#FASHIONFAB: Anok Yai Fronts Marc Jacobs Summer 2023 Campaign!
Supermodel Anok Yai delivers the Marc Jacobs Summer 2023 campaign, styled by Alastair McKimm. Anok poses in key pieces from The Bi-Color Snapshot, The Utility Snapshot in Bubblegum and The Denim Monogram Collection, lensed by Alasdair McLellan [IG]./ Hair by Akki Shirakawa; makeup by Sam Visser
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Has ‘Nothing’ To Say to Shereé Whitfield After RHOA Season 1 Confession
How long has it been since Season 1 of Real Housewives of Atlanta? It’s too many years to count on your hands, yet NeNe Leakes and Shereé Whitfield still have unfinished business from way back then. Some tea just never gets cold.
Do you remember in Season 1 when NeNe showed up to Shereé’s birthday party only to be told she wasn’t on the guest list? Recently, Shereé finally admitted that she excluded NeNe on purpose. So now, during a recent interview with former RHOA producer Carlos King, NeNe finally responded to Shereé’s shady antics from all those years ago.
Yes, we’re still talking about RHOA Season 1
Carlos asked NeNe what she would say to Shereé today, knowing what she knows about the guest list fiasco. Although NeNe is never one to mince words, she claimed to have no comments for her former castmate. Then, of course, she proceeded to comment.
NeNe replied, “Nothing. Not a thing. Why would I give her any pointers? That’s probably the best thing she did, was leave me off of the list.”
NeNe then noted how that pivotal moment of drama helped propel the show forward, but she wasn’t surprised to hear that Shereé intentionally left her off the list.
“Without me, there’s no you … “
She told Carlos, “I always knew she purposely left me off the list … Now the question would be, ‘Why? Why leave me off the list, honey? Without me, there’s no you!'”
Shereé and NeNe’s relationship is one of the most complicated ones in the Housewives franchise. They started the show together, but Shereé never earned the same level of star power that NeNe had during the show’s prime. On the other hand, Shereé is now back on RHOA and in good graces with Bravo. Although that’s more than NeNe can claim, what does this mean for their relationship today? According to NeNe, they hardly have one.
“I don’t dislike Shereé, but for some … at one point, Shereé and I were like, really, really good,” NeNe explained. “Because we met before the cameras ever rolled. I would hang out at her house, Gregg [Leakes] and I would go out to the game with her and Bob [Whitfield] – Bob was playing football at the time – for some reason, I’m not exactly sure what it is, it’s like we haven’t connected or clicked in years, and I’m not sure why, I’m really not sure why.”
In retrospect, NeNe thinks the show prevented their friendship from flourishing. She asserted, “The truth is I was the show, and it just felt like all of them kind of turned against me, and our friendship just got lost in the mix.”
NeNe continued, “But I think Shereé is fun, you know when she wants to be. We’ve had a good time together. She’s a Capricorn. I’m a Sagittarius. We always have gotten along in the past before the cameras ever started rolling. Once the cameras started rolling, our friendship just became nothing.”
Season 15 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs on Bravo Sunday nights at 8/7c.
#MusicNews: Jermaine Dupri Announces So So Def Festival 2023
Musical icon Jermaine Dupri has special plans to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of his label So So Def.
Dupri has just announced So So Def Festival, a celebration of hip-hop and R&B music. The multi-day festival will feature performances from world-renowned artists who have collaborated with the mega hitmaker over the last 30 years. The two-day live music event will take place on October 7th from 12 PM – 11 PM ET and October 8th from 12 PM – 10 PM ET in Atlanta’s infamous Central Park.
For additional information and updates, please visit https://sosodeffestival.com/
#HipHopNews: Latto Becomes The First Rapper With A No. 1 Song On The Hot 100 Chart In 2023
Latto just pulled off an audacious feat. In collaboration with BTS member Jung Kook, the rapper’s latest offering, “Seven,” stormed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Not only does this position signal a personal first for both artists, but it also marked the return of hip hop to the pinnacle of the bulletin in 2023.
This milestone comes amid a difficult year for the genre, which until now, had been conspicuously absent from the top slot of the chart. The Atlanta native’s triumph followed a dismal first half of 2023, which only saw one rap album — Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape — reach the summit of the Billboard 200.
Echoing her joy and gratitude, Latto took to Instagram Stories, exclaiming, “Oop am I a bora girl now? Forever grateful!! Thanks [Jung Kook] for trusting me! Armypots up +10000.” Their success reinforces the narrative of the unstoppable rise of cross-genre collaborations, further blurring the boundaries between hip hop and K-pop.
Bronny James Reportedly Recovering From Cardiac Arrest, In Stable Condition
USC freshman Bronny James, son of NBA luminary LeBron James, suffered from cardiac arrest during a basketball practice session on Monday (July 24). The news was first brought to light by TMZ and later confirmed by a representative of the family
The 18-year-old basketball prodigy was promptly attended to and transported to a nearby hospital, as the family spokesperson shared on Tuesday. He reassured, “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU.”
Further pleading for respect and discretion in these trying times, the representative added, “We ask for respect and privacy for the James family, and we will update media when there is more information.”
In a heartfelt gesture, the James family also shared gratitude to the school’s medical and athletic staff for their tireless dedication and commitment to the well-being of their athletes.
