1/8/24

The Daily Buzz For Jan 9 ☕📰☕

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#RHOA: Phaedra Parks and Shereé Whitfield Are Ready To Collect Bones and Serve Fashion on 'The Traitors' Season 2!
No need for a "Fix it, Jesus," the cast of The Traitors Season 2 is looking just peachy thanks in part to two Real Housewives of Atlanta cast members Phaedra Parks and Shereé Whitfield. Whitfield, known among Bravo fans as "the bone collector" due to her penchant for scooping up secrets and passing them along, is one of RHOA's original housewives. In between multiple exits and entrances from the franchise, Whitfield also launched her own fashion line She by Shereé (although there were a few stops and starts along the way). Parks, who joined RHOA in Season 3 and departed after Season 9 has since nabbed spots on Ultimate Girls Trip, Married to Medicine and now The Traitors. Together, the pair make an intimidating force on the strategic murder mystery game show.

Prior to filming, Phaedra and Shereé sat down with Parade to discuss their strategies headed into the game, how being a Housewife could serve as a major advantage and their plans for fashion dominance in the Traitors castle

To kick off, were you familiar with The Traitors? Did you watch other seasons of the show or are you going in blind?
Phaedra Parks: No, I hadn't, I mean, I was familiar with it because my good girlfriend Brandi Glanville did it last season. But it's my parents' favorite show. My mother has watched every episode, so when I mentioned to her, "They want me to do Traitors," she's like, "You gotta do it. I can be proud of this show."

Shereé Whitfield: When it came out, because it was NBC and Peacock, I wanted to support it. So I did watch it. But then when I got the call that they were interested in bringing me on, I was like, "Oh, I need to watch it again in a different way. Let me be strategic." So I did watch it again. And then I started watching The Traitors: Australia. I did not finish. But I did watch some of Australia.

In terms of strategy, did you come in with a plan or are you trying to get the lay of the land first?
Shereé: I just figured I'll be me and go in, listen, keep my eyes open, ears open and just do what I do as, you know, a bone collector. I'll collect a few bones, use them to my advantage.

Are you prepared for how emotional the show can get?
Phaedra:  I only knew that I was coming five days ago. So I'm a late-to-the-party type of girl for this one. But when I watched the [Season 1] reunion, it just broke my heart. I was like, "How dare she [Cirie Fields] not give those people money? They need help." It was very sad to see how upset they were. I can see now that you really like the people you're here with. You know, we've got a great group of people here. They're really nice.

Shereé: And it's hard to believe that someone may stab us in the back. They're so sweet.
Phaedra: Everyone's so sweet and fun. So it's like, man. And then they're gonna kill you.

There's four Real Housewives here. Are you planning to work together? Did you know each other beforehand? What are the group dynamics?
Phaedra: Well, of course, I've known Shereé well over 20 years. Tamra [Judge] and I did, [Real Housewives Ultimate] Girls Trip Season 2 together. I just met Larsa [Pippen]. None of us have ever played a game like this, but I think being a housewife makes you pretty tough. We definitely have to fight with a bunch of vindictive, deceptive villains. I think that is perfect training.

Shereé: Yeah, I think we were definitely well equipped for this challenge, being OG in Atlanta. Coming into this, I did not know Larsa, but I met her a few days ago. Very sweet. I knew Tamra. For me, I want the Housewives to win. So I'm rooting for, of course me, but I'm also rooting for my fellow Housewives.

Phaedra: But it's a lot of serious gamers on this show. Like winners of Survivor and Big Brother, so some people have been on these types of shows for like 22 seasons. Their strategy is unmatched, but I think, being a housewife, we can play with the big dogs.

Do you think they are underestimating you?
Phaedra: Probably.

Phaedra, did you give Brandi a call before the show or have any sort of communication with her?
Phaedra: Well, here's the thing. I found out five days ago. It was the weekend. It was so much paperwork and I have two kids and 50 businesses. So, literally, I didn't even have time. It was doctors' appointments, psychiatric appointments. I am crazy, but not quite that crazy. I had to hit the ground running just to set up all my businesses.

When I told my mom, "I'm gonna think about it," she called the next day at like 7 in the morning and said, "You're going call them and accept. I'm packing my things now." It was a Saturday. I had to leave on Tuesday. So I didn't even get to talk to Brandy.

How do you think Housewives fans will react to seeing you two on this show?
Phaedra: They're going to love it. We are from the heyday of Housewives when it was really good. No lies. So I think they will enjoy it. I mean, me and Shereé have always been cool. We got a great rapport. [To Shereé] Of course, you got Tamra.

