#MAGFAB: Charlize Theron for Town and Country - November 2023!
Nice the article is HERE!
#RHOA: Phaedra Parks Digs at Ex-RHOA Costars as She Joins Married to Medicine: 'These Women Have Jobs'
Phaedra Parks has noticed some key differences between Married to Medicine and her former series, The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
While speaking to PEOPLE at BravoCon 2023, Parks opened up about transitioning to the other Bravo show for its 10th season alongside fellow newcomer Alicia Egolum.
The high-profile attorney, mortician, author and now holistic healer claimed that she and her new costar have brought "a lot of seasoning to the gumbo," adding, "Now it's extra spicy!"
When asked to compare her experiences as a Housewife to her new gig on Married to Medicine, she pointed out the differences between her current and former castmates.
"Well, these girls are very intelligent and they have careers and jobs," Parks replied. "I've totally enjoyed the whole cast. They've been really great. Now, some of them are a little crazy. A few of 'em [are] a little messy. But you know, it's been good. I mean, it's a great combination."
The Bravolebrity went on to note how the women "really support one another" and how she has felt a great sense of "camaraderie."
"That's what I really love about it. They're not like cutthroat like the Housewives, baby. They're cutthroat. They go for blood," she added, though some MDs on the show perform surgery. "They [are] cutting other things — they cutting out the bad parts, but they're not trying to kill you."
Parks' new costars also had a few words to say about her during last Friday's "Bravo2Bravo: Bosom Buddies" panel.
“We’re still getting to know Phaedra,” Dr. Jackie Walters shared before Dr. Simone Whitmore said, “We’re getting to know her slowly but surely.”
“Remember, she’s coming to our world. We’re the doctors. This is Married to Medicine — we’re the medicine,” Walters added.
Parks made a name for herself in the Bravo universe in 2010 upon joining The Real Housewives of Atlanta in season 3. But she left the show after season 9, after admitting to spreading inflammatory rumors that Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker allegedly planned to drug costar Porsha Williams and their mutual friend Shamea Morton to take advantage of them sexually. (Burruss and Tucker have vehemently denied the claims.)
During her six seasons on the show, the reality star let fans into some of the most intimate moments of her life — from the birth of her two sons to the downfall of her marriage to ex-husband Apollo Nida, who is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to bank fraud and identity theft in May 2014, the same year they split.
Since then, Parks — who shares sons Ayden, 12, and Dylan, 9, with Nida — has made appearances on several other television series, including Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition and Peacock's Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club.
#NewMusic from Samara Joy ‘A Joyful Holiday’ EP!
Double Grammy-winning U.S. jazz singer Samara Joy will release the festive EP A Joyful Holiday on October 27. The six-song release serves as an extension of her latest album Linger Awhile.
The EP will be available as an exclusive D2C emerald green color variant LP, and the tracklist features a new recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” as well as both studio and live versions of “The Christmas Song.” These are augmented by the previously released “O Holy Night,” which Joy performs with multiple generations of her family, “Warm in December,” and her version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” performed in a light, swinging mood and available now ahead of the EP.
Produced by Matt Pierson, the upcoming release features a similar cast of jazz A-listers to those on Linger Awhile, with Pasquale Grasso on guitar, David Wong on bass, Kenny Washington on drums, and Sullivan Fortner on piano. Also announced today, for November 17 release, is the Verve Vinyl Collection, which features Joy’s three Verve releases, Linger Awhile, Linger Awhile Longer, and A Joyful Holiday.
In a memorable year, Joy won Grammy Awards as Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album awards, and Linger Awhile reached No.1 on Amazon Best Sellers, Billboard Jazz, Pandora Trendsetters, iTunes, and Amazon’s digital music and CD sales. The artist has attracted over one million followers on social media, with tour dates selling out at home and internationally.
STREAM HERE
Joy has further touring set around the world for the rest of the year, with stops in Athens, Berlin, Paris, London, and more. The A Joyful Holiday Tour, featuring members of her McLendon family, starts on December 1 in Houston, and takes in shows in Nashville, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and two hometown shows at the Apollo Theater in New York City. Further information is at her website.
Pre-order A Joyful Holiday, which is released on October 27.
#HipHopNews: Meek Mill & Rick Ross Tie Nba Youngboy In First Week Sales Projections
Meek Mill and Rick Ross released their joint album in the same week NBA YoungBoy dropped a new project. Now, both albums have been projected to have nearly-identical first week sales figures.
According to Hits Daily Double, Ross and Meek’s Too Good To Be True and YoungBoy’s Decided 2 are predicted to garner between 30-35K units in their respective first weeks.
The leading album for this upcoming week, according to the outlet, will be by K-pop band Stray Kids. Their ROCK-STAR is projected to be in the 225-250K range. It will, HDD says, de-throne Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) to gain the No. 1 spot.
Too Good to Be True was officially released on Friday (November 10) on the Maybach Music imprint, which is currently under an exclusive license with Gamma.
In addition to a collaboration with Cool & Dre (on the third track, “Go To Hell”), the album features a who’s who of Hip Hop’s finest, including Fabolous, Teyana Taylor, DJ Khaled, Wale, The-Dream, French Montana, and Future.
The standout track from the album is the “Shaq & Kobe” single, which features Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard on the remix.
The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97 on October 26 before being released on streaming services on October 27.
In addition to teaming up on wax, Rick Ross and Meek Mill made a surprise appearance on Inside the NBA, joining Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Charles Barkley.
The MMG duo came bearing gifts as they gave Shaq, Ernie, Kenny, and Charles Barkley their own customized crewnecks. Shaq was also blessed with his own MMG chain, which nearly brought him to tears.
“Rick told me a story when he met me a long time ago and he gave me his tape, his CD,” the four-time NBA champion explained. “He said I was nice to him. But I [re]met him in 2006 ’cause, you know, we wanna be us. So at the time when we was winning our championship, “Hustlin’” was killing the streets and that was my joint every time I rode to the games.”
He continued: “So that song, this fella helped me win that championship in Miami. And when we would always see each other, it was love. He sent me the remix first, and I was in the studio messing around, and I just did something. I was like, ‘Please like it, please like it.’
“I actually had the same feeling I had with him that I had with Biggie because when Biggie would come to the studio, I went in there like 100 times. If he don’t like it, I’m done.
“So when I sent it to him, he was like, ‘Big fella, that’s nice.’ And I was just messing around when I said, ‘Bro, you need to sign me to MMG.’ I was just playing, but this means a lot.”
2024 Grammy Nominations: A guide to the best, worst and most surprising nominees
The just-released nominations list for the 66th annual Grammy Awards, to be held Feb. 4 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, promises awards show fans one thing: stereotype-transcending sartorial excellence. The singer-songwriter trio boygenius, up for six awards including album and record of the year, has a "menswear" game like no other; will the artistic throuple dust off the Western duds for its inevitable acceptance speech? Out-earning Bridgers-Dacus-Baker is the nine times nominated SZA, who adapted the sports-jersey-and-Timberlands look '90s male rappers perfected on the cover of her R&B-ruling album SOS. Likewise, slow-burning newcomer Victoria Monet blurs binaries in the Missy Elliott-worshiping video for "On My Mama," the hit that helped earn her seven Grammy nods. Add in pantsuit savant Brandy Clark (six nominations across three genres) and tux god Janelle Monaé (two including album of the year) — not to mention top contenders Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, all of whom can tie a Windsor knot — and you have a slate that really sticks it to the old music-industry suits. In fact, the only male artist with multiple major nominations, Jon Batiste, defied formalwear norms in 2022 when he claimed his golden gramophones in a sparkling floor-length cape.
