Showing posts with label College Admission Scam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label College Admission Scam. Show all posts

4/15/19

The Daily Buzz For April 16 ☕📰☕


Rebel Wilson for InStyle US - May 2019
Rebel Wilson is reflecting on her journey from Australia to Hollywood.
Before charming her way into our hearts in movies like Pitch Perfect, Wilson was getting a law degree. Now, 10 years after arriving in the United States, the 39-year-old has become a household name. In May, Wilson returns to movie theaters in the film The Hustle, alongside Anne Hathaway. Before the film's premiere, Wilson is looking back at her career and her path to Hollywood stardom in her cover story for InStyle's Beauty Issue.

When asked about her journey from Sydney to cover star, Wilson tells the magazine, "There is no way on earth I thought this would happen because — I'll put it this way — I never got anywhere because of my looks. I got places because I had a good brain and a good imagination."
"When I walked into my agency, William Morris Endeavor, on my second day in Hollywood, 10 years ago, they were like, 'Wow, we have nobody who looks like you.' I'm assuming they meant a plus-size girl," Wilson tells the magazine. "You look at the people who came out of Australia before me, like Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts. There are tons more now, but back then they were the glamours. I've kind of grown into my looks. Or maybe I'm just taking a bit more pride in my appearance now, which I think is a positive thing because I was too far the other way before. I was like, 'I'll just wear this baseball cap.' I'm still like that sometimes, but, particularly when you're dating, you do need to pay attention."
Wilson notes that while being in the public eye makes you think about your appearance, she's "a pretty low-maintenance chick."
"Through working with my stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, I've learned all these little tips and tricks — and they really work," she shares. "Then you feel more comfortable when you have to dress up. I remember I didn't even go to a friend's wedding in my 20s because I didn't know where to buy a dress in my size. Now it is the opposite. Now I have a wardrobe full of custom Givenchy."

Wilson has found her confidence, both personally and professionally, which is clear from her impressive resume.
"If you look at the odds of someone from Australia making it, they're pretty small. When I look at all the things I've done in my career...I feel like I've got so much farther to go. But I am really proud, and, you know, I didn't have to sleep my way to the top," Wilson says with a laugh, adding that she got to where she is by being "unique and true to myself."

"Now I'm producing movies too," she continues. "It's much more than I could have ever dreamed about. When I first came to America, I just wanted to get in one Hollywood film."

You can pick up a copy of InStyle's Beauty Issue with Wilson on newsstands now.


#RHOA: She’s at it, AGAIN! NeNe Leakes is Not Sure She Wants to Save her Marriage to Husband Gregg: 'We'll Just Have to See'!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is digging deep into NeNe Leakes' fractured marriage with husband Gregg amid his cancer battle.

In Sunday's second part of the Season 11 reunion, NeNe and Gregg had a tense talk with host Andy Cohen, who asked Gregg how he felt about NeNe sharing some of the less savory details of their marital issues with the world — including that he had once cheated on her.
“That was so long ago, that it really just didn’t have any weight," Gregg said of the cheating revelation. "The hurt from that got removed from me a long time ago”.
“Maybe it didn’t get removed from you?” Cohen asked NeNe, who replied in a defeated tone, “Maybe." And while a lot of their issues were made “exponentially worse” by Gregg's colon cancer diagnosis, NeNe confirmed they had been having issues for a while.

But regardless of whether they end up "best friends" or spouses, NeNe reassured her husband, “We are family. Period. Whether we’re together or not, we share a 20-year-old son. I’m always going to be here for Gregg.”
When asked outright if they were interested in saving their marriage, Gregg replied, “I do,” while NeNe admitted she wasn't sure.
“I can’t tell you anything that I’m going to do," she told Cohen. "I feel like I have been pushed up against a wall, and I’m coming out like, ‘No’. Anything is possible. We’ll just have to see.”

It wouldn't be the first time NeNe and Gregg split, marrying for the first time in 1997, divorcing in 2011 and remarrying in 2013.
In addition to her issues with Gregg, NeNe was forced to confront the end of her friendship with Porsha Williams, who spoke her piece to her former big sis about being there for her this season through her pregnancy.

"Honestly, I would love to sit here and just be as nonchalant and just not give a f— as NeNe is being right now, but the fact of the matter is, when we found out [about Gregg's cancer], we were there for you, and we genuinely pray for you and your husband," Williams told NeNe. "Your main issue is you don't know how to accept the support from your friends."

"And then at this point, now where we are is f— all of us. That s— is hurtful!" she continued. "That makes me feel like any experience I have ever had with you was fake. For you to sit here and say, 'No, I didn't get you a gift,' and 'No, you're not my friend' ... You have sat here and told me so many times since we've been on this couch -- which is brand new to me...that we are not friends. Okay? So just understand that what you're doing, you think it's all nonchalant and cute, but that shit f—ing hurts because me and my fiancé have prayed for you. And my mother! All of us!"

"So the fact that you will sit here now and give a big f— you to all of us is very f—ing hurtful," the new mom concluded. "I cannot leave this damn couch without saying that."
When asked by Cohen what her response was to Williams' speech, NeNe simply said, "No response."

Yeah, we’ll see. The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sunday on Bravo!


#Empire: Recap; Episode 14 Family Infighting!
Back at the concert hall, Jamal is trying to reign in the natives. They’re bickering and fighting and being gernally silly toward each other. Jamal tells them to pull it together, and they need to do this for Andre. This is , of course, after he gave Hakeem a pep talk about how Andre is the older brother who loves him the best, even if he does’t realize it.