Shereé: But the weird thing for me is for some reason, Tamra has been so heavy on my mind to call her for the last couple weeks.

Phaedra: Why?
Shereé: I don't know why. I was like, "I need to call Tamra," and I never got around to calling her. And then when we get to the castle and we see her, we're like [screams].

Phaedra: Because I had no idea.
Shereé: No, me neither, because Tamra was on my mind to call.
Phaedra: Tamra had sent me a text asking me like, "What are you doing?" or something. I was like, "I'm crazy." That's my usual response, like "I'm crazy right now." And when I saw her, I was like [knowing glance]. I didn't think there'd be this many Housewives.

Shereé: Me neither. So one of us need to take home.

Phaedra: Amen.
Is there anything about yourself that you're hoping to show viewers that they didn't see on The Real Housewives?
Shereé: I hope people see me in a different way. We're establishing relationships in a different way than on Housewives, so I hope they see we're really good people, we're genuine people, we're not always bitchy and drama-filled. Then also, I am very fit. I love working out, so I think I can do really great with the challenges, unless they put me with some rats or snakes.

Phaedra: And this show is really not catty like the Housewives, so I think it allows you the opportunity to show the more strategic, thinking side of us. But we're still going to be glamorous.
Shereé: Oh yeah, we're going to give you fashion. The fashion and beauty aside from Alan [Cumming, the show's host].
Yeah, how did you decide which outfits to bring?

Shereé: First of all, it's cold here. It's not cold in Atlanta, so I couldn't find a lot of warm pieces, but I did put some pieces together. I'll probably just have to layer, but I'm definitely going to give you fashion, honey.
Phaedra: Are we going to see She by Shereé?
Shereé: Well, they said I could not.
Phaedra: What? Are you for real?
Shereé: You didn't see that in the contract?
Phaedra: Oh my god, that's awful.
Shereé: Yes, very awful.
 

#MusicNews: Louis York and Tamia Announce New Song ‘Three Little Words’

Musical duo Louis York, composed of Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, has announced their new song with Tamia, “Three Little Words.”

The duet will release Jan. 12 via Louis York’s Weirdo Workshop label.
Louis York first teased their collaboration with Tamia in mid-December. They posted a behind-the-scenes video of them in the studio with the Grammy-nominated singer as they delivered a live rendition of the track.

“You’ve been asking us for a LOUIS YORK x TAMIA duet. We got you! Enjoy the holiday music now, but in January 2024 you’re in for a treat. Here’s a little clip of us in the studio working on it,” Louis York wrote in an Instagram caption. “You know when the 3 of us get together it’s always magical.”

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“Three Little Words” is the third single from Louis York’s upcoming album, Songs With Friends.
It will follow the previously shared songs “Alone A Lot” with Anthony Hamilton and “Heaven Bound” with Jessie J.

The former track is currently No. 16 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. “Alone A Lot” has been on that chart for 16 weeks and has peaked at No. 14 at the time of publication.
Songs With Friends will follow Louis York’s 2019 debut album, American Griots. A release date for Songs With Friends has not yet been revealed.


#HipHopNews: Megan Thee Stallion and Reneé Rapp Deliver Video For "Not My Fault"
Megan Thee Stallion and Renée Rapp fired up fans with their latest music video for “Not My Fault,” released today (Jan. 5). The track, which is part of the upcoming Mean Girls reboot soundtrack, saw the duo in all-pink outfits smashing plastic mannequins, which served as a nod to the film’s theme.

Directed by Mia Barnes, the nearly three-minute visual also boasted cameos from various Mean Girls cast members. In the record, Megan spat, “I mean, who wouldn’t wanna be in love with me?/ I’m a mood, borin’ w**res gotta Pinterest/ I’m a stallion, but they come and f**k me like Trojan/ And it wouldn’t be me if I ain’t cause commotion.”

Megan initially announced the collaboration on Rapp’s Instagram in December 2023, followed by the latter revealing the cover art. In the comment section, the singer wrote, “Meg told me to put my a** out, so I put my a** out.” The movie itself is slated to come out next Friday (Jan. 12).

“Not My Fault” is in one of three soundtracks Megan was involved in this past December. She also appeared on “Hell No! (Timbaland Remix)” for The Color Purple and “P**sy Don’t Lie” for Netflix’s “Big Mouth.”