This supposedly surface-level read of the year's nominations reveals something more important than a huge pre-Grammys workload for the house of Armani. Declaring a sea change when it comes to gender equity in music is always risky; more often than not, a year of non-male dominance gives way to one in which Morgan Wallen rules everything. At least for now, though, that chart-annihilating country bro sits in the cheap seats with only one nomination, and country and hip-hop, historically hypermale genres, were overlooked in prime categories. What acknowledgment they did receive pointed firmly toward a new era, one in which Ice Spice's flow earns true admiration and genre-flexible artists of color like Batiste and the best new artist noms the War and Treaty stand proud for Nashville and the rest of the rootsy South. That Latin music was shut out of the top categories, however, is inexplicable — showing a nearsightedness uncharacteristic of the year.
The lack of a male nominee likely to good-naturedly ruin things — lightning likely won't strike twice for Batiste, and there's no Silk Sonic to dance its way to the winner's circle — indicates that the long-overdue shift toward a real acknowledgment of music that young women love. As expert trend spotter Stephen Thompson has noted below, the biggest sweep may go to the hotly debated avatar of change/no change: Barbie. Songs from the Greta Gerwig blockbuster's soundtrack have a whopping eleven nominations across many categories, better this year than any artist on their own.
Keke Palmer Obtains Restraining Order Against Darius Jackson For Domestic Abuse
On Thursday (Nov. 9), Keke Palmer filed a restraining order against the father of her child, Darius Jackson.
According to court documents by PEOPLE, the actress accused Darius of various forms of abuse throughout their two-year relationship. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge granted Palmer temporary sole custody of their one-year-old son, Leodis.
Palmer’s allegations detailed a pattern of mistreatment, including an incident where Darius was “rough” with their child during a diaper change. She also claimed that the fitness instructor recently trespassed into her home, threatened her, physically assaulted her, and stole her phone. Camera footage that leaked online reportedly captured the entire altercation.
According to the publication, Palmer said there were “many instances of physical violence, including striking and grabbing me around the neck, descriptions of Darius destroying my personal property, including diaries and prescription eyeglasses, throwing my belongings into the street, throwing my car keys to prevent me from driving away, hitting my in front of our son, spewing profanities about me to our son, threatening to kill himself with a gun if I left him, harassment, and other physical and emotional abuse.”
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the restraining order was granted and a hearing is slated to take place on Dec. 5.
Thursday’s legal action followed a public dispute earlier this year after Darius criticized Palmer on Twitter for her attire at Usher’s Las Vegas residency. While she didn’t publicly respond directly, the actress later appeared in the R&B singer’s “Boyfriend” in August.
Additionally, Darius’ brother, Sarunas Jackson, posted a now-deleted tweet seemingly directed at his sibling. It read, “The most disgusting, vile, abusive, manipulative person I have EVER encountered in my entire life… Abuses almost everyone. Y’all will see… Just send positive energy to the babies… Any child in the middle of something like this doesn’t deserve it AT ALL.”
Subsequently, Palmer’s mother said that she went to Sarunas about previous domestic disputes and he did nothing about it. In an Instagram video, she shared, “He’s posting on Twitter like he’s this special guy when we know he’s the biggest f**kboy in Hollywood. He’s disrespectful to women just like his brother.”
Lizzo Accusers Push Back On Singer’s Attempt To Dismiss Sexual Assault Case
Lizzo’s former dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez — are challenging the artist’s recent motion to dismiss their lawsuit. In a filing ahead of the Nov. 22 hearing, the trio’s attorneys argued that the Grammy winner’s actions were not shielded by anti-SLAPP statutes, which protect free speech.
In an article published by Rolling Stone on Friday (Nov. 10), they asserted that celebrities like Lizzo cannot be “forever insulated from civil liability because all their conduct is protected as free speech under the anti-SLAPP statute.”
The 19-page opposition document urged the court to deny the “Special” hitmaker’s motion to strike. The plaintiffs’ legal team also accused Lizzo’s representatives of selectively presenting allegations. They stated, “In an apparent effort to dupe this Court, Defendants either cherry-pick allegations or outright omit allegations inconvenient to their position, instead sanitizing them with euphemisms.”
Responding to the opposition filing, spokesperson Stefan Friedman referred to previous character statements supporting the singer. They shared, “Last month, 18 independent witnesses stood by Lizzo’s work ethic and character. It is clear that, since then, these plaintiff lawyers have come up with exactly zero to refute these facts.”
The lawsuit centered on various allegations of assault and discrimination. However, Lizzo’s defense team previously described Davis, Williams and Rodriguez’s behavior as a “pattern of gross misconduct.” The list included missing flights, arriving late and intoxicated to rehearsals, engaging in consensual sexual relationships with crew members, and being unprofessional.
Neama Rahmani, representing the dancers, criticized the artist’s free speech defense. She told the publication, “Even a first-year law student can see that ‘free speech’ does not cover Lizzo and her team’s illegal sexual harassment and racial, religious and disability discrimination. The defense’s declarants are either defendants accused of wrongdoing or people who are on Lizzo’s payroll, and their statements can’t be considered by the judge. That’s a question for the jury.”
In September, Lizzo formally requested that the court dismiss the lawsuit. She denied all allegations and sought a trial by jury. Her legal counsel also argued that the plaintiffs have “unclean hands,” implying they’re not entitled to damages due to not fulfilling their contractual obligations.
76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. struck, injured by vehicle in Philadelphia
Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. was struck by a vehicle in the city on Saturday night, the team confirmed to Action News.
According to police, the crash occurred at the intersection of Hicks and Spruce streets.
Police say Oubre Jr. was walking westbound on the 1400 block of Spruce Street, crossing Hicks Street, when he was struck by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed while attempting to turn south on Hicks Street.
The vehicle struck Oubre Jr. in the upper chest with the driver side mirror before fleeing the scene.
He was transported to Jefferson Hospital with a broken rib and injuries to his hip and right leg.
Oubre Jr. has since been released, the team stated. Representatives from the team, including 76ers President Daryl Morey, were at the hospital with Oubre Jr. while he was being treated.
He is expected to miss significant play time due to his injuries from the collision, but officials do not believe the injuries are season-ending.
Police say after the crash, a silver vehicle fled the scene. An investigation into this incident is still ongoing.
Oubre is in his first season with the 76ers and has averaged 16.8 points in the first eight games. He was the 15th overall pick of the 2015 draft and has played with four other teams.
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘The Marvels’ has the lowest opening weekend ever for any MCU film at $47 million
“The Marvels” didn’t go higher, further or faster during its opening weekend in theaters.
The latest entrant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe hauled in an estimated $47 million domestically over its debut weekend, the lowest in the 30-plus-film franchise’s history.
Initial predictions saw the film opening at between $75 million and $80 million domestically, but those figures shrunk to a range between $60 million and $65 million ahead of Friday’s opening.
Internationally, “The Marvels” garnered $63.3 million in ticket sales, bringing its global haul to $110.3 million.
