5/10/23

The Daily Buzz For May 11 ☕šŸ“°☕

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#MAGFAB: Jennifer Garner for Allure
In her cover story interview with ALLURE, Jennifer Garner opens up about motherhood, living in the spotlight, and how she really feels about always being seen as the ‘nice’ person.
On why being perceived as ‘always nice’ can post issues for boundaries: “The problem with, ‘Oh, she’s so nice’ is that when I have any kind of boundary, people think of it as much more than it actually is. The problem is being recognized on a day where I’m not so nice or when I have blackness in my soul. I’ve definitely had days where I just can’t do it. I scowl at people before they can walk up to me. I’m not perfect, and I don’t think I’m rude, but I’m not good at being fake. I’m an open book of a person.”
On her personal struggles living under the spotlight and the paparazzi: “There were two decades where it was really hard to hold a conversation. Not in a woe-is-me, poor celebrity way. I was on baby watch every single day. The day after I had a baby, the paparazzi were watching again. They kind of rush you through your life because they’re just trying to get to the next stage of something they can sell.”

On why she stays away from the tabloids: “I learned a while ago that I’m way too sensitive to what is written about me, my family. The only things I have on my phone are The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journall. I can’t even have CNN.”
On what she learned from being a mother: “Your kids will really figure out who they are and what they are when they’re older, and most likely they will hew toward lovely. I have a lot of faith in my kids.I don’t love every behavior all the time, always. It’s gnarly growing up. We didn’t have the eyes on us that our kids have. I was such a first-time mom. My eldest daughter  didn’t have a shot.  She couldn’t have a free thought—I was all over her. I was a nightmare for everyone around me.”
 
 
#RHOA: ShereƩ Is in the Hot Seat Over Whether Her 'Opportunist' New Man Martell DM-ed Another Housewife
ShereƩ Whitfield's new relationship is under scrutiny on The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
In the Bravo hit's season 15 premiere on Sunday, ShereƩ shared some insight into how things are going with beau Martell Holmes.
 
"Martell lives in Huntsville, Alabama, but I would love for Martell to move closer. Since we met, I have seen Martell every weekend," ShereƩ, 53, shared in a confessional. "Despite what you see on TV, he's never shown me anything but respect and I'm really happy I didn't give up on love and that I left the door open."
 
And despite being on cloud nine with her new flame, ShereƩ's costar Kandi Burruss believed that Martell was an "opportunist." Naturally, this allegation didn't sit well with the couple.
 
"I guess you forgot what opportunist was," Martell said to ShereƩ about Kandi. "Your husband [Todd Tucker]!"
 
 ShereĆ© Whitfield's New Beau Is a Hot Topic in RHOA Season 14 Reunion Trailer: 'He's a 10 Out of 10'
The subject of Martell's alleged "opportunist" ways was later discussed by Kandi, Kenya Moore and Monyetta Shaw. While doing so, they addressed allegations of Martell seeing other women.
 
"The streets say he been kickin' it with some chicks in Atlanta," said Kandi, and Kenya revealed, "I mean, it's a little awkward because he did lightweight try to talk to me … reaching out via Instagram."
 
"He slid up in your DMs?" asked Kandi, 46.
Kenya, 52, then showed Kandi the message request she had from Martell — though by that time Martell had apparently deleted the DM.
"Should I say something to her?" Kenya asked.
Responded Monyetta, 42: "I mean, you never dated him or nothing."
Despite what the other women thought about her new man, Courtney Rhodes — RHOA's newest Friend of the franchise for season 15 — noticed that ShereĆ© still had a "glow" to her. Upon questioning if it had "anything to do with Martell," ShereĆ© admitted, "That could have a little bit to do with it."
 
She continued, "He's a good guy, and I really have a good time around him. So we're enjoying each other. We have not put a label on anything. We both went into it saying we want to be intentional."
:ShereƩ Whitfield Meets Up with Phaedra Parks' Ex-Husband Apollo Nida for Relationship 'Advice'
Glow aside, things appeared to come to a head at Sanya Richards-Ross's Harlem Nights-themed 40th birthday party for husband Aaron Ross. As ShereƩ and Martell arrived, Kenya said in a confessional: "Why is he here on your arm?"
 
Kenya later asked the pair if they were "official now," leading Martell to declare they are "officially dating and all that good stuff." Seeing Kenya's wary facial expression, ShereƩ gave her a look and said, "You're up to something."
 
