addressed the matter because his dad was “trying to gaslight and break” him. He also called out the No Limit Records founder for not “taking accountability of his mistakes/greed.”
“My mental is very strong because I do the work, but no man or woman should live a lie to protect another. My stand isn’t about money, it’s about the perception of money,” Miller explained. “My father knows that I’ve made the most earnings over the past 10 years and played my part quietly as always so he could shine.”
As proof of his decades-long partnership with Rap Snacks, the New Orleans native shared a throwback clip of him promoting the brand on BET’s “106 & Park.” He also attached early images of his face on the potato chip bags.
“None of yall love my father more than me, I know my sister’s passing was a warning, and just like Moses in the Bible, the man that leads the people out, isn’t always allowed to the promised land because of his own ego,” he continued. “Don’t have to be perfect, but I can’t follow someone who’s been blinded.”
Miller’s post also included a screenshot of emails he received on Dec. 15 from Taylor McCain, the account executive of Rap Snacks. She asked him to look over and sign paperwork so he can receive his “commission for this quarter.”
Romeo’s post came after Master P paid tribute to beloved DJ Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, who took his own life last week. He called out the 52-year-old for speaking on someone he doesn’t know while neglecting the mental health struggles of his own daughter. Tytyana Miller died on May 27, 2022, in San Francisco from an accidental fentanyl overdose, as previously noted. Her battle with depression and addiction was exposed on We TV’s “Growing Up Hip Hop,” where her dad and older brother encouraged her to go to rehab.
Antonio Brown no longer facing domestic violence charge, arrest warrant after police standoff outside house
Antonio Brown is no longer a wanted man, according to a notice of termination of prosecution that was filed by the Florida State Attorney’s Office on Tuesday.
An arrest warrant for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver was issued on Dec. 1 for misdemeanor battery domestic violence.
Police were looking to arrest Brown since then. According to the notice, Brown will not need to appear for “any further proceedings in this matter.”
The police report alleged that Brown threw a shoe at a woman and struck her in the ponytail. Before police arrived, Brown also reportedly threw the woman's belongings out of the house.
Now, the attorney’s office says that after review, “the charge contained therein is dismissed and prosecution is terminated.”
This news comes after Brown was reportedly hiding out in his Tampa home while police attempted to get him to come out and be arrested. Though police reportedly told Brown they were “not going anywhere” until he came out, they eventually left and declared the situation an "active investigation."
Brown, 34, won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020. He said in May that he didn't plan to play in 2022.
His last NFL appearance was on Jan. 2, when he made a dramatic exit from the Buccaneers' Week 17 game against the New York Jets in New Jersey. After getting into an argument on the sideline, Brown took off his uniform and threw his undershirt to the crowd while walking off the field and into the tunnel.
He called out then-head coach Bruce Arians and the organization for allegedly covering up his ankle injury before he was released a few weeks later.
Prior to that, Brown requested a trade from the Steelers after the 2018 season and landed with the Oakland Raiders in the 2019 preseason. He was cut from the team prior to the start of the season.
The New England Patriots signed him days later, then released him a few weeks later amid accusations of sexual misconduct and allegedly sending threatening text messages to one of his accusers.
Pele to 'spend Christmas in hospital’ after medical reports show cancer has worsened
Pelé’s health has worsened and the Brazilian soccer great now requires greater care due to the progression of his cancer, according to a statement by the Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital in São Paulo on Wednesday.
Pelé was admitted to the hospital on November 29 for a respiratory infection and “re-evaluation of the chemotherapy treatment over the colon cancer identified in September 2021,” the hospital said at the time.
Now Pelé “presents progression of the oncological disease and requires greater care related to renal (kidney) and cardiac dysfunctions,” the hospital said Wednesday.
The need for greater care means Pelé will spend Christmas at the Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital in São Paulo, his daughter Kely Nascimento said in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
Brazil team group. (top l-r) Waldir Perez, Leandro, Oscar, Falcao, Luizinho, Junior. (front l-r) Trainer, Socrates, Cerezo, Serginho, Zico, Eder. (Photo by Peter Robinson/EMPICS via Getty Images)
The greatest team to never win the World Cup? How the Brazil side of 1982 became one of the most beloved in history
Justin Bieber Reaching Nearly $200 Million Deal To Sell His Music Rights
Justin Bieber has joined the trend among musicians to sell rights to his music catalogs for a whopping amount. If a new report is to be believed, the "Justice" star is closing in on what could be the biggest music rights acquisition in Hipgnosis Songs Capital's history.
