#MAGFAB: Fantasia Barrino, for VARIETY’s ‘Power of Women’ Issue!
It’s hard to turn down Oprah Winfrey. But that’s exactly what Fantasia Barrino did when the original “Color Purple” star approached her in 2021 to play Celie, an abused and uneducated Southern Black woman at the turn of the 20th century, in a big-screen musical reimagining of the classic film and Alice Walker’s novel.
Sixteen years ago, when she was in her early 20s, Barrino had played the role on Broadway, but it had been a traumatic rather than triumphant experience. “My life was in shambles,” Barrino, now 39, says, explaining how draining it was to portray Celie’s harrowing journey for eight shows a week. “I carried her every day, all day, and I didn’t like that feeling.”
When her run ended nine months later, she swore she’d never play the role again.
It was director Blitz Bazawule who changed Barrino’s mind about doing the film. He flew to her North Carolina home to explain his spin on the story, sharing his vision of Celie’s first encounter with Shug Avery, played by Taraji P. Henson, the sultry songstress who opens Celie’s eyes to a world beyond her oppressed existence. In the scene, Shug asks Celie to crank the gramophone so she can listen to a record while soaking in a bathtub. Bazawule planned to have this encounter trigger Celie’s imagination, staging the action on a massive record player as the character sings her way through her awakening.
Sixteen years ago, when she was in her early 20s, Barrino had played the role on Broadway, but it had been a traumatic rather than triumphant experience. “My life was in shambles,” Barrino, now 39, says, explaining how draining it was to portray Celie’s harrowing journey for eight shows a week. “I carried her every day, all day, and I didn’t like that feeling.”
When her run ended nine months later, she swore she’d never play the role again.
It was director Blitz Bazawule who changed Barrino’s mind about doing the film. He flew to her North Carolina home to explain his spin on the story, sharing his vision of Celie’s first encounter with Shug Avery, played by Taraji P. Henson, the sultry songstress who opens Celie’s eyes to a world beyond her oppressed existence. In the scene, Shug asks Celie to crank the gramophone so she can listen to a record while soaking in a bathtub. Bazawule planned to have this encounter trigger Celie’s imagination, staging the action on a massive record player as the character sings her way through her awakening.
Barrino loved the idea. She realized that, in the movies, unlike onstage, the audience could have access to Celie’s inner monologue, giving the character, who rarely speaks, more of a voice. “You get to see how she made it through some of this stuff,” Barrino notes. So she said yes.
Barrino showed an intense commitment to the role, despite it bringing up a lot of unresolved feelings about her own experiences with violence and sexual abuse in past relationships. For instance, instead of letting a stunt double handle the scenes where Celie’s husband, Mister, hits her, Barrino insisted on taking the stage punches herself. Colman Domingo, who plays Mister, protested, but Barrino explained: It was an opportunity to face her past rather than run from it. “I could let go of every man that’s ever put his hands on me. I freed myself from that.”
But there was one scene that worried Barrino: the one where she performs “I’m Here,” the anthem a newly empowered Celie sings toward the end of the musical. Barrino had the prowess to pull off the song’s gravity-defying vocal range, but for a musician who sings from the depths of her soul, the emotional intensity of the lyrics made things more difficult. It all hit very close to home.
“I remember saying, ‘God, just stay with me, so that I won’t cheat Celie,’” she says. “Give me the strength to belt this song.”
“The Color Purple” marks Barrino’s first film role after playing herself in the 2006 Lifetime movie “Life Is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story,” based on her memoir. So she didn’t have much experience with the grueling process of doing multiple takes for hours, each bar of each song sung dozens of times in the freezing night air. It was nearly dawn when Bazawule called cut.
“That moment where she looks at us and her voice breaks,” Bazawule says — referring to the song’s climactic line, “I’m beautiful and I’m here” — “it’s like, ‘That’s it. That’s her. Everybody pack it up and go home.’”
Get more at Variety!
#RHOP: Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon Say Only 2 of the Housewives on Ozempic Look Good!
