7/23/24

The Daily Buzz For Jul 24 ☕📰☕

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#MOVIEFAB: THEY'RE BACK! BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE Movie and Character Posters!

The Ghost with the Most is making a big comeback in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. A great trailer for the film was released yesterday, and now today we’ve got eight character posters to share with you!

The posters feature Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz, Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, Monica Bellucci as Delores, Bob the Shrinker, Willem Dafoe as Wolf Jackson, and Justin Theroux as Rory.

In the film, “After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.

“With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.”
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (Wednesday and Smallville) wrote the script along with an earlier draft by Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg. Katzenberg and Grahame-Smith are also producing. Danny Elfman is returning to compose the score.

Beetlejuice Beetljuice is set to be released in theaters on September 6, 2024.


#RHOA: Porsha Williams’ Ex Simon Claims He Paid Her 5-Figure Monthly Allowance in Fight Over Prenup

Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams' estranged husband, Simon Guobadia, claimed he relied on her word she would not return to Real Housewives of Atlanta when they negotiated their prenup, In Touch can exclusively reveal.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Simon, 60, asked the court to shut down Porsha’s plea to enforce the prenuptial agreement they signed before walking down the aisle in 2022.

Simon and Porsha, 43, became engaged in spring 2021. He said Porsha left her job as a host of Dish Nation and as a cast member of RHOA in September 2021.

He said those were her two main sources of income.
He said he purchased the $7 million home they lived in “solely from his personal, separate funds” in November 2021.
He said Porsha purchased he own home nearby for $1.8 million.

Simon’s lawyer said, “After [Porsha] quit her jobs, the parties began discussing a prenuptial agreement in December 2021. During the negotiation phase and through the execution of the prenuptial agreement, the Wife was not working on The Real Housewives of Atlanta nor with Dish Nation. [Porsha] quit her jobs to be a stay-at-home wife.”

The attorney added, “[Porsha’s] decision to quit her jobs, her decision to not return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, her decision to be a stay-at-home wife, and her financial status, were all material facts that [Simon] relied upon when he negotiated and executed the terms of the prenuptial agreement. Relying upon those material facts, [Simon] began paying the wife a five-figure monthly allowance in contemplation of [Porsha] quitting her jobs and not returning to The Real Housewives of Atlanta. [Simon’s] monthly allowance payments to wife carried over into negotiating the terms of the prenuptial agreement."

Simon said they signed a prenuptial agreement on November 17, 2022, nine days before their wedding. He claimed Porsha did not disclose and/or misrepresented facts to him at the time.
Porsha left the reality show in season 13 but announced in February — before the divorce — that she was returning for season 16. She filed for divorce days after the announcement.

In his motion, Simon’s lawyer argued, “[Porsha] failed to disclose that she would return to her employment on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Instead of disclosing this material fact, [Porsha] made it very clear to [Simon] (and the public) that she was leaving the television show and not returning. [Simon] relied on [Porsha’s] representations—or misrepresentations—made to him during their engagement, the negotiation phase, and at the time the parties signed the prenuptial agreement. But for [Porsha’s] misrepresentations to [Simon], [Simon] would not have signed off on the prenuptial agreement terms.”

In his motion, Simon said he spent over $2 million on their wedding festivities.
He accused Porsha of taking calculated “steps to divorce him just after 453 days of marriage in order to intentionally trigger the provisions of the prenuptial agreement, for her personal financial gain.”

Simon pointed out Porsha has signed on to be the star of the upcoming season of Real Housewives of Atlanta.
As In Touch previously reported, Porsha was granted temporary sole use of Simon’s Georgia mansion.
She argued the prenup included a provision that allowed her exclusive use of their home for a period of time if a divorce was filed.

“It is wholly unfair and shocking to the conscience for [Porsha] to be able to take [Simon’s] $7,000,000 pre-marital home, collect a substantial amount of the home equity, and receive an exorbitant financial pay out from [Simon] under the terms of the prenuptial agreement, after [Porsha] entered into the marriage under fraudulent pretenses and failed to disclose and/or misrepresented material facts,” Simon’s lawyer said.

Simon asked the court to throw out the prenup they signed.


#MusicNews: Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir, last of the original Four Tops, Has died at 88!
Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops that was known for such hits as “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” has died at age 88.
Fakir died Monday of heart failure at his home in Detroit, according to a family spokesperson, with his wife and other loved ones by his side. Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement that Fakir helped embody the Tops’ “showmanship, class and artistry.