Cutting over to Cookie again, Damon cames to visit. And Cookie flat out tells him they can’t be together again. Damon thinks she’s playing but Cookie tells him that Andre is sick and she needs to focus on him, and she’s afraid her bad behavior might have brought the cancer upon her son. Damon then drops a thoughtful spirit bomb: You hear me? You are not important enough to cause any of this.”

Damon’s own daughter had cancer and the one lesson he learned is that everyone is small and inadequates and not big enough to cause some calamity. He also promises to let the bedtime banter drop and to leave her alone. We also see, via flashback, that Cookie did get on the bed with Damon and she was in her slip but she decided she couldn’t cheat on her husband so she left the room.

Meanwhile the Truth Tour is going well. Everyone is on the same page again and there is now a special tribute to the brothers, which is nice for #NationalSiblingDay, which is also trending while Empire is airing. Hakeem and Jamal sing a duet of “Lean On Me,” and show images of Andre from childhood to adulthood. That scene fades over to Andre leaning on Terry and being sick. The doctor comes in to ask how he is feeling, and to cut all the crap about it, Andre feels terrible and finally admits it.

This is a good thing, says the doc. It means the chemo is working and Andre I ready for the rest of the trial. The family looks relieved.
The last scene of the episode is of Lucious and Cookie in their bedroom, figuring out where they will go next and Cookie remembering how she left Damon without violating her marital trust. She tells Lucious she has to tell him something. And she almost talks about the Damon episode, but she holds back. Instead, she says “I love you.”

We’ll see what happens this Wednesday!


#MusicNews: GOOD NEWS! PJ Morton Enters Partnership Between Morton Records & Tyscot Music to Release Two New Projects
Good news for PJ Morton! He has just announced a new partnership with Tyscott Music & Entertainment to release two new projects via his Morton Records Inspiration Division.
First up is the debut solo album from Atlanta based singer/songwriter Josiah “Jojo” Martin, who has toured as a background vocalist for Fred Hammond and Morton for years. A single and album will come out later this year.

Following that, Morton Inspiration will deliver an all-star project in 2020 titled The Gospel According to PJ. That project will feature reinterpretations of hit songs Morton has written for other celebrated artists over the years.

“I’m very excited about the new partnership between Morton Inspiration and Tyscot Records,” says PJ Morton. “I’ve seen Tyscot do an amazing job in gospel music for many years. When I decided to produce a gospel compilation and sign a gospel artist Jojo Martin, I knew that I needed a strong partner that could successfully move in that space. There was no better fit for us.”

Stay tuned for the release of these exciting new projects!


#HipHopNews: T.I. Previews Kodak Black Diss Track
The T.I. and Kodak beef continues. Last week, the “ZEZE” rapper stirred controversy for his insolent comments about Lauren London by saying he would wait “a whole year” before pursuing her. “Lauren London dat baby though. She finna be a whole widow out here. I’ll be the best man I can be for her,” he said just days after Nipsey’s Hussle death.

In response, T.I. put Kodak on blast for disrespecting the grieving London. “You out of pocket, ni**a. Fix that shit…quickly, expeditiously,” he told him.
As a result of his remarks, Kodak’s exhibit was removed from T.I.’s Trap Music Museum in Atlanta, prompting Kodak to lash out at the museum. “Fuck that pussy ass museum,” he said. “I ain’t give you permission to put me up anyway.”

Kodak later claimed that T.I. was only targeting him because he himself was interested in pursuing Nipsey’s late girlfriend. “Dude just wants first dibs on her,” Kodak said during an Instagram livestream. “Eat a baby dick,” he added.

Now T.I. is firing back at Project Baby with a new song on which he appears to be taking shots at him. “I’m conditioned to see the vision, you / I don’t care if you’re 81 or 22,” he raps in the clip. “All that back and forth finna get into / I said what I said and I meant it too.”

Tip continues, “Ni**a took it too far, better slow down / Your belief becomes your thoughts, then your thoughts become your word … I can only teach these ni**as the same way that I learned / And that’s a public violation / Ni**as show your ass in the mall and get your ass whooped and maced / I can show you life with no consequences, I don’t know none.” You can listen to it HERE!

WOW!


Lori Loughlin and husband plead NOT GUILTY in college admissions case!
Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, are pleading not guilty to charges of mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy stemming from the Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press.

According to the documents filed Monday, Loughlin and Giannulli said they waived their right to appear in Boston federal court for their arraignment. They are accused of paying $500,000 in bribes in order to have their two daughters designated as recruits to the University of Southern California’s crew team, despite the fact that neither of them participated in crew.

Loughlin’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment by EW.

The scandal first came to light last month, when the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts announced indictments against a group of wealthy parents and college athletic coaches who allegedly worked together with a man named William Rick Singer to cheat the college admissions process. (Singer is one of the government’s cooperating witnesses.) The methods of the conspiracy included having professionals take ACT and SAT exams on behalf of students, and using Photoshop and cooperating coaches to fabricate athletic backgrounds for students who didn’t actually play sports, according to prosecutors.

The Full House star is one of the most famous names in the court documents, alongside actress Felicity Huffman (American Crime, Desperate Housewives). Huffman announced her intention to plead guilty to mail fraud charges last week, saying, “I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept consequences that stem from those actions.” She is scheduled to appear in Boston on May 21 to enter her plea.


The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is on fire!
A massive fire engulfed Paris’ famed Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday, as the city’s mayor and firefighters warned people to stay away from the area. Reuters reported that the spire had collapsed.

Smoke billowed from the top of the cathedral as flames ripped through its roof and bell towers.
It was not immediately clear what had caused the fire, while local media reported that police in the city were treating it as an accident.
The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” attracts millions of tourists every year.
President Emmanuel Macron cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give later on Monday evening

There have been no confirmed deaths and the cause of the fire is still unknown, according to Paris police.
A major operation was under way, the fire department said, while a city hall spokesman said on Twitter that the area was being cleared.
Notre-Dame was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, while bronze statues were removed last week for works.
Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.

