#MAGFAB: Erykah Badu Covers VOGUE’S March Issue
Erykah Badu has long made her ethereal personal style and signature sound—an enthralling blend of hip-hop, soul, jazz, and funk—her calling card. Now, the fashion world is finally catching up to her. For Vogue’s March issue, friends and family of the four-time Grammy winner—including designers Thom Browne and Francesco Risso of Marni—describe Badu’s enduring and otherworldly influence. Plus, we get a sneak peek at her 2023 to-do list, which includes continuing her work as a doula, breaking into the cannabis industry, and a bevy of exciting collaborations.
Badu on her enduring influence: “I feel I’ve poked this hole in the dam. It’s this little hole and all this water is seeping through. Now all the people who have the same energy are able to experience what I experience. It’s a rebirthing process, and I feel like I’m a midwife.”
On exploring the fashion world: “I didn’t know all the houses and names of designers until I was in my 30s or 40s. What I had was a good understanding of look and shape, the way I did with paper dolls when I was a child. For me, it’s about seeing things coming together, like making a cake from beginning to end.”
On the 1996 Soul Train Awards: “I remember being among an elite group of young people who were really embracing what it meant to be an African here, generationally. We embraced locs and ’fros and our natural state, our fabrics and jewelry. It was a beautiful time.”
Vogue’s March 2023 issue is available on newsstands nationwide on February 21st.
#RHOA: Kandi & Riley Burruss on the Red Carpet in Glamorous Coordinated Dresses HOT or NOT?
When it comes to a glamorous mother-daughter moment, Kandi and Riley Burruss always know how to take things to the next level.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member and her daughter did just that over the weekend while attending the Clive Davis pre-Grammy Gala which took place on February 4 at the Beverly Hilton. Before heading into the event, the pair rocked the red carpet, showing off their gorgeous black gowns and stunning hairstyles.
Kandi donned a long sultry black dress with feather-embellished sleeves and a sheer panel front, pairing the style with a sleek high ponytail, diamond drop earrings, and classic red lips. Riley, for her part, also emulated classic glamour with a strapless black sheath, black mules, and a black Prada bag, complementing the look with long, auburn-colored curls and a sparkling diamond necklace.
Kandi also shared some behind-the-scenes Instagram Stories on the day of the big event on February 5, showing how Riley came along for the celebration as her mom worked the red carpet with E! News.
For the main event, Kandi rocked a long-sleeved knit cerulean gown by Raisa Vanessa ($2,626) that featured side cutouts and green hand-embroidered details. The mom of three paired her dress with gorgeous large emerald green drop earrings, light peachy-pink glam, and voluminous curls in a half-up hairstyle.
She also went on to work the E! News after party, wearing a pink turtleneck top and a stylish updo that featured a high bun wrapped with a braid and two curled face-framing pieces.
#MusicNews: John Legend debuts ‘Legend (Solo Piano Version)’
Stunning new project features piano-led versions of select songs John Legend debuts Legend (Solo Piano Version) via Republic Records. Featuring solo versions of select hits from his 2022 self-titled album including “Honey,” “Nervous,” “Wonder Woman,” and “One Last Dance,” the new project also includes stunning renditions of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Sade’s “By Your Side.” To celebrate its release, Legend will perform selections from the new album and many more of his greatest hits at two special solo shows at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on February 13th and February 14th.
The new album features Legend singing alongside his beautiful piano melodies, an intimate reimagining of the R&B/pop-leaning originals featured on his eighth studio album Legend, released via Republic Records on September 9, 2022. Executive produced by Legend and prolific producer-writer Ryan Tedder (Beyoncé, Adele, et al), the vibrant double album features collaborations with artists including JID (“Dope“), Saweetie (“All She Wanna Do“), Jazmine Sullivan, Ty Dolla $ign, Jhené Aiko, Ledisi, Amber
Mark, Free Nationals, Rapsody, and Jada Kingdom among others. Legend debuted at No. 10 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart, marking Legend’s fifth consecutive top 10 album on the list.
Legend also recently announced the launch of his unisex skincare brand Loved01, formulated to treat the needs of melanin-rich skin. With accessibility at its core, the brand’s mission is to democratize skincare with affordably-priced products available at mass retail.
1. Honey (Piano Version)
2. Nervous (Piano Version)
3. All She Wanna Do (Piano Version)
4. Strawberry Blush (Piano Version)
5. Rounds (Piano Version)
6. Splash (Piano Version)
7. By Your Side
8. Wonder Woman (Piano Version)
9. Speak in Tongues (Piano Version)
10. I Don’t Love You Like I Used To (Piano Version)
11. One Last Dance (Piano Version)
12. Bridge over Troubled Water
20th Century Musical Icon Burt Bacharach, The Legendary Pop Composer, Dies at 94
Songwriter, composer, producer and arranger Burt Bacharach, a dominant force in American popular music for half a century, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He was 94.
Bacharach’s publicist Tina Brausam revealed the news on Thursday.
As a tunesmith, the nonpareil melodist Bacharach found fame in every medium.
His songs — many of them written with lyricist Hal David — became chart-topping successes, particularly in the hands of vocalist Dionne Warwick. Among ’60s songwriting duos, only Lennon-McCartney rivaled Bacharach-David in terms of commercial and artistic achievement. Bacharach collected six Grammys as a writer, arranger and performer from 1967-2005.
His music was ubiquitous on screens both big and small in the ’60s and ’70s, and he was recognized by the Academy Awards and Golden Globes for his work on “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969) and “Arthur” (1981). He collected a 1971 Emmy for a TV recital of his work.
On Broadway, the 1968 Bacharach-David tuner “Promises, Promises” rolled up 1,281 performances and garnered a Tony nomination as best musical.
Bacharach’s first notable gig in showbiz was as singer Vic Damone’s accompanist after Bacharach’s discharge from the Army in 1952; he went on to play behind the Ames Brothers, Imogene Coca, Polly Bergen, Georgia Gibbs and Steve Lawrence. He also backed singer Paula Stewart, to whom he was married from 1953-58.
