2/27/23

The Daily Buzz For Feb 28 ☕📰☕

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#MAGFAB: Rami Malek for GQ Spain - March 2023
Fashion photographer Arnaud Pyvka teams up with actor Rami Malek for the latest edition of GQ Spain
Actor Rami Malek takes the cover story of GQ Spain March 2023 issue captured by fashion photographer Arnaud Pyvka. In charge of styling was Stephanie Kherlakian, with assistance by Federica Centonze and hair by Fay De Bremeaker. For the cover, Rami is wearing Prada and Cartier watch.

Nice!
 
 
#RHOA: Kenya Moore at The NAACP Awards in a T-Strap gown Hot or Not?
#TWIRL, Kenya Moore attends the 54th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 25, 2023 in Pasadena, California. The Atlanta Housewife wore a Champagne color tee strap gown looking comfy.
Have another look.
Looks nice but is the look HOT or NOT?
 
 
#MusicNews: Jordin Sparks & Elijah Blake Reunite For New Single “Deaux”
Jordin Sparks and Elijah Blake are back together on their new single “Deaux”. The song is another great collaboration between the two artists who previously released the underrated EP “1990 Forever” together. The single is his first release since his last album “The Neon Eon” which came out in 2021.


 
#HipHopNews: Kodak Black Arrest Warrant Issued Over Failed Drug Test
An arrest warrant has been issued for Kodak Black after he allegedly violated his bail conditions by failing a drug test earlier this month.
According to legal documents, obtained by TMZ, the warrant was filed in Broward County court on Friday.
A judge cited two incidents in recent weeks including on Feb. 3 when Kodak did not show up for a random drug test and failed to submit a sample that day. On Feb. 8, when he did submit a sample, it reportedly came back positive with traces of fentanyl.
 
A judge ordered authorities to arrest him if they see him. There are also additional orders to hold him without bond until his next hearing in his drug case from last year.
 
Back in July, Kodak was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance without prescription and trafficking in oxycodone.
 
Police allegedly found 31 white tablets in his car during a traffic stop in Fort Lauderdale. The tablets were later identified as oxycodone. Kodak posted $75,000 bail and was released from jail.
 
“Never judge a case based on an arrest,” his lawyer Bradford Cohen said at the time. “There are facts and circumstances that give rise to a defense, especially in this case.”
 
 
The 2023 Screen Actors Awards the Full winners List!
The 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards 2023 have been handed out! The star-studded show was broadcast live from the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The show is also live streaming on Netflix's YouTube channel for the first time before it moves to stream live on Netflix in 2024.
 
Quirky universe-hopping dramedy Everything Everywhere All at Once swept nearly all the film categories, picking up statuettes for its ensemble, lead actress Michelle Yeoh, supporting actor Ke Huy Quan and supporting actress Jamie Lee Curtis. The Whale's Brendan Fraser was named the year's best lead actor.
 
In the TV categories, The White Lotus's second season picked up two statuettes, including outstanding drama ensemble and best supporting actress for Jennifer Coolidge. Abbott Elementary was named outstanding comedy ensemble, and wins for stars from Ozark, The Bear, Hacks, the biographical musical series George & Tammy and the Yellowstone spin-off 1883 rounded out the wins for the night.
 
Find out all the winners below!
 
Here’s the complete list of SAG winners:
 
Film
Outstanding Cast
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”
 
Actor in a Leading Role
Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”
 
Actress in a Leading Role
Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
 
Actor in a Supporting Role
Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
 
Actress in a Supporting Role
Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
 
Stunt Ensemble in a Movie
 “Top Gun: Maverick”
 
Television
Ensemble in a Comedy Series
 “Abbott Elementary”
 
Ensemble in a Drama Series
 “The White Lotus”
 
Actor in a Comedy Series
Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear”
 
Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
 
Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, “Ozark”
 
Actress in a Drama Series
Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”
 
Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series
Sam Elliott, “1883”
 
Actress in a TV Movie or Limited Series
Jessica Chastain, “George & Tammy”
 
Stunt Ensemble in a TV Series
 “Stranger Things”
 
SAG Life Achievement Award
Sally Field

Congrats to All!

