Chris Evans Covers the May Issue of Men's Journal
“Avengers:Endgame” star Chris Evans covers the May 2019 issue of Men’s Journal Magazine photographed by Miller Mobley. He has opened up about his future hopes for a relationship in a wide-ranging interview with Men's Journal.
Evans, for his part, admits that the role has been a learning experience, and not just as an actor. Playing Captain America, he says, has made him a better man. “When you’re playing a character for a long time, you start to see the parallels between what the character’s going through and what you’re going through,” he says. “You start to look at your own conflicts and circumstances through the eyes of someone who might handle it better than you would.”
As reshoots for Endgame wrapped last October, Evans found it tough to put down the shield. “It felt like graduating high school or college, you know,” he says. “For the last month of filming I was letting myself go to work every day and be a little overwhelmed and a little nostalgic and grateful. By the last day, I was bawling. I cry pretty easy, but I was definitely bawling.”
Get more at Men’s Journal
#RHOA: Do you like Cynthia new Bangs Hairdo?
The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Cynthia Bailey loves switching up her hairstyle. Wearing everything from a short blunt bob to a fiery red mane.
She says "I always consistently changed my hair up since I came on [RHOA]," Cynthia previously told The Lookbook.
You rarely see Cynthia with bangs, though, but that's changed with her latest look. "Banging" is how Cynthia described her hair on Instagram. The new look is romantic with long side-swept bangs, a wavy ponytail, and honey highlights framing her face.
What you think?
#Empire Season Episode 16 Recap; Does Lucious Finally Embrace LGBTQ Couples?
The issue of Lucious walking Jamal down the aisle had been a sticking point for Jamal because earlier in the episode he asked his father to also walk him down the aisle along with Cookie. At that point it became clear that Lucious tolerates gay marriage but doesn’t fully embrace his son’s choices. Also, earlier in the episode, the NYT reporter asked Jamal what advice he has for a young kid in the South, who dresses like a girl but is a boy. Jamal has an uncomfortable flashback to when he stepped out at a family party as a young kid – he looked to be around five years old – wearing his mother’s heels. He was beaten and thrown in a trashcan; something he’s never forgotten. For this reason, Jamal chokes up a bit before answering the question, but he reminds the reporter that what matters is being accepted and proud right now. Lucious also tells a reporter that he might not support everything Jamal does, but he loves his son. And that's enough. (And clearly Lucious could also be talking about Jamal's musical compositions and not necessarily his love life.)
Throughout the episode, Cookie struggles to tell Jamal some tidbits about married life but it all comes to a head because Damon Cross continually pops up. First he came to the family house to deliver a painting that Lucious has sold months ago to get some cash together for the family. It was his and Cookie’s wedding present and someone Damon found it and had it delivered on the eve of Jamal’s wedding. Lucious is bothered by this sudden generosity and wants to know what’s behind it. But Jamal is overjoyed and wants to make space for Damon at his wedding. Cookie is against the sudden wedding invitation. So, when Damon shows up to the wedding early, in a tux, Cookie puts him out and tells him to go away. Damon, of course, pushes back.
Meanwhile, Thirsty (Andre Royo) – who is Lucious’ attorney - made his way to the FBI office to talk with Agent Conway. He hands her papers to cease and desist the halting of the Truth Tour. Thirsty pulled some strings with a judge to make the issue go away. Conway is pissed, of course, because she is leaning on the Lyons for some information for a case she is working. And Becky reminds Lucious that the playing up the wedding of Jamal and Kai in the news media is only going to work in the short term to distract people from the fact that the Truth Tour is on hiatus due to federal interference. Kai, meanwhile, is blissfully unaware that the family is using this opportunity to distract from their financial woes. But the NYT reporter does spring a doozy on the couple during a dual interview segment. The reporter asks them to respond to allegations that Kai is HIV positive and at first the couple decides they don’t want to address those allegations because frankly, Kai’s health is no one’s business. But near the end of the episode, Kai relents and decides to give permission for his HIV status to be a part of the story.
#NewMusic from Monica ‘Me + You’
R&B legend Monica gives us another offering of her upcoming album with the brand new single called “Me + You”. In contrast to her previous single “Commitment” where she was literally locked up in the video due to a relationship gone wrong, Monica is feeling good about love again on the new single.
