Oprah And Thandie Newton Cover Variety
Variety has three pairs on covers they are doing for the week and I am uber excited to see this. They are calling it #ActorsOnActors. Check out the cover. Oprah also interviewed Thandie here’s some excerpts
Oprah Winfrey: When you got the script for “Westworld,” did somebody explain to you ahead of time what was happening?
Thandie Newton: They were more nervous about talking to me than I was to them. Because all I’d heard is that [I was the] madam of a saloon. So I thought, well, obviously, madam of a saloon, the nudity must be sexual. So right there, I’m like, “We’ll talk, but that will be the end of that.” But they made me see, and I think anyone who’s seen the show, that in order to truly understand the subjugation, the dehumanization, the oppression of these robots, they had to be naked. And the nudity is about disempowerment. It’s about being treated like we’re pieces of meat. Because in that environment, they’re also dehumanized. Literally, their brains are switched off. Do you know what it’s like, Oprah? It’s like a woman being drugged and raped. That’s what they were going for.
Winfrey: I’m here, but not here. How does one prepare themselves for that? Where are you in your actress mind to do that?
Newton: I was more in my activist mind. It was activism and acting combined. And I did feel like that about “Westworld.” I felt that the premise is that these robots are a metaphor for the oppressed of mankind. … The storylines were so well-drawn that you’re taken in, and you love these characters, and you want to fight for them.
Winfrey: Did you say yes immediately after it was explained to you?
Newton: Yes, I did. You know, this was me: “Oh, I’m 43. I’ve just had a baby. This is probably the last time I’m going to be able to work. So I’m going to go out with a bang!” Now, I want to talk about something. The first time I ever saw you was in “The Color Purple.” And I remember thinking, “Who is that actress?” Not your typical movie star. This redefined, for me, “American.” And that was you. And so, as I came to know you as a TV personality, it was like there was this secret tucked away, who you really could be.
Winfrey: You know, I always wanted to be an actress. I never wanted anything more in my life than I wanted to be in “The Color Purple,” and have never allowed myself to want anything as much again. Yes, because that was a deep, deep, deep, deep thing. The first time I read that book, I went and got eight more copies for everybody else I knew to read that book. This is before I even had the idea for a book club.
Newton: How can one promote oneself to “Oh, I want to be in that movie!”?
Winfrey: I told everyone in the world, “I want to be in that movie. I’ll carry water for Steven Spielberg. I’ll hold a script. I’ll do anything.”
Newton: Not just that, though — “I am worth it.”
#RHoA: CONGRATS GRAD: Cynthia Bailey & Leon’s Daughter Noelle Robinson Graduates From High School
Congratulations to Noelle Robinson!
Leon and Cynthia Bailey‘s beautiful daughter is officially a high school graduate.
Her proud parents took to social media to gush about their baby girl.
Cynthia wrote:
Loving you has been my favorite adventure so far. Thank you for being the best accomplishment of my life, and my best friend. Your journey begins now. Find your purpose & run towards it. Stay beautiful, stay strong, stay kind, and be happy. You have a wonderful life ahead of you, and remember you only get one. I am so proud and excited for you. I love you Noelle. God bless you🙏🏽
Congratulations to Noelle and her proud parents!
#EMPIRE: Off Season News Did y’all Know Taraji was paid VERY LITTLE for the Benjamin Bratt Movie?
As most Taraji P. Henson fans are well aware of the actress’ filmography. She had her big break when she landed the role of ‘Yvette’ in John Singelton’s 2001 film, Baby Boy. From there, the doors of opportunity began to open for Taraji. Seven years later, she landed a major role in the Blockbuster film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and earned an Academy Award nomination for her role. The film grossed more than $339 million at the box office with a $167 million budget. But despite the film’s massive success, Taraji saw very little profit from it. In her new memoir, Around the Way Girl, Taraji revealed her pay for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was equivalent to sofa change compared to the profits made by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, reports IndieWire.
Here’s an excerpt from the book:
“Both Brad and Cate got millions. Me? With bated breath, I sat by the phone for hours, waiting for Vince[Cirrincione, her manager] to call and tell me the number that I thought would make me feel good: somewhere in the mid six figures,” she wrote.
