Blac Chyna Goes Berzerk😲! Swinging A Stroller And Fighting Fans At Six Flags and the Girl she fought speaks out for slapping her😜!
What was supposed to be a fulfilled day at Six Flags turned into a fright-fest when Blac Chyna flipped out on an over-zealous fan.
Chyna, her kiddos Dream and King, plus her teenage lover YBN Almighty Jay, went to the amusement park over the weekend for a little family fun. However, things went left when a “fan” unexpectedly touched Dream.
Video captured the intense moment when Chyna attempted to slay the stranger by swinging a stroller in her direction.
Janelle Monae Stars in Jordan Peele-Helmed 'Noir Town' Photo Shoot for 'W' Magazine
Picture this: Janelle Monae starring as a private investigator in an Alfred Hitchcock-inspired drama directed by Get Out writer and producer Jordan Peele. Ahead of the 90th annual Academy Awards, where Peele is up for three nominations, the director teamed up with Monae to create their own Hitchcock-inspired film titled Noir Town for W magazine.
Monae, clad in a brown plaid pantsuit and a tan trench coat, takes on the role of a private investigator in Noir Town as she's pictured taking photos to use in her case. As Janelle snaps photos of bystanders, she notices that the individuals look like her; in fact, all of them resemble her.
"I wanted to create a Hitchcock moment that doesn’t really exist in a Hitchcock film,” Peele told W magazine. He added, "I didn’t want the Hitchcock heroine. I wanted the Hitchcock hero. That way, we can reclaim this movie that we never got to see. The fear of gender and race robs us of beautiful pieces of film."
The Noir Town photo shoot is part of W magazine's photo series where Peele, Greta Gerwig and Luca Guadagnino bring film to fashion as the directors create fashion shoots with their favorite leading ladies.
View the photos below.
Simply stunning!
#RHoA: NeNe you are WRONG for wearing that awful Dress!
NeNe Leakes took to Twitter on Feb. 20 to pose in her Black Angel see-through dress and she definitely flashed her followers while doing so! See the racy pic below!
Ooh la la! Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes, 50, bravely showed off her nipples underneath a sexy black see-through dress on Twitter and it’s definitely proving she’s proud of her hot bod! The talented actress promoted the unique fashion choice in her post and gave some of her followers a word of advice. “The Black Angel Dress is simply sexy! small to 2x, ” her caption read. “NOTE: wear a black bra or tank! I just go bare because when your an elder, ain’t nobody looking no ways right @swaggboutiqueatl.” SEE THE PIC BELOW!
NeNe sorry Hon not using it you look AWFUL! That’s my opinion , what’s yours?
#EMPIRE: Here's Where You've Seen the Obama Portrait Artist's Paintings on TV
Barack and Michelle Obama unveiled their official portraits in the second week February week, momentarily turning everyone on the Internet into instant art critics. Both portraits shun layers of conventions: by definition, the first black residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. look different in their portraits than everyone before them, and they both chose African-American artists to paint them. Their portraits look nothing at all like any of the stiff, formal portraits to come before — Mrs. Obama looking grey-ish and regal in her Amy Sherald painting and Barack draped in rich, lush foliage — and as a result, the artists were household names for at least a day. While Sherald might've been lesser-known than the prodigious Wiley, his paintings should be be familiar, especially to people who watch Fox's Empire.
Globally acclaimed for his portraits of African-Americans in naturalistic style that often references specific paintings by the Old Masters, Wiley has had several works on Empire. Series creator Lee Daniels reached out to Wiley in the early planning stages of the show for permission to use his work, promising Wiley that Empire would either be a "huge success or the biggest car wreck known to man," according to TIME. Wiley apparently didn't blanche at the pitch: his works are prominent in Empire's first blockbuster season.
Wiley's 2013 piece "Prince Albert, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria,' grabbed attention in the first season: it's an eye-popping, practically electric piece featuring a young tattooed man whose boxers are showing, standing front of an ornate background. It's used in a scene in which Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) tells his sons they're in competition with each other to take over Empire records, helping contribute to the juxtaposition of a primal moment in ornate, exquisite surroundings. Another Wiley painting, "Officer of the Hussars," presents a young man on a horse holding a sword — a totally apt acquisition for the living room of Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Y. Gray) the hot-headed baby of the family hellbent on taking over the world.
There's a clear correlation between Empire and Wiley's work; both are steeped in the bravado and remix-friendly hip-hop culture, and upend old notions about class, racial identity and the politics of power. (The paintings on Empire are fabulous fakes; set designer Caroline Perzan and her team printed and stretched replications.) Back in 2015, Wiley told TIME that Empire gave him "tons" of recognition, which helped change a conversation about art. "It's music, it's panache, it's love of art and bling. America is Empire. The surprise was that Empire is also seeded with levels of complexity that people had not expected."