This is her latest single that song has been performing well on the Adult R&B Charts and just reached the #15 spot.
LISTEN HERE
Both of the songs will be included on the singer’s upcoming album “Chapter 38”. That is expected at some point this year.
Monica will be releasing the album for the first time as an independent artist via her own label Mondeenise Music
#HipHopNews: Offset Shares Emotional Reunion With Estranged Father Of 23 Years
Offset shared an emotional event in his life with his 11.9 million Instagram followers. On Friday (April 26), the Migos rap star uploaded a video of himself reuniting with his father, who he hasn’t seen in 23 years. Judging by the tears in both of their eyes, the meeting was long overdue.
In the caption, Offset made it clear whatever happened between them to cause the rift is old news.
“DREAMS DO COME TRUE HAVENT SEEN MY FATHER IN 23 YEARS !!!!!!” he captioned the video. “AND I STILL LOVE HIM THE PAST IS THE PAST AND THE PRESENT IS ALL WE HAVE TO RELY ON WE NOT PERFECT IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM I LOVE YOU POPS !!! NO MATTER WHAT!!!!”
In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Offset revealed he hadn’t seen his father since he was 4 years old and was down for a reconciliation. It may explain why he takes his role as a father of four so seriously. His inaugural solo album, the aptly titled Father Of 4, revolves around his parental role.
“This album means the world to me took my time with the project,” he tweeted in February. “Take your time listening very special stories within the song. Every record has a piece of content within the song even a trap vibe all true story telling, it was rough to get to this point I’m at in life NO CAP!”
Sorry Ladies, Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre marry in Morocco
The actor and Sabrina Dhowre tied the knot in Morocco on Friday.They exchanged vows at the Ksar Char Bagh hotel in Marrakesh, according to British Vogue.
Elba wore a custom suit by Ozwald Boateng and Dhowre stunned in a Vera Wang gown with an off-the-shoulder detail. She changed into a V-neck dress complete with couture lace by the same designer for their black-tie reception.
The couple paid tribute to their exotic wedding destination with a “colors of the Souk”-themed dinner the night before the wedding at the Amanjena hotel. On Saturday they’ll be hosting an all-white festival-themed party at the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
The “Sexiest Man Alive” and Dhowre got engaged last year at a film screening after a year of dating.
Elba shares a daughter with ex-wife Hanne Norgaard, to whom he was married to from 1999 to 2003. He was also briefly married to Sonya Nicole Hamlin in 2006.
Photos of the celebration will be published in Vogue’s July issue.
Deadly attack at San Diego-area synagogue underscores rise in anti-Jewish hate
The deadly shooting attack at a synagogue in Poway on Saturday underscores concerns about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate across the nation.
Authorities have not provided many details about the alleged shooter. But the mayor of Poway said the attack, which killed one person and left three others wounded, appears to be motivated by hate.
“I understand that this was someone with hate in their heart, hate for the Jewish community,” he said of the attacker.
President Trump added: “At this moment it looks like a hate crime. But my deepest sympathies to all of those affected. And we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
The incident comes six months after a man with a history of posting anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant social media messages opened fire at a temple in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and wounding six more.
National Jewish groups, many whose leaders heard about the attack hours after it happened because they were observing the Sabbath and last day of Passover, were mourning.
“This shooting is a reminder of the enduring virulence of anti-Semitism,” said the president and chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, in a statement. “It must serve as a call to action for us as a society to deal once and for all with this hate. People of all faiths should not have to live in fear of going to their house of worship. From Charleston to Pittsburgh to Oak Creek and from Christchurch to Sri Lanka, and now Poway, we need to say ‘enough is enough.’ Our leaders need to stand united against hate and address it both on social media and in our communities.”
Michael Masters, CEO of the Secure Community Network, a group that offers training and resources to synagogues on security, said his group was working with local and federal officials to help the Poway community.“We remind synagogues and Jewish facilities everywhere that we must take steps to prevent and protect against attacks.... Today’s shooting is a sad reminder that the need has not gone away,” he said in a statement.