Sources told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, December 21 that the company reportedly placed a $200 million bid on the 28-year-old Canadian singer's catalog. The deal includes his entire discography, six albums, numerous singles and several features.
Hipgnosis Songs Capital acquired some major catalogs over the past year. In May, the company dropped $100 million to secure Justin Timberlake's catalog including songs like "Cry Me A River" and "Rock Your Body". Prior to that, it purchased Leonard Cohen's catalog for an undisclosed amount.
Justin has released six studio albums between 2010 and 2021, spawning a barrage of hits like "Baby", "Sorry", "Love Yourself" and "Peaches." His collaborations include Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito", DJ Khaled's "I'm the One" and "STAY" with The Kid LAROI.
Many artists have been cashing on their catalogs in recent years including veterans like Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Bruce Springsteen. Also doing the same were John Legend and Ryan Tedder.
The news of Justin's music rights acquisition arrived during a troubled time for the heartthrob, just weeks after he postponed the remaining dates in his "Justice World Tour" until an unspecified time "next year."
The tour, which was originally scheduled to launch in 2020, has been postponed or delayed several times, initially due to the pandemic but most recently following his bout with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a rare virus that in his case caused facial paralysis. It finally launched in March and covered most of North America, but he postponed the remaining dates early in June after announcing his difficulties with the disease.
Sonya Eddy Died After Suffering From 'Uncontainable' Infection Following Surgery
Sonya Eddy reportedly passed away from an "uncontainable" infection after hospital surgery. According to a close friend of the "General Hospital" actress, 55, whose passing was announced on Tuesday, December 20, the late star went into hospital for a non-emergency and pre-scheduled procedure on December 9 before she was released two days later.
To TMZ, her friend Tyler Ford said Eddy then fell ill and returned to hospital on December 15 when doctors found Sonya had developed an infection that had become "uncontainable." The actress was said to have been placed on life support by Monday morning and died later that night.
It appears Sonya never married and did not have any children. Her death was announced on Tuesday by her Oscar-winner actress friend Octavia Spencer, 52, who hailed her as a "creative angel." She said on Instagram, "My friend @sonyaeddy passed away last night."
"The world lost another creative angel. Her legions of @generalhospitalabc fans will miss her. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones, friends, and fans!" she added while including a broken heart and flying dove emoji with her tribute.
Sonya's cause of death is as yet unknown.
Frank Valentini, executive producer on ABC's "General Hospital" soap opera also paid tribute to the star, saying, "I am heartbroken about the loss of the incredible Sonya Eddy. I truly loved her not only as an actress but as a friend."
"The lights in the hub of the nurses' station will now be a bit dimmer, but her spirit and light will live on in both the show and our set. On behalf of the entire 'GH' cast and crew, we send our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, and fans. She will be very missed."
Born in Concord, California, Sonya majored in theatre and dance at University of California and received her BA in 1992. The licensed vocational nurse featured on "General Hospital" from 2006 as straight-talking head nurse Epiphany Johnson, racking up 543 episodes in the role.
Her acting debut came in the "Zora Is My Name" play in 1990 and she went on to appear in TV shows such as "Married... with Children", "Seinfeld", and "Home Improvement" as well as "Glee", "2 Broke Girls", and "Fresh Off the Boat".
American couple charged for torturing and confining Ugandan foster child
A court in Kampala, Uganda has charged an American couple with child trafficking, ABC News shared today (Dec. 21). Mackenzie Leing Mathias Spencer and Nicholas Spencer, both 32, are accused of torturing and confining a 10-year-old boy to a small and cold room without clothes.
Court documents obtained by the outlet state the couple “recruited, transported and maintained” the foster child “for the purpose of exploitation.” ABC News added that the Spencers were previously charged with aggravated torture after reportedly forcing the child to remain in a room with a surveillance camera to keep an eye on his “hyperactive behavior” and “stubbornness.” A police rep said, “We believe the victim could have endured more severe acts of torture away from the camera.”
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesman Patrick Onyango said the Spencers used the boy and other foster children to solicit money from donors. Officials are working to determine why the American couple was in Uganda and noted that neither possessed a work permit. People reported that the Spencers are from South Carolina and were the child’s guardians since 2020, but have lived and worked in the African country since 2017. The child was allegedly given a wood platform to sleep on instead of a proper bed with a frame, mattress and sheets.
