Showing posts with label Kerry Washington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kerry Washington. Show all posts

10/29/18

The Daily Buzz For Oct 30 ☕📰☕


Zoë Kravitz for Rolling Stone - November 2018
Zoe Kravitz Recreates Lisa Bonet’s Iconic ‘Rolling Stone’ Images
For Rolling Stone’s November issue, dubbed “The Hot Issue 2018,” Zoe Kravitz recreated mom Lisa Bonet’s iconic photo shoot for the magazine’s May 1998 issue.

Bonet was two months pregnant with Zoe at the time, and for that year’s “Hot Issue,” the original nude shot she took was replaced with an image of her wearing a white button-down. The nude photo appeared instead on the magazine’s inside pages.
 “I think she was a little bummed when they used the shirt picture as the cover,” Kravitz told Rolling Stone. “I think she just thought, ‘I’m doing it, let’s do it!’”

To honor her mom, Kravitz chose to do the nude cover shot her mother originally wanted. She shared images of the two shoots, hers and Bonet’s, on Instagram, captioning it, “Life | imitates | art”
The 29-year-old actress was shot by photographer Zooey Grossman and discussed in the interview what “hot” meant to her.
 “To me, ‘hot’ means someone who’s vibrant and confident and comfortable with who they are,” she said. “Young Mick Jagger. Aretha Franklin. When somebody allows themselves to be who they are unapologetically—and they’re a good person—that’s really hot.”
Bonet was asked the same question in 1988. Her response was, “People think you’re hot if you’re on TV. To me, hot means uncompromising. It means nonconforming, not afraid, just be what you are and what you feel.”

Kravitz, daughter of Bonet and Lenny Kravitz, said she was excited to participate in the annual issue. She also paid tribute to her dad, wearing his mom’s (her grandmother) feather boa, in a subtle nod to the musician’s boa-and-platform-boot style.
 “I’ve kind of stayed away on purpose from referencing my parents, because I’ve been just trying to create my own identity. But I feel like it’s a good time. I feel comfortable in my own skin. And it’s nice to do that homage to them,” the actor says. “Because I love them! They’re my parents!”

You can pick up Rolling Stone’s new issue on newsstands November 2.


#RHoA: Porsha Williams ‘I’m Expecting a Girl’
Porsha Williams is getting a “mini me.” The pregnant Real Housewives of Atlanta star revealed over the weekend that she’s expecting a baby girl with fiancé Dennis McKinley.

Sharing photos and videos from the couple’s sex reveal party, the 37 year old documented the moment they found out they’ll have a daughter.
In one video, filmed in slow-motion and soundtracked by “I Got Sunshine,” partygoers set off confetti poppers, creating a glittery cloud of pink.

“Wow the shape of a heart,” Williams wrote. “Thank you all for all of your LOVE & support #BabyMckinleygenderReveal.”

In another post, Williams showed off her special blue and pink hair for the party, telling her followers, “Hello friends! Had the best time celebrating at my baby gender reveal party over the weekend – it’s a GIRL!! – my heart is SO full! “

Earlier in the day, Williams also excitedly danced while rubbing her baby bump, writing, “HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY #MiniPrincessPorsha.”
Williams revealed her pregnancy to PEOPLE magazine last month, noting that she had “mixed feelings” when she initially found out because she suffered a miscarriage six years ago.
 “The other feeling that I had beside excitement was fear,” she said.
“Going into the first appointment and being able to see baby and hear baby and know that baby is fine, then I can really wrap my mind around actually becoming a mommy,” she added.
Williams — who got engaged to McKinley this month said that the couple had already been talking about names before learning the baby’s sex.
“One of the names that we got rid of that he liked was Napoleon. [I was like], ‘I don’t know about that one for a boy!’ ” she said. “One of the names that he has absolutely settled on — I’m not settled on it yet — is PJ. PJ stands for Porsha Jr. He wants to name our daughter Porsha Jr.”


#Empire: Dismissal of Philly man’s ‘Empire’ copyright infringement suit upheld in 3rd circuit
The dismissal of a Philadelphia actor's copyright infringement lawsuit against writer-director Lee Daniels was upheld this week after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit found only a shared premise between Daniels' hit show Empire and an earlier pilot by the actor.

Clayton Prince Tanksley, a Philadelphia native and actor, filed the suit against fellow Philly native Daniels in 2016, alleging that the writer-director stole an idea that Tanksley had pitched him at a Greater Philadelphia Film Office event in 2008. Titled Cream, Tanksley's 2005 show revolved around an African-American record executive, much like Empire, which premiered in 2015 and focuses on record industry mogul Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard).

