#FASHIONFAB: Teyana Taylor for Alaïa - Summer/Fall 2026
Fab!
#RHOA: Pinky Cole Calls Out Claudia Jordan’s ‘Right Couch’ Pregnancy Tease
Pinky Cole is speaking out about Claudia Jordan's pregnancy tease ahead of the Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion. The Season 17 newcomer had hoped to keep her news private until the big reveal. Instead, Jordan's "right couch" clue sent RHOA fans into detective mode weeks before the reunion aired. Cole now says the hint bothered her, even though Jordan never named her.
Pinky Cole explains why Claudia Jordan's RHOA pregnancy tease bothered her before the reunion aired
During Kandi Burruss' Speak on It, Cole admitted Jordan's comment got under her skin. "She didn't [say my name], but it did bother me," Cole said. "And it bothered me because, girl, you just said 'the right couch.'"
Claudia Jordan made the original comment in June while discussing The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She said a pregnant cast member sat on the right side of Andy Cohen at the reunion.
That couch included Pinky, Shamea Morton, K. Michelle, and Kelli Potter. Cole said fans could use the "process of elimination" after considering what they already knew about the women.
Cole also understood why Shamea remained a possibility because her family-planning journey played out on the show. In fact, Shamea later revealed that her surrogate was pregnant as Season 17 ended with two baby announcements.
Still, the Claudia Jordan pregnancy tease frustrated Cole. She said she had deliberately kept a low profile because she wanted to enjoy the news privately.
"I love a good tease, but damn!" Cole said. She joked that Jordan could at least have suggested the mystery woman might sit on either couch.
Cole also wondered how Jordan learned the information. Rather than blaming a castmate, she suggested someone around the reunion set may have noticed her pregnancy and shared the news.
The mystery officially ended during Part 1 of the RHOA reunion. Cole confirmed that she and her husband, Derrick Hayes, are expecting their fourth child in December.
#RHOA: Pinky Cole Calls Out Claudia Jordan’s ‘Right Couch’ Pregnancy Tease
Pinky Cole explains why Claudia Jordan's RHOA pregnancy tease bothered her before the reunion aired
During Kandi Burruss' Speak on It, Cole admitted Jordan's comment got under her skin. "She didn't [say my name], but it did bother me," Cole said. "And it bothered me because, girl, you just said 'the right couch.'"
Claudia Jordan made the original comment in June while discussing The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She said a pregnant cast member sat on the right side of Andy Cohen at the reunion.
That couch included Pinky, Shamea Morton, K. Michelle, and Kelli Potter. Cole said fans could use the "process of elimination" after considering what they already knew about the women.
Cole also understood why Shamea remained a possibility because her family-planning journey played out on the show. In fact, Shamea later revealed that her surrogate was pregnant as Season 17 ended with two baby announcements.
Still, the Claudia Jordan pregnancy tease frustrated Cole. She said she had deliberately kept a low profile because she wanted to enjoy the news privately.
"I love a good tease, but damn!" Cole said. She joked that Jordan could at least have suggested the mystery woman might sit on either couch.
Cole also wondered how Jordan learned the information. Rather than blaming a castmate, she suggested someone around the reunion set may have noticed her pregnancy and shared the news.
The mystery officially ended during Part 1 of the RHOA reunion. Cole confirmed that she and her husband, Derrick Hayes, are expecting their fourth child in December.
For Pinky Cole, however, the timing mattered. Her issue was not that Jordan named her. Instead, she felt the couch clue made her private news much easier to uncover.
#NewMusic from Coco Jones Releases New Single “Love Me Through”
GRAMMY® Award-winning R&B singer, songwriter, and actress Coco Jones has officially released her newest single, “Love Me Through,” via High Standardz/Def Jam Recordings. The track arrives alongside a deeply personal visualizer offering fans an exclusive look into a meaningful new chapter in her life.
“Love Me Through” pairs a catchy, magnetic melody with Jones’s signature ethereal vocals. The track captures the essence of unconditional love and the choice to embrace every side of a relationship, highlighted by the intimate lyrics: “Good, bad, and ugly / But he’s still gon’ love me.”
The accompanying visualizer brings this heartfelt sentiment to life, featuring exclusive footage from Jones’s recent wedding. The visual serves as a celebration of choosing a partner through every season of life, supplementing the inside look into her nuptials that she recently shared with VOGUE and through her YouTube mini-documentary series.
The new single continues to build out an exciting new creative era for Jones, defined by underlying themes of self-love, confidence, and vulnerability. “Love Me Through” arrives on the heels of her recently released singles, “Body So Tea” and “LUVAGIRL.”
The music follows a monumental year for the artist. Earlier this year, Jones commanded one of the world’s largest stages, delivering a powerful and moving rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at the Super Bowl.
LISTEN HERE:
Jones has firmly transcended “rising star” status to become a leading voice in contemporary R&B and a massive crossover cultural force. Her undeniable momentum stems from the massive success of her debut album, Why Not More?, which earned her an 8th career GRAMMY nomination. Upon its release in 2025, the project secured several major chart milestones:
She subsequently released the deluxe edition, WHY NOT MORE? (MORE!)—featuring the standout Alicia Keys collaboration “Other Side of Love”—and embarked on a completely sold-out tour across the US and Europe.
Beyond her musical dominance, Jones continues to expand her impressive acting portfolio. Her current and upcoming onscreen endeavors include:
Starring in Malcolm D. Lee’s psychological thriller Strung (currently streaming on Peacock).
Returning as the beloved Hilary Banks in the fourth and final season of Peacock’s Bel-Air.
Starring in the highly anticipated upcoming romantic comedy That’s Her.
“Love Me Through” and its accompanying visualizer are available now across all major digital streaming platforms.
#HipHopNews: #RIP Legendary Hip Hop Collective Funky 4 Plus 1 More’s Keith Keith Passes Away At 64
For younger Hip Hop fans who may not immediately recognize Keith Keith’s name, understanding Funky 4 + 1’s place in the culture puts his contribution into perspective.
Before rap albums went platinum, before music videos, major endorsement deals and stadium tours, Funky 4 + 1 was helping establish what a Hip Hop group could even look and sound like.