“Alas, that request was dead on arrival. ‘I’m sorry, Taraji,’ Vince said quietly when we finally connected. ‘They came in at the lowest of six figures. I convinced them to add in a little more, but that’s as high as they’d go.’ There was one other thing: I’d have to agree to pay my own location fees while filming in New Orleans, meaning three months of hotel expenses would be coming directly out of my pocket. Insult, meet injury.”
WOW…….So EMPIRE fans do you think they’re doing her Justice over at FOX for ‘EMPIRE’?
#MUSICNEWS: Chaka Lands New Gig & Announces Her Surprise For Prince Fans
Chaka Khan is ‘telling us something good’ with the news she’s just revealed about her upcoming projects. At 64 years young, Chaka’s proving that age ain’t nothing but a number, because when it comes to her music career, she’s not slowing down one bit.
In a recent interview with Daily Star, Chaka announced that she’s releasing a new album, but that’s not all…it will be an album with her beloved close friend, Prince! Yep, you read that right, the late, great Prince has new music with Chaka, check out what was reported below:
Via DailyStar: [Chaka], who enjoyed a massive hit with the Prince-penned I Feel For You, recorded tracks with the legend before he died last year. Now the Chicago singer plans to unveil the material next year. Chaka…told me: “I own half an album that we did together, recorded at my house, so we will be doing that, probably next year. […] She said: “It’s half songs from my Rufus era and half my old stuff.”
In case you’re wondering how Chaka’s gonna pull that off, with all of the drama surrounding Prince’s unreleased material right now (remember his label just shut down a new Prince album by his producer recently), no worries. It was also reported that Chaka will apparently have a bit more freedom to release her Prince collabo’ because not only does she own the rights to them, she owns the label it will be released under- her newly formed iKhan Sounds record label. Go ‘head Chaka!
So are y’all ready for a Prince/Chaka album?!! We sure are. After a successful stint in rehab last year (2016), we give Chaka major props for hittin’ the ground with her feet running. Looking forward to seeing what else the future holds for this soul icon. Get it Ms. Khan!
#NEWHIPHOP from New Music: Ice Cube – ‘Good Cop Bad Cop’
Nearly 30 years after dropping “F**k tha Police,” Ice Cube unleashes another message to law enforcement with “Good Cop Bad Cop,” the latest single off Death Certificate: 25th Anniversary Edition.
Over a hard-hitting beat with blaring horns, the Don Mega unloads a flurry of lyrics about crooked cops and their negative impact.
“Fuck a black and white when they ain’t actin’ right,” he raps. “Good cop, good cop fillin’ out your report / Bad cop asking you to distort / Bad cop asking you to lie in court / Send another young brother up north / Send another young sister off course / While these motherfuckers chill on the golf course.”
Speaking to Beats 1, the N.W.A legend said he continues to make music for the underrepresented. “When it comes to records, I just think you gotta be a voice for the voiceless,” he explained. “That’s what it’s about.”
This was also likely the ethos for his classic Death Certificate LP, which is set for a 25th anniversary re-release June 9. The album was largely inspired by the Rodney King beating and the uprisings that followed.
Today, Cube says many of the album’s themes are still relevant. “Sadly, our community is dealing with many of the same issues,” he explained. “I only hope that young millennials feeling powerless in the ‘hood can channel their own anger and frustration by listening to this record.”
“Good Cop Bad Cop” is one of three new songs on the upcoming re-release. It accompanies “Dominate the Weak” and the previously-released “Only One Me.” Listen to the potent “Good Cop Bad Cop” HERE
Kevin Hart on Bill Maher, Kathy Griffin controversies: Comics 'always take risks'
Comedy has always been a risky business, but Kevin Hart says the stakes are even greater in the era of social media.
In an excerpt from his Wednesday appearance on The View, Hart weighs in on the recent controversies sparked by Bill Maher uttering the N-word on the air and Kathy Griffin posing in a photo depicting a decapitated Donald Trump. According to Hart, comedians have to be especially careful because negative sentiments proliferate so quickly these days.
WATCH HERE
“Times are different now, and as a comedian, you have to understand and respect that,” he says. “If you put yourself in a position to be viewed in a negative way from the public, with social media being the way that it is, if it’s negative it’s going to spread. … I think you have to use better judgment.”