In a tweet the mayor of Paris confirmed the fire and called for people to remain away from the scene.
This story is developing.


Jay Z will perform for the Re-Opening Webster Hall in NYC!
Great news for JAY-Z fans! The 49-year-old rapper and music mogul is opening Webster Hall with ‘B-Sides 2’ on Friday, April 26 for Day 1 fans. AMEX Card Members can get tickets on 4/18 at 10am ET before the public on sale on 4/19 at 11am ET.
He last headlined a NYC show in 2017, at the Barclays Center. In 2015, he did a B-Side concert at Terminal 5


Shade No Shade Tho! Monica Won’t Talk Shannon Brown Divorce On ‘T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle’
Monica is allegedly avoiding to talk about her marital problems on the new season of ‘‘T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle’.
According to TMZ reports, Sources close to production on “T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle” tell TMZ … Monica is refusing to talk about calling it quits on her marriage, and she won’t even mention her ex-husband’s name.

We’re told Monica’s decision to stay mum is frustrating the people tasked with crafting an interesting storyline for the singer … and she’s just not cooperating with producers begging for her to open up about her relationship with Shannon.

The trailer for the reality show’s upcoming season makes it seem like Monica’s an open book when it comes to her divorce … but we’re told that couldn’t be further from the truth. In the trailer, she says she never imagined being a single mother in her 30s — but that’s all you’re gonna get outta her.


Tristan Thompson had a Run-In With his Ex Khloe At their Daughter’s True's B'Day Bash
Tristan Thompson attended his daughter True Thompson's first birthday party and his run-in with his ex-
Khloe Kardashian pulled out all the stops for her daughter True Thompson's first birthday that went down over the weekend.

The "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star threw a rainbow-themed bash for baby True to celebrate her first birthday with family and friends. She put her petty aside and invited True's dad, Tristan Thompson and their first interaction was super cringy.
For the first time True's parents have been seen together since the Jordyn Woods cheating scandal broke, Khloe is seen literally ignoring the Cavs baller's existence. In a clip Khloe posted on her IG stories, Khloe is holding True (both wearing matching August Getty Atelier ensembles) while Tristan tries to get True from her so he could snap a pic for social media, but she acts as if he's not even standing right next to her.
Oop. Safe to say these two aren't on the best of terms, but they're clearly trying to work on the co-parenting thing.


Will Sunday’s Premiere of Game of Thrones be The most-watched episode ever?
The Game of Thrones season 8 premiere has come and gone, so was it the most-watched episode in series history?
The season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones drew in just over 10 million viewers in overnight linear ratings, but the season 8 premiere should break that with ease and could double that number.

Considering this is the first episode in 20 months and the premiere for the final season, the excitement and anticipation for a single episode of Game of Thrones has never been this high. This is the best show on TV and the final season is underway so, it’s an easy question to ask: Will the Game of Thrones season 8 premiere be the most-watched episode in series history?
The ratings numbers will be made available on Monday, but heading into the premiere, I would be shocked if it didn’t set a Thrones record for most-watched across all platforms.

Viewers don’t need HBO to watch, they can watch through so many platforms, including through Amazon Channels, Roku and Hulu. Yes, all of them require subscription fees, so it’s not exactly like watching This Is Us on NBC or NCIS on CBS or Grey’s Anatomy on ABC.

For a premium cable outlet, 20 million potential viewers that Entertainment Weekly is theorizing can hit is nothing short of remarkable, and something that may not be eclipsed for several years.
And by comparison, tonight’s audience watching Game of Thrones should deliver Barry’s highest ratings in the show’s two-season run considering it airs immediately after the hour-long premiere. Veep and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver should also see noticeably higher ratings because of Game of Thrones.

And while the numbers for the premiere may not be approached for the next four episodes, the series premiere on May 19 will easily smash the season 8 premiere views and could rank among the most-watched TV show episodes in television history.


Dallas Police Arrest Suspect In Beating Of Transgender Woman In Viral Video
Dallas police have arrested 29-year-old Edward Thomas in the brutal beating of a transgender woman, which is being classified as a hate crime.

According to the victim, Muhlaysia Booker, the attack happened during the day after a minor traffic accident near an apartment complex. The incident also caught on cell phone video, as it occurred in front of a crowd of people.
In the video, Booker is seen being viciously punched by one man and kicked by other men from the crowd. She was reportedly beaten unconscious while the crowd looked on before several women eventually carried the victim’s body to safety.
Dallas Mayor Michael Rawlings said he is “extremely angry about what appears to be mob violence against this woman,” as he added that those responsible don’t represent how most Dallas residents feel about the “thriving LGBTQ community.”
Booker is now at home recovering after suffering a facial fracture and has her right arm in a sling. According to USA Today, at least 26 transgender people were fatally shot or violently killed nationwide last year, the majority of whom were black transgender women.

In the meantime, authorities are continuing to canvas the neighborhood where it happened for other participants and witnesses.


'RHOBH' Star Kyle Richards Fires Back at Troll's 'Too Old' for Coachella Comment
It's that time of year when celebrities and fans alike dress in their trendiest outfits to pose for that perfect Instagram photo at Coachella.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards posed with her bff castmates, Lisa Rinna and Teddi Jo Mellencamp and before you know it, the trolls came out!

Richards titled the photo, "#Chaperones #coachella #helloKyle"
One troll immediately took to the comment section to say, "To old for the s— go home grandmas."

"it's too," Richards fired back. "And you're sitting home doing what?"