The subject came up while Bryant, 53, and Dixon, 44, spoke about BravoCon on the Monday, November 13, episode of iHeartMedia’s “Reasonably Shady” podcast. “Let’s talk about barefoot people that we saw this weekend,” Dixon said. “It was so funny. The night after the Squash the Beef — you know, every Housewife is there — I see Emily [Simpson] from O.C. walking out of the hotel barefoot. … She has her slippers in her hand, not on her feet. She’s walking out of the hotel to get to our transportation area — barefoot.”
While they didn’t approve of Simpson’s lack of footwear, Bryant couldn’t help but praise her weight loss. “By the way, she looks beautiful, and so her Ozempic journey has been good for her,” Bryant added. “I cannot say the same for the rest of these ladies.”
“I agree,” Dixon said. “I think I heard that she said she took Ozempic to, like, jumpstart it and then got off of it and now she’s just, like, working out and eating healthy.”
Bryant quipped, “She looks good, the rest of ‘em don’t.”
While Dixon agreed that Simpson, 47, has pulled off the transformation, she said others using the medication don’t look like themselves. “She looks good. Some people, it’s [like] I want the old person back,” she said. “Marlo [Hampton] looks good though.”
Bryant acknowledged that Hampton’s transformation was less dramatic. “Marlo looks like you wouldn’t necessarily know she’s on it or that she took it,” she explained. “Like, she looks like she just lost a little bit of weight, which is perfect.”
Dixon quipped, “And her booty’s still juicy!”
Simpson has been clear about taking Ozempic, previously revealing that she only used the injections, which are intended for diabetes patients, in December 2022.
“I did a full blood panel. My cholesterol was high. I have zero testosterone,” Simpson recalled while on Jeff Lewis‘ SiriusXM radio show in June. “I was pre-diabetic, so she actually said, ‘Why don’t you do a semaglutide?’ which is Ozempic, so I did. I did that in December.”
While the drug was “a great kickstart for me … [to lose] five to seven pounds,” the Real Housewives of Orange County star ditched Ozempic because it “made me feel lethargic and it made me just not have a lot of energy.”
Simpson exclusively told Us Weekly the following month that she did not stay on the drug long and has done a lot of work to improve her health throughout the year.
“The thing that bothers me the most is that when people comment on the way that I look, they constantly say, ‘Ozempic, Ozempic,’” she said in July. “And it’s like, yes, I did use that nine months ago or however many months ago it was, but I don’t like that it discounts all the hard work I put in. I don’t care if you say that all you want, but at least gimme credit for seven days a week, getting up at 6 a.m. every morning and busting my butt in the gym every single day.”
She added that she felt some unwanted side effects. “It was very motivating when I started to notice that I was eating better and I’d lost a little weight and then the liposuction [in my arms] was helpful,” she told Us. “It was a good kickstart for me, but it was very difficult for me to function. I have three small children, so I couldn’t feel like that all the time. I can’t constantly feel nauseous. So it was very short-lived, but it was very effective.”
Other Housewives have also owned up to using Ozempic, from Dolores Catania to Margaret Josephs.
#MusicNews: Marsha Ambrosius Announces City Winery Tour Dates
(via Rated R&B) Before the year closes out, Marsha Ambrosius will hit the road for a mini tour later this fall.
The Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter has announced the dates for her upcoming shows at City Winery locations across the U.S.
Ambrosius will launch her tour in Chicago, Illinois, where she will play a total of four shows on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6. From there, Ambrosius will make stops in St. Louis, New York and Philadelphia, to name a few.
The tour will conclude in Atlanta, Georgia, where she will play two shows each night on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.
It’s been five years since Ambrosius last released an album. In 2018, she released NYLA, a 16-track offering that included a feature from PJ Morton.
The album, which shares the same name as Ambrosius’ daughter, included popular tracks such as “Luh Ya” and “Old Times.” Additionally, it boasted production by Harmony Samuels, Stereotypes, and Focus.
Regarding NYLA, Ambrosius explained, “I had a lot of pent up energy, and channeling all of the energy into the music is what helped save my sanity. Poems turned into melodies and then a bunch of songs, which was like my personal therapy in a sense.”
She added, “From beginning to end, it’s me letting go of everything I wanted to let go of in my life and experiencing things all over again through Nyla’s eyes.