Earlier in May, Bronny announced his commitment to USC, choosing it over other prestigious institutions like Ohio State and Oregon. As the 21st player in the 2023 class, his decision was warmly lauded by his father.
Reflecting on the momentous occasion, the Lakers’ star remarked, “One of the best days of [his] life.” He shared the significance of his son being the first family member to attend college.
Sinéad O’Connor, Irish singer-songwriter and Provocateur, has died at 56
Sinéad O’Connor, the gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s and was known as much for her private struggles and provocative actions as for her fierce and expressive music, has died at 56.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time,” the singer’s family said in a statement reported Wednesday by the BBC and RTE. No cause was disclosed.
She was public about her mental illness, saying that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. O’Connor posted a Facebook video in 2017 from a New Jersey motel where she had been living, saying that she was staying alive for the sake of others and that if it were up to her, she’d be “gone.”
When her teenage son Shane died by suicide last year, O’Connor tweeted there was “no point living without him” and she was soon hospitalized.
Recognizable by her shaved head and with a multi-octave mezzo soprano of extraordinary emotional range, O’Connor began her career singing on the streets of Dublin and soon rose to international fame.
She was a star from her 1987 debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” and became a sensation in 1990 with her cover of Prince’s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a seething, shattering performance that topped charts from Europe to Australia and was heightened by a promotional video featuring the gray-eyed O’Connor in intense close-up.
She was a lifelong non-conformist — she said she shaved her head in response to record executives pressuring her to be conventionally glamorous — but her political and cultural stances and troubled private life often overshadowed her music.
A critic of the Roman Catholic Church well before allegations of sexual abuse were widely reported, O’Connor made headlines in October 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II while appearing on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and denounced the church as the enemy.
The next week, Joe Pesci hosted “Saturday Night Live,” held up a repaired photo of the Pope and said if he had been on the show with O’Connor he “would have gave her such a smack.” Days later, she appeared at an all-star tribute for Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden and was immediately booed. She was supposed to sing Dylan’s “I Believe in You,” but switched to an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s “War,” which she had sung on “Saturday Night Live.”
Although consoled and encouraged on stage by her friend Kris Kristofferson, she left and broke down, and her performance was kept off the concert CD. (Years later, Kristofferson recorded “Sister Sinead,” for which he wrote, “And maybe she’s crazy and maybe she ain’t/But so was Picasso and so were the saints.”)
She also feuded with Frank Sinatra over her refusal to allow the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at one of her shows and accused Prince of physically threatening her. In 1989 she declared her support for the Irish Republican Army, a statement she retracted a year later. Around the same time, she skipped the Grammy ceremony, saying it was too commercialized.
In 1999, O’Connor caused uproar in Ireland when she became a priestess of the breakaway Latin Tridentine Church — a position that was not recognized by the mainstream Catholic Church. For many years, she called for a full investigation into the extent of the church’s role in concealing child abuse by clergy. In 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI apologized to Ireland to atone for decades of abuse, O’Connor condemned the apology for not going far enough and called for Catholics to boycott Mass until there was a full investigation into the Vatican’s role.
“People assumed I didn’t believe in God. That’s not the case at all. I’m Catholic by birth and culture and would be the first at the church door if the Vatican offered sincere reconciliation,” she wrote in the Washington Post in 2010.
O’Connor announced in 2018 that she had converted to Islam and would be adopting the name Shuhada’ Davitt, later Shuhada Sadaqat — although she continued to use Sinéad O’Connor professionally.
“Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement on social media.
O’Connor was born on Dec. 8, 1966. She had a difficult childhood, with a mother she alleged was abusive and encouraged her to shoplift. As a teenager she spent time in a church-sponsored institution for girls, where she said she washed priests’ clothes for no wages. But a nun gave O’Connor her first guitar, and soon she sang and performed on the streets of Dublin, her influences ranging from Dylan to Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Her performance with a local band caught the eye of a small record label, and, in 1987, O’Connor released, “The Lion and the Cobra,” which sold hundreds of thousands of copies and featured the hit “Mandinka,” driven by a hard-rock guitar riff and O’Connor’s piercing vocals. O’Connor, then 20 and pregnant, co-produced the album.
“I suppose I’ve got to say that music saved me,” she said in an interview with the Independent newspaper in 2013. “I didn’t have any other abilities, and there was no learning support for girls like me, not in Ireland at that time. It was either jail or music. I got lucky.”
“Nothing Compares 2 U” received three Grammy nominations and was the featured track on her acclaimed album, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” which helped lead Rolling Stone to name her Artist of the Year in 1991.
“She proved that a recording artist could refuse to compromise and still connect with millions of listeners hungry for music of substance,” the magazine declared.
O’Connor’s other musical credits included the albums, “Universal Mother” and “Faith and Courage,” a cover of Cole Porter’s “You Do Something to Me,” from the AIDS fundraising album “Red Hot + Blue,” and backing vocals on Peter Gabriel’s “Blood of Eden.” She received eight Grammy nominations and in 1991 won for best alternative musical performance.
O’Connor announced she was retiring from music in 2003, but continued to record new material. Her most recent album was “ I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss,” released in 2014 and she sang the theme song for Season 7 of “Outlander.”
The singer married four times; her union to drug counsellor Barry Herridge, in 2011, lasted just 16 days. O’Connor had four children: Jake, with her husband John Reynolds; Roisin, with John Waters; Shane, with Donal Lunny; and Yeshua Bonadio, with Frank Bonadio.