That wasn't the only troll to speak their mind, someone else wrote, "grasping at their youth... Time for rinna to change her depends."
Someone else wrote, "You're no longer a ride or die friend. You're just like the others. And it's just a show. You really want to stick with the troublemakers? Call Brandi Glanville, maybe? Too bad, you were my 2nd favorite."

Another person thought they were too old to be there as well saying, "Old women living through their kids. Weird. Boring. And strange. And if they were men, would be questioned."
Not to worry RHOBH fans, while there was plenty of hate in the comment section, there was lots of love from IG users as well. One person said, "We're not regular moms, we're cool moms."

One person stuck up for the reality star saying, "She's just jealous" while someone else said, "People are really mean sorry about that you guys look fabulous."
Another user seemed to be a fan of Richards style saying, "My fav sunglasses EVER !!! What & where !!!!!?!!?"

Kim Kardashians best friend Jonathan Cheban commented saying, "Fun."
It's no surprise people are jumping all over the reality star and her friends because all of them are wrapped up in something called "Puppygate."
"I still don't understand why they had such a severe reaction," Richards said to Lisa Vanderpump in a blog post for Bravo. "It didn't have to be like this. We could have sat down as two friends and talked it out, even if we ended up agreeing to disagree. That's what friends do."

"We don't just tell each other what the other wants to hear," she continued. "That's not friendship. Contrary to some of the comments I've see, Lisa and I did have a real friendship. we have laughed, fought, and make up. We've had our ups and downs. Some friendships have more than others. I always felt our friendship was worth it."


Michael Vick Teen Center Unveiled At A Virginia Boys And Girls Club
A dedication ceremony was held Friday night in Newport News, Virginia where the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula was renamed “The Michael Vick Teen Center.”

The Boys & Girls Club: Greater Hampton Roads Unit was like a second home for the former NFL star quarterback when he was growing up. Now the club is named in his honor.
“My time at the Boys and Girls Club was so pivotal at a crucial point in my life when I had to learn people skills, and learn to communicate, and learn discipline, and learn what trust was all about,” Vick said. “It happened for me, so I wanna do it for them.”
Vick has fully funded the renovations to the club, along with Fox Sports and some other local area sponsors.
Vick was on hand with his family for the ribbon cutting dedication and took pictures with fans and participated in a game.

The club will have plenty of resources to help teens with social development including computer labs and job force training as well as a recreation center where kids can play video games.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘HULKETTE’
Bruce Banner’s wife out doing a little shopping today. That’s nice.


#EGGPLANT NATION Meet ARMANDO THE RICAN BEAR 🐻!
Meet Armando! To see more you can GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS!  And remember they’re NSWF!

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

3/13/19

The Daily Buzz For March 14 ☕📰☕


Ciara Is A BREATH of SUNSHINE on cover for The April 2019 Issue Of InStyle Magazine
Ciara who is having a phenomenal 2019 has landed her first ever cover on InStyle magazine’s April Issue.

The stage-blazer poses it up for a feature that also sees her open up about everything from her family, launching her own record label (Beauty Marks Entertainment), her new album to the viral #LevelUpChallenge and overcoming doubt. See more photos below.
The R&B siren also scorches like only she can as she’s put up to a dance test by the magazine.


#RHOA: NeNe Leakes READS Cynthia Bailey & Says ‘RHOA’ Cast Are ‘Coworkers,’ Not Friends!
If you had any questions about ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ drama, NeNe Leakes just answered everything during an Instagram Live video on March 12. She addressed the closet drama with Porsha and so much more!
NeNe Leakes, 51, spilled all of the tea about The Real Housewives of Atlanta during an Instagram Live video on March 12. If you were wondering if the rumors about her unfollowing her cast mates on social media were true — they are! NeNe fessed up to it in her long rant, where she claimed Cynthia Bailey, 52, has done “a lot of f–ked up stuff” to her that viewers don’t get a chance to see on the show. Read the full transcript below, along with the video, which was captured by The Shade Room. 

“I wanted to come on Instagram Live for a few minutes because I have so many people texting me and asking me stuff; people on Twitter asking me questions,” NeNe said as she sat in the backseat of a car. “The first thing is, the first thing I saw was I followed half of my cast. That’s what the blogs have said and they are correct. Ok, so it’s been a whole lot of lies put in the press and I see people are making negative comments. It’s unfortunate, because a lot of times people don’t even know. They don’t even know half of what goes on on this show. They only get five minutes of it. It’s unfortunate.”

“Unfollowing my cast mates,” NeNe went on. “As far as Cynthia’s concerned, you’re going to have to watch the finale to see what it is that she does. Now, Cynthia’s done a lot of stuff in my opinion, on the down low and very sneaky and underhanded. I’m just telling you the truth. I also just tell it like it is. And, if you don’t like it, you don’t like it and you can figure it out. She has done a lot of stuff that you all just don’t get to see on the show, that’s just underhanded and I always come out looking like the bad guy.”

“But, she’s just done a lot of f–ked up stuff, and that’s just for real. Now, what you guys see on social media, that’s what you see. I don’t have any hate in my heart for Cynthia. We are coworkers from this day forward. I don’t have any reason to not speak to her. I’m happy to speak to her, but anything else further than that, no, it’s not going to happen. We are coworkers.”

NeNe then addressed her relationship with the rest of the RHOA cast. “And after, 11 seasons, I finally realized that these girls are my coworkers. Now, as far as the other girls sitting on the couch, they all were trying secure the bag, because half of them are boring. So, they had no other choice but to come for me. You know, they tried to come, how about that. But, they may as well go right on back, honey. It’s so crazy to me because these girls come on this show playing checkers. I’m already over here playing chess. So, it’s so ridiculous to me for all of them to all link up together and act like we’re nice and stuff, when they really aren’t . And, you know, I don’t mind being the villain, because my check gets bigger as I become the villain. So, it’s ok with me, because we all can’t be the same, it’s fine.”
Before she addressed her issues with Cynthia, NeNe advised fans to keep watching the show. She then confronted a slew of headlines she’s read in the press.