LISTEN HERE 

2023 also saw Megan releasing her first solo single since parting ways with 1501 Certified Entertainment. She debuted “Cobra” in November of that year, which garnered praise from fans and critics. Subsequently, the Houston native inked a new distribution deal with Warner Music Group.
Ahead of the New Year, Megan partnered with Planet Fitness to promote physical and mental health. “Having a healthy and balanced diet is a huge part of my process. I’ve integrated a lot of fruit and vegetables into my meals, so I’m definitely proud of the adjustments I’ve made,” she told People in an exclusive interview. The rapper also reportedly has a Nike collaboration in the works.

Meanwhile, Rapp released her debut album last year. Snow Angel (Deluxe) boasted a lone feature from Coco Jones on “Tummy Hurts.”



#PRAYERS: CNN’s Sara Sidner Has announced she has Stage 3 Breast Cancer Diagnosis

CNN anchor Sara Sidner wrapped up the 11 am ET hour of CNN News Central with an emotional announcement, her voice cracking several times as she shared with her viewers that she had been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.

After coming back from the show’s final commercial break, Sidner asked viewers to “take a second to recall the names of eight women who you love and know in your life,” and then said that “statistically” one of those eight would end up getting breast cancer, and she was now “that one in eight in my friend group.”

Sidner noted that she had never been “sick a day of my life,” did not smoke, rarely drank, and had no family history of breast cancer. “And yet here I am, with stage three breast cancer.”
“It is hard to say out loud,” she acknowledged, her voice cracking. “I am in my second month of chemo treatments and will do radiation and a double mastectomy.”

While she was grateful that stage 3 breast cancer was “not a death sentence anymore for the vast majority of women,” she described how shocked she was to learn that Black women are 41% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women.
“So to all my sisters, Black and white and brown out there, please, for the love of God, get your mammograms every single year. Do your self-exams,” she urged. “Try to catch it before I did.”

Sidner ended with an emotional commentary about her feelings of hope and gratitude after her diagnosis:
Now here’s something that I could never ever have predicted would happen to me: I have thanked cancer for choosing me. I’m learning no matter what hell we go through in life that I am still madly in love with this life, and just being alive feels really different for me now. I am happier because I don’t stress about foolish little things that used to annoy me.

And now every single day that I breathe another breath I can celebrate that I am still here with you. I am here with my co-anchors, my colleagues, my family. And I can love and cry and laugh and hope and that, my dear friends, is enough.


We send our Thoughts and Prayers to Sara!


Golden Globes 2024: See The Full List Of Winners

The 81st Golden Globe Awards were a good night for “Barbenheimer.”
Christopher Nolan’s three-hour biography about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist behind the Manhattan Project, picked up a number of big awards, including best motion picture drama, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best drama actor (Cillian Murphy). Composer Ludwig Göransson also picked up an award for best original score.

“Oppenheimer” was a favorite heading into the night, as was “Barbie,” the toy-powered tale from Greta Gerwig.
“Barbie” was the most nominated film ahead of Sunday’s ceremony, but in the end, picked up just two awards, including the inaugural award for cinematic achievement.

During their theatrical runs, moviegoers were so enamored with both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” that it gave way to the creation of the term “Barbenheimer,” the phenomenon that encouraged audiences to take in double features of the drastically different films.
In television, “Succession,” “The Bear” and “Beef” ruled the categories.

Max’s “Succession” picked up the most awards of any television show, earning four statues. The series, honored for its final season, won for best drama series and three actors – Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Matthew Macfadyen – won individual awards.
FX’s “The Bear” picked up three awards, best TV comedy category, best comedy actor for Jeremy Allen White and best comedy actress for Ayo Edebiri.

Netflix’s “Beef,” about a road rage incident gone haywire, won three awards as well, including best limited series and individual honors for stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun.
See below for a full list of nominees with the winners indicated in bold.

TELEVISION
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Bill Hader, “Barry”
Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”
Jason Segel, “Shrinking”
Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear” *WINNER

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear” *WINNER
Natasha Lyonne, “Poker Face”
Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”
Elle Fanning, “The Great”

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Pedro Pascal, “The Last of Us”
Kieran Culkin, “Succession” *WINNER
Jeremy Strong, “Succession”
Brian Cox, “Succession”
Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”
Dominic West, “The Crown”

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Helen Mirren, “1923”
Bella Ramsey, “The Last of Us”
Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”
Sarah Snook, “Succession” *WINNER
Imelda Staunton, “The Crown”
Emma Stone, “The Curse”

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Matt Bomer, “Fellow Travelers”
Sam Claflin, “Daisy Jones & the Six”
Jon Hamm, “Fargo”
Woody Harrelson, “White House Plumbers”
David Oyelowo, “Lawmen: Bass Reeves”
Steven Yeun, “Beef” *WINNER