Studies have shown the number of anti-Semitic incidents and crimes has been rising rapidly after years of decline.
• The Anti-Defamation League has tracked anti-Semitic incidents since 1979, drawing on reports from victims, police and news publications. The worst year was 1994, with 2,066 incidents. By 2013, the total had fallen to 751. It has been rising ever since, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming last year, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986. The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults actually fell 47% — from 36 to 19.
• Los Angeles recorded its highest level of reports of hate crimes in a decade, with a nearly 13% increase in 2018 over the year before. Last year, L.A. tallied 289 hate crimes, compared with 256 in 2017, according to Los Angeles police statistics gathered by researchers at Cal State San Bernardino. Members of the LGBTQ community, African Americans and those of Jewish faith were the most frequently targeted, according to the newly released report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
• An FBI report released in November 2018 detailing hate crimes across more than 3,000 police agencies showed a more than 17% uptick in 2017, fueled by increases in attacks against religious and racial minorities. The count documented 7,175 hate crimes in 2017. The tally was 1,054 higher than the year before. It included a 37% increase in anti-Jewish crimes, a 24% increase in attacks on Latinos and a nearly 16% rise in crimes against African Americans.
Los Angeles was the scene of a notorious anti-Jewish hate incident. In 1999, a self-professed white supremacist walked into the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Granada Hills armed with a semiautomatic weapon and began shooting. Five people were hurt.
The Poway shooting has other law enforcement agencies taking measures.
“We’re closely monitoring the synagogue shooting in Poway and communicating with our local, state & federal partners. At this time there’s no nexus to Los Angeles, but in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues & other houses of worship,” the Los Angeles Police Department said on Twitter.
#BoxOfficeNews: 'Avengers: Endgame' Annihilates the Record Books with $350,000,000.00 Domestically and $1.2 Billion Globally!
Heading into the weekend it was a foregone conclusion that Avengers: Endgame would deliver the largest opening weekend of all-time, both domestically and globally, but to deliver a three-day domestic gross totaling an estimated $350 million and a global weekend over $1 billion was almost inconceivable. Today that figure has become a reality as Endgame not only delivered an estimated $350 million over the course of its first three days in domestic release, but a massive $1.2 billion at the global box office in just its first five days in release.
Endgame's estimated $350 million debut will almost surely improve once actuals are revealed on Monday afternoon, but for now the film's opening is nearly $93 million larger than the previous record set by Avengers: Infinity War ($257.69 million) just last year and a whopping 90% of the overall weekend market share. After critics were overwhelmingly in support of the film heading into the weekend, the film's opening weekend crowd gave it an "A+" CinemaScore, the third such grade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside The Avengers and Black Panther. The audience was 57% male and 61% was 25 years of age or older.
Looking ahead, forecasting just where exactly Endgame will end up is near impossible, but if we were to compare to Infinity War's domestic debut, that film went on to gross nearly $680 million at the domestic box office. Should Endgame deliver a similar multiplier we're talking about a domestic performance topping $920 million, which would put it just shy of the current record domestic gross of $936.6 million set by Star Wars: The Force Awakens back in 2015. Whether Endgame is able to reach that mark will be a story for another day, but it seems safe to assume it will, at the very least, become the second largest domestic release of all-time considering the lowest multiplier for a film in the MCU is Captain America: Civil War's 2.27x, which would give Endgame a nearly $800 million domestic run.
As already mentioned, it wasn't only domestic records that fell this weekend. Endgame's $859 million international opening is over $400 million more than the previous record set by The Fate of the Furious and the $1.2 billion in global ticket sales is nearly double the previous record of $640.5 million set by Avengers: Infinity War just last year. The film is the fastest film to ever top $1 billion globally, doing so after just five days, and it already ranks as the 18th largest worldwide release ever and the sixth largest worldwide release in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Within that record setting global debut, Endgame delivered the #1 opening day ($107.8m) in China as well as the largest five-day opening weekend in the market ($330.5m) and already ranks as the #4 non-local film ever in the market. In addition to that, the film delivered the largest industry openings in 44 markets, including Australia ($30.8m), Korea ($47.4m), Brazil ($26m), Mexico ($33.1m), France ($24.2m, non-local), Italy ($19m, non-local), Spain ($13.3m) and the UK ($53.8m).