Lowest-grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe openings
“The Marvels” (2023) — $47 million
“The Incredible Hulk” (2008) — $55.4 million
“Ant-Man” (2015) — $57.2 million
“Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011) — $65.1 million
“Thor” (2011) — $65.7 million
“The Eternals” (2021) — $71.3 million
“Despite posting the lowest domestic debut for the MCU, ‘The Marvels’ proved once again the importance of the international marketplace for the Marvel brand,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “The film will now rely on Thanksgiving holiday corridor moviegoing to help move the big budget superhero film closer to profitability and help to determine the film’s ultimate success at the box office. ”
While critics were lukewarm on “The Marvels,” giving the flick a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences were more receptive with an 85% score. Still, Disney had an uphill battle drawing moviegoers to theaters for its 33rd MCU film, which the company likely understood. CEO Bob Iger has already said this year that the studio would scale back its Marvel slate.
After 2019′s “Avengers: Endgame,” which wrapped up storylines and arcs for popular characters like Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Marvel Studios’ theatrical and streaming content has been hit-or-miss with audiences. It has also had a difficult time marketing its new projects to audiences, as it seeks to hit nostalgic notes but also push its storytelling forward.
“Marvel has simply set a very high standard for themselves,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “When a new film or series is released, they have more pressure to stand on their own while also pushing the universe forward.”
Not to mention, the studio inundated Disney+ with series in an effort to pad its platform, making some fans feel like they had to slog through hours of stories in order to understand what was happening in the films.
“Expanding the MCU brand past the goldilocks zone of balanced exposure without feeling like homework to the casual audience has created a challenge for the franchise to begin correcting for,” Robbins said.
That is perhaps why “The Marvels” landed the second-lowest opening day for a MCU film, securing just $21.5 million on Friday. This figure includes $6.6 million from Thursday night previews. The only film to snare fewer ticket sales on its first day in domestic theaters was 2008′s “The Incredible Hulk,” which was the second-ever MCU film after “Iron Man” became a surprise smash earlier that year.
Robbins was quick to underscore that this box office stumble doesn’t mean that audiences are ready to give up on the MCU. After all, the franchise has generated nearly $30 billion since 2008.
“In fact, this underwhelming box office performance occurs at the same time ‘Loki’s’ second season is, ironically, drawing praise as one of the few Disney+ Marvel series to resonate positively with a big part of the fan base,” he said.
To be sure, a $47 million opening, is not bad for any film, but in comparison to the high highs that Marvel has achieved in the last decade, it is viewed as a disappointment. It could also act as a catalyst for leadership at the studio to rethink its future release plans.
Already, Iger has said he is looking at the company’s overall theatrical and streaming strategy to pare down how much content it makes.
“At the time the pandemic hit, we were leaning into a huge increase in how much we were making,” Iger said during Disney’s earnings call last week. “And I’ve always felt that quantity can be actually a negative when it comes to quality, and I think that’s exactly what happened. We lost some focus.”
Additionally, Marvel Studios is facing an uphill battle with actor Jonathan Majors, whom it chose to take on the role of Kang, the next big bad in the MCU. Majors is embroiled in legal troubles stemming from allegations of assault and abuse.
“If any IP has the depth and capability to do that, it’s Marvel under the leadership of Kevin Feige and his teams,” said Robbins. “This is certainly a crossroads moment from a creative and business standpoint. Perhaps the relative slowdown in Marvel content next year will provide a healthy and necessary buffer for the studio, for Disney, and for audiences.”
Benzino Slams Coi Leray And Angie Martinez For Suggesting He's 'Envious' Of Coi's Success
Benzino was furious upon seeing Coi Leray's interview with Angie Martinez. The former co-owner of The Source slammed his daughter and the radio personality for suggesting that he was "envious" of Coi's success in the music industry.
Taking to Instagram on Saturday, November 11, the 58-year-old re-shared a clip from "Angie Martinez IRL" in which Angie asked, "How does your father deal with the success, 'cause that's gotta be triggering for him in a lot of ways too." In response, Coi said, "At first it was rocky because I felt like he couldn't handle my success."
"I felt like it did come from an envious place, which is okay, 'cause he's human, and that's fine. But I felt like he still wants," the femcee added. "Like he's one of those people that feels like, 'Yo, I still have a story to tell. I feel like I have to say something, let me say something.' "
Upset by their remarks, Benzino fumed in the caption, "This has to be the most ridiculous [s**t] I've heard in my entire life on this earth." He continued, "How tf can be envious towards someone I RAISED, NUTURED, PROVIDED FOR, INFLUENCED AND LOVE VERY DEARLY??? This industry and the internet have completely messed up the minds of this young generation."
"I'm tired of her pushing a false narrative about who I am and what I've done as a father. In my 40 years in hip hop I've never ever seen an artist DOG their parents out the was Coi does and it's embarrassing and sad," he further lamented. "and one last thing, @angiemartinez knows she doesn't like me so she's just being manipulative and messy."
Not stopping there, Benzino argued, "They want me crash out but I've worked on myself so hard that I ain't going backwards for ANYTHING, but what I won't do is allow ANYONE to slander my name and push a false narrative on my reputation and who I am." He then concluded, I've shed too many blood, sweat and tears, survived street wars and indictments. Nope no more."
In another post, Benzino penned, "None of y'all was there when I was providing for her her mother, her two brother who were mine and her two older brother I raised who wasn't mine so keep your negative opinions to yourself." He then stressed, "I'm a real dad and I'm proud of that. STOP THE [cap]. SALUTE TO ALL DADS WHO HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS WHILE GOING UP AGAINST THE STREETS AND THE SYSTEM, S**T'S WICKED OUT HERE FOR BLACK MEN."
‘Sherlock’ star Andrew Scott opens up about coming out Gay
Dublin-born Scott, 37, best known for playing the villainous Moriarty in Sherlock, came out as gay in a newspaper interview last November (2013).
Discussing homophobia in his native Ireland in a new interview with Hot Press, Scott said: “I don’t think that people are intrinsically homophobic, because otherwise we’d have to give up. I think people are ignorant, and there’s a lot of work to do.”
He then continued: “But it’s also very important for me to say that, I wasn’t bullied, it never affected my career, my parents were great about it. I mean it was always easy for them, and when I was younger, I still had feelings of isolation and shame, and that was compounded by a law that backed up that feeling.”
The law Scott referred to is the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act and the 1885 Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, which served together to make homosexuality illegal in Ireland until they were finally repealed in 1993.
Scott then said: “And so, in ridding ourselves of that archaic law, you free up that mind space for young people, so that they can focus on all that stuff they should be focusing on, and allowing them to be outward looking. When someone is outward looking, rather than inward looking, it means that they become kind and generous and thoughtful people, and that’s what makes people happier. That’s why it’s a human rights issue.”
Last month (February) Irish drag queen Panti Bliss delivered a powerful speech on homophobia at a Dublin theatre – which Scott hailed in the interview as “brilliant” and “extraordinary”.
Anthony Anderson Takes Over For Jamie Foxx As Host of Fox’s New Music Game Show ‘We Are Family’
“Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson and his mother, Doris Bowman, are once again teaming up to host another game show together. The son-and-mother duo have been announced as the new hosts of Fox’s upcoming music gamer “We Are Family,” which premieres Wednesday, Jan. 3.