In December 2021, Ambrosius revealed she recorded an album with Dr. Dre titled Casablanco. “I had an amazing time!! This is some of my best work!!!” she wrote in an Instagram caption for a photo of her and Dr. Dre in a recording studio.
He echoed Ambrosius’ sentiments in a separate post. “I just finished recording an album with Marsha Ambrosius. ‘Casablanco’ I had a blast!! This is some of my best work!!” Dr. Dre wrote on Instagram.
Ambrosius previously contributed to Dr. Dre’s 2015 album, Compton, appearing on multiple tracks, including “Genocide” with Kendrick Lamar and Candice Pillay.
Prior to that, Dr. Dre produced and contributed to Ambrosius’ rendition of Sade’s “Stronger Than Pride” from her 2014 album, Friends & Lovers.
A release date for Casablanco has not been announced at this time.
Marsha Ambrosius’ City Winery 2023 Tour Dates
Dec 5 – Chicago, IL (6 p.m. show)
Dec 5 – Chicago, IL (9:30 p.m. show)
Dec 6 – Chicago, IL (6 p.m. show)
Dec 6 – Chicago, IL (9:30 p.m. show)
Dec 7 – St. Louis, MO (6 p.m. show) – sold out
Dec 7 – St. Louis, MO (9:30 p.m. show)
Dec 12 – New York, NY (6 p.m. show)
Dec 12 – New York, NY (9 p.m. show)
Dec 14 – Boston, MA (6 p.m. show)
Dec 14 – Boston, MA (9:30 p.m. show)
Dec 15 – Philadelphia, PA (6:30 p.m. show)
Dec 15 – Philadelphia, PA (9:30 p.m. show) – sold out
Dec 16 – Pittsburgh, PA (6:30 p.m. show)
Dec 16 – Pittsburgh, PA (9:30 p.m. show)
Dec 17 – Atlanta, GA (7 p.m. show) – sold out
Dec 17 – Atlanta, GA (10 p.m. show)
Dec 18 – Atlanta, GA (7 p.m. show) – sold out
Dec 18 – Atlanta, GA (10 p.m. show)
Tickets for Ambrosius’ tour are available on the official City Winery website.
#HipHopNews: André 3000 to release 'New Blue Sun,' his first album in nearly two decades
Co-produced by Benjamin and multi-instrumentalist Carlos Niño, the album will feature instrument playing from Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina, Deantoni Parks, Diego Gaeta, Matthewdavid, V.C.R, Diego Gaeta, Jesse Peterson, and Mia Doi Todd.
According to a press release, the album is a “a celebratory piece of work in the form of a living, breathing, aural organism.”
“Over the past decade, André 3000 has lived without anchors, gently floating in a breeze. Blink and you might miss him: There he is in Japan, flashing a bright smile and a peace sign, his other hand holding a custom wooden flute,” the release states. “There he is again, this time in an airport terminal, playing a few spare notes to pass the time. Wait, is that André in SoHo with a latte? Casually walking around like he’s not who he is?”
It continues: “André isn’t BigFoot. He isn’t some mythical being living in the hills. He’s very much aware of his legend as an award-winning actor, one-half of the Grammy-winning rap duo OutKast, and master of the show-stopping guest verse.”
Benjamin called wind the “most essential element” of his new album, which features his own flute playing throughout.
“I’ve been interested in winds for a long time, so it was just a natural progression for me to go into flutes,” he said in a statement. “I just like messing with instruments and I gravitated mostly toward wind.”
“New Blue Sun” has some long-running songs with equally long-winded titles. The opening song is 12 minutes and titled, “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a Rap Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time.”
The album drops November 17 via Epic Records.
Will Smith's Rep Shuts Down Duane Martin Gay Affair Allegation
Will Smith is not staying silent after he's accused of having a sexual relationship with fellow actor Duane Martin. After his former friend and assistant Brother Bilaal allegedly spilled the beans in an interview, a rep for the Oscar winner has debunked the allegation.
In a statement to TMZ on Tuesday, November 14, the representative completely denied the allegation, saying, "This story is completely fabricated and the claim is unequivocally false." Apparently taking it seriously, a source close to the situation added that the 55-year-old is considering taking legal action following Brother's remarks.
