The Daily Buzz For July 3

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#MINIONSRULE: 'Despicable Me 3' #1 at $75,410,275.00!

Once again sequel fatigue appears to be having an impact as estimates have Despicable Me 3 coming in about $10 million shy of the opening weekend for Despicable Me 2 after a larger than anticipated dip on Saturday. That said, the film easily secured the weekend top spot in the domestic, international and worldwide marketplaces, leading the charge over the first three days of this long, five-day Fourth of July holiday weekend. Behind it, Sony's Baby Driver out-performed the studio's expectations while WB's R-rated comedy The House failed to generate much heat.

At the top of the box office Universal and Illumination's Despicable Me 3 brought in an estimated $75.4 million, which is $8 million shy of the three-day estimate the studio was anticipating just yesterday morning. In fact, the film, which opened in a record, 4,529 theaters, is currently pacing about $10 million behind studio's pre-weekend expectations. That said, audiences appear to have enjoyed the film, giving it an "A-" CinemaScore, though that is lower than the "A" earned by both of its predecessors as well as 2015's Minions movie. While the next two days will push the film over $100 million in its first five days of release, the three-day opening ranks as the third best in the four film franchise and the fourth largest opening for an Illumination title.

The opening weekend audience was split 50/50 between male and female with families making up 69% of the film's moviegoers, 50% of which were children under age 13. The demographic breakdown was 45% Caucasian, 26% Hispanic, 15% African American and 9% Asian.

BOX OFFICE NUMBERS

1. Despicable Me 3 $75,410,275
2. Baby Driver $21,000,000
3. Transformers $17,000,000
4. Wonder Woman $16,100,000
5. Cars $9,524,000
6. The House $9,000,000
7. 47 Meters Down $4,682,000
8. The Beguiled (2017) $3,259,740
9. The Mummy (2017) $2,785,260

Internationally, Despicable Me 3 started playing overseas two weeks ago, but this weekend it added 46 new territories where it brought in an estimated $95.6 million for an international cume that now stands at $116.9 million for a worldwide total of $192.3 million. The film still has 15 territories to open in over the next two months with openings in China, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Trinidad and Iceland next weekend.

#RHoA: Kenya Moore Reportedly Fired From ‘Real Housewives Of Atlanta’ Over Secret Wedding

Kenya Moore has reportedly been fired from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. A new report claims that sources close to the production said that Kenya was fired from The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) because of her secret wedding to businessman Marc Daly earlier in the month.

Kenya, 46, married Marc Daly, a Brooklyn-based restaurateur, in a secret ceremony after a tumultuous relationship with Matt Jordan during the last season of RHOA.

Her secret wedding ceremony shocked RHOA fans because no one knew about it until after it had happened.

The wedding ceremony was romantic, but because of the secrecy Bravo did not know about it until it was over.

Bravo reportedly found the situation unacceptable because the network felt that after having signed on for a reality TV show as a reality star, Kenya should have allowed Bravo to have broadcast access to significant events in her life that the show could use to score ratings. Bravo missed out on an opportunity for major ratings when Kenya decided to keep the network in the dark about her wedding.

Bravo was reportedly miffed about Kenya’s action.

According to Radar Online, a network insider has revealed that Kenya Moore was fired from The Real Housewives of Atlanta over the issue of her secret wedding.

“The network isn’t happy with the recent series of events involving her wedding. They feel that it put the authenticity of the series in jeopardy.”

The source also told Radar Online that in a bid to placate the network, Kenya offered to have another wedding ceremony next summer, this time for the cameras.

While some fans have raised questions whether firing Kenya was fair, everyone agrees that her suggestion to have another wedding ceremony next summer would not help the situation because a reality TV show sustains its appeal by fostering an impression of reality. Thus, any action that appears contrived would not appeal to the audience.

Based on that reasoning, Moore’s suggestion was rejected by the network.

“She’s attempted to smooth things over by offering to have another ceremony next summer for the cameras, but that plan hasn’t been well received either.”

 “Kenya has no other storyline in place for the season,” the source claimed.

The source also alleged that Kenya’s co-stars have begun filming without her.

Fans of the show have been debating the fairness of firing Kenya over her private wedding ceremony. Some fans insisted that firing her was unfair, saying that if Radar Online’s report is true then Bravo overreacted to an incident that could have been resolved amicably.

However, others insisted that Kenya deserved to be fired because she must have understood when she signed on to the reality TV show that fulfilling her role as a reality TV star would involve allowing the network to have access to significant events of her private life. Her critics insisted that she went too far when she had a private wedding ceremony without first informing the network and working things out with the producers before proceeding.

Some fans, however, argued that the report that she was fired because of her private wedding could be mistaken because it is possible that she was fired for other reasons.

#EMPIRE: Tyler Perry's Taraji P. Henson Movie Gets Easter Release

Lionsgate is readying to release Tyler Perry's next films.