ShereĆ© added later in a shady confessional: "Kenya is so damn nosy. Stop worrying about my relationship and worry about whether [your estranged husband] Marc [Daly] is going to take Moore Manor in the divorce settlement — and hopefully he adds baseboards."
 
Elsewhere at the party, some of the women questioned whether they should tell ShereƩ that Kandi had heard Martell was "actually been kickin' it with" another woman in Atlanta.
 
"Is this actually about the D [for ShereƩ]? Let it be about the D," Kenya said, implying she hoped the relationship was more sexual than emotional.
 
"But what if it ain't just about the D?" Kandi asked
Kenya wondered, "Do we say something?"
"Maybe he told her already," Kandi continued, and Kenya added, "That's very possible."
Monyetta mentioned the rumors to ShereƩ before Kenya eventually brought up the now-deleted DM drama. Upon asking to see the DM, ShereƩ called over Martell and asked Kenya to repeat what she just disclosed.
 
"Oooooh, I'm not trying to be rolling on the ground with She-Man over here," Kenya said in a confessional. "I look too damn good in this dress."
ShereƩ Whitfield Shocks Costars, Pulls Off Fashion Show 14 Years After Failed First Attempt
In a flash-forward moment to the continuation of the drama in next week's episode, Kenya shouted Martell: "I'm sorry, did you just curse at me? What did you say to this queen standing in front of you?"
 
ShereƩ said to the other women: "Y'all tryin' to create a narrative, which is really f---ed up. This s--- happened two years ago [with Tyrone]."
 
Kenya then yelled at Martell, "Once a cheater, always a cheater, you f---ing piece of s---."
And with that — and "TO BE CONTINUED..." title card — the episode ended abruptly.
 
 
#MusicNews: Raheem DeVaughn Releases New Single “All Night”, Announces Upcoming EP “Summer of Love”
The R&B Love King Raheem DeVaughn returns with the brand new single called “All Night”.
The new song is the first single from his recently announced forthcoming EP “Summer of Love”.
“All Night” was written by Raheem DeVaughn and produced by Jamil Face Johnson for H.M.P.
The upcoming EP “Summer of Love” is set to be released on June 21st, via the New Era Soul/DMG label imprint. Raheem adds:
 
“All Night is the prelude to what the Summer of Love EP will be…Steamy! I want music lovers to be prepared for it to be provocative, grown, sensual, and mannish, all while allowing their sexual algorithms to be serenated by the sounds of the EP,” mentions Raheem. “I wanted to have some fun and be free on this EP, as I have full control of my project as a fully-independent artist this go-round.”

LISTEN HERE
The upcoming project will be the second project Raheem has released this year. Earlier in 2023, he released the album “Love Euphoria” with Vandell Andrew and The Colleagues.
 
 
#HipHopNews: Lil Yachty Announces "The Field Trip Tour" Dates
Fans who want to catch a Lil Yachty concert soon are in luck. Today (May 9), the Atlanta rapper has announced a 39-city tour in support of his most recent album, Let’s Start Here. Produced by Live Nation and Bose, “The Field Trip Tour” is set to kick off on Sept. 21 in Washington, D.C. with stops across North America and Europe. The global run will hit cities like Philadelphia, Toronto, Oslo, Berlin, London, and more before wrapping up on Dec. 17 in Vienna.
 
Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday (May 12) at 10 a.m. local time in North America and at 12 p.m. local time in Europe. More information can be found here.
 
The aforementioned Let’s Start Here. was a 14-track, highly anticipated body of work that saw Yachty experimenting with his sound. The LP housed assists from Diana Gordon, Teezo Touchdown, Justine Skye, FousheĆ©, Baby K, Ant Clemons, Daniel Caesar, and more. Let’s Start Here. garnered him a top 10 placement on the Billboard 200 thanks to 36,000 album-equivalent units sold during its first week of release.
 
