#FASHIONFAB: Ashton Kutcher For Esquire Magazine
ESQUIRE has unveiled an exclusive digital-only feature starring actor and venture capitalist ASHTON KUTCHER. To mark the occasion of its 90th anniversary year, ESQUIRE continues its legacy of innovation with a new twist on the cover-story format: a moving cover specifically for TikTok that nods to the power of a traditional magazine cover while enhancing it to create a new visual experience. The accompanying feature story is a deep dive into Kutcher’s life, including what he learned from his divorce from Demi Moore, a harrowing medical scare, having (and losing) children, his thoughts on That ‘70s Show co-star Danny Masterson’s court case, and more.
On becoming a stepdad to Demi Moore’s three young girls when the pair married in 2005: “I was twenty-six, bearing the responsibility of an eight-year-old, a ten-year-old, and a twelve-year-old. That’s how some teen parents must experience their twenties.”
On suffering the loss of a late-term pregnancy during his marriage to Demi Moore: “Losing a kid that you think you’re going to have, and that close to thinking you’re going to have a kid, is really, really painful. Everyone deals with that in different ways. I love kids. I wouldn’t have gotten married to a woman that had three kids if I didn’t love kids. The idea of having another kid would have been incredible. For whatever reason, I had to have that experience.”
On his divorce from Demi Moore: “Nothing makes you feel like a failure like divorce. Divorce feels like a wholesale f*cking failure. You failed at marriage.”
On whether there are any leftover Punk’d episodes: “Any celebrity that asked us to destroy the tape, I destroyed the tape. Every single f*cking last one.”
On doing That ‘90s Show, the continuation of That ‘70s Show, on which his wife, Mila Kunis, also starred: “[She] goes, ‘You know, we owe our entire careers to this show. It doesn’t matter what the script is, we’re doing it.’”
On That ‘70s Show and The Ranch costar Danny Masterson’s legal battle: “I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way.”
More on Masterson: “I’m not the judge. I’m not the jury. I’m not the DA. I’m not the victim. And I’m not the accused. And so, in that case, I don’t have a space to comment. I just don’t know.”
On his wife, Mila Kunis: “The thing about Mila that made our relationship accelerate was that I had always admired her. Her talents, her skills, her gifts. But I knew that she didn’t need me. And she knew that I didn’t need her. We already knew all of each other’s dirt. My wife is so much cooler than me.”
On visiting Capitol Hill to drum up support in the fight the exploitation and sexual trafficking of children on behalf of his company, Thorn: “You know why lawmakers don’t want to do anything with that? Because kids can’t f*cking vote. He can’t believe it. What the f*ck are we doing? Who are we, as people, to not make this issue a priority?”
#RHOA: Porsha Williams Addresses Butt-Lift Rumors in Silky, Curve-Clinging Pajamas
Porsha Williams is doing some serious honeymooning, and she's dressing for the occasion. As proven in her recent Instagram posts, The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum has a stellar outfit for every day of her trip to Malta. And don't worry: She's got nighttime covered too.
In a February 1 Instagram post, Porsha's husband, Simon Guobadia, shared a video of his wife in silky black pajamas. Porsha wore her hair long and loose. She accented her PJ set with gold hoop earrings, a pale pink lip, and fluttery lashes. She also wore a crisp white pedicure and — of course— her knockout diamond ring.
Pouring herself a glass of red wine, Porsha looked ready to relax for the night. But first, she had something to say on the topic of Brazilian butt lifts. (She wouldn't be the first Bravolebrity to bring up butt injections.)
"BBL where?" Porsha said in the video, seemingly laughing away rumors that she's had one. In his caption, Simon expounded on the theme. "For starters, she got Yoruba ancestry and Decatur GA - all rolled into one perfectly formed posterior," the proud hubby shared. He added hashtags spelling out “cornbread fed” and “Diane daughter.” Well, that settles it!
Porsha shared the post to her own feed:
This isn't the only time Porsha looked "perfectly formed" on her honeymoon. The newlywed has also lived her best island life in a curve-clinging, bright-red maxi dress.
#MusicNews: Beyoncé sets a new Grammy record, winning a total of 32 Grammys in her career
Beyoncé has now captured more Grammy awards than any other artist, thanks to a quartet of trophies for her album RENAISSANCE. Two-thirds of the way into the evening's live telecast, she won her fourth award of the year for a total of 32 in her career, shattering the record for the most Grammys of any artist in the prize's 65-year history.
However, she failed to collect any of the evening's biggest prizes. Instead, the Grammys divided the general categories in a typical voting split. Bonnie Raitt won the song of the year prize for "Just Like That." Lizzo took song of the year for "About Damn Time." Album of the year went to Harry Styles for his album Harry's House. He also won best pop vocal album. "This is so kind," Styles said of the album of the year award, as Beyoncé gave him a standing ovation.