In 2014, she said she was joining the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party and called for its leaders to step aside so that a younger generation of activists could take over. She later withdrew her application.
Sinéad O’Connor, the gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s and was known as much for her private struggles and provocative actions as for her fierce and expressive music, has died at 56.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time,” the singer’s family said in a statement reported Wednesday by the BBC and RTE. No cause was disclosed.
She was public about her mental illness, saying that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. O’Connor posted a Facebook video in 2017 from a New Jersey motel where she had been living, saying that she was staying alive for the sake of others and that if it were up to her, she’d be “gone.”
When her teenage son Shane died by suicide last year, O’Connor tweeted there was “no point living without him” and she was soon hospitalized.
Recognizable by her shaved head and with a multi-octave mezzo soprano of extraordinary emotional range, O’Connor began her career singing on the streets of Dublin and soon rose to international fame.
She was a star from her 1987 debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” and became a sensation in 1990 with her cover of Prince’s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a seething, shattering performance that topped charts from Europe to Australia and was heightened by a promotional video featuring the gray-eyed O’Connor in intense close-up.
She was a lifelong non-conformist — she said she shaved her head in response to record executives pressuring her to be conventionally glamorous — but her political and cultural stances and troubled private life often overshadowed her music.
A critic of the Roman Catholic Church well before allegations of sexual abuse were widely reported, O’Connor made headlines in October 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II while appearing on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and denounced the church as the enemy.
The next week, Joe Pesci hosted “Saturday Night Live,” held up a repaired photo of the Pope and said if he had been on the show with O’Connor he “would have gave her such a smack.” Days later, she appeared at an all-star tribute for Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden and was immediately booed. She was supposed to sing Dylan’s “I Believe in You,” but switched to an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s “War,” which she had sung on “Saturday Night Live.”
Although consoled and encouraged on stage by her friend Kris Kristofferson, she left and broke down, and her performance was kept off the concert CD. (Years later, Kristofferson recorded “Sister Sinead,” for which he wrote, “And maybe she’s crazy and maybe she ain’t/But so was Picasso and so were the saints.”)
She also feuded with Frank Sinatra over her refusal to allow the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at one of her shows and accused Prince of physically threatening her. In 1989 she declared her support for the Irish Republican Army, a statement she retracted a year later. Around the same time, she skipped the Grammy ceremony, saying it was too commercialized.
In 1999, O’Connor caused uproar in Ireland when she became a priestess of the breakaway Latin Tridentine Church — a position that was not recognized by the mainstream Catholic Church. For many years, she called for a full investigation into the extent of the church’s role in concealing child abuse by clergy. In 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI apologized to Ireland to atone for decades of abuse, O’Connor condemned the apology for not going far enough and called for Catholics to boycott Mass until there was a full investigation into the Vatican’s role.
“People assumed I didn’t believe in God. That’s not the case at all. I’m Catholic by birth and culture and would be the first at the church door if the Vatican offered sincere reconciliation,” she wrote in the Washington Post in 2010.
O’Connor announced in 2018 that she had converted to Islam and would be adopting the name Shuhada’ Davitt, later Shuhada Sadaqat — although she continued to use Sinéad O’Connor professionally.
“Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said in a statement on social media.
O’Connor was born on Dec. 8, 1966. She had a difficult childhood, with a mother she alleged was abusive and encouraged her to shoplift. As a teenager she spent time in a church-sponsored institution for girls, where she said she washed priests’ clothes for no wages. But a nun gave O’Connor her first guitar, and soon she sang and performed on the streets of Dublin, her influences ranging from Dylan to Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Her performance with a local band caught the eye of a small record label, and, in 1987, O’Connor released, “The Lion and the Cobra,” which sold hundreds of thousands of copies and featured the hit “Mandinka,” driven by a hard-rock guitar riff and O’Connor’s piercing vocals. O’Connor, then 20 and pregnant, co-produced the album.
“I suppose I’ve got to say that music saved me,” she said in an interview with the Independent newspaper in 2013. “I didn’t have any other abilities, and there was no learning support for girls like me, not in Ireland at that time. It was either jail or music. I got lucky.”
“Nothing Compares 2 U” received three Grammy nominations and was the featured track on her acclaimed album, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” which helped lead Rolling Stone to name her Artist of the Year in 1991.
“She proved that a recording artist could refuse to compromise and still connect with millions of listeners hungry for music of substance,” the magazine declared.
O’Connor’s other musical credits included the albums, “Universal Mother” and “Faith and Courage,” a cover of Cole Porter’s “You Do Something to Me,” from the AIDS fundraising album “Red Hot + Blue,” and backing vocals on Peter Gabriel’s “Blood of Eden.” She received eight Grammy nominations and in 1991 won for best alternative musical performance.
O’Connor announced she was retiring from music in 2003, but continued to record new material. Her most recent album was “ I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss,” released in 2014 and she sang the theme song for Season 7 of “Outlander.”
The singer married four times; her union to drug counsellor Barry Herridge, in 2011, lasted just 16 days. O’Connor had four children: Jake, with her husband John Reynolds; Roisin, with John Waters; Shane, with Donal Lunny; and Yeshua Bonadio, with Frank Bonadio.