“Duke was first tenor — smooth, suave, and always sharp,” Gordy said. “For 70 years, he kept the Four Tops’ remarkable legacy intact.”
The Four Tops were among Motown’s most popular and enduring acts, peaking in the 1960s. Between 1964 and 1967, they had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1’s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often sagas of romantic pain and bereavement, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.”

Many of Motown’s greatest stars, from the Supremes to Stevie Wonder, came of age at the Detroit-based company started by Gordy in the late 1950s. But Fakir, lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Lawrence Payton had been together for a decade when Gordy signed them up in 1963 (after the group had turned him down a few years earlier) and they already had a polished stage act and versatile vocal style that enabled them to perform anything from country songs to pop standards like “Paper Doll.”

They called themselves the Four Aims when they started out, but soon renamed themselves the Four Tops to avoid confusion with the white harmony quartet the Ames Brothers.
The Tops had recorded for several labels, including the famed Chess Records in Chicago, with little commercial success. But Gordy and A&R man Mickey Stevenson paired them with the songwriting-production team of Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland and they quickly caught on, blending tight, haunting harmonies behind Stubbs’ urgent, sometimes desperate baritone.

After Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown in 1967, the Tops had more sporadic success, with hits over the next few years including “Still Water (Love),” and a pair of top 10 songs in the early 1970s for ABC/Dunhill Records, ”Keeper of the Castle” and “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got).” They reached the top 20 for the last time in the early 1980s, with the sentimental ballad “When She Was My Girl.”

Throughout, they remained a busy concert act and at times toured with latter day members of the Temptations, a friendly rivalry launched when the groups performed together at the all-star 1983 television concert marking Motown’s 25th anniversary. While the Temptations and other peers suffered from drug problems, dissension and personnel changes, the Four Tops remained united and intact until Payton died in 1997. (Benson died in 2005 and Stubbs in 2008).

“The things I love about them the most — they are very professional, they have fun with what they do, they are very loving, they have always been gentlemen,” Wonder said of them when he helped induct them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Fakir later toured as the Four Tops with lead vocalist Alexander Morris, Ronnie McNeir and Lawrence ‘Roquel’ Payton Jr., the son of Lawrence Payton.

“As each one of them (the original members) passed a little bit of me left with them,” Fakir told UK Music Reviews in 2021. “When Levi left us, I found myself in a quandary as to what I was going to do from that moment on but after a while I realized that the name together with the legacy that they had left us simply had to carry on, and judging by the audience reaction it soon became pretty evident that I did the right thing and I really do feel good about that.”

Besides the Rock Hall of Fame, their honors included being voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and receiving a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2009. More recently, Fakir had been working on a planned Broadway musical based on their lives and completed the memoir “I’ll Be There,” published in 2022.
Fakir was married twice, for the last 50 years to Piper Gibson, and had seven children. (Six survive him). In the mid-1960s, he was briefly engaged to Mary Wilson of the Supremes.

A lifelong Detroit resident who stayed home even after Gordy moved the label to Los Angeles in early 1970s, Fakir was of Ethiopian and Bangladeshi descent and grew up in a rough neighborhood where rival Black and white gangs fought often. He had early dreams of being a professional athlete, but was also a talented singer whose tenor brought him attention as a performer in his church choir. He was in his teens when he befriended Stubbs, and the two first sang with Benson and Payton at a birthday party thrown by a local “girl” group whom Fakir remembered as “high-class, very fine young ladies.”

“Singing was the by-product of us going to the party looking for the girls!” Fakir said in a 2016 interview with https://writewyattuk.com.
“We told Levi to just pick a song and sing the lead. We’d just back him up. Well, when he started, we all fell in like we’d been rehearsing the song for months! Our blend was incredible. We were just looking at each other as we were singing, and right after we said, ’Man, this is a group! This is a group!’”


#HipHopNews: Eminem's 'The Death Of Slim Shady' Tops Billboard 200 With Biggest Rap Sales Of 2024
Eminem‘s latest album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) has topped the Billboard 200 with the biggest sales week of 2024 in Hip Hop.
Debuting atop the chart with 281,000 equivalent album-units, Em’s 12th LP finally knocked Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department after an unbroken 12-week stint at No. 1, per Billboard.
The Death of Slim Shady‘s first-week sales make it the biggest rap debut of 2024, eclipsing Future and Metro Boomin‘s previous benchmark of 251,000 units sold with We Don’t Trust You.