In 1957, Eddie Wolpin of Famous Music partnered Bacharach with David. Laboring in the pubbery’s Brill Building song mill, the pair scored a No. 4 hit with Perry Como’s “Magic Moments”; less memorably, Bacharach reached No. 33 with the Five Blobs’ horror movie theme “The Blob.”
Bacharach worked as Marlene Dietrich’s musical director from 1958-61 and found time to craft hits like the Shirelles’ “Baby It’s You” (No. 8, 1961), Chuck Jackson’s “Any Day Now” (No. 23, 1962) and — with David — Gene Pitney’s “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” and “Only Love Can Break a Heart,” No. 4 and No. 2, respectively, in 1962.
That same year, Bacharach and David began their fruitful writing and production collaboration with former backup singer Warwick, whom the composer had met at a Drifters session. Her first single with the cleffers, “Don’t Make Me Over” — with lyrics inspired by a heated remark by the vocalist, who had accused the writers of lying to her — launched a fabled series of hits that mated Warwick’s silken voice with Bacharach’s subtly shifting melodies and David’s poignant lyrics.
Their top-10 collaborations of the ’60s included “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “Walk on By,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Message to Michael,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “This Girl’s in Love With You” (previously a gender-swapped No. 1 hit for Herb Alpert) and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” Warwick also interpreted Bacharach and David’s theme song for the 1968 Michael Caine vehicle “Alfie.”
The writers were ubiquitous on the charts and onscreen during the ’60s. Their top 40 hits included Jackie DeShannon’s “What the World Needs Now,” the 5th Dimension’s “One Less Bell to Answer” and Bobby Vinton’s “Blue on Blue.”
A move into film, enabled by actress Angie Dickinson, to whom Bacharach was married from 1966-80, led to soundtrack work that spawned several pop smashes. The 1965 farce “What’s New Pussycat” included Tom Jones’ title track, Manfred Mann’s “My Little Red Book” and Warwick’s “Here I Am.” Dusty Springfield’s sultry “The Look of Love” was featured in 1967’s James Bond spoof “Casino Royale.” Most memorably, B.J. Thomas’ breezy “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” from George Roy Hill’s serio-comic Western “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” reached No. 1; Bacharach received Oscars for best original song and score.
A film supplied the plot for Bacharach and David’s hit first stage venture: Billy Wilder’s darkly comedic “The Apartment” became “Promises, Promises,” which opened on Broadway in December 1968 to strong reviews. “Mr. Bacharach gives the musical its slinky, fur-coated feel of modernity,” wrote Clive Barnes in the New York Times. The show, which collected a best score Grammy in 1969, was revived on Broadway in 2010, with the addition of a couple of previous Bacharach-David hits.
The songwriters’ storied partnership dissolved acrimoniously after their misbegotten 1973 film musical adaptation of Frank Capra’s 1937 feature “Lost Horizon.” In the wake of that flop, Bacharach and David sued each other; Dionne Warwick launched a suit of her own against the team. For a time, Bacharach retreated to TV work and solo recording projects.
His writing career returned to commercial form after he partnered with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, to whom he was married from 1981-92. Their “Arthur’s Theme,” written with singer Christopher Cross and Peter Allen for the ’81 Dudley Moore comedy “Arthur,” vaulted to No. 1 and collected an original song Oscar. In 1985, the couple’s “That’s What Friends Are For,” originally written for the feature “Night Shift,” renewed Bacharach’s association with Warwick; her all-star single version was No. 1 nationally for four weeks, and the composition received a Grammy as song of the year.
Bacharach’s career was relatively becalmed until the mid-’90s. He briefly collaborated again with David on the song “Sunny Weather Love,” for a 1993 Warwick album. However, he received greater attention for work with another writing partner: “God Give Me Strength,” an emotion-wracked ballad penned with admirer Elvis Costello for “Grace of My Heart,” Allison Anders’ 1995 feature about ’60s cleffers, led to the full-blown 1998 collaboration “Painted From Memory.” A track from the album won a Grammy.
During the ’90s and ’00s, Bacharach appeared in front of the camera as well: He did cameos in Mike Myers’ 1997 spy takeoff “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” and its two sequels. The latter films included covers of Bacharach-David’s “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” (by Costello and Bacharach) and “Alfie” (as “Austin,” by the Bangles’ Susannah Hoffs, wife of director Jay Roach).
Bacharach was born in Forest Hills, N.Y. His father was a nationally known authority on menswear, his mother a painter and singer. He attended the same high school as Mike Stoller of the Leiber and Stoller songwriting team.
A pianist from an early age, Bacharach studied music at several institutions, including New York’s Mannes School of Music, where he was instructed by composers Henry Cowell and Darius Milhaud. His influences ranged from the impressionism of Ravel and Debussy to the energy and harmonic invention of bebop.
In 1972, Bacharach and David were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They received the Recording Academy’s Trustees Award for their contributions as writers in 1997 and became the first songwriting team to be honored with the Library of Congress’ George & Ira Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2011.
In 1998, Rhino Records issued a three-CD compendium of Bacharach’s work, “The Look of Love.” A like-titled revue comprising Bacharach-David songs had a short-lived Broadway run in 2003.
Bacharach released a duo album with the Isley Brothers’ Ronald Isley in 2003, and in 2005 he issued “At This Time,” his first solo album in 26 years (and a best pop instrumental album Grammy winner). He continued to make concert appearances internationally.
His theatrical work continued late in his life and career: “New York Animals,” with music by Bacharach and book by Steven Sater, opened Off Broadway at the New Ohio Theater in 2015.
He is survived by his wife Jane and three children.
#HipHopNews: Jack Harlow Stars In Doritos Super Bowl Ad With Missy Elliott
Jack Harlow stars alongside Missy Elliott in a Doritos Super Bowl commercial to promote the brand’s new Sweet & Tangy BBQ flavor, which will air during the big game on Sunday.
In the 90-second spot, titled “Jack’s New Angle,” Harlow finds his new inspiration in a triangle instrument. He quits rap to pursue his newfound love as “triangle fever” sweeps the nation, replacing the British pound and inspiring Jack’s own cologne.
