#MAGFAB: Doja Cat Covers HARPER’S BAZAAR’s September 2023 ‘Icons’ Issue
The 2023 ICONS portfolio, photographed by celebrated international photographer Mario Sorrenti, spotlights 14 global trailblazers who are shaping the conversation right now in the worlds of fashion, art, film, music and activism. Led by cover stars Doja Cat, Paul Mescal and Kendall Jenner, who appear on the September covers of the U.S. newsstand edition, available August 29, the subjects haven’t just excelled in their respective fields, but have blown them wide open—and have created space for others to do the same.
The 2023 ICONS are passionate visionaries who captivate us, connect us, entertain us, move us, stoke our obsession, and inspire us with the urgency they bring to their work. They not only speak to this moment, they are also helping to define it and give it meaning. They’ve each made their marks — and some of them might be making history. But most importantly, they all understand what can happen when our eyes, hearts, minds, and energies are all pointed in the same direction.
On whether she thinks she’s worthy of her icon status: “I don’t. I think I deserve love and respect from the people that I love and respect back—and I guess respect means different things to some people. I put myself out there on social media and TV. I shoot my image out onto these screens. But I don’t really put myself out there in real life. I don’t go to clubs. I stick to creating.”
On her new single “Attention,” which includes her rapping: “It’s kind of an intro to what’s to come. This new album is more introspective, but I’m not leaning so hard into that to where it becomes boring. So I want to give stories and bops. It’s a nice mixture of both. I think this project is a really fun canvas for me to play with my rap skills and talk about what’s going on in my life. But I’m not abandoning who I was and what I know about pop and singing and that aspect of music.”
On the famous cat prosthetics she wore to this year’s Met Gala: “Yes. I said, ‘I want to be a humanoid cat.’”
The 2023 ICONS are passionate visionaries who captivate us, connect us, entertain us, move us, stoke our obsession, and inspire us with the urgency they bring to their work. They not only speak to this moment, they are also helping to define it and give it meaning. They’ve each made their marks — and some of them might be making history. But most importantly, they all understand what can happen when our eyes, hearts, minds, and energies are all pointed in the same direction.
On whether she thinks she’s worthy of her icon status: “I don’t. I think I deserve love and respect from the people that I love and respect back—and I guess respect means different things to some people. I put myself out there on social media and TV. I shoot my image out onto these screens. But I don’t really put myself out there in real life. I don’t go to clubs. I stick to creating.”
On her new single “Attention,” which includes her rapping: “It’s kind of an intro to what’s to come. This new album is more introspective, but I’m not leaning so hard into that to where it becomes boring. So I want to give stories and bops. It’s a nice mixture of both. I think this project is a really fun canvas for me to play with my rap skills and talk about what’s going on in my life. But I’m not abandoning who I was and what I know about pop and singing and that aspect of music.”
On the famous cat prosthetics she wore to this year’s Met Gala: “Yes. I said, ‘I want to be a humanoid cat.’”
On the shock reactions she receives when pushing style boundaries like shaving her head or eyebrows: “My theory is that if someone has never met me in real life, then, subconsciously, I’m not real to them. So when people become engaged with someone they don’t even know on the internet, they kind of take ownership over that person. They think that person belongs to them in some sense. And when that person changes drastically, there is a shock response that is almost uncontrollable. …I’ve accepted that that’s what happens. So I put my wigs on and take them off. I shave my head or my eyebrows. I have all the freedom in the world.”
On the kinds of projects she’ll pursue next, including acting: “There are other kinds of projects I want to branch out into. I want to make clothing, dabble in makeup. I want to explore acting.”
“I would love to do movies that I believe in. I would have to stop the music for a minute. But I would be down to immerse myself in acting for a certain period of time. I love comedies and action films. I want to learn martial arts and be in a film like John Wick.”
On creating room for love in her life: “I love love. I’m possibly a serial dater. I definitely have had that in me a little bit. But right now I’m in a different place in my life where I am very committed and very much in love in a different way than before. I think I’ve evolved. I’m learning to love myself, so the way that I love other people is very different. I don’t feel like a lost little teen. I feel like a woman who is coming into her own.”