Local police became involved after a person close to the situation alerted authorities about the family’s actions. The eyewitness told officials the child was not allowed to go to school and his health appeared to be declining. Although the Spencers have pleaded not guilty, the pair has been deemed a flight risk and will remain in custody until a later court date. On a GoFundMe page created in 2019, Mackenzie mentioned she “moved to East Africa nearly [three] years ago with [her] husband, Nick, and [they] have been doing humanitarian work focused on women’s empowerment and education.” She added that they were “also foster parents to [three] incredible children.”
Tory Lanez Won't Testify in Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Trial
Tory Lanez will not be taking the witness stand in his trial against Megan Thee Stallion.
While in court on Wednesday (December 21), Tory, 30, announced that will be not be testifying in his defense over whether he shot Megan, 27, in the foot back in 2020 during a roadside dispute.
“I will not testify,” Tory told Judge David V. Herriford, according to Billboard.
Also during the Wednesday’s proceedings, it was revealed that Jaquan Smith – Tory‘s driver who was present on the night of Megan‘s shooting – would also not be testifying.
Tory and Jaquan not testifying signals the end of the week-long testimonies setting the stage for jurors to begin deliberating on a verdict.
Avery Cyrus Speaks Out After Ex JoJo Siwa Says She Was 'Used for Views'
Avery Cyrus is speaking out about her breakup from JoJo Siwa after her ex said that she was being “used.”
The couple’s split was confirmed this past weekend and then a video was posted by JoJo‘s mom in which she said that she felt like she had been “used for views and for clout.”
JoJo didn’t specifically refer to Avery in the video, but it’s been the general consensus among fans that she was talking about her ex.
Avery spoke to E! News to clear the air following JoJo‘s statements.
“From my perspective, me and JoJo left on great terms and are still friends,” she said. “The relationship was very real, and I have nothing but love for JoJo and her family.”
Avery added, “I’m still very hurt that JoJo broke up with me. And I’m saddened and confused by the situation.”
Kim Cattrall Mourns Death of Her Mom Shane Cattrall
Kim Cattrall is paying tribute to her late mother. The Sex and the City alum revealed in an Instagram post that her mom Shane Cattrall has died at 93, sharing a series of photos of Kim and her mom over the years—including a snap from her childhood.
"Shane Cattrall 1929 - 2022," she wrote on Dec. 20. "Rest in peace Mum."
Friends and followers expressed their support and condolences in the comments, including Queer as Folk reboot creator Stephen Dunn, who wrote, "sending all my love," with British comedian Alan Carr expressing, "Sorry darling. Sending you lots of love."
Added Canadian hockey reporter Christine Simpson, "Oh Kim. My heart goes out to you. Mums are the best."
Kim has been open about her mom's influence on her life, explaining how her upbringing shaped the kind of projects the actress has wanted to take on throughout her career.
"My mother's childhood was shocking and dramatic," she explained to The Guardian in 2019 "Her father abandoned my grandmother, leaving her in terrible poverty, struggling to bring up three children. As I've got older that's inspired me to want to tell stories about real women who are not Superwoman but need extraordinary powers to survive."
The death of Kim's mother comes nearly five years after the Mannequin star's brother, Chris Cattrall, went missing from his home in Alberta, Canada, and was later found dead. He was 55.
"It is with great sadness that myself and my family announce the unexpected passing of our son and brother, Chris Cattrall," she wrote on Instagram in Feb. 2018. "At this time we ask for privacy but we want to thank you all on social media for your outpouring of love and support in this trying time."
Offset says he is ‘fake smiling,’ trying to keep ‘head up’ after Takeoff’s death
Offset is having a hard time keeping a smile on his face while mourning the death of his cousin, Takeoff.
“S–t not easy[,] fake smiling and s–t[,] tryna keep walking with my head up,” the rapper — whose real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus — tweeted on Wednesday, alongside a photo of the late rapper performing.
In response to his tweet, fans offered the “Clout” rapper, 31, words of encouragement.
“Just keep moving [sic] forward best you can and it kinda gets easier and hopefully MANY years from now you 2 will circle back,” one fan tweeted.
“Lost my mom last year. All we can do keep living for them. They’d never wanna see us give up,” another wrote.