Coming into this year's awards, Beyoncé already owned 28 Grammys as a lead artist, though only one in the one of the awards' general categories. She had nine nominations this year, and hit the new record just after 7 PM PT, when she won best electronic/dance music album. She cried upon taking the stage, saying, "I'm just trying to receive this night." Later, she gave credit to her forbearers and inspiration, adding: "I would like to thank the queer community for your love, and for inventing the genre," referring to the house music that grounded RENAISSANCE.
Faced with years of declining and middling viewership, the Grammys hoped to amp up the dazzle this year via this bit of history-making. What the Record Academy had clearly hoped would be an earlier, big live television moment was foiled by urban sprawl. A half an hour into the show, Beyoncé — who was reportedly late to the awards thanks to LA traffic — tied the all-time record for most Grammys won when she and a team of co-writers won best R&B song for "Cuff It." The iconic musician and composer Nile Rogers, one of the co-writers on "Cuff It," accepted the award for best R&B song on the team's behalf along with another of its co-writers, The-Dream. The previous Grammy record of 31 wins was a feat set by the late Hungarian-born classical conductor Georg Solti.
Several of the other nine contenders for album of the year had to be satisfied with other awards. At the beginning of her acceptance speech for her win for record of the year for "About Damn Time," Lizzo said, "Let me tell you something, Adele and I are just having a great time here." (Adele took home took home best pop solo performance for her song "Easy on Me.") Lizzo also paid tribute to Beyoncé, noting that she had skipped school in fifth grade to go hear the megastar perform.
#HipHopNews: Funk Flex Apologizes To Rza For Hot 97’s Wu-Tang Clan Beef
Funk Flex has issued a public apology to RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan on behalf of Hot 97, after years of tension between the radio station and legendary rap group.
The New York DJ, who was recently named Creative Program Director of Hot 97, took to Instagram on Saturday (February 4) to share a picture him and Bobby Digital alongside a caption squashing the longstanding beef.
“I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO APOLOGIZE TO THE @RZA AND THE ENTIRE @WUTANGCLAN !!! ALMOST 25YRS AGO THE GROUP, ME AND HOT97 HAD A DISAGREEMENT THAT TO ME NEVER GOT PUT TO BED AND I APOLOGIZE!” Flex wrote.
“LOOKING BACK AT THIS 20 SUMTHIN YEARS LATER.. WE GONNA MAKE UP FOR THE TIME WE MISSED…” he continued. “THE WORLDS GREATEST RAP GROUP AND THE WORLDS GREATEST RADIO STATIONS ARE GOING TO COME TOGETHER BRING U SOMETHING AMAZING!”
Flex then teased a collaboration of some sort between himself, RZA and the Wu-Tang, before signing his post off as “Creative Program Director, Funk Flex.”
The post, which tagged each individual member of the Wu, saw responses in the comment section from both RZA, who posted three Wu-hands emojis, and Raekwon, who wrote: “Nothing but love Blackman ! And that’s Reciprical !!!!!”
The fallout between Hot 97 and Wu-Tang Clan dates back to 1997, when the legendary Staten Island group were booked to headline Hot 97’s Summer Jam at the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey.
Inspectah Deck alleged during the group’s 2019 docuseries Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men that the group were strong armed into flying to the East Coast on their own dime to perform at Summer Jam for free.
“The deal was, as far as I remember, you gotta come back and do this Hot 97 Summer Jam or we’re not gonna play any more of your records on your station,” he explained.
Reacting to ultimatum, Ghostface Killah proceeded to take to the stage and call out the radio station, screaming “Fuck Hot 97!” while getting the crowd to join in with him.
“They didn’t play our records for like the next 10 years,” said Deck, noting that other radio stations followed Hot 97’s lead. “Us not being involved while they playing the Biggie shit, they playing Nas shit, everybody that was rocking with us at the time. That affected our sales, that affected our touring, that affected everything. That affected our presence.”
Despite the blackballing, the Wu and Hot 97 did eventually mend fences, with Wu-Tang playing Summer Jam in 2013.
Meanwhile, Funk Flex recently caused a bit of a stir when he promised to start putting 6ix9ine’s music back into his rotation as a result of the “trend” of rappers copping plea deals.
Flex’s point was made in relation to an Instagram post from the rainbow-haired rapper, which saw him catching some Z’s on a private jet while snuggling up with a lap full of money.
7.8 magnitude earthquake kills more than 200 people in Turkey, Syria
ANKARA, Turkey -- A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday, toppling buildings and triggering a frantic search for survivors in the rubble in cities and towns across the area. At least 207 were killed and hundreds injured, and the toll was expected to rise.