In 2014, she said she was joining the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party and called for its leaders to step aside so that a younger generation of activists could take over. She later withdrew her application.
“Ireland has lost one of our most powerful and successful singer- songwriter and female artists,” Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Has ‘Nothing’ To Say to Shereé Whitfield After RHOA Season 1 Confession
Do you remember in Season 1 when NeNe showed up to Shereé’s birthday party only to be told she wasn’t on the guest list? Recently, Shereé finally admitted that she excluded NeNe on purpose. So now, during a recent interview with former RHOA producer Carlos King, NeNe finally responded to Shereé’s shady antics from all those years ago.
Yes, we’re still talking about RHOA Season 1
Carlos asked NeNe what she would say to Shereé today, knowing what she knows about the guest list fiasco. Although NeNe is never one to mince words, she claimed to have no comments for her former castmate. Then, of course, she proceeded to comment.
NeNe replied, “Nothing. Not a thing. Why would I give her any pointers? That’s probably the best thing she did, was leave me off of the list.”
NeNe then noted how that pivotal moment of drama helped propel the show forward, but she wasn’t surprised to hear that Shereé intentionally left her off the list.
“Without me, there’s no you … “
She told Carlos, “I always knew she purposely left me off the list … Now the question would be, ‘Why? Why leave me off the list, honey? Without me, there’s no you!'”
Shereé and NeNe’s relationship is one of the most complicated ones in the Housewives franchise. They started the show together, but Shereé never earned the same level of star power that NeNe had during the show’s prime. On the other hand, Shereé is now back on RHOA and in good graces with Bravo. Although that’s more than NeNe can claim, what does this mean for their relationship today? According to NeNe, they hardly have one.
“I don’t dislike Shereé, but for some … at one point, Shereé and I were like, really, really good,” NeNe explained. “Because we met before the cameras ever rolled. I would hang out at her house, Gregg [Leakes] and I would go out to the game with her and Bob [Whitfield] – Bob was playing football at the time – for some reason, I’m not exactly sure what it is, it’s like we haven’t connected or clicked in years, and I’m not sure why, I’m really not sure why.”
In retrospect, NeNe thinks the show prevented their friendship from flourishing. She asserted, “The truth is I was the show, and it just felt like all of them kind of turned against me, and our friendship just got lost in the mix.”
NeNe continued, “But I think Shereé is fun, you know when she wants to be. We’ve had a good time together. She’s a Capricorn. I’m a Sagittarius. We always have gotten along in the past before the cameras ever started rolling. Once the cameras started rolling, our friendship just became nothing.”
Season 15 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs on Bravo Sunday nights at 8/7c.
#MusicNews: Jermaine Dupri Announces So So Def Festival 2023
Musical icon Jermaine Dupri has special plans to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of his label So So Def.
Dupri has just announced So So Def Festival, a celebration of hip-hop and R&B music. The multi-day festival will feature performances from world-renowned artists who have collaborated with the mega hitmaker over the last 30 years. The two-day live music event will take place on October 7th from 12 PM – 11 PM ET and October 8th from 12 PM – 10 PM ET in Atlanta’s infamous Central Park.
For additional information and updates, please visit https://sosodeffestival.com/
#HipHopNews: Latto Becomes The First Rapper With A No. 1 Song On The Hot 100 Chart In 2023
This milestone comes amid a difficult year for the genre, which until now, had been conspicuously absent from the top slot of the chart. The Atlanta native’s triumph followed a dismal first half of 2023, which only saw one rap album — Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape — reach the summit of the Billboard 200.
Echoing her joy and gratitude, Latto took to Instagram Stories, exclaiming, “Oop am I a bora girl now? Forever grateful!! Thanks [Jung Kook] for trusting me! Armypots up +10000.” Their success reinforces the narrative of the unstoppable rise of cross-genre collaborations, further blurring the boundaries between hip hop and K-pop.
Bronny James Reportedly Recovering From Cardiac Arrest, In Stable Condition
The 18-year-old basketball prodigy was promptly attended to and transported to a nearby hospital, as the family spokesperson shared on Tuesday. He reassured, “Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU.”
Further pleading for respect and discretion in these trying times, the representative added, “We ask for respect and privacy for the James family, and we will update media when there is more information.”
In a heartfelt gesture, the James family also shared gratitude to the school’s medical and athletic staff for their tireless dedication and commitment to the well-being of their athletes.
Earlier in May, Bronny announced his commitment to USC, choosing it over other prestigious institutions like Ohio State and Oregon. As the 21st player in the 2023 class, his decision was warmly lauded by his father.
Reflecting on the momentous occasion, the Lakers’ star remarked, “One of the best days of [his] life.” He shared the significance of his son being the first family member to attend college.
As Bronny gears up for the upcoming season, the sports world is rallying around the family. Among them are Stephen A. Smith and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who also suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this year. Expressing his solidarity, the latter tweeted, “Prayers to Bronny and the James family as well. Here for you guys just like you have been for me my entire process.”
Meanwhile, Smith tweeted, “Good Lord. Just heard about Bronny. Hearing he’s okay. Thank God! Prayers up [LeBron James] and the entire family.”
American Idol Judges and Host Ryan Seacrest Returning for Season 22 on ABC
Ryan Seacrest isn’t letting his new gig as Wheel of Fortune host deter him from his first love: American Idol.