Eminem’s latest offering also had the second biggest digital launch of the year with 114,000 sales, second only to Swift’s 274,000. The Death of Slim Shady does not have a physical release until September 13.
The album was originally projected to earn between 270,000 and 290,000 album-equivalent units in its opening week, so it landed right in the middle of this estimate.
The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) is Em’s 11th No. 1 album, putting him level with Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand. Only Drake (13), Swift (14), JAY-Z (also 14) and The Beatles (19) have more.

The album also had a bigger opening week than Slim Shady’s previous album, 2020’s Music to be Murdered By (279,000), as well as 2017’s Revival (267,000).

Since its release on July 12, The Death of Slim Shady has courted controversy after Eminem dissed conservative pundit Candace Owens on “Lucifer.”
“And Candace O, I ain’t mad at her / I ain’t gon’ throw the fact bitch forgot she was Black back at her / Laugh at her like them crackers she’s backin’ after her back is turned / In a cute MAGA hat with her brand-new White Lives Matter shirt,” he rapped on the Dr. Dre-produced song.

He continued: “Or say this MAGA dirtbag in a skirt / Just opened the biggest can of worms on the whole planet Earth / Call her Grand Wizard, Klandace Grand Dragon or / Like the national anthem, I won’t stand for the tramp / But I can’t diss her ’cause my plans are to get in her pants and I’ll blow my chance if I answer back to her.”

Owens responded to Eminem in a lengthy rant on her YouTube channel, accusing of him being a closeted homosexual.

“First thing I wanna say is Eminem is obviously a gay man. It’s very sad that Eminem cleaned out his closet but never came out of his closet,” she said, referencing his 2002 hit.

Owens added: “It would have meant something if he was at his prime. He is not at the peak of his career; he is at the end of it. His career should have ended, like, 15 years ago and he keeps going.”


Chris Brown & Yella Beezy Reportedly Face $50m Lawsuit For Alleged Beating Backstage

Chris Brown and Yella Beezy have reportedly been hit with a $50 million lawsuit for a fight that allegedly occurred at one of their shows.
According to a report from TMZ on Monday (July 22), the pair along with Breezy’s entourage lieutenant Sinko Ceej and Live Nation are being sued by plaintiffs Larry Parker, Joseph Lewis, Charles Bush and Da Marcus Powell.

The four men claim they were invited backstage at Chris’s 11:11 Tour in Fort Worth, TX on July 20, along with 40 women. According to Bush’s version of events, he dapped Chris up and was having a positive interaction before one of the singer’s team members said, “Man you don’t remember you two were beefing?”

At that point, Bush says Chris replied, “Oh yeah, we were. What’s up, n-gga? I don’t forget shit” – and then ordered his crew to jump the visitor. Bush was then allegedly surrounded by seven to 10 people who proceeded to punch and kick him as well as throw a chair at his head.
Parker claims Chris then sent Yella Beezy for him and he also got punched and kicked.
All four men claim they suffered severe injuries and had to undergo various medical treatments. According to their attorney Tony Buzbee, at least one of them remains hospitalized.

In other news from the tour, Chris Brown’s meet and greets with his fans have been the subject of countless viral posts online – though not all of them have been truthful.

Late last month, a social-media user who goes by Lushotz shared images of a woman on crutches meeting with the R&B singer and wrote: “This woman paid $1,111 for a ‘Meet & Greet’ with Chris Brown. When he saw her, refunded her money and also gave her an extra $10k, along with these beautiful pictures.”

Not long after the post began making the rounds online, the person in the photographs uploaded a video to dispute the the story.
“I’m just here to set the record straight,” she said. “What I’m not okay with is strangers on the internet using my face and exploiting my disability for likes and clicks while spreading misinformation. That we not gonna do. Just like everyone else, I support Chris as a brand and as an individual, so if you see me at a show or meet and greet, please know that I paid for my ticket. I paid to get there.

“This going around takes away from everything that I personally did to get there. It takes away from the hours I work. It takes away from the things that I sacrificed to work the overtime because I wanted to treat myself.”


Kim Burrell Issues An Apology To The LGBTQ Community
In a surprising turn of events, Kim Burrell issued an apology to the LGBTQ community. 
While accepting the Aretha Franklin Icon Award at the 2024 Stellar Awards the singer and pastor offered the following expression of regret:

Some of my past words, comments, preaching…has been received by the LGBTQ+ community as negative and hurtful.
There’s nothing more hurtful than to think … to imagine that you’ve said something in the name of God and it hurt somebody.
You know we have a church lingo and a church jargon that everybody doesn’t get and sometimes you have to say it for the people in the back…and for that I want to apologize to the LGBTQ community.