#RHOA: Landlord Sues NeNe Leakes For $22,900 In Back Rent, But She Says Late Husband, Gregg, Signed The Lease
The unnamed petitioner filed the lawsuit in Fulton County, GA, claiming NeNe owed a whopping $22,900 in back rent for the retail space she leased at the Sugarloaf Mills shopping center that the landlord owed to set up her now-defunct clothing store, Swagg Boutique.
According to the plaintiff, the 55-year-old former Bravo star signed the lease contract in 2017 and extended the agreement for another in 2021.
Before taking legal matters, the landlord claimed a letter was sent to NeNe demanding payment.
According to Radar Online, the letter, dated July 19, 2023, read, “Based on the foregoing, landlord hereby demands payment in the amount of $22,900.75 within ten (10) days from receipt of this letter. Should you fail to pay this amount within ten (10) days from receipt of this letter, landlord will pursue all rights and remedies it has, including, but not limited to, the collection of past due rent, its reasonable attorney’s fees, and court costs pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 13-1-11, and the terms and conditions of the Lease.”
Now that things have escalated to pursuing legal matters, the landlord is going for the rent owed, attorney’s fees and court costs.
Many were quick to judge the former RHOA cast member harshly for not paying the landlord the agreed-upon rent. NeNe’s reported net worth is $14 million.
A commenter under a post from the Bravo Shade Room reminded everyone that around this time (late August, early September), NeNe grieved the death of her husband, Gregg Leakes, who died Sept.1, 2021, of colon cancer. His birthday was on Wednesday, Aug. 16.
NeNe then responded to the commenter to clarify that Gregg handled the Swagg Boutique rent.
She wrote, “Gregg signed the lease, not me! He ain’t here.”
NeNe took to Instagram recently to wish the love of her life a “Happy Heavenly Birthday.”
“Today, you would be eating your favorite foods! French fries and chicken tenders. I love you for that,” she wrote in the caption. “It was the simple things about you that got me every time! I love you and miss you more than words can say! My man, my man, my mannn.”
Swagg Boutique shut down in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. NeNe reopened the shop for a “going out of business” sale to distribute the remainder items before closing the shop for good. While the Instagram page is up, the boutique’s website no longer runs.
#NewMusic from Sammie he Releases New Album “Love Always Wins”
Veteran R&B artist Sammie returns with the brand new album “Love Always Wins” (L.A.W.).
Included on the album are 11 all new songs including the lead single “Touch Yourself”.
STREAM HERE
This is the follow up album to “Such is Life” which he released in 2020. He also released the EP “Satin Sheets” late in 2022.
#HipHopNews: Tyler, the Creator announces Camp Flog Gnaw 2023 lineup
Flog Gnaw’s 2023 undercard is also full of FADER-approved talent: Earl Sweatshirt, PinkPantheress, Paris Texas, Syd, Kali Uchis, Ice Spice, Lil Yachty, Liv.e, Turnstile, Toro y Moi, Clipse, Maxo, Maxo Kream, Ravyn Lenae, and d4vd are all scheduled to perform, as are Tyler’s former Odd Future affiliate Domo Genesis and Left Brain. View the full lineup below.
Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2023 lineup
Tyler, the Creator announces Camp Flog Gnaw 2023 lineup
The Hillbillies
SZA
Tyler, The Creator
AG Club
Fana Hues
Paris Texas
Blaming Tiger
Teezo Touchdown
BADBADNOTGOOD
redveil
Raven Lenae
Clipse
Kevin Abstract
Beabadoobee
PinkPantheress
Rex Orange County
Dominic Fike
Earl Sweatshirt
Syd
Kali Uchis
Fuerza Regida
Ice Spice
Lil Yachty
Turnstile
Cuco
Toro y Moi
WILLOW
d4vd
Domo Genesis
DAISY WORLD
Baby Rose
SPINALL
Maxo
Mike G
Left Brain
julie
Maxo Kream
Khamari
Liv.e
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Blue Beetle’ Landed at #1with $25 Million, Ends ‘Barbie’s’ Four-Week Streak
“Blue Beetle” has dethroned “Barbie” at the domestic box office. The latest DC superhero adventure claimed the No. 1 spot despite a softer-than-expected debut of $25.4 million.