Prior to Let’s Start Here. was 2021’s Michigan Boy Boat, a 14-track offering that saw additional features from Tee Grizzley, Swae Lee, Sada Baby, YN Jay, Rio Da Yung OG, Babyface Ray, and more. Months later, he dropped off the sixth installment of his Birthday Mix series, bringing in his 24th year around the sun with SoFaygo, Lil Tecca, DC2Trill, and Draft Day.
Be sure to check out the full list of dates for Lil Yachty’s forthcoming “The Field Trip Tour” down below.
Sept. 21 — Washington, D.C.
Sept. 22 — New York, NY
Sept. 24 — Philadelphia, PA
Sept. 25 — Raleigh, NC
Sept. 27 — Montreal, QC
Sept. 29 — Wallingford, CT
Oct. 1 — Pittsburgh, PA
Oct. 2 — Toronto, ON
Oct. 4 — Charlotte, NC
Oct. 8 — Indianapolis, IN
Oct. 9 — Nashville, TN
Oct. 11 — New Orleans, LA
Oct. 15 — Tempe, AZ
Oct. 17 — San Diego, CA
Oct. 21 — Vancouver, BC
Oct. 22 — Portland, OR
Oct. 26 — Las Vegas, NV
Oct. 27 — Salt Lake City, UT
Oct. 29 — Denver, CO
Oct. 31 — St. Louis, MO
Nov. 2 — Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 4 — Madison, WI
Nov. 5 — Detroit, MI
Nov. 22 — Oslo, Norway
Nov. 24 — Stockholm, Sweden
Nov. 25 — Copenhagen, Denmark
Nov. 27 — Berlin, Germany
Nov. 28 — Cologne, Germany
Nov. 30 — Manchester, UK
Dec. 1 — London, UK
Dec. 3 — Glasgow, UK
Dec. 4 — Birmingham, UK
Dec. 6 — Paris, France
Dec. 8 — Tilburg, Netherlands
Dec. 10 — Brussels, Belgium
Dec. 12 — Barcelona, Spain
Dec. 14 — Milan, Italy
Dec. 16 — Zurich, Switzerland
Dec. 17 — Vienna, Austria
 
 
George Santos Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Indictment And Says He Won’t Resign
U.S. Rep. George Santos, infamous for fabricating his life story, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges he duped donors, stole from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve.
 
Afterward, he said he wouldn’t drop his reelection bid and defied calls to resign.
Santos’ 13-count federal indictment was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors say overlapped with the New York Republican’s fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman — a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.
 
Santos, 34, was released on $500,000 bond following his arraignment, about five hours after turning himself in to face charges of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress. He surrendered his passport and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
 
“This is the beginning of the ability for me to address and defend myself,” a cheerfully combative Santos told reporters swarming him outside a Long Island federal courthouse. He said he’s been cooperating with the investigation and vowed to fight the prosecution, which he labeled a “witch hunt.”
 
His lawyer, Joseph Murray, was more circumspect, saying: “Any time the federal government comes after you it’s a serious case. We have to take this serious.”
 
Santos said he planned to return to Washington, where the indictment is amplifying doubts about the freshman’s ability to serve. House Republican leaders are taking a wait-and-see approach, saying Santos is innocent until proven guilty. Others are reiterating previous calls for Santos to step aside.
“I think we’re seeing that the wheels of justice grind slow, but they grind fine,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican who confronted Santos on the House floor at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in February.
 
Asked about Santos on Wednesday, Biden said, “I’m not commenting,” adding that anything he said would be construed by some interfering in the investigation. Asked if Congress should expel Santos, Biden said, “That’s for Congress to decide.”
 
Among the allegations, prosecutors say Santos created a company and then induced supporters to donate to it under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, they say, he used the money for personal expenses, including designer clothes and credit card and car payments.
 
Santos also is accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and obtaining unemployment benefits while he was making $120,000 as regional director of an investment firm that the government shut down in 2021 over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.
 
The indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself.”
 
Santos didn’t directly address the specifics of the charges to reporters, but when asked why he received unemployment benefits while employed, Santos cited a job change and confusion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Santos, sporting his usual crewneck sweater, blazer and khakis, said little during the arraignment, which lasted about 15 minutes. Reporters spilled from the gallery to the jury box, joined by a handful of constituents.
 
“He should be thrown out of Congress and put in prison,” declared Jeff Herzberg, a Long Island resident who spent hours waiting to see Santos’ arraignment. “I hope that day comes soon.”
 
Santos was elected to Congress last fall after a campaign built partly on falsehoods. He told people he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a substantial real estate portfolio who had been a star volleyball player in college, among other things.
 