The pioneering crew included Keith Keith alongside Sha-Rock, K.K. Rockwell, Jazzy Jeff, Lil’ Rodney C, DJ Breakout and DJ Baron, with Rahiem also part of the group’s earlier lineup before joining Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The group emerged from the Bronx during Hip Hop’s formative years and became one of the first crews to take the music from parks and neighborhood parties onto commercially released records.
Keith Keith was there for one of the culture’s most important early recordings, “Rappin’ and Rocking the House,”released through Enjoy Records in 1979. The group later moved to Sylvia Robinson’s Sugar Hill Records and released its signature record, “That’s the Joint,” in 1980. Keith Caesar is among the credited writers on the song.
But Funky 4 + 1’s biggest historical moment arrived on Valentine’s Day 1981.
On Feb. 14, the group appeared on Saturday Night Live at the invitation of Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry, becoming the first Hip Hop group to perform on national television. With much of America still unfamiliar with rap music, Keith Keith and the crew performed “That’s the Joint” on one of television’s biggest stages.
Think about what that meant at the time. Hip Hop wasn’t yet a billion-dollar industry. There was no Yo! MTV Raps, BET’s Rap City or internet capable of taking a Bronx freestyle around the world overnight. When Funky 4 + 1 stepped onto that SNL stage, they were introducing millions of Americans to a culture that was still largely being built block by block in New York City.
The group’s importance also extended to Sha-Rock, whose presence as one of Hip Hop’s earliest female MCs helped establish from the beginning that women weren’t visitors to this culture—they were among its architects.
“That’s the Joint” would continue traveling long after the group separated, eventually being sampled by artists including the Beastie Boys and De La Soul. In 2008, VH1 ranked the record among its 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs.
Born Feb. 15, 1962, Caesar grew up with four siblings and is survived by his brother Kevin Caesar, known as Caesar the Poet.
As Hip Hop’s pioneering generation continues to age, preserving these names becomes even more important. Keith Keith and Funky 4 + 1 were doing this before anybody knew how far Hip Hop could go.
They didn’t inherit the culture.They helped build it. We send our condolences to the Caesar family, the Funky 4 + 1 family and everyone who knew and loved one of the Bronx’s original microphone pioneers.
Rest In Peace Keith “Keith Keith” Caesar.
#RIPDollyParton, Country Music Legend, Dies at 80
Legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has died at age 80. Parton shared an update on her health on Friday, Aug. 21, acknowledging her recent decline after the March 2025 death of her husband, Carl Dean.
"As I've shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl. You know, this isn't the first time I've had to manage something like this. Back in the early '80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it's not like I haven't been through hard times with my health," Parton told PEOPLE.
She added: "But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn't years ago. I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I'm the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, though, even though I'm still healin', I'm still workin'! You know me — as I've often said — I've dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I'm gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life."
With a distinguished career that lasted decades, Parton is the best-selling female country music artist of all time, having sold more than 160 million albums worldwide. Her debut album was 1967's Hello, I'm Dolly, and she went on to release a slew of hits, including "I Will Always Love You," "9 to 5" and "Jolene."
Parton was born in Pittman Center, Tenn., in 1946. She had 11 siblings, and the family was poor. "We never actually starved, but sometimes we never had quite enough to eat," she told PEOPLE in 1977. At age 6, she began playing her first guitar and singing in her grandfather's church. She started writing songs a year later.
Though she was known for her glamor as an adult, she told PEOPLE in 2003 that growing up, "I had freckles and a gap in my teeth. Everything was homemade or hand-me-downs. . . . I always wanted to be prettier. I got to fixin' myself up. I wanted my clothes tight, my makeup bright, my nails long, my lips red. I got into it." Over her career, she received considerable attention for her dramatic appearance, but she was always the first one to make a joke of it.
After her high school graduation, she moved to Nashville in 1964. She played in clubs and wrote songs for other artists. She told PEOPLE in 2012, "My songs got me out of the mountains and took me everywhere I've wanted to go." Her big break came when country star Porter Wagoner hired her to be his sidekick on The Porter Wagoner Show. He helped her land a record deal, but her early successes were all duets with her costar.
"I'll always be a country musician because I'm a country girl," she told PEOPLE in 1975. "My style is my soul and my feelings. I'll tell the world in my songs what I wouldn't have told my mother."
In 1971, she had her first country No. 1 with "Joshua." "Coat of Many Colors," released the same year, reached No. 4. Then in 1973, she released "Jolene," which was a country No. 1 and also charted on Billboard's Hot 100.
Parton stopped appearing on the TV show in 1974, and she wrote "I Will Always Love You" as a goodbye to her creative partner, Wagoner. "When I got ready to go, it was not a good scene. So I went home and that song just came to me. The next morning I said, 'This is how I feel.' Tears were rolling down his face," she told PEOPLE in 2012.
The song topped the country chart twice, but it became a megahit when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. She told PEOPLE in 2015 about the first time she heard Houston's version of the song on the radio. "It was a worldwide thing. It was in a movie; it was No. 1. I thought, 'Wow. I wrote that little song,' " she said. "That's when I felt my worth as a songwriter. I thought, 'This is my gift, and I'm going to do the best I can with it.' "
Parton continued to enjoy success with hits like "Light of a Clear Blue Morning," "Here You Come Again," "Two Doors Down," "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" and "You're the Only One."
By the end of the '70s, Parton's ambitions reached beyond Nashville; some worried she was leaving country music behind. She said in 1977, "I want people to know there is a lot more to me — good or bad — than they've seen so far. All I'm askin' is a chance to prove it. . . . . I'm not leavin' Nashville. Roots are important to me, and my roots are here."
Parton's movie career began in 1980 when she starred in 9 to 5 with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Her theme song for the movie became her first No. 1 single on the Hot 100. The costars became lifelong friends, and Parton later made a guest appearance on their Netflix TV series Grace and Frankie.
In 1982, she played a madam in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas alongside Burt Reynolds. "I make a better whore than a secretary," she told PEOPLE in 1982. Parton also starred in 1984's Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone, 1989's Steel Magnolias and 2012's Joyful Noise.
In 1987, Parton released the critically acclaimed album Trio with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. She told PEOPLE in 2003 that they "were like sisters," explaining, "We didn't always agree, but we had a great sound. Our first Trio album was one of the greatest pieces of music I've ever been involved in."