At the international box office, “Blue Beetle,” starring Xolo Maridueña as the alien symbiote, added $18 million from 63 markets. With $43 million globally, it’s one of the softest starts in the history of the DC Cinematic Universe.
After four consecutive weekends in first place, “Barbie” landed on her feet at second place with $21.5 million from 4,003 theaters, a huge result at this point in its theatrical run. After five weeks of release, Greta Gerwig’s fantasy-comedy has generated $567 million and will soon overtake Universal’s animated “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($574 million) as the biggest domestic release of the year.
“Blue Beetle” cost more than $100 million to produce and many millions more to promote, so it’ll need to defy the box office odds to justify its price tag. Reviews and word of mouth may not do much to fill seats; the film has a “B+” CinemaScore and 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. In a note to press, Warner Bros. suggested the impact of Tropical Storm Hilary “is anticipated to be significant, particularly in Southern California where the film is over‐indexing.”
It’s the third DC film in 2023 to tumble out of the gate after “Shazam: Fury of the Gods” ($30.1 million in March) and “The Flash” ($55 million in June). Even 2021’s “The Suicide Squad,” which debuted simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, enjoyed a bigger start with $26.2 million. But that film — as well as “Shazam 2” and “The Flash,” which flopped in their theatrical runs — were based on higher-profile characters compared to Blue Beetle.
Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, the film centers on college graduate Jaime Reyes, who gets chosen to become a symbiotic host to an ancient alien biotech relic that turns him into the superhero known as Blue Beetle. A fourth DC adaptation, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” is slated to release in December before the studio’s new chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran take the faltering comic book universe in an entirely new direction.
“After a dozen nearly flawless years, the [comic book] genre has performed unevenly during the last 3-and-a-half years,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “We’re going to know more about superheroes in November and December,” he adds in reference to “Aquaman 2” as well as Disney’s sequel “The Marvels” on Nov. 10. “Those two films will determine the state of superheroes in 2023 and going forward.”
Universal’s talking-dog comedy “Strays” also stumbled in its debut, digging up a paltry $8.3 million from 3,223 theaters for a fifth-place finish. The R-rated movie cost $46 million and could struggle overseas, where funny films tend to have limited appeal. It flopped at the international box office with $1.9 million from 21 territories for a global tally of $10 million.
“This is a soft opening,” says Gross. “Audience ratings are good, with lukewarm reviews from critics.”
Theatrical comedies are a rare breed in Hollywood these days, and even with a starry voice cast of Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx, “Strays” fared far worse than Jennifer Lawrence’s raunchy “No Hard Feelings” ($15 million) and Universal’s drug-fueled “Cocaine Bear” ($23 million). It barely beat Bert Kreischer’s stand-up inspired “The Machine,” which crumbled with $5 million.
“Oppenheimer” took third place with $11 million in its fifth weekend of release, bringing ticket sales to $286 million. The R-rated historical drama crossed $700 million at the global box office over the weekend, surpassing 2014’s “Interstellar” ($714 million) to stand as Nolan’s fourth-highest grossing movie. It’s the fourth-biggest release of the year behind “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” ($1.35 billion), “Barbie” ($1.27 billion) and “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” ($845 million).
Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” landed at the No. 4 spot with $8.4 million from 3,477 venues. After three weekends on the big screen, the animated family comedy has grossed $88.1 million in North America and $30 million internationally. It cost $70 million and will end up as a modest box office performer.
At the specialty box office, Park Chan-Wook’s 2003 vengeance thriller “Oldboy” returned to 250 theaters in honor of its 20th anniversary. The film grossed $880,000 in five days and will cross $1 million in its first week of re-release, an impressive result for a re-release. The top-performing cities were San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, according to Neon.