Will's rep issued the denial after Brother spoke on details of Will's private life in an interview with Taska K. During the sit-down, Brother claimed he once caught the "Emancipation" star engaging in "sexual acts" with Duane years ago.
"I open the door to Duane's dressing room and that's when I see Duane having anal sex with Will," Brother said in a clip of the interview. Tasha said she needed time to process the shocking revelation, before Brother went on detailing, "It was a couch and, um, Will was bent over on the couch and Duane was standing up. Killin' him. Murderin'. It was murder in there."
Duane has not responded to the allegation, but he and Will have long maintained that they're not gay. Both of them were also married to their respective partners, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tisha Campbell, at the time.
Jada revealed in October that she and Will had separated since 2016, but they reconciled following the incident at the 2022 Academy Awards, during which her husband slapped Chris Rock. As for Duane, he was married to Tisha from 1996 before she filed for divorce in 2018. Their divorce was finalized in 2020.
Chris Appleton Ditches Wedding Ring In First Sighting After Filing For Divorce From Lukas Gage
On Tuesday, November 14, the 40-year-old was spotted out and about in West Hollywood, California while grabbing coffee. In pictures obtained and published by Daily Mail, it could be clearly seen that his wedding ring was missing on that finger. He flashed his ring-free finger when he was holding his smartphone in front of a coffee shop.
Throughout the sunny day out, Chris, whose clients also include famous singers Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande, seemingly was not in good spirits. He appeared downcast in the photos despite wearing an ivory-and-green baseball hat that came with a smiling face emoji on its front side.
At one point, Chris was photographed talking over the phone when he was in the coffee shop. He was then pictured making his way out of the cafe while carrying two cups of drink and a brown lunch box in both of his hands.
Despite looking somber, Chris made sure that he looked good with his stylish outfit. He opted to wear a white tee, long-sleeved black leather jacket and a pair of loose long green pants. He completed the look with the graphic hat, several layers of silver necklaces and a pair of white sneakers. To cover his eyes from direct harsh sunlight, he donned a pair of black sunglasses.
The new sighting came only one day after Chris and Lukas made headlines for their divorce. On Monday, November 13, TMZ reported that Chris submitted divorce papers, in which he wrote "Friday, November 10" as the date of their official separation. On the reason behind their split, Chris penned "irreconcilable differences" in the legal documents.
According to the outlet, Chris and 28-year-old Lukas, who reportedly tied the knot in April, had a prenuptial agreement in place as mentioned in the docs. A source told the outlet that Chris had "tried everything" to make their marriage work. In addition, the source spilled that the divorce was "not an easy decision for Chris to make."
Recently, it was revealed that their separation is "not amicable." Speaking to Us Weekly on Tuesday, November 14, a source said, "This is not where they wanted this to end up. It will take time for both to get to a place where they can move past this and get on with their lives."
R. Kelly Sues Tasha K, Federal Bureau Of Prison Over Alleged Leak Of Private Information
Just when you thought gossip blogger, Tasha K — born Latasha Kebe — learned her lesson, she ends up being named in a lawsuit initiated by R. Kelly. The disgraced singer-songwriter is suing the Federal Bureau of Prison over allegations that they leaked confidential information about him to Kebe.
In a compliant filed on Monday (Nov. 13) in Chicago federal court, Kelly claims an unnamed Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employee illegally accessed his digital prison records, which include recordings of phone calls to his girlfriend and legal team, and sold them to Kebe, who then aired the audio online.
Jennifer Bonjean, Kelly’s attorney, wrote in the filing, “The defendant United States of America breached its duty of care to the plaintiff when it allowed countless BOP officers to access plaintiff’s confidential information without any legal basis to do so.”
The lawsuit also named Kebe as a defendant in the case and noted that she “rallied her massive following to harass the plaintiff with the use of the stolen information and created chaos in plaintiff’s personal life.” According to the complaint, the leak reportedly left Kelly “isolated and fearful to communicate with his attorneys or other third parties,” because he knew it could be “released to the general public for mass exploitation.”
In the lawsuit, Kelly stated that Kebe first publicized his private information in November 2019 in a video titled “R. Kelly Can’t Control his Girlfriends while Behind Bars.” The clip featured information she said came from a “phone tap somewhere.”