Let’s give them a great big round of applause.
We want them to have strength and to sincerely know we must all do the work to embrace all of God’s people and show forth His love to everyone.
Amen.
I hope this award and this moment can be the beginning of a bridge building and listening to each other, I guess

WATCH 
The 2024 Stellar Awards are in BET on Sunday, August 4 at 8pm. 

'Love Island USA' Star Kendall Washington Reacts To His Leaked Explicit Videos

"Love Island USA" star Kendall Washington has broken his silence on his nude videos that surfaced online. Kendall took to his Instagram account to address some NSFW videos of him that leaked online following the show's season 6 finale.
"What a way to get my phone back y'all," Kendall wrote on Instagram Story on Monday, July 22, implying that he had been offline during filming. "I just want to address the content that came out from my past. That was something I shared to someone in confidence and trust."

The 27-year-old added, "It's unfortunate that it's no longer private but it is what it is." The San Diego native then expressed gratitude to fans, writing, "I am so grateful for my Love Island experience and I love you all for turning in to watch my journey. Excited for what's next."

Kendall Washington addressed his leaked NSFW videos.

In season 6 of "Love Island USA", Kendall and his co-star Nicole Jackie finished in fourth place. Despite not winning, the two's bonding got stronger than ever with Kendall telling Nicole that he loves her in the finale, which aired on Sunday.

"Looking back at the moment we first met, still gives me the chills," he told her. "When I heard the sound of your high heels getting closer to me, you then took my blindfold off me. Until this day, I have never laid eyes on something so beautiful. Nicole Danielle Jacky, when I say these words, I mean them: I love you."

Meanwhile, Serena Page and Kordell Beckham were declared as the winners of season 6. This season has seen record-high ratings for "Love Island USA", solidifying its status as one of the most-streamed shows of the summer. Hosted by Ariana Madix, a special reunion episode will air on August 19, bringing together the winners and fan-favorite couples to reflect on their summer in Fiji.


NSYNC Members 'Disappointed' With Justin Timberlake's Radio Silence On Reunion Tour Offers
NSYNC singer Justin Timberlake may be focusing on his solo career amid talks about the boy band's reunion tour. It has been reported that the "Can't Stop the Feeling!" hitmaker has not yet responded to the group's tour offers.
On Monday, July 22, TMZ shared an update on the vocal group's potential comeback show. Some sources spilled to the media outlet that "Justin and his team have yet to address respective proposals for a possible [NSYNC] stadium tour next summer."

The sources said that other members of the group, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and JC Chasez, "have all responded with interest after different promoters made their pitches 4 months ago." The outlet stressed, "[Justin] is the only one who hasn't engaged in these convos."

Furthermore, Justin's radio silence on the matter allegedly left his bandmates "disappointed." The insiders stated, "The other guys are disappointed with Justin's radio silence," adding that Justin is not returning the favor after his bandmates showed up for him "a lot over the past year" in order to "promote his projects."

It was said that "The rest of the [NSYNC] guys feel the past year was a tease to the band's fans that something big was coming, and a 2025 tour would coincide with the band's 25th anniversary," which is "perfect timing." Moreover, the outlet unveiled, "Sony was also hoping for a big push on the 25th anniversary for the sake of the band's old catalog."

On the reason why Justin has not responded to the offers, some informants, who claimed to be close to the singer, explained, "He's solely focused on his nearly sold-out world tour right now," referring to his "Forget Tomorrow World Tour". The informant continued, "And he's simply busy."

Though so, there may be a possibility of an NSYNC reunion tour without Justin. The sources claimed, "Lance coordinated a meeting between Chris, Joey, and JC Monday in NYC to discuss the future of the band, and what it potentially looks like if they go forward" without Justin. In the meantime, Justin reportedly "couldn't be in NYC because he's in Europe getting ready for his show in Poland later this week."
Previously, it was revealed that NSYNC made Live Nation and AEG bid on their reunion tour amid high demand from their fans. In April, sources shared, "Both promoters have presented the group with some serious financial numbers," noting, "If the reunion stadium tour were to happen, it wouldn't be until 2025."


The Adult 'Flintstones' Reboot 'Bedrock' Scrapped By FOX

FOX has abandoned plans for "Bedrock", an adult animated sequel to the classic sitcom "The Flintstones". The project, which had been in development since 2019, would have caught up with the Flintstones family two decades after the original series ended. Fred Flintstone would have been on the verge of retirement, while his daughter Pebbles would have been a 20-something embarking on her own career.
Elizabeth Banks was set to executive produce and voice Pebbles, while Stephen Root, Amy Sedaris, Nicole Byer, Joe Lo Truglio and Manny Jacinto were also attached to lend their voices to the project.