Anderson and Bowman replace Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne Foxx, who had previously been announced for “We Are Family.” Jamie Foxx continues as an executive producer on “We Are Family,” as he presumably recovers from a medical condition that he was hospitalized for earlier this year. Jamie Foxx also hosts another music game show, “Beat Shazam,” for Fox (with Corinne Foxx as the show’s DJ), but Nick Cannon filled in as host, and Kelly Osbourne guested as DJ, for episodes that aired this summer.
Anderson and Bowman — also known as “Mama Doris” — have worked together on several projects, including the gamer “To Tell the Truth,” as well as “Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris.” According to Fox, the new show “will showcase non-famous relatives of celebrities performing amazing solo performances and duets with their hidden famous family member.”
The show, from Jeff Apploff’s Apploff Entertainment and Fox Alternative Entertainment, follows a studio audience of 100 contestants who are competing for up to $150,000 by guessing which celebrity the performer is related to. Celebrities appearing on “We Are Family” include musicians and pro athletes, Fox said.
“We’re so excited to have Anthony and Doris headline We Are Family,” said Fox unscripted programming prexy Allison Wallach. “They embody everything that’s special about this show –a ton of laughs, a lot of heart and some friendly on the edge-of-your-seat competition that the whole family can enjoy.”
“We Are Family” is co-produced by Apploff Entertainment and Fox Alternative Entertainment, which created the program. Jeff Apploff, Joni Day and Jamie Foxx are executive producers, while “We Are Family” showrunner Matilda Zoltowski is also executive producer of the series.
“I jumped at the opportunity to host ‘We Are Family’ and can’t wait for you to see all the celebrities, their relatives and the many surprises we have in store this season – and with my mama by my side, you never know what’s going to happen,” said Anderson in a statement.
John Amos and a Family at War With Itself
(via THR) In July, TV legend John Amos’ 53-year-old son, K.C., ended up in a New Jersey jail after his 57-year-old daughter, Shannon, claimed that K.C. had sent her “terroristic” threats over text message that made her believe that her life was in danger, according to a police report. These included a photo of a rifle with a caption explaining that it “can clean a turkey out from 3 football fields away.”
It was the latest in a series of sensational, headline-grabbing episodes involving the siblings this year. They’ve been locked in a bitter dispute over their father’s care, with accusations of elder abuse slung in each direction. Yet behind the scenes, The Hollywood Reporter has learned through discussions with all three Amoses that the situation is both more and less than it seems.
The painful saga goes back decades and provides an unsettling X-ray on the family life of a man who became an icon, especially among generations of African Americans, for playing the paterfamilias James Evans Sr. on Good Times. The claims and counterclaims conjure Gothic drama: infirmity, obsession, revenge, deceit, madness.
Each of the kids — he a music video director and editor, she an entertainment executive turned medicinal healer — believes they’re innocent and the other is nefarious. Their 83-year-old father, who has in the past toggled his trust between his offspring while making clear he loves them both, detests that his family life has become gossip fodder. “Whatever we’re going through is our business, not the business of the public,” he says. Yet the warring siblings, in their attempts to vanquish each other, have shown a common willingness to trump that desire for privacy by leveraging social media platforms and, in their dealings with THR, by putting forward confidential documentation to press their respective cases — even if it might undercut or embarrass their father.
For all their differences, both K.C. and Shannon understand the value of storytelling. Their father impressed upon them that if they must work in Hollywood, they should stay away from acting and instead pursue behind-the-scenes careers where they might be the ones making the true creative decisions and determining the framing of narrative visions.
In this battle, they’re each pitching. “Seventies sitcom star in trouble when his bipolar, drug-addicted son exploits him on TikTok and his ayahuasca shaman daughter comes to the rescue,” Shannon says, drafting a logline. “That’s what it looks like. It’s crazy.” For his part, K.C., invoking and appropriating his father’s most prestigious starring role, as the enslaved protagonist of Roots, notes of his several-day stay in the New Jersey jail that resulted from his sister’s accusation: “It’s true false imprisonment. I became Kunta Kinte.”
Amos has been caught in a bitter dispute between his daughter, Shannon, pictured with the actor in 2004
Since earlier this year, John Amos has been traveling the country with K.C. On TikTok, his son has depicted their journeys like a buddy comedy while Shannon and other members of the actor’s personal and professional circles have regarded the spectacle with unease, especially because it has included stays at medical facilities in multiple states.
In October, they arrived in Los Angeles to take business meetings. Soon after, THR met them for lunch at a Marina del Rey hotel. K.C., in a psychedelic shirt and Wayfarers, vacillated between being solemn, upset and as casually loose as he appears on TikTok — where he’s amassed almost half a million followers by posting a substantial amount of content involving his dad. John, in a wheelchair, was a far more even-tempered presence, fielding questions in his signature dignified baritone with a no-nonsense sharpness, although he nodded off half an hour into the conversation, prompting his son to gently nudge him. Asked about his health, he replied: “I’m feeling pretty darn good for 83 years of age.” (Later in the month, a photo shoot for this story was canceled after he was admitted to Cedars-Sinai, for what K.C. described as fluid retention issues; Shannon contends this has to do with John’s heart and is evidence of her brother’s alleged neglect.)
Father and son were intent on making several things clear. They’d been immensely enjoying their time together, bonding over their love of the Grateful Dead and the ongoing filming of a feature-length documentary about John, titled America’s Dad, which K.C. is directing. They hoped to soon close on an oceanfront property in Jamaica, which would serve as a sort of home base — although John, who reprised his role as Cleo McDowell in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America, had no plans to stop booking acting gigs in his ninth decade: “To spend the rest of my life sitting there, contemplating the waves? Not when there’s so many stories to tell.”
Get more at The Hollywood Reporter!
Kyrie Irving Donates $50K to Flint, Michigan Water Crisis Activist
Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving makes a statement on and off the court, this time around the point guard stepped in to help a major crisis.
Irving made a generous donation of $50,000 to Flint Michigan water crisis activist Mari Copeny.
The “Little Miss Flint Clean Water Fund” has generated 23,000 donations, totaling $807,800.
The goal is to reach $1 million, Sports Illustrated reported.
“Through my previous water donation campaigns, I was able to donate over ONE MILLION bottles of water to families impacted by the Flint Lead Crisis,” Copeny writes in her GoFundMe post. “My community needed water they could trust and bottled water was the only resource for drinking water that many in my community trusted. For my new donation campaign, my team has partnered with a socially-responsible water filtration company, which will allow us to maximize the impact of donated funds and eliminate the single-use plastic waste that is associated with bottled water.”
#RHOA: Phaedra Parks Digs at Ex-RHOA Costars as She Joins Married to Medicine: 'These Women Have Jobs'
While speaking to PEOPLE at BravoCon 2023, Parks opened up about transitioning to the other Bravo show for its 10th season alongside fellow newcomer Alicia Egolum.
The high-profile attorney, mortician, author and now holistic healer claimed that she and her new costar have brought "a lot of seasoning to the gumbo," adding, "Now it's extra spicy!"
When asked to compare her experiences as a Housewife to her new gig on Married to Medicine, she pointed out the differences between her current and former castmates.