#NEWMUSIC from Portrait – ‘In the Moment’
Fans of the New Jack Swing era will no doubt remember the group Portrait. After all, they made their mark with hits like “Honey Dip” and “Here We Go Again” back in the early 90’s.
Looking back nearly 25 years since those songs came out, the group has largely been absent from the music scene since. Following the group’s sophomore album “All That Matters” in 1995, the group faded to obscurity and scarcely released new music since.
However, the group has now returned in 2018 with a brand new single called “In the Moment”. The grown adult r&b sound is a contract to the New Jack Swing sound, but fits them well in the current r&b climate.
LISTEN HERE
Originally a quartet, The group is currently made up of founding members Michael Angelo Saulsberry and Philip Johnson along with new member Ruben Cruz.
NEWHIPHOP: Stream Snoop Dogg’s Surprise Ep ‘220’
Today, Tha Doggfather unleashes an 8-track EP featuring Dreezy, Jacquees, October London, Goldie Loc,, LunchMoney Lewis, Kokane, and the Hypnotic Brass Essemble.
“I’ve been doing this shit for 25-26 years,” Snoop says on the “Intro.” “One thing about the game, the game don’t change, just the players. So what I wanna do right now, I wanna shoot a shout-out to all the famous players globally…This is for you. … Oh yeah, I can’t forget about the ladies out there that’s been down with the Dogg for so long.”
STREAM IT HERE
Next up, Snoop plans on releasing his gospel album, Snoop Dogg Presents the Bible of Love.
Billy Graham, Christian evangelist known as America's Pastor, dead at 99
Billy Graham, known as America's Pastor for his work with presidents and one of the most widely heard Christian evangelists in history, has died at age 99.
Graham counselled presidents and preached to millions across the world from his native North Carolina to communist North Korea during his 70 years on the pulpit. He died on Wednesday morning at his home in Montreat, according to a spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
The Southern Baptist minister, who provided special counsel to presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama, long suffered from cancer, pneumonia and other ailments.
Over his lifetime, Graham reached more than 200 million through his pioneering use of prime-time telecasts, network radio, daily newspaper columns, evangelistic feature films and globe-girdling satellite
His message and service to presidents, also including Dwight Eisenhower to George W. Bush, earned him the nickname America's Pastor.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan gave Graham the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour.
'When he prays with you in the Oval Office or upstairs in the White House, you feel he's praying for you, not the president.'
- Bill Clinton, former U.S. president
When the Billy Graham Museum and Library was dedicated in 2007 in Charlotte, former presidents George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton attended.
"When he prays with you in the Oval Office or upstairs in the White House, you feel he's praying for you, not the president," Clinton said at the ceremony.
Born Nov. 7, 1918, on his family's dairy farm near Charlotte, N.C., Graham came from a fundamentalist background that expected true Bible believers to stay clear of Christians with even the most minor differences over Scripture. But as his crusades drew support from a widening array of Christian churches, he came to reject that view.
He joined in a then emerging movement called New Evangelicalism, which abandoned the narrowness of fundamentalism to engage broader society. Fundamentalists at the time excoriated the preacher for his new direction, and broke with him when he agreed to work with more liberal Christians in the 1950s.
"The ecumenical movement has broadened my viewpoint and I recognize now that God has his people in all churches," he said in the early 1950s.
In 1957, he said, "I intend to go anywhere, sponsored by anybody, to preach the gospel of Christ."
His approach helped evangelicals gain the influence they have today. Graham's path to becoming an evangelist began taking shape at age 16, when the Presbyterian-reared farm boy committed himself to Christ at a local tent revival.
"I did not feel any special emotion," he wrote in his 1997 autobiography, Just As I Am.
"I simply felt at peace," he wrote, and thereafter, "the world looked different."
After high school, he enrolled at the fundamentalist Bob Jones College, but found the school stifling and transferred to Florida Bible Institute in Tampa, where he practised sermonizing in a swamp, preaching to birds and alligators before tryouts with small churches. He still wasn't convinced he should be a preacher until a soul-searching, late-night ramble on a golf course.
"I finally gave in while pacing at midnight on the 18th hole," he said. "'All right, Lord,' I said, 'If you want me, you've got me."'
"I have been asked, 'What is the secret?'... The secret of my work is God. I would be nothing without Him."
Over the next decade, his massive crusades in England and New York catapulted him to international celebrity. His 12-week London campaign in 1954 defied expectations, drawing more than two million people and the respect of the British, many of whom had derided him before his arrival as little more than a slick salesman.
Three years later, he held a crusade in New York City's Madison Square Garden that was so popular, it was extended from six to 16 weeks, capped off with a rally in Times Square that packed Broadway with more than 100,000 people.
As his public influence grew, the preacher's stands on the social issues of his day were watched closely by supporters and critics alike.