"As the Stone Age gives way to a shiny and enlightened new Bronze Age, the residents of Bedrock will find this evolution harder than a swing from Bamm-Bamm's club," read the official synopsis.

Lindsay Kerns, who previously worked on "DC Super Hero Girls" and "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous", was the writer and executive producer of Bedrock.
Fox's decision to scrap the project is unclear. However, the network did hint that it might be open to redeveloping it at a later date.

"Bedrock" cancelation follows FOX's earlier attempt to reboot "The Flintstones" for an adult audience. In 2011, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane announced a project but later abandoned it.
Despite the setbacks, the "Flintstones" franchise remains popular. A CG-animated reboot titled "Meet the Flintstones" is currently in the works at Warner Bros. Animation. Additionally, the original animated series is available to stream on Max and Tubi, while the 1994 live-action film starring John Goodman is available on Starz.


Montel Williams Defends, Endorses Ex Kamala Harris Amid Right-Wing Misinformation Spree

Montel Williams woke up Monday morning to a series of tweets about his brief relationship with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, whom he expressed support for by retweeting Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s resounding endorsement.
Things started after self-described investigative journalist/right wing influencer Laura Loomer (whose anti-Muslim views are seen as a liability for Trump even within his own campaign staff) tweeted a photo of them on a night out and captioned it, “Did you know that @KamalaHarris was once an escort and that she got her career started giving b–jobs to successful, rich, Black men? She sucked Willie Brown’s p–s while he was a married man in exchange [for] political power.”

The tweet, which has given limited visibility after it was flagged for potential “hateful content,” continued, “Here she is dating @Montel_Williams in 2001, who appears to be holding hands with more than one woman at the same time on the red carpet.”

Harris and Williams were in a brief relationship in 2001, during which they attended a film premiere alongside Williams’ daughter — the second woman in the aforementioned photo.

Williams was quick to reply to Loomer’s accusation. He tweeted in response, “As most of you know, that is my daughter to my right and I’ve asked @LauraLoomer not to target my kids who aren’t public figures. She keeps hiding my tweet.”
Williams also welcomed the decision to flag Loomer’s offensive tweet, but chided X boss Elon Musk for allowing messages such as what she wrote on the platform in the first place.

He wrote, “Well, @elonmusk @lindayaX finally put @LauraLoomer in twitter jail. Elon, I love you, but there is a reason you can’t get normal advertisers on this platform — you let behavior like this go on.”
Undeterred, Loomer fired back, writing, “Everything I said about @KamalaHarris is true. You might not like the way I say it, but everything I said is true. Show me the lie.”

Loomer later said she was “being censored” after X locked her initial tweet. She wrote in part, “Unreal. This is arguably Election interference by big tech. @elonmusk The American people deserve to know about the character flaws of Kamala Harris, which includes her history of sexual affairs with married men and radical leftists who she has dated.”

Ultimately, Loomer blocked him on X. “I really hope you get the help you need. Be well,” Williams wrote, before calling her a “snowflake.”
The exchange appeared to catch the eye of right wing host Megyn Kelly, who further insisted, “[Harris] actually did sleep her way into and upwards in California politics and most women (and men) may learn that and see it for what it is: evidence of an unqualified political aspirant getting ahead based on [something] other than merit.”

Williams quickly replied again, writing, “Disappointed in you … I have always had a good relationship with Megyn and that will be true tomorrow. I just think this particular tweet was disappointing.”
Loomer’s tweet isn’t the first time the relationship between Williams and Harris has been thrust into public discourse. In 2019, Inside Edition shared a clip from the premiere in question, which prompted social media commentators to spread rumors that Harris was Williams’ “side piece,” similarly to Loomer’s uninspired take.

At the time, Williams tweeted, “@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?”

In addition to her relationship with Williams, Loomer also attacked Harris’ relationship with former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, the first Black man or woman elected to the post in the city.
“How 29-year-old Kamala Harris began an affair with powerful San Francisco politician Willie Brown, then 60 and married, who appointed her to two lucrative positions only to dump her after he was voted first Black mayor of the city,” she captioned a post that linked to a Daily Mail article.

Brown married Blanche Vitero in 1958. They separated in 1982, and he and Harris dated from 1994-95. Harris was the assistant district attorney in Alameda County at the time. He also appointed Harris to two positions in that timeframe: a six-month-long role on the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and a role at the Medical Assistance Commission.