At one point, Missy questions Jack’s new career choice. “You would quit rap for a triangle?” she asks, to which he responds, “I got to do me, Missy.”
Another legend, Elton John, also makes a surprise cameo, upstaging Harlow at an awards show.
“I’ve worked with Doritos in the past, and we thought the concept was fresh so we were into it,” Harlow told EW. “When I heard that there was a chance of Missy [being in it too], I really pushed for it to happen because she’s a hero of mine.”
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Working with Missy was a dream come true for the 24-year-old rapper. “She’s so humble and completely down to earth and chill to talk to, so I enjoyed every second,” he added.
Next up, Harlow will make his feature-film debut in the upcoming reboot of White Men Can’t Jump, which arrives May 19 on Hulu.
BREAKING: Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix Suns
While you were sleeping, the announcement came out that the Brooklyn Nets have traded superstar Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. This move came just 14 hours ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline.
Brooklyn traded away Durant and forward TJ Warren for forwards Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Cam Johnson, plus four first-round picks and a pick swap in 2028. Quite the haul but noticeably missing DeAndre Ayton, who many theorized would be involved. This is because the Nets were not able to acquire Ayton due to Ben Simmons’ presence on the roster.
According to the NBA’s “designated rookie rule,” the Nets could not trade for Ayton — who signed his rookie-scale extension this past summer — because they currently roster Ben Simmons — who signed his back in the summer of 2019. While the league allows teams to have two players on rookie-scale extensions on the roster, only one is allowed to be acquired via trade. Simmons was acquired via the James Harden trade on February 10th, 2022.
This is, of course, softened by the emergence of Nic Claxton, who has clearly made Brooklyn comfortable with the idea of adding Cam Johnson — and more draft capital — over Ayton.
The move comes as some surprise as the Nets seemed to focus their return for superstar Kyrie Irving on players who could help the team remain competitive. In particular, the addition of Dorian Finney-Smith seemed to be directly tied to Durant’s presence in Brooklyn.
That was then, however, and this is now. Now Kevin Durant begins the next phase of his career in Phoenix.
More to come as the story develops.
Patti LaBelle Says She's Now Open to Dating at Age 78: 'I'm Too Good to Be Solo'
The "Lady Marmalade" singer opened up about wanting to date on Tuesday's episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show.
When host Jennifer Hudson asked the legend if she was open to dating, LaBelle got right to the point.
"Well sorta, kinda," she said. "How old am I? 78."
LaBelle continued, touching on her previous marriage to Armstead Edwards which ended in 2003. "I was married for 32 years to a wonderful man and we're still friends, good friends," she said.
"So I think in life I need to find happiness for myself, other than what I had back in the day with him, which was wonderful. But I'm too good to be solo," LaBelle added, to resounding cheers from the audience.
Hudson, 41, went on to ask the singer-turned-cookbook author if she ever does any dating apps.
"What's that? What are dating apps?" LaBelle answered, while Hudson and the audience laughed. "Oh that stuff," she said after the Dreamgirls star explained. "I've seen that commercial!"
LaBelle has no need for those, though, the Godmother of Soul explaining that she already has a potential love interest on her radar. "I do have a nice person in mind," she admitted. "I really do."
Just don't expect her to reveal his name anytime soon. "That's my personal business," she quipped — Hudson quickly agreeing. "Yes ma'am! Moving on!" the talk show host and EGOT winner said.
Patti LaBelle Is 'Not Interested' in Dating Again at 77: 'I'm Just Living My Life Like It's Platinum'
It wasn't that long ago that LaBelle was content being single.
In 2021, when celebrating the 20th-anniversary reissue of her first cookbook, the singer told PEOPLE she was "not interested" in dating.
Instead, she said, "I'm just living my life like it's platinum."
"Thank God I have a lot of people who care for me," she added. "I live alone with my dog, Mr. Cuddles, and I'm looking for love from everybody. I am."
The Jennifer Hudson Show airs weekdays in syndication (check local listings).
Dee Barnes Slams Grammys For Naming An Award After 'Abuser' Dr. Dre
Journalist and rapper Dee Barnes didn't think the Recording Academy made the right decision by honoring Dr. Dre at the 2023 Grammy Awards. In a new interview, Dee criticized the Grammys for giving Dre the Global Impact Award in addition to naming the award after him despite sexual assault allegation against him.
"Everybody wants to separate the art from the artist, and sometimes that's just not possible," Dee, who claimed that Dre assaulted her in 1991, told Rolling Stone. "Most people without a knowledge of [Dr. Dre's] history are going to say, 'Oh, he must deserve that. He must be such a great person for them to put an award in his name.' But they named this award after an abuser."
She continued, "It wasn't just a one or two-time thing; these are choices. The first time, it's maybe a mistake. The second time, okay. The third time, it's a choice. I'm not saying he is the same person now, though. I don't know. I'm not around him anymore. I haven't talked to him. But to name an award after someone with that type of history in the music industry, you might as well call it the 'Ike Turner Award.' "
Dee also weighed in on the Grammys' hip-hop tribute. While she called it "beautiful," the femcee claimed she couldn't be in the same space as Dre. "He said it himself in the documentary 'The Defiant Ones', I'm a 'blemish' on who he is as a man. Well, what do you do with a blemish? There's a whole industry created-skincare lines and vitamins and rituals-to get rid of blemishes," she continued. "And, in a sense, there's a whole network to keep me hidden."
"I shouldn't have to suffer by not being able to exist in a space and in a culture that not only did I grow up in but that I contributed to in a major way," she divulged. "Is this about his feelings? Is this about his legacy? Or is it about ego and toxic masculinity? What is it about? My whole history has been erased-as an artist, as a music journalist, and as a television host."
Dee also said that the hip-hop community didn't support her. "When I think of what atonement looks like for Dre and me, I think of a missed opportunity where we could have sat down together on camera and hashed it out," she added. "I think that would've begun a journey of healing; he's coming face to face with me, and I'm coming face to face with him," she went on to explain. "I've put out the olive branch. Black women and grace, you know how we are. It wasn't accepted."