One of the most pressing was the civil rights movement. Graham was no social activist and never joined marches, which led prominent Christians such as theologian Reinhold Niebuhr to publicly condemn Graham as too moderate.
Still, Graham ended racially segregated seating at his Southern crusades in 1953, a year before the Supreme Court's school integration ruling, and long refused to visit South Africa while its white regime insisted on racially segregated meetings.
In a 2005 interview with The Associated Press, before his final crusade which was held in New York, Graham said he regretted that he didn't battle for civil rights more forcefully.
"I think I made a mistake when I didn't go to Selma" with many clergy who joined the historic Alabama march led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. "I would like to have done more."
As America's most famous religious leader, he golfed with statesmen and entertainers, and dined with royalty. Graham's relationships with presidents also boosted his ministry and became a source of pride for conservative Christians who were so often caricatured as backward.
But those ties proved problematic when close friend Richard Nixon resigned as president because of the Watergate scandal, leaving Graham devastated and baffled. He resolved to take a lower profile in the political world, going as far as discouraging Rev. Jerry Falwell, a founder of the Moral Majority, from mixing religion and politics.
While he succeeded in preserving his reputation, he could not completely shield his family from the impact of his work. He was on the road for months at a time, leaving his wife at their mountainside home in Montreat to raise their five children. His wife, Ruth, died in 2007.
Anne Graham Lotz has said that her mother was effectively "a single parent." Ruth sometimes grew so lonely when Billy was travelling that she slept with his tweed jacket for comfort. But she said, "I'd rather have a little of Bill than a lot of any other man."
"I will miss her terribly," Billy Graham said, "and look forward even more to the day I can join her in heaven."
Graham will be buried at the Billy Graham Museum and Library.
"I have been asked, 'What is the secret?"' Graham had said of his preaching. "Is it showmanship, organization or what? The secret of my work is God. I would be nothing without Him."
R.I.P
Wendy Williams Reportedly Taking Three Weeks Off For Health
A few days ago, The Queen of Media returned to work after she had flu-like symptoms. Click Here if you missed that.
Wendy Williams will be taking a three-week break from her eponymous talk show to handle her declining health.
According to reports, The 53-year-old star, who has talked about her overactive thyroid and Graves’ diseases in the past, revealed Wednesday morning that she’s been prescribed time off.
“My thyroid has been totally cattywampus,” Williams said. She’s also experiencing several symptoms including difficulty sleeping, rapid heart beats and intolerance to heat. “I feel like there are birds swimming around my head… Constantly high. But not high,” she added.
“My doctor has prescribed, are you ready? Three weeks of vacation,” she told audience members. “I was pissed. Encore performances, really?”
A rep for the show told Page Six, “The show will be in repeats during this unplanned hiatus. A live show was produced today so that Wendy could speak directly to her fans and explain her condition.”
It might be time to end the show Wendy!
Blac Chyna's Sex Tape Partner's Identity Has Been Revealed And He's Pissed!
We finally know who that BCC belongs to! On Monday Blac Chyna's revenge porn got leaked and she took no time to get lawyered up and complain to the police about the leak. Fans believed that the mystery man in the 1 minute and 23 second clip could have been behind the leak but that's not the case.
The man in the video, Mechie, confirmed that it was in fact his dick that was in Chyna's mouth. Mechie was pissed when the footage was released and claims that the tape was only on Chyna's phone and he has no idea how it was released. Maybe Chyna did leak it herself? The pair apparently haven't spoken since August when they split.
You may remember him as the guy that was in the video with Blac Chyna that Rob Kardashian posted on Instagram last year, after she sent him the clip of them together to taunt him.
Ring any bells? Mechie has also sent a complaint to the police in hope that the leakers will be found. How funny would if be if the video leak led right back to Chyna's camp. I wouldn't be surprised if they leaked the tape for some extra fame, I mean what else is she gonna do.
What do you think about this MESSY situation?
NYC Cab Driver Found Guilty Of Stealing John Legend's Luggage
A New York cab driver has been found guilty of swiping expensive luggage that belonged to John Legend last March.
When it was snatched, the Louis Vuitton luggage contained about $26,000 in valuables, including a pair of Cartier cufflinks.
The New York Post said on Feb. 20 that Hilario Agustin was convicted of charges of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property. The trial lasted a week.
John testified against Hilario, saying his wife, Chrissy Teigen, bought him the panther cufflinks, which were studded with diamonds. Reports at the time said the black Louis Vuitton bag, valued at $5,000, was left unattended on a cart at JFK airport. It was then that Hilario allegedly wheeled the cart to a more hidden area, wherein he picked up the bag and ran off undetected.
John didn't notice the missing bag until later. Security later saw Hilario running off with the bag on surveillance video. He was later arrested.
"I know I should not have taken it. I made a mistake," the cab driver reportedly told police at the time, The Post said.