On both sides of the border, residents were jolted out of sleep by the tremors several hours before dawn and rushed outside in a cold, rainy and snowy winter night. Dozens of buildings collapsed in cities across the border region.
Rescue workers and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border, working through tangles of metal and chunks of concrete.
In the Turkish city of Adana, witnesses said they heard one person calling for help from beneath the rubble of a building. "I don't have the strength to carry on," the person cried. Further east in Diyarbakir, cranes and rescue teams worked at a mountain of pancaked concrete floors that was once an apartment building.
On the Syrian side of the border, the quake smashed opposition-held regions that are packed with some 4 million people displaced from other parts of Syria by the country's long civil war. Many of them live in decrepit conditions with little health care. At least 11 were killed in one town, Atmeh, and many more were buried in the rubble, a doctor in the town, Muheeb Qaddour, told The Associated Press by telephone.
"We fear that the deaths are in the hundreds," Qaddour said, referring to the rebel-held northwest. "We are under extreme pressure."
The quake, felt as far away as Cairo, was centered about 90 kilometers (60 miles) from the Syrian border, just north of the city of Gaziantep, a major Turkish provincial capital of more than 2 million people. The region has been shaped by more than a decade of war in Syria. Millions of Syrian refugees live in Turkey. The swath of Syria affected by the quake is divided between government-held and opposition-held areas.
At least 20 aftershocks followed, some hours later during daylight, the strongest measuring 6.6, Turkish authorities said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter that "search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched" to the areas hit by the quake.
"We hope that we will get through this disaster together as soon as possible and with the least damage," he wrote.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management agency said at least 76 people in seven Turkish provinces. The agency said 440 people were injured. The death toll in government-held areas of Syria climbed to 111 with at least 516 injured, according to Syrian state media. Earlier, 20 people were reported killed in rebel-held areas.
Buildings were reported collapsed in a swath from Syria's cities of Aleppo and Hama to Turkey's Diyarbakir, more than 330 kilometers (200 miles) to the northeast.
In Turkey, people trying to leave the quake-stricken regions caused traffic jams, hampering efforts of emergency teams trying to reach the affected areas. Authorities urged residents not to take to the roads. Mosques around the region were being opened up as a shelter for people unable to return to damaged homes amid temperatures that hovered around freezing.
In Diyarbakir, rescue teams called for silence as they tried to listen for survivors under the wreckage of an 11-story building. Rescue workers pulled out one man, carrying him on a stretcher through a dense crowd of hundreds of people anxiously watching the rescue efforts. A gray-haired woman wailed before being escorted away by a man, while a rescue worker wearing a white helmet tried to calm a crying girl, who was also being cuddled by two friends.
In northwest Syria, the opposition's Syrian Civil Defense described the situation in the rebel-held region as "disastrous" adding that entire buildings have collapsed and people are trapped under the rubble. The civil defense urged people to evacuate buildings to gather in open areas. Emergency rooms were full of injured, said Amjad Rass, president of the Syrian American Medical Society.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered about 33 kilometers (20 miles) from Gaziantep. It was centered 18 kilometers (11 miles) deep.
In Damascus, buildings shook and many people went down to the streets in fear.
The quake jolted residents in Lebanon from beds, shaking buildings for about 40 seconds. Many residents of Beirut left their homes and took to the streets or drove in their cars away from buildings.
The earthquake came as the Middle East is experiencing a snowstorm that is expected to continue until Thursday.
Turkey sits on top of major fault lines and is frequently shaken by earthquakes.
Some 18,000 were killed in powerful earthquakes that hit northwest Turkey in 1999.
The 2023 Grammy winners 2023: See the winners List!
The 65th Grammy Awards were presented on Sunday.
While most of the awards were announced during a pre-televised ceremony, nominees from several top categories across musical genres follows below. Winners are indicated in bold.
The full list of winners in more than 91 categories can be found here.