Dee previously claimed that Dre assaulted her at a record release party in Hollywood in January 1991 after she hosted an episode of "Pump It Up!". Describing the encounter, Dee said that Dre dragged her by her hair and smashed her face into a wall. He allegedly kicked her while she was on the ground, and stomped on her fingers. In 2015, Dre issued an apology in a statement, though he didn't directly name Dee.
DDG Calls Out 'Gullible' Fans After Halle Bailey's Sister Slams Him Amid Split Rumors
DDG has seemingly responded to rumors that he has possibly broken up with Halle Bailey. After sparking the speculation with his subliminal messages, the rapper has seemingly retracted his initial tweets.
Returning to Twitter on Wednesday, February 8 to react to the chatter, DDG slammed "gullible" social media users for believing everything what is said on the Internet. "The internet so gullible," he wrote with a face with tears of joy emoji. He added in a separate post, "when you stop giving a f**k can't nothing hurt you.."
The YouTuber then clarified that he didn't accuse anyone of cheating, adding, "nobody cheated on nobody btw." Downplaying his previous tweets that sparked the breakup speculation, he also penned, "Don't take my tweets too serious."
When someone asked him if he did it just for clout, "You jus wanted retweet's like a quote page?" the 25-year-old admitted, "my life goal is to hit 2 million followers on twitter."
Fans were wondering about the status of DDG and Halle's relationship after they unfollowed each other on Instagram and he deleted her pictures from his page. Moreover, the rapper earlier vented on Twitter, "All these girls the same. Ain't no wayy," adding a crying emoji.
DDG's tweets seemed to insinuate that Halle cheated on him, prompting her sister Ski to come to the singer's defense. "Halle's not like the ones that you been with," Ski said in a video. "You will not treat her the way that you've treated these others. I don't give a freak if y'all had issues going on. That's what you won't do. Please understand that."
"Like, you're not gonna do her the way that you did everybody else," Ski continued. "You're not gonna come to social media and try to put her on blast and insinuate or put something out that make it seem like she was doing something that she wasn't doing. You need to pipe down and get yourself together. If y'all broke up then you need to just unfollow and just keep it pushin'. You don't have to put nothin' out there like that. Talkin' about, 'All these girls is the same.' Are you dumb? Are you stupid?"
However, hours later Halle and DDG have re-followed each other and seemingly after having a conversation with her sister, Ski apologized to DDG. "My bad y'all. I spoke to sis and ain't nothing going on lol," she wrote on her Story. "Let me go back to drinking my water and minding the business that pays me."
Twitter Places Limits on Tweet Frequency, Impacting Business and Individual Accounts
Twitter on Wednesday began placing limits on the frequency of tweets an account can send, with users operating both individual and business accounts receiving error messages about exceeding the “daily limit for sending Tweets.”
The company, under Elon Musk, is now placing limits to the number of direct messages and tweets that a user can send per day, according to a page on Twitter’s Help Center site. The daily tweet limit is 2,400, but the site notes, “the daily update limit is further broken down into smaller limits for semi-hourly intervals.” Retweets also count toward that limit.
It’s not immediately clear how many tweets are allowed within the “semi-hourly intervals,” and individual and business accounts — including The Hollywood Reporter‘s Twitter account — received the error message when attempting to tweet more than once in at least an hour.
According to the Help Page, users hitting limits will be allowed to “try again in a few hours after the limit period has elapsed,” though it is not clear what exactly the time period is. On Wednesday afternoon, some Twitter users were able to find workarounds by scheduling tweets in advance to circumvent the “daily limit” error.
Other limits outlined in the Help Page site include a maximum of 500 direct messages per day and a follow limit of 400 accounts per day, though additional site rules around “aggressive following behavior” may impact that number for individuals. Twitter is also capping the total number an individual user can follow to 5,000, and attempts to follow more accounts will be “limited by account-specific ratios,” the site said.
Twitter, which no longer has a formal communications team, did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. The Help Page site said the limits are meant to “alleviate some of the strain on the behind-the-scenes part of Twitter and reduce downtime and error pages.”
‘The Late Late Show’ canceled after almost 30 years on CBS
“The Late Late Show,” currently hosted by James Corden, has reportedly been canceled after nearly 30 years of broadcasting.
Sources told ET and other outlets that CBS will be ending the show and Corden’s exit at the end of the current season will be the last.
Corden announced about nine months ago that he anticipated leaving the show to spend more time at home with his family.
The network does, however, reportedly have something else in the works. According to Deadline, CBS is rebooting the Comedy Central series “@midnight” to replace the current late-night show.
That series, featuring Chris Hardwick, ran from 2013 to 2017. It’s unclear if Hardwick would return with the reboot.
“The Late Late Show” debuted in 1995, and has featured hosts including Tom Snyder and Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson.
It tapes at CBS Television City on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Ivy Park Adidas Clothing Line Sales Made $200 Million Less Than Expected, New Pieces Out This Week
Though the BeyHive is getting their coins together to purchase Renaissance tour tickets, they may also need to figure out a way to purchase some Ivy Park. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Beyoncé’s clothing line, in conjunction with Adidas, has underperformed by over $200 million last year. However, the star is still making $20 million a year from the partnership.
“Sales of Ivy Park tumbled by more than 50% to about $40 million in 2022—coming in below internal Adidas projections for $250 million in sales that year, documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal show. The documents show Ivy Park has been losing money for Adidas and Beyoncé gets about $20 million in annual compensation.”
Adidas has stated that the brand is still a hit. They told the publication that the Ivy Park “partnership is strong and successful.” In addition, Adidas said: “We continue to be inspired by our collective vision and are proud of the work we have created together.”
Back in 2016, Beyoncé debuted Ivy Park in conjunction with Philip Green, the U.K. retail mogul who previously owned Topshop. The singer became the sole owner of the brand two years later. In 2019, Adidas announced their deal with Beyoncé and called it a “partnership of a lifetime.” A new Ivy Park release is on sale this week, with prices ranges falling between $30 to $600.