In reality, Santos didn’t work at the big financial firms he said employed him, didn’t go to college and struggled financially before entering politics. He claimed he fueled his run largely with self-made riches earned from brokering deals on expensive toys for wealthy clients, but the indictment alleges those boasts were also exaggerated.
In a House financial disclosure form, Santos reported making $750,000 a year from a family company, the Devolder Organization, but the charges unsealed Wednesday allege that Santos never received that sum, nor the $1 million and $5 million in dividends he listed as coming from the firm.
 
Santos has described the Devolder Organization as a broker for sales of luxury items like yachts and aircraft. The business was incorporated in Florida shortly after Santos stopped working for Harbor City Capital, the company accused by federal authorities of operating an illegal Ponzi scheme.
 
In November 2021, Santos formed Redstone Strategies, a Florida company that federal prosecutors say he used to dupe donors into financing his lifestyle. According to the indictment, Santos told an associate to solicit contributions to the company and gave the person contact information for potential donors.
 
Emails to prospective donors falsely claimed the company was formed “exclusively” to aid Santos’ election bid and that there would be no limits on how much they could contribute, the indictment said. Santos falsely claimed the money would be spent on television ads and other campaign expenses, it said.
 
But a month before his election, Santos transferred about $74,000 from the company to bank accounts he maintained, the indictment said. He also transferred money to some of his associates, it said.

Santos’ legal troubles date to his late teens, when he was investigated in Brazil for allegedly using stolen checks to buy clothes — a case that authorities say they’ve since reopened.
 
In 2017, Santos was charged with theft in Pennsylvania for allegedly using thousands of dollars in bogus checks to buy puppies from breeders. That case was dismissed after Santos claimed his checkbook was stolen and someone else took the dogs.
 
Federal authorities have separately been looking into complaints about Santos’ fundraising for a group that purported to help abused pets. A New Jersey veteran accused Santos of failing to deliver $3,000 he raised to help his dog get needed surgery.
 
 
Usher Reportedly Engaged To Longtime Girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea
Usher's inner circle is apparently hearing wedding bells. The R&B star has reportedly gotten engaged to his longtime girlfriend Jennifer Goicoechea, with some sources from his camp confirming the news.
 
Sharing the news is Media Take Out, which claims that multiple people close to the Grammy Award-winning artist have confirmed the engagement report. Insisting that "this isn't rumors," but "facts," the outlet goes on citing sources who say that Jennifer has been wearing a gigantic engagement ring while out and about in town.
 
This isn't the first time news of Usher and Jennifer's supposed engagement surfaced. Back in 2022, Kirk Franklin's wife Tammy Franklin appeared to let slip of the couple's engagement news via Instagram.
 
After attending one of Usher's shows in Las Vegas last August, Tammy posted on her Instagram Story a picture of her posing with Kirk, Usher and Jennifer. In the caption, she wrote, "Getting to know Usher up close and to see him come to this place in his career of having a residency in Las Vegas is huge!"
 
Tammy went on gushing over Usher's baby mama as saying, "Ladies he is taken! This is his beautiful fiance @boogsneffect thank you for being so gorgeous and kind." Neither Usher nor Jennifer, however, has ever confirmed if they're engaged, though.
 
Should the news be true, it will be Usher's third marriage. He was previously married to Tameka Foster, with whom he shares two teen children, Naviyd Ely, 14 and Usher V, 15, from 2007 until 2009. He was later married to Grace Miguel from 2015 until their divorce in 2018. The former couple has no child together.
 
Usher then began dating Jennifer in 2019. The pair welcomed their first child together, daughter Sovereign Bo Raymond, in September 2020, and son Sire Castrello Raymond in September 2021.
 
 
MTV News shut down as Paramount Global cuts 25% of its staff
The entertainment world is bidding farewell to MTV News. The network's heyday ended years ago but, for a time, it was the go-to source for interviews with leading artists and newsmakers, from Madonna to Prince.
 
The shutdown of MTV News comes as Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Showtime announced today that it is laying off some 25% of its staff.
In addition to reports of a soft ad market, Paramount Global is doing considerable restructuring. Earlier this year, Showtime merged with MTV Entertainment Studios.
 
In an email to staff obtained by NPR, Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, explained the decision-making behind the cuts. While touting the "incredible track record of hits" such as Yellowstone, South Park, and Yellowjackets, McCarthy wrote, "despite this success in streaming, we continue to feel pressure from broader economic headwinds like many of our peers. To address this, our senior leaders in coordination with HR have been working together over the past few months to determine the optimal organization for the current and future needs of our business."
 