US District Judge Joel Slomsky dismissed Tanksley's suit in April last year, ruling that the the plot lines of the two shows were too general to constitute copyright infringement. The Third Circuit this week upheld that ruling, indicating that the shows are "not substantially similar as a matter of law."

"As a preliminary matter, we note that the shared premise of the shows — an African-American male record executive — is unprotectable," U.S. Circuit Judge D. Michael Fisher wrote of the case. "These characters fit squarely within the class of 'prototypes' to which copyright protection has never extended."

Characters who have earned copyright protection, Fisher continued, are those with "consistent, widely identifiable traits," such as "Godzilla, James Bond, and Rocky Balboa."

"We are pleased with the Third Circuit's thorough order affirming the district court's dismissal of these claims, and with the Third Circuit's decision to join other circuits in approving the dismissal of copyright infringement claims at the pleading stage where the works before the court are not substantially similar," Richard L. Stone, attorney to Daniels and Fox, said of the decision in an e-mail. An attorney for Tanksley did not immediately respond to request for comment.

In his appeal, Tanksley attempted to show other similarities between the shows, including noting that both protagonists are diagnosed with incurable diseases early in their seasons. Lyon is diagnosed with ALS in Empire, while Winston St. James, Tanksley's protagonist in Cream, is diagnosed with herpes, which, Fisher wrote, is a substantially different scenario.

"Lucious' diagnosis of ALS — which is fatal — creates the urgency to choose his successor, the focal point of the entire series," Fisher wrote. "Winston's diagnosis of herpes — which is painful — merely serves to interfere with his romantic liaisons and introduces the venereal whodunit that follows. Random similarities are insufficient to establish substantial similarity. After all, both Mozart and Metallica composed in E minor."


#NewMusicVideo From Maxwell – ‘Shame’
Singer Maxwell recently released his brand new single “Shame”, and now he gives us the video for the song.

WATCH HERE

Maxwell has continued to hint at the release of the final chapter of his “BlackSummers’Night” trilogy on social media, and this is reportedly the first single from the project. As of now, the album is scheduled to release in 2019, but that is subject to change since Maxwell typically doesn’t put out projects this frequently.

The singer added about the song in a press release:

“Shame” is a modern love song. Not just romantic love, but love for self and others. Social media has created an alternate world where people watch everything you do, including your failures. They even often feel a sense of joy in your pain. This creates a barrier to real intimacy because we’re preoccupied with appearances; with measuring up to what society thinks we should be, how we should look, what we should have and what we should aspire to. The song is about removing that mask of expectation and letting go of the shame of being real and vulnerable. The shadow of shame can only be broken when we unveil ourselves, and recognize that we that we are all human—flawed yet perfect, broken yet stronger with each obstacle.


#HipHopNews: Lil' Kim Crashes Gabrielle Union's 90s-Themed Birthday Party
MIAMI, FL – Actress Gabrielle Union got quite the birthday surprise when Lil’ Kim showed up to her 90s-themed party in Miami, Florida on Saturday night (October 27).

Union, who was dressed in a Gwen Stefani costume, was dancing and having a good time when Kim’s track “The Jump Off” begins playing overhead. Suddenly, Kim pops up and starts performing for Union who is noticeably thrilled.

WATCH

Later, Kim did a live rendition of “Crush On You” from her debut album, 1996’s Hard Core. Union — who was celebrating with husband Dwayne Wade and friends — raved about the experience on Instagram.

“Yes. In. Deed. EPIC NIGHT!” she wrote. “Thank you @lilkimthequeenbee for being the legend you are & @dwyanewade @telltell_heart @dauniedaune for making it all possible!”


Hoda Kotb Addresses ‘Megyn Kelly Today’ Cancellation: ‘We Are Starting a New Chapter’
It’s a new day on Today. The NBC morning show aired its third hour live on Monday, October 29, for the first time since Megyn Kelly Today was canceled, with the show’s remaining hosts filling in for Megyn Kelly, 47.
 “Today, as you know, we are starting a new chapter in the third hour of our show,” coanchor Hoda Kotb said at the top of the show. “As it evolves, we want you to know that the entire Today family will continue to bring you informative and important stories, just as we always have.”

Kotb, 54, then segued into the news of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting alongside Al Roker and Craig Melvin, and that coverage continued well into Kelly’s old 9 a.m. ET time slot. Eventually, Jenna Bush Hager took over the third hour, hosting a segment from Kelly’s former studio.