During her career, Parton won an Emmy, 11 Grammy awards, 10 Country Music Association awards, seven Academy of Country Music awards, three American Music awards and earned two Academy Award nominations, as well as an honorary Oscar. She was one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award.
The music icon was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. During the memorable ceremony, she performed her hit song "Coat of Many Colors." Parton's close friend and "Islands in the Stream" duet partner Kenny Rogers presided over her induction.
Parton's vibrant life was adapted into a musical titled Dolly: A True Original Musical that premiered in Nashville in July 2025 with plans of transferring to Broadway in 2026.
"I wanted to see it done while I'm still around, to be able to oversee it and make sure that it's done properly in a way that I would want to see it, rather than to wait till I'm gone and let somebody else decide how they think it should be done," she said in a press conference announcing the show's premiere.
She also wrote the score for the Broadway adaptation of 9 to 5, for which she received a Tony nomination. In 2005 she received the National Medal of Arts, and in 2006 she received Kennedy Center Honors. In November 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Parton frequently collaborated with younger artists, including Beyoncé and Sabrina Carpenter. She was also the godmother of Miley Cyrus. For the singer who once said, "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life," maintaining her personal life was very important.
"I've told her some things that I think are valuable and that she uses, but I'd rather live [as] an example," Parton told PEOPLE of her relationship with Cyrus. "[I'd rather] be an example rather than just try to tell somebody to do this, do that because I don't think that's right. Everybody's different."
She owned the Dollywood amusement park located in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. She was also heavily involved in philanthropy, most notably her Imagination Library, which mails one book a month to children from birth until kindergarten. She was inspired in part by her father, who never learned to read or write.
Parton married Carl Thomas Dean in May 1966. Dean opted to stay out of the spotlight but encouraged his wife. "He's always supporting me as long as I don't try to drag him in on it," Parton told PEOPLE. "He's always been my biggest fan behind the scenes, but he's at home. I don't think they're probably showing much of this on TV, and if they do, he might see it."
"I always joke and laugh when people ask me what's the key to my long marriage and lasting love," Parton told PEOPLE in 2018. "I always say 'Stay gone!' and there's a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we're together and the little things we do."
Dean died on March 3, 2025. Parton announced his death on Instagram writing, "Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years."
Days after his death, Parton paid tribute to her late husband with a song titled "If You Hadn't Been There."
"Carl and I fell in love when I was 18 and he was 23, and like all great love stories, they never end," she wrote on Instagram announcing the song alongside a rare throwback photo of the couple.
Parton reflected on their love story and her grief in a November 2025 PEOPLE cover story.
"Ours is a great old love story. Most people don't stay that close that long," Parton said of Dean at the time. "That's a loss. Nobody can ever know that unless you've experienced it yourself. He will always be in my heart and in my memories."
Parton was set to return to Las Vegas in December 2025 for a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace — her first extended run in the city in more than 30 years — but in September of that year, she announced that the dates had been postponed due to "health challenges."
"As many of you know, I've been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000 check-up, although it's not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!," she said in a statement shared to Instagram. "In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you.
Despite the setback, Parton reassured her fans at the time writing, "And don't worry about me quittin' the business because God hasn't said anything about stopping yet. But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you."
She later canceled the residency in May 2026, saying in an Instagram video that she was "responding really well to meds and treatments" and "improving every day."
Years prior, Parton told PEOPLE that even after decades in the industry there were still dreams she had left to fulfill.
"I just hope I live long enough to do more things," she said. "That's the only thing that worries me, that I may run out of time before I see so many of my dreams come true. I wake up with new dreams all the time. But I put them in a place where they can continue, even after I'm gone."
In a November 2025 cover story, Parton opened up to PEOPLE about her then-upcoming 80th birthday.
"People say, 'Well, you're going to be 80 years old.' Well, so what? Look at all I've done in 80 years. I feel like I'm just getting started," she says. "I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine . . . I think there's a lot to be said about age. If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, 'I ain't got time to get old!' I ain't got time to dwell on that. That's not what I'm thinking about."
She also reflected on her impact and intentions in the industry. "I'm at that point in my life where I just want to be able to do good things that can be carried on. I'm proud of my legacy so far, and I hope to just continue to do things that might be of use to other people," Parton told PEOPLE at the time.
"You know, I have just been going so fast my whole life," Parton added in the same interview. "And I just start thinking, 'How in the world did I even have a life? How did I even get it done?' I really realized when I was putting this book together just how much I had sacrificed in my life. I never had children, so at least I didn't have a guilty feeling. I'm thankful that I got to see my dreams come true."
Legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has died at age 80. Parton shared an update on her health on Friday, Aug. 21, acknowledging her recent decline after the March 2025 death of her husband, Carl Dean.
"As I've shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl. You know, this isn't the first time I've had to manage something like this. Back in the early '80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it's not like I haven't been through hard times with my health," Parton told PEOPLE.
She added: "But I think because we live in a 24/7 world with social media, everything gets magnified in ways it wasn't years ago. I used to joke that I was the Queen of the Tabloids, but now I guess I can say I'm the Queen of Social Media AI! Seriously, though, even though I'm still healin', I'm still workin'! You know me — as I've often said — I've dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve, so I'm gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life."
With a distinguished career that lasted decades, Parton is the best-selling female country music artist of all time, having sold more than 160 million albums worldwide. Her debut album was 1967's Hello, I'm Dolly, and she went on to release a slew of hits, including "I Will Always Love You," "9 to 5" and "Jolene."
Parton was born in Pittman Center, Tenn., in 1946. She had 11 siblings, and the family was poor. "We never actually starved, but sometimes we never had quite enough to eat," she told PEOPLE in 1977. At age 6, she began playing her first guitar and singing in her grandfather's church. She started writing songs a year later.
Though she was known for her glamor as an adult, she told PEOPLE in 2003 that growing up, "I had freckles and a gap in my teeth. Everything was homemade or hand-me-downs. . . . I always wanted to be prettier. I got to fixin' myself up. I wanted my clothes tight, my makeup bright, my nails long, my lips red. I got into it." Over her career, she received considerable attention for her dramatic appearance, but she was always the first one to make a joke of it.