"This is a very sad day for a lot of friends and colleagues," wrote MTV News' Josh Horowitz on Instagram, "Many great people lost their jobs. I was hired by MTV News 17 years ago. I'm so honored to have been a small part of its history. Wishing the best for the best in the business."
 
The news comes on the heels of a disappointing first quarter earnings report for the corporation. During the earnings call this week, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish said the corporation was "navigating a challenging and uncertain macroeconomic environment, and you see the impact of that on our financials, as the combination of peak streaming investment intersects with cyclical ad softness."
 
A few days ago, MTV announced it was scaling back its annual awards show in the face of an ongoing writer's strike.
 
Chris McCarthy's full email to Paramount Global staff is below:
 
Team,
 
As we finalize the integration of SHOWTIME and continue to transform our business for the future, we have set a great foundation for continued success by consolidating our group into two functions:
 
Studios – integrating SHOWTIME and MTV Entertainment Studios into one powerful studio team
Networks – combining nine separate teams into one portfolio group
 
This combination has resulted in an incredible track record of hits including Yellowstone, 1883, Tulsa King, South Park, The Challenge, Teen Wolf, 1923, Drag Race, Mayor of Kingstown, Your Honor, George & Tammy and Yellowjackets – which, taken together, drove record subscribers across Paramount+ and Showtime and helped Paramount+ lead the industry in new subscriber growth.
 
However, despite this success in streaming, we continue to feel pressure from broader economic headwinds like many of our peers. To address this, our senior leaders in coordination with HR have been working together over the past few months to determine the optimal organization for the current and future needs of our business.
 
As a result, we have made the very hard but necessary decision to reduce our domestic team by approximately 25%. This is a tough yet important strategic realignment of our group. Through the elimination of some units and by streamlining others, we will be able to reduce costs and create a more effective approach to our business as we move forward. Today we will notify employees whose positions are being impacted with leaders communicating the news directly to those teams/or individuals. These meetings will be followed by individual 1:1s with our HR partners.
 
I realize these decisions will be very hard for everyone, most of all, those who will be leaving. It's not something we take lightly. We have some of the most passionate and dedicated team members, who bring their full selves to drive our brands and business forward. This is why it's so difficult to say goodbye to our friends and colleagues. To those impacted, we deeply appreciate the passion and creativity you have brought every day. I want to thank you for your many contributions.
 
Our leadership team and HR partners are committed to ensuring this process is done with empathy and respect.
 
Sincerely,
Chris
 
 
Minnesota dedicates highway to Prince with purple signs
Prince‘s home state of Minnesota is honoring the late pop superstar in a big way. Today (May 9), Gov. Tim Walz used purple ink to sign a bill dedicating a seven-mile stretch of highway to the “When Doves Cry” singer.
 
The road runs through the Minneapolis suburbs of Eden Prairie and Prince’s hometown of Chanhassen and passes his Paisley Park estate. Formerly known as Minnesota Highway 5, local drivers will now be cruising down Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway. And rather than have normal road signs, the expressway will be dotted with purple signs funded by Prince’s friends and fans, per The Associated Press.
 
The Minnesota Senate approved the legislation 55-5 last Thursday (May 4) and sent it to the governor for his signature. The bill passed the state House unanimously on April 21, the seventh anniversary of the artist’s death.
 
Walz toured Paisley Park today and described the late rock star as a “global icon” and “genius.” He admitted that making the law official was the “coolest bill signing” he’s ever done.
 
The governor acknowledged that for many Minnesota residents, Prince is “part of our shared cultural identity that really does transcend generations.” The highway dedication is just “a small recognition” of his legacy. “It’s a gift to Minnesotans,” he declared, per MPR News. “Minnesotans love Prince. They love him to this day. They love what it stands for. And they love the idea that this genius, this global icon can come out and have roots and be truly Minnesotan.”
 
“I for one am just incredibly grateful to be a part of this celebration. But like so many Minnesotans, I’m just proud that Prince called Minnesota home,” he added.
 
Every year since his passing, Paisley Park hosts a celebration of Prince’s life to mark his birthday in June. This year’s celebration, set to take place June 8-11, will feature unreleased music from the icon and performances from local acts as well as stars like Chaka Khan and Chuck D.
 
