Kerry Washington Covers Marie Claire’s November Issue
Kerry Washington covers the November 2018 issue of Marie Claire magazine photographed by Thomas Whiteside. Here are some excerpts
On how she defines power: “Honestly, I think about power as more of an internal phenomenon. I tend to think about empowerment for myself so that I have the courage and ability to act on the ideologies and priorities that resonate with me. I’ve always wanted to cultivate a sense of empowerment within myself without seeking approval from outside sources.”
On her work with Times Up: “Our priority has been to not reinvent the wheel, to not feel like, ‘Oh we’re going to come in and do what nobody has been able to do,’ but rather to acknowledge that there are so many communities of powerful women committed to advocacy, and our job is to leverage whatever power we have to support that work, grow that work, shed light on that work.”
On how Shonda Rhimes changed her vision of what power looked like in Hollywood: “I didn’t feel like I had to twist myself into some other understanding of what black womanness is supposed to look like, because Shonda [Rhimes, Scandal creator and showrunner] got me, and so I could get closer and closer to my truth because I wasn’t worried about going to work on Monday and somebody being like, ‘Why would you talk about that?’ Just her existence and working with her so intimately changed the idea of what power looked like in this business.”
On her special connection to theater: “The last time I did theater, it completely transformed my life. That’s where I met my husband.
On learning from her children: “My children are my teachers. We get sent by God the kids we need so we can grow in order to be the parents they need us to be. The children I got sent came in perfect, and I have to figure out how to grow and evolve so that I can support the truth of them. I’m in a constant state of learning and challenging myself to make room for their perfection and beauty.”
#RHoA: Is Gregg’s Illness is Taking a Toll on NeNe?
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes is right by her husband Gregg Leakes‘ side as he continues his fight with cancer, but she did tell fans his attitude is meaner than usual.
NeNe went public with Gregg’s diagnosis in June and has been very candid with fans about her husband’s sickness. On Saturday, the Bravo star took to Twitter and asked social media if it was “normal” for her husband’s emotions to be haywire.
“When people are sick, is it normal for them to be mean,” she tweeted. “They talk mean to the person that’s helping? So stressful.”
NeNe admitted that Gregg’s battle with cancer has been tough. During an interview with Bossip on Oct. 4, she revealed that her husband’s diagnosis has had a major impact on their daily lives.
“The Big C came into our lives — cancer — and it really just changed our entire lives,” she said. “We were shocked to know that he had cancer and it’s been a tough experience.”
#Empire: Taraji P. Henson Encourages Black People To Take Care Of Their Mental Health
Taraji P. Henson is living her best life. The D.C. native recently got engaged to former NFL star Kelvin Hayden back in May, and she’s starring in one of the biggest shows on television, Empire. As the series moves into its fifth season, Henson has added even more to her plate.
“I don’t have time to be overwhelmed,” she tells ESSENCE exclusively, while admittedly juggling about ten other tasks.
Though she still loves playing Cookie Lyon, the protective matriarch of the Lyon clan, because she’s a boss who’s “always evolving and changing,” the 48-year-old actress has added a new role to her impressive resume.
In September she launched the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing the stigma around mental health in the Black community.
“For so long we’ve been told to pray our problems away, or we looked upon it as a weakness, or we were demonized for even expressing our feelings, therefore we don’t talk about it. We sweep it under the carpet,” she says.
While there are a multitude of organizations that focus on helping people deal with the mental and emotional challenges they face, Henson said she started her foundation because Black people feel more comfortable broaching difficult topics if they can relate to the person leading the charge.
“I felt like it needed a face that people trust to let them know that I suffer from the same things that you go,” she says. “ I just felt like the timing was right.”
Henson named the nonprofit institution after her father, a Vietnam War vet, who battled PTSD and depression after returning from his tour of duty. “He had a lot of nightmares,” Henson recalls.
Still, she said her father didn’t simply just give into the dark feelings, he battled back.
“Once he figured out what was wrong with him he started seeking the help. He did manage to live a healthy life, he didn’t let it destroy him,” she says.
Her father’s resolve to address his challenges head-on — and be open to talking about them — not only inspired Henson to prioritize her own mental health, but also made her want to help others do the same.