The film will release in Russia on Monday, April 29, serving as the final international market where the film has yet to be released.
#FamilyFeud John Singleton’s Daughter Files Court Documents Stating He Is NOT In A Coma
On the heels of his mother filing court documents for conservatorship, John Singleton‘s daughter is disputing the legendary director is in a coma.
Cleopatra Singleton submitted court paperwork on Friday claiming doctors “do not have a concrete diagnosis” of her father’s current condition.
The filing comes one day after John’s mother, Shelia Ward, filed documents asking to be appointed as his conservator because he had suffered a “major stroke” and was in a coma.
Cleopatra wrote in her filing:My father is breathing on his own.
He is only medically sedated to keep his blood pressure low and allow the vessels in his brain to heal.
I don’t have a medical degree, but I’ve watched dozens of episodes of “Chicago Med.” Wouldn’t this be considered a medically-induced coma? Is she serious?
We’re just praying for John to make a full recovery.
Beyonce & Jay-Z Head to Dinner After His Performance at Webster Hall!
Beyonce and Jay-Z hadm a date night! The married couple looked happy together while heading to dinner after Jay’s intimate B-Sides 2 performance at the newly reopened Webster Hall on Friday night (April 26) in New York City.
The two looked fashionable in matching black outings, with Bey sporting a sexy low-cut black mini-dress.
Thoughts?
Michigan adoption agency reverses LGBTQ policy regarding adoption!
LANSING, Mich. — A major faith-based foster care and adoption contractor for the state of Michigan said Monday it will place children in LGBTQ homes, reversing course following a recent legal settlement.
Grand Rapids-based Bethany Christian Services is responsible for about 8 percent of Michigan’s more than 13,000 foster care and adoption cases involving children from troubled households.
“We are disappointed with how this settlement agreement has been implemented by the state government. Nonetheless, Bethany will continue operations in Michigan, in compliance with our legal contract requirements,” the nonprofit said in a statement, confirming a policy change that was first reported by WGVU-FM.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, announced the settlement last month with same-sex couples who had sued in 2017. It prevents faith-based agencies from refusing to place children in LGBTQ households for religious reasons if it has accepted them for referral from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Lansing-based St. Vincent Catholic Charities challenged the deal in federal court last week, alleging violations of the U.S. Constitution and the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Of the faith-based agencies known to not serve LGBTQ couples or individuals in Michigan, Bethany does the most work for the state. The nonprofit was handling 1,159 cases as of February. Catholic Charities had 404 cases, or 3 percent, while St. Vincent had 80, or less than 1 percent.
State human services department spokesman Bob Wheaton said the agency was pleased it will “be able to continue its long-standing partnership with Bethany in providing services to children and families.”
Nessel tweeted over the weekend that having more adoption agencies not discriminate results in “more children adopted into loving, nurturing ‘forever’ homes. Thank you to Bethany Christian Services.”
As a private attorney, Nessel — who is a lesbian — successfully fought to overturn Michigan’s ban on gay marriage.
On April 11, Bethany’s national board of directors voted to change the policy. It applies only in Michigan, not to its operations in other states. The policy change also does not impact private adoptions, according to Bethany.
A 2015 Republican-enacted law says child-placement agencies are not required to provide any services that conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs. But Nessel’s settlement says the law does not apply if agencies are under contract with the state.
In its lawsuit , St. Vincent said it fears the state will not renew its contract in October because of the local nonprofit’s religious beliefs and practices.
“If St. Vincent is unable to receive referrals from or contract with the State, it will be forced to close its foster care and adoption programs, ending a decades-old religious ministry and reducing the number of agencies available to serve families and children in need,” the agency said in the complaint.
Report: ESPN and TNT Are Having a Bidding War for Dwyane Wade To Be An Analyst
Dwyane Wade just ended his NBA career a little over two weeks ago, and two networks are reportedly fighting over him to be their analyst.
According to the New York Post, ESPN and TNT are now establishing offers for the former Miami Heat player to appear on air during this year’s NBA playoffs.