He now faces seven years behind bars.At the time, several media outlets sensationalized the theft and indicated that John was robbed by his own personally-picked cab driver.
"This story is untrue. We use a trusted car service and they did not rob me," he wrote on Twitter. "Our Delta greeter made a mistake and left a bag on the cart."
He continued, "The bag was taken because it was left unattended. The airport police caught the person who took it (on video) and retrieved my bag. Thanks to the airport police/security. One could say it's been 'handled.'"
The cab driver will be sentenced on March 12.
Remy Ma’s Sister Remeesha Alesia Blount Arrested For Shooting Woman, Hitting Her With Car
On Monday, Remy Ma’s sister was arrested Monday night on charges that she shot a woman Friday night in a bar parking lot on New Bern Avenue and fired bullets into a car that carried three other women.
According to reports, Remeesha Alesia Blount, 27, was arrested at at an apartment complex on Hylton Drive shortly before midnight, records showed.
The incident Friday happened in the parking lot of the End Zone at 3601 New Bern Ave., police said.
Police were unclear what led to the incident, spokesman Laura Hourigan said Tuesday.
The condition of the woman who was shot and hit was listed in fair condition Tuesday at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh.
Blount was charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, three counts of assault with the weapon with intent to kill, shooting into an occupied vehicle and discharging a firearm in the city.
A magistrate ordered Blount held without bail based on a decision that she either would be unlikely to keep a court date or would be a danger to the community if she was freed. She also has pending charges from earlier arrests that include assault with a deadly weapon, shooting a gun inside city limits and assault by pointing a gun
Oprah Winfrey Matches George Clooney’s $500,000 Donation To March For Our Lives
Hours after George Clooney and his wife, Amal, pledged to donate $500,000 to the Parkland students’ March For Our Lives rally, Oprah Winfrey announced she would be matching their donations with a $500,000 donation!
Taking to Twitter, Oprah wrote: George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to ‘March For Our Lives.’ These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard.
See her original post below:
This is fantastic! The demonstration to advocate for gun control will take place on March 24 in Washington, D.C.
Khia and TS Madison Go to War
TS Madison held a special session of The Queen's Court after Khia used her new show The Gag Order to accuse Maddie of trying to steal her ideas...
Last night during The Gag Order on Instagram Live Khia told her fans that she was upset with TS Madison because Maddie trademarked the Queen's Court without consulting with her first and tried to take credit for coming up with the concept.
That's when TS Madison answered back with a solo session of The Queen's Court to clear her name.
Maddie showed emails from Nicki Minaj, Bunim/Murray productions and Will Packer with offers to take The Queen's Court to television and that's why she trademarked the name to protect them from other bloggers who were planning to usurp the brand, and Maddie claims Khia knew full well she was doing it.
Maddie also revealed that after Khia walked out on the Monique interview Will Packer took the deal off the table.
LISTEN HERE
Even after all that TS Madison said she still loves Khia and that they made magic together with The Queen's Court.
Sade To Appear On ‘A Wrinkle In Time’ Soundtrack
Leave it to Ava DuVernay to find music icon Sade and get her to perform on the soundtrack for her upcoming film odyssey, Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time.
According to VULTURE, the Grammy winning singer-songwriter has composed an original tune titled “Flower of the Universe.” Other artists featured on the album include Sia, Chloe x Halle, Demi Lovato (with DJ Khaled) and Kehlani.
“I never thought she’d say yes, but asked anyway. She was kind + giving. A goddess. We began a journey together that I’ll never forget. Proud to announce that Sade has created an original song for WRINKLE IN TIME. It’s entitled ‘Flower of the Universe.’ And its a dream come true,” said DuVernay on Twitter.
It’s been eight year’s since the “Smooth Operator” singer has released new music and we couldn’t be more elated. I simply adore Sade and can’t wait to hear it. Stay tuned to my weekly radio show, UPFRONT, as I will have an exclusive interview with the film’s hairstylist Kim Kimble in the coming weeks.
Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time opens in theaters on March 9.
#FASHIONFILES: HOT or NOT? Donald Glover in Salvatore Ferragamo at FX's 'Atlanta Robbin' LA Premiere
Donald Glover hit the blue carpet at the premiere of FX's 'Atlanta Robbin' at The Theatre, Ace Hotel yesterday evening(February 19th) in LA.
The actor looks casually cool rocking a SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SPRING 2018 pale yellow leather, zipper detail jacket with pockets which he utilized, a white polo shirt and grey trousers.
His stylist Ilaria Urbinati knows how to style men very well and this was great look on Donald. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN brown dress shoes finished up his look.
So is he HOT or NOT?
#SCHOOLSHOOTING: Florida Kids Will March On Washington To Shame Adult Politicians
Teenagers who survived the deadly Florida school shooting are calling for protests nationwide next month to pressure adult politicians to act on gun control—and they'll take the fight directly to Washington, D.C.