“I think people were saying, ‘NeNe attacked Porsha.’ Some sh-t like that,” NeNe said, referencing reports that she had gotten physical with Porsha Williams during a scene that was filmed inside her [NeNe’s] closet. In a recent episode of RHOA, NeNe completely exploded on Williams and Kandi Burruss for attempting to catch a glimpse inside her closet, although she expressed numerous times that she didn’t want anyone in there. The scene escalated when NeNe grabbed a cameraman who was filming, and ripped his shirt.

“Listen, number one, let’s clear all this up,” NeNe said. “So now, I want to address the Porsha thing, where Porsha is insinuating, I’ll put it like that, that she was touched in the closet, with four people in the closet, me, Porsha, Cynthia and Marlo, and Kandi. Now, the closet ain’t no damn store, it’s a closet with an island in the floor… I think what she said was that her belt came off. assume that I touched her and her belt came off. Now, I’d like to know, how is that possible, which I told her at the reunion. I wasn’t even behind you, so, how could I touch your belt? You know, it’s crazy, because what if I said I had a big ass dog in my closet and said not to go in there and he jumped out and attacked everybody. But, it’s my fault, right? But, I told you don’t go in there.”

About that closet scene — NeNe also claimed that there were faults on production’s end of the issue. “Going into my closet, it’s my closet, OK. It’s not that serious and it’s not that hard for anybody to understand. It’s my closet, I said, ‘No.’ … I always let the crew go anywhere they want in my house. So, this particular time, my husband was in the hospital, and I said I didn’t want anybody to go in my master bedroom or in my closet,” NeNe explained.
“The producers had all the rules from the very beginning. Everybody that entered my house that day had known that Greg had gone back into the hospital. If they didn’t know, I told them then. Everybody knew that I was under a tremendous amount of stress and pressure and the production team definitely knew. So, production overstepping their boundaries, that was production doing that, OK. Production wasn’t supposed to do that, they had the rules they were never supposed to film in the closet, ever.”


#Empire Serayah Reveals Life on set After The Jussie Smollett Drama she said: ‘It Definitely Has an Effect’!
The world was shocked when Jussie Smollett was arrested in February for allegedly staging a fake hate crime against himself — and that includes his Empire castmates. “I think that it definitely has an effect on everyone,” Serayah McNeill exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.
The actress, 23, said she “honestly was not on set” when news of the scandal broke, but when she returned soon after, it was clear that the show must go on. “Right now, everyone is fine and everyone is finishing up the season and being professional about it,” the star, who plays Tiana on the Fox drama, told Us after Smollett’s arrest. “Everyone is acting very professionally, we all love this show and we have a job to do.”

Smollett, 36, originally told the Chicago Police Department that he had been attacked on January 29 by two men yelling racist and homophobic slurs. Two weeks later, police arrested two suspects, brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo, whom have both had minor roles on Empire. Hours later, they were released from custody without being charged.

“The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us. Jussie has been an important member of our Empire family for the past five years and we care about him deeply,” said the statement from producers Lee Daniels, Danny Strong, Brett Mahoney, Brian Grazer, Sanaa Hamri, Francie Calfo and Dennis Hammer. “While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out. We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show and to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of ‘Jamal’ from the final two episodes of the season.”

Season 5 of Empire returns March 13 at 8 p.m. on Fox.


#NewMusic from Rahsaan Patterson “Sent From Heaven” + Announces Upcoming Album “Heroes & Gods”
Rahsaan Patterson shares the exciting news that his new album “Heroes and Gods” will be released in the coming months. He also delivers the soulful first single “Sent from Heaven”. Patterson adds about the song:

“In creating ‘Sent From Heaven,’ I was reminded of how I have been schooled by all the greats and how grateful I am to have been schooled by them. Some songs might have a melody but how many will truly resonate with us 40 years later? As a songwriter and artist, it is important to insert that part of my creativity.”

LISTEN HERE

He has signed with Shanachie Entertainment to release the new album “Heroes and Gods” on May 17th, 2019. Stay tuned for more details about the upcoming album!


#HipHopNews: LIL UZI VERT Says He’s Still Done With Music, Wants To Release Old Songs
On Tuesday night Lil Uzi Vert treated fans to some unreleased music on his Instagram Live, much to their enjoyment. However, the song is very old according to the Philadelphia rapper.
After previewing the track, Uzi informed fans on his IG Live that he’s still not recording any new music, but that he does have a stash of old songs that he wouldn’t mind releasing to the public.

"But I wish they let me feed y'all, they let me just...tell me to come on, tell them me to come on," he said. "Tell them to come on let me feed y'all with the old stuff."
"I don't music no more but y'all can have this old stuff," he continued. "I mean it's gonna be new to y'all, I mean, y'all gonna say it's new shit."
Before signing off his IG Live, Uzi told his viewers that he still in control of what he wants to do musically.

"I still do what I want and we are rocking," he said.

Lil Uzi Vert is only two months into his self-imposed retirement. The 24-year-old rapper made the surprise announcement on Instagram back in January.
“I wanna take the time out to say I thank each and every one of my supporters but I’m done with music,” he wrote with a photo of his Gucci socks on his Instagram story. “I deleted everything. I wanna be normal...I wanna wake up in 2013.”

Uzi had initially planned to release his Eternal Atake album, but there's no word on if the project's release is postponed indefinitely.
Despite his retirement, Uzi joined Meek Mill during the New York stop of his Motivation Tour on Tuesday (March 12) and performed his hit song "XO Tour Lif3."