According to documents, Ivy Park sales were on track to hit around$40 million last year which was $93 million less than in 2021. The sales projections for Ivy Park this year are about $65 million, though an earlier goal for Adidas was an estimated $335 million.
Disney to cut 7,000 jobs and slash $5.5 billion in costs as it unveils vast restructuring
Disney said it will be reorganizing into three divisions: Entertainment, ESPN and parks and experiences.
Disney will slash 7,000 jobs from its workforce and plans to cut $5.5 billion in costs, including $3 billion in content savings.
The move marks the most significant action Bob Iger has taken since returning to the company as CEO in November. Disney announced the changes minutes after it posted its most recent quarterly earnings. The announcements also come as Disney engages in a proxy fight with activist investor Nelson Peltz and his firm Trian Management.
"We are pleased that Disney is listening," a Trian spokesperson said Wednesday.
On Wednesday, during its quarterly earnings call with investors, Disney also announced it would be cutting $5.5 billion in costs, which will be made up of $3 billion from content, excluding sports, and the remaining $2.5 billion from non-content cuts. Disney executives said about $1 billion in cost cutting was already underway since last quarter.
Disney also said it would be eliminating 7,000 jobs from its workforce. That would be about 3% of the roughly 220,000 people it employed as of Oct. 1, according to an SEC filing, with roughly 166,000 in the U.S. and about 54,000 internationally.
Disney's stock rose about 5% in off-hours trading.
Media companies, such as Warner Bros. Discovery, have been pulling back on content spending and looking to make their streaming businesses profitable. Heightened competition has led to slowing subscriber growth, and companies have been looking to find new avenues of revenue growth. Some, like Disney+ and Netflix, have added cheaper, ad-supported options.
"We will take a very hard look at the cost of everything we make across television and film," Iger said on a call with investors Wednesday.
The reorganization has been underway since Iger returned to the helm of Disney, replacing his hand-picked successor Bob Chapek.
The entertainment group will be led by top lieutenants Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, who are each considered contenders to take over for Iger in less than two years. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro will lead the ESPN segment, while Josh D'Amaro, already the head of Disney's parks, experiences and products segment, will remain in control.
Iger addresses ESPN speculation
The future of ESPN under Disney's ownership has been a question for sometime for investors. Last year, Third Point, which is led by activist investor Dan Loeb, had urged the company to spin out ESPN. Disney and Third Point later reached a deal, after reversing course on its thoughts for the future of ESPN.
Iger addressed speculation that the company may look to spin out ESPN due to the sports network being siloed into its own unit. He noted that while ESPN has been struggling due to cord-cutting, the ESPN brand and programming remains healthy and in-demand.
"We're not engaged in any conversations or considering a spinoff of ESPN," Iger said on Wednesday. He said the move was considered "in my absence," and was concluded it wasn't the right move for Disney.
Iger did note that he and Pitaro would be more selective on what it spends on sports rights, noting the upcoming negotiations for NBA rights.
We're not engaged in any conversations or considering a spinoff of ESPN.
Chapek's removal came shortly after Disney had reported its fiscal fourth quarter earnings, disappointing on profit and certain key revenue segments. Chapek had also warned that Disney's strong streaming numbers would taper off in the future. He had also told employees shortly thereafter that Disney would be cutting costs through hiring freezes, layoffs and other measures.
Shortly after his return, Iger sent a memo to employees announcing the business would be reorganized, particularly the Disney Media and Entertainment unit. The reorganization immediately meant the departure of Kareem Daniel, the head of the company's previous media and entertainment unit, and right hand to Chapek.
Iger had said he would put more "decision-making back in the hands of our creative teams and rationalize costs" at the time. The goal would be to have a new structure in place in the coming months, with elements of DMED remaining, CNBC reported. He added during a town hall that he wouldn't lift the company's hiring freeze as he reassessed Disney's cost structure.
On Wednesday, Iger again echoed those comments about returning control to the creative minds at the company.
"Our company is fueled by storytelling and creativity, and virtually every dollar we earn, every transaction, every interaction with our consumers, emanates from something creative," Iger said Wednesday. "I have always believed that the best way to spur great creativity is to make sure the people who are managing the creative processes feel empowered."
Naturi Naughton-Lewis and husband Two Lewis expecting 1st child together
“Power” actor Naturi Naughton-Lewis and husband Two Lewis will be adding to their family in 2023.
On Wednesday, Feb. 8, People revealed that the couple are expecting their first child together.
The former 3LW singer spoke about her pregnancy news in an interview with the publication.
“I am looking forward to seeing this baby’s cute little face and how it will be the perfect blend between my husband and me,” she said.
Naughton-Lewis added that Zuri can’t wait to become a big sister.
“My daughter is especially happy to be getting a younger sibling, so I’m excited to share this joy as a family,” she told the publication.
Her pregnancy announcement comes less than a year after she tied the knot with her husband in Atlanta.
“When I found out, I was shooting a movie and still on a high from my wedding, so it felt like the perfect way to start a new chapter with my hubby!” she shared. “I wrapped my two pregnancy tests in pretty tissue paper and put it in a cute little gift bag and told him I had a belated birthday gift for him.”
She added, “It was such a special moment.”
Naughton-Lewis said the newlyweds have been searching for a doula, reading and looking at baby apps as she prepares to give birth later this year.
The “Queens” star said she expects her pregnancy to be different "this time around."
“We look forward to bonding in a new way and actually applying our wedding vows on this journey to parenthood," she explained. “This is Two’s first baby, so he’s extra excited to create another human. Even through the many challenges that can occur with pregnancy, we want to push ourselves to be the best partners and the best parents we can be!”
Lewis, who manages his wife’s former “Power” co-star Omari Hardwick, married the musician in an extravagant ceremony in April 2022.
She uploaded multiple photos from their special day to Instagram, including a few pictures that the couple took with Hardwick.
In one slideshow, both Hardwick and Lewis gave the glowing bride a kiss on the cheek.
“What can I say … I got good taste!” she joked in the caption before thanking the actor for his support.