Album of the Year
“Voyage,” ABBA
“30,” Adele
“Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny
“Renaissance,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe),” Mary J. Blige
“In These Silent Days,” Brandi Carlile
“Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay
“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar
“Special,” Lizzo
“Harry’s House,” Harry Styles *WINNER
Record of the Year
“Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA
“Easy on Me,” Adele
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“You and Me on the Rock,” Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius
“Woman,” Doja Cat
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo *WINNER
“As It Was,” Harry Styles
Song of the Year
“Abcdefu,” Sara Davis, Gayle and Dave Pittenger, songwriters
“About Damn Time,” Melissa “Lizzo” Jefferson, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin and Theron Makiel Thomas, songwriters
“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film),” Liz Rose and Taylor Swift, songwriters
“As It Was,” Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon and Harry Styles, songwriters
“Bad Habit,” Matthew Castellanos, Brittany Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Carroll Kirby & Steve Lacy, songwriters
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé, S. Carter, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant and Christopher A. Stewart, songwriters
“Easy on Me,” Adele Adkins and Greg Kurstin, songwriters
“God Did,” Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts and Nicholas Warwar, songwriters
“The Heart Part 5,” Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar and Matt Schaeffer, songwriters
“Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt, songwriter *WINNER
Best New Artist
Anitta
Omar Apollo
Domi & JD Beck
Muni Long
Samara Joy *WINNER
Latto
Maneskin
Tobe Nwigwe
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Easy on Me,” Adele *WINNER
“Moscow Mule,” Bad Bunny
“Woman,” Doja Cat
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“As It Was,” Harry Styles
Best Pop Duo or Group Performance
“Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA
“Bam Bam,” Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran
“My Universe,” Coldplay and BTS
“I Like You (A Happier Song),” Post Malone and Doja Cat
“Unholy,” Sam Smith and Kim Petras *WINNER
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
“Higher,” Michael Bublé *WINNER
“When Christmas Comes Around…,” Kelly Clarkson
“I Dream of Christmas (Extended),” Norah Jones
“Evergreen,” Pentatonix
“Thank You,” Diana Ross
Best Pop Vocal Album
“Voyage,” ABBA
“30,” Adele
“Music of the Spheres,” Coldplay
“Special,” Lizzo
“Harry’s House,” Harry Styles *WINNER
Best Dance/Electric Recording
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé *WINNER
“Rosewood,” Bonobo
“Don’t Forget My Love,” Diplo and Miguel
“I’m Good (Blue),” David Guetta and Bebe Rexha
“Intimidated,” Kaytranada featuring H.E.R.
“On My Knees,” Rüfüs du Sol
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
“Renaissance,” Beyoncé *WINNER
“Fragments,” Bonobo
“Diplo,” Diplo
“The Last Goodbye,” Odesza
“Surrender,” Rüfüs du Sol
Best Rap Album
“God Did,” DJ Khaled
“I Never Liked You,” Future
“Come Home the Kids Miss You,” Jack Harlow
“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” Kendrick Lamar *WINNER
“It’s Almost Dry,” Pusha T
Best Rap Performance
“God Did,” DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy “Vegas,” Doja Cat
“Pushin P,” Gunna and Future featuring Young Thug
“F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” Hitkidd and Glorilla
“The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar *WINNER
Best Latin Pop Album
“Aguilera,” Christina Aguilera
“Pasieros,” Rubén Blades and Boca Livre *WINNER
“De Adentro Pa Afuera,” Camilo
“Viajante,” Fonseca
“Dharma+,” Sebastián Yatra
Best Musica Urbana Album
“Trap Cake, Vol. 2,” Rauw Alejandro
“Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny *WINNER
“Legendaddy,” Daddy Yankee
“La 167,” Farruko
“The Love & Sex Tape,” Maluma
Best Alternative Music Album
“We,” Arcade Fire
“Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You,” Big Thief
“Fossora,” Björk
“Wet Leg,” Wet Leg *WINNER
“Cool It Down,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Do 4 Love,” Snoh Aalegra
“Keeps On Fallin’,” Babyface Featuring Ella Mai
“Plastic Off the Sofa,” Beyoncé *WINNER
“‘Round Midnight,” Adam Blackstone Featuring Jazmine Sullivan
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
Best R&B Song
“Cuff It,” Beyoncé *WINNER
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“Hurt Me So Good,” Jazmine Sullivan
“Please Don’t Walk Away,” PJ Morton
Best R&B Album
“Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe),” Mary J. Blige
“Breezy (Deluxe),” Chris Brown
“Black Radio III,” Robert Glasper *WINNER
“Candydrip,” Lucky Daye
“Watch the Sun,” PJ Morton
Best Country Solo Performance
“Heartfirst,” Kelsea Ballerini
“Something in the Orange,” Zach Bryan
“In His Arms,” Miranda Lambert
“Circles Around This Town,” Maren Morris
“Live Forever,” Willie Nelson *WINNER
Best Country Duo or Group Performance
“Wishful Drinking,” Ingrid Andress and Sam Hunt
“Midnight Rider’s Prayer,” Brothers Osborne
“Outrunnin’ Your Memory,” Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert
“Does He Love You — Revisited,” Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton
“Never Wanted to Be That Girl,” Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde *WINNER
“Going Where the Lonely Go,” Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Best Country Album
“Growin’ Up,” Luke Combs
“Palomino,” Miranda Lambert
“Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville,” Ashley McBryde
“Humble Quest,” Maren Morris
“A Beautiful Time,” Willie Nelson *WINNER
Best Rock Performance
“So Happy It Hurts,” Bryan Adams
“Old Man,” Beck
“Wild Child,” The Black Keys
“Broken Horses,” Brandi Carlie *WINNER
“Crawl!,” Idles
“Patent Number 9,” Ozzy Osbourne featureing Jeff Beck
“Holiday,” Turnstile
Best Rock Album
“Dropout Boogie,” The Black Keys
“The Boy Named If,” Elvis Costello & the Imposters
“Crawler,” Idles
“Mainstream Sellout,” Machine Gun Kelly
“Patient Number 9,” Ozzy Osbourne *WINNER
“Lucifer on the Sofa,” Spoon
Best Comedy Album
“The Closer,” Dave Chappelle *WINNER
“Comedy Monster,” Jim Gaffigan
“A Little Brains, A Little Talent,” Randy Rainbow
“Sorry,” Louis CK
“We All Scream,” Patton Oswalt
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
“Elvis,” Various Artists
“Encanto,” Various Artists *WINNER
“Stranger Things: Soundtrack From the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2),” Various Artists
“Top Gun: Maverick,” Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe
“West Side Story,” Various Artists
Get the full winners list HERE!