 
Janet Jackson and Busta Rhymes reunite for epic first-ever “What’s It Gonna Be?” live performance
The way Janet Jackson and Busta Rhymes’ late ’90s single “What’s It Gonna Be?” is solidified in pop culture history, it’s hard to believe the pair never performed the hit onstage together — until now! More than two decades after the record-breaking track and music video was released, the duo finally got the chance to give fans the show of a lifetime.

Jackson, who is currently on her “Together Again Tour,” was in New York City last night (May 9) for her Madison Square Garden stop. Videos flooding social media show Busta walking onstage as the banger dropped. “You finally made a dream come true for me, queen. I waited 25 years to be able to share this stage with you and perform this song. And I am so grateful that I’m fighting tears of joy right now,” he said while still onstage after the track ended. Fans were shook. “They’ve never performed this? That’s crazy,” one person tweeted. Another wrote, “For the [first] time? [mind-blown emoji].”
When the “What’s It Gonna Be?” music video debuted, it was among the first of its kind. Both sensual and edgy, the futuristic recording featured the two artists in sleek costumes, morphing from liquids to solids, and reportedly cost a whopping $2.4 million to create. “To this day, our video is the most expensive hip hop video ever made in the history of hip hop culture. You cannot play with the royal empress. Please know that,” Busta said of his collab with Jackson during his lengthy onstage speech.

He also shared with the audience how the track came to be: “In 1998, 25 years ago, I’m on the Belt Parkway going from Long Island to Manhattan. I’m listening to Janet Jackson do an interview with Angie Martinez promoting The Velvet Rope album. Angie Martinez asked her, ‘What rapper have you never worked with before that you would like to work with?’ She said, ‘Busta Rhymes.’ Excuse my language, but I almost crashed my f**king car,” he recalled.
 
 
B5 Group Member Dustin Michael Reveals He's in a Relationship with a Transgender Woman
Dustin Michael of the popular 2000s R&B group B5, revealed today in an Instagram video that he is currently in a relationship with transgender director D. Smith.
 
He shares that following the death of transgender star Rasheeda Williams aka Koko Da Doll from his girlfriend’s award-winning documentary “Kokomo City”, he felt compelled to profess his love for her openly in an effort to support her through this difficult time.
 “I’m in a very beautiful relationship with someone who makes me very happy…my girlfriend is transgender, her name is D. Smith.”
 
He continued, “I don’t want to be one of the men benefiting from a trans woman in private and not celebrate her publicly.”
 
D. Smith responded to his post by reposting the video via her official Instagram, captioning:
"I’m so proud of you. We’ve known each other for almost 10 years now and every moment with you was always validating. So many men only dream of being as brave as you are. Thank you for being the example of a human just loving a human. I’m so grateful for your heart, ambition and spirit! I love you."
 
 
Abbott Elementary's Quinta Brunson Says Some Stylists Won't Work With Her & Reveals The Challenges Of Finding The Ones Who Can
Quinta Brunson is opening up about the challenges she’s faced about finding not only a designer, but a stylist who will work with her.
The Abbott Elementary creator and actress spoke to InStyle in their upcoming issue about the hurdles she’s overcome as far as her style goes for red carpet events and award shows.
 
Quinta understands the challenges: “Not only am I 4-foot-11, [but] I’m 4-foot-11 with breasts and a butt, and that’s just the cardinal sin: to be short and have the nerve to have any type of curve.”
 
However, she also knows the frustrations.
“There were times where I would work with other stylists and have to be like, ‘I’m not this young,’ or, ‘this feels too young for me.’ And it would be like, ‘No, you can pull it off,’” she said. “And I was like, ‘But it’s not about pulling it off. It’s about what I want to represent when I come to certain award shows or certain events I have to do.’”
 
“I’m not just an actress, not just a writer, not just a producer, not just a showrunner,” Quinta went on. “I want to make sure I can convey who I am through what I wear.”
Despite the challenges, Quinta found a stylist who is perfect for her – Bryon Javar.
“As I talk to Bryon about how I want to present [myself at] an award show or an event, I’m like, Wow … I’m getting to say who I am through the clothing and I plan to do that more because I plan to talk less in the future,” she said.
 
Quinta is not the first celebrity to speak out about the challenges of being curvier, or taller, in Hollywood brings.
 