 
Is Wendy Williams Revealing She Wants to Be On 'The View'? In a Strange Shopping Video
Wendy Williams teased her comeback in an unhinged shopping video where the star revealed she had dreams of being on The View.
 
In the odd clip, the former host of The Wendy Williams Show was browsing in Petco and picking up some pet care essentials. She sported a black jacket, black pants, hot pink lipstick and giant, fluffy, black boots.
"I'm shopping for kitty litter because I have a wax museum in Paris and one in California," the television personality declared in the video. "I'm going for a week in Paris and then three weeks in California and then immediately fly back."
 
Williams also shared her future career goals, explaining that she wants to be back on TV, "stuff like Seth Meyers, Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, The View. Stuff like that - I am formerly retired."
 
This is far from the first time Williams has been sparked concerns following bizarre behavior in public. As OK! previously reported, on Wednesday, February 22, the former radio DJ was struggling to walk while she was recorded on a trip to a smoke shop.
 
"Somebody help me," Williams urged as she exited her car. "Somebody help me up," she repeated, prompting a photographer to help the entertainer up.
"I'm getting Blu. Do you know what that is? It’s like a cigarette, except it does nothing,” Williams said as she entered the local store.
 
The 58-year-old has struggled with serious health issues in the last year. In August, Williams went to rehab for “severe alcohol use” for two months.
 
The daytime diva has not made her way back to television since June 2022 when The Wendy Williams Show was canceled.
 
However, on Tuesday, February 21, an insider shared, "Wendy is filming a reality show. She rocked up to New York celebrity hotspot Fresco by Scotto and had a producer hand out Non-Disclosure Agreements to patrons.”
"When you see the women on the Real Housewives, you see them just walk into places, but really production scouts out the restaurant in advance. They set it up, there are full permissions involved,” the source added.
 
"This did not look like a crew hired by a network, this feels like a very homemade reality show. It appears this will be a show about her life after The Wendy Williams Show," said an onlooker of the event.
 
 
#BoxOfficeNews: "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania  #1 'Cocaine Bear' Flies High at #2
"Cocaine Bear" climbs high upon its entry at the North American box office. The comedy horror film blew past box office projections, earning an impressive $23.1 million from 3,534 theaters in its opening weekend.
 
The blood-splattered animal adventure lands in second place on the domestic chart after surpassing expectations of $15-20 million gross domestically. Internationally, the film, written and directed by Elizabeth Banks, made $5.3 million for a worldwide total of $28.4 million.
 
"Audiences discovered this very outrageous, hysterical comedy that our director Elizabeth Banks delivered," Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic distribution, gushes over the movie. "The film absolutely delivers on its preposterous premise. People wanted to come out and have a good time at the theater."
 
Loosely inspired by the true story of the "Cocaine Bear", an American black bear that ingested millions of dollars of lost cocaine in 1985, the movie received mixed reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10 on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B- on an A+ to F scale.
 
David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, weighs in on the new release, "Audiences tend to be tough after being grossed-out." Yet that didn't deter patrons from buying tickets. "Horror comedies benefit from the outrageous, and this story of an accidentally cocaine-crazed bear is wacko," he adds.
 
"Cocaine Bear" trails behind "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" which suffers a massive fall in its second weekend. The third "Ant-Man" film added an estimated $32 million as it's suffering from negative word-of-mouth.
 
The movie, which marks the first film in Phase Five of the MCU, dropped a steep 69.7% in its second weekend. It's the worst decline for an MCU film, falling faster than "Black Widow", which plunged 67.8% while debuting simultaneously on Disney Plus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Another newbie, "Jesus Revolution", also has a strong debut at No. 3 with approximately $15.5 million. Lionsgate's religious drama surpassed expectations after it was predicted to earn $6 million to $7 million.
 
Falling two places to No. 4, "Avatar: The Way of Water" drops just 28.2% in its eleventh weekend, adding an estimated $4.7 million to its domestic gross, which has now reached $665.4 million. "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" trails behind at No. 5 with an estimated $4.1 million.
 
