Issa Rae Covers April Issue of Women’s Health Magazine
“Insecure” star Issa Rae covers the April 2019 issue of Women’s Health magazine photographed by Ben Watts. Here are some excerpts!
On the “new money weight” she gained after finding success with her YouTube Web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl: “When the Web series started, I was very, very broke. Then more opportunities began to come. I was gaining New Money Weight. When you get a new job, you’re like, ‘I can afford to eat at restaurants all the time!’ That adds up in weight.”
On when weight began to mess with her self-esteem: “Time to work out is so limited, but when I first started seeing myself on TV, I was like, ‘I gotta make time.’”
On daily exercise not coming naturally: “I was a big excuse person when it came to exercising and eating right. I’d have spurts of trying to work out and be good. Then once I fell off, I’d be like, ‘Well, there’s always next year. Let me make it my New Year’s revolution.’ But even then, I would still be eating wrong while exercising vigorously.”
On the routine that gets her out of bed at 4:55 a.m.: “I exercise for, like, an hour each day. My neighborhood has a bunch of hills. Then I alternate between walking and jogging. I hate jogging – you’re going in circles, but I recognize that it helps.”
On accidentally discovering how exercise helps her mental well-being: “You know those earbuds that you put in your ears? I was running, and one fell. It was dark outside and I couldn’t find it. So I was just forced to be alone with my thoughts, and I was like, ‘Oh, I need to do this more often.’ Those moments are the most creative. I think finding those moments while also nurturing your body is important.”
On one major tenet of her work ethic that helps with upcoming projects, including a limited-run HBO series, The Dolls: “Find a good team. Find a good team. It matters…It’s enabled me not to lose my mind.”
Issue is on newsstands now!
#RHOA: Get ready Housewives Fans because Robin Givens is ‘Definitely’ Joining ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’
Is famed actress Robin Givens headed to RHOA? According to a Bravo insider, Givens, who is allegedly a good friend of series stars Nene Leakes and Cynthia Bailey, wants to join the show.
As reported by AceShowbiz, Givens has been tapped to be the newest addition to the Bravo reality show. they state that the network is currently working with Mike Tyson’s ex wife who is set to be a part of next season’s storyline.
“We approached [Robin] years ago to be on the ‘Housewives’ and she declined,” the insider reveals. “Now she’s open to it.”
“Oh [Robin] is definitely going to be on the show,” the insider further claims. However, it’s currently unknown “whether she’ll be a housewife or a friend, but she’s on.”
News of Robin’s potential participation on the show comes as reports claim Kenya Moore is desperate to return to the show. You may recall how BRAVO producers initially wanted to demote her but Moore wasn’t having it – so she reportedly walked but demanded a huge payout for her continued participation.
Ace Showbiz writes “ The mother of one allegedly was looking for a return to the show and offering to rejoin the show with only $500,000 per season. That was a huge paydown for Kenya as it meant she was offering a 75% discount from her initial $2 million salary two seasons ago.”
“She’s even willing to take a friend of the show role,” an insider claimed. “She’s desperate to get back on the show, in any way.”
Do you think Robin Givens would be a great addition to the cast?
#Empire: Ratings Tank for First new Episode Since Jussie Smollett Arrest!
“Empire” returned from winter hiatus on Wednesday, airing its first original episode since star Jussie Smollett was arrested and charged with filing a false police report. It didn’t receive a warm welcome from viewers.
Wednesday’s 8 p.m. episode settled for a 1.3 demo rating/6 share among adults 18-49, and 4.412 million total viewers — those Nielsen numbers are way down from last year’s comparable hour and are even down double digits versus the hip-hop soap opera’s fall finale.
The previous original “Empire” episode on Dec. 5 had a 1.5 rating and 5.043 million total viewers. Last year’s midseason return put up a 2.0 rating and tallied 6.217 million viewers.
Wednesday’s hour was down 13 percent in both the demo and for the overall audience versus the fall finale, and down 35 percent in the demo and 29 percent in viewers from last year’s midseason premiere episode.
As a matter of fact, Wednesday’s “Empire” drew the second-smallest audience and second-worst demo rating ever for “Empire.” The only episode to draw fewer “live” eyeballs (4.229 million) and a lower demo rating (a 1.2) aired on Halloween 2018, which makes sense, as people were out celebrating and not in front of their TVs.
That said, Fox and its regular abbreviated (compared with CBS, ABC and NBC) primetime schedule still finished first in key-demo averages, but it just barely edged ABC — with a different of 17,000 viewers — for third in terms of total viewers. NBC aired all reruns last night and still landed a bigger audience than both of those nets.
#NewMuisc from Shanice Wilson “He Won’t”
R&B veteran Shanice Wilson makes her return to music with the brand new single called “He Won’t”. Over the course of the uptempo feel good song, Shanice talks about how she can’t get no sleep because her man has her up all night.