"Well, these girls are very intelligent and they have careers and jobs," Parks replied. "I've totally enjoyed the whole cast. They've been really great. Now, some of them are a little crazy. A few of 'em [are] a little messy. But you know, it's been good. I mean, it's a great combination."
The Bravolebrity went on to note how the women "really support one another" and how she has felt a great sense of "camaraderie."
"That's what I really love about it. They're not like cutthroat like the Housewives, baby. They're cutthroat. They go for blood," she added, though some MDs on the show perform surgery. "They [are] cutting other things — they cutting out the bad parts, but they're not trying to kill you."
Parks' new costars also had a few words to say about her during last Friday's "Bravo2Bravo: Bosom Buddies" panel.
“We’re still getting to know Phaedra,” Dr. Jackie Walters shared before Dr. Simone Whitmore said, “We’re getting to know her slowly but surely.”
“Remember, she’s coming to our world. We’re the doctors. This is Married to Medicine — we’re the medicine,” Walters added.
Parks made a name for herself in the Bravo universe in 2010 upon joining The Real Housewives of Atlanta in season 3. But she left the show after season 9, after admitting to spreading inflammatory rumors that Kandi Burruss and her husband Todd Tucker allegedly planned to drug costar Porsha Williams and their mutual friend Shamea Morton to take advantage of them sexually. (Burruss and Tucker have vehemently denied the claims.)
During her six seasons on the show, the reality star let fans into some of the most intimate moments of her life — from the birth of her two sons to the downfall of her marriage to ex-husband Apollo Nida, who is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to bank fraud and identity theft in May 2014, the same year they split.
Since then, Parks — who shares sons Ayden, 12, and Dylan, 9, with Nida — has made appearances on several other television series, including Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition and Peacock's Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club.
#NewMusic from Samara Joy ‘A Joyful Holiday’ EP!
Double Grammy-winning U.S. jazz singer Samara Joy will release the festive EP A Joyful Holiday on October 27. The six-song release serves as an extension of her latest album Linger Awhile.
The EP will be available as an exclusive D2C emerald green color variant LP, and the tracklist features a new recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” as well as both studio and live versions of “The Christmas Song.” These are augmented by the previously released “O Holy Night,” which Joy performs with multiple generations of her family, “Warm in December,” and her version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” performed in a light, swinging mood and available now ahead of the EP.
Produced by Matt Pierson, the upcoming release features a similar cast of jazz A-listers to those on Linger Awhile, with Pasquale Grasso on guitar, David Wong on bass, Kenny Washington on drums, and Sullivan Fortner on piano. Also announced today, for November 17 release, is the Verve Vinyl Collection, which features Joy’s three Verve releases, Linger Awhile, Linger Awhile Longer, and A Joyful Holiday.
In a memorable year, Joy won Grammy Awards as Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album awards, and Linger Awhile reached No.1 on Amazon Best Sellers, Billboard Jazz, Pandora Trendsetters, iTunes, and Amazon’s digital music and CD sales. The artist has attracted over one million followers on social media, with tour dates selling out at home and internationally.
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Joy has further touring set around the world for the rest of the year, with stops in Athens, Berlin, Paris, London, and more. The A Joyful Holiday Tour, featuring members of her McLendon family, starts on December 1 in Houston, and takes in shows in Nashville, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and two hometown shows at the Apollo Theater in New York City. Further information is at her website.
Pre-order A Joyful Holiday, which is released on October 27.
#HipHopNews: Meek Mill & Rick Ross Tie Nba Youngboy In First Week Sales Projections
According to Hits Daily Double, Ross and Meek’s Too Good To Be True and YoungBoy’s Decided 2 are predicted to garner between 30-35K units in their respective first weeks.
The leading album for this upcoming week, according to the outlet, will be by K-pop band Stray Kids. Their ROCK-STAR is projected to be in the 225-250K range. It will, HDD says, de-throne Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) to gain the No. 1 spot.
Too Good to Be True was officially released on Friday (November 10) on the Maybach Music imprint, which is currently under an exclusive license with Gamma.
In addition to a collaboration with Cool & Dre (on the third track, “Go To Hell”), the album features a who’s who of Hip Hop’s finest, including Fabolous, Teyana Taylor, DJ Khaled, Wale, The-Dream, French Montana, and Future.
The standout track from the album is the “Shaq & Kobe” single, which features Shaquille O’Neal and Damian Lillard on the remix.
The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97 on October 26 before being released on streaming services on October 27.
In addition to teaming up on wax, Rick Ross and Meek Mill made a surprise appearance on Inside the NBA, joining Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Charles Barkley.
The MMG duo came bearing gifts as they gave Shaq, Ernie, Kenny, and Charles Barkley their own customized crewnecks. Shaq was also blessed with his own MMG chain, which nearly brought him to tears.
“Rick told me a story when he met me a long time ago and he gave me his tape, his CD,” the four-time NBA champion explained. “He said I was nice to him. But I [re]met him in 2006 ’cause, you know, we wanna be us. So at the time when we was winning our championship, “Hustlin’” was killing the streets and that was my joint every time I rode to the games.”
He continued: “So that song, this fella helped me win that championship in Miami. And when we would always see each other, it was love. He sent me the remix first, and I was in the studio messing around, and I just did something. I was like, ‘Please like it, please like it.’
“I actually had the same feeling I had with him that I had with Biggie because when Biggie would come to the studio, I went in there like 100 times. If he don’t like it, I’m done.
“So when I sent it to him, he was like, ‘Big fella, that’s nice.’ And I was just messing around when I said, ‘Bro, you need to sign me to MMG.’ I was just playing, but this means a lot.”
2024 Grammy Nominations: A guide to the best, worst and most surprising nominees
The just-released nominations list for the 66th annual Grammy Awards, to be held Feb. 4 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, promises awards show fans one thing: stereotype-transcending sartorial excellence. The singer-songwriter trio boygenius, up for six awards including album and record of the year, has a "menswear" game like no other; will the artistic throuple dust off the Western duds for its inevitable acceptance speech? Out-earning Bridgers-Dacus-Baker is the nine times nominated SZA, who adapted the sports-jersey-and-Timberlands look '90s male rappers perfected on the cover of her R&B-ruling album SOS. Likewise, slow-burning newcomer Victoria Monet blurs binaries in the Missy Elliott-worshiping video for "On My Mama," the hit that helped earn her seven Grammy nods. Add in pantsuit savant Brandy Clark (six nominations across three genres) and tux god Janelle Monaé (two including album of the year) — not to mention top contenders Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, all of whom can tie a Windsor knot — and you have a slate that really sticks it to the old music-industry suits. In fact, the only male artist with multiple major nominations, Jon Batiste, defied formalwear norms in 2022 when he claimed his golden gramophones in a sparkling floor-length cape.
This supposedly surface-level read of the year's nominations reveals something more important than a huge pre-Grammys workload for the house of Armani. Declaring a sea change when it comes to gender equity in music is always risky; more often than not, a year of non-male dominance gives way to one in which Morgan Wallen rules everything. At least for now, though, that chart-annihilating country bro sits in the cheap seats with only one nomination, and country and hip-hop, historically hypermale genres, were overlooked in prime categories. What acknowledgment they did receive pointed firmly toward a new era, one in which Ice Spice's flow earns true admiration and genre-flexible artists of color like Batiste and the best new artist noms the War and Treaty stand proud for Nashville and the rest of the rootsy South. That Latin music was shut out of the top categories, however, is inexplicable — showing a nearsightedness uncharacteristic of the year.