After her high school graduation, she moved to Nashville in 1964. She played in clubs and wrote songs for other artists. She told PEOPLE in 2012, "My songs got me out of the mountains and took me everywhere I've wanted to go." Her big break came when country star Porter Wagoner hired her to be his sidekick on The Porter Wagoner Show. He helped her land a record deal, but her early successes were all duets with her costar.
"I'll always be a country musician because I'm a country girl," she told PEOPLE in 1975. "My style is my soul and my feelings. I'll tell the world in my songs what I wouldn't have told my mother."
In 1971, she had her first country No. 1 with "Joshua." "Coat of Many Colors," released the same year, reached No. 4. Then in 1973, she released "Jolene," which was a country No. 1 and also charted on Billboard's Hot 100.
Parton stopped appearing on the TV show in 1974, and she wrote "I Will Always Love You" as a goodbye to her creative partner, Wagoner. "When I got ready to go, it was not a good scene. So I went home and that song just came to me. The next morning I said, 'This is how I feel.' Tears were rolling down his face," she told PEOPLE in 2012.
The song topped the country chart twice, but it became a megahit when Whitney Houston recorded it for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. She told PEOPLE in 2015 about the first time she heard Houston's version of the song on the radio. "It was a worldwide thing. It was in a movie; it was No. 1. I thought, 'Wow. I wrote that little song,' " she said. "That's when I felt my worth as a songwriter. I thought, 'This is my gift, and I'm going to do the best I can with it.' "
Parton continued to enjoy success with hits like "Light of a Clear Blue Morning," "Here You Come Again," "Two Doors Down," "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" and "You're the Only One."
By the end of the '70s, Parton's ambitions reached beyond Nashville; some worried she was leaving country music behind. She said in 1977, "I want people to know there is a lot more to me — good or bad — than they've seen so far. All I'm askin' is a chance to prove it. . . . . I'm not leavin' Nashville. Roots are important to me, and my roots are here."
Parton's movie career began in 1980 when she starred in 9 to 5 with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Her theme song for the movie became her first No. 1 single on the Hot 100. The costars became lifelong friends, and Parton later made a guest appearance on their Netflix TV series Grace and Frankie.
In 1982, she played a madam in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas alongside Burt Reynolds. "I make a better whore than a secretary," she told PEOPLE in 1982. Parton also starred in 1984's Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone, 1989's Steel Magnolias and 2012's Joyful Noise.
In 1987, Parton released the critically acclaimed album Trio with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. She told PEOPLE in 2003 that they "were like sisters," explaining, "We didn't always agree, but we had a great sound. Our first Trio album was one of the greatest pieces of music I've ever been involved in."
During her career, Parton won an Emmy, 11 Grammy awards, 10 Country Music Association awards, seven Academy of Country Music awards, three American Music awards and earned two Academy Award nominations, as well as an honorary Oscar. She was one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award.
The music icon was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. During the memorable ceremony, she performed her hit song "Coat of Many Colors." Parton's close friend and "Islands in the Stream" duet partner Kenny Rogers presided over her induction.
Parton's vibrant life was adapted into a musical titled Dolly: A True Original Musical that premiered in Nashville in July 2025 with plans of transferring to Broadway in 2026.
"I wanted to see it done while I'm still around, to be able to oversee it and make sure that it's done properly in a way that I would want to see it, rather than to wait till I'm gone and let somebody else decide how they think it should be done," she said in a press conference announcing the show's premiere.
She also wrote the score for the Broadway adaptation of 9 to 5, for which she received a Tony nomination. In 2005 she received the National Medal of Arts, and in 2006 she received Kennedy Center Honors. In November 2022, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Parton frequently collaborated with younger artists, including Beyoncé and Sabrina Carpenter. She was also the godmother of Miley Cyrus. For the singer who once said, "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life," maintaining her personal life was very important.
"I've told her some things that I think are valuable and that she uses, but I'd rather live [as] an example," Parton told PEOPLE of her relationship with Cyrus. "[I'd rather] be an example rather than just try to tell somebody to do this, do that because I don't think that's right. Everybody's different."
She owned the Dollywood amusement park located in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. She was also heavily involved in philanthropy, most notably her Imagination Library, which mails one book a month to children from birth until kindergarten. She was inspired in part by her father, who never learned to read or write.
Parton married Carl Thomas Dean in May 1966. Dean opted to stay out of the spotlight but encouraged his wife. "He's always supporting me as long as I don't try to drag him in on it," Parton told PEOPLE. "He's always been my biggest fan behind the scenes, but he's at home. I don't think they're probably showing much of this on TV, and if they do, he might see it."
"I always joke and laugh when people ask me what's the key to my long marriage and lasting love," Parton told PEOPLE in 2018. "I always say 'Stay gone!' and there's a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we're together and the little things we do."
Dean died on March 3, 2025. Parton announced his death on Instagram writing, "Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years."
Days after his death, Parton paid tribute to her late husband with a song titled "If You Hadn't Been There."
"Carl and I fell in love when I was 18 and he was 23, and like all great love stories, they never end," she wrote on Instagram announcing the song alongside a rare throwback photo of the couple.
Parton reflected on their love story and her grief in a November 2025 PEOPLE cover story.
"Ours is a great old love story. Most people don't stay that close that long," Parton said of Dean at the time. "That's a loss. Nobody can ever know that unless you've experienced it yourself. He will always be in my heart and in my memories."
Parton was set to return to Las Vegas in December 2025 for a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace — her first extended run in the city in more than 30 years — but in September of that year, she announced that the dates had been postponed due to "health challenges."
"As many of you know, I've been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000 check-up, although it's not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!," she said in a statement shared to Instagram. "In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see. You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you.
Despite the setback, Parton reassured her fans at the time writing, "And don't worry about me quittin' the business because God hasn't said anything about stopping yet. But, I believe He is telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you."
She later canceled the residency in May 2026, saying in an Instagram video that she was "responding really well to meds and treatments" and "improving every day."
Years prior, Parton told PEOPLE that even after decades in the industry there were still dreams she had left to fulfill.