Seacrest, who has hosted the reality singing competition since it premiered in 2002, will return to emcee Season 22 on ABC, TVLine has learned. And with his first episode of Wheel not slated to air until September 2024, you’ll see Seacrest back on the Idol stage long before you see him palling around with Vanna White.
Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, all of whom have been with Idol since it was rebooted in 2018, will also return to the judges panel — which means the show’s producers are probably already discussing which costume they’ll squeeze Perry into for Disney Night 2024. (Feel free to drop a comment with any suggestions below.)
American Idol wrapped Season 21 in May, crowning Hawaiian crooner Iam Tongi the winner after a not-totally-surprising finale; more than 60 percent of TVLine readers predicted his victory before the confetti dropped. We were somewhat surprised that Megan Danielle nabbed second place over Colin Stough, but that was truly the evening’s only unexpected outcome.
The show’s virtual “Idol Across America” search kicks off Wednesday, Aug. 2. For more information on how to audition, including a breakdown of the schedule and process, visit AmericanIdol.com/auditions.
Prosecutors Will Retry Double Murder Case Against YNW Melly
On Saturday, Judge John Murphy declared a mistrial when jurors couldn’t agree on a verdict as to whether the South Florida rapper known — born Jamell Demons — was guilty or not guilty of double murder.
“What that means to me as a defense attorney who has tried dozens of jury trials, is there was somebody in that room that was ‘gung-ho’ that this should be an acquittal,” said Joshua Rydell, a local criminal defense attorney following the case. “That’s what this says to me. There were people that didn’t buy the state’s theory, and were never going to be in a place to even discuss the case.”
The state alleges Demons shot and killed two childhood friends, Christopher Thomas Jr. and Anthony Williams, in October of 2018. They were all part of the YNW rapper collective. The state argued Demons shot the men in a car and then staged a drive-by shooting to cover up the crime.
“Anthony Williams was shot in the back of the head. That was planned for when he was sleeping so that he couldn’t fight back. That was a premeditated planned killing of Williams, where there would be an alibi already discussed,” said assistant state prosecutor Kristine Bradley.
The defense alleges Demons was home sleeping at the time and that a co-defendant named Corten Henry is responsible.
“They want you to believe he is a cold-hearted murderer when quite to the contrary, you saw the tapes, you saw he is a nice young man and a professional,” said defense attorney Stuart Adelstein.
The Broward County State Attorney’s office confirmed to NBC6 they will retry this case a second time. Both sides may refine their strategy.
“The hard part of a mistrial like this is the state has shown their cards, they’ve shown their strategy, they’re good facts and they’re bad facts,” Rydell said. “That being said, so did the defense, they highlighted their strategy. So now both sides know the playbook that the other side is working with.”
What is certain is a second trial means added costs for taxpayers.
“One courtroom was shut down for six to seven weeks of this trial, and coupled with the jury being sequestered, hotel stays, extra BSO security to make that happen. If they try it again there will definitely be a cost to the taxpayers of Broward County,” Rydell said.
A status hearing is set for Friday morning in Judge Murphy’s courtroom. There is no date set yet for a retrial.
Judge Sides With Chris Brown in Lawsuit Over Dog Attack, Approves 8-hour Mental Exam of Singer’s Ex-housekeeper
A Los Angeles judge has approved Chris Brown’s demand his ex-housekeeper sit for a lengthy mental examination — after the woman claimed a vicious dog attack at his home caused her emotional distress, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the judge presiding over the lawsuit brought by Patricia Avila said the singer’s former employee will have to appear at a doctor’s office within the next 30 days.
The doctor will be allowed to perform a clinical interview and several other tests about her state of mind.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, Avila and her sister worked at Brown’s home in Tarzana, California. On December 12, 2020, a Caucasian Orvchake/Caucasian Shepherd dog named Hades allegedly attacked Avila’s sister while she was taking out the trash.
Availa filed a lawsuit demanding damages for having to have witnessed her sister be mauled.
Her sister, who used the pseudonym Jane Doe to file her own separate case, accused Hades of “savagely” ripping bits of her face and arms off.
Doe said she was on the floor covered in blood, she heard Brown approach. She said he instructed his team to remove all the dogs from the property before the authorities arrived.
Brown has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. He blamed Doe for causing the attack claiming she provoked the dog.
He even accused Doe of having “teased, abused and mistreated” the animal.
“[Doe] invited the injuries now complained of and assumed the risk of them with full knowledge of the magnitude of that risk, in that she knew her foregoing conduct might cause the dog to attack her, and seriously injure her, both of which events are alleged to have occurred,” his response read.
In her lawsuit, Doe demanded $71 million from Brown for her medical bills and emotional distress.
Recently, Brown demanded Avila sit for the mental examination. “[Avila] stated that she still suffers from emotional distress symptoms and that she still requires ongoing treatment to address those problems,” his motion read.
Brown said his lawyers claimed to have made numerous attempts to schedule an examination for Avila, but she had not cooperated with the request.
The case is ongoing.
Ari Lennox opens up about her sobriety journey as she celebrates being seven months sober
In a lengthy Instagram post, Lennox opened up about her journey to reaching the huge milestone. “That’s a lot of sober flights — a lot of sober conversations. A lot of facing things raw and head on,” the R&B star said about the number of sober months she has under her belt so far. “Honestly, I don’t know what will happen when I reach a year sober. [I] don’t know if sobriety is forever or not, but I can’t imagine going back to how things were.”