Viola Davis Has earned the coveted E.G.O.T
Viola Davis has earned the rare and coveted EGOT status — becoming the third Black woman in history to achieve the honor.
On Sunday, Davis, 57, won her first Grammy for her performance of the audiobook for her memoir, “Finding Me.”
“It has just been such a journey," Davis said in accepting the award. "I just EGOT!”
“EGOT” is the grand slam of an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony over a career. Only 18 people have achieved the status. Davis is the fourth Black person, alongside Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend and Jennifer Hudson.
Davis already has an Oscar, two Tonys and an Emmy.
“Oh, my God," Davis said Sunday. "I wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola, to honor her, to honor her life, her joy, her trauma, her everything.”
Davis won the Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2017 for her role as housewife Rose Maxson in 2016’s “Fences.” She won an Emmy in 2015 for her role as Annalise Keating in "How to Get Away with Murder," making her the first Black woman to win the lead drama actress award. She has two Tony awards, for “King Hedley II” and the Broadway production of “Fences.”
Reflecting on her career and Grammy nod in a January interview with the Recording Academy, Davis said achieving EGOT status would be a “huge accomplishment.”
“I think that everybody wants their life to mean something,” she said. “I believe in the Cherokee birth blessing, which is, ‘May you live long enough to know why you were born.’ I do believe that you literally wanna blow a hole through this world in whatever way you can.
“A lot of people don’t know how to do that. A lot of people haven’t found that thing that they’re passionate about, that they can do. Some have. But we all are looking for that, blowing a hole through this earth before we leave it. I think about that in my work a lot. I really found that thing that I love to do. So I always wanna make it meaningful.”
Autumn Lockwood to be first Black woman to coach in Super Bowl
It may be winter, but Autumn is making history, Autumn Lockwood, that is.
Lockwood, an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, is set to become the first Black woman to coach in a Super Bowl when the team battles the Kansas City Chiefs in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 12.
Lockwood joined the staff in August 2022 and serves as the team’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from the University of Arizona in 2015, then received a master’s degree in sports management from East Tennessee State University.
She’ll become the fourth woman to coach in a Super Bowl. Katie Sowers became the first when the San Francisco 49ers reached Super Bowl LIV, then Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the list a year later. Together, they became the first women to coach a Super Bowl-winning team when the Buccaneers topped the Chiefs.
The Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes facing off also marks the first time a Super Bowl will have two Black quarterbacks going head-to-head in the big game, adding to the history being carved.
Nets trading Kyrie Irving to Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, draft picks
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will now attempt to lead the Mavericks on a legitimate push in the Western Conference
Kyrie Irving is headed to Dallas. The Dallas Mavericks struck a deal with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday to land Irving, just days after he requested a trade out of Brooklyn, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. In exchange, the Mavericks will send Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and multiple draft picks to the Nets.
The Mavericks will send the Nets a 2027 second-round pick, a 2029 second-round draft pick, and a unprotected 2029 first-round pick, per Charania.
Irving is expected to arrive in Dallas on Monday, and then will likely make his debut with the team on Wednesday when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.
Irving reportedly demanded a trade from the Nets on Friday ahead of the NBA trade deadline, and then sat out from their game against the Washington Wizards on Saturday due to a “calf injury.” The 30-year-old has averaged 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 40 games this season.
Irving has been the center of several controversies during his more than three seasons in Brooklyn. He missed a large chunk of games during the COVID-19 pandemic after he refused to get the vaccine in accordance with New York City's mandate. He was suspended earlier this season, too, after he promoted a film that featured antisemitic hate and refused to apologize to it. He was suspended then after the team determined he was “unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets.”