"I just hope I live long enough to do more things," she said. "That's the only thing that worries me, that I may run out of time before I see so many of my dreams come true. I wake up with new dreams all the time. But I put them in a place where they can continue, even after I'm gone."
In a November 2025 cover story, Parton opened up to PEOPLE about her then-upcoming 80th birthday.
"People say, 'Well, you're going to be 80 years old.' Well, so what? Look at all I've done in 80 years. I feel like I'm just getting started," she says. "I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine . . . I think there's a lot to be said about age. If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, 'I ain't got time to get old!' I ain't got time to dwell on that. That's not what I'm thinking about."
She also reflected on her impact and intentions in the industry. "I'm at that point in my life where I just want to be able to do good things that can be carried on. I'm proud of my legacy so far, and I hope to just continue to do things that might be of use to other people," Parton told PEOPLE at the time.
"You know, I have just been going so fast my whole life," Parton added in the same interview. "And I just start thinking, 'How in the world did I even have a life? How did I even get it done?' I really realized when I was putting this book together just how much I had sacrificed in my life. I never had children, so at least I didn't have a guilty feeling. I'm thankful that I got to see my dreams come true."
Master P Responds to Backlash Over Slavery Comments: ‘You Can’t Twist the Truth’
The No Limit Records founder faced backlash after a clip from an interview with Forbes circulated across social media on Friday. In the clip, Master P argued that Black Americans shouldn't continue "going back to" or "harping on" slavery, suggesting that constantly focusing on the past can contribute to what he described as a "negative mindset."
Master P says he doesn’t harp on slavery while opening up about trying to get the negative mindset out of the culture, as he addresses Black people who are still harping on slavery and says he can’t change the past, but he can change the future.
As the remarks spread across social media, some viewers accused the New Orleans mogul of minimizing the lasting effects of slavery and systemic racism.
Master P has now pushed back against that interpretation.
"For the ones in the back that can't hear," he said in a response video. "Stop making them false narratives. I love my people."
He then clarified that his larger point wasn't about ignoring history, but instead focusing on what can be done to improve the future.
"That's what I mean about we can't change the past but we can change the future by bridging the wealth gap," he continued. "That's what Master P said, you can't twist the truth."
Master P responds to recent backlash he received‼️🧐
“I love my people, and when you talk about slavery, our ancestors have been through so much. We are not going to forget them and will keep bringing awareness, but we have to bridge the wealth gap.”
P also shared his response on Instagram and reposted the original Forbes interview clip with another message emphasizing business and personal responsibility.
"You got to have integrity, do good business…and doors will open," he wrote.
During the original interview, Master P similarly argued that integrity and strong business practices can create opportunities.
"You just gotta have integrity and do good business, and these doors will open up," he said.
His comments quickly sparked debate, particularly over whether acknowledging the continuing effects of slavery and discrimination should be considered dwelling on the past.
"He can't hear and refuses to understand that the only way to bridge the wealth gap is through reparations; that's why US Slavery, Jim Crow, legal segregation, and the government's role in those practices and policies are always part of the conversation," one X user wrote.
Another critic offered a more concise response: "Remembering is not harping tho smh Black celebrities are trippy."
He can't hear and refuses to understand that the only way to bridge the wealth gap is through reparations; that's why US Slavery, Jim Crow, legal segregation, and the government's role in those practices and policies are always part of the conversation. No one wants to harp on Show more
Master P's perspective is rooted in a success story he's frequently discussed throughout his career. After growing up in New Orleans' Calliope Projects, he transformed No Limit Records into a music empire before expanding into numerous businesses and philanthropic efforts.
The rapper and entrepreneur has frequently encouraged financial literacy, ownership and entrepreneurship within the Black community, themes that appear to be at the center of his latest remarks.
Dr. Dre’s Stance on A.I. Draws Criticism: “It’s a new tool”
The superproducer says creative people should embrace the controversial technology.
Dr. Dre offered his take on the emergence of A.I. and the controversy surrounding the technology. In an interview with The New York Times, the legendary producer blasted critics of artificial intelligence, saying that he feels the truly creative will simply see it as a tool.
“I think the only people that see it as a threat are the people who have trouble creating,” Dr. Dre said in the interview, which was alongside Jimmy Iovine.
Young Guru, Hip-Hop’s Tech-Forward Innovator, Shares His Concerns with AI
“I had a discussion with a few people a few days ago,” Dre said. “They were against A.I. and I’m like, ‘OK, you sound like the person that would have been against the drum machine when it came out.’ Or synthesizers, right? It’s a new tool for creativity. Some people are afraid of learning new things.”
Dre revealed that he’s using A.I. tech in music.
“[It’s] a tool to see what it would do with what I just did.” Iovine added, “So is Timbaland — another brilliant producer. By the way, there’s a lot of closet AI producers out there.”
Dre’s words echo similar sentiments from producers like Timbaland and Rick Rubin. But many blasted the hitmaker for supporting A.I.
“It’s the exact same script,” wrote Audiomack co-founder Brian “Z” Zisook on X. “They’re all reading from the EXACT SAME SCRIPT.”
And Dre’s fellow West Coast superproducer DJ Quik had the opposite take. In an interview with The Shade Room, Quik criticized the use of A.I. to make music.
“It’s a total violation of culture. It’s appropriation,” Quik said. “You can’t recreate somebody that’s still here doing what they do.”
Enes Kanter Freedom Turns WNBA Trans Debate Into Courtside Showdown
Enes Kanter Freedom got kicked out of a WNBA game Sunday after a courtside dispute turned his shirt into the league’s newest political flashpoint.
The former NBA center sat courtside in black, with his shirt reading, “WOMAN. Noun. Adult human female.”
Natasha Cloud walked toward Freedom after a late-third-quarter basket like she was ready to scrap, while video showed him rise, open his arms and step onto the floor.
Security and Sky players separated them before Freedom was escorted out of Wintrust Arena, according to the Associated Press’s account of the game.
Freedom told OutKick he believed security targeted him because of his message: “I told her, ‘First of all, please don’t touch me because I didn’t do anything wrong. I can get myself out of the game,’” he said. “And the second, I was like, ‘Do you guys realize that you guys are only kicking me out of this game because I support women and I try to protect women?’”