Elsewhere, “Meg 2: The Trench” swam past the $300 million mark with worldwide ticket sales at $316.6 million. A majority of those returns are coming from international territories, where the shark sequel has grossed $250 million. The follow-up isn’t living up to its predecessor, 2018’s “The Meg,” which earned $145 million in North America and $529 million globally. At the domestic box office especially, “The Trench” has been shark bait in the wake of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”
Jennifer Lopez celebrates wedding anniversary with Ben Affleck
Lopez posted some photos from that day on her verified social media accounts, writing, “One year ago today.”
“Dear Ben/Sitting here alone/Looking at my ring ring/Feeling overwhelmed,” the caption reads. “It makes me wanna sing sing/How did we end up here/Without a rewind/Oh my/This is my life…”
She added the hashtags #DearBenPartII #ThisIsMeNow.
“This Is Me… Now” is Lopez’s forthcoming ninth studio album and “Dear Ben II” is one of the songs listed on the new work.
Lopez released the album “This is Me…Then” in 2002, which included the song “Dear Ben,” a love song about Affleck. The two were engaged back then, but split for almost 20 years before they reunited.
Affleck and Lopez first married in a small ceremony in Las Vegas in July 2022 before celebrating with the second ceremony in August.
The wedding anniversary post came less than a week after Lopez wished her husband a happy birthday on his special day, August 15, with a video of them driving in the car and singing along to Sam Cooke’s “[What A] Wonderful World.”
The Challenge: USA star Paulie Calafiore Has come out as BiSexual and says he ‘feels free’
The Challenge: USA star Paulie Calafiore has come out as bisexual, saying it feels like a “huge weight has been lifted” from his shoulders.
The 34-year-old TV personality was booted off the reality show after losing a one-on-one challenge with rival competitor, Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, this week. During the show, Calafiore hinted that he had to “repress” who he was “sexually” because he wanted to be perceived as the “most alpha human in the world” in athletics.
Calafiore, who also appeared on Big Brother in the past, told GLAAD that it “felt like a huge weight has been lifted off of [his] shoulders” to share that he’s bisexual and sexually fluid with the world.
He explained that he needed to “break” through the toxic masculinity and pressure to be seen as a strong competitor and athlete before he could feel comfortable coming out.
“I almost felt guilty that it’s taken me this long,” he said.
“And I really had to change my perspective and be like, ‘Well, you know there might be other people that are going through this exact same thing … and maybe this is what they needed to hear and what they needed to see in order to do it themselves.’
“Maybe there’s a younger version of me somewhere who gets to see this and [says], ‘You know what? I don’t have to pretend to be this because I’m an athlete.’”
Calafiore said hopes to open up a dialogue around being bisexual at a time when bi-erasure is rife in public discourse.
“On one side of things, you have a lot of people that support me because they’re like, ‘Yeah, you’re a strong alpha male. You speak your mind. You don’t give a s**t. You do whatever’,” he continued.
“And then on the other side, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re toxic masculine, blah, blah, blah’, but, now all of a sudden, it’s like hold on, wait a second.
“I want to open up that conversation where it’s like how can we bring these two opposite ends of the spectrum here and have this conversation and say, ‘Listen y’all, we’re here. You can still have respect for people regardless of who they are, where they come from, what they’re doing. Let’s just stop with the constant fighting, hate and trying to outdo one another. We’re all on the same team, and we’re all trying to accomplish the same things.’
“So how can we get closer to than rather than further apart?’
After coming out publicly, Calafiore said he had “so many emotions” that he hasn’t “even had a chance to process” in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
“My heart is bleeding with gratitude,” he wrote. “My soul is burning with humility.”
“I’m so sad I had an early exit but I am so happy that I was able [to] show you another layer to myself and my journey.
“To all the new friendships I’ve made, to all the old friendships repaired. I love all of you and I can’t wait to show you how much stronger I come back.
“The support is so beautiful … I finally feel seen and free.”