Best Performance by an Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Riley Keough, “Daisy Jones & the Six”
Brie Larson, “Lessons in Chemistry”
Elizabeth Olsen, “Love and Death”
Juno Temple, “Fargo”
Rachel Weisz, “Dead Ringers”
Ali Wong, “Beef” *WINNER

Best Television Series Drama

“1923”
“The Crown”
“The Diplomat”
“The Last of Us”
“The Morning Show”
“Succession” *WINNER

Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

“Beef” *WINNER
“Lessons in Chemistry”
“Daisy Jones & the Six”
“All the Light We Cannot See”
“Fellow Travelers”
“Fargo” 

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - Television

Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession” *WINNER
James Marsden, “Jury Duty”
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear”
Alan Ruck, “Succession”
Alexander Skarsgård, “Succession”

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Television

Elizabeth Debicki, “The Crown” *WINNER
Abby Elliott, “The Bear”
Christina Ricci, “Yellowjackets”
J. Smith-Cameron, “Succession”
Meryl Streep, “Only Murders in the Building”
Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

“The Bear” *WINNER
“Ted Lasso”
“Abbott Elementary”
“Jury Duty”
“Only Murders in the Building”
“Barry”

 
Best Performance in Stand-up Comedy on Television

Ricky Gervais, “Ricky Gervais: Armageddon” *WINNER
Trevor Noah, “Trevor Noah: Where Was I”
Chris Rock, “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage”
Amy Schumer, “Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact”
Sarah Silverman, “Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love”
Wanda Sykes, “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer”

FILM

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
“Barbie”
“Poor Things” *WINNER
“American Fiction”
“The Holdovers”
“May December”
“Air”

Best Motion Picture – Drama

“Oppenheimer” *WINNER
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
“Maestro”
“Past Lives”
“The Zone of Interest”
“Anatomy of a Fall”

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language

“Anatomy of a Fall” *WINNER
“Io Capitano”
“Past Lives”
“Society of the Snow”
“The Zone of Interest”

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

“Barbie”
“Poor Things”
“Oppenheimer”
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
“Past Lives”
“Anatomy of a Fall” *WINNER

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

“Addicted to Romance,” Bruce Springsteen, “She Came to Me”
“Dance the Night,” Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, “Barbie”
“I’m Just Ken,” Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, “Barbie”
“Peaches,” Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond and John Spiker “The Super Mario Bros. Move”
“Road to Freedom,” Lenny Kravitz, “Rustin”
“What Was I Made For?” Billie Eilish & Finneas, “Barbie” *WINNER

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Willem Dafoe, “Poor Things”
Robert DeNiro, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer” *WINNER
Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”
Charles Melton, “May December”
Mark Ruffalo, “Poor Things”

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

Emily Blunt, “Oppenheimer”
Danielle Brooks, “The Color Purple”
Jodie Foster, “Nyad”
Julianne Moore, “May December”
Rosamund Pike, “Saltburn”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers” *WINNER


Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Nicolas Cage, “Dream Scenario”
Timothée Chalamet, “Wonka”
Matt Damon, “Air”
Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers” *WINNER
Joaquin Phoenix, “Beau Is Afraid”
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”

Best Motion Picture – Animated

“The Boy and the Heron” *WINNER
“Elemental”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“Suzume”
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
“Wish”

Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Colman Domingo, “Rustin”
Barry Keoghan, “Saltburn”
Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer” *WINNER
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”

Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon” *WINNER
Carey Mulligan, “Maestro”
Sandra Hüller, “Anatomy of a Fall”
Annette Bening, “Nyad”
Greta Lee, “Past Lives”
Cailee Spaeny, “Priscilla”

Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Fantasia Barrino, “The Color Purple”
Jennifer Lawrence, “No Hard Feelings”
Natalie Portman, “May December”
Margot Robbie, “Barbie”
Emma Stone, “Poor Things” *WINNER

Best Director – Motion Picture

Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”
Greta Gerwig, “Barbie”
Yorgos Lanthimos, “Poor Things”
Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer” *WINNER
Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Celine Song, “Past Lives”

Best Original Score

Jerskin Fendrix, “Poor Things”
Ludwig Göransson, “Oppenheimer” *WINNER
Mica Levi, “The Zone of Interest”
Daniel Pemberton, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
Robbie Robertson, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
“The Boy and the Heron”

Cinematic and Box Office Achievement

“Barbie” *WINNER
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
“John Wick: Chapter 4”
“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One”
“Oppenheimer”
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”

Congrats to all the winners!