It’s been well over a decade since Shanice released her previous album “Every Woman Dreams” in 2006. Although she’s dropped a few singles here and there over the years, we haven’t got a full length project. However, this time it appears she’s making moves towards the release of her sixth album.
LISTEN HERE
Shanice of course is one of the most important R&B voices of the 90’s and gave us the timeless hit “I Love Your Smile” another other smashes. It’s great to hear that her vocals are as powerful as ever, and she’s motivated to continue creating.
Stay tuned for more from Shanice.
#HipHopNews: There’s new UNRELEASED Music From Mac Miller And Madlib
In February, it was revealed that late rapper Mac Miller had put together a entire album with respected Cali beatsmith Madlib. Now we get to hear a snippet of the fruits of their labor.
On Saturday night (March 15), 'Lib performed a DJ set at Music Box in San Diego, Calif. He had some special surprises for the crowd, which included debuting a previously-unreleased Mac banger. As per usual with Madlib, the record is hella soulful, comprised of a face-twisting sample. "Fuck the bitch, met her once/Think she the one 'cause I met her at a record shop/We start from a line then connect the dots/I'm forever hot," Mac spits on the record. The track is also said to feature Thundercat.
Madlib also premiered a new track from his long-awaited Bandana collab album with Freddie Gibbs, which finds the Gary Gangsta flowing flawlessly over another looped sample fit for a movie score.
The Mac and Mad project, titled Maclib, was first teased back in February when Thelonious Martin revealed the Pittsburgh rhymer had recorded an album's worth of material with Madlib and recalled how he found out about it.
“So I’m trying to focus and DJ, and Madlib gets on and 15 minutes into his set he just randomly plays a Mac Miller joint,” Martin explained. “And I turn to him, I’m like, ‘There’s more of these, right?’ He’s said, ‘Oh, yeah, there’s a whole album. Maclib.’ What! What! He just kept moving on with his DJ set. If Madlib decides to bless the world with that project, he should.”
LISTEN HERE
Neither Bandana or Maclib have solid release dates.
Kim Kardashian Reunites at a Belated Birthday Bash for Paris Hilton!
Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton are hanging out again just like old times!
The 38-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians reality star and the 38-year-old entrepreneur joined together in a cute selfie and video from a belated birthday bash for Paris on Saturday night (March 16) at Club Paris, a nightclub in Paris‘s home. (Paris‘s birthday is on February 17.)
“Love you @KimKardashian So much fun celebrating my birthday with you at #ClubParis,” Paris captioned the video.
“Happy birthday, Paris…even though your birthday was…months ago, this is how she celebrates. Months…months and months. But she deserves it,” Kim said.
Paris Jackson calls TMZ LIARS afterthey claim, she was Hospitalized After Suicide Attempt!
Paris Jackson has been hospitalized following an attempted suicide. According to TMZ, police and EMTs were at Paris' home in Los Angeles, where she attempted to take her own life. She was brought to the hospital and put on an involuntary psychiatric hold. She is now in stable condition being closely monitored by doctors.
TMZ reports that sources close to Jackson say Paris had been having trouble with the allegations made against her father, Michael Jackson, in Leaving Neverland, the documentary that describes the sexual molestation accusations against the singer.
Paris previously spoke out about the film, defending her father and maintaining his innocence, though she hadn't yet seen the documentary.
The 20-year-old Jackson, who has struggled since her father died in 2009, previously attempted suicide in 2013, but has been open about her depression.
However, in response to the report, Paris called out TMZ in a tweet that says, "F**k you you f***ing liars."
She has not yet said if it was the entire story that was a lie or just parts of it.
Mama June & Boyfriend Geno Doak Arrested For Crack Cocaine
Mama June and her boo thang were popped for crack cocaine in Alabama on Wednesday.
Police responded to a call of a domestic altercation at an Alabama gas station and when they arrived they found June Shannon and her boyfriend Geno Doak.
Mama June was busted for felony possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine) and drug paraphernalia.
Geno was arrested for domestic violence/harassment as well as felony possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia
Via TMZ: According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, after arriving at the gas station cops were about to pat down Doak when he told them not to reach inside his pocket and said, “I don’t want you to get sticked or nothing.” Cops found a needle and then set their sights on Mama June.
She said she was the owner of the vehicle and claimed ownership of everything inside. Cops found a needle on the driver’s floorboard. Police then patted June down and found a glass pipe with white residue inside the pocket of her jogging suit. They also found a green pill bottle containing a white-controlled substance in the glove compartment. June said the white substance was crack cocaine.
SMDH…I knew Mama June always had crackish tendencies, but I didn’t think she was actually a crackhead.