Top 10 of North America Box Office (Feb. 24-26, 2023):
"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" - $32.2 million
"Cocaine Bear" - $23.1 million
"Jesus Revolution" - $15.5 million
"Avatar: The Way of Water" - $4.7 million
"Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" - $4.1 million
"Magic Mike's Last Dance" - $1.89 million
"Knock at the Cabin" - $1.87 million
"80 for Brady" - $1.8 million
"Missing" - $1 million
"A Man Called Otto" - $850,000
 
 
PETA Begs Rihanna to Give Up Fur With Luxurious Gift
We all know Rihanna doesn't mess around when it comes to fashion choices, and apparently, neither does PETA.
After the 35-year-old hitmaker was spotted wearing a full-length fur coat while out to dinner this week, the animal rights organization is hoping to convince her to change her ways, and they're even offering to provide the supplies. 
 
According to a report from TMZ, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), is sending Rihanna a faux fur replacement for the full-length coat she wore to dinner earlier this week, which the organization claims is almost definitely made of real fur.
In a letter penned to the Fenty Beauty founder, PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange tried appealing to Rihanna's role as a mother while arguing her case against furs. (The "Diamond" singer is already a mom to a 9-month-old son with A$AP Rocky, and they currently have another little one on the way.)
 
"As a mother, you know what it's like to feel protective and to want to make sure no harm comes to your family," the letter obtained by the outlet reads. "Please understand that this desire—this instinct even—is shared by the minks, foxes, and rabbits who are torn away from their families and killed for their fur."
 
"The fur industry is so violent that it's now illegal for designers to sell fur in California, and more brands than ever—including Chanel, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Valentino—have banned it," Lange continues. "Won't you please help create a kinder world for your children to grow up in by deciding today that you'll no longer wear fur?"
 
The letter goes on to say that PETA would gladly take any real fur items off RiRi's hands, and donate them to people in need of warm clothing, such as survivors of the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey.
 
"You have so much," the letter implores. "Won't you please spare animals who ask for nothing but to be left alone to live with their loved ones, free from the electrocutions, gassings, and beatings that are standard in the fur industry, and donate your furs to a good cause?"
 
The letter concludes: "We're also sending along a beautiful faux fur coat from Unreal Fur to help you stay warm and fashionable while making the cruelty-free switch."
 
Rihanna previously won a PETA award for some faux leather Fenty products, but she has yet to publicly acknowledge the organization's latest request.
 
 
Tommy Fury stuns Jake Paul with split-decision win in Saudi Arabia
Jake Paul’s first fight against a true boxer didn’t go as planned.
Tommy Fury handed the YouTuber-turned-boxer the first loss of his career on Sunday night at Diriyah Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fury beat Paul via a split decision in the eight-round bout despite being knocked down in the final round.
 
The judges scored it 76-73 twice for Fury and 75-74 once for Paul.
 
Paul said after the fight that he didn’t agree with the judges’ decision, and that he both got sick twice in camp and injured his arm — statements that drew boos from the crowd.
 
“But I lost. I’m not making excuses,” Paul said. “I’m just saying it wasn’t my best performance. I fell flat.”
 
Fury seemed to have a slight edge throughout most of the fight, but Paul was right in the mix and landed plenty of great punches of his own. Both fighters had a point deducted in the later rounds, too, for seemingly landing a punch to the back of the other’s head.
 
It was in the eighth round, however, when Paul bounced back and made his move after a slow seventh. Paul came out early with a left-handed jab that sent Fury stumbling back and down to the mat briefly — which marked the first and only knockdown of the bout.
 
“That wasn’t a knockdown, that was a slip,” Fury said. “That was genuinely a slip. I got up … I came right back into it.”
 
Fury didn’t seem too fazed by the knockdown and came out firing to close out the fight, landing several blows of his own to keep the advantage and grab the split-decision win. Fury threw almost double the amount of punches than Paul did in the fight, and landed 88 compared to just 49 from Paul.
 