#BoxOfficeNews: 'Wonka' is at #1 as the 2024 Season is off To Slow Start
"Wonka" is slowly but steadily leading the box office. After ending 2023 on a sweet note by reclaiming No. 1 at the North American chart, Paul King's musical fantasy film secures the crown for the third time in four weeks.
The latest adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1964 novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" added an estimated $14.4 million, bringing its domestic gross to $164.6 million for a $465.8 million total worldwide.

The movie, made on $125 million budget, has turned profitable for Warner Bros. Pictures as it proved to be having box office staying power following a lackluster holiday season. Led by Timothee Chalamet in the cast, it was loved by critics and the audiences with an average rating of 7.3/10 on Rotten Tomatoes and an average grade of "A-" from moviegoers polled by CinemaScore.
" 'Wonka' is following in the tradition of a film like 'The Greatest Showman'," said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. " 'Wonka' is a perfect crowd pleaser released at the perfect time and it's going to ride that wave into January. It's an opportune time for it to be in the marketplace."

"Wonka" doesn't budge despite the arrival of the only wide release this year, "Night Swim". The horror film from producers Jason Blum and James Wan lands at No. 2 with an estimated $12 million against its $15 million budget.
The modest start didn't come as a huge surprise since the movie did not receive much love from critics and the audience. The movie is rated 4.4/10 on Rotten Tomatoes and received a "C" grade from audiences surveyed by CinemaSore.

Universal Pictures, however, didn't seem to be disappointed by the modest debut as Jim Orr, Universal's head of domestic distribution, said, "Not only did it perform really well at the box office, but it's going to make us look at every swimming pool with a little more trepidation."
The rest of the top five still belong to holdovers, with "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" sinking to No. 3 with an estimated $10.6 million. "Migration" moves down one place to No. 4 with approximately $10.3 million, followed by "Anyone But You" which holds on to the fifth position with an estimated $9.5 million.

Overall, the first month of 2024 continues the tradition with a slow start. While the supply of movies was able to keep the two-week holiday box office up over 2022's by 12%, 2024 is getting off to a slower start than last year, down around 16%.
"We don't have 'Avatar: The Way of Water', which totally dominated the box office a year ago, or 'M3GAN', which made that a bigger weekend," said Dergarabedian. "But it's a bit early to call it in terms of how the year is going to turn out."

Top 10 of North American Box Office (Jan. 05-07, 2024):
"Wonka" - $14.4 million
"Night Swim" - $12 million
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" - $10.6 million
"Migration" - $10.3 million
"Anyone But You" - $9.5 million
"The Boys in the Boat" - $6 million
"The Color Purple" - $4.8 million
"The Iron Claw" - $3.9 million
"Ferrari" - $2.5 million
"Poor Things" - $2 million



Katherine Jackson Wants $561K In Legal Fees on Top of Her $1M Allowance as She Fights

The legal battle between Katherine Jackson and John Branca and John McClain, the executors of her late son Michael Jackson’s estate, is hardly over. The family matriarch is now reportedly seeking a half-a-million-dollar payout from the music icon’s estate to cover her attorney fees.

Katherine has been embroiled for months in an ongoing fight to appeal a judge’s order allowing the executors to move forward with a lucrative business deal to increase the singer’s posthumous fortune. Documents obtained by RadarOnline allege that she is on the hook for $561,548 in related costs to the appeal process.

In the filing, she stated that the estate has “ample resources and much more than will be necessary to pay its anticipated expenses.” Branca and McClain have been overseers of Michael’s remaining wealth and assets since his death in 2009.
His three children, Prince, Paris, and Bigi, most commonly known as “Blanket,” are the beneficiaries of the estate; however, the King of Pop made sure his mother would be cared for in his absence through a trust established solely for her care.
The latest round of the legal melee between the elderly mother and the “Smooth Criminal” artist’s estate team comes a year after the men sought a judge’s approval to move forward with a lucrative business proposal, rumored to be the sale of half of the icon’s music catalog for $800 million.

While details of the secret business arrangement have remained protected by sealed court documents, but it is clear that both Branca and McClain believed it would substantially benefit the late entertainer’s estate and children, who have not expressed opposition to the deal.

The singer reportedly died with millions of dollars worth of debt. By December 2022, it was estimated that his legacy had amassed more than $2 billion in earnings from various projects orchestrated by Branca and McClain. Still, the 93-year-old appeared in court in April when she testified in opposition to the deal.

“The Estate was teetering on the verge of collapse, with more than $400 million in debt that encumbered Michael’s most significant assets and little or no liquidity or means to service that debt. Through creative thinking, hard work and business savvy—and, of course, Michael’s extraordinary creative legacy—the Executors transformed the MJJ Business into a profitable enterprise,” said the estate overseers in a previous filing.