New Zealand PM: We will Pay for Funeral Costs of Victims and Financially Support their Families
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said the New Zealand government will cover the burial costs of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at two mosques in Christchurch.
Speaking to some of the family members of the 49 people who were killed, she gave them the reassurance that the government would also provide financial support to the families regardless of their immigration status.
The following is an excerpt of her message which was posted on social media:
“We are very focused in ensuring you have the support that you need in the days and the weeks and the months that follow.
Many of those who have lost their lives will be the ones who will be bringing the income into their households. Many will have dependants and spouses. I want to give you assurance the through our system in New Zealand, through ACC, there is provision to provide for those families.
That provision exists regardless of the immigration status of those who have lost their lives and regardless of the immigration status of their loved ones. It includes the cost of burial. It includes support for lost income and that can last for not just months but it can last for years. So I give you that assurance”
#MARCHMADNESS: The 2019 March Madness Bracket Has been Unveiled: All 68 Teams in the NCAA Tournament
The 68 teams who will compete in the 2019 NCAA tournament were revealed on Selection Sunday, with 32 automatic contenders and 36 receipients of at-large bids all vying for a coveted championship.
Duke, Virginia, UNC and Gonzaga are this year's March Madness No. 1 seeds, with the Blue Devils taking the top overall spot.
The 32 Division I conference tournament championship winners earn automatic bids to the tournament as long as they are eligible for postseason play. Regardless of how a team performed during the regular season, if they win the tournament they are awarded a bid.
The remaining 36 teams receive at-large bids, chosen by the selection committee. Once the teams are selected, the committee is then responsible for seeding the participants by pedigree and then bracketing them into four regions: the East, West, South, and Midwest.
Here are all the teams who have automatically qualified to go dancing in 2019:
• Saint Mary's
• North Dakota State
• Wofford
• Colgate
• Murray State
• Fairleigh Dickinson
• Bradley
• Iona
• Northern Kentucky
• Northeastern
• Gardner-Webb
• Liberty
• Vermont
• North Carolina Central
• Iowa State
• Prairie View A&M
• Utah State
• Villanova
• Buffalo
• Montana
• Old Dominion
• Duke
• Abilene Christian
• New Mexico State
• Oregon
• UC-Irvine
• Yale
• Auburn
• Saint Louis
• Georgia State
• Michigan State
• VCU
• UCF
• Mississippi State
• Virginia Tech
• Maryland
• Belmont
• Temple
• LSU
• Louisville
• Minnesota
• Virginia
• Ole Miss
• Oklahoma
• Wisconsin
• Oregon
• Kansas State
• UC Irvine
• Purdue
• Iowa
• Tennessee
• North Carolina
• Utah State
• Washington
• Kansas
• Iowa State
• Ohio State
• Houston
• Georgia State
• Seton Hall
• Kentucky
• Syracuse
• Baylor
• Marquette
• Murray State
• Florida State
• Vermont
• Arizona State
• St. John's
• Texas Tech
• Northern Kentucky
• Nevada
• Florida
• Michigan
Print your own bracket HERE!
“Aunt Becky” Will Not Return For 5th Season of Netflix’s “Fuller House”
Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the college admissions scandal, which forced several brands and businesses to distance themselves from Lori Loughlin and her daughters, Netflix has officially announced Loughlin’s time on its “Full House” reboot has come to an end.
First Sephora pulled its partnership with Loughlin’s daughter, Olivia Jade, saying, “After careful review of recent developments, we have made the decision to end the Sephora Collection partnership with Olivia Jade, effective immediately.” Then, Hallmark announced it had cut ties with Loughlin and removed the actress from its “When Calls The Heart” promotion poster.
After that, Tresemme ended its work relationship with Olivia and Netflix released its statement about Loughlin.
“Fuller House is not currently in production,” the streaming service told TMZ in a statement. “Lori is a guest star and was during the previous 4 seasons, and there are currently no plans for her to return to the 5th season.”
Cheating never wins, Aunt Becky!
Sam Smith Reveals He Got Liposuction at Age 12 to Remove 'Breasts'
Sam Smith, who has been open about his struggles with body image issues, revealed in a new interview that aired Friday that he had liposuction when he was just 12 years old.
The comments came during the singer-songwriter’s appearance on Jameela Jamil's new Instagram show, I Weigh Interviews, in which Smith described body image issues as “the basis of all my sadness.”
“Literally everything I’ve ever been sad about is my weight,” Smith said. “I struggle with it every day.”
Smith, 26, shot to fame with his Grammy-winning 2014 debut, In the Lonely Hour, which included hits “Stay With Me,” “Money On My Mind,” and “I’m Not the Only One.” The singer has enjoyed continued success, including for his Oscar and Golden Globe winning theme song to Spectre—the 2015 James Bond entry. But he has also been open about his struggles with his body image, noting that he has had difficulty accepting his fluctuating weight throughout his youth and career.