The 32-year-old “Waste My Time” performer revealed one incident that occurred before she became sober was her passing out inside an airport. But now, “I feel more in control of my emotions. More stable. More happy. More alert. More safe. More accepting of things I can’t control and more responsible with things I can. I have less anxiety socially, and when I’m ready to go, I go,” she noted.
This year, Lennox has been busy with embarking on her tour and entertaining fans across the nations with performances at festivals like Lovers and Friends Fest. In her post, the Dreamville Records signee mentioned how much she realized she isn’t the best traveler by herself, and accepting help has been a game changer for her. “So now I have help, and that helps,” Lennox continued. “Having help is OK. I like waking up with no hangover or embarrassment.”
She shared, “I like waking up with no night terrors and panic attacks from liquor. I’m so raw, feeling everything in this world, and my coping mechanisms are only healthier now. It’s nice to remember events as they are happening. It’s nice to be present. Sobriety is a very present experience… There’s the moment the liquor stops numbing, and you’re chasing that feeling to no avail, and you wake to see the problems of life still there,” the “Pressure” singer added before ending her message with, “Love you all so much.”
Snoop Dogg Cancels Shows at Hollywood Bowl in Solidarity with WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strikes
Snoop Dogg is showing his support for the SAG-AFTRA and WGA members who are on the picket line.
The 51-year-old rapper was set to perform at the Hollywood Bowl alongside Dr. Dre in October as part of the 30th anniversary celebration of his debut album Doggystyle.
On Tuesday (July 25), Snoop announced that the shows had been canceled due to the ongoing strikes.
“We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing strike and the uncertainty of when this will be over, we need to cancel the Hollywood Bowl show,” Snoop wrote on Instagram.
“We continue to stand in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters in the WAG and SAG/AFTRA during this difficult time and remain hopeful that the AMPTP will come back to the negotiating table with a REAL proposal and we call get back to work,” Snoop added.
Snoop and Dr. Dre were originally scheduled to perform at the Hollywood Bowl in June, but rescheduled the dates to October due to the writers’ strike.
Will 'Barbie 2' Happen? Greta Gerwig Talks Sequel Possibility
Director Greta Gerwig was just asked if she has any plans for a second movie yet and her answer might disappoint you.
While chatting with The New York Times, Greta addressed the sequel possibilities and also talked about the record-breaking opening weekend.
“I’m so grateful. I’m so amazed. I’m at a loss for words, really. I’ve been in New York City and spent Thursday and Friday just spot-checking different theaters, listening to the levels and making sure the picture looked nice and trying to relinquish control, which is difficult. But honestly, it’s been amazing to walk around and see people in pink. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine something like this. It’s just … it’s … sorry, I’m just disintegrating into noises,” she said. “I think part of the reason I was so fixated on volume levels was because it was a thing I could concentrate on. But mostly, it’s been running into people on the street who are excited and happy and exuberant, because so much of this movie was an attempt to create something that people would want to experience together. So it’s the little things.”
So, will there be a sequel?
“At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,” Greta said. I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream, but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.”
Elderly Drug Dealer In Overdose Death Of 'The Wire' Actor Michael K. Williams Sentenced To Two-And-A-Half Years In Prison
An elderly drug dealer was sentenced on Tuesday to two-and-a-half years in prison in connection with the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams.
Carlos Macci, who is 72, was among four men arrested on drug trafficking charges tied to the death of Williams, who was best known for his role as the feared stickup man Omar Little in HBO's "The Wire."
Macci was sentenced to 30 months in prison, plus three years of supervised release, with the first year in an inpatient drug treatment facility.
"I would like to say, your honor, I'm sorry for what has happened," Macci said in the New York City courthouse before the verdict was announced.
He had shuffled into the Manhattan courtroom with his hands cuffed and his back slightly hunched over. Macci, who is mostly bald and has a grey beard, kept his eyes trained on U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams as she rendered his sentence.
“Today was a sad day,” Williams' nephew, Dominic Dupont, said outside the courtroom afterward. “There are no winners here.”
“We lost an amazing human being,” he added.
Williams, 54, died in September 2021 after consuming heroin laced with fentanyl. The previous day, he purchased the drugs from a member of Macci’s crew in Brooklyn. The exchange was caught on surveillance video and described by New York federal prosecutors in court filings.
Macci and the three other defendants continued selling the batch of fentanyl-laced heroin even after Williams’ fatal overdose made headlines, according to prosecutors.
Macci pleaded guilty in April to possessing and distributing narcotics.
His lawyer, Benjamin Zeman, requested a sentence of time served citing Macci's advanced age and his hardscrabble background. He dropped out of school in the second grade, never learned to read and write and has struggled with drug addiction for most of his life, Zeman said in court filings.
"Mr. Macci was on that block" for "the exact same reason" Williams was there, Zeman told the judge. "He was there to get drugs."
"An additional term of incarceration won't help Mr. Macci or Mr. Williams, and certainly won't prevent the next overdose," he added.
In court filings, New York federal prosecutors asked the judge to sentence Macci to at least four years.
Micah Fergenson, a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, noted in court that Macci has more than 20 prior convictions, mostly for drug offenses, and the last four all resulted in sentences of time served.