“Keep your chin up, he’s with you always and will always look over you no matter what. Don’t ever give up on that,” a third added.
Takeoff — whose real name is Kirsnick Khari Ball — was shot and killed in a bowling alley after his Migos bandmate Quavo was involved in a verbal altercation with another group of other people. He was 28.
Since the “Versace” rapper’s death on Nov. 1, Offset has been using social media to help him through his grieving process.
Ahead of celebrating his 31st birthday on Dec. 14 with wife Cardi B, Offset tweeted that he was “in a dark place” alongside a middle finger emoji.
And before that, the father of five shared that he was “missing everything” about Takeoff, especially “that smile.”
Dionne Warwick Trolls Pete Davidson, Says She’s Still Waiting for Him to Call Her
*Dionne Warwick recently joked that she should be next in line to date comedian Pete Davidson.
Davidson has been romantically linked to Cazzie David (daughter of Larry David), singer Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale, Margaret Qualley, Kaia Gerber, Phoebe Dynevor Kim Kardashian and most recently Emily Ratajkowski.
“I’m trolling him — it’s done the tongue in cheek and is smooth as hell — but he’s dating everybody else. Why not me?” Warwick, 82, joked to Kevin Frazier.
Warwick is gearing up for the release of her award-winning documentary with CNN titled “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, “directed by Dave Wooley and David Heilbroner.
Warwick narratives the doc which highlights her stellar career through archival footage, personal photographs, and newsreels.
Per the official press release: “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” was five years in the making, according to filmmaker Dave Wooley, who wrote and solely produced the documentary. Wooley also directed the film alongside veteran David Heilbroner (of “Say Her Name: The Life & Death of Sandra Bland”).
“Working on Ms. Warwick’s documentary is a dream come true. “To see the movie come to fruition and most importantly, for Ms. Warwick to receive such accolades during her lifetime is gratifying,” explains Wooley.
Wooley, who also co-authored Ms. Warwick’s autobiography, “My Life as I See It”, said he wants viewers to “learn about Ms. Warwick’s legacy and as a transformational leader.”
“We focus on her work and commitment to Civil Rights in the 1960’s and how she stood up and stared down at Jim Crow racism. Then we move on into the 1980’s with the AIDS epidemic and her ambassadorship on the US commission to address this matter, which led to Ms. Warwick to prompt then-President Ronald Reagan to speak directly on the issue,” Wooley says.
The documentary features Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Bill Clinton, Snoop Dogg, Burt Bacharach, Carlos Santana, and Alicia Keys among others.
After the documentary was privately screened at the Apollo Theater in NYC’s Harlem, Wooley shared how Warwick reacted, saying: “Upon viewing, Ms. Warwick said to me, ‘Dave, you put your foot in that (film)’. That meant so much to me because I put my entire being into making the doc. It’s indeed an honor.”
“Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” premieres Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, at 9 p.m. ET, exclusively on CNN. It will be available via HBO Max
Mariah Carey Continues to Earn Millions for ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’
*Mariah Carey continues to earn millions from her timeless holiday song “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
Billboard reported on Dec. 19 that the track holds the No. 1 spot on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. Carey released her modernized version of the holiday classic in 1994. Last year, the song received the Recording Industry Association of America Diamond Award, making it the first holiday song to receive the award.
“The continued love for my song never ceases to amaze me and fill my heart with a multitude of emotions,” the ‘Queen of Christmas’ previously said in a press release. “It blows my mind that ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ has endured different eras of the music industry. The RIAA DIAMOND award?! Wowww! I’m so fortunate to have the greatest fans on Earth, my Lambily, who continue to support my legacy. I love you.”
Carey posed with her Diamond Award trophy in a post shared on social media, which she captioned: “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend 💎❤️.” Check out the post below.
Meanwhile, Mariah reportedly bags around $3 million per year from the track. A new Billboard report breaks down just how much the songstress continues to earn from the song.
Per Billboard, in 2021…
…the song, co-written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, clocked 200 million on-demand audio streams, 48,000 downloads, 52.5 million video streams, and 24 million programmed streams in the US. That all generated $1.36 million for Carey and her label, Sony Music. But it doesn’t stop there.