“All the way through these 2 1/2 years, I had a dream, I had a vision that I would win this fight, and no one believed me,” an emotional Fury said in the ring after his win. “Now I can stand up and everybody can take note. In my first main event, at 23 years old, I had the world on me. I had pressure on my shoulders, and I came through.”
 
Sunday’s fight was Paul’s biggest to date. Up until his bout with Fury, Paul has only taken on MMA fighters, another YouTuber and a former NBA player in the ring. His last win came in October after he outlasted 47-year-old former MMA star Anderson Silva.
 
While Fury is as real of a boxer as Paul has faced in his career, he’s not done much. Fury, the half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, held an 8-0 record with four knockouts headed into Sunday’s fight, which sounds impressive on its face. His eight opponents, however, held a combined 24-176-5 overall record — which isn’t great.
 
One of Paul’s biggest criticisms is that he hadn’t fought a real boxer. While Fury is as close to that as he’s come, it’s still not as great as the two have tried to make it out to be in the lead-up to Sunday’s fight.
 
But in the end, it doesn't matter much anymore. Up against the best fighter he's seen so far in his career, Paul lost.
 
If Paul ever wants to run it back, Fury is ready.
 “If he wants a rematch, he can have a rematch,” Fury said.
 
 
Michael B. Jordan Calls Out Red Carpet Reporter Over ‘Corny’ Comment
Michael B. Jordan didn’t hesitate to put a red carpet reporter on blast.
During a recent premiere event for Creed III, the actor/director took some time to speak with Morning Hustle host Lore’l. The interviewer immediately congratulated Jordan on the new film and revealed they were classmates in New Jersey.
 
“We go way back, all the way back to Chad Science [Academy] in Newark,” she said.
 
“Oh yeah, I was the corny kid, right?” Jordan responded, referring to remarks on a podcast
Lore’l laughed off the Jordan’s comment and insisted she was “misquoted”; however, the actor pushed back and said he directly heard the reporter call him “corny.”
 
“No you did not hear me say that! I said we used to make fun of the name,” she continued, before changing the subject. “But yeah, he is obviously killing things out here.”
 
Lore’l went on to ask Jordan about his Creed III experience as well as his rumored project with Will Smith. She then closed the interview by telling Jordan, “Well, you’re not corny anymore.”
The Morning Hustle host spoke about her former classmate in an episode of the Undressing Room podcast. She and her co-hosts—Eva Marcille and Dominique da Diva—shared their thoughts on Jordan’s elaborate Valentine’s Day gift to Lori Harvey. The 36-year-old actor took his girlfriend to an aquarium and presented her with Hermès stock certificates.
 
As reported by MadameNoire, Dominique said she wasn’t surprised by Jordan’s date idea, as he came off as “a nice, corny guy.”
 
Lore’l seemingly co-signed the comment.
“You know what’s so crazy? I went to school with Michael B. Jordan at a point in life,” she said. “… And to be honest with you, we teased him all the damn time because his name was Michael Jordan. Let’s start there, and he was no Michael Jordan. And he also would come to school with a headshot. We lived in Newark, that’s the hood. We would make fun of him like, ‘What you gonna do with your stupid headshot!?’ And now look at him!”
 
 
Rep. Barbara Lee Joins Competitive Race to Replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein
*Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA12), the highest-ranking African American woman serving in the U.S. Congress, has announced that she will enter the race to replace U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein — the 89-year-old, California’s senior U.S. Senator who has announced that she would not seek another term.
 
“No one is rolling out the welcome mat – especially for someone like me. I am the girl they didn’t allow in, who couldn’t drink from the water fountain, who had an abortion in a back alley when they all were illegal,” Lee said in a video she released announcing her senatorial bid. “I escaped a violent marriage, became a single mom, a homeless mom, a mom who couldn’t afford childcare and brought her kids to class with her.”
 
“By the grace of God, I didn’t let that stop me,” Lee said over a soundtrack of loudening applause. “And even though there are no African American women in the U.S. Senate, we won’t let that stop us either. Because when you stand on the side of justice, you don’t quit when they give you a seat at the table. You bring a folding chair for everyone, and they’re here to stay.
 