On the matter, Kelly’s legal team expressed, “The communications… related to personal and family problems, romantic interests, health problems, literacy issues, and issues related to the defense of his pending criminal cases.” After an unnamed agent pulled Kelly’s records and scanned them, the records were sent to third parties including Kebe, but no charges were ever brought up and the government refused to reveal that person’s identity and anything pertinent to that investigation.
“In short, there has been a cover-up of the rampant BOP misconduct that is ongoing,” said Bonjean.
Kelly’s lawyers are suing over negligence, an invasion of his privacy, an intentional infliction of emotional distress, civil theft, and civil conspiracy. They also say the officer who stole the records violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which makes computer hacking illegal.
Kelly was convicted in September 2021 on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. A year later, he was convicted on separate federal charges of child pornography and enticement of minors for sex. Currently, he is appealing both convictions, but was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Kebe lost Cardi B’s $3.9 million defamation lawsuit against her and has since filed for bankruptcy to evade the mandated settlement.
Extreme Weight Loss Star Brandi Mallory Dead at 40
Extreme Weight Loss star Brandi Mallory has died at the age of 40, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to People. The former reality star passed away on Nov. 9 in Stone Mountain, Ga. and her memorial service is being held on Nov. 19 in Lithonia, Ga, according to her obituary.
Brandi—who worked as a makeup artist, per her Instagram—was a contestant on the ABC series in 2014, during which she lost 151 pounds. Four years later, she reflected on what led to her decision to join season four of the reality show.
"I was literally waking up every day like, 'This may be my last day waking up. I don't know what's going to happen for me,'" she told Atlanta journalist Kirby Carroll. "When it's playing on your mind that I might need to do something about my weight because I'm afraid I might die too, then you might need to pay attention to something like that."
Brandi recalled that she first applied to The Biggest Loser but didn't end up being picked before the producers told her about Extreme Weight Loss.
"Literally every footstep since then has been God," she shared. "I prayed over that application before I sent it off. I prayed every step of the way."
And since her time on the show, Brandi has kept up with her fitness, frequently sharing videos of herself working out on social media.
She captioned a September Instagram post of herself mid-sweat in the gym, "Just go with it..."
Following her passing, Extreme Weight Loss season five contestant Kim Williams Maxile took a moment to honor her late friend in a sweet social media tribute.
"Rest in Love sis," she wrote on Nov 11. "To my fellow Extreme Weight Loss @extweightloss sis, @brandimallory you will be missed. I'll never forget while I was at boot camp for season 5 we watched your season and it inspired us to keep going."
She concluded her post in part, "You truly made an impact on this world with your zest and your passion for body positivity. I'm blessed to have gotten to experience you in this world. Love you so much, sis."
Kendall Jenner's social media post raises eyebrows, fuels split talk with Bad Bunny
Fans are questioning Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny's relationship after she shared a cryotic message on Instagram.
Are Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny parting ways? Kendall is certainly turning heads with her trench coat look, while strolling her Doberman in Beverly Hills. Nevertheless, she later posted cryptic message on her social media, leading fans to wonder if the couple has decided to part ways.
Cryptic message from Kendall Jenner sparks rumors of a breakup with Bad Bunny
On November 14, Kendall took to her Instagram to share a beautiful sunset picture. Against the backdrop of an orangish-yellow sunset and amidst the lush green ambiance of the valley, the 28-year-old shared a small note. Kendall wrote “what’s meant for me, will simply find me”. Although it sounds simple and clear, fans think it is more than that.
A fan wrote ““Damn bro, who hurt you!!!”, others said “Sounds like a break up post,”, You’ll don’t remember her video where she said “I don’t chase I attract , what’s meant for me will simply find me “, “She and Badbunny just break up!”.
Kendall didn't say a word more, but soon enough fans began to speculate on the meaning of the single photo. Bad Bunny, 29, and Kendall have been dating since around February. Images obtained by TMZ claim that Bad Bunny and Kendall Jenner were last spotted together at brunch in Beverly Hills on October 29.