"They had absolutely no deterrent effect," Fergenson said.
Fergenson added that, by Macci's lawyer's own account, his health has improved since he was placed in jail.
"It's the unusual case where a lengthier term of incarceration" could "benefit the defendant," Fergenson said.
David Simon, co-creator of "The Wire," wrote a three-page letter to the judge seeking mercy for Macci. Simon had a close relationship with Williams, who was open about his struggles with addiction.
"No possible good can come from incarcerating a (72-year-old) soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction and who has not engaged in street-level sales of narcotics with ambitions of success and profit but rather as someone caught up in the diaspora of addiction himself," Simon wrote.
hael would look at Mr. Macci and hope against hope that this moment in which he finds himself might prove redemptive, that his remaining years might amount to something more, and that by the grace of love and leniency, something humane and worthy might be rescued from the tragedy."
Before the judge announced Macci's sentence, Williams' nephew addressed the court.
Dupont choked up as he recounted delivering the news to Williams' mother that her son was dead. He went on to say that he felt for Macci and his battle with addiction.
"I'm really hopeful that this will be an opportunity for people to see and understand the impacts their decisions will have on people," Dupont said.
In announcing her sentence, Abrams said she didn't think it was in the interest of justice to give Macci a lengthy prison term given his age. She also acknowledged his difficult upbringing and long history of drug abuse.
But she noted the extraordinary toll fentanyl has taken in the U.S. and that Macci and his crew continued selling the drug "knowing their product just killed a man."
Selling drugs, she said while looking directly at Macci, “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing you your freedom.”
UPS reaches contract with 340,000 unionized workers, averting potentially calamitous strike
UPS reaches contract with unionized workers, averting potential strike. UPS has reached a contract agreement with its 340,000-person strong union, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt logistics nationwide for businesses and households alike.
UPS has reached a contract agreement with its 340,000-person strong union Tuesday, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt logistics nationwide for businesses and households alike.
The Teamsters called the tentative agreement "historic" and "overwhelmingly lucrative." It includes, among other benefits, higher wages and air conditioning in delivery trucks.
"Together we reached a win-win-win agreement on the issues that are important to Teamsters leadership, our employees and to UPS and our customers," Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement. "This agreement continues to reward UPS's full- and part-time employees with industry-leading pay and benefits while retaining the flexibility we need to stay competitive, serve our customers and keep our business strong."
Under the preliminary agreement, full-time drivers will make $49 per hour and part-time drivers will make $21 per hour. UPS will also add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024.
The company said the five-year agreement covers U.S. Teamsters-represented employees in small-package roles and is subject to voting and ratification by union members.
Members of the Teamsters, angered by a contract they say was forced on them five years ago by union leadership, clashed with UPS over pay as profits for the delivery company soared in recent years. Union leadership was upended last year with the election of Sean O'Brien, a vocal critic of the union president who signed off on that contract, James Hoffa, the son of the famous Teamsters firebrand.
Profits at UPS have grown more than 140% since the last contract was signed as the arrival of a deadly pandemic drastically transformed the manner in which households get what they need.
Unionized workers argued that were the ones shouldering growth at the Atlanta company and appeared dead set on righting what they saw as a bad contract.
Member voting begins Aug. 3 and concludes Aug. 22.
The labor deal will need to be ratified by more than 3,000 workers to be put in place.
UPS has the largest private-sector contract with workers in North America and the last breakdown in labor talks a quarter century ago led to a 15-day walkout by 185,000 workers that crippled the company.
Obama Pays Tribute to Personal Chef After Fatal Paddleboarding Accident
*We reported earlier that Barack Obama’s personal chef, Tafari Campbell, was found deceased in water 100 feet from the shore in Edgartown Great Pond “about eight feet deep by the Massachusetts Environmental Police,” reports the New York Times.
Campbell, 45, a former White House sous chef, died on Monday in a paddle boarding accident near the Obamas’ Katama estate in Martha’s Vineyard, People reports.
“MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers made the recovery after the victim’s body was located by Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers deploying side-scan sonar from a boat,” Massachusetts State Police said in a news release.
llow-up statement, MSP said, “Mr. Campbell was visiting Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his passing. President and Mrs. Obama were not present at the residence at the time of the accident.”
As People reports, on Sunday, Martha’s Vineyard police and fire agencies responded to a 911 call for “a male paddle boarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface.”
On social media, the commentary is wild with speculation that foul play is involved in Campbell‘s death.
As People reports, the Obamas shared a tribute to Campbell amid news of his passing.
“When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together,” the couple said in a joint statement. “In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter.”
The statement continued, “That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.”
“Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari — especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin — in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man,” they added.
Trader Joe’s Cookies Recalled, Company Says They May Contain Rocks
Trader Joe’s has announced that several of its popular cookie offerings may not be safe to consume.
The tainted treats in question, Trader Joe Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies, may have rocks in them. Per the July 21st press release, the grocery chain says their supplier notified them that the cookies were somehow contaminated during the manufacturing process.
The store took immediate steps to remove the cookies from the shelves. However, they are asking anyone who bought them to get rid of the baked goods immediately.
“If you purchased or received any donations of Almond Windmill Cookies and/or Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies, please do not eat them. We urge you to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund,” the statement read.