 
Lea Michele Already Has Her Next Broadway Show Lined Up, Hints It's a Revival
Lea Michele‘s acclaimed run in the musical Funny Girl will come to an end in September, but it sounds like she’ll be back on Broadway very soon after that!
The 36-year-old actress says that she already has her next show lined up and is teasing what it will be.
 
“I already know what it is,” she told Variety.
Lea wouldn’t reveal details about the show, but said “you know it,” which seemingly implies that the production will be a revival of a classic musical. Or maybe it will be a stage adaptation of a classic story?
“It’s very different musically,” she added.
 
Last month, Lea marked a very special Broadway anniversary and revealed how long she’s been performing on stage.
 
 
Tom Cruise and Shakira Rumors Take the Internet by Storm
After he “saved Hollywood’s ass” with Top Gun: Maverick last year (at least, according to Steven Spielberg), Tom Cruise now apparently intends to save global superstar Shakira from a humdrum single life. Page Six has reported that the adrenaline-loving actor is “extremely interested in pursuing” Shakira, citing a source who told the outlet, “There is chemistry.”
 
Rumors of a potential pairing first blossomed over the weekend, when the two stars were photographed standing close together at the 2023 Miami Formula One Grand Prix event.
 
Footage of Shakira and Cruise chatting animatedly at the race is also spreading like wildfire on TikTok.
 
“Shakira needs a soft pillow to fall on, and that could be Tom,” the Page Six source continued, quite poetically, adding that the actor recently sent the singer flowers. The source also, for some reason, quite shadily added: “And she isn’t taller than him.”
 
Cruise, of course, is famously the ex-husband of Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, and first wife Mimi Rogers, who reportedly introduced him to Scientology. He shares two adopted children with Kidman, while Holmes gave birth to the couple’s only daughter, Suri, in 2006. Cruise was most recently liked to actress Haley Atwell, though the two reportedly broke up last year.
 
Shakira Invokes Taylor Swift While Shading Her Ex’s New Girlfriend
Shakira, meanwhile, is in the midst of a very public grieving period for her relationship with former professional soccer player Gerard PiquƩ; the two broke up last summer amid claims that he cheated on her. PiquƩ has since debuted a new, 24-year-old girlfriend, while Shakira has dropped at least one diss track eviscerating her ex.
 
Cruise is quite the passionate person, too: This is the man who once jumped on Oprah’s couch because he was so madly in love with Holmes. Perhaps he and Shakira would make a good match after all.
 
 
Sherri Shepherd Seeks ‘Fresh Start’ for Daytime Talker, Fires ‘Wendy Williams Show’ Producers
*Sherri Shepherd wants to bring “fresh energy” to her popular daytime talk show, so she fired former “Wendy Williams Show” executive producers David Perler and Suzanne Bass.
Bass and Perler helped the comedian transition Wendy’s show into the “Sherri” show, but the duo will not return for Season 2, MadameNoire reports.
 
Shepherd took over Wendy Williams‘ highly coveted time slot in 2022 when the TV host did not return in season 13. Williams’ show was canceled as she battled health issues and Sherri was tapped to take over.
 
We reported previously that Sherri has been renewed for two years through the 2024-25 season.
 “I am so thrilled that Sherri has been renewed for two more years,” Shepherd said in a statement. “I launched this show to give daytime viewers a ‘good time,’ just like my theme song says. I am so appreciative that Fox and Debmar-Mercury have partnered with me to continue bringing more laughter, joy, and inspiration to my audience.”
 
Meanwhile, on Monday’s episode of “Sherri,” Shepherd revealed that she helped Loni Love of “The Real” and Sheryl Underwood of “The Talk” negotiate for a higher number.
 
“I decided to let people know who were going through the same thing. I called Loni Love when she got ‘The Real’ and I told her what I made and what she should ask for,” Shepherd said. “I told Sheryl Underwood at ‘The Talk’ what I made and what she should ask for.
 
“The least I can do is pay it forward because if you pay it forward, and they pay it forward, we all can come up together!” she said.


Georgia Bulldogs Decline Invitation to Visit White House
The Bulldogs have declined an invitation to visit President Joe Biden at the White House to celebrate their second consecutive national championship.
The Georgia Bulldogs have declined an invitation to visit President Joe Biden at the White House to celebrate the team’s second consecutive national championship.
 
UGA’s athletics department announced the change of plans in a statement to the Athens Banner-Herald.
 