Regarding Maher’s remark and Griffin’s photo (both of which they apologized for), Hart says, “You’re just looking at comics being comics. We always take risks, but sometimes it can be distasteful.”
He adds, “Kathy Griffin, I get that it was a joke — it wasn’t received well, you apologized, you should step away from it. Whatever happens after that, it happens. Bill Maher, I don’t think Bill Maher is a racist, but you know the consequences of using the word, you know how many people view your show. It was stupid.”
Selena Gomez Wears Sheer Dress for Date with The Weeknd
Selena Gomez looks so sexy in her sheer dress while holding hands with her boyfriend The Weeknd during a date night on Tuesday (June 6) in New York City.
The hot couple went out for dinner at Carbone in the West Village neighborhood after Abel‘s concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn that night.
Selena showed off a lot of leg in the dress with a high slit. She wore a different outfit for the concert, which she displayed on Instagram.
Make sure to see the photos of Selena and The Weeknd on their date on Monday.
Flint Official Quits After Caught Saying ‘Ni*****’ Don’t Pay Their Bills’
More than 20 activists called for Phil Stair's resignation after he was recorded saying the racial slur.
One official in Flint, Michigan has resigned from his position at a major bank after water crisis activists recorded him using hateful speech to refer to residents, reports MLive.
From MLive:[Phil] Stair, who’s white [and was the sales manager of the Genesee County Land Bank,] was recorded making the comment by Chelsea Lyons, an environmental activist and independent journalist who has been active recently in the Flint water crisis.
“Flint has the same problems as Detroit — f**ing ni***** don’t pay their bills, believe me, I deal with them,” Stair is heard to say on the recording posted online by Truth Against The Machine. [The recordings began after Lyons and another woman met Stair — who motivated more than 20 activists to protest outside of Genesee County Land Bank and call for his resignation Monday — and talked over a two-day period. Michele Wildman, the executive director of Genesee County Land Bank confirmed Stair’s resignation after the incident.]
Also, thousands of Flint residents are fighting foreclosures due to unpaid bills for water that many people can’t safely consume and use, reports NBC News.
Australian Talk Show Host Carrie Bickmore Just Publicly Criticized Beyonce’s Birth Plan
Beyonce is literally weeks away (if not less) from giving birth to her first set of twins. And while we all anticipate the arrival of the two bundles of joy, one Australian talk show host is taking time to blast the singer for her birth plan.
According to reports, Beyonce plans on having her 5-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, present in the room while she delivers. Oh, and get this, the rumor is Bey and Jay’s first child together will be dressed as a little nurse. But according to The Project‘s Carrie Bickmore, that’s a terrible idea.
While discussing Beyonce’s decision to let Blue feel included in the birth process, Bickmore suggested the singer instead should “buy her a toy or something. Seriously, you’ll scar the kid for life.”
We have to, however, take all this with a grain of salt. Beyonce’s birth plan was never confirmed and if that’s her choice, then by all means, let the woman live.
Beyonce announced her pregnancy late last year and while she’s remained mum about the journey, she has been keeping fans entertained with her pregnancy fashion choices.
Kerry Washington Became A Certified Yoga Instructor In INDIA!
Kerry Washington is not just a stellar actress, but she is also a certified yoga instructor who just so happened to pick up the certificate during a 7-month stay in India.
The actress stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show and opened up about her experience in India, which also included studying traditional martial arts. “I went to India after college and studied,” she told the talk show host. “I wanted to travel somewhere and study culture and art and I was choosing between India and Japan, but I’m allergic to sesame and seafood … so I went to India.”
Washington revealed that she “was studying traditional Indian martial arts and cultural movement and I was studying yoga” in hopes to move back to the states and make a living.
The career as a yoga instructor didn’t exactly work out, but she did put it to good use, all thanks to her mother. “My mother said that she would let me live at home if I taught her yoga for an hour a day,” she recalled. “That lasted for a week.”
Kerry added, “She was like, ‘I hate yoga and you may not be able to live here if you keep doing this.'”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Hey Dude, Nice MAN BOOBS!
Sir, I had to send a special inquiry into the FCC to see if we had to censor your titties or not…We don’t, but by like the slimmest margin. That should be a sign for you.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Atlas
Meet Atlas 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 AHEAD ALL!
EFREM