49ERS fans are already in midseason form, brawling it out in the stands
Is this why Daniel Snyder hasn’t been drop-kicked out of the NFL?
Roger Goodell is still bad at his job, any fool could print money for the NFL with gambling deals
Several fans got involved in the action as those wearing the same red jerseys turned against each other. It used to be that folks who took part in this low-brow behavior waled on the opposing team’s fan base, but now, anyone is fair game, apparently. Talk about having no shame. Bang bang Niner gang means fellow fans can also get molly-whopped for talking recklessly.
It’s a shame that people can’t go to a game, cheer, boo, talk a little trash, and just enjoy themselves. There’s always one or two idiots that get too wasted and belligerent to the point where somebody makes it their duty to whoop that booty. Security can only do so much to break up a fight in a crowd of drunk people throwing wild punches.
The NFL isn’t going to do anything about it because they and their business partners that represent these alcohol companies want to buffoon’s drinking as much as possible. Roger Goodell and the NFL are about their money, and since many fans have no self-control, this is what we’re stuck with. They’ll never remove adult beverages from games. It doesn’t matter if a few idiots put everyone around them, including children, in danger with their actions under the influence. The league will continue collecting concession revenue, and that’s the bottom line.
Sha'Carri Richardson addresses everyone's expectations at the World Athletics Championships
Sha’Carri Richardson is leaving her opponents and critics in the dust after securing the fastest 100-meter time at 10.92 seconds during her heat at the World Athletics Championships (Aug. 20) in Budapest, Hungary. The race marked the 23-year-old’s debut at the international competition. It comes two years after she made headlines as one of track and field’s most promising athletes during the 2021 Olympic Trials.
Despite bearing witness to supporters turned doubters, Richardson is more clear on her purpose, and it is not to prove her speed to the world. In a post-race interview, she said, “The world — I’m not worried about the world anymore. I’ve seen the world be my friend. I’ve seen the world turn on me. But [at] the end of the day, I’ve always been with me. God has always been with me, so being on this scale now, it’s my time. It’s always been my time, but now it’s my time to actually do it for myself and the people that feel like me, the people that look like me, and the people that know the truth about themselves as well. I represent those people.”
Her Tokyo Olympic dreams were derailed after she tested positive for THC following her qualifying 100-meter performance (where she ran a 10.86) in 2021. At the time, she told “TODAY,” “I want to take responsibility for my actions. I know what I did. I know what I’m supposed to do and am allowed not to do, and I still made that decision. I’m not making an excuse. I’m not looking for any empathy in my case.”
Richardson was subsequently hit with a one-month ban by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The Texan admitted to smoking marijuana after learning her biological mother had died. The Olympic hopeful has more than found her stride in the competitive sprint.
In April, she was a blur on the track when she clocked a 10.57 seconds pace. Her speed at the Miramar Invitational, however, was not eligible to become the official world’s fourth fastest time due to it being wind-assisted. She made up for it, though, when she ran a 10.71, the fastest of the year according to CNN, in July at the US Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Michael K. Williams' drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in prison
The prolific Hollywood talent was captured by a security camera when he purchased the illicit substance from Irvin Cartagena on the sidewalk in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Dominic Dupont, Williams’ nephew, discovered “The Wire” star on Sept. 6 during a welfare check. On Friday (Aug. 18), the 40-year-old drug dealer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling the tainted drugs to the actor.
“I am very sorry for my actions. When we sold the drugs, we never intended for anyone to lose their life,” said Cartagena before he was sentenced, according to ABC News. As previously reported by REVOLT, Cartagena is one of four men arrested by New York police in connection with the drug deal. He was charged with conspiring to distribute narcotics. His co-conspirators, who were identified as Hector Robles, Luis Cruz, and Carlos Macci, were also charged for their roles in the drug trafficking ring.
In April, Cartagena pleaded guilty to the charge. He faced a mandatory five-year minimum in prison and a maximum of 40 years. The other three men also entered guilty pleas. Macci, 71, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison. During his July sentencing, the elderly man was admonished for continuing to sell drugs after Williams’ death.