Megyn Kelly Today was canceled last week a few days after the former Fox News host wondered why blackface was racist during a panel conversation on the show. “You truly do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on white face,” she added in the Tuesday, October 23, segment. “That was OK when I was a kid, as long as you were dressing like a character.”
Kelly apologized to her staff via email that same day, and she apologized to viewers the following morning. Nevertheless, NBC announced her show’s cancellation on Friday, October 26. “Megyn Kelly Today is not returning. Next week, the 9 a.m. hour will be hosted by other Today coanchors,” an NBC News spokesperson told Us Weekly in a statement at the time. The network has not yet announced its plans for Today’s third hour.

Bryan Freedman, a lawyer for Kelly, said that the embattled TV host “remains an employee of NBC News and discussions about next steps are continuing.”
Megyn Kelly Today had been airing for little more than a year by the time it was canceled, but a source said the show’s days were numbered even before the blackface controversy. “Discussions of Megyn’s show ending have been going on for a moment,” the source said. “This is not a recent development. NBC was practically waiting for a reason to end this show.”

Today airs every weekday on NBC at 7 a.m. ET.


Oh My? Nicki Minaj accused of Leaking Cardi B's Phone Number
Cardi B's sister Hennessy Carolina accuses Nicki Minaj of leaking Cardi's phone number online resulting in thousands of death threats aimed at Cardi's infant daughter from the Barbz...

Look below
Uh????? What’s next?


The Celebs came together to Celebrate the Legacy of Gay Film at Outfest Awards 2018!
Laverne Cox happily strikes a pose with Billy Porter on the red carpet while attending the 2018 Outfest Legacy Awards at Vibiana on Sunday (October 28) in Los Angeles.
The 46-year-old actress and Billy, 49, were joined at the event by Lily Tomlin, Janet Mock, Rupert Everett, Lena Waithe and Justin Simien.
The annual Outfest Legacy Awards serve as the key fundraiser for Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, a preservation initiative in conjunction with UCLA Film & Television Archive.

The cast and creators of Pose, along with Dear White People writer-director Justin and Sony Pictures Classic were all honored at the ceremony.


Kerry Washington Clears Up “Mother Of Three” Statements After Secret Baby Rumors
Kerry Washington’s “mother of three” comment sparked curiosity among fans but the actress is clearing the air of pregnancy rumors. 

Washington visited the set of NBC’s Today to promote her new Broadway play “American Son.” During the discussion, Craig Melvin referred to Washington as a “mother of two,” referencing her two children with her husband Nnamdi Asomugha, but Washington quickly corrected Melvin, calling herself a “mother of three.” 

Social media took the news and ran, believing Washington secretly had a child, but Washington meant a mother of three by marriage, as she is a step-mother as well. For the remainder of the interview, Washington talked all things “American Son.” The play is currently in previews; Washington works alongside Steven Pasquale. The play takes place in Florida and tells the story of a woman whose son goes missing.

 “It’s definitely, for me, one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever taken on as an actor. It’s very special to me. It’s a really beautiful play about parenting and about love and about identity and race. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world that I get to do it eight times a week,” the 41-year-old actress admitted to Craig. “And also…it’s really hard!”

Washington says this role is unique and brings many different perspectives and thoughts to the forefront of media. “It’s people having very, very private conversations in public. So, it’s things that a lot of us maybe say to the people closest to us, but we’re all saying them in a room. Four people with very, very, very different opinions and viewpoints on the world all sharing their opinions on each other? It’s exciting and different,” Kerry explained. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve never played a character like this before.”


”The Simpsons” will To Drop Apu After Nearly 30 Years Due To Claims Of Racial Stereotypes
A film producer who hoped his crowdsourced script would be used in an episode of “The Simpsons” claims it isn’t happening because the show is planning to drop Indian-American character, Apu.
“The Simpsons” has faced recent scrutiny over its character Kwik-E-Mart owner, Apu, after recent accusations that he is an Indian stereotype. 

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a convenience store owner voiced by Hank Azaria. 
The character is being accused of inaccurately representing Indian-Americans after comedian Hari Kondabolu’s documentary ‘The Problem With Abu’ was released last year attacking the ”stereotypical portrayal.” 

Film producer Adi Shankar alleges that Apu will soon be removed from the show after he reached out to Fox network attempting to bring a script to the show that would advance Apu’s character and reduce controversy. 
He claims he was told eventually Apu’s character will simply be written out. 
“I’ve verified from multiple sources now: They’re going to drop the Apu character altogether,” Shankar said.

“They aren’t going to make a big deal out of it, or anything like that, but they’ll drop him altogether just to avoid the controversy,” he told IndieWire Friday.
Kondabolu surprisingly disagrees with the idea to cut Apu completely saying, “There are so many ways to make Apu work without getting rid of him.”

