Variety Magazine presents The Power of Pride Issue!
Jim Parsons, Hannah Gadsby, Billy Eichner, Don Lemon, Asia Kate Dillon and MJ Rodriguez are on the cover of Variety‘s inaugural ‘Power of Pride’ issue, out on Wednesday (June 19).
Here’s what the stars had to say…
Jim Parsons, on coming out: “Once it was out in the public, I was like, ‘Well, f–k you! If you still have a problem with gay people, you directly have a problem with me. Being a full-fledged member of it and claiming it, there was just an elation there, and there still is! I still feel it. It’s a huge relief, and it’s also really nice to sometimes be able to feel righteous anger.”
Billy Eichner, on growing up gay and 2020 Presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg: “I was a child in New York at the height of the AIDS epidemic. I was a gay kid way before Ellen and Will & Grace. Pete is doing for the political world what people like Ryan Murphy have done in my industry for LGBT people, which is to create a space where a space did not exist.”
MJ Rodriguez, on coming out as trans to her agent and the fear of being dropped: “I remember calling my agency and saying, ‘Listen, you guys, I don’t know if you’re going to drop me or whatever the case may be, but I just need to let you guys know that I’m a female. That’s how I feel, and that’s how I’ve always been feeling ever since I was a child. They just welcomed me with open arms and said, ‘We don’t care. We love you, and we already pretty much knew.’ And I was like, ‘OK, good.’”
For more, Go HERE to Variety.
#RHOA: Eva Marcille Has revealed the gender of baby No. 3
It’ll be a boy for Eva Marcille. The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star, 34, revealed to Extra that she’s having another son, disclosing that she “[hadn’t] told anyone” until her appearance at the BET Awards on Sunday night.
Marcille is a mom to two children already, daughter Marley Rae McCall, 5, from her previous relationship with Kevin McCall and son Michael Todd Sterling Jr., 1, with her husband Michael Sterling.
She claimed in April that McCall began to abuse her while she was pregnant with Marley. She finally left him after Marley was in her arms during one of his alleged attacks.
She announced that she was expecting again May.
“When [Marley] realized that her little brother was also going to be a big brother, she was stressed out, I was like, ‘Sweetheart, you’re the biggest,’” she told Extra.
#Empire: Fox Fall 2019 Premiere Dates for 'Empire & More
Fox is bringing the Emmys, returning favorites, and new dramas and animated series to your TV screens this fall.
The network joined CBS, NBC, and The CW in announcing the fall premiere dates for its 2019-2020 season on Monday. It begins with the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards airing live coast-to-cast on Sunday, September 22.
Plus, check out the fall schedule which features 'Empire' and 'The Resident' on new nights.
The network then kicks off the seasons of its returning and new shows the next night with one of each, 9-1-1 and Prodigal Son. The rest of the lineup is filled with a mix of established favorites like Empire's final season, The Resident, and The Simpsons, and debuts like Bless the Harts and Almost Family.
Tuesday, September 24 9:00 pm: Empire Final (Season 6 Premiere)
#NewMusic from Ro James -‘Sunday Sex’
Ro James never needs permission to release new music. Known to randomly drop demos and unreleased tracks, he recently uploaded a new song called “Sunday Sex” on his SoundCloud page.
LISTEN HERE
He revealed that new music will be released later this month through comments with a fan on Instagram. While James shared that the sound of his upcoming sophomore album will be a blend of genres including Blues and Reggae, we’re definitely looking forward to his next offering.
#HipHopNews: Mustard And Migos Perform ‘Pure Water’ At Bet Awards
Mustard and Migos brought the waterworks during their performance at the 2019 BET Awards. Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff joined Mustard to perform their hit “Pure Water” at Sunday’s show. Decked out in all white, they came through drippin’ while dancers in raincoats made moves in front of a cascading waterfall. Offset’s wife Cardi B and Quavo’s girlfriend Saweetie were also seen turning up in the audience.
WATCH HERE
Mustard is now gearing up to release his album Perfect Ten on Friday featuring “Pure Water” and his new single “On GOD” featuring A$AP Ferg, YG, Tyga, and A$AP Rocky.