Those unsure if their cookies are part of the rocky batch can inspect the packaging for several identifiers. A potentially dangerous assortment of the Almond Windmill Cookies contains SKU# 98744, with sell-by dates of 10/19/23 through 10/21/23. The Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies have SKU# 82752 and sell by dates of 10/17/23 through 10/21/23, per the Trader Joe’s website.
As of now, no injuries have been reported. It’s unclear how the stones may have ended up in the cookies. Customers with any questions or reports of the rocks are encouraged to call Trader Joe’s Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817.
Before the judge announced Macci's sentence, Williams' nephew addressed the court.
Dupont choked up as he recounted delivering the news to Williams' mother that her son was dead. He went on to say that he felt for Macci and his battle with addiction.
"I'm really hopeful that this will be an opportunity for people to see and understand the impacts their decisions will have on people," Dupont said.
In announcing her sentence, Abrams said she didn't think it was in the interest of justice to give Macci a lengthy prison term given his age. She also acknowledged his difficult upbringing and long history of drug abuse.
But she noted the extraordinary toll fentanyl has taken in the U.S. and that Macci and his crew continued selling the drug "knowing their product just killed a man."
Selling drugs, she said while looking directly at Macci, “not only cost Mr. Williams his life, but it’s costing you your freedom.”
UPS reaches contract with 340,000 unionized workers, averting potentially calamitous strike
UPS has reached a contract agreement with its 340,000-person strong union Tuesday, averting a strike that had the potential to disrupt logistics nationwide for businesses and households alike.
The Teamsters called the tentative agreement "historic" and "overwhelmingly lucrative." It includes, among other benefits, higher wages and air conditioning in delivery trucks.
"Together we reached a win-win-win agreement on the issues that are important to Teamsters leadership, our employees and to UPS and our customers," Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement. "This agreement continues to reward UPS's full- and part-time employees with industry-leading pay and benefits while retaining the flexibility we need to stay competitive, serve our customers and keep our business strong."
Under the preliminary agreement, full-time drivers will make $49 per hour and part-time drivers will make $21 per hour. UPS will also add air conditioning to U.S. small delivery vehicles purchased after January 1, 2024.
The company said the five-year agreement covers U.S. Teamsters-represented employees in small-package roles and is subject to voting and ratification by union members.
Members of the Teamsters, angered by a contract they say was forced on them five years ago by union leadership, clashed with UPS over pay as profits for the delivery company soared in recent years. Union leadership was upended last year with the election of Sean O'Brien, a vocal critic of the union president who signed off on that contract, James Hoffa, the son of the famous Teamsters firebrand.
Profits at UPS have grown more than 140% since the last contract was signed as the arrival of a deadly pandemic drastically transformed the manner in which households get what they need.
Unionized workers argued that were the ones shouldering growth at the Atlanta company and appeared dead set on righting what they saw as a bad contract.
Member voting begins Aug. 3 and concludes Aug. 22.
The labor deal will need to be ratified by more than 3,000 workers to be put in place.
UPS has the largest private-sector contract with workers in North America and the last breakdown in labor talks a quarter century ago led to a 15-day walkout by 185,000 workers that crippled the company.
Obama Pays Tribute to Personal Chef After Fatal Paddleboarding Accident
*We reported earlier that Barack Obama’s personal chef, Tafari Campbell, was found deceased in water 100 feet from the shore in Edgartown Great Pond “about eight feet deep by the Massachusetts Environmental Police,” reports the New York Times.
Campbell, 45, a former White House sous chef, died on Monday in a paddle boarding accident near the Obamas’ Katama estate in Martha’s Vineyard, People reports.
“MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers made the recovery after the victim’s body was located by Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers deploying side-scan sonar from a boat,” Massachusetts State Police said in a news release.
llow-up statement, MSP said, “Mr. Campbell was visiting Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his passing. President and Mrs. Obama were not present at the residence at the time of the accident.”
As People reports, on Sunday, Martha’s Vineyard police and fire agencies responded to a 911 call for “a male paddle boarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface.”
On social media, the commentary is wild with speculation that foul play is involved in Campbell‘s death.
As People reports, the Obamas shared a tribute to Campbell amid news of his passing.
“When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together,” the couple said in a joint statement. “In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter.”
The statement continued, “That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.”
“Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari — especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin — in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man,” they added.
Trader Joe’s Cookies Recalled, Company Says They May Contain Rocks
The tainted treats in question, Trader Joe Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies, may have rocks in them. Per the July 21st press release, the grocery chain says their supplier notified them that the cookies were somehow contaminated during the manufacturing process.
The store took immediate steps to remove the cookies from the shelves. However, they are asking anyone who bought them to get rid of the baked goods immediately.
“If you purchased or received any donations of Almond Windmill Cookies and/or Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies, please do not eat them. We urge you to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund,” the statement read.
Those unsure if their cookies are part of the rocky batch can inspect the packaging for several identifiers. A potentially dangerous assortment of the Almond Windmill Cookies contains SKU# 98744, with sell-by dates of 10/19/23 through 10/21/23. The Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies have SKU# 82752 and sell by dates of 10/17/23 through 10/21/23, per the Trader Joe’s website.
As of now, no injuries have been reported. It’s unclear how the stones may have ended up in the cookies. Customers with any questions or reports of the rocks are encouraged to call Trader Joe’s Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
The Devil Inside
See the fire?
See the fire?
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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