Lady Gaga: "Yeah, I'm pregnant...with my new album"
Lady Gaga once made the classic mistake of being decent at her job when she performed “Shallow” alongside Bradley Cooper at this year’s Oscars. Since then, she’s had to periodically assure the public that their heated duet was the product of artistry and not some brazen love affair. That did little to halt rumors, though, and chatter surrounding a potential pregnancy post-split with ex-fiance Christian Cariano soon surfaced. On Tuesday, Gaga took to Twitter to both quell baby rumors and remind us that she is still, you know, a very busy singer.

“Rumors I’m pregnant,” she asked. “Yeah, I’m pregnant with #LG6.” LG6 is in reference to Lady Gaga 6, her highly anticipated follow-up to 2016's Joanne.
Prior to this, the pop icon had to dismiss speculation of a romance between her and Cooper with an official eye roll on Jimmy Kimmel Live! soon after winning an Oscar for Best Original Song. “People saw love and, guess what, that’s what we wanted to you to see. This is a love song.”

Sorry, everyone. No baby or clandestine coupling here. Just silly things, like an active career.


Lori Loughlin Taken Into Custody After Elite College Admission Scheme Indictment
Lori Loughlin was taken into custody by the FBI in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday after reports broke that she, among dozens of others, would be charged for her participation in an elite college admission scheme.
Loughlin is slated to appear in federal court on conspiracy charges and will be booked at Los Angeles’ Metropolitan Detention Center. Federal agents accused the “Full House” actress and her husband, designer Mossimo Giannulli, of paying half-a-million dollars for their two daughters to be labeled as recruits to the USC crew team even though the students were not rowers.

Alongside Loughlin, actress Felicity Huffman is also accused of being involved in the scheme. Huffman was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. The “Desperate Housewives” actress’ husband, actor William H. Macy, was spotted arriving at the courthouse shortly thereafter. Huffman was released on $250,000 bail.  
Alongside Loughlin, actress Felicity Huffman is also involved in the scheme.
The FBI has called the alleged scheme a “nationwide conspiracy” as it included parents paying for their children to cheat on tests and apply to elite schools posing as student athletes, despite not having the skill sets desired by said schools.

In addition to Loughlin and Huffman, the other individuals indicted include CEOs of private and public companies, real estate professionals, fashion designers, and top college coaches. The indictment indicates that 33 parents, alongside the aforementioned coaches and administrators, allegedly paid up to $6 million in bribes to ensure that their children were accepted into their desired schools.


Missy Elliott To Receive Honorary Degree From Berklee College Of Music
In the two months since her induction into the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame, the legendary artist and producer has managed to rack up another first — receiving an honorary doctorate degree from Berklee College of Music.

Missy will become the first female rapper in history to ever receive an honorary doctorate from the esteemed institution. The honor, only given to a select few individuals, is definitely a humbling moment for Missy, who reacted to the news of her forthcoming degree on Twitter. "I am soooooo HUMBLED!🙏🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾," she wrote on Tuesday (March 12).

Missy, along with Justin Timberlake and Alex Lacamoire, will be recognized for their "achievements and influences in music," per a press release from Berklee. The music college's president, Roger H. Brown, will present the degrees to the three recipients on May 11 in the Aggains Arena at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. Berklee's press release also announced that students will pay tribute to the honorees by performing a collection of their songs.

As previously reported, Missy — who has written songs for some of the biggest names in music, including Beyonce and Whitney Houston — became the first female rapper to been nominated for the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame back in November. In January she became the first female rapper to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and only the third rapper to enter it, joining recent inductees Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z.


FINALLY The US grounds The Boeing 737 Max planes, citing links between 2 fatal crashes
US issues order grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 jets
The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday grounded all Boeing 737 Max jets in the U.S., citing new evidence that showed similarities between two fatal crashes of the popular planes that have killed 346 people in less than five months.

The move marks a stunning turnaround for the U.S., which has stood by the American-made aircraft as dozens of countries around the world ground the planes.
The crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on Sunday came less than five months after a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 plunged into the Java Sea minutes into the flight, killing all 189 people on board. Both planes were new, delivered from Boeing just months before their doomed flights.
President Donald Trump earlier said he was ordering the planes to be taken out of service. Trump said he came to the decision after speaking with Boeing’s CEO, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Daniel Elwell.

“They are all in agreement with the action. Any plane currently in the air will go to its destination and thereafter be grounded until further notice,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

The grounding will remain in effect pending further investigation, including examination of information from the aircraft’s flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. An FAA team is in Ethiopia assisting the NTSB as parties to the investigation of the Flight 302 accident. The agency will continue to investigate. ”
New evidence shows the plane’s movement was similar to the October crash, the FAA’s Elwell told reporters on a call Wednesday.
“It became clear the track was very close and behaved similarly to the Lion Air flight,” Elwell told reporters on a call Wednesday. “My hope is the FAA, the carriers, the manufacturers and all parties will work very hard to make this grounding as short as possible so that these airplanes can get back up in the sky.”

Shares of Boeing slipped by more than 2 percent after Trump’s announcement, but closed up 0.5 percent at $377.14.
Boeing said it recommended taking the 737 Max planes out of service out of an “abundance of caution” after talking with U.S. aviation regulators.

“On behalf of the entire Boeing team, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in these two tragic accidents,” CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement. “We are doing everything we can to understand the cause of the accidents in partnership with the investigators, deploy safety enhancements and help ensure this does not happen again.”
Of the more than 370 Boeing 737 Max jets in global fleets, 74 are flown by U.S. airlines, according to the FAA. Those include United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. Southwest Airlines’ fell by about 1 percent while Delta was about flat.