Publishing rights to the song brought in another $378,000. Global streams brought the total spins to 823 million with 94,000 total downloads. Carey and Afanasieff’s master recording earned an estimated $4.5 million in 2021, plus $1.66 million in publishing royalties, making a grand total of $6.16 million in total revenue. Billboard surmised that Carey’s share of the masters to be $1.55 million with Sony getting $2.95 million (further proof that labels are even making far more money than Mariah freakin’ Carey.) Her publishing shares after admin fees, publishing deal and Afanasieff’s 50/50 cut (assuming that’s their share of the writing), comes out to around $415,000.
Senator Gillibrand Secures $3m In Federal Funding For Bx’s Universal Hip Hop Museum
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced she secured $3 million in funding in the year-end omnibus package to go toward construction of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, which broke ground in the South Bronx in May 2021 and is slated to open in 2024. The omnibus is expected to pass Congress and be signed into law this week.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum aims to become a tourist hub honoring the genre’s influence over art, music, fashion, film, marketing and entertainment, celebrating the pioneers who built the culture, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, DJ Kool Herc, Run DMC and Notorious B.I.G. The funds attained by Senator Gillibrand will go toward helping support the interior fit out of the facility, which is currently under construction at Bronx Point in the “Boogie Down” borough.
“The Bronx has historically been a creative incubator for so many wonderful genres of music, ranging from doo-wop to salsa, but few genres have left a greater mark on mainstream culture than hip hop music,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “It is amazing to see that what started as a party in the basement of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue became a global phenomenon that spawned artistry and entrepreneurs like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, and 50 Cent. With the 50th anniversary of hip hop right around the corner, I am proud to have secured funds to help the Universal Hip Hop Museum celebrate everything that is beautiful about hip hop culture.”
Located in the borough that give birth to the musical genre, the Universal Hip Hop Museum is the only state-chartered educational museum that is focused on the preserving the genre’s deep musical history and celebrating the 5 elements of hip hop’s culture: emceeing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti art, and knowledge.
Transcending language, age, race, geographic, and socioeconomic barriers, hip hop has grown from “New York City” street music getting minimal radio play that gave a voice to the voiceless to topping the Billboard charts thanks to musical acts such as Drake, Nas, Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo, as well as influencing other genres ranging from pop music to R&B to heavy metal music.
Lil Wayne Sued By Chef For Wrongful Termination
According to Lil Wayne’s personal chef, the rapper fired her after she left in him in Vegas to deal with a family emergency.
Morghan Medlock claims that the ordeal took place while in Las Vegas with Wayne and his team during Memorial Day weekend. She was terminated after alerting Wayne that her son suffered a head injury and she needed to tend to him.
Medlock further alleges that she wanted to fly back to L.A. as soon as possible, however, her flight back was delayed significantly due to Lil Wayne and his entourage allegedly smoking on his private jet. The chef stated that she then booked her own separate flight home to be with her
son, who had been hospitalized as a result of his injury. The chef also alleged that she notified the rapper’s assistant of the situation and urgent timeline and claimed she was asked by Lil Wayne’s team if she was quitting, to which she responded, “No.”
Medlock states that she was subsequently informed that she was being dismissed, with a comment from Wayne stating, “tell Chef Morghan this isn’t going to work,” according to the lawsuit.
She claims her dismissal was inappropriate under California law because she was absent in support of her injured son, and she is suing Lil Wayne for at least $500,000.
In California, a termination is wrongful if the employer-based their decision to fire the employee on the employee’s race, religion, age, sex, or other legally protected personal quality. To prove a case of wrongful termination, the fired worker generally has to show that the employer’s stated reason
for the discharge was false, and that the termination was for an illegal reason. That illegal reason is motivated by 1. unlawful retaliation, discrimination, breach of contract, or violation of public policy.
- Typical evidence that can help demonstrate that you were fired illegally includes:
- Recorded communications such as emails or voicemails from managers that show harassing or prejudiced behavior. Other materials that could work include handwritten notes, memos, or social
- media posts.
- Eyewitness accounts from fellow co-workers who can back up your side of the story. An example would be a colleague who saw the boss harass you.
- Company employment data that shows the company is systemically prejudiced. For example, a lack of people of color in management positions indicates that the hiring partners may be discriminating in
- favor of white employees.
According to the suit, Medlock also accuses Wayne of ‘ conduct with a substantial factor and causing harm to [her] including but not limited to loss of earnings and other employment, benefits, mental anguish, and emotional distress.’