In January, Irving was reportedly ready to start contract extension discussions with the team. He is in the final year of a four-year, $136 million deal, and was eligible for a maximum four-year extension worth about $200 million this offseason. It’s unclear where those discussions are with the Mavericks at this point. He will be a free agent this summer, but is eligible to sign a two-year, $83 million extension with Dallas now. Contract talks, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, are expected to be put off until after the season.
While Irving comes with more off-court baggage than most, the Mavericks appear ready to make a legitimate push in the Western Conference after finally getting star Luka Doncic some real help. Doncic is averaging 33.4 points per game this season, second to Joel Embiid (33.5 ppg). The Doncic-Irving combo is averaging 60.5 points, better than the current top-scoring duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston. Whether Doncic and Irving can mesh together like Tatum and Brown can, though, remains to be seen.
The Mavericks sit at 28-26 after Saturday night's loss to the Golden State Warriors, which has them in sixth in the West standings — though just 2.5 games back from the third-place Sacramento Kings, and three games ahead of the 13th-place Los Angeles Lakers.
Dinwiddie, who played for Brooklyn from 2016-21, has averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 assists this season in Dallas. Finney-Smith, who is in his seventh season in the league and spent it all with the Mavericks, has averaged 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Tony Hawk to donate proceeds from limited photo sale to Tyre Nichols' memorial fund
The skateboarding community continues to find ways to honor the life of Tyre Nichols. Tony Hawk is one of them, having joined forces with his longtime friend and BMX rider Rick Thorne to help the Nichols family reach their goal of raising $1.5 million for a memorial fund.
At the time of this report, the GoFundMe fundraiser amassed more than 36,000 donations, bringing its total to just over $1.4 million. It was launched last month, on Jan. 27, the same day the Memphis Police Department released an hour’s worth of footage showing various perspectives of the heinous police beating that ultimately led to Nichols’ death.
In a Feb. 3 tweet, Hawk wrote, “Rick Thorne & I have been traveling & doing demos together for over 20 years. And we continue to ride together well into our twilight days. As a tribute to our tenacity, we’re offering a signed photo of us doing doubles before the world turned upside down (and before I got hurt).”
The skateboarding legend followed up by stating, “My proceeds from these will go to the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which includes plans to build a public skatepark in his honor[,] as our worlds continue to grieve his loss. He was a talented skater among other admirable traits. Let’s keep his legacy alive.” The limited-edition signed photos are being sold for $30 on Thorne’s website. Only 1,000 of the high-resolution 8×10 images are available for purchase.
Other efforts to remind the world of Nichols’ love for the sport include NLE Choppa’s plans to organize a charity to raise funds for the 29-year-old’s son. On Feb. 1, the rapper, who hails from Memphis, told TMZ, “Even though he [Nichols] passed away in a negative manner, the positive ripple effect he sent throughout the city for sure touched me.”
On Saturday (Feb. 4), Sacramento Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan announced that Nichols’ hometown will be renaming Regency Community Skate Park in his honor, reported The Sacramento Bee. That specific park was special to the aspiring photographer. Friends and family who gathered there for a memorial service said he began skating there as a child.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Not At Fault In Traffic Accident With Cyclist
Arnold Schwarzenegger got into an accident in Los Angeles on Sunday morning, February 5. The former California governor had a collision with a bike which sent a lady to the E.R., but it's not something that he's to blame over.
According TMZ, the actor was driving in West L.A. when at some point a woman riding a bike on the road suddenly swerved into his lane and made a contact with his vehicle. The crash took place around 10:30 A.M. at the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and Burlingame Avenue, Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to KTLA.
Arnold was not driving fast, but the woman made a left turn in front of him before he had a chance to hit his brakes. When first responders arrived on the scene, the woman complained of pain and was transported to a hospital, but she wasn't seriously injured. She's currently in stable condition with minor injuries.
Arnold, meanwhile, remained on the scene and spoke with cops. Law enforcement sources say no alcohol or drugs are suspected and no crime was committed. The sources note that it was just a simple accident. Arnold, however, was kind enough to take the lady's bike, attach it to his car and take it to a local bike shop to get it fixed up.
This isn't the first time Arnold got involved in a traffic accident. In January 2022, he was involved in a multiple car crash that left one person injured. The "Terminator" star was driving his Yukon SUV when it collided with a red Prius at Sunset Boulevard and Allenford Avenue. His SUV started to roll and ended up on top of the Prius, and then continued rolling to the left into a Porsche Cayenne.