A week earlier, Lee, a 12-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is known for her progressive politics, filed the required paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to be a candidate in the 2024 race.
 
“It has been an immense honor to serve alongside Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving woman senator in our nation’s history,” Lee said in a statement after Feinstein’s announcement. “For over two decades, we’ve worked closely together to represent the best interests of our great state of California; create an economy that works for all; and advance justice and equity.”
 
 “The progress we’ve made in the fight for equity can be seen in the Senator’s tenure itself: when she was elected in ’92, there were just two women senators. Today, there are 25,” Lee continued her homage to Feinstein.
 
If Lee wins she will be the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate. Just two Black women, Vice President Kamala Harris and former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun, have served in the upper house of the United States Congress in the body’s 230-year history.
 
“As one of the most liberal states in the nation, we must continue to send an independent voice who will be diverse in their perspective and positions,” said Kellie Todd-Griffin, founding convener of the California Black Women’s Collective, a statewide organization whose membership includes women representing various professional backgrounds.
 
“That is Congressmember Barbara Lee. She speaks for all of us,” added Griffin.
 
In 2020, after Kamala Harris became Vice President, Black women advocates across California called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a Black woman to replace her. They made the case that there would be no other Black woman in the Senate after Harris left, and that Black women are the most loyal, most powerful, and  most consistent voting bloc in the Democratic Party.
 
Instead, Newsom appointed Sen. Alex Padilla, the first Latino from California to serve in the U.S. Senate. Although Black political advocates and Black leaders in the California Democratic Party eventually embraced Padilla’s nomination, many felt Newsom’s decision to not appoint a Black woman to replace Harris was a slap in the face.
 
“That is a terrible loss for America. That is our seat,” said Amelia Ashley Ward, publisher of the San Francisco Sun-Reporter, after Padilla was nominated. “It was won by an African American woman, and she had hundreds of thousands of African American women working hard with her, holding her up, standing behind her to win that seat. Not to mention millions of other Californians. Kamala was the second Black woman in history to serve in the United States Senate and she is currently the only Black woman in the United States Senate. She is the face and the voice of Black women from all across this country and we will lose that when she’s gone.”
 
Lee, 76, will be competing for Feinstein’s Senate seat against two other Democratic members of California’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives: Katie Porter (D-CA-47), 49, and Adam Schiff (D-CA-30), 62.
 
Both Porter and Schiff, like Lee, have progressive voting records. Both Democratic competitors have already amassed tens of millions of dollars, respectively, in campaign donations. Their early fundraising places them in a stronger position than Lee to win the 2024 Democratic primary which will be held about a year from now.
 
In the U.S. House, Lee serves as co-chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. She is also a member of the Appropriations and Budget committees. She is former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and chair emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
 
Lee has also been hailed by her Democratic colleagues as the only member of Congress who had the courage to vote against the use of force in Iraq after the September 11 attacks.
 
As a young activist, Lee was a volunteer for the 1973 Oakland mayoral campaign of Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale.
 
Griffin says for Black women particularly, and for African Americans in general, it is important to have representation in the United States Senate.
“Congressmember Lee has been a progressive leader whose record demonstrates she will fight to solve the issues that impact our community. She has effectively served California by advancing meaningful policy while standing up for the things that matter to everyday citizens,” said Griffin.
 
 
Carl Crawford Apologizes To Megan Thee Stallion For Beef, Says Social Media Turned Their Relationship ‘Sour’
Carl Crawford is backing off of his beef with Megan Thee Stallion. Hitting TMZ, Crawford introduced Kai “Verse” Tayler as the new President of 1501 Certified Entertainment, while also revealing he wants to make amends with the Houston Hottie.
 “Unfortunately, me and Megan haven’t talked since 2019,” Crawford said. “We been going through what y’all seen online. That’s unfortunate too because I never wanted to go have a situation where I was going back nad forth with her on the Internet.”
 
He added, “I never had problems with Megan Thee Stallion, but this social media stuff turned it really sour. You take this social media stuff out of it, and we won’t have a problem. You won’t hear me mention Megan Thee Stallion’s name unless it’s a big-time interview.”
Crawford would reveal that he wanted a fresh face to the company as the reputation had tanked. “I have to take responsibility for anything that happens in 1501.”
 