Harris and Brown’s relationship was reexamined in 2019 during the former’s presidential campaign run ahead of 2020. At the time, Los Angeles Magazine reported that Harris ended the relationship before Brown won his mayoral race.
Loomer is a questionable figure in right wing politics, even among Trump’s most ardent supporters. A twice-failed Congressional candidate in her own right — she ran against Florida Republican Rep. Dan Webster in 2022 and Democrat Lois Frankel in 2020 — Loomer is known for parroting conspiracy theories about the Parkland High School shooting in Florida and has been banned from some social media platforms for her political views.

In April 2023, the New York Times reported that Trump asked aides to offer Loomer a role in his campaign. The request never came to fruition, as some on his team had concerns “that such a hire would cause a backlash, given her history of inflammatory statements and her embrace of the Republican Party’s fringes.”

Misinformation about Harris’ personal life once again began to proliferate on social media in the hours following President Biden’s resignation and endorsement of his vice president.
Meanwhile, Trump was convicted of sexually assaulting author E. Jean Carroll in 2023. In May, the GOP candidate was also convicted of paying adult entertainment star Stormy Daniels with campaign funds to cover up their affair. Harris has been married to Doug Emhoff since 2014.


Madonna Brings Kids to 'Deadpool & Wolverine' Premiere, Ryan Reynolds Talks Getting Music Star's Permission to License 'Like a Prayer'
Madonna made a rare red carpet appearance with two of her kids at the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine!
The 65-year-old music superstar brought her 11-year-old twin daughters Estere and Stella to the event on Monday night (July 22) at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Madonna‘s song “Like a Prayer” is used in the movie and Ryan visited the singer at her house to convince her to let him use the song.
“It did involve a personal visit to Madonna, where we showed Madonna the sequence where ‘Like a Prayer’ would be used,” director Shawn Levy said on Andy Cohen‘s SiriusXM show.

Ryan added, “Also, let’s preface it with the fact that they don’t license — that Madonna doesn’t just license the song, particularly that song. It was a big deal to ask for it and certainly a bigger deal to use it. We went over and met with her and and sort of showed her how it was being used, and where, and why.”
“She gave a great note,” Ryan continued (via People). “She watched it, and I’m not kidding, [she said], ‘You need to do this.’ And damn it, if she wasn’t like spot on. We literally went into a new recording session within 48 hours to do this note. … It made the sequence better.”


SXSW London Reveals First Edition Dates & Festival Hires
The inaugural SXSW London, which will take place across at least 20 venues in the Shoreditch area of east London, has set 2025 dates of June 2 – 7.
The London spinoff will mark the first European edition of the celebrated Austin festival, which has also launched in Sydney, Australia. Organizers say they expect to attract 20,000 attendees to the cross-cultural London offshoot, which will feature tech, music, screen and general arts programming.

'La La Land' Producer Mike Jackson Launches Podcast Series 'Why Not Me?'; John Legend, Gabrielle Union & Stephen A. Smith Among First Guests
UK artists are being encouraged to submit their ideas and work for consideration for the SXSW programming team via a platform to be launched in the fall. Organisers also plan to offer a skills development programme after the event.

The festival has recently made a raft of senior hires. Anna Bogutskaya is joining as Head of Screen having worked at BFI, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, El Deseo, and Underwire Festival. Meanwhile, Beth Greenacre is joining as Visual Arts Advisor, having previously served as curator of the David Bowie collection and with the artist co-curated numerous exhibitions including Sound and Vision as part of Bowie’s Meltdown at the Royal Festival Hall in 2002.

Clare Morris, former Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity marketing lead, is joining SXSW London in September as Director of Marketing and Communications.

Randel Bryan, SXSW London’s Managing Director said: “A shorter date format relative to SXSW in Austin will allow SXSW London to run its conference, music, screen and arts programmes at the same time, ensuring accessibility to multiple programming formats and diverse networking opportunities for attendees from different industries. Bringing SXSW to the streets of Shoreditch will allow us to create a festival like no other, one that unfolds across incredible indoor spaces whilst also showcasing creativity and artistic experiences in unique public spaces, allowing us to capture the energy and excitement of the summer.”

The U.S. home of SXSW will run in Austin, Texas, between March 10-15.