No transgender woman is known to have played in the WNBA, yet Freedom had already challenged its rules by declaring for the 2027 draft.
The dispute had already spread well beyond policy language after Indiana guard Sophie Cunningham said transgender women should not compete in women’s sports.
Rapper Boosie then pushed Hip-Hop directly into the argument after AllHipHop documented the growing fight.
“PLEASE KEEP THEM JUWANNA MANS OUT THE WNBA‼️U WAS MADE A MAN TO PLAY AGAINST ONE 💯GO TRY OUT FOR THE NBA N MATCH UP AGAINST WEMBY‼️AT THIS POINT YALL R HATING ON WOMENS SPORTS‼️”
That rhetoric is colliding with the WNBA’s larger culture war over race, sexuality and politics around Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and other stars. Earlier this month, WNBA security told fans in Atlanta to cover shirts carrying both pro-transgender and anti-transgender messages before the league reversed course.
“The WNBA is aware of interactions at (Sunday) night’s game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts. This should not have happened.”
Cloud answered the latest confrontation by posting support for transgender people, while Sky coach Tyler Marsh defended her as someone who protects teammates and others.
Marsh told reporters, “If you come to a game you should probably come to enjoy the basketball,” adding that WNBA players had earned that focus.
Washington Post Ordered to Rehire Columnist Karen Attiah
Karen Attiah, a longtime columnist for The Washington Post and the lone Black staffer for the publication’s opinion desk, was fired after social media posts regarding Charlie Kirk. A private arbitrator examined the matter and found that the Post had no grounds to fire Karen Attiah and has been ordered to reinstate not only her former position but lost back pay and benefits.
As reported by the Associated Press, an arbitrator determined that Karen Attiah’s firing from the Post over her posts on the Bluesky social media platform were not grounds for her to lose her role at the paper.
In last Thursday’s ruling, it was added that along with the Post not having due cause to fire Attiah, they most also restore her lost wages and benefits.
Attiah was among many public and private figures who reacted to Kirk’s September 2025 slaying at Utah Valley University. Kirk, 31, had become a right-wing firebrand known for putting forth messages promoting Christian values, family, and turning a critical eye at Black and other minorities with reportedly divisive and contradictory messaging.
Via Bluesky, Attiah mused on the reaction to Kirk’s death from targets of his frequent critiques that many in right-wing and conservative media found offensive and tasteless considering the manner in how Kirk died.
Attiah has not made a full public statement but did take to social media to celebrate the news and promised to expound on the findings. After she was fired by the Post on September 11 for gross misconduct, Attiah launched an independent column dedicated to her work as a writer and thought leader.
Read Karen Attiah’s latest Substack column regarding The Washington Post row here https://karenattiah.substack.com/p/the-washington-post-fired-me-i-foughtand
Serayah Ends Engagement with Joey Bada$$, Accuses Him of ‘Repeated Infidelity’
On Monday (August 24), the 31-year-old singer and Empire actress revealed that she has broken off her engagement to the 31-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, alleging instances of “repeated infidelity” led to their split.
“There comes a point in a woman’s life when choosing herself is no longer an option, it becomes necessary,” Serayah began in a statement on Instagram. “After much thought, I have made the difficult decision to end my engagement and relationship with the father of my child, Joey.”
“I loved deeply, believed wholeheartedly in the life we were building, and wanted nothing more than to protect our family,” she continued. “Unfortunately, I also had to face a painful truth: there had been repeated infidelity throughout our relationship, including during some of the most vulnerable and meaningful moments of my life. I share this not for sympathy, retaliation, or to publicly tear anyone down. I share it because too many women are taught to question themselves before they question what is happening right in front of them.”
Serayah and Joey first met in 2021 at a mutual friend’s birthday party. They began dating in 2022 and got engaged in July 2025, about a month after they welcomed their son.
Also in her message, Serayah shared some words of inspiration with others who may going through a similar situation.
“If your intuition is telling you something is wrong, listen to it,” she wrote. Don’t make yourself smaller to keep someone else comfortable. Don’t compromise your values because you’re afraid of losing the future you imagined. And don’t allow someone else’s choices to become a referendum on your worth.”
“Love should not require you to abandon yourself,” Serayah added. “I will always respect the fact that we share a beautiful son, and my priority will be protecting his peace, privacy and relationship with both of his parents. For that reason, I won’t be discussing the intimate details of our relationship publicly beyond what I have shared here.”
Serayah concluded her message with, “This chapter did not end the way I prayed it would. But endings can also be beginnings.”
Mary Mary’s Tina Campbell Says She Earns Less Than $5K A Month While Expenses Total Nearly $12K Amid Divorce
Mary Mary singer Tina Campbell says she brings in just under $5,000 a month — while reporting nearly $12,000 in monthly expenses — as her divorce from estranged husband Teddy Campbell moves forward.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the 52-year-old gospel singer reported working about 20 hours per week and earning approximately $4,976 per month. Her reported monthly expenses total $11,933, including $4,100 for rent, $1,800 for groceries, $2,200 for utilities and $1,308 in auto-related expenses. She also listed $400 in charitable contributions, among other costs.
Tina reportedly listed Teddy’s monthly income at approximately $7,500 from his work as a drummer. Teddy filed for divorce in April after nearly three decades together, though Tina listed their date of separation as August 2024. The pair married in August 2000.
As part of the divorce proceedings, Tina has asked the court to terminate Teddy’s ability to receive spousal support. She is also seeking legal and physical custody of their two children, with Teddy receiving visitation.
#HISTORIC: New Padres owners José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones vow to pursue San Diego's first championship
That might be a baseball first, but Feliciano and Jones are much more focused on accomplishing another historic first — a championship for a team that has never won it all.
"We need to win a World Series," Feliciano said. "It's that simple, and that's what we're going to do."
Feliciano and Jones, who are married, exuded energy and excitement in their first public appearance since securing their purchase of controlling ownership in the Padres earlier this month at an MLB-record valuation of $3.9 billion. Feliciano is a private equity billionaire whose investment firm owns English soccer club Chelsea, but the Padres are his team alongside Jones, his partner in business, philanthropy and life.
Jones said the couple will throw all of its considerable passion into consistent success for the Padres, but also into the improvement of life for people and communities across San Diego and in nearby Baja California.