Icon Janet Jackson Opens Up About Michael Jackson’s Legacy, Her Childhood With Joe Jackson and More to The Sunday Times of London!
In a rare interview with The Sunday Times of London, pop icon Janet Jackson shared what it was like growing up as a Jackson and the future of her brother Michael’s legacy.
Months after the debut of HBO’s “Leaving Neverland” documentary, which detailed the child molestation allegations against Michael Jackson, little sister Janet says she believes his legacy will live on. “It will continue,” she said. “I love it when I see kids emulating him, when adults still listen to his music. It just lets you know the impact that my family has had on the world. I hope I’m not sounding arrogant in any way – I’m just stating what is. It’s really all God’s doing, and I’m just thankful for that.”
Janet talked about being involved with charitable work her brother would do as a teen within their community, like feeding homeless people bbq dinners. She also discussed the downside of being a kid in the Jackson household. “You really miss out,” she said. “You don’t get to do all the fun things that kids do. I wanted to do gymnastics, but that couldn’t happen because I was busy working. But at least I had my brothers and sisters. They were my best friends.”
There was even a time when Janet told her father Joe that she wanted to step away from music and go to school to study business law: “My father told me no. …He felt that God had a different path for me,” she said.
Janet revealed that she felt as though she “did say everything” to her father that she needed to before he passed away almost a year ago, adding that her own son, 2½ -year-old Eissa, will be free to choose his own path. “I was thankful for the time that I did have with him, with Eissa, the three of us together,” she said. “Being together with my father in the end.”
The pop icon shared that therapy has helped her get through tough times, following her divorce from ex Wissam Al Mana In 2017. “It’s never going to be an easy ride, but we’re going to get through this,” she said. I’ve done a lot in my life, and it’s about having fun, continuing to have fun. There are still things that I do want to do in life, but if I don’t get to do those things, then I’m good. I have a son, and he’s beautiful. He’s my light.”
Superstar Rihanna Hosts Private Dinner After BET Awards 2019!
Rihanna is red hot as she steps out of her car to make her way inside one of her favorite italian restaurants Giorgio Baldi on Sunday evening (June 24) in New York City.
The 31-year-old entertainer and Fenty designer hosted a special private dinner celebration following a surprise appearance at the 2019 BET Awards.
Rihanna rented out the whole place and placed a reservation for 15 of her closest friends including her best friend Melissa Forde and her agent amongst others.
Rihanna attended the show to honor Mary J. Blige with the Lifetime Achievement Award
Beyonce, Childish Gambino & New Elton John Song Featured on 'The Lion King's Movie Soundtrack
The full track list for the official soundtrack was just revealed and there are 19 songs!
The soundtrack also features a brand new song from Elton John, who worked on the original animated film soundtrack.
The record will be out on July 11 (digital) and July 19 (physical via Walt Disney Records). Pre-order HERE!
Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman will be in August Wilson’s Adaptation 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'
Netflix is behind the movie, which will be produced by Denzel Washington.
Netflix is heading into production on a screen adaptation of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Viola Davis, who earned a Tony and later an Oscar for her performance in Wilson's Fences, will star in the feature, along with Chadwick Boseman. Emmy winner Glynn Turman, Tony and Olivier nominee Colman Domingo and Michael Potts round out the cast.
The story follows Ma Rainey, a famed blues singer, as she makes a record in a studio in 1920s Chicago, where tensions boil over between her, her white agent and producer and the bandmates.
George C. Wolfe — the Tony-winning director whose screen credits include the Oprah Winfrey-starring The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks — will helm the movie, which is set to begin shooting next month in Pittsburgh.
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who earned a Tony for his performance in Wilson's Seven Guitars, will adapt the play for the screen.
Denzel Washington, who directed and starred in the 2016 big-screen adaptation of Fences, will produce the movie, along with Todd Black and Dany Wolf. Constanza Romero, who is Wilson's widow, will executive produce.