A second Instagram slideshow featured pictures with Zuri and showed multiple snaps of Lewis dancing with the adorable child.
“We are a Familyyyyyy” Naughton-Lewis cheered in the caption with two purple heart emoji.
“To My Baby Zuri, my beautiful brown skinned girl… you deserve ALL THIS LOVE!” she continued. “Never settle! @twolewis_ thank you for loving me & my #Zuri in the most beautiful way! Her bar is now set.”
In a 2020 interview with People, the 38-year-old singer opened up about being a single mom. She shares her daughter with her ex, whom she simply referred to as Ben in the article.
“It’s hard work. It is a challenging balance,” she said at the time. “When I come home after shooting a long day, it’s almost like taking off the luggage of that and then I go straight into Mommy.”
She then explained why she loves being a mom.
“I am just Mommy. I’m not Tasha. I’m not Naturi Naughton,” she said. “I just get to be mommy and that actually is really liberating because that little girl just sees me as just perfection.”
White Mississippi officials vote for separate court system in majority-Black town
In an article published yesterday (Feb. 7), Mississippi Today revealed that a white supermajority member of the Mississippi House voted “to create a separate court system and an expanded police force” in Jackson. The city is known for having a large population of Black residents. The measure would reportedly see only white state officials governing that court.
The outlet said the proposal is called House Bill 1020, and if passed into law, the Mississippi Supreme Court would be run by a white chief justice, a white state attorney general and a white state public safety commissioner. They would be in charge of the Capitol Police force in the city with a majority-Black presence. According to the article, 80 percent of Jackson’s citizens are African American, which is higher than any major city in the United States. “Mississippi’s Legislature is thoroughly controlled by white Republicans, who have redrawn districts over the past 30 years to ensure they can pass any bill without a single Democratic vote,” the report added.
Rep. Edward Blackmon believes the vote is a setup. “This is just like the 1890 Constitution all over again. We are doing exactly what they said they were doing back then: ‘Helping those people because they can’t govern themselves,’” the politician said during the voting procedure. Republican Rep. Trey Lamar disagreed: “This bill is designed to make our capital city of Jackson, Mississippi, a safer place.” He added that House Bill 1020 was created to “help not hinder the [Hinds County] court system.”
Mississippi has a history of Black residents suffering disproportionately from the legal system in comparison to other races — so much so that for years, JAY-Z has been using his platform to sue and expose the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The mogul plans to spread light on the injustices within the prison system in an upcoming docuseries approved by A&E. “In 2020, Roc Nation and Team Roc launched a fight to put a stop to the literal death sentences imposed on inmates through the inhumane, violent and torturous conditions created by Parchman prison officials,” a statement released by the label last year read in part. His lawsuits against the Mississippi Department of Corrections and Parchman have since been dropped after conditions reportedly improved.
Disney Announces Frozen, Toy Story and Zootopia Sequels
Disney announces that Pixar's Toy Story series and Walt Disney Animation Studios' Frozen and Zootopia franchises are receiving new sequels.
Disney has announced that its animation divisions are hard at work on Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 and Zootopia 2.
"Today I’m so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animation studios to some of our most popular franchises, Toy Story, Frozen and Zootopia," said Disney CEO Bob Iger during the company's Q1 earnings call (via Deadline). "We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises."
The sequel news comes after a string of box-office disappointments for Disney animation, with the studio's most recent release -- 2022's Strange World -- grossing only $73.4 million globally. Encanto, released in November 2021, also underperformed in theaters but was reportedly a huge hit on Disney+. Lightyear, Pixar's first theatrical film since 2020's Onward and a spinoff of its Toy Story franchise, was also considered a box-office bomb. The most recent installments in the Frozen, Toy Story and Zootopia franchises each grossed over $1 billion, which strongly implies Disney is returning to these beloved animated properties in hopes that they will bring families back to the cinema.
Pixar Is Also Working on Inside Out 2
Pixar Animation Studios is also developing a sequel to its 2015 film Inside Out, with the project announced during the 2022 D23 Expo. While concrete plot details are unavailable at this time for the sequel, Poehler has stated that Inside Out 2 will focus on Riley's teenage years and will also introduce new emotions. Amy Poehler will return as the voice of the emotion Joy in Riley's head while Mindy Kaling has confirmed she will not be reprising her voice role as the emotion Disgust. Kelsey Mann is slated to direct Inside Out 2, replacing Peter Docter who helmed the first film, from a screenplay written by Meg LaFauve, who also scripted Inside Out. Other upcoming Pixar films include Elemental and Elio.
Before Disney's Q1 earnings call, Walt Disney Animation Studios had only one upcoming film on its slate: Wish, starring West Side Story's Ariana DeBose and frequent Disney voice actor Alan Tudyk. Frozen 3 and Zootopia 2 will be the fifth and sixth sequels developed by the animation studio after The Rescuers Down Under (1990), Fantasia 2000 (1999), Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) and Frozen II (2019). All other Disney animated sequels were produced by Disneytoon Studios.
No release dates for Toy Story 5, Frozen 3 and Zootopia 2 have been announced at this time.
Lea Michele reflects on 'Glee' toxic workplace scandal: 'My life got turned upside down'
Lea Michele is very aware of the bad reputation she earned while working on Glee years ago. Now, at age 36, she said she's hoping to change that as the leader of the wildly successful Broadway play Funny Girl.
"I think these past two years have been so important for everybody to just sit back and reflect. I did a lot of personal reach-outs. But the most important thing was for everybody to just take a step back," Michele told Interview. "More than anything, I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to apply the things that I’ve learned over the past ten-plus years in a positive way."
Michele's alleged behavior made headlines in 2020 when she was accused by Glee actress Samantha Ware of creating a toxic work environment. The majority of Michele's famous co-stars backed Ware. All of a sudden, it seemed as if everyone had a negative Lea Michele story.