Crawford revealed that he always didn’t make the right decisions, and he is taking ownership of the issue, by revamping the roster and staff.
 
You can hear it all from Carl Crawford HERE
 
 
Katy Perry Gets Emotional As ‘American Idol’ Contestant Opens Up About Surviving School Shooting: ‘America Has Failed Us!’
During Sunday night’s episode (February 26), a 21 year old contestant named Trey Louis, who is a mattress salesman from Santa Fe, Texas, shocked the judges — including Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie — which is rugged voice.
Louis gave his own rendition of the country song “Stone” sang by Whiskey Myers. After receiving a standing ovation for his vocals, Louis was asked by Bryan, “Why are you doing ‘Idol?’”
 
After taking a deep breathe and sigh, Louis goes on to explain, “Man, so. ‘American Idol’ number one is kind of where people that I enjoy make it. Number two is, as I said before, I’m from Sante Fe, Texas.
 
In May 2018, a gunman walked into my school. I was in Art Room 1, and he shot up Art Room 2. Before he made his way to Art Room 1, [I] lost a lot of friends. Eight students were killed. Two teachers were killed. And it’s just really been negative. Santa Fe’s had a bad rep here since 2018.”
 
The camera then cuts to the Richie, then Perry as she let’s out tears and ducks her head in her hands, crying. She then shouts with tears in her red eyes, “Our country has f***ing failed us! This is not okay. You should be singing here because you love music. Not because you had to go through that …”
 
Perry contines, “You didn’t have to lose… friends. I hope that you remind people that we have to change, because, you know what? I’m scared too.”
 
After comforting one another, the judges ended up huddling, and they all voted yes on Louis, sending him to Hollywood to continue in the competition.
 
 
Woman Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Millions from Olympian Usain Bolt’s Account Shows Up to Court In Wheelchair. Attorney Says She’s Too Ill for Jail, In Need of ‘Delicate Care’
A former employee of a financial institution where Olympic champion Usain Bolt was a member was arrested for stealing from the track star’s retirement account, but her attorneys argued she is too sick to be held in jail.
 
The investment firm Stocks and Securities Limites was accused last month of draining more than $12 million from Bolt’s account in his business’ name.
 
Bolt’s retirement account was left with only $12,000 after being drained of approximately $12,758,000 by the investment firm. The Jamaica Observer reported that SSL Client relationship manager Jean-Ann Panton was arrested on Feb. 17 and charged with forgery, larceny as a servant, uttering forged documents, and breaching the Proceeds of Crime Act.
 
Jean-Ann Panton was arrested on charges of stealing millions from Usain Bolt (right) and other clients of a Jamaican investment firm. (Photos: @jamaicagleaner/Instagram, @usainbolt/Twitter)
Panton allegedly admitted to stealing $3 million from clients’ accounts during meetings with the Financial Investigations Division detectives and the Jamaica Constable Force’s Fraud Squad between Feb. 14 and 16. Reports show Panton confessed to stealing from Bolt’s account since it was opened in 2012.
 
Panton has been accused of defrauding 39 clients out of millions of US dollars. She has been charged in relation to three clients so far, including Bolt and his manager. The current charges amount to $6.3 million in fraud so far. Four more clients have since come forward to report Panton for theft.
 
Her attorney Tamika Harris applied for bail at the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston on Panton’s behalf citing medical grounds. Panton showed up to court in a wheelchair, and Harris claimed her client was born with a dislocated hip and has had “a series of 25 surgeries” since the age of 2.
 
“She requires wheelchair assistance and the use of a walker as part of her rehabilitation,” said Harris. “And she has also had side effects from the antibiotics prescribed which makes balancing challenging.”
 
Justice Shelly Williams was seemingly unimpressed with Panton’s medical claim and questioned why medical documents only stated Panton’s having diabetes and the date of her last surgery, but nothing claiming she could not walk.
 
“I am not saying that you can’t put forward all of this,” said Williams. “But if you are going to do that you need a medical report that supports your position.”
 