"José and I have built a life on understanding (how to work) together, and we are all in," Jones said. "It's not lip service. We take it as a baseline that in everything we do, we're all in. We're absolutely committed to this organization, and we are absolutely overjoyed. If you heard (the lyrics in the song), we're gonna win. We're gonna win it all! We hope it's sooner rather than later."
Feliciano and Jones are taking over the Padres during the most successful stretch in the history of a franchise that has never won it all. General manager A.J. Preller's teams have made the playoffs four times in the past six seasons, and the current group has streaked into playoff position again by winning 21 of its last 28 games.
The new owners praised the lively fan base that packs Petco Park for every home game, and they paid tribute to former owner Peter Seidler, whose aggressive pursuit of winning is still energizing San Diego even after his death in 2023.
"We want to continue that legacy that Peter left — to dream big, to do the impossible, right?" Feliciano said. "The impossible becomes possible when somebody does it, so let's do it. ... We are taking on this legacy at a great time, but I think there's always more that you can do. You can always leave the world a slightly better place than you found it. That's our aim."
The new owners also are aware of the obstacles to building a contender in a division and a sport currently dominated by the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers and their seemingly bottomless budget. Dodgers owner Mark Walter joined Feliciano's company in its purchase of Chelsea in 2022.
San Diego is considered a smaller market in the majors despite a local population topping 3 million, and the Padres are currently without a local media-rights deal.
Feliciano indicated his support for CEO Erik Greupner and Preller, who has long used his top prospects as currency to acquire veterans for immediate success. Feliciano also didn't say whether he wanted to emulate Seidler's ultra-aggressive spending, which has left San Diego with several veterans locked into massive long-term contracts.
"We have been blessed with a team in a city that is supporting us in a way that is allowing us to invest back in that team, in the stadium and in the city," Feliciano said. "And we're committed to doing that. We are going to live within our means, and that could mean different things in different years. But again, we want to win, and we're going to continue supporting that goal in many different ways, and that means at some moments we're going to be aggressive, but we're always going to do it with the long-term health of the team in mind."
The new owners later took the field at Petco Park during batting practice before the Padres hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates — an appropriate opponent for lifelong baseball fan Feliciano, who chose No. 21 for his new Padres jersey in honor of Roberto Clemente, a personal hero and fellow Puerto Rican.
"The Padres are one of the pillars of this city and this community," Feliciano said. "We're looking forward to engaging in many ways."
Jones spoke extensively about her desire to make the Padres even more important to the greater San Diego community. She also said her song was partly inspired by Fernando Tatis Jr.'s sensational, grand slam-denying catch against the Mets last week.
She asked Feliciano to provide backing vocals, but he declined.
"My only musical talent is my name," said a grinning Feliciano, who uses his middle initial to distinguish himself from the famous Puerto Rican singer.
49ers Owner Jed York Arrested in Ohio Prostitution Bust, Pleads No Contest
San Francisco 49ers majority owner Jed York was arrested Sunday morning in East Palestine, Ohio as part of a prostitution operation, then appeared in court the following day and walked out with a no-contest plea, a one-day sentence, and $1,150 in fines.
York, whose legal name is John Edward York, was taken into custody at approximately 9:35 a.m. ET at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community off state Route 170, according to KRON4. The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force led the operation, with the East Palestine Police Department assisting.
After the arrest, York was booked into Columbiana County Jail and posted a $5,000 bond. A mugshot was released through the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office.
San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest to criminal charges after being arrested on suspicion of engaging in prostitution in Ohio over the weekend, according to court documents.
The State of Ohio amended the one count of engaging in prostitution to a disorderly Show more
He ultimately faced two misdemeanors: disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools. A judge sentenced him to one day in jail on each count, to be served concurrently, with credit for time already served, per the New York Post.
York was ordered to pay $150 for the disorderly conduct charge and $1,000 for possessing criminal tools. A court transaction statement confirmed both fines had been paid. The court also ordered $160 seized during the case forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and directed that York's cell phone be returned to him, per TMZ.
York, 46, grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, about 30 miles north of East Palestine, and graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School there. He was named CEO of the 49ers in 2008 and became the franchise's principal owner in 2024 after acquiring enough shares from his mother. He is also a co-owner of Leeds United.
Kids TV Star Raquel Lee Bolleau Sues Disney, Alleges She Was Raped by Employee at Age 14
Raquel Lee Bolleau is suing Disney.The former child star, who worked on productions including Malcolm & Eddie, The Amanda Show, andThe Proud Family, is suing Disney for alleged sexual assault and rape by an adult employee when she was filming 2001’s The Poof Point at age 14.
The lawsuit alleges that Disney put her in close contact with the alleged assaulter repeatedly, and told her to “bond” with him amid filming back in 2001 in Utah, per documents obtained by TMZ.
The lawsuit alleges that the unnamed man gave Raquel alcohol in his hotel room, insisted she return alone after getting drunk, and then raped and sexually assaulted her. She also claims that crew members saw her showing up to set throughout production sick, vomiting and smelling like alcohol, but did not intervene.
Raquel claims he also assaulted her in first class on a flight back to California while she flew without her guardian.
He also allegedly “regularly whispered sexually explicit and harassing comments” into her ear while on set and “used hugs to get close to her,” per THR, and that the alleged harassment was done “in plain view of the cast and crew and could be heard by the sound technicians managing the cast’s microphones.”
She also says in the suit that Disney executives blamed her, and that one called her “out of control.” She also alleges an exec told her mom that she had “a demon inside her.”
She also says that “Disney threatened to, and did, cancel” her role in an upcoming production as well.
Raquel claims she’s endured years of emotional and psychological harm, and is suing Disney for negligence. She is asking for unspecified damages.
Disney declined to comment, while her lawyer Doug Wigdor and his colleague Jane Kim said to THR: “Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment. As former government prosecutors, our message to the entertainment industry is simple: This conduct is inexcusable, and those involved — directly or indirectly — must be held accountable.”
She notably appeared in 2024’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV as well, in which she reflected on being a Black performer on The Amanda Show. She then spoke out on TikTok about the docuseries experience, claiming the producers of the documentary didn’t invite her to a discussion afterward.