Student activists from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland said on ABC News’ This Week that they wanted to see action following the Wednesday massacre that left at least 17 people dead. A former student at the school, Nikolas Cruz, was arrested and charged with all the murders.
“People are saying that it’s not time to talk about gun control. And we can respect that, (but) here’s a time: March 24 in every single city,” said student Cameron Kasky, explaining the march was a chance for everyone to do just that.
“We are going to be marching together as students begging for our lives,” she added.
Her comments came several days after fellow student David Hogg begged politicians to take action.
"We're children, you guys are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role. Work together. Come over your politics and get something done," he said on CNN.
Appearing on the Sunday show alongside Kasky was Emma Gonzalez, whose moving speech about the need for gun control was widely shared over the weekend.
“We need to pay attention to the fact that this isn’t just a mental health issue," she said at a rally on Saturday. "He wouldn’t have been able to kill that many people with a knife.”
Gonzalez told ABC News that young people from all around the country should join Parkland students to march on Washington, D.C.
“The kids who need to take part in this are kids, everyday kids just like us,” she said.
“They are students who need to understand that this can very quickly happen to them... They need to join us, and they need to help us get our message across. All students should realize that a school shooting could happen anywhere,” she added.
A number of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas have been vocal in their calls for gun control rather than words of comfort, with President Donald Trump agreeing to meet with Parkland students in the coming week for a listening session, although it is not clear which students will be attending the meeting.
Trump has not called for gun restrictions in the wake of the latest school shooting. In a late Saturday night tweet, he blamed the FBI for "spending too much time" investigating Russia's cyber-attack on the American electoral system for the bureau's failure to stop the massacre.
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
Dude. For real. If you’re going to walk around this world dressed like Willy Wonka at least dress like the real Gene Wilder Willy Wonka and not the weird Johnny Depp Wonka.
The Weeknd Teams Up With Marvel to Release ‘Starboy’ Comic Book
The Weeknd and Marvel have unveiled the new collab the singer has been teasing.
After previewing the release last week, yesterday (Oct. 7), the XO crooner was at New York Comic-Con for the big reveal of his new Starboy comic book (above). While at the Manhattan event, the singer signed autographs and posed for pictures.
The idea behind the character has been in Weeknd’s head for a while. Last November, he spoke about possibly doing a comic on his alter ego while talking about his album of the same name during an interview with Zane Lowe. “Starboy is the next chapter in this chronicle, this saga,” Abel said. “I guess this is the fourth chapter. He’s a character that we created. It’s so funny, we want to create a comic out of him as well […] He’s a cool, dope character that makes appearances a lot on the album. He’s definitely made his appearance in different records in the past as well. He’s a more braggadocious character that we all have inside of us.”
Marvel has linked up with a number of urban artists recently via their variant covers. In the past, they’ve collabed with everyone from Nas, Dr. Dre and Missy Elliott, to Kevin Gates and Chance The Rapper.
The Starboy series will be dropping in 2018.
#RHoA: Here's How Cynthia Met Her New Bae
The ninth season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta ended with Cynthia Bailey and her then estranged husband Peter Thomas going their separate ways. Now, after spending some time as a single lady, the model is officially off the market and is dating a new man.
So, how did they meet? According to theJasmineBRAND.com, Cynthia reportedly adapted to today's most common way of meeting new love interests: technology. The site reports that Cynthia met her new bae, Will Jones, on a "super exclusive" upscale dating app called Raya.
Raya is reportedly a well known dating app for celebrities and public figures. The site claims that if you have a 5,000-plus Instagram follower count and work amongst the media and entertainment elite, you are most likely to get accepted to join the highly selective app.
Other well known celebs who have been known to use Raya include Russell Simmons, Ryan Lochte, Cara Delevigne and Diplo.
While Cynthia's confirmed that she and Jones, a motivational speaker, are, indeed, dating, she did clarify in a Snapchat post that that's where it ends — they're not exclusive just yet. He will, however, reportedly be featured on the upcoming tenth season of RHOA.
#EMPIRE: Have you realized that Lucious Lyon has been touched with Infirmity Ever?
In the Season 4 premiere of Empire, Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) lost a leg. He emerged with a wild case of amnesia and oh god is Empire good again? Looks like it. Fox's hip-hop saga has leaned into what it does best -- outrageous storylines and family melodrama -- with Leah Walker (Leslie Uggams) trying to up her body count, Claudia (Demi Moore) clearly up to no good and Lucious being manipulated instead of doing the manipulating. Yes, it's insane, but it's mesmerizing like a car crash no one can look away from. .