Pastor Marvin Winans’ Gives an Inspiring Testimony Following Cancer Diagnosis Announcemnt

Prayers are underway for the full restorative healing of Pastor Marvin L. Winans.
The legendary gospel artist and pastor recently announced his bladder cancer diagnosis. He revealed the news to his congregation at Perfecting Church (Detroit, MI) during worship service on Sunday, July 21st.

“People feel that if you’re [operating in] your calling…then somehow you will be exempt from trouble…sicknesss…trial…Nothing could be further from the truth.” -Pastor Marvin Winans
In the sermon (watch clip below) he not only discloses the diagnosis but gives a powerful testimony about the importance of prayer and having “no room for doubt.” The testimony ends with a health update that leaves the church cheering and thanking God.

“The first time they could see it…this time when they went in the doctor said, “Okay…there’s nothing there.”…[Doubt] nothing [and] have confidence in what God is doing in our midst!”
Pastor Winans is well-known for being a member of his multi-generational musical family. The family includes artists like gospel and R&B duo BeBe & CeCe Winans, and the quartet group ‘The Winans’ (made up by Marvin and his brothers Carvin, Michael and Ronald Winans).

Pastor Winans is beloved for his contributions to gospel music, as well as his dedication to ministry and community. He founded Perfecting Church in 1989, and Winans Academy of Performing Arts in 1997.


‘First Take’ Staff Frustrated by Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe’s Dominance
*Rumors are emerging about ESPN’s “First Take” being dominated by Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe, leading to tension among the staff. 
The Sun reports, citing anonymous sources, that the focus on Smith and Sharpe has made other panelists feel marginalized, creating a tense work environment. The show, which features a rotating panel including top ESPN analysts like Monica McNutt and Kendrick Perkins, has been affected by internal frustrations. Some staff members joked about creating shirts that read “Stephen and Shannon versus the World” as a sign of their discontent. 

Smith’s contract is set to expire in 2025 and his recent display of influence on the show has drawn public criticism.
“A lot of people are fed up with their behavior and the way they run things,” one employee revealed to The Sun.
“They decide on the topics and act like they know everything, never accepting other opinions or criticisms,” said a staffer. “People try to voice their thoughts, but Stephen and Shannon always insist they are right, like that stubborn uncle who always thinks he knows best.”

As fans know, Sharpe exited Fox Sports 1 in June 2023 after seven years of co-hosting “Undisputed” with veteran sports journalist Skip Bayless. He joined Smith on “First Take” three months later in September.
We reported earlier that Bayless is set to depart the show later this summer after an eight-year tenure, New York Post reports.

After Sharpe’s exit, “Undisputed” became a rotating panel featuring Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, Richard Sherman, Rachel Nichols, and Paul Pierce. The new iteration failed to engage audiences as effectively as the firey one-on-one debates between Bayless and Sharpe.
Sharpe and Bayless launched FS1’s “Undisputed” in 2016, but growing tension between the pair allegedly prompted Sharpe to leave the show.

Following Sharpe’s exit, F1 took a brief hiatus before returning with a new format and new co-hosts with Bayless. Despite the changes, it wasn’t able to dethrone ESPN’s “First Take” as the most buzzed-about sports talk show on TV.


Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Teams Up with 2024 Summer Games

*Rihanna announced an exciting new partnership with the 2024 Paris Olympics that is reportedly valued at tens of millions of dollars.
The singer’s Fenty Beauty has teamed up with the summer games, marking its most prominent premium partnership to date. 
Rihanna shared the news on Instagram, posting a photo of herself near the Eiffel Tower, with the Olympic rings in the background.

“Tried to tell yall….we outside all 2024!!! PROUD to announce that @FentyBeauty is a premium partner of the Olympic AND Paralympic Games baby!!! #FentyxParis2024,” she captioned the photo (see below). 

According to a press release, 600 volunteers, ranging in age from 18 to 21, will be given makeup kits and tutorials on how to achieve a “designated look” for the 2024 Paris Olympics using Fenty Beauty products.

“My mantra has always been and always will be, ‘Beauty is there to have fun with. It should never feel like pressure or a uniform,’” Rihanna told Elle in 2023. “I hope that carries on because it’s an incredibly joyful and freeing way to live.”

In related news, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were photographed on Saturday leaving the Mercer Hotel in New York City, each wearing matching all-black outfits. A music insider said “family comes first” for the couple, who share two sons. 
“They have always had a solid friendship, and the romance just enhanced that,” the source said, PEOPLE reports. 

Another source told the publication in May that Rihanna “is all about motherhood.”
“She brings the kids on every trip, including work trips. The kids come with her everywhere. She never complains that she’s tired,” the insider said. “She seems to just love life.”