Katherine was served with a $909,263.94 tax lien for her Calabasas home by the state of California in November. According to Radar Online, she failed to pay her tax bill in full between 2018 and 2021. In May, it was also reported that the mother of ten received a nearly $1 million allowance from the estate in 2022.


Philly's Sapphira Cristál impresses and wins challenges in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season premiere
Sapphira Cristal RuPaul's Drag Race premiereRUPAUL'S DRAG RACE/YOUTUBEPhilly-based opera singer and drag queen Sapphira Cristál made a splash in the opening episode of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 16, winning both the mini and maxi challenges.

Fans of "RuPaul's Drag Race" around the country got their first taste of Philly's self-proclaimed "crown jewel" on Friday night. Local drag queen Sapphira Cristál made her debut on the program, and she's already a favorite of many viewers.
Season 16 of the reality competition show premiered last night on MTV, featuring seven of the 14 contestants, Cristál among them. Before entering the Werk Room, where the season's competitors gathered for the first time, Cristál made spooky vocal noises for her entrance, before walking in and saying, "I think this place is haunted."

It was the first preview of the performer's classically trained opera talents. "My hair is big, my drag is big — more is more, and bigger is better," Cristál said in a talking head interview. "She gonna be some tough competition, I see it," said New York City-based competitor Xunami Muse, pointing to Cristál. "There is no competition," Cristál replied.

And Sapphira Cristál quickly backed up her words in the subsequent challenges. The "mini challenge" of the first episode was a photo shoot through a doorbell camera, and Cristál emerged as the winner.
Afterward, RuPaul announced to the contestants that the "maxi challenge," which would be an "MTV Spring Break Talent Show," would reward the winner not just with $5,000 but also immunity from a future elimination. Additionally, the contestants would rank each other's performances through a new "Rate-A-Queen" system.

For the talent show, which featured Oscar winner Charlize Theron as a guest judge, Cristál gave a rousing live operatic vocal performance in Italian, while a video screen provided dirty lyrics translations. As one of the top two contestants through the Rate-A-Queen results, Cristál faced off against drag performer Q, who hails from Kansas City, in a lip-sync battle.

Performing to Beyoncé's "Break My Soul," Cristál's routine started understated before sliding across the floor in a split. By the end of her dance performance, her fake prosthetic breasts were bouncing up and down the ground in what appeared to be a malfunction, although with hilarious results. RuPaul quickly decided that Cristál was the winner after the face-off.

Judging from social media reactions and comments, Sapphira Cristál is already looking like a winner to many viewers. Now that the Philly drag queen has won immunity, her fans can expect her to stay in the competition for quite some time. "RuPaul's Drag Race" airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on MTV.


Nia Long has been granted $32,500 A Month In Child Support From Custody Settlement from her ex, Ime Udoka!

Nia Long and her ex, Ime Udoka have settled their custody battle, and the famous actress will be getting over $32,000 in monthly child support.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the former couple will share joint custody of their 12-year-old son, and Long will receive $32,500 in monthly child support.
In the settlement, negotiated by Long's powerhouse attorney — Samantha Spector — the actress is giving her ex-boyfriend a break on support given that she is a high-earning actress and businesswoman.

The settlement states since Udoka's monthly disposable income is $465,804, and their son resides with her 95% of the time, the payment for child support would be $56,389. However, the pair, who separated in 2022 following revelations of Udoka's involvement with a Boston Celtics staff member, mutually agreed upon a monthly $32,500 monthly.

Regarding the timeshare, Udoka, as the head coach for the Houston Rockets, has extensive travel commitments during the season and potential post-season playoffs.
For the current 2023-2024 season, the parents agreed that, for child support calculations, Udoka has less than a 5% timeshare with their son, while Nia has approximately 95% timeshare with the 12-year-old in Los Angeles, California.

In the agreement, Udoka is entitled to reasonable visitation, taking into account the kid's schedule and concerns but not interfering with his time with Udoka.

The parties will collaborate to facilitate the NBA coach's visitation. Udoka will provide Long with written notice and a plan for the anticipated visit via email at least ten days beforehand.
According to the agreement, Udoka will maintain their son's health and dental insurance, and he and Long will make decisions regarding the young lad's health, education, and welfare collaboratively.

In cases of disagreement, Nia holds the authority to make decisions for him, with advanced notice to her former partner, except for routine and emergency medical matters.
As reported, several months ago Nia Long filed legal documents seeking sole physical and legal custody of her son, with visitation rights for Udoka.