“The University of Georgia first received on May 3 an invitation for the Bulldog football team to visit the White House on June 12,” it reads. “Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward.”
 
The news arrives several months after a bipartisan group of congressional officials requested that the UGA football team visit the White House sooner. The Georgia Bulldogs won their second straight national championship in January after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs.
 
“It is our hope that this repeat championship team can join the many teams prior that have been honored by the President,” the group stated in January.
 
Meanwhile, back in April, First Lady Jill Biden announced an unusual request, revealing that she wanted to welcome not just the NCAA women’s national champions the LSU Tigers to the White House, but also the Iowa women’s basketball team, which was defeated by the former in the national championship game.
 
“I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do. So, we hope LSU will come,” Jill Biden said at the time, according to ESPN. “But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”
President Biden has not commented on the Georgia Bulldogs declining his invitation.
 
 
Tucker Carlson, After Fox News Firing, Says He Will Relaunch a Version of His Show on Twitter
Tucker Carlson announced that he will bring a version of his Fox News show — which he lost after getting fired last month — on Twitter, the social platform owned by Elon Musk.
 
“Starting soon, we’ll be bringing a new version of the show we’ve been doing for the last six and a half years to Twitter,” Carlson said in a video shared Tuesday on the platform. “Free speech is the main right you have. Without it, you have no others.”
 
According to Musk, Twitter does not have a deal with Carlson. “[W]e have not signed a deal of any kind whatsoever. Tucker is subject to the same rules & rewards of all content creators,” Musk tweeted Tuesday.
 
Before Carlson was fired, the Twitter CEO appeared on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” for a two-night interview on Fox News (on April 17 and 18). Among other topics, their discussion covered the implications of AI and Musk’s rationale for buying Twitter.
 
Carlson would forfeit at least $25 million in compensation to break his noncompete clause with Fox News, according to Puck News’ Dylan Byers. Prior to Carlson’s announcement of the forthcoming Twitter show, a lawyer for the former Fox News host sent a letter to the cable network accusing Fox News of “fraud and breach of contract,” Axios reported. That is presumably intended to set the stage for Carlson to claim he’s not bound by the noncompete provision of his contract with Fox News.
 
Fox News did not respond to a request for comment.
Carlson was fired by Fox News just days after the company agreed to pay $787.5 million to settle Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit, which alleged Fox News repeatedly and knowingly aired false claims about the voting company’s actions and influence on the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
 
The letter from Carlson’s lawyer to Fox News claimed that the network’s employees including “Rupert Murdoch himself” broke promises to Carlson “intentionally and with reckless disregard for the truth,” per the Axios report. The letter also claimed Fox News broke its promises to not to settle with Dominion “in a way which would indicate wrongdoing” on the part of Carlson and to not to use Carlson’s private messages “to take any adverse employment action against him,” according to the Axios report.
 
In his Twitter video, captioned “We’re back,” Carlson said that traditional news is “a lie” because “facts have been withheld on purpose,” and he claimed that Twitter is the only major service where free speech is allowed.
 
“Amazingly, as of tonight, there aren’t many platforms left that allow free speech,” Carlson said. “The last big one remaining in the world — the only one — is Twitter, where we are now. Twitter has long served where our national conversation incubates and develops… and yet for the most part, the news that you see analyzed on Twitter comes from media organizations that are themselves thinly disguised propaganda outlets.”
 
Carlson was let go by Fox News two weeks ago. He had sent a text to a producer that marked the beginning of the end of his relationship with the network, according to a New York Times report. The text, which Carlson sent on Jan. 7, 2021, in the hours after Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol, described a scene the TV host found distressing, in which he said “Trump guys” beat up an “Antifa kid.” But the part that upset him was that “it was three against one,” and “it’s not how white men fight.”
 
Musk, in commenting on Tucker’s Twitter show announcement, said “I hope that many others, particularly from the left, also choose to be content creators on this platform.” Twitter lets creators charge subscriptions for exclusive content; Musk said creators also will soon get a cut of ad revenue associated with their content.
 
Musk is a self-described “free-speech absolutist” who, before he bought Twitter, complained that the social network engaged in a pattern of censoring conservative viewpoints. He closed the $44 billion takeover of Twitter last fall. “I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law,” Musk wrote in a tweet last year. “If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect. Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people.”


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Nice Necklace
Where can I buy that?


HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM

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