The lack of a male nominee likely to good-naturedly ruin things — lightning likely won't strike twice for Batiste, and there's no Silk Sonic to dance its way to the winner's circle — indicates that the long-overdue shift toward a real acknowledgment of music that young women love. As expert trend spotter Stephen Thompson has noted below, the biggest sweep may go to the hotly debated avatar of change/no change: Barbie. Songs from the Greta Gerwig blockbuster's soundtrack have a whopping eleven nominations across many categories, better this year than any artist on their own.
Keke Palmer Obtains Restraining Order Against Darius Jackson For Domestic Abuse
According to court documents by PEOPLE, the actress accused Darius of various forms of abuse throughout their two-year relationship. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge granted Palmer temporary sole custody of their one-year-old son, Leodis.
Palmer’s allegations detailed a pattern of mistreatment, including an incident where Darius was “rough” with their child during a diaper change. She also claimed that the fitness instructor recently trespassed into her home, threatened her, physically assaulted her, and stole her phone. Camera footage that leaked online reportedly captured the entire altercation.
According to the publication, Palmer said there were “many instances of physical violence, including striking and grabbing me around the neck, descriptions of Darius destroying my personal property, including diaries and prescription eyeglasses, throwing my belongings into the street, throwing my car keys to prevent me from driving away, hitting my in front of our son, spewing profanities about me to our son, threatening to kill himself with a gun if I left him, harassment, and other physical and emotional abuse.”
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the restraining order was granted and a hearing is slated to take place on Dec. 5.
Thursday’s legal action followed a public dispute earlier this year after Darius criticized Palmer on Twitter for her attire at Usher’s Las Vegas residency. While she didn’t publicly respond directly, the actress later appeared in the R&B singer’s “Boyfriend” in August.
Additionally, Darius’ brother, Sarunas Jackson, posted a now-deleted tweet seemingly directed at his sibling. It read, “The most disgusting, vile, abusive, manipulative person I have EVER encountered in my entire life… Abuses almost everyone. Y’all will see… Just send positive energy to the babies… Any child in the middle of something like this doesn’t deserve it AT ALL.”
Subsequently, Palmer’s mother said that she went to Sarunas about previous domestic disputes and he did nothing about it. In an Instagram video, she shared, “He’s posting on Twitter like he’s this special guy when we know he’s the biggest f**kboy in Hollywood. He’s disrespectful to women just like his brother.”
Lizzo Accusers Push Back On Singer’s Attempt To Dismiss Sexual Assault Case
Lizzo’s former dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez — are challenging the artist’s recent motion to dismiss their lawsuit. In a filing ahead of the Nov. 22 hearing, the trio’s attorneys argued that the Grammy winner’s actions were not shielded by anti-SLAPP statutes, which protect free speech.
In an article published by Rolling Stone on Friday (Nov. 10), they asserted that celebrities like Lizzo cannot be “forever insulated from civil liability because all their conduct is protected as free speech under the anti-SLAPP statute.”
The 19-page opposition document urged the court to deny the “Special” hitmaker’s motion to strike. The plaintiffs’ legal team also accused Lizzo’s representatives of selectively presenting allegations. They stated, “In an apparent effort to dupe this Court, Defendants either cherry-pick allegations or outright omit allegations inconvenient to their position, instead sanitizing them with euphemisms.”
Responding to the opposition filing, spokesperson Stefan Friedman referred to previous character statements supporting the singer. They shared, “Last month, 18 independent witnesses stood by Lizzo’s work ethic and character. It is clear that, since then, these plaintiff lawyers have come up with exactly zero to refute these facts.”
The lawsuit centered on various allegations of assault and discrimination. However, Lizzo’s defense team previously described Davis, Williams and Rodriguez’s behavior as a “pattern of gross misconduct.” The list included missing flights, arriving late and intoxicated to rehearsals, engaging in consensual sexual relationships with crew members, and being unprofessional.
Neama Rahmani, representing the dancers, criticized the artist’s free speech defense. She told the publication, “Even a first-year law student can see that ‘free speech’ does not cover Lizzo and her team’s illegal sexual harassment and racial, religious and disability discrimination. The defense’s declarants are either defendants accused of wrongdoing or people who are on Lizzo’s payroll, and their statements can’t be considered by the judge. That’s a question for the jury.”
In September, Lizzo formally requested that the court dismiss the lawsuit. She denied all allegations and sought a trial by jury. Her legal counsel also argued that the plaintiffs have “unclean hands,” implying they’re not entitled to damages due to not fulfilling their contractual obligations.
76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. struck, injured by vehicle in Philadelphia
According to police, the crash occurred at the intersection of Hicks and Spruce streets.
Police say Oubre Jr. was walking westbound on the 1400 block of Spruce Street, crossing Hicks Street, when he was struck by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed while attempting to turn south on Hicks Street.
The vehicle struck Oubre Jr. in the upper chest with the driver side mirror before fleeing the scene.
He was transported to Jefferson Hospital with a broken rib and injuries to his hip and right leg.
Oubre Jr. has since been released, the team stated. Representatives from the team, including 76ers President Daryl Morey, were at the hospital with Oubre Jr. while he was being treated.
He is expected to miss significant play time due to his injuries from the collision, but officials do not believe the injuries are season-ending.
Police say after the crash, a silver vehicle fled the scene. An investigation into this incident is still ongoing.
Oubre is in his first season with the 76ers and has averaged 16.8 points in the first eight games. He was the 15th overall pick of the 2015 draft and has played with four other teams.
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘The Marvels’ has the lowest opening weekend ever for any MCU film at $47 million
“The Marvels” didn’t go higher, further or faster during its opening weekend in theaters.
The latest entrant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe hauled in an estimated $47 million domestically over its debut weekend, the lowest in the 30-plus-film franchise’s history.
Initial predictions saw the film opening at between $75 million and $80 million domestically, but those figures shrunk to a range between $60 million and $65 million ahead of Friday’s opening.
Internationally, “The Marvels” garnered $63.3 million in ticket sales, bringing its global haul to $110.3 million.
Lowest-grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe openings
“The Marvels” (2023) — $47 million
“The Incredible Hulk” (2008) — $55.4 million
“Ant-Man” (2015) — $57.2 million
“Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011) — $65.1 million
“Thor” (2011) — $65.7 million
“The Eternals” (2021) — $71.3 million
“Despite posting the lowest domestic debut for the MCU, ‘The Marvels’ proved once again the importance of the international marketplace for the Marvel brand,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “The film will now rely on Thanksgiving holiday corridor moviegoing to help move the big budget superhero film closer to profitability and help to determine the film’s ultimate success at the box office. ”
While critics were lukewarm on “The Marvels,” giving the flick a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences were more receptive with an 85% score. Still, Disney had an uphill battle drawing moviegoers to theaters for its 33rd MCU film, which the company likely understood. CEO Bob Iger has already said this year that the studio would scale back its Marvel slate.
After 2019′s “Avengers: Endgame,” which wrapped up storylines and arcs for popular characters like Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Marvel Studios’ theatrical and streaming content has been hit-or-miss with audiences. It has also had a difficult time marketing its new projects to audiences, as it seeks to hit nostalgic notes but also push its storytelling forward.