In the documents, Long requested that her former flame cover all attorney fees related to the case. The move promptly marked the initial stage of a custody battle that could have involved discussions about child support.
In fact, Udoka responded to her filing by issuing one of his seeking joint custody of their baby boy. The NBA coach requested shared physical and legal custody, including equal authority in essential decisions such as medical treatment, schooling, and religion.

Udoka also indicated his willingness for "visitation" in the legal filing, suggesting a preference for the child to reside with Long for school-related reasons, with visitation during off days or summer breaks.

Udoka's breakup with the "Boyz n the Hood" actress garnered widespread attention due to accusations of infidelity.
As already mentioned, the former basketball player faced termination from the Celtics after engaging in an "intimate and consensual relationship with a female member of the Celtics' staff."
In response, he issued a statement expressing remorse and accepting the team's decision, while declaring, "Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment."

Long subsequently shared the emotional toll on their son endured in the wake of the split, revealing that he continues to struggle with the situation. 
She expressed heartbreak over witnessing her son's distress, highlighting a particularly challenging moment when the Celtics organization made "a very private situation public," prompting her to withdraw him from school on that day.

The "If These Walls Could Talk 2" star added, "No one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I'm OK, to see if my children are OK, It's very disappointing."


Quinta Brunson makes an appearance on "Sesame Street"!
On Thursday (Jan. 4), “Sesame Street” fans were treated to a new video that saw Quinta Brunson as the series’ latest guest. In the short clip, the Philadelphia star could be seen teaching Elmo, Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby about the importance of kindness, which led to some humorous results.

Brunson’s “Sesame Street” appearance comes months after the critically acclaimed “Abbott Elementary” ended its second season. Since its inception, the sitcom, which stars Brunson alongside the likes of Tyler James Williams, Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph, earned a slew of accolades from different events, including the Critics’ Choice Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, the MTV Movie & TV Awards and the Golden Globes. Following an extended delay as a result of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, the mockumentary-styled show is set to return to ABC on Feb. 7 for its third run.

As previously reported, Brunson opened up about the intent behind “Abbott Elementary,” which made the Buzzfeed alum the first Black woman to score three comedy nominations at the Emmys back in 2022.

“I think it’s amazing that now we have this opportunity for a group that hasn’t been shown too much — a group of Black educators — to be on screen, and not only be on screen, but then have some fun, too,” she expressed to The Associated Press. “I just like my comedies to have heart in them. Those are my two goals: heart and humor.”
She continued, “I think when you put both of those things in a school, an elementary school — sorry, a public, underfunded elementary school — naturally, it uncovers some of the larger issues at play, right? Because the goal was to have heart. A lot of the time, inherently, you get a message because we couldn’t avoid what’s going on in public schools if we wanted to.”


SZA addresses “thieves” who leaked her music with plans to take legal action!

SZA has had enough of taking it on the chin whenever her music is stolen and released without her approval. On Saturday (Jan. 6), she made it known that the latest leak of records, presumably for a deluxe album she has teased since December, was the last straw.

“Leaking my music is stealing. This is my job. This is my life and my intellectual property,” began her tweet addressing the offense. She continued, “You are a f**king thief, and I promise to put maximum energy into holding everyone accountable to the fullest extent of the law. I’m tired.”

Fans of the Grammy Award-winning artist have been anticipating the release of LANA, a deluxe LP with seven to 10 new tracks, to follow up on the success of her studio album SOS.
Last month, SZA shared six album covers but has yet to confirm a date for the project’s rollout. Now, scrapping the entire creative effort has become a real possibility. Top Dog Entertainment co-President Terrence “Punch” Henderson also spoke about the leak in a series of tweets. In one, he wrote, “When music leaks, it often leads to delays and/or canceling whole projects.”

In a follow-up response to someone inquiring about why the music would be shelved despite positive feedback from fans, Punch explained, “When artists work hard to get their music to a point where they’re comfortable sharing it, and then someone steals it and leaks it, it spoils the whole thing. Most of the songs leaked are incomplete and not how the artist wanted [people] to hear it.”

Subsequent tweets reveal the label executive has enlisted fans to narrow down who may be behind the recent act of sabotage. “Shout out to The Camp, man. Y’all coming [through] with the info. Appreciate y’all,” he wrote. The “Snooze” singer previously commented on the effects music leaks have played in the foiled release of her work.