The tea spiller also noted that Rocky is “such a fun dad” to their boys.


Mississippi mom fired from Burger King for hiring son and 2 friends
In a controversial turn of events, a Mississippi mother, Shakayla Dixon, was terminated from her position at Burger King after she hired her son, Corderrion Valentine, and his friends to provide them with a safe summer job opportunity. This decision was made amidst misunderstandings regarding pay policies.

Dixon’s primary motive was to keep the teens away from the prevalent summer violence in the Jackson, MS metro area by engaging them in constructive work. She believed that working at Burger King would keep them safe and help them earn some money before the school season resumed. The group’s employment quickly gained social media traction, receiving significant attention online, including a repost from celebrity Nick Cannon.
However, the situation took a downturn when her manager and district leader informed Dixon about concerns regarding the payment of her son, who is a minor. Burger King management highlighted that minors should be compensated differently, a detail that was not initially clarified to Dixon. This misunderstanding led to the eventual firing of Dixon and the teens, leaving them without jobs and Dixon struggling to manage her finances.

The community has shown support for Dixon and the teens, with many expressing disappointment over the company’s decision. In response to her sudden separation from Burger King and the financial strain resulting from it, Dixon has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover her mortgage and the upcoming school expenses for the teens.
Shakayla Dixon, the mother of 15-year-old Corderrion Valentine, told WLBT she believes it was nepotism. Dixon was the manager of the store. After hiring her son and his friends, she proudly took photos of them working and posted them on Facebook. The photos went viral and even Nick Cannon re-posted it.

“Now this is the wave!” Cannon captioned the post. “Staying out of trouble, and getting the bag the right way! This is how it’s done, Kings!”
Dixon said it was going well until she received a phone call from the restaurant chain’s district leader. The company executive claims Dixon’s son, as a minor, was getting paid what adults were supposed to get paid.

“It was never brought to my attention beforehand,” Dixon told WLBT. “… I feel like the policy wasn’t in play in the beginning.”
Valentine said he felt having the summer job and bringing his friends with him was a great thing because it kept them all out of trouble.


Authorities identify woman arrested for allegedly shooting 7-month-old boy in Philadelphia

Authorities have identified the suspect who is accused of shooting a 7-month-old baby boy on Thursday night in Philadelphia.
Police have arrested Dominique Billips, 28, for allegedly shooting the young child on the 4000 block of Meridian Street in the city's Holmesburg neighborhood.

Disturbing video obtained by Action News shows the gunman walking up and opening fire on a baby and his parents outside of a home.
In the video, the child's mother can be heard repeatedly yelling, "My baby," after the shots were fired.

"You knew they had a stroller, what makes you walk up to someone with a stroller and shoot them?" questioned Lieutenant Denis Rosenbaum with Philadelphia police.
According to police, the baby was shot in the leg by one of the bullets. When officers got to the scene, however, the parents were nowhere to be found.

"The mother and father who had initially gone to the hospital left the location because of fear from police because of outstanding warrants," Rosenbaum explained.

Later, officials were able to bring the parents in for questioning and were told about an argument that took place on the 7900 block of Frankford Avenue before the shooting.
There, police said they were able to get a better visual of their suspect with business surveillance video.
According to police, it appears the argument stems from a $100 narcotics debt.

"One of the detectives from a different squad had recognized one of the females involved from another shooting where she was the victim in 2022. It happened on the 4200 block of Rhawn Street in August of 2022," Rosenbaum explained.
Philadelphia police said they received a tip providing the name of the offender, who also matched the name of the shooting victim the detective thought it was 28-year-old Dominique Billips

Highway patrol was able to assist police in locating the vehicle also seen on surveillance video, which was known to be used by Billips.
Police found the vehicle on the 5900 block of Loretto Street, where they stopped a female and reportedly learned Billips was at a house on the 1300 block of Van Kirk.

"The suspect was asked to come out. She did and surrendered to the highway patrol officers. She was taken into custody without incident," Rosenbaum said.
According to police, arrangements were being made for the baby to be released to the family from CHOP, where he was in stable condition.

Police said the prior warrants for the parents were nonviolent.
"It's sad, you see she points the gun at the mother of the baby who is also a juvenile, and fires. Luckily she missed, a 7-month-old baby might not remember that but that story is always going to be there," explained Rosenbaum.

Billips has since been charged with Aggravated Assault, Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act (VUFA), and other related offenses.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
The Diaper is Full Now
Full of what, May we ask?


HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM 

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