“The fact that he was so open about it made me want to name the foundation after him,” she explains, noting she regularly sees a therapist as part of her self-care routine.
Instead of just addressing just one aspect of the mental health conundrum, the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation will take multi-pronged approach to the issue.
“We’re focusing on three tiers,” Henson says. “We’re trying to reduce the recidivism rate in the prison system; get more professional psychiatrists who are African American and culturally conscious into these urban schools where a lot of kids are coming from traumatic situations at home; and to also give out scholarships because we need more Black therapists.”
To kick things off, Henson’s organization is focusing on the youth.
“We partnered with an artist in Chicago to put positive art in the bathrooms of urban schools, because bathrooms are where some of the crazy things happen because there are no adults in there,” she explains. “Visual art has an affect on me, it changes my mood. So maybe a kid goes to school one day and they have a horrible mood and they go to the bathroom and the color brightens their day. Any little bit helps.”
“We’re starting there,” Henson says. “But there is a lot of work to do.”
More than anything, though, Henson wants to ensure Black people feel more comfortable seeking help when they need it, which means getting more Black mental health practitioners into the pipeline.
“Someone who’s culturally conscious and understands the struggle of a Black person and know that we’re not crazy or something we made up,” she says.
Henson says having a Black therapist gives Black folks the freedom to talk about everyday microaggressions that may not be apparent to others.
For example, saying, “I felt weird when I walked into the restaurant and all the white people looked at me, or I felt weird when something happened at work. I can’t talk about that if the person sitting across from me doesn’t look like me. I don’t feel safe. We have trust issues anyway and when they’re not culturally conscious a lot of times you get misdiagnosed, which further affects the trust.”
As Henson works to help others address their mental and emotional challenges, she also practice what she preaches. In order to balance her hectic schedule, Henson prioritizes self-care.
“I talk to my therapist, but I just take time for myself. I know when enough is enough and I know when to sit down,” she explains. “I take vacations, or say I’m not going to work this month, or I ask the show to give me a three-day weekend so I can clear my head. I’m always going to take care of me. “
Now, through her foundation, she hopes others will take care of themselves as well.
#NewMusic from Shawn Stockman (Of Boyz II Men) Releases Debut Ep ‘Shawn’
The Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum crooner has been working hard on his very first solo album, but the EP comes as a bit of a surprise. This summer, Shawn made headlines by releasing his first single off the album, “Feelin Lil Som’n,” which has reached the top 15 on Urban A/C radio.
As a stellar prelude to the currently-untitled album, the EP includes 5 original songs with one feature from Raphael Saadiq, and additional production by Tim Kelley.
LISTEN HERE
is still touring with Boyz II Men. Stream his surprise EP below
#HipHopNews: Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter V’ Debuts At No. 1
Weezey is back on top.
Lil Wayne lands his fourth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with Tha Carter V, earning the third-largest week for an album in 2018. The long-awaited set from the Young Money rapper sold 480,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Oct. 4, of which 141,000 were traditional sales.
Additionally, Tha Carter V scores the second-biggest streaming week ever for an album, with 433 million on-demand audio streams in its first week. Drake’s Scorpion holds the largest single-week streaming week ever with 745.9 million on-demand streams.
BILLBOARD 200 TOP 10
1. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter V – 480,000
2. Logic – YSIV – 167,000
3. Cher – Dancing Queen – 153,000
4. Kevin Gates – Luca Brasi 3 – 78,000
5. Drake – Scorpion – 56,000
6. Eminem – Kamikaze – 50,000
7. Travis Scott – Astroworld – 49,000
8. Post Malone – beerbongs & bentleys – 42,000
9. Tom Petty – An American Treasure – 34,000
10. XXXTentacion – ? – 32,000
Tennessee Democratic Party Sees Uptick in Engagement With Taylor Swift Endorsement
The power of Taylor Swift is being felt in Tennessee after she threw her hat in the ring for two democratic candidates, and the party is hoping the push from the star helps secure a win in the upcoming midterm elections for The Volunteer State.
An official at the Tennessee Democratic Party says the endorsement from Swift is wonderful, and think it’s “great” she’s pushing to vote for the “fantastic democratic candidates.”