In the days leading up to the judge’s ruling, “The Wire” co-creator David Simon made a plea in hopes the court would show leniency on Macci. In a three-page letter, Simon wrote, “What happened to Mike is a grievous tragedy, but I know that Michael would look upon the undone and desolate life of Mr. Macci and know two things with certainty: First, that it was Michael who bears the fuller responsibility for what happened” and that “no possible good can come from incarcerating a 71-year-old soul, largely illiterate, who has himself struggled with a lifetime of addiction.”
Before his death, Williams’ work on-screen was being celebrated for his performance in HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.” Three days before the tragedy, he expressed excitement for his upcoming role in a George Foreman biopic.
Coco Gauff Wins Cincinnati Tennis Open, First Masters 1000 Tournament
Coco Gauff just won the biggest match of her career!The 19-year-old American tennis superstar beat out Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova during the women’s finals match at the 2023 Western & Southern Open on Sunday (August 20) held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Coco beat out Karolina in two straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to win her first Masters 1000 tournament.
She’s now the youngest player to win the tournament as well!
Coco also defeated the world #1, Poland’s Iga Swiatek, in three sets, 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4. Coco had previously lost seven consecutive matches (14 sets) to Iga, 22, before Saturday’s match.
Coco has recently been working with tennis champ Andre Agassi‘s former coach, Brad Gilbert.
Just two weeks ago, Coco became the first teenager to win the Washington Open, beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari in the final. It was her first WTA 500 singles title, and her then biggest singles title to date.
Congrats Coco!
Van Jones Booted Out of His Own Non-Profit Amid Internal Disputes
This is the same organization that received a $100 million grant from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in 2021. Bezos gifted Jones the grant for his philanthropic work via Dream.org. Jones launched the initiative in 2015 but he was recently ousted from the board, according to The Daily Beast.
Jones’ environmental advocacy group Green for All, which operates under Dream.org, received a $10 million Bezos grant three years ago and has since been burning through the cash, the New York Post reports. This is apparently what prompted Jones’ break with the nonprofit’s board of directors.
“Quite a few people have questions about the fiscal stewardship that Dream.org has had,” said CeCe Grant, who served as the group’s director of government affairs before departing in April, per The Post.
Despite never having formulated a coherent plan of action, Bezos’ cash infusion sparked a hiring spree that nearly doubled Green for All’s expenses. There were layoffs as a result of overspending, according to sources – who blamed Jones for not paying attention to the staffing needs.
Jones recently shared with Us Weekly how he’s investing the $100 million that Bezos gave him.
“I knew immediately I wanted to disrupt these systems that have been holding underestimated communities back. I knew I wanted to do something to disrupt the for-profit prison system, to disrupt the systems that put a lot of pollution in our communities and lead to poverty,” Jones told the outlet.
Jones reportedly has 10 years to invest the “miracle money” from Bezos.
“It felt like winning the lottery, except I never bought a ticket,” Jones said.
According to Us, Jones has invested in the Philadelphia-based non-profit Beat The Block, which provides paid training to men ages 18 – 24 to help them attain their professional and personal goals.
“We found an unbelievable program [Beat The Block] that was incentivizing peace on the streets by going to folks who were hanging on street corners, getting in trouble and saying, ‘We will pay you for a 100 days to get off the street corner [and] come up with a plan for your life,'” he explained. “My theory now is that the financial incentives to do bad are very high in a lot of the communities I care about and the financial incentives to do good are very weak. That’s what I want to go after.”
Additionally, Jones partnered with CodePath, which strives to create a diverse generation of engineers, CTOs, and founders.
“In these tough neighborhoods, education is a way out. That’s how my family got out of poverty. That’s what I focus on with my kids,” said Jones, who’s a father of three. “But you’ve got to educate kids in the right stuff. And technology is everything now. So if we are not educating the next generation of Black, brown and underestimated kids in technology, they’re going to be left behind.
“Maybe some of those kids who are going to come out as CodePath graduates might go on to be the next [Tesla and SpaceX founder] Elon Musk, they might go on to be the next [former Facebook Chief Operating Officer] Sheryl Sandberg.”