Harris also argued when police visited her client’s home, they would have seen her inability to walk, and she also has to inject herself with insulin that requires refrigeration.
 
“And it can hardly be said that the environment in a cell would be sterile,” Harris said also questioning if authorities would be able to preserve the insulin. “All those delicate care, it is very unlikely that a police station will be able to do so,” the lawyer argued.
 
Jamaicans on Instagram wanted to know when Panton began using a wheelchair.
 
“On a serious note,” said one. “When did she stop walking?”
“How old is this lady? Seems like she’s using the w/c as a prop to get off smh,” noted another. “Heard she borrowed Harvey Weinstein’s wheelchair,” added one.
 
Panton also told her employer in January that she “borrowed” money from the accounts to pay for her father’s medical expenses and funeral after he died from cancer. She later sniped money to cover care for her brother in a home after he threatened to kill her mother.
 
In addition to the charges and her arrest, Panton’s assets have been frozen, according to one of Bolt’s attorneys, Obika Gordon.
 
“We can confirm that we obtained a freezing injunction against Ms. Panton,” said Gordon. “It is an order which provides that her assets up to the amount of six-plus US million dollars have been frozen. There is also a production order for her to provide a statement of all her assets, real estate holdings, shares, stocks, etc.”
 
The Supreme Court also extended an order to block SSL from liquidating any assets until Feb. 28. Bolt’s attorneys filed two legal claims with the court on behalf of his company, Welljen Limited, to recover his funds.
 
Prior to Panton’s arrest, Bolt’s longtime business manager, Norman Peart, was fired by the Jamaican Olympic gold medalist. On Jan. 27, Bolt told the outlet that he had fired Peart. “He was fired, that’s pretty much all I have to say,” said Bolt. “It wasn’t amicable … he was fired.”
 
The Financial Investigations Division released a statement on Feb. 17 noting that Peart was never a suspect in the theft. Peart’s signature was apparently forged on documents authorizing the funds to be moved.
 
“Of note, contrary to reports in some public spaces, Mr. Norman Peart cooperated with investigators,” read the statement. “He was not considered a suspect nor was he treated as such.”
 
Panton has the opportunity to request bail again on Feb. 24. The Financial Investigations Division said it is seeking additional charges on Panton and “other perpetrators.”
 
 
2Pac’s Estate Gets A Victory In The Lawsuit Regarding The Late Rapper’s Makaveli Covert Art
2Pac’s estate scores a win in court over his Makaveli project cover art.
On Wednesday, District Judge Jane J. Boyle dismissed a lawsuit filed by Artist Ronald Brent, the Zelus Group and Leslie Ware against the late rapper’s estate and Amaru Entertainment regarding ownership of the original Makaveli painting.
 
According to legal documents, Brent, Zelus, and Ware filed the suit to request the court to declare Ware the rightful owner of the painting, which appeared on 2Pac’s album “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.”
 
The plaintiffs claimed Brent was the original owner of the painting until 2012. He allegedly sold the painting to a third-party, who then sold the image to Zelus Group in 2021. That same year, Ware won the painting during a 2021 auction held by Zelus Group.
 
In contrast, Amaru claimed Brent never owned the artwork and was just an employee of Death Row Records who had ownership of the painting until 2022.
“By contrast, Amaru contends that Brent never ‘owned’ the Makaveli painting or image to begin with,” the ruling read. “Rather, because Brent was an employee for DDR, Amaru alleges that ownership of the painting and image stayed with DRR.”
 
However, Boyle rejected the case due to not having jurisdiction over Tupac’s estate and Amaru Entertainment.
“Plaintiffs seek to hale Amaru to the Northern District of Texas for declaration as to the ownership and copyright of the Painting and Image, and their action is against Amaru directly and personally,” Judge Boyle wrote. “To conclude that the Court could assert jurisdiction over Amaru merely because of the painting’s presence in Texas would place ancient forms over modern notions of due process.”
 
Nevertheless, the painting is currently residing in Ware’s Dallas home.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
The Difference 


HAVE A GREAT DAY AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM

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