Trump said, “the safety of the American people, and all people, is our paramount concern. Our hearts go out to all of those who lost loved ones, to their friends, to their families [in both crashes] ... it’s a terrible, terrible thing.”
He called Boeing an “incredible company.”
“Hopefully they will very quickly come up with an answer, but until they do the planes are grounded,” Trump added.

Boeing investors have already lost $26.6 billion in the first two trading days this week with shares sliding 11 percent from $422.54 Friday to $375.41 at Tuesday’s close. The company’s market value fell from $238.7 billion on Friday to $212.1 billion by the end of Tuesday.

It is very uncommon, but not unprecedented, for the FAA to ground all jets of a certain type. In 2013, the agency ordered the then-new Boeing 787 Dreamliners grounded because of lithium-ion battery malfunctions. (They were flying again about three months later.) However, in that case, European regulators and other airlines followed the FAA’s lead. With the Boeing 737 Max planes, the U.S. grew increasingly isolated as country after country decided to ground the jets.
The turnaround by the FAA could suggest that federal officials may have obtained new information from the doomed Ethiopian Airlines plane that went down Sunday. Investigators are analyzing the so-called black boxes that were recovered from the site and contain flight data and voice recordings from the cockpit. They’ll likely be sent to Europe Wednesday night for analysis, agency officials said.

Lawmakers and labor unions representing flight attendants urged airlines and the government to ground the planes. Countries from India to Italy had decided to take the planes out of service, unnerving travelers and putting airlines in the tough position of alienating customers and defending the safety of the plane.

Some airlines like United and Southwest loosened some of their ticket change fees for flyers nervous about traveling on the plane.


Jose Canseco's Ex-Wife Speaks Out On Alex Rodriguez Cheating Rumors
Jessica Canseco just set the record straight — she is NOT having an affair with Alex Rodriguez.

Despite her ex-husband Jose Canseco's claims, the former reality star is just friends with A-Rod and she has no plans to interfere with his relationship. "Those false accusations Jose is making are not true!🖐🏻," she wrote on Twitter Tuesday (March 11). "I have known Alex for many years and haven’t even seen him for over 5. I certainly did not sleep with him. I am friendly with both him and Jennifer [Lopez]. As for Jose he can keep playing with his Alien friends😂🤦‍♀️."

"In fact I don’t even get on twitter had to download app again and don’t watch tv and had no idea any of this was going on," Jessica added. "Last time I saw Alex he was with Torrie and I brought my boyfriend over for dinner. We are just friends my god🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️."

As previously reported, hours after J.Lo and A-Rod announced their engagement, Jose accused Alex of cheating on his new fiancée. "Watching World of Dance watching J.Lo text Alex Rodriguez little does she know that he is cheating on her with my ex-wife Jessica [Cancesco] poor girl she has no idea who he really is," Jose wrote on Twitter Sunday (March 11). "I was there a few months back with her when he called her on her phone.

The shamed former baseball player, who admittedly used performance-enhancing drugs while playing the game, didn't end his Twitter rant there. Jose then proceeded to challenge A-Rod to a fight. "Alex Rodriguez stop being a piece of sh*t stop cheating on Jennifer Lopez," he wrote, adding "I challenge you to a boxing match or an MMA match anytime you want."

While Jose offered no proof to back up his claims, he asked that Jennifer contact him to hear the "truth."
"@JLo if you want the truth about Alex Rodriguez call me 702-374-3735," he continued before saying he was willing to "take a polygraph to prove that what I'm saying about Alex Rodriguez is 100% accurate."

Alex and Jennifer, who have been dating since February 2017, never addressed the cheating rumors. Instead the engaged couple amped up the lovey-dovey posts from their tropical vacation in Baker's Bay in Great Guana Cay.


Facebook And Instagram Are having Global Outages they have been Reported!
Update Facebook has tweeted that, while the company continues to work on the issue, it confirms the outage was “not related to a DDoS attack,” or distributed denial of service attack.
Instagram and Facebook are experiencing at least partial outages around the world. “We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble accessing the Facebook family of apps,” Facebook tweeted Wednesday, pledging “We’re working to resolve the issue as soon a possible.”
Some users apparently were able to access the platforms but could not send or receive messages or post new content.

Facebook is keeping users update via its social media pages, saying “the issue is not related to a DDoS attack.”
DownDetector, a website that tracks outages, indicates that Facebook is down mainly in parts of New England, Texas, Seattle, California, Washington, Latin America, the UK, India, and the Philippines. Commenters on the DownDetector site report outages in Florida and Minnesota as well.

Reports of problems with Facebook’s WhatsApp also have been reported.


Pastor John Gray Addresses ‘Emotional Affair’ ‘I Did Not Sleep with Anyone, There’s No Baby:’ Others seem to think otherwise!
When 2019 rang in, most people probably were just trying to deal with the fact that a new year had arrived, but Pastor John Gray, of Relentless Church in Greenville, S.C., was dealing with a scandal.
In January a video surfaced of Gray admitting to his congregation that he let a woman get too close when he and his wife Aventer Gray were near divorce. The pastor also admitted that he was “failing as a husband.”
 “I started listening to the wrong voices and let some people get too close. She found out, and she set it off, just like a good wife should,” he explained.

What added another level of scandal to his story was that in late 2018 Gray bought his wife a $200,000 Lamborghini, and there was speculation that the gift was to make up for the other woman and for allegedly getting her pregnant.