The woman who was driving the Prius was the one taken to the hospital by ambulance. She was reportedly bleeding heavily from her head. Arnold himself appeared to be unharmed and remained at the scene and cooperated with police officers.
It was believed that the former bodybuilder was at fault in the accident. He reportedly was turning left when the left turn arrow was still red, hence the collision. Despite his supposed mistake, he was reportedly not ticketed.
Kim Petras Makes LGBTQ+ History With Her Win Alongside Sam Smith at Grammys 2023
Kim Petras is a winner, as is Sam Smith! The two superstars won for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their hit song “Unholy” at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday night (January 10) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Before receiving the award, Kim told the crowd that Sam wanted her to give the speech as the first trans woman in history to win in that category.
During the speech, Kim emotionally gave credit to SOPHIE, the late trans icon and pioneering producer, as well as Madonna, as Sam happily cheered her on from behind and encouraged the crowd to stand up for a standing ovation.
The show this year is being hosted by comedian Jerrod Carmichael and marks the Globes’ return to television after a one-year hiatus due to reforms needed in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Armie Hammer speaks out 2 years after sexual misconduct allegations
Armie Hammer is speaking out, nearly two years after he was accused of rape and abuse by an ex-partner. The Call Me By Your Name star stepped back from the spotlight in 2021, after DMs allegedly belonging to the actor surfaced on an anonymous Instagram account. The messages attributed to Hammer included talk of cannibalism and violent, aggressive sex. Later, former partners of Hammer accused him of non-consensual behavior during their relationship, with one alleging that he carved the letter A on her body without explicit permission. A previous partner accused him of emotional, physical and mental abuse and rape, a case which the Los Angeles Police Department went on to investigate.
Hammer broke his media silence in an interview with Air Mail this week, in which he denied having non-consensual sex with any of his previous partners. (Hammer was not charged following the 2021 Los Angeles Police Department investigation into the rape and abuse claims made by Hammer’s former partner.) He spoke about his interest in BDSM, and said he believed it stemmed from sexual abuse he experienced as a child, which “set a dangerous precedent” for his future relationships.
“What that did for me was it introduced sexuality into my life in a way that it was completely out of my control,” he told the magazine. “I was powerless in the situation. I had no agency in the situation. My interests then went to: I want to have control in the situation, sexually.”
He also claimed that the rape his accuser publicly discussed was part of their BDSM relationship and a consensual scene that was “her idea.”
“She planned all of the details out, all the way down to what Starbucks I would see her at, how I would follow her home, how her front door would be open and unlocked and I would come in, and we would engage in what is called a ‘consensual non-consent scene,’ CNC,” Hammer said, adding that they “only had one, scheduled CNC event.”
While Hammer stated that his relationships were consensual, he added that his behavior towards his partners outside of his marriage to now ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers could be “one million percent” considered emotionally abusive.
“I’m here to own my mistakes, take accountability for the fact that I was an a*****, that I was selfish, that I used people to make me feel better, and when I was done, moved on,” Hammer explained. “And treated people more poorly than they should have been treated.”
He also acknowledged the summer 2022 stories about him working as a timeshare salesman in the Cayman Islands, where he spent much time following the allegations. Though he was not making money, he became the subject of an immigration investigation over a lack of a work permit. Finding a “normal life,” he said, was the only route to go as in Hollywood, “no one will hire me.”
“No one will insure me. I can’t get bonded for a project — nothing,” he said of his future acting career. “And no one will touch me because if they hire me, then they are the people who support abusers. And then they’re liable to get canceled themselves because this fire that is burning itself through town — when they throw someone like me on the fire to protect themselves, what they don’t realize is happening is all they’re doing is making the fire bigger. And that fire is now out of control and it’s going to burn everyone. And they’re just continually throwing people on it as sacrifices to protect themselves.”
Chris Brown throws temper tantrum after Grammys 2023 loss: ‘Who the f–k is this?’
After Robert Glasper won the award for Best R&B Album for “Black Radio III” on Sunday, Chris Brown took to his Instagram Story to, well, be a sore loser.
“BRO WHO THE F–K IS THIS?” the “Breezy” creator, 33, captioned a screenshot of his Google search of Glasper, which described the 44-year-old Houston native as “an American pianist, record producer, songwriter and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres.”
Atop Glasper’s accolades, which include four previous Grammy wins, Brown once again asked, “YALL PLAYING 😂😂😂😂😂 WHO DA F–K IS THIS?”
The “Run It!” hitmaker begged the question a third time, sharing a meme that read, “WH😂 THE F*CK IS ROBERT GLASPER,” before telling his followers he’s “gotta get [his] skills up” and “start playing the harmonica.”
The next slide featured a photo of Brown doing just that. “NEW LEVEL UNLOCKED!” he wrote across the image. “HARMONICA BREEZY.”