Since Empire started in 2015, it's has been saddling poor Lucious with one tragic affliction after another one -- beginning with an incurable disease that went away then became something else when he was retroactively misdiagnosed. Producers have said the switcheroo was intentional, but it felt like a sloppy afterthought that weakened Empire's spine. Apparently, they've learned their lesson. Empire executive producer Ilene Chaiken has said that this season, Lucious' current health issues will last and color the narrative. Does that mean Lucious won't go back to being the devil incarnate when he wakes up out of his spell? Will he remember his mom killed his brother? Will Lucious' lost leg end be completely forgotten by Episode 5? Oh please. It's a fair question. And it'll be awhile till fans get any answers, but in the meantime, here's an abridged rundown of all the maladies Lucious has suffered so far. If we could all have his health plan!
ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)
In Season 1 Lucious, his business, his legacy and his fractured family were in jeopardy owing to his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which slowly disintegrates nerves in the brain and spinal cord and makes walking, talking, eating and breathing increasingly difficult. This was a strong, shocking way to open the series, with Lucious facing imminent death and his family scrambling to get their act together/compete for the throne. People diagnosed with ALS are given a brutal expectancy of only 2-5 years; Empire had a sense of urgency, tension and sadness built in. But as the season progressed, ALS -- which in real life gets progressively worse -- was forgotten in favor of other crises, and by the end of the season we learn that Whoops! Lucious didn't have ALS at all. What was initially a bold choice with a ticking clock and consequences turned into a confusing bait-and-switch that, in a way, colored how Empire would operate in the future: i.e. frequently flailing around to see what sticks.
Myasthenia Gravis
With all due respect to people with myasthenia gravis, hardly anyone knows what this is. So yeah, Empire earns points for raising awareness about this motor neuron disorder -- which hinders muscle and motor functions like ALS does but is much more easily treatable -- but loses points for how it was rolled out. The misdiagnosis revelation at the end of the Season 1 felt like a cop out, a way for the surprise smash hit show to chart a new course forward sans the box it put itself in. How can Lucious shoot people or play piano with rapidly failing muscle coordination? One might imagine a writer asking. "He can't," another imaginary writer might've replied. "So let's just write it out!" Also, WHY? The entire point of this change was lost on us, since myasthenia gravis hardly ever becomes an issue again. Creators have said they intended this storyline all along, which kind of makes it worse.
Hallucinations
Granted, Lucious was high on drugs for his Myasthenia gravis (and yes, that happens - we checked) when he started hallucinating that Bunkie -- the minion Lucious killed in the first episode -- was sitting on his bed. Getting visited by the ghost of someone you killed is a standard narrative not exclusive to the hip-hop mogul, but it's one more symptom that makes Lucious so...fragile. Can you even imagine his monthly insurance premium?
Directionless hair
Not debilitating you say? Ha. Since we've known him, Lucious has rocked a struggle ponytail with zero hangtime, a Little Richard-style conk so stunning Jimmy Fallon made it part of his parody and went through a laughable do-rag phase. It's totally reasonable to theorize that Lucious' insecurity about his hair is what makes him so mean. Bigger men have gone to war over less.
Post traumatic stress disorder
Technically, PTSD is Jamal's (Jussie Smollett) thing; the aftermath of him being shot was a consistent storyline through last season. But mental health issues run in the Lyon family -- Andre (Trai Byers) is bipolar, as is his murderin' granny Leah (Leslie Uggams). Lucious is no exception. Season 4 is just starting, but Lucious is already having flashbacks that make him break out in a cold sweat, making it clear his mind is swimming with images and sounds that trigger traumatic episodes. Now, Empire hasn't definitively named Lucious' condition PTSD -- probably because fans would rightfully scream en masse SERIOUSLY GUYS HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THIS SHOW CAN YOU GIVE PTSD?! -- but according to the National Institute of Mental Health, Lucious' flashbacks, cognition and mood symptoms are textbook PTSD.
Traumatic brain injury
Empire EP Ilene Chaiken has not called Lucious' current memory issue "amnesia" in interviews but "traumatic brain injury." That's less out of sensitivity for the condition or people with it, but more an effort to avoid copying + pasting the old soap opera cliche that's as predictable as the evil twin or "accident that awakens split personalities." Lucious can't remember who he is or who any of his family members are and by golly, that is and will always be TV amnesia. Or not: Lucious will obviously revert to his old ways sooner or later, making his memory failure something to be one day forgotten like the rest of these conditions.
Amputation
Empire's most daring physical problem yet, this revelation was great for a). shock value and b). giving last season's explosion a real consequence that will stretch out for the remainder of the series. Empire now has a -- sorry for this -- firm leg to stand on, no longer toeing a line (sorry again) of narrative safety but committing to integrity that assures viewers the show is back (oh man, this is terrible) on solid footing. Fans have seen close ups of Lucious's stump, his artificial limb inside his loafer and the cane he relies on now to get around. Though Lucious hasn't yet experienced the 'phantom limb' syndrome amputees can feel after losing a limb, this is still a permanent development Empire can't retreat from. No matter what happens from here on out, Empire has shown it's willing and able to raise the stakes and stand by the wild turns it throws at us. That's a sign of good health.