“This industry has done nothing but hurt me left and right from since I was a child…I don’t care to be on nobody’s set…I can’t do it anymore. I’ve given it all I can…I’m gonna get back to my family, my businesses, that’s what I’m focused on. Because this industry…y’all can have it,” she said.
York, whose legal name is John Edward York, was taken into custody at approximately 9:35 a.m. ET at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community off state Route 170, according to KRON4. The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force led the operation, with the East Palestine Police Department assisting.
After the arrest, York was booked into Columbiana County Jail and posted a $5,000 bond. A mugshot was released through the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office.
San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York pleaded no contest to criminal charges after being arrested on suspicion of engaging in prostitution in Ohio over the weekend, according to court documents.
The State of Ohio amended the one count of engaging in prostitution to a disorderly Show more
He ultimately faced two misdemeanors: disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools. A judge sentenced him to one day in jail on each count, to be served concurrently, with credit for time already served, per the New York Post.
York was ordered to pay $150 for the disorderly conduct charge and $1,000 for possessing criminal tools. A court transaction statement confirmed both fines had been paid. The court also ordered $160 seized during the case forfeited to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and directed that York's cell phone be returned to him, per TMZ.
York, 46, grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, about 30 miles north of East Palestine, and graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School there. He was named CEO of the 49ers in 2008 and became the franchise's principal owner in 2024 after acquiring enough shares from his mother. He is also a co-owner of Leeds United.
Kids TV Star Raquel Lee Bolleau Sues Disney, Alleges She Was Raped by Employee at Age 14
The lawsuit alleges that Disney put her in close contact with the alleged assaulter repeatedly, and told her to “bond” with him amid filming back in 2001 in Utah, per documents obtained by TMZ.
The lawsuit alleges that the unnamed man gave Raquel alcohol in his hotel room, insisted she return alone after getting drunk, and then raped and sexually assaulted her. She also claims that crew members saw her showing up to set throughout production sick, vomiting and smelling like alcohol, but did not intervene.
Raquel claims he also assaulted her in first class on a flight back to California while she flew without her guardian.
He also allegedly “regularly whispered sexually explicit and harassing comments” into her ear while on set and “used hugs to get close to her,” per THR, and that the alleged harassment was done “in plain view of the cast and crew and could be heard by the sound technicians managing the cast’s microphones.”
She also says in the suit that Disney executives blamed her, and that one called her “out of control.” She also alleges an exec told her mom that she had “a demon inside her.”
She also says that “Disney threatened to, and did, cancel” her role in an upcoming production as well.
Raquel claims she’s endured years of emotional and psychological harm, and is suing Disney for negligence. She is asking for unspecified damages.
Disney declined to comment, while her lawyer Doug Wigdor and his colleague Jane Kim said to THR: “Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment. As former government prosecutors, our message to the entertainment industry is simple: This conduct is inexcusable, and those involved — directly or indirectly — must be held accountable.”
She notably appeared in 2024’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV as well, in which she reflected on being a Black performer on The Amanda Show. She then spoke out on TikTok about the docuseries experience, claiming the producers of the documentary didn’t invite her to a discussion afterward.
“This industry has done nothing but hurt me left and right from since I was a child…I don’t care to be on nobody’s set…I can’t do it anymore. I’ve given it all I can…I’m gonna get back to my family, my businesses, that’s what I’m focused on. Because this industry…y’all can have it,” she said.
Target Says It Is Deeply Sorry After Pulling a Kids Halloween Costume That Was Blackface
Target apologized Monday and pulled a children’s Halloween costume that was blackface, plain and simple.
The product was listed as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit,” sold for $25 through Target’s Hyde & EEK! Boutique collection. It featured a black hood with a large exaggerated smile printed across it, paired with orange and black striped pants, a small hat, and black gloves. That is the visual language of minstrelsy, the blackened face and the oversized grinning mouth that white performers used to caricature Black people for more than a century.
Shoppers started circulating screenshots over the weekend. By Sunday, the product page was gone and Target’s site returned a message saying it was currently unavailable. The apology came Monday.
The company posted the statement to its corporate site and its own news account. Target said it got this wrong as a company and is deeply sorry, that the costume is offensive and should never have been part of its assortment, and that it is no longer for sale. It also said it knows this is especially hurtful for its Black guests, team members, and partners, and that removing the costume is a first step while the company looks at how this happened and what needs to change.
Give them this much: the statement names who was hurt. A lot of corporate apologies do not.
But the question the apology does not answer is the one people are actually asking. This was not a listing someone typed up in five minutes. It was designed, manufactured, photographed, written up, priced, and merchandised into a seasonal collection. It had promotional images shot for it. Every one of those steps involved a person, and none of them stopped it.
There is no evidence anyone at Target set out to make a racist product. That is somehow the worse version. It means the imagery moved through an entire retail pipeline without registering as a problem to a single person along the way.
And that is exactly the point Black shoppers made when they walked away from this company.
Black consumers boycotted Target after it rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments following Trump’s return to the White House. The argument then was that DEI was not a press release, it was infrastructure. It meant people in the building whose job included looking at a product before it shipped and saying this is a problem.
Target dismantled that, and this is what came through the gap. A costume like this does not survive a room with people in it who recognize minstrel imagery on sight. It got to the website because nobody in the process was positioned to stop it, and the company had already made clear that being positioned to stop it was no longer a priority.
The boycott worked, at least on the balance sheet. Executives publicly acknowledged that customer traffic and sales came under pressure. Earlier this year Target announced it was cutting roughly 500 positions across distribution centers and regional offices. Before all of this, the company had already taken criticism over its handling of its 2023 Pride Collection.
So here is where Target stands. It cut the function designed to catch things like this, lost the customers who warned them what would happen, spent a year and a half trying to win them back, and then put a minstrel costume on its website for children.
Target says it is looking closely at how this happened. Everybody already knows how it happened.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Thief Impersonating a Walmart employee
Instead of jail time they should force him to work at Walmart for however many years he would have been incarcerated as a punishment 😂
AND NOW Meet: Jonathan
It's Jonathan! You can see more HERE
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
Enjoy!
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
No comments:
Post a Comment