Meanwhile, Jones’s spokesperson said he “continues to work with Dream.org in the justice innovation space and beyond.”
Georgia Teacher Fired For Reading Gender Identity Book To Fifth-Grade Students
A Georgia teacher was fired for reading a book about gender identity to her fifth-grade class.
The Cobb County School Board voted 4-3 on Thursday night to fire fifth-grade teacher Katie Rinderle over the book “My Shadow is Purple” which she purchased at the school’s book fair.
Rinderle had been on paid leave until the school board made its decision. Her dismissal is effective immediately, 11 Alive News reported.
In March, Rinderle read the book to her fifth-grade students, ages 9 and 10, at Due West Elementary School.
She said her students chose the book from several options for her to read – even though they are old enough to read.
“My Shadow is Purple” features a non-binary boy character whose “shadow” wears a dress. The book focuses on challenging society’s gender norms.
After reading to her class, Rinderle and the students discussed the book’s subject.
“That’s what our conversation was really focusing on … the power of not only embracing your unique differences and abilities, but then valuing those in others and learning from those,” Rinderle said in a video from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Less than a month after giving her students an assignment on gender identity, a parent complained to the Cobb County School District.
The school district said her choice of book violated Georgia’s Divisive Concepts Law, which was passed in 2022. The law gives parents more control over what’s taught in the classroom.
Rinderle’s attorney, Craig Goodmark, said teachers statewide don’t know what’s legal under the new law.
“The legislature has teachers in fear for their jobs, they don’t know what they can say and what they can’t say,” he told 11 Alive News.
“It’s impossible for a teacher to know what’s in the minds of parents when she starts her lesson,” he added.
“And for parents to be able, with a political agenda from outside the classroom, to come in and have a teacher fired, is simply unfair, it’s not right, and it’s terrible for Georgia’s education system.”
Rinderle’s termination hearing was held on Aug. 10. A disciplinary panel recommended that she keep her job. But the Cobb County School District rejected their recommendation, according to Fox 5 News.
Goodmark said he and a teacher’s union will consider appealing the termination and/or filing a wrongful termination lawsuit.
He added that Rinderle’s teacher’s license is not affected and she could go to work for another school district.
Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Have Reportedly Welcomed A Baby Boy
TMZ has confirmed that the Savage x Fenty founder and rapper A$AP Rocky are parents for the second time to a son. The baby reportedly entered the world on August 3rd in Los Angeles. Not much is known about the actual labor or location of delivery. However, as with their first child, Ri and Rocky have yet to reveal the name of their youngest child. However, TMZ has learned that his name starts with an “R.” That seems to follow the couple’s theme, with their first son being named RZA, after the Wu-Tang icon.
Neither Ri nor Rocky has commented on their new bundle of joy, but talks had been spreading across the internet for several weeks that they’d welcomed their child. Many theorized that they’d had a girl initially. Another story plaguing the couple’s family life is that the two are secretly engaged and planning to raise their family in Barbados, Ri’s native country. None of this has been verified. All that is important to note at the moment is that the Grammy award winner has successfully brought two lives into the world, healthy and hopefully without complication.
Congrats are in order as the world patiently awaits the first glimpse at their newest addition.
Meta Preparing to Unveil Web Version of Threads for Users Soon
Meta plans to launch the web version of its text-based platform, Threads, in a bid to stay competitive with X (Twitter).
This move targets power users such as brands, advertisers, and journalists, boosting Threads’ appeal after the initial user surge subsided.
According to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the launch date remains unspecified but said the release date was coming soon.
“We are close on the web…,” Mosseri said in a post on Threads on Friday.
Threads launched as an Android and iOS app on July 5, drawing 100 million users in five days. However, its popularity dipped as users reverted to X after the initial rush.
Within a month, daily active users on the Android app fell from 49.3 million to 10.3 million, based on Similarweb’s August 10 report.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Sleep Walking At Walmart
The Mummy?
The Mummy?
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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