“Marvel has simply set a very high standard for themselves,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “When a new film or series is released, they have more pressure to stand on their own while also pushing the universe forward.”
Not to mention, the studio inundated Disney+ with series in an effort to pad its platform, making some fans feel like they had to slog through hours of stories in order to understand what was happening in the films.
“Expanding the MCU brand past the goldilocks zone of balanced exposure without feeling like homework to the casual audience has created a challenge for the franchise to begin correcting for,” Robbins said.
That is perhaps why “The Marvels” landed the second-lowest opening day for a MCU film, securing just $21.5 million on Friday. This figure includes $6.6 million from Thursday night previews. The only film to snare fewer ticket sales on its first day in domestic theaters was 2008′s “The Incredible Hulk,” which was the second-ever MCU film after “Iron Man” became a surprise smash earlier that year.
Robbins was quick to underscore that this box office stumble doesn’t mean that audiences are ready to give up on the MCU. After all, the franchise has generated nearly $30 billion since 2008.
“In fact, this underwhelming box office performance occurs at the same time ‘Loki’s’ second season is, ironically, drawing praise as one of the few Disney+ Marvel series to resonate positively with a big part of the fan base,” he said.
To be sure, a $47 million opening, is not bad for any film, but in comparison to the high highs that Marvel has achieved in the last decade, it is viewed as a disappointment. It could also act as a catalyst for leadership at the studio to rethink its future release plans.
Already, Iger has said he is looking at the company’s overall theatrical and streaming strategy to pare down how much content it makes.
“At the time the pandemic hit, we were leaning into a huge increase in how much we were making,” Iger said during Disney’s earnings call last week. “And I’ve always felt that quantity can be actually a negative when it comes to quality, and I think that’s exactly what happened. We lost some focus.”
Additionally, Marvel Studios is facing an uphill battle with actor Jonathan Majors, whom it chose to take on the role of Kang, the next big bad in the MCU. Majors is embroiled in legal troubles stemming from allegations of assault and abuse.
“If any IP has the depth and capability to do that, it’s Marvel under the leadership of Kevin Feige and his teams,” said Robbins. “This is certainly a crossroads moment from a creative and business standpoint. Perhaps the relative slowdown in Marvel content next year will provide a healthy and necessary buffer for the studio, for Disney, and for audiences.”
Benzino Slams Coi Leray And Angie Martinez For Suggesting He's 'Envious' Of Coi's Success
Taking to Instagram on Saturday, November 11, the 58-year-old re-shared a clip from "Angie Martinez IRL" in which Angie asked, "How does your father deal with the success, 'cause that's gotta be triggering for him in a lot of ways too." In response, Coi said, "At first it was rocky because I felt like he couldn't handle my success."
"I felt like it did come from an envious place, which is okay, 'cause he's human, and that's fine. But I felt like he still wants," the femcee added. "Like he's one of those people that feels like, 'Yo, I still have a story to tell. I feel like I have to say something, let me say something.' "
Upset by their remarks, Benzino fumed in the caption, "This has to be the most ridiculous [s**t] I've heard in my entire life on this earth." He continued, "How tf can be envious towards someone I RAISED, NUTURED, PROVIDED FOR, INFLUENCED AND LOVE VERY DEARLY??? This industry and the internet have completely messed up the minds of this young generation."
"I'm tired of her pushing a false narrative about who I am and what I've done as a father. In my 40 years in hip hop I've never ever seen an artist DOG their parents out the was Coi does and it's embarrassing and sad," he further lamented. "and one last thing, @angiemartinez knows she doesn't like me so she's just being manipulative and messy."
Not stopping there, Benzino argued, "They want me crash out but I've worked on myself so hard that I ain't going backwards for ANYTHING, but what I won't do is allow ANYONE to slander my name and push a false narrative on my reputation and who I am." He then concluded, I've shed too many blood, sweat and tears, survived street wars and indictments. Nope no more."
In another post, Benzino penned, "None of y'all was there when I was providing for her her mother, her two brother who were mine and her two older brother I raised who wasn't mine so keep your negative opinions to yourself." He then stressed, "I'm a real dad and I'm proud of that. STOP THE [cap]. SALUTE TO ALL DADS WHO HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS WHILE GOING UP AGAINST THE STREETS AND THE SYSTEM, S**T'S WICKED OUT HERE FOR BLACK MEN."
‘Sherlock’ star Andrew Scott opens up about coming out Gay
Dublin-born Scott, 37, best known for playing the villainous Moriarty in Sherlock, came out as gay in a newspaper interview last November (2013).
Discussing homophobia in his native Ireland in a new interview with Hot Press, Scott said: “I don’t think that people are intrinsically homophobic, because otherwise we’d have to give up. I think people are ignorant, and there’s a lot of work to do.”
He then continued: “But it’s also very important for me to say that, I wasn’t bullied, it never affected my career, my parents were great about it. I mean it was always easy for them, and when I was younger, I still had feelings of isolation and shame, and that was compounded by a law that backed up that feeling.”
The law Scott referred to is the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act and the 1885 Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, which served together to make homosexuality illegal in Ireland until they were finally repealed in 1993.
Scott then said: “And so, in ridding ourselves of that archaic law, you free up that mind space for young people, so that they can focus on all that stuff they should be focusing on, and allowing them to be outward looking. When someone is outward looking, rather than inward looking, it means that they become kind and generous and thoughtful people, and that’s what makes people happier. That’s why it’s a human rights issue.”
Last month (February) Irish drag queen Panti Bliss delivered a powerful speech on homophobia at a Dublin theatre – which Scott hailed in the interview as “brilliant” and “extraordinary”.
Anthony Anderson Takes Over For Jamie Foxx As Host of Fox’s New Music Game Show ‘We Are Family’
Anderson and Bowman replace Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne Foxx, who had previously been announced for “We Are Family.” Jamie Foxx continues as an executive producer on “We Are Family,” as he presumably recovers from a medical condition that he was hospitalized for earlier this year. Jamie Foxx also hosts another music game show, “Beat Shazam,” for Fox (with Corinne Foxx as the show’s DJ), but Nick Cannon filled in as host, and Kelly Osbourne guested as DJ, for episodes that aired this summer.
Anderson and Bowman — also known as “Mama Doris” — have worked together on several projects, including the gamer “To Tell the Truth,” as well as “Trippin’ with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris.” According to Fox, the new show “will showcase non-famous relatives of celebrities performing amazing solo performances and duets with their hidden famous family member.”
The show, from Jeff Apploff’s Apploff Entertainment and Fox Alternative Entertainment, follows a studio audience of 100 contestants who are competing for up to $150,000 by guessing which celebrity the performer is related to. Celebrities appearing on “We Are Family” include musicians and pro athletes, Fox said.
“We’re so excited to have Anthony and Doris headline We Are Family,” said Fox unscripted programming prexy Allison Wallach. “They embody everything that’s special about this show –a ton of laughs, a lot of heart and some friendly on the edge-of-your-seat competition that the whole family can enjoy.”
“We Are Family” is co-produced by Apploff Entertainment and Fox Alternative Entertainment, which created the program. Jeff Apploff, Joni Day and Jamie Foxx are executive producers, while “We Are Family” showrunner Matilda Zoltowski is also executive producer of the series.