Kendall and Bad Bunny made headlines when they were seen together for the first time on a double date with the model's close friends Hailey and Justin Bieber in February 2023. Following multiple spotting and appearing for photoshoots together, Jenner publicly flaunter her support for her speculated beau, Bad Bunny, as he headlined the first weekend at Coachella. However, in a Vanity Fair cover interview, Bad Bunny denied to provide specifics about his personal life, when asked about Kendall. Prior to Bad Bunny, the model dated NBA player Devin Booker, the duo parted ways in November 2022 after dating for two years.
Barry Manilow explains why he kept sexuality secret for decades.
The 80-year-old “Copacabana” singer came out as gay in 2017, revealing that he had married his manager Garry Kief in 2014 following a clandestine relationship spanning more than 35 years.
In a new interview, Manilow, whose real name is Barry Pincus, told the host of Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace that Kief “saved my life” during his rise to fame in the 1970s.
“As my career exploded, it was just crazy. And, you know, going back to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble if you, you know, you’re alone night after night after night,” the singer said.
“But I met Garry right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with.”
Manilow continued: “I wish that young people, that they don’t have to go back to those hotel rooms by themselves because you get yourself in trouble. I never did. But it was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”
Manilow was briefly married to Susan Deixler while he was studying at the New York College of Music – he said he was “in love” with her but was “not ready for marriage”.
“I think [coming out] was a non-event for me. Really, Garry and I’ve been together for so long it just never dawned on me it’s ever going to come out,” he told Wallace.
“In the Seventies, you know, you didn’t. It wasn’t the same as it is today. Now being gay is no big deal but back in the Seventies, it would have killed a career. The public was not ready for anybody to come out,” Manilow said.
He went on: “And frankly, it was just too personal. I just didn’t want to talk about my personal life anyway. I never did that. I was happy talking about music. But talking about my personal life was just kind of creepy to me. So I never did. When we came out, I think everybody knew that Garry and I were a couple all those years.”
The pop icon told People magazine in 2017: “I’m so private. I always have been. I thought I would be disappointing them [fans] if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything.”
He said he had been shocked by the reaction after fans discovered he was in a relationship with Kief.
“They were so happy. The reaction was beautiful – strangers commenting: ‘Great for you!’ I’m just so grateful for it.”
Manilow is currently in the 14th year of a Las Vegas residency and has concert dates scheduled until December 2024.
Dominique Dawes Inducted Into 2023 Class of Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame
*The Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame has inducted Dominique Dawes as the first gymnast. “Being born and raised in Maryland, it’s always been great to know that since I was a kid in the spotlight, Marylanders have always had my back and cheered me on. That always gave me a great sense of pride and consolation,” Dawes told MCM in a new interview.
The Silver Spring native was a “10-year member of the U.S. national gymnastics team, the 1994 U.S. all-around senior National Champion, a three-time Olympian, a World Championship silver and bronze medalist, and a member of the gold-medal-winning “Magnificent Seven” team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta,” per Wiki.
“Life comes full circle sometimes, thus being inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame. The lists of former athletes are filled with legends and I’m honored to be amongst these great names. The best part for me now is that I get to share this honor with my four young kids,” Dawes added.
Dawes runs two gymnastics academies in Montgomery County and recently revealed on Instagram plans to open another branch of her Gymnastics & Ninja Academy in the Baltimore region.
“I am proud and humbled to share my induction into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame, which comes after 18 years of sacrifice, hard work and dedication to the sport of gymnastics,” she wrote on IG.
“It’s been a long and rewarding journey that began when I qualified for the 1992 Olympics at the Baltimore Arena and this past week to be inducted in the Hall of Fame in the Baltimore region was a full circle moment for me. Today, the journey is much sweeter with my family by my side,” she continued
Dawes added, “I’m proud to be an owner and founder of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies in Rockville and Clarksburg, MD and I look forward to bringing to the Academy to the Baltimore region. Look out, B’more we plan to empower and nurture athletes in your area soon enough.”