We’re told since Swift mentioned candidates Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for the House of Representatives, the TDNP has seen a noticeable rise in engagement on both social media and the voter registration website.
The TDNP also applauds Swift for speaking about republican candidate Marsha Blackburn’s voting history, which they agree is “relevant” and “terrifying.”
During Swift’s statement, where she broke her long-held political silence, the “Delicate” singer said the republican candidates did not embody her own “Tennessee values.” The TDNP believes they do share the same values as Swift, and hope her support will put them over the line come November.
As far as the two working together, we’re told the TDNP would love to collaborate with Swift and take advantage of her huge platform, but have not yet reached out.
However, not everyone is sharing in the admiration for T-Swift after her political endorsements. On Monday, President Trump said he now likes her music 25% less.
Having a Temper Tantrums! Kanye West Cancels All Social Media Again
Kanye West is fed up with social media once again, so he has deleted all of his accounts.
He'll likely come up with some extreme reason why he called it quits, but folks are saying he deleted his social media accounts following the backlash he has received since his pro-Trump rant on "Saturday Night Live."
Ye had everyone sharing their 2 cents after he went on a rant claiming everyone at "SNL" tried to convince him to take his Make America Great Again hat off. He also hopped on Twitter and made a comment about abolishing the 13th amendment and y'all know folks took him straight to school when he tweeted that nonsense.
This isn't the first time Ye has quit social media, so we wouldn't be surprised if he pops back up right around the time he's supposed to release his new album Yahndi, which has been pushed back to November. He's reportedly in Africa working on it now.
“I need to go to what is known as Africa — I need to find out what it’s really called...and just grab the soil and be and cook food,” he said.
Just shut up!
Denzel Washington To Receive AFI Life Achievement Award
The incomparable Denzel Washington will be honored by AFI with their Life Achievement Award. Get the scoop.
The incomparable Denzel Washington will be honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award.
The two-time Oscar winner will receive the award on June 6, 2019 at AFI’s annual gala tribute.
Howard Stringer, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees, released the following statement on Friday:
As an actor, he stands tall as a heroic, stoic embodiment of the best in all of us, and he does so with heart, humanity and one of the brightest smiles to ever light up the screen.
Equally formidable as director and producer, he is a creative force to be reckoned with — and one of the most vital, relevant artists working today. AFI is proud to present him with its 47th Life Achievement Award.
Congratulations to Denzel on an honor truly deserved.
Ben Affleck Heads Out in LA After Spending the Weekend With Shauna Sexton
Ben Affleck is on the move. The 46-year-old Justice League actor was seen heading out after a meeting on Monday (October 8) in Los Angeles.
Ben recently spent the weekend with Shauna Sexton in Big Sky, Montana.
Shauna and Ben have been linked since this summer, before he left for his 40-day stay in rehab for alcohol addiction. Ben recently broke his silence on his rehab stay, if you missed it.
Ben recently finalized his divorce with Jennifer Garner after years of separation
Tristan Thompson Says “Of Course” He’s Gonna Put A Ring on Khloe Kardashian ”Eventually!”
Looks like Khloe Kardashian will be next of the Kardashian Klan to tie the knot, as Tristan Thompson reveals the time will come…” eventually.”
In a scene from Sunday’s episode of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” Thompson opened up about the possibility of exchanging vows with Khloe’s momager, Kris Jenner.
Thompson FaceTimed Kris to get an idea for a push present for his then-soon-to-be baby mama.⠀⠀
“I remember Koko saying she wanted something where she could pass it down, generation after generation,” he told Kris, prompting her to reply with her own suggestion.
“You know, Corey [Gamble] bought me for Christmas a couple years ago this really beautiful little diamond ring that you could put on any finger,” Kris said, adding, “You know, until you get that really huge diamond that’s going to go on her ring finger.”
In response, Thompson revealed his intention to put a ring on it.
“Of course,” he said, adding, “eventually!”
State Of Emergency Declared For 26 Florida Counties As Tropical Storm Approaches
UPDATE 11:02 am ET : Tropical Storm Michael is now a Hurricane with winds of 75 MPH. The storm is now expected to make landfall in the US along the Florida Panhandle Wednesday with winds of 120 MPH.