Sexual Discrimination Lawsuit Against Nike Alleges That Male Executives Get “Sloppy Drunk” To Prey On Female Employees
According to an unsealed gender discrimination lawsuit against Nike, the company ignored complaints by female employees who claimed executives would get “sloppy drunk” to prey on them.
In their complaint, the female employees claimed that Nike’s Oregon headquarters was a “boys club” where male executives subjected them to sexual advances, suggestive comments about their appearance, and sexual innuendos.
The complaint includes allegations that an executive received oral sex from a female employee in the campus gym.
Another woman at the company reported hearing male coworkers tell her to “dress sexier” and “show some skin.”
Last month, the court unsealed deposition testimony, executive emails, speech crafts, and letters between lawyers in the 2018 lawsuit.
Due to the judge’s denial of class-action status for the lawsuit, there are now only 14 plaintiffs instead of 5,200.
According to the lawsuit, male executives would get “sloppy drunk” and touch female employees on business trips.
Several other women were invited to “work dinners” with high-ranking men who hoped to sleep with them.
The lawsuit claims that several women at the company conducted anonymous surveys seeking information about alleged gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
In one of the surveys, a woman described Nike as a “giant men’s sports team, where favoritism prevails, and females couldn’t possibly play in the sandbox.”
A female employee said that a male Executive told her, “Maybe if you dressed nicer, I would be on time. Take that baggy jacket off and show some skin.”
According to Insider, the women rarely reported these instances to human resources because they didn’t think the department would take them seriously.
One woman commented on the survey that “HR and (employee resources) at this company are a joke.”
“Females at this company have felt very little power to change a culture and environment that has been and continues to be disrespectful to women,” said another female employee.
“Kept it to myself because of who he is at the company,” wrote the woman who was told to “show some skin.”
The surveys started to be distributed in 2018 due to some female employees being dissatisfied with how the business handled prior concerns.
Only 10 of the many collected surveys made it into the court records. The judge denied Nike’s request to keep the details of the surveys confidential.
The surveys were delivered to Mark Parker, the current executive chairman of Nike, in March 2018.
Parker announced a management shakeup a few days after getting the surveys. He also sent an email of apology to Nike employees.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve become aware of reports occurring within our organization that do not reflect our core values of inclusivity, respect, and empowerment,” Parker wrote.
At least 11 executives quit the company after Parker received the surveys. Additionally, Nike attempted to increase the number of women in its managerial ranks.
There are now 43% more women vice presidents of the company than there were in 2018.
The Little Mermaid Director Addresses Racist Comments, Says Halle Is “Perfect For The Part”
The live-action remake of the Little Mermaid hits theaters next year, and it’s no shock that some fans are excited to see Halle Bailey as Ariel.
However, while the singer’s casting has been widely celebrated, some racist fans have expressed outrage against Disney for casting a black actor as Ariel.
Well, director Rob Marshall feels very differently. According to Entertainment Weekly, Marshall says there was “no agenda” with casting Ariel. “We just were looking for the best actor for the role, period—the end. We saw everybody and every ethnicity…,” he said.
While Bailey matched these qualities, her singing abilities sealed the deal. “That voice is something that is so signature and so ethereal and so beautiful that it captures the heart of Eric, and he looks for her for the entire film…,” he said.
Marshall also noted that they wanted someone “incredibly strong, passionate, beautiful, smart, clever” with “a great deal of fire and joy.” He added that some people who auditioned were too “jaded” or “too wise” for Ariel, but Bailey “still had that freshness in herself,” and as soon as they decided to cast her, they started thinking about “how we can make this her Ariel.”
Earlier this year, Bailey received racist backlash for the clip of her singing “Part of Your World” with 1.5 million “dislikes” on YouTube before the rating feature was disabled. When Bailey was cast as Ariel in 2019, a #NotMyAriel racist Twitter campaign ensued.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who produced and co-wrote new music for the film, addressed people criticizing Halle’s casting. As someone who’s seen Bailey performing as Ariel, Miranda says that the critics can “stay mad” because they’re sure she’s “perfect for the part.”
Along with Bailey as Ariel, the diverse cast includes Jonah Hauer-King as Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Art Malik as Grimsby, and Noma Demezweni as Queen Selina. Daveed Diggs voices Sebastian the crab while Jacob Tremblay and Awkwafina voice Flounder and Scuttle.
The Little Mermaid is set to premiere in theaters globally on May 26, 2023.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
DOUBLE TROUBLE
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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