Below is the Class of 2023 for the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame:
Dominique Dawes, gymnastics
Harold Solomon, tennis
Jermaine Lewis, football
Adrian Dantley, basketball
Northern Dancer. horse racing
Meanwhile, the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame commissioned a sculpture of Dawes that will open next year at the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Cente
Adele Reportedly Set To Launch Her Own Cosmetics Brand
The singer recently finished a leg of her popular Las Vegas residency Weekends with Adele. She also announced that the show will see its final string of shows in 2024. Since beginning on November 18th, 2022, the English singer has often made headlines for her banter with the audience. Just this past weekend, Adele revealed to her fans that she quit drinking alcohol four months ago. After spotting a fan drinking a whiskey sour, Adele admitted that she was "very, very jealous." However, during one of last weekend's shows, she revealed that she's ready to start drinking again during her break from performing. "I stopped drinking, but obviously now I’m ready to start again because it is my break," she told the crowd. "I can’t drink red wine ever when I’m singing because I don’t know about you, but red wine f**** me up. I cannot handle it."
At another show, she convinced fans that she secretly married her boyfriend Rich Paul after calling him her "husband" when a fan asked the singer for her hand in marriage. However, they have yet to officially confirm if the speculation is true.
Shannon Sharpe Says Kim Kardashian Is An “Outstanding Businesswoman” But Says No To Dating Possibility
Shannon Sharpe is making it clear that he wouldn’t entertain Kim Kardashian even if he had the opportunity.
The talks of him dating Kardashian came about during a recent chat with Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. His fellow retired football pro suggested he start kicking it with the beauty mogul during an episode of their Nightcap with Unc and Ocho podcast. Ocho felt that Sharpe and Kardashian would be a “power couple” of sorts.
At the time, Sharpe said he would not consider dating the socialite because he is much more reserved than her. However, when speaking with TMZ, he expounded on the conversation, clarifying that it’s nothing personal against the SKIMS founder.
“Kim has enough going on. She’s an outstanding businesswoman, and what she’s been able to do. That family is amazing, but I got too much on my plate. She has too much on her plate, and plus, I’m too private of a guy. I don’t want to live a public life,” he told TMZ.
While it’s unknown if Kardashian was ever interested in Sharpe, it’s clear that she is now single. There have been rumors regarding her dating Odell Beckham Jr., though sources close to her say the two are just friends. She previously dated Pete Davidson for nine months before calling it quits in August 2022.
Sharpe is also single but recently expressed interest in adult film star Miss B Nasty, which came as a surprise, especially considering his past views on body counts. Nevertheless, it doesn’t appear he’s had his opportunity with the actress yet.
Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox Write Moving Tributes to Late Friends Co-Star Matthew Perry
LeBlanc and Perry, of course, played best friends and roommates Joey and Chandler on Friends for a decade. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, LeBlanc shared some screenshots of the duo on the show, along with a sweet cast photo and a written tribute.
“Matthew,” the post begins, “It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.
“It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never. Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love.”
He concludes, “And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”
Cox, meanwhile, played Monica Geller, who would eventually marry Perry's Chandler. In her own Instagram post, Cox shared a sweet outtake of the moment where Monica was first seen in bed with Chandler, which was initially revealed during the 2021 Friends reunion special.
"I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty.
“I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,” Cox wrote. “When you work with someone as closely as I did with Matthew, there are thousands of moments I wish I could share. For now here’s one of my favorites.”
“To give a little backstory, Chandler and Monica were supposed to have a one night fling in London,” she added. “But because of the audience’s reaction, it became the beginning of their love story. In this scene, before we started rolling, he whispered a funny line for me to say. He often did things like that. He was funny and he was kind.”
Remembering a Friend
Perry died unexpectedly on Oct. 28 at the age of 54, and the cast of Friends issued a joint statement remembering him a couple of days later.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” read the Oct. 30 statement from LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer. “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."
"In time we will say more, as and when we are able," the statement continued. "For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."
There’s been an outpouring of grief since Perry’s death, with fans not only remembering his work on Friends from 1994 to 2004, but also his advocacy. Perry, who was open about his battle with addiction, was passionate about helping others who shared that struggle, even opening a sober-living house and vocally supporting the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.
Following his death, the Matthew Perry Foundation was launched in his name, and is now accepting donations to benefit those struggling with addiction.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Daddy’s Girl
I don't wanna mess up with their daughters when they grow up.
I don't wanna mess up with their daughters when they grow up.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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