In the meantime, Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, has defended Apu’s character — and he’s not alone. Indian writer for BBC News, Soutik Biswas, wrote an editorial titled “Not All Indians Think Apu Is A Racist Stereotype,” defending the character. 
Fans of the show are unhappy about the allegations, taking to Twitter to voice their opinions. One user wrote, “Deleting the character completely misses the point of how we need more South Asian representations to combat the fostered stereotypes.”

The Indian-American comedian says the animation caused him to be “made fun of at school on Monday, based on what Apu did in the last episode.”


Far-Right Candidate Jair Bolsonaro Wins, Elected President of Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In perhaps the most divisive election in Brazil’s history, right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro has been elected the next president of Brazil, winning 55 percent of the vote over his leftist rival, Fernando Haddad, who tallied 45 percent.

Jair Bolsonaro has been elected the next president of Brazil, winning 55 percent of the vote, photo internet recreation.
In total, approximately ten million votes separated the two candidates with over 57 million voters going for Bolsonaro while some 47 million went with Haddad.
In front of his condominium in Barra da Tijuca, Bolsonaro began his televised victory celebration with a group prayer led by his colleague senator Magno Malta. The new president-elect then launched into his prepared victory speech vowing that “this government will be a defender of the Constitution, of democracy, and of freedom.”

“This is a promise,” he exclaimed, “not from some party, it is not the vain word of a man, it is an oath to God.”
Despite being heavily criticized for what were perceived to be extreme right-wing views and statements deemed as homophobic, racist, and misogynistic, the 63-year-old former army captain emphasized that “freedom is a fundamental principle.”

“As a defender of liberty, I will guide a government that upholds and protects the rights of citizens who perform their duties and respect the law…that’s how our government will be: constitutional and democratic.”
“Our government will break paradigms, we will trust people, we will reduce bureaucracy, simplify and allow the citizen, the entrepreneur, to have more freedom and build their future.”
Sunday’s deciding second round runoff was the culmination of a bitterly contested election that divided much of the country. Bolsonaro closed his speech by addressing this divide and stressing he would “unite and pacify Brazil and, under the Constitution and the law, we will constitute a great nation.”
Meanwhile, from a São Paulo hotel, Haddad delivered his concession speech encouraging his supporters, “Do not be afraid, we will be here. We will not abandon your cause.”
Despite the loss, Haddad stressed, “In four years we will have a new election, we have to guarantee the institutions, we will not leave our professions, our offices, we will not stop exercising our citizenship.”

The former mayor of São Paulo emphasized that “[i]n the name of democracy, we must defend the thought and freedom of the 45 million who support us. We have a responsibility to oppose and put the Brazilian people above all else.”

In his speech, Haddad omitted any mention of the new president-elect. When asked afterwards the reason for the omission, Haddad responded, “[Bolsonaro] called me a scoundrel and said that if he was elected he would have me arrested.”
As word began to spread of Bolsonaro’s victory, the president-elect received a slew of congratulatory messages from world leaders from Argentina, Italy, Mexico, and a statement from the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, whom Bolsonaro has been heavily critical of.

Bolsonaro also confirmed he had received a congratulatory phone call from the political figure he is most often compared to, U.S. president, Donald J. Trump.
“We just received a call from the President of the United States, @realDonaldTrump congratulating us on this historic election!” wrote Bolsonaro, sometimes called the “tropical Trump,” on Twitter. “We express the desire to bring these two great nations closer together and to advance on the path of freedom and prosperity!”

Current Brazil president, Michel Temer, also took to Twitter to congratulate Bolsonaro and stress unity in the country after the extremely polarized election.

“I just congratulated the president-elect @jairbolsonaro for the historic victory won today. After the election, it’s time for everyone, united, to continue working for Brazil.”


Matt Damon And Jimmy Kimmel Renew Feud At World Series Game
Actor Matt Damon and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel are playing hardball with each other again in their funny feud.

The two were spotted together at Game 5 of the World Series Sunday between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers in clashing attire ― Damon wore a red shirt, presumably to show allegiance to his Red Sox, and Kimmel wore blue, presumably to represent the Dodgers.
But it’s what the shirts said that fired another salvo in their war.
Just weeks ago, Kimmel called Damon the “most repugnant actor in the world,” so we weren’t expecting nice-nice.

And when Damon and pal Ben Affleck celebrated the Red Sox’s 5-1 victory to win the World Series, Kimmel sure looked left out.

Revenge is no doubt brewing.