In the interview with Jamil, the actress and body positivity activist, Smith says that he was teased as a child for “holding a lot of weight in my chest,” and in a particularly “horrible” incident had his “breasts” grabbed by another boy on the playground.
“I had liposuction. I was 12 years old,” Smith said. “At the time, I think I was very happy about it. It didn’t really change anything. I think I put the weight back on in two weeks because I haven’t figured out my relationship with food, so it didn’t really change anything. But being 12 years old and having liposuction on your chest is quite a big deal.”
While Smith says in the interview that he gets “very, very dark” sometimes, he told Jamil that has “recently been able to get out of those holes a bit quicker”—at least in part because he started therapy in the last year.
Smith also opened up in the interview about his non-binary gender identity, telling Jamil that he has considered getting a sex change in the past but that learning more about his genderqueer identity has been revelatory.
“Maybe I’m not a man, maybe I’m not a woman—maybe I’m just me,” Smith said. “And maybe that’s okay.”
The Disney Co. Reinstates Director James Gunn For ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy 3’
Redemption and second chances have long been superhero movie staples, and today it looks like life has imitated art. I’ve learned that Disney has reinstated James Gunn as the writer-director of Guardians of the Galaxy 3, and I’ve confirmed it with Marvel and Gunn’s camp.
The decision to rehire Gunn –he was fired last July by Disney after alt-right journalists made public a fusillade of decade old social media missives that made light of pedophilia and rape — was one that was mulled and actually made months ago, following conversations with Disney studio leadership and the team at Marvel Studios. Why the change of heart? After the firing, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn met with Gunn on multiple occasions to discuss the situation. Persuaded by Gunn’s public apology and his handling of the situation after, Horn decided to reverse course and reinstate Gunn.
The social media messages were indefensible, but the filmmaker never did anything but blame himself for poor judgment displayed at a time when he was emerging from the Troma film factory and attempting to be a provocateur. There were no reports that Gunn ever engaged in the behavior he lampooned. Unlike the defensive posture exhibited by Kevin Hart that led him to skip hosting the Oscars, Gunn fell on his sword early and often and never lashed out at Disney.
Ultimately, Gunn’s missives were poorly chosen words and not actions, though Disney’s quick trigger was completely understandable when the social media messages were first reported by outlets like Fox News. Those outlets reported that Gunn’s missives were exposed as payback for Gunn being a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.
Gunn’s return to Guardians of the Galaxy 3 got complicated when he signed on to write and direct the Suicide Squad sequel for Warner Bros and DC. Marvel Studios has agreed to commence production on Guardians of the Galaxy 3 after Gunn completes Suicide Squad 2. Making the whole thing easier though was the fact that Marvel Studios never met with or considered any other director for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, despite speculation that Thor: Ragnarok helmer Taika Waititi and Vice helmer Adam McKay were in the mix.
Marvel Studios has remained mum on all details concerning Guardians of the Galaxy 3, as the Kevin Feige-led division turned its focus toward Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame. Marvel this week set Destin Daniel Cretton to direct Shang-Chi.
Prior to his dismissal, Gunn had written a script which Marvel confirmed would be used for the third Guardians of the Galaxy installment. I expect Gunn to confirm all this as he supports the release of Brightburn, the David Yarovevsky-directed Elizabeth Banks-starrer that he produced and Sony releases May 24.
There will be an inevitable chorus of those who will gripe about Gunn’s return, but creatively, Guardians will benefit from his return. The entire cast of the film was outspoken in its desire to have Gunn back, saying that those satiric tweets did not match his personal actions. The cast clearly loves him; Chris Pratt, Zoey Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff all pleaded for Gunn’s return, in an open letter. The controversy shattered the camaraderie that the cast had with the filmmaker and put a strongly performing franchise in limbo. Marvel has done a great job allowing its filmmakers to inject their personalities into each franchise, and perhaps none has been as stamped by one filmmaker as Gunn on Guardians. The first two installments grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide, with the sequel outgrossing the first picture.
Soon after the announcement of Gunn’s firing, fans circulated a petition urging Disney to reconsider. On October 31, a fan crowdfunded billboard went up in Anaheim, CA to rehire Gunn.
Disney is days from closing its acquisition of the assets of Fox and while the company will always be family first, it is somehow reassuring that there is room for second chances, and for a good director to have a chance to overcome a colossally stupid mistake.
UTA and The Safran Company rep Gunn. This was the apology Gunn delivered last July: “My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time. Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘SPREAD YOUR WINGS’
Just be happy folks, it was much worse when it was all tucked up into her cocoon.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Jay Behr
Meet Jay! 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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You’re Welcome!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!
EFREM