Social media users quickly blasted the “Deuces” crooner for his online antics, with many tweeting things like, “Get that domestic abuser off my screen,” “why he even gets nominations is BEYOND ME” and “A classically trained pianist and artist with a spotless reputation beats someone who should have never been nominated, awww so sad 🥺.”
Brown has a long history of problematic behavior toward romantic partners.
Steph Curry Expected to Miss Multiple Weeks With Left Leg Injury
Less than a month after he returned to the floor after missing 11 games with a partially dislocated left shoulder, Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry will be sidelined again.
NBA insider Shams Charania took to Twitter on Sunday to report Curry is expected to miss “multiple weeks” with a left leg injury.
Hours later, Shams shed more light on Curry’s injury, revealing that the four-time Champion suffered “partial tears to his superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane as well as a contusion in lower left leg.”
Curry left Saturday’s game against the Mavericks after colliding with Dallas guard Jaden Hardy in the third quarter.
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While speaking to reporters following Golden State’s win on Saturday, head coach Steve Kerr said, “Any time a guy gets an MRI, there’s a concern level. We’ll just have to wait and see the results. … This has happened many, many times over the years. So fingers crossed he’s OK.
Kerr maintained that, should Curry miss significant time due to an injury, the Warriors will “be ready, regardless,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kerr told NBC Sports reporter Dalton Johnson that Curry’s MRI results “made him very happy.” “The first thing he said to me was, ‘The good thing is, I’m going to be back,’” Kerr told Johnson.
Curry is averaging 29.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game this season, as the defending champion Warriors struggle to stay in the Western Conference playoff race.
Hulu And 20th Century Share First Look At ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ Reboot
Ahead of its May release, Hulu and 20th Century shared a first look at White Men Can’t Jump reboot on Sunday. The film stars Jack Harlow as Jeremy and Sinqua Walls as Kamal.
In the trailer, set to Skee-Lo’s “I Wish,” Harlow’s character is shown linking up with Walls at a pickup basketball game. Lacking the funds to join, he asks Kamal to cover for him. The two characters continue to banter back and forth as a montage of basketball scenes plays throughout the 30-second teaser.
“I knew this was a mistake,” Kamal says.
The reboot also stars Lance Reddick, Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier, Tamera ‘Tee’ Kissen, Myles Bullock, and rapper Vince Staples. The reboot is directed by Calmatic and co-written by Kenya Barris and Doug Hall.
The remake is a take on Ron Shelton’s 1992 sports comedy featuring Woody Harrelson, Wesley Snipes, and Rosie Perez. Harlow’s part is based on the role initially played by Harrelson, while Walls’ character is based on Snipes’ role.
This marks Harlow’s acting debut and is set to be released on Hulu on May 19.
Ahead of its May release, Hulu and 20th Century shared a first look at White Men Can’t Jump reboot on Sunday. The film stars Jack Harlow as Jeremy and Sinqua Walls as Kamal.
In the trailer, set to Skee-Lo’s “I Wish,” Harlow’s character is shown linking up with Walls at a pickup basketball game. Lacking the funds to join, he asks Kamal to cover for him. The two characters continue to banter back and forth as a montage of basketball scenes plays throughout the 30-second teaser.
“I knew this was a mistake,” Kamal says.
That reboot also stars Lance Reddick, Teyana Taylor, Laura Harrier, Tamera ‘Tee’ Kissen, Myles Bullock, and rapper Vince Staples. The reboot is directed by Calmatic and co-written by Kenya Barris and Doug Hall.
The remake is a take on Ron Shelton’s 1992 sports comedy featuring Woody Harrelson, Wesley Snipes, and Rosie Perez. Harlow’s part is based on the role initially played by Harrelson, while Walls’ character is based on Snipes’ role.
This marks Harlow’s acting debut and is set to be released on Hulu on May 19.
Prospective Staffer Accuses George Santos Of Sexual Harassment, Says He Made Advancement Towards Him And Was Later Denied Job
A former prospective staffer to George Santos has revealed wrongdoing on the former Representative’s behalf.
an unwanted sexual advance towards him on Jan. 25 in the congressman’s office. He also says he was later denied the job.
Myers claims Santos “touched” his groin and invited him to his home while his husband was out of town, CNN reported.
questioning his past work as a reporter.
Myers added that his job offer was withdrawn on February 1, even though he had begun working there voluntarily.
“There’s no corroborating evidence whatsoever,” Myers said about his alleged encounter with the congressman. “It’s simply going to be his word against mine.”
Myers also alleges in his complaint that he began work for Santos before he was formally registered as a staff member. He requested that the ethics panel investigate the arrangement and questions its permissibility under House rules.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Welcome to Murica
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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