On Monday, March 11, the Grays appeared on an episode of “The Real,” and co-host Adrienne Bailon asked the pastor flat-out if he had had an affair.
“The answer is no. I didn’t,” he said. “Over a year ago, my wife and I were in a very difficult place in our marriage, and in that time I began to converse with someone other than a counselor, other than a pastoral leader … And I was even in the presence of that person one time.”
“I did not sleep with anyone, there’s no baby, there’s none of that,” the pastor added. “Sharing things about my marriage, outside of my wife and outside of trusted counselors is an emotional affair. It’s wrong, and I take responsibility for that. But I will not take responsibility for that which I did not do.”

A YouTube clip of the episode generated various responses from people who thought Gray was lying.
“Their body language says they’re being dishonest. They made more eye contact with the ceiling,” one person commented.

“Tbh he still had an emotional affair — and he met up with this mystery women? Hmmm…it sounds sketchy,” another wrote.
One commenter just said: “No hate, but something about this couple don’t sit right with me.”
Another wrote: “Cringe Worthy Damage Control” about the couple’s visit.

Then there were some who told the Grays’ critics to leave them alone, because whatever occurred is their business alone.
“I feel like this not my pastor, this not my marriage, it’s not my business 🤷🏾‍♀️,” one person commented.
And based on an Instagram post by Aventer Gray, it seems she was tired of the talk surrounding her marriage and chose to go on “The Real” to set the record straight.

“Everyone else has had their moment to post what they think they know,” she wrote on Monday before her visit aired. “We share from our heart and clarify the REAL.”


Diddy Pays Tribute to Craig Mack on One-Year Anniversary of His Death: ‘We Love and Miss You’
March 12, 2019, marked the one-year anniversary of Craig Mack‘s death, which Sean “Diddy” Combs acknowledged on Instagram.
Combs signed the New York rapper in the early ’90s and posted a photo of Mack in a red vest, blue California Angels hat and a gold rope chain.
Sean “Diddy Combs acknowledged the one-year anniversary of Craig Mack’s death
“We love you and miss you Craig. BAD BOY 4 LIFE 🙏🏿🙏🏿,” he wrote on Tuesday.
Mack died of heart failure at age 47 in Walterboro, South Carolina, where he was a member of Overcomer Ministry. Many have referred to that church as a cult, and the minister, Ralph Gordon Stair, was arrested on sexual assault charges in December 2017.
A documentary on Mack’s life is on the way called “When God Comes,” which started shooting right before he died, and it’ll mainly be about his involvement with Stair.
Alvin Toney, Mack’s former music producer and longtime friend, also produced the documentary and said the late rapper wasn’t afraid of death. He also said Mack was taken advantage of by Stair.
“He was ready to die,” Toney said in an interview with the New York Daily News. “If you’re going through a lot of things, and things aren’t going your way, it’s easy for somebody to maneuver your mind. You hear somebody say a certain thing and you think that’s the way to go. I think that’s why Craig fell into that.”

Reportedly, Mack heard Stair on the radio at the same time he was contemplating using a gun on someone who had wronged him in the music business.

Combs’ tribute to Mack drew over 71,000 likes in under 24 hours, and it’s the second time in days he celebrated one of his late artists.
That’s because Saturday, March 9, marked the 22nd anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.‘s death, and Combs posted three tribute photos and called him “The greatest rapper of all time.”


Tisha Campbell-Martin Tapped To Co-Star in Fox’s New Comedy “Geniuses”
Former “Martin” and “My Wife and Kids” star Tisha Campbell-Martin is taking her talents back to the small screen for a new role in Fox’s blue-collar comedy, “Geniuses.” 
According to Deadline, Martin has been tapped to co-star alongside Maggie Lawson and Jason Biggs for the new comedy pilot from “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” producer, Lon Zimmet. 

Directed by Jonathan Judge, the show follows a blue-collar couple who are trying to make it in South Jersey – all while raising four kids, three of whom are certified geniuses. With Lawson and Biggs taking on the roles of the Suburban couple, Cay and Mike, Martin is set to play Rita, a mother of three and Cay’s closet friend at work. 

According to Variety, “Geniuses” is one of six comedies in the works at Fox for the 2019-20 season. Will you be tuning in?


Paul Manafort Indicted by NY Prosecutors Minutes After Federal Sentencing
Less than a week after Paul Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison over a financial fraud conviction, the former campaign chairman to Donald Trump was sentenced to an additional 43 months for conspiracy. Minutes after that, he was indicted by NY prosecutors on 16 charges related to mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying business records. 

In the second sentencing on charges brought by special counsel, Robert S. Mueller, federal judge Amy Berman Jackson handed down a 60-month prison sentence on one criminal conspiracy counts, 30 of which will be served concurrently with his previous sentence. On the second criminal count of conspiracy, Jackson ordered Manafort to 13 months of consecutive prison time, for a total of seven-and-a-half years behind bars.
“I am sorry for what I have done and for all the activities that have gotten us here today,” Manafort said ahead of his sentencing. “I will be 70 years old in a few weeks. My wife is 66. She needs me. I need her. I ask you to think of this and our need for each other.”

However, Jackson was not moved by Manafort’s public apology. Although she gave credit to Manafort for taking responsibility for his actions, she stood by her February ruling in saying Manafort intentionally lied to prosecutors. 
“Saying I’m sorry I got caught is not an inspiring plea for leniency,” Jackson said. “‘A significant portion’ of Manafort’s career ‘ was spent gaming the system’” she added, as she maintained that her decision was “not or can not be a revision of a sentence that is imposed by another court,” in reference to Manafort’s Virginia sentencing. 

In the meantime, a spokesperson for Manafort has yet to comment on the New York indictment.


AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘DIAPER DANDIES’
They can’t show up to Walmart wearing nothing but their underwear in the future if you don’t start ’em young. Remember that parents.


EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Mr Black BearCub
Mr BlackCub! So you know what to do to see them goods. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!

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HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!
EFREM 

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