A state of emergency has been declared over 26 counties in Florida as officials prepare for Tropical Storm Michael.
Michael, which formed off of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is expected to reach Hurricane status within the late hours of Monday. The storm is set to make landfall on the Northeastern US Gulf Coast by midweek. This region covers parts of Alabama to the Florida panhandle and up to North Florida’s Big Bend area.
According to CNN, The Hurricane Center expects Michael to drop off up to 12 inches of water in parts of Western Cuba and areas of Mexico’s northeastern Yucatan Peninsula within the next two days.
A Hurricane Watch has been declared for the Alabama-Florida border to the Suwannee River. Meanwhile, storm surge watches have been issued for the Mississippi-Alabama border to Tampa Bay.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Florida Governor Rick Scott is urging residents to be prepared for a “life-threatening and extremely dangerous storm.”
Bristol Palin's Son Is First to Get Eliminated on 'Dancing with the Stars: Juniors'
On Sunday night's "Dancing with the Stars: Juniors" premiere, Bristol Palin's son -- Tripp Palin Johnston -- was eliminated following a full night of epic performances.
Sarah Palin's 9-year-old grandson, along with partner Hailey Bills and mentor Jenna Johnson, said goodbye to the ABC series -- as did "MasterChef Junior" champ Addison Osta Smith, partner Lev Khmelev and mentor Keo Motsepe.
"I wanted to do 'Dancing with the Stars: Juniors' because my mom was on the show, and it looked like fun," Tripp told PEOPLE following the elimination. "I was nervous when my mom showed me clips of young dancers. I have never danced before. I worked past the nerves by just remembering to have fun."
"I learned that even if I'm not the best, that I can still try my hardest and have fun," he added. "My mom said to try my hardest and to have fun. My grandma said the same thing."
Tripp's mentor, Jenna, said that her "biggest challenge" when coaching the juniors was learning to take a back seat.
"The biggest challenge I faced coaching the Juniors was accepting that I wouldn't be able to go out on the stage and perform with them and/or help them through the routine if something went wrong," she said. "Usually, during the regular season, I am able to help my partner during the live show and count him through the routine. I had to put a lot of trust in my niece, Hailey, to guide Tripp through the live performance."
"I'm so incredibly proud of Tripp and Hailey," she continued. "Tripp had never performed or danced before, and so it was a great accomplishment for him to get the courage to perform in front of millions of people."
"Dancing with the Stars: Juniors" airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
KUWK: Wendy Williams Slams ‘Pathetic’ Kim Kardashian For Sharing Revealing Pic To Distract From Kanye!
The talk show host is dissing Kim Kardashian again! Wendy Williams called the KUWK star ‘pathetic’ for trying to break the internet again and therefore distract everyone from her husband’s outrageous behavior lately.
As her followers know, Kim took to her Instagram to share a very revealing pic of herself in a barely there two piece bikini.
While that is not unusual for the celeb, Wendy thinks that this time, she used the picture as some sort of distraction, trying to make people forget about Kanye West’s awkward rant on SNL and shocking tweets.
Addressing her studio audience and those watching from home, Williams said: ‘People were going off calling her, ‘pathetic, desperate, sad.’ — I agree, agree and agree. This picture’s so unnecessary at a time where her husband’s losing all of his marbles. While he is losing it, she is trying to distract with pictures like this … we can’t forget about Kanye, because he is everywhere, and not in a good way.’
There is no doubt that whether Wendy is right or not about the reason she posted the snap, the bikini she wears in it barely covers anything so she definitely managed to grab a lot of attention and make a few people forget about Kanye.
But Wendy was right about the negative reactions as there were many of those too.
Haters were quick to slam her, some saying she had borrowed the tiny bathing suit from her daughter, North.
Williams did defend her a little against those trolls when she claimed they are probably ‘jealous’ they could never rock something like that.
Or even afford it considering that it is a vintage Chanel swimsuit!
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘BIG BISCUITS’
While y’all are getting excited for UGG Boots and pumpkins spice everything, we’re still holding on to summertime bottom biscuits and we’re gonna fight ya ’til the end.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Rey
Meet Rey! So you know what to do to see more. Just CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
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HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