Empire airs Wednesdays at 8/7 on Fox.
#NewMusicVideo from Toni Braxton – Deadwood
The much anticipated video for Toni Braxton‘s comeback single “Deadwood” has arrived.
The primarily black-and-white visual finds the iconic songstress performing seductively behind a vintage microphone with a cellist by her side and various scenes projected in the background.
Check out her video for “Deadwood” here.
Toni Braxton’s new solo album Sex & Cigarettes, the follow-up to 2010’s Pulse, is due out early next year. Announcing the album during an interview with The Insider, Braxton explained: “I’m excited to be doing what I love doing,” she said. “The new album comes out at the top of the year and it’s called Sex & Cigarettes. I feel like I’m older, I want to say what I feel, I don’t want to be censored.”
#HIPHOPNEWS: Kendrick Lamar Wins Album of the Year for ‘DAMN.’ and More at 2017 BET Hip-Hop Awards
Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. wins Album of the Year at the 2017 BET Hip-Hop Awards Tuesday night (Oct. 10). He beats DJ Khaled’s Grateful, Future’s self-titled album, J. Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only, Jay-Z’s 4:44 and Migos’ Culture.
DAMN. is one of the biggest albums of the year. The TDE rapper’s hit singles off the LP, “Humble,” “DNA,” “Love” featuring Zacari, “Loyalty” featuring Rihanna and “Element” are among the most streamed songs in 2017. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 603,000 album-equivalent units in its first week of release.
K. Dot also has the most streamed album of the year. With three months left in 2017, DAMN. has 2 million SPS., just beating out Drake’s More Life, which has 1.8 million.
The MC also took home awards for Lyricist of the Year, Best Hip-Hop Video for “HUMBLE.” and Hot Ticket Performer.
The BET Hip Hop Awards were filmed in Miami on Oct. 6, and aired on the network on Oct. 10.
Rocky Himself, Sylvester Stallone, Is Going to Direct ‘Creed II’
No word yet on if all of the ATVs will be making a return appearance
It took Creed director Ryan Coogler two years to convince Sylvester Stallone to return to the Rocky franchise, but it didn’t take that long to get him into the director’s chair for Round 2. On Monday night, Stallone announced on Instagram that he’ll be directing Creed II, the sequel to Coogler’s acclaimed spinoff starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, Apollo Creed’s son.
Though Coogler did a great job directing Creed—between that training montage and the amazingly constructed boxing match—it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he isn’t returning for the sequel. After Creed, the director landed Marvel’s Black Panther, which is due out in February 2018. He’s also planning another project with Jordan, an adaptation of a 2014 New Yorker feature on a systemic cheating scandal at an Atlanta middle school that involved both teachers and students. He’s got his hands full. Stallone, on the other hand, hasn’t taken on directorial duties since 2010’s The Expendables. And while it would’ve been interesting to see another up-and-comer take the reins for Creed II, from the day Stallone penned the script for the first movie, this franchise has been his baby. Half of the films Stallone has directed are from the Rocky universe: Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, and Rocky Balboa. He’s going to be Rocky forever.
As for what might go down in Creed II, details are still sparse, but it’s been all but confirmed that Dolph Lundgren will return as Ivan Drago.
Son of Drago versus son of Creed? We didn’t expect the Creed franchise to turn into The Expendables until, like, the fifth sequel, but yeah, sure, OK. Let’s do this.
Black man charged with felony after White racists beat him in Charlottesville
A Black man is facing jail time after being attacked by White supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia. According to the Washington Post, DeAndre Harris is facing the same charges as the racist White men who attacked him.
The attack accord on the same day that a White supremacist committed an act of terror by driving a car into a crowd of people. One person was killed and several were injured following the attack that took place during a rally that featured Nazis and White supremacists. On the same day, several White racists also attacked counter-protestors. Harris was one of the people attacked that day.
In video captured by a cell phone, Harris was brutally beaten by a mob of seven White men who punched, kicked, and hit him in the head with sticks. The attack began after White supremacist Harold Crews swung a Confederate flag at Harris. Attempting to defend himself, Harris swung back at Crews and missed before he was attacked by the seven White men.
Following the attack, Harris’ face was bloodied, he suffered a concussion, and needed 10 staples for a laceration on his head. Two of the White men who attacked Harris were charged with malicious wounding, but they weren’t charged with hate crimes.
But Crews and several other White men attempted to claim that they were the victims. Crews and his attorney went to the magistrate who filed charges against Harris. It’s unusual for the magistrate to file a charge against an individual when the police does not.