ESPN and TNT are said to be fighting over Dwyane Wade to become their analyst. (Photo: Getty Images, Bobby Metelus)
If Wade chooses ESPN’s “NBA Countdown,” he could replace analyst Chauncey Billups, who’s now up for a position in the front-office with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Or he could grab Michelle Beadle’s spot since an insider said her higher-ups aren’t too thrilled with her at the moment. But ESPN personalities Maria Taylor and Rachel Nichols are said to be possibilities for that position as well.
However, if Wade goes the “NBA Countdown” route, he’d be working with Paul Pierce, who once said he had a better career than Wade did, which he was heavily criticized over.
There will also be a permanent spot open at TNT’s “Inside the NBA” in the future, because 56-year-old Charles Barkley said he’d be retiring in four years at the age of 60.
In the past, Wade did analyst work for ESPN/ABC during the 2015 NBA Finals when his good friend LeBron James‘ Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Golden State Warriors.
Another possibility is that Wade won’t want to be tied down to a full-time position and may just sit in on games periodically. Especially since it was recently reported that he and his wife Gabrielle Union launched several products under their own company, which include jewelry, hair care products, baby products and clothing.
Wade ended his 16-year NBA career on April 10 in a game against the Brooklyn Nets with Union, and his friends James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul all in attendance.
Chris Rock Slammed By Whitney Houston Fans After Making ‘Tasteless’ Drug Joke
Chris Rock made a joke about Whitney Houston and it backfired, leaving fans angry at the comedian for his “tasteless” humor regarding the late superstar.
Rock took to Instagram on Saturday and put up a meme featuring Houston wearing sunglasses, and looking less-than impressed during a sit-down interview.
“Hurry up I got crack to smoke,” he captioned the meme, opening him up to a slew of comments from followers who were less than impressed.
“Tasteless and cheap joke. You should know better,” one person wrote. “This is how you speak on the dead? Make better content,” wrote another.
Many called Rock’s post “bogus,” “terrible” and “trash.”
The comedian has yet to address the backlash.
Jennifer Lopez Wants Lawsuit Over Instagram Photo Dismissed
Photo by Michael Stewart
Photographer, Michael Stewart, is suing Jennifer Lopez for posting a picture of herself on her Instagram and not crediting him. J. Lo says she wants the suit thrown out because she was never actually served.
Stewart’s lawsuit states that he took a photo of J. Lo walking through New York City and licensed the photo to the Daily Mail, who ran it in an article on June 29, 2018. Stewart says Lopez then posted the photo on her Instagram, without his permission. He claims to have also registered the photo with the United States Copyright Office.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Lopez is demanding the lawsuit filed against her be thrown out of court because she claims the photographer never served her with the documents. Lopez says the man attempted to serve her attorney but she says that does not count. She says if the man “wishes” to move his case forward, he will have to serve her personally.
Jenny joins a list of other celebs going through the same photography issues, like Odell Beckham Jr., Jessica Simpson and Blac Chyna.
Pharrell Williams Partners With Verizon To Create A Music Education Program
Pharrell Williams and Verizon announced the creation of a partnership to launch a tech-infused music curriculum in nationwide Verizon Innovative Learning schools.
According to Billboard, the Verizon Foundation’s education program works to provide free technology, internet access, and technology-focused curriculum to lower income and under-resourced middle schools.
The partnership will include the building of a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab located in Pharrell’s hometown of Virginia Beach. The lab will feature cutting edge technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality, robotics, and machine learning.
“I want all children to have access to that kind of creative growth, access, and support. All kids, not just my own,” the producer recently told Billboard, speaking on how art can impact lives.
“There’s a lot of variables in a situation as to why something falls apart, but there’s only one scenario where it holds together, and that’s when all the variables are there. The environment, the family, the school, the system — there’s so many things. We just want to do what we can to balance the odds so that as many kids as we can afford, or help and assist in whatever ways, get this access and support.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘DEER ON DEER ACTION’
Boy I’ll tell you what, I’d love to see what you’re hunting while lying in a pile of deer antlers.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet CoCo Bear
Meet Coco So you know what to do to see more. Just GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
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HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!
EFREM