"What I told myself stepping into Funny Girl was, 'If I can't take my role as a leader offstage as important as my role as a leader onstage, then I shouldn't do this show.' Because that was always a struggle for me. So to have this opportunity now at 36 years old as a wife and a mother — to step into this job that comes with so much pressure and a huge amount of responsibility — was a very, very big achievement for me," the actress added.
Michele took over the role of Fanny Brice from Beanie Feldstein. After the casting shakeup was announced, the Broadway star's reputation was back in the news.
"At the end of the day, what matters the most is how you make people feel. And you have to put aside your feelings. The conversations that I've had behind the scenes with some people were incredibly healing and very eye-opening for me," Michele explained. "I've been doing this for a really long time and I'm not going to ever blame anything on the things that I've been through in my life. But you also can't ignore those experiences or deny them. They are a part of the patchwork of my life. When I got the call that I was going to play Fanny Brice, I said, 'OK, this could be really big for my career, but it's also helpful to have this opportunity to introduce people to who I am now.'"
Michele said she's "figuring out how to be a good leader" — and mom, daughter, friend, wife.
"I'm getting so much gratification out of my relationships right now because I think everything's falling so nicely into place and I'm so happy to be back home in New York. I was away from my family in L.A. for 13 years and that was really hard. During 2020, my life got turned upside down in so many ways and I didn't know where it was going to take me. We moved back home to be closer to family, and I'm so grateful to be doing what I love so much and raising our son here," she declared.
"And for me, having my husband and my son — I never had that to come home to. I think about what the Glee days were like, just working so hard and having such pressure on my shoulders to keep that show afloat, and navigating through that whole experience at such a young age while also dealing with a really intense life trauma that happened at the same time," Michele, who starred on Glee from 2009 to 2015, shared. Elsewhere in the interview, she noted she suffers "from a lot of anxiety and again, I never want to use what I’m going through as an excuse for anything, but it is part of my journey."
As for Funny Girl, a role that's earning her critical acclaim, Michele calls it "such a different experience."
"I'm finding so much joy in the connections I’m having with the people around me," she said. "That's what's giving me energy."
MSCHF’s Big Red Boots Drops Next Week
MSCHF, the Brooklyn-based art collective behind numerous controversial sneaker releases, is back with another viral drop.
Shown here is the MSCHF Big Red Boot releasing exclusively at mschf.com and on the MSCHF Sneakers app next week. The boots leaked over the weekend, and like past releases from MSCHF, they sent social media into a frenzy due to their unique design.
The silhouette appears to be inspired by the footwear worn by the protagonist in the classic manga Astro Boy, as well as the boots worn by Dora’s monkey sidekick in Dora the Explorer. The upper of MSCHF’s Big Red Boot is constructed almost entirely of a TPU shell, with EVA foam used for the ribbed outsole.
MSCHF’s sneaker releases first caught the attention of fans with its custom “Jesus” Air Max 97 in 2019, followed by a “Satan” sequel and the latter of which earned them a lawsuit from Nike. Last year, MSCHF launched its own sneaker program that included releases like the Wavy Baby Shoe, the Gobstomper, and AC.1 boots.
MSCHF’s Big Red Boots will be released on Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. ET at mschf.com and on the MSCHF Sneakers app for $350.
Damar Hamlin Receives NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award – Doc Says He Can Play in NFL Again
*Damar Hamlin was once again the center of attention Wednesday, this time for receiving a prestigious award in Arizona, this year’s site for the Super Bowl.
Specifically, the award was given to Hamlin in Arizona Wednesday (02-08-23) during the Super Bowl LVII festivities, with the side-lined player being joined by his parents on stage to receive the honor.
Hamlin told those at the event that giving back to his community has always been a big part of who he is as a person.
“Thankful to my father who is right here behind me, growing up and just watching him do community days in our community. I just was always waiting on my time when it came.”
In other news that came as shock to many observers who were convinced that the NFL will never allow Hamlin to play again, the NFLPA’s union doctor and medical director, Dr. Thom Mayer, has guaranteed that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again.
Dr. Mayer made his remarks while speaking on Sirius XM Doctor Radio’s “Heart to Heart” program today on Wednesday as well before Hamlin was honored with the Alan Page Community Award.
Bad Bunny, Jeremy Pope and Christina Aguilera To Be Honored At GLAAD Media Awards
Bad Bunny, Christiana Aguilera, and Jeremy Pope are heading to GLAAD Media Awards.
Recent Grammy winner Bad Bunny, Christina Aguilera, and Jeremy Pope will be honored at the GLAAD Media Awards for supporting the LGTBQ community.
The GLAAD Media Awards will take place at the Beverly Hills Hilton on March 30, recognizing and honoring various branches of the media for outstanding representations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
The Puerto Rican Grammy winner, Bad Bunny, will receive the Vanguard Award for “championing queer visibility in Latinx culture,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. While Aguilera will receive the Advocate for Change Award for “decades-long allyship in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.” Pope will take home the “Stephen F. Kolzak Award, awarded for ‘breaking barriers across multiple industries as an out LGBTQ media professional,'” per the org.
Bad Bunny joins several Hollywood A-listers who have received the Vanguard Award, including Beyoncé, Jay Z, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Kerry Washington, Cher, Janet Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, and many more. In contrast, the Advocate for Change Award has had honorees, including Madonna and Bill Clinton. Pope joins the list of honorees for the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, including Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Jim Parsons, Ruby Rose, Chaz Bono, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres, and more.
‘American Idol’ Has Been Hit with a Class Action Lawsuit=
American Idol” is facing a class action lawsuit filed by former staffers and show contestants.
The Blast obtained the court documents filed by the Plaintiff against “American Idol” on behalf of herself, “Class Members” and Aggrieved Employees”. According to the complaint, the employees were unpaid or underpaid for their contributions to the non-scripted show. The lawsuit claims that the production company behind the music competition show “illegally and willfully classified them as uncompensated volunteers and not as employees.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Class Members had strict a schedule — one that controlled where they slept and when they could eat. The contestants were allegedly told, “eating doesn’t look good on camera,” according to the Plaintiff.
The lawsuit claims Class Members worked “14 hours per day or more, for up to eight days in a row, while refusing to pay them at all, for any of this work performed.”