Family Matters 'Revival': Jaleel White to Reprise Steve Urkel Role on Scooby-Doo
It’s been 21 years since Jaleel White slipped on Steve Urkel’s signature suspenders. This week, he’ll revive the iconic Family Matters character, by way of Hanna-Barbera.
White is set to reprise his career-defining role in an episode of Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, premiering Thursday, June 27 on the Boomerang streaming service. White offered up a first-look photo on social media, which reveals the animated rendering of the Winslows’ next-door neighbor, as well as one of his many inventions, Urkelbot.
“Walked in that booth after 20 years and voiced him like it was nuthin,” White wrote on Instagram. “To be on screen with Scoob and Shaggy solving a mystery is #Bucketlist stuff 🙏🏽 Enjoy!”
White’s Scooby-Doo cameo is as close as we’ve come to a Family Matters revival. Back in 2017, White and Darius McCrary teased fans with a reunion photo. Prior to that, Reginald VelJohnson and Jo Marie Payton co-starred in the 2015 Lifetime original movie The Flight Before Christmas. For now, nostalgics will have to settle for all 215 episodes of the 1989-1998 sitcom currently streaming on Hulu.
In addition to White, the first season of Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? will feature guest appearances by Ricky Gervais, Wanda Sykes, Sia and Chris Paul. The regular voice cast includes Frank Weller (as Fred and Scooby), Grey Griffin (as Daphne), Kate Micucci (as Velma) and Matthew Lillard (as Shaggy).
Mike Epps Is Married! Weds Longtime Girlfriend Kyra Robinson
Mike Epps is a married man! He and his fiancee, TV producer Kyra Robinson, tied the knot over the weekend in a private ceremony.
The newlyweds have been quiet about their wedding but their friends who attended showed them love on social media. Actor Omar Ray posted snaps of him with Snoop Dogg, the groom and other men who celebrated Epps and his wife.
This is marriage number two for Epps has he and his ex-wife, Mechelle Epps, finalized their divorce in September 2017. They have two children together.
Congrats to Mike and Kyra!
Supreme Court rules clothing brand that sounds like F-word can be trademarked
The Supreme Court ruled a clothing line brand that sounds like the F-word can be trademarked. The Supreme Court defended the Constitutional right to freedom of speech in its 6-3 opinion which was released on Monday.
The case was brought by Erik Brunetti, who founded the streetwear/skate clothing line FUCT in Los Angeles in 1990. He was previously denied a trademark due to the vulgar sounding name.
The justices struck down federal rules regarding trademarks that are "immoral" or "scandalous" as unconstitutional.
"The First Amendment does not allow the government to penalize views just because many people, whether rightly or wrongly, see them as offensive," Associate Justice Elena Kagan said from the bench in announcing the decision.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor were the dissenting votes.
Justices Roberts, Breyer and Sotomayor agreed that the ban on "immoral" and "scandalous” trademarks should stand.
"Refusing registration to obscene, vulgar or profane marks does not offend the First Amendment," Roberts said. "The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech; it does not require the government to give aid and comfort to those using obscene, vulgar and profane modes of expression."
Sotomayor said the court's ruling ensures "the government will have no statutory basis to refuse (and thus no choice but to begin) registering marks containing the most vulgar, profane or obscene words and images imaginable.
LL Cool J Says He Couldn't Get a Chapstick Deal Because of His 'Black Lips'
The ladies may love cool James, but apparently sponsors didn't like LL Cool J's facial features and the star is still chapped about it years later.
LL Cool J was in Midtown NYC on Monday when he was asked if his famous smackers have ever been approached for a chapstick deal.
His answer was classic, telling the photographer, "No, they hated my black lips back then."
It's unclear if the rap-actor was referring to a specific situation or simply theorizing, but his luscious lips are definitely worthy of an endorsement nowadays.
The "NCIS: LA" star was also asked if he had plans to get back into the music game, to which he replied, "yeah, I'm gonna do another album."