“I jumped at the opportunity to host ‘We Are Family’ and can’t wait for you to see all the celebrities, their relatives and the many surprises we have in store this season – and with my mama by my side, you never know what’s going to happen,” said Anderson in a statement.
John Amos and a Family at War With Itself
(via THR) In July, TV legend John Amos’ 53-year-old son, K.C., ended up in a New Jersey jail after his 57-year-old daughter, Shannon, claimed that K.C. had sent her “terroristic” threats over text message that made her believe that her life was in danger, according to a police report. These included a photo of a rifle with a caption explaining that it “can clean a turkey out from 3 football fields away.”
It was the latest in a series of sensational, headline-grabbing episodes involving the siblings this year. They’ve been locked in a bitter dispute over their father’s care, with accusations of elder abuse slung in each direction. Yet behind the scenes, The Hollywood Reporter has learned through discussions with all three Amoses that the situation is both more and less than it seems.
The painful saga goes back decades and provides an unsettling X-ray on the family life of a man who became an icon, especially among generations of African Americans, for playing the paterfamilias James Evans Sr. on Good Times. The claims and counterclaims conjure Gothic drama: infirmity, obsession, revenge, deceit, madness.
Each of the kids — he a music video director and editor, she an entertainment executive turned medicinal healer — believes they’re innocent and the other is nefarious. Their 83-year-old father, who has in the past toggled his trust between his offspring while making clear he loves them both, detests that his family life has become gossip fodder. “Whatever we’re going through is our business, not the business of the public,” he says. Yet the warring siblings, in their attempts to vanquish each other, have shown a common willingness to trump that desire for privacy by leveraging social media platforms and, in their dealings with THR, by putting forward confidential documentation to press their respective cases — even if it might undercut or embarrass their father.
For all their differences, both K.C. and Shannon understand the value of storytelling. Their father impressed upon them that if they must work in Hollywood, they should stay away from acting and instead pursue behind-the-scenes careers where they might be the ones making the true creative decisions and determining the framing of narrative visions.
In this battle, they’re each pitching. “Seventies sitcom star in trouble when his bipolar, drug-addicted son exploits him on TikTok and his ayahuasca shaman daughter comes to the rescue,” Shannon says, drafting a logline. “That’s what it looks like. It’s crazy.” For his part, K.C., invoking and appropriating his father’s most prestigious starring role, as the enslaved protagonist of Roots, notes of his several-day stay in the New Jersey jail that resulted from his sister’s accusation: “It’s true false imprisonment. I became Kunta Kinte.”
Amos has been caught in a bitter dispute between his daughter, Shannon, pictured with the actor in 2004
Since earlier this year, John Amos has been traveling the country with K.C. On TikTok, his son has depicted their journeys like a buddy comedy while Shannon and other members of the actor’s personal and professional circles have regarded the spectacle with unease, especially because it has included stays at medical facilities in multiple states.
In October, they arrived in Los Angeles to take business meetings. Soon after, THR met them for lunch at a Marina del Rey hotel. K.C., in a psychedelic shirt and Wayfarers, vacillated between being solemn, upset and as casually loose as he appears on TikTok — where he’s amassed almost half a million followers by posting a substantial amount of content involving his dad. John, in a wheelchair, was a far more even-tempered presence, fielding questions in his signature dignified baritone with a no-nonsense sharpness, although he nodded off half an hour into the conversation, prompting his son to gently nudge him. Asked about his health, he replied: “I’m feeling pretty darn good for 83 years of age.” (Later in the month, a photo shoot for this story was canceled after he was admitted to Cedars-Sinai, for what K.C. described as fluid retention issues; Shannon contends this has to do with John’s heart and is evidence of her brother’s alleged neglect.)
Father and son were intent on making several things clear. They’d been immensely enjoying their time together, bonding over their love of the Grateful Dead and the ongoing filming of a feature-length documentary about John, titled America’s Dad, which K.C. is directing. They hoped to soon close on an oceanfront property in Jamaica, which would serve as a sort of home base — although John, who reprised his role as Cleo McDowell in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America, had no plans to stop booking acting gigs in his ninth decade: “To spend the rest of my life sitting there, contemplating the waves? Not when there’s so many stories to tell.”
Get more at The Hollywood Reporter!
Kyrie Irving Donates $50K to Flint, Michigan Water Crisis Activist
Irving made a generous donation of $50,000 to Flint Michigan water crisis activist Mari Copeny.
The “Little Miss Flint Clean Water Fund” has generated 23,000 donations, totaling $807,800.
The goal is to reach $1 million, Sports Illustrated reported.
“Through my previous water donation campaigns, I was able to donate over ONE MILLION bottles of water to families impacted by the Flint Lead Crisis,” Copeny writes in her GoFundMe post. “My community needed water they could trust and bottled water was the only resource for drinking water that many in my community trusted. For my new donation campaign, my team has partnered with a socially-responsible water filtration company, which will allow us to maximize the impact of donated funds and eliminate the single-use plastic waste that is associated with bottled water.”
Irving is known for his humanity, which he doesn’t shed enough light on. Still, his efforts to make a positive change don’t go unnoticed.
“I am grateful every day that GOD put me through all of those tests over the past few years. I was called everything under the sun, as I attempted to bring light to the atrocities/tragedies happening around the World,” the NBA star tweeted. “I still have more work to do.”
Nike Yardrunners 2023 Campaign Celebrates HBCU Rising Stars
For four consecutive years, Ashley Henderson, a dedicated HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) alum and the creative mastermind behind League Twenty-Two Marketing Agency, has been at the helm of the exciting 2023 Nike Yardrunners campaign. This annual endeavor, crafted in partnership with Nike, puts a spotlight on the burgeoning talents within the HBCU community, and it’s currently making waves across Nike and Nike Sportswear’s social media platforms.
The 2023 Nike Yard Runners campaign, a recent sensation on Nike and Nike Sportswear’s social channels, took flight under the imaginative guidance of Ashley Henderson, a passionate HBCU alum and the driving force behind League Twenty-Two Marketing Agency.
Now in its fourth year, the Yardrunners collection, originally conceived by Arinze Emeagwali and fellow Howard University alumnus Richard Palmer, pays a heartfelt tribute to the rich history and vibrant culture of HBCUs. It also celebrates the remarkable contributions of their esteemed alumni. What sets this campaign apart is that it’s not just about showcasing talented individuals in front of the camera; it’s about giving due credit to the entire production team behind the scenes, a team composed of accomplished Black HBCU alumni.
Guiding the campaign to success, Ashley Henderson, as the founder of League Twenty-Two Marketing Agency, ensures the production’s seamless execution. Adding an extra layer of creative flair to the team is Cam Kirk, a former Yardrunner and a distinguished hip-hop photographer. The brain behind Cam Kirk Studios, he’s entrusted with capturing the essence of the campaign through his artful photography.
The 2023 Nike Yard Runners campaign is a testament to the exceptional talent within the HBCU community, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes. It continues to honor and uplift the legacy and contributions of HBCUs while providing a platform for emerging stars to illuminate the screen.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Some Nuts For The Squirrel
This time though, it’s not an alligator, a lemur, or a disguised dog, it’s a freaking squirrel!
This time though, it’s not an alligator, a lemur, or a disguised dog, it’s a freaking squirrel!
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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