An illuminated American Idol sign is displayed during the American Idol Live! 2018 tour at the Orleans Arena on July 29, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)
The Plaintiff refers to a Season 20 contestant named Normandy who wore a carrot-shaped purse during her audition. According to the lawsuit, she was told to drive home to retrieve the purse and show it to the judges. Normandy was allegedly never reimbursed for mileage or other expenses.
Normandy wasn’t the only contestant who had to “purchase or provide additional business-related resources or services without reimbursement,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is reportedly seeking financial compensation, including unpaid overtime, unpaid wages, attorney fees, and more.
Jay-Z Settles Lawsuit with ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Photographer
*JAY-Z has reportedly settled his lawsuit with Jonathan Mannion–the photographer who shot the cover of the rapper’s debut album “Reasonable Doubt.”
Previously reported via TMZ that in the original legal docs, Jay-Z accused Mannion of exploiting his image and likeness without his consent. The music mogul claimed Mannion continues to profit from various images and merch featuring the hip-hop star, alleging: “[Jonathan Mannion’s making the] arrogant assumption that because he took those photographs, he can do with them as he pleases.”
“It is ironic that a photographer would treat the image of a formerly-unknown Black teenager, now wildly successful, as a piece of property to be squeezed for every dollar it can produce. It stops today,” the lawsuit states.
The case was due to go to trial in March, but Jigga and Mannion have reached a settlement agreement, according to Cheat Sheet.
“Parties have engaged in settlement discussions and agreed in principle on the terms of the settlement, which includes a stipulated dismissal of this action, subject to execution of a long-form settlement agreement,” the latest court documents read.
Per Cheat Sheet, Mannion photographed many of JAY’s albums from the first decade of his career, including “1997’s In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, 1998’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, 1999’s Vol. 3… Life & Times of S. Carter, 2000’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, 2001’s The Blueprint, and 2003’s The Black Album,” the outlet writes.
Mannion’s lawyer Sarah Hsia noted that her client has “the utmost respect” for JAY-Z (real name Shawn Carter).
“Mr. Mannion has created iconic images of Mr. Carter over the years, and is proud that these images have helped to define the artist that Jay-Z is today,” Hsia said. “Mr. Mannion has the utmost respect for Mr. Carter and his body of work, and expects that Mr. Carter would similarly respect the rights of artists and creators who have helped him achieve the heights to which he has ascended.”
NBA and ESPN Announce 21 Savage, Cordae, Janelle Monae, Dwyane Wade For Nba All-Star Celebrity Game
The 2023 Ruffles® NBA All-Star Celebrity Game will feature actors, comedians, Grammy® Award-winning musicians, athletes, and more, according to a press release from ESPN and the NBA. The game will air exclusively on ESPN and be streamed on the ESPN App on Friday, February 17, at 7 p.m. ET from the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ryan Smith, the governor of the Utah Jazz, and Dwyane Wade, a three-time NBA Champion and a minority owner of the Jazz, will serve as honorary captains. Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and captain of the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, along with his brothers Thanasis and Alex Antetokounmpo, and three-time Olympian Lindsey Vonn will lead Team Dwyane. Team Ryan will be led by Lisa Leslie, a two-time WNBA champion, rapper and actor Fat Joe, and Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman.
Playing in the game is 21 Savage, Janelle Monae, Cordae, actors Simu Liu, Sinqua Walls, Everett Osborne, Latin global music icon and actor Nicky Jam and reggaeton artist Ozuna, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, 11-time MLB All-Star Albert Pujols, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live correspondent Guillermo Rodriguez, tennis star Frances Tiafoe, WWE Superstar The Miz, Brazilian TV host Marcos Mion and content creator Jesser.
The current Celebrity Game MVP, Alex Toussaint, a Puma athlete and coach, will make a second appearance, while comedians Hasan Minhaj and Kane Brown, a five-time American Music Award winner, will make their third appearances in the Celebrity Game. Actor and NBA brand ambassador for India Ranveer Singh will make his first appearance. The Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale, a two-time WNBA All-Star, and the Phoenix Mercury’s Diamond DeShields, a WNBA champion, will both be on the opposing rosters.
This year’s innovation is the opportunity for each team captain to initiate “Ruffles Crunch Time,” which begins a two-minute period during which point values are doubled. A team will also be able to add a great NBA player to their roster mid-game in Celebrity Game’s “Unlock a Legend” feature when it returns in 2023. Visit the NBA Celebrity Game website to learn more about the occasion.
Ryan Smith and Dwyane Wade, the team’s captains, will compete during the game in gameplay activations to raise up to $100,000 for the 5 For The Fight Cancer Research Internship, which is a partnership between Howard University and Ruffles.
NFL Network Pulls Michael Irvin From Super Bowl Week Shows After Woman Complains About Encounter
Former Dallas Cowboys football player Michael Irvin will no longer have appearances on the NFL Network for the remainder of Super Bowl week after a woman complained about an encounter Sunday evening in Arizona.
Irvin claims the interaction was a non-physical encounter. He told The Dallas Morning News that “he engaged in no physical contact with the woman beyond a handshake when they parted ways.”
“Michael Irvin will not be a part of NFL Network’s Super Bowl LVII week coverage,” said Alex Riethmiller, NFL Media vice president of communications, in a statement.
Irvin works for NFL Media but makes frequent appearances on ESPN.
“Honestly, I’m a bit baffled with it all,” Irvin said. “This all happened in a 45-second conversation in the lobby. When I got back after going out … I came into the lobby, and I talked to somebody. I talked to this girl. I don’t know her, and I talked to her for about 45 seconds,” Irvin said.
“We shook hands. Then, I left. … That’s all I know.”
Irvin says he hasn’t seen the woman since before and after the talk.
“What law did I break?” Irvin said. “There was definitely nothing physical. … That’s honestly all that happened. Nobody was in my room. It was a 45-second conversation in the lobby, a handshake and we left. … I don’t know. I don’t know what this is, and it’s running me crazy.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘Walmart Brother!’
Brother Hogan
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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