Cam Newton's $1,500 offer to switch seats on plane denied by fellow passenger
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was turned down by a fellow passenger when he offered to pay him $1,500 to switch seats on a flight from Paris to the U.S. on June 21, according to a witness who said he saw it all happen.
Twitter user Elisara Edwards, who posted a video of the exchange, said the 6-foot-5-inch quarterback wanted some extra leg room for the 10-hour flight.
In the video, Newton can be seen talking to a passenger in a seat with no one to the front.
The passenger shook his head to a surprised Newton, who smiled and went back to his seat.
Newton, known for his sense of style especially during post-game appearances, was in Paris for Men's Fashion Week.
‘The Chi’ Creator Lena Waithe Under Fire for Calling Out Hollywood Veterans for Apparently Not Doing Enough for the Culture
Lena Waithe has had it with Black Hollywood megastars after she has alleged they have not done enough to help up-and-coming Black creators.
The creator of Showtime’s “The Chi” made the remarks while speaking to The New York Times and directly called out Denzel Washington and Will Smith in the process.
“Don’t get me started on black financiers!” Waithe told the newspaper. “How many of those do we have? I’m not [going to name] names because I know better, but there are some very big black movie stars out there, and they could pay for two or three or even five small independent movies to get made by black directors and black writers.”
The star did, in fact, wind up naming names as she credited the Brad Pitt-co-founded Plan B for doing more to advance the work of Black storytellers than Black actors have.
“Let me give you two movies that are very important to the black community: ‘Moonlight’ and ’12 Years a Slave.’ Whose production company put those out?” she asked. Plan B was responsible for both Oscar-winning efforts.
“Wasn’t Denzel. Wasn’t Will Smith,” Waithe continued. “You won’t catch me making $20 million a movie and not paying for at least four or five independent movies a year. I do give credit to Ava [DuVernay] for trying to build something that hasn’t been built before, but that’s a lot on Ava’s back.”
Waithe’s remarks have drawn the ire of Twitter users who had no issues letting their feeling show.
“So Lena Waithe is calling out Denzel Washington and Will Smith for not financing enough “Black projects and talent?” #CAREERSUICIDE Wow. Blackballed or nah? Also, her neutral stance on Tiffany Boone’s situation on HER set… has changed my attitude towards her… FOREVER. ✌🏾”
“I can’t believe Lena Waithe had the audacity to say that Denzel Washington doesn’t support black talent in the same capacity that Brad Pitt does lol. It’s disrespectful bc Denzel has worked with & supported so much young black talent. Y even lie on him lol.”
“Lena Waithe taking shots at Will Smith and Denzil Washington might cause a stir short term but long term, criticizing these two actors in public is not a smart move.”
Still, there are examples of Smith and Washington lending their hands to help rising Black stars.
In one of her first major starring roles, Quvenzhané Wallis landed the title role in the 2014 remake of “Annie,” produced by Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment. That same company is behind an upcoming documentary centering on the Flint water crisis written and directed by 29-year-old Malcolm M. Mays.
As for Washington, “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman explained the legendary actor paid for him to study at Oxford. He also gave Fordham University $250,000 for a scholarship fund in 2011, something theater students have been thankful for.
Cardi B and Offset drop $100K on jewelry for 1-year-old baby Kulture
Cardi B and Offset want their daughter dripping in diamonds. Ahead of baby Kulture Kiara Cephus’ first birthday on July 10, the 26-year-old “Bodak Yellow” rapper and 27-year-old Migos member commissioned a pricey piece of custom bling: a diamond pendant and chain featuring colorful enamel characters from the Netflix series “Word Party.”
The piece was designed by celebrity jeweler Eliantte, who’s created gems for Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Future and Lil Wayne, in addition to Cardi and all three Migos members.
The approximate cost for Kulture’s new jewels? A cool $100,000, according to TMZ.
Just last month, Cardi B shelled out another $80,000 on more jewelry for her daughter, including nine diamond tennis bracelets and a pair of matching stud earrings from Pristine Jewelers. “If I’m iced out my daughter gotta be too,” she wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post showing off Kulture’s new sparkle.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE’
That fade is on point.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Ali
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