It’s unjust and a failure of the Charlottesville government to allow a Black man to be charged for a crime after he was attacked by racists. But it’s another factor of White privilege and life in the era of Trump. The racist attitudes that have emerged since Trump became president is scary. He has embraced White supremacy and attacked Blacks and minorities on every level from tweets to proposed bills and legislation.
In 2017, we’re living in a nation that has racial strife comparable to the turbulent 1960s.
Looky, Looky; Mariah Carey and Boyfriend Bryan Tanaka out on the Town!
Songbird Mariah Carey and her current boyfriend Bryan Tanaka were spotted arriving at Nobu restaurant in a silver Ferrari.
Mariah was giddy with excitement as her dancer boyfriend pulled the 47-year-old close to him so he could pull down her skirt to avoid an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.
The mother of twins wore a tiny, curve-fitting black cutout mini dress and Bryan seemed concerned his old girl was in danger of showing too much skin.
Awww, Don’t they make a cute couple?
#OH? Lindsay Lohan defends Weinstein and criticizes his wife for leaving him
Lindsay Lohan defended Harvey Weinstein on Instagram and took shots at his wife after more explosive allegations of sexual assault and harassment against the Hollywood producer emerged on Tuesday.
The Mean Girls star filmed herself in a now-deleted Instagram story, saying, “Hi, I’m in Dubai….I feel very bad for Harvey Weinstein right now. I don’t think it’s right what’s going on.”
She followed up with a second story, which she decorated with an angel emoji under the name “Harvey”, and weighed in on the news that Weinstein’s fashion designer wife Georgina Chapman would be leaving him.
“Georgina needs to take a stand and be there for her husband,” Lohan said.
She also added, “He's never harmed me or did anything to me. We've done several movies together. I think everyone needs to stop; I think it's wrong. So stand up.”
Lohan joins the ranks of fashion designer Donna Karan in defending Weinstein after it was revealed he paid at least eight women settlements for sexual harassment, according to a New York Times report on Thursday.
Since then, additional allegations have piled up against Weinstein, including three women who accused him of rape, according to the New Yorker.
Karan, who praised Weinstein and questioned whether women were “asking for it”, apologized on Tuesday after facing a firestorm of outrage on social media.
"Sexual harassment is NOT acceptable and this is an issue that MUST be addressed once and for all regardless of the individual," Karan said in a statement to the Associated Press. "(I'm) truly sorry to anyone that I offended and everyone that has ever been a victim."
Weinstein, who was fired from his company Weinstein Co., is reportedly heading to a sex addiction rehab center in Europe, TMZ reported.
Wendy Williams Dragged to Hell for ‘Wonder Woman Costume’ at Comic Con
Wonder woman*Wendy Williams attended the New York Comic Con on October 6 and like many other fans and celebrities who suppport the event, she came dressed as a superhero.
Williams appeared as Wonder Woman and was photographed with superheroes such as Batman and The Green Hornet. But after photos and videos of her surfaced on social media, many people argued that the costume wasn’t befitting for the talk show host.
While some fans found Wendy’s costume to be cute and creative, others were quite critical of her figure.
This latest criticism follows Wendy’s response to the dragging she received when vacation photos surfaced showing Williams in a bikini.
And her response to the critics:
“Yes, I am 53. And yes, I still dip it and do it in a bikini with perky boobs and a flat belly, and if I got no behind, I can buy one like the rest of you all,” she said. “I don’t want front and back. Like, I’m done with that. So, you know, I have a flat behind. I talk about it all the time. I’m shaped like a capital P… I can joke about myself before you ever joke with me. We were having the time of our lives. We totally thought we were by ourselves,” Wendy told People about her vacation.
“I don’t care when people talk about the way I look, because as long I love what I see when I get out of the shower, as long as [my husband] loves what he sees when I slip into bed, and as long as my son is not embarrassed by overweight or underweight mommy, I’m good,” she added.
Blac Chyna Threatens to Spill Kardashian Secrets Unless They Pay $1M — Report
Blac Chyna is coming after that Kardashian money. Despite the constant drama going on between the mother of two and her ex-fiancé Rob Kardashian, the reality star reportedly wants to add even more fuel to the fire.
According to sources, the 29-year-old is going to spill all the scandalous deets about the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star and wants to go after his money. Just last month the Kardashians filed a lawsuit against Tyga’s baby mama for vandalism, battery, and assault. Not to mention, Rob also alleges Chyna tried to choke him with an iPhone cord charger.
Now, as retaliation for the lawsuit, sources close to theJasmineBRAND claim the video vixen is about to spill some serious tea. “She is planning to reveal everything she knows about the Kardashians,” a source recently revealed. But, like most things, Dream Kardashian’s mama is supposedly willing to stay quiet if the Kardashians agree to pay up.
“She has told the Kardashian camp she wants at least seven figures to make all of this go away, which they could easily pay just to be rid of her.”
Do you think the Kardashians should pay Chyna to keep her quiet?
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