Tiffany, Haddish, Tyler Perry, Tika Sumpter, Whoopi Goldberg at Nobody’s Fool New York City Premiere!
Tiffany Haddish struck a pose with the cast of Tyler Perry‘s latest film ‘Nobody’s Fool’ at the World Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on Sunday.
Haddish, left, plays Tanya, an ex-con and ne’er do well who looks to her strait-laced, goody two-shoes sister Danica (played by Tika Sumpter), right, to help her get her life back on track after her recent release from prison.
But Tanya soon discovers that Danica’s picture-perfect life — and the man Danica met online — may not be what they seem.

Nobody’s Fool opens everywhere on November 2.


Butler High School student dies after shooting at North Carolina
MATTHEWS, N.C. -- A North Carolina high school student shot and killed a fellow student during a fight in a crowded school hallway Monday, officials said, prompting a lockdown and generating an atmosphere of chaos and fear as dozens of parents rushed to the school to make sure their children were safe.

The student accused of firing the fatal shot was arrested quickly as investigators secured the campus at Butler High School in Matthews, about 12 miles (19 kms) southeast of Charlotte, said Matthews Police Department Capt. Stason Tyrrell. Students remained inside with the school on lockdown for about two hours after the shooting.
The male student who was shot died at a hospital, Tyrrell said. He said the suspect, also male, was quickly taken into custody by a school resource officer as others rushed to the scene as backup. Investigators have the weapon used, but have not said what it is. Neither the suspect nor the victim's names or ages were immediately released.

"We were able to review the surveillance video of the shooting, which was a fight between the two students," Tyrrell said, describing it as an "isolated incident."

Tyrrell said the shooting happened in a hallway as crowds of students arrived for the day. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Clayton Wilcox said that many students witnessed the shooting, and counselors and psychologists were available.

"There were many kids in the hallway when this happened," he said.
"We're incredibly saddened by the fact that we had a loss of life on one of our campuses today. What makes it doubly difficult is that it was one of our students who was the shooter," he said.

While police have not confirmed what kind of gun was used, Wilcox said: "I don't know how a young person gets a handgun in the state of North Carolina." He said the system was reviewing its security procedures.

By late morning, school officials said that the lockdown was lifted and families could pick up students at the main entrance. Classes were proceeding for students who remained on campus. The diverse student body of about 2,000 at the school in North Carolina's most populous county is about one-third white, one-third African-American and one-quarter Hispanic.
Before the lockdown was lifted, dozens of parents gathered outside of the school to await word on the students. Multiple parents told local television channels that they felt confused and unsure about where to meet with their children.

Television footage showed students streaming out, with many crying and hugging parents.


Wendy Williams Tells Cassie: Diddy ‘Doesn’t Really’ Want You Back – Make A ‘Clean Break!’
As fans know, Diddy made it very clear on social media that he still loves Cassie and wants her back. However, it turns out that Wendy Williams doesn’t believe he’s being honest and advises the woman to ‘move on’ and never look back.

On her talk show, Williams discussed Cassie and Diddy’s breakup and suggested that not only is having a ‘clean break’ the right thing to do, it’s also easy as the two never had children together.
‘There’s nothing better than a clean break when you’re young enough to go on and do your own thing. Cassie does not have to deal with any of that baby mama drama and that mess. She is 32. She will get another,’ the host told her audience.

She went on: ‘I think this is a grand overture from Puffy. I do not believe he really wants her back. I think that at one point he treated her like a possession, and if he really cared, he would reach out privately not publicly.’
It does make sense! After all, the news of their split came after the man was caught getting pretty close with model Jocelyn Chew, 26.

Furthermore, suggesting that their split was indeed, very messy, Cassie posted ‘F**k these h**s,’ following the reports of his supposed affair.
Wendy did wonder whether or not Diddy cheated and if that caused them to split.

Meanwhile, one source previously told HollywoodLife that while Cassie is willing to give him another chance, she wants to make sure he commits first.
‘If Sean thinks he can just snap his fingers and Cassie will come running, he can think again. Sure, Cassie still loves him, but he has messed around so many times, and he has made her so many shallow promises that she is not just going to fall straight back into his arms the minute he asks her to,’ the insider dished before claiming she wants that ring!


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘MISS AMERICAN PIE’
Ah yes, once again proving two already known things: (1) Nobody likes the person who tries to start a chant and (2) You can’t give yourself a nickname.


EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Ray Cub
Meet Ray Cub! So you know what to do to see more. Just CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN NOR ALTER any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.

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HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM

10/8/18

The Daily Buzz For Oct 9 ☕📰☕


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’

Stockman (of Boyz II Men) has delivered his first solo EP, simply titled 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!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN NOR ALTER any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.

You’re Welcome!


HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM

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