In November, after being named Hitmaker of the Year, she told Variety, “When people leak my songs, they ruin them. Then it’s not mine anymore; it’s actually yours. It’s something unfinished that you decided was ready to be shared.” She would go on to note that the offense leaves her feeling embarrassed by the unfinished work and unwilling to move forward with planned releases.


Taraji’s Complained Producers Tried to Get Her/Cast Members to Drive Themselves to the Set: Report
*Taraji P. Henson has already let the world know that her pay for her role in “The Color Purple” was subpar for her when she revealed that the “math wasn’t mating.” Now, via a NY Times interview, she’s expressing her unhappiness with a new complaint about the film’s production company’s decision to assign rental cars to cast in Atlanta instead of hiring a car service with drivers.

The good news, if you can call it that, is the pay dispute was taken care of by Oprah Winfrey, one of the film’s executive producers.
Now, as far as the “Color Purple” transportation situation, Henson noted the lack of chauffeured transportation was another example of the production company cutting corners for Black stars.

“They gave us rental cars, and I was like, ‘I can’t drive myself to the set in Atlanta.’ This is insurance liability, it’s dangerous. Now they robbing people. What do I look like, taking myself to work by myself in a rental car?” She told told the New York Times.

“So I was like, ‘Can I get a driver or security to take me?’ I’m not asking for the moon. They’re like, ‘Well, if we do it for you, we got to do it for everybody.’ Well, do it for everybody! It’s stuff like that, stuff I shouldn’t have to fight for. I was on the set of ‘Empire’ fighting for trailers that wasn’t infested with bugs,” also said.
Wait. There’s more. Henson’s other gripe was that the studio (Warner Bros.) wasn’t interested in bringing the cast out internationally for a press run.

She’s also unhappy about the fact she had to audition and bust her butt for the Shug Avery role.
Taraji noted that the fight for equal treatment is taking a toll on her mental health.

“It wears on your soul because you fight so hard to establish a name for yourself and be respected in this town to no avail,” she said.
Taraji’s fans sided with her, saying it’s too dangerous for stars to drive themselves around a city they are unfamiliar with.


Draymond Green Reinstated After 12-Game NBA Suspension

Golden State Warriors Draymond Green has been reinstated by the NBA. The decision comes after he served a 12-game suspension following an incident involving Phoenix Suns veteran Jusuf Nurkić early last month.
Green is eligible to return to the team Sunday when the Warriors play the Toronto Raptors. Adrian Wojnarowski, from ESPN, reported that Green is expected to need a week or so before returning to the court.

Wojnarowski wrote:
“While away from the Warriors since he struck Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic during a Dec. 12 game, Green has been participating in individual counseling sessions and periodic virtual meetings that include team, league, and union officials designed to chart his progress toward reinstatement, sources told ESPN. The Zoom meetings are playing a role in how the NBA, the National Basketball Players Association, and the Warriors have been meant to measure Green’s progress toward working through whatever issues might have contributed to repeated violent episodes with opponents and a former teammate, sources said.”
Green was ejected from the Dec. 12 game against the Suns after hitting Nurkić in the face and receiving a flagrant two-foul.
Green and Nurkić were battling for positioning when the Warriors veteran swung his arm and hit Nurkić in the head. Nurkić fell to the floor in pain, causing officials to review the play and eject Green from the game.

The next day, the league announced an indefinite suspension for Green.
Green was to receive counseling, but also allowed to still practice with the Warriors, the Bleacher Report reported.
Green apologized for the incident saying he didn’t try to hit Nurkić.

“I don’t fall to sell a call, I’m not a flopper,” Green said after the game. “So I was selling the call because he was grabbing me and pulling my hip back. So I swung away and unfortunately, I hit him.”

Green’s return to the team will be impactful as the Warriors currently sit 10th in the Western Conference with a 17-18 record and have gone 7-5 without him on the floor.


House Where Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s Mother Was Murdered Bombarded by Tourist, Upsetting Neighbors

Neighbors are upset over the crowds of tourists descending on the Springfield, MO home where Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her ex-boyfriend murdered her mother, Dee Dee.
The recent prison release of Blanchard has reignited interest in the case. A neighbor named Tonia told TMZ that flocks of people with out-of-state license plates are stopping by the home to take pics of it.

The house isn’t easy to find since it has been repainted from pink to blue since the murder, and the wheelchair ramp Gypsy used has been removed.

Neighbors say tourists have resorted to asking them for directions.
Thomas Pengilly, another neighbor, says all the traffic has been stressful, and he feels some people might have bad intentions and feels the home should’ve been torn down.

He wants tourists to find other things to do in life than relive someone’s trauma and pain.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Apparently It Isn’t!
is it?


HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM

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