Tyler Perry's She's Living My Life, starring Taraji P. Henson, will hit theaters March 30. It will open on Easter weekend, opposite the Warner Bros. sci-fi adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg, and Pure Flix's faith-based follow-up God's Not Dead 3.

The drama sees Henson playing a faithful wife who, after growing tired of standing by her devious husband, gets enraged when it becomes clear she has been betrayed. The project reunites Henson and Perry after two previous collaborations: 2008's The Family That Preys and 2009's I Can Do Bad All by Myself.

Additionally, Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral will open on Aug. 3, 2018. It will debut opposite the Sony comedy Holmes & Watson, starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, and Fox's Predator reboot, directed by Shane Black.

The franchise's next comedy centers on a joyous family reunion that becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil unsavory family secrets.

Both films will be written and directed by Perry. His next film, Boo 2! A Madea Halloween, is set for release Oct. 20.

#NEWMUSIC TLC Release Self-Titled Final Album!

Welcome back T-Boz and Chilli! The ladies of TLC have finally delivered their anticipated self-titled final album.

Led by the Snoop Dogg-assisted single “Way Back,” the 12-track set includes additional early releases “Haters,” “It’s Sunny” and “American Gold.” Following suit with their socially and culturally conscious lyrical content, the album also includes standout songs “Perfect Girls,” “Joy Ride,” and the bold “Aye Muthafucka.”

The whole album was crafted over 2 years time, after the project was crowd-funded through a very successful Kickstarter campaign. Fans of the iconic R&B group raised over $430,000 to fund the album. In return for their donations, contributors received perks including a TLC digital scrapbook, autographed lyrics, photo shoot, and listening party.

Marking the duo’s first release without Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, who passed in 2002, the album only features an interlude with the late superstar. “The family, they held onto the other stuff,” T-Boz told Billboard. “I guess maybe they wanted money or something. I don’t think she’d be happy that people are trying to hold her vocals hostage.”

Next month, TLC will begin promoting the album on the “I Love the ’90s: The Party Continues Tour,” which kicks off July 7 along with guests Naughty By Nature, Biz Markie, Montell Jordan, Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath, and more.

Stream TLC’s final album HERE

#HIPHOPNEWS: JAY-Z 4:44 Tidal Exclusivity Almost Up, Must-Hear Album Headed To Apple Music Sooner Than You Think

Get ready NON- TIDAL fans!

Music mogul JAY-Z‘s new 4:44 album won’t remain a TIDAL exclusive much longer. New reports claim the project is headed toward other streaming platforms.

According to new gossip coverage, 4:44 will pop up on at least one of TIDAL’s biggest rival sites in the coming days.

A source confirmed that 4:44 will be added to Apple Music/iTunes next week after its one-week exclusivity window on Tidal; the songs also streamed on 160 iHeartRadio stations across the U.S. after 4:44’s release and they will air until midnight on July 1 on the network’s Urban and Rhythmic formats. The exclusive is part of a $200 million deal the carrier signed with Tidal earlier this year. (Billboard)

UH OH? 'Hot Felon Model' Jeremy Meeks was Spotted Kissing Heiress Chloe Green on a Boat!

Jeremy Meeks, who gained fame when his hot mugshot went viral, was spotted kissing Topshop heiress Chloe Green during a vacation in Turkey.

The 33-year-old model, who has worked with some of the top fashion brands since being released from jail, is supposedly still married to his wife Melissa Meeks.

Despite being a married man, Jeremy could be seen embracing Chloe and flaunting a lot of PDA in photos obtained by the Daily Mail.

After the photos were released, Chloe took to Instagram to share a photo of her at dinner with Jeremy and his manager Jim Jordan. “Just the Beginning… We appreciate all the love and the hate,” she captioned.

NICE! K. Michelle Debuts Newly-Shaved Head

Outspoken singer/reality TV star K. Michelle is stepping out in a big way!

Known for her head-turning wigs and weaves (some in bright colors such as red, and most recently, neon green), Michelle has foregone the hair this summer, opting for cooler look: dang-near bald!

She debuted her new shaved hairdo on IG, captioning with the photo, “#doboth #whatevermakesyoufreakinhappy.

Not everyone has the right head shape to rock a shaved head, but she looks gorg! Check out another snap below:

K. Michelle has been busy in the studio creating her fourth studio album. You can also catch her as a feature on Trina’s new single “If It Ain’t Me.”

What do you think of K. Michelle’s new look?

#FASHIONNEWS: The Celebs Stepped Out for Miu Miu's Paris Show!

So many celebs stepped out for the Miu Miu Cruise Collection show during Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture on Sunday (July 2) in Paris, France.

In attendance were Elle Fanning, Teresa Palmer, Milla Jovovich, Gwendoline Christie, Millie Brady, and Alexa Chung, among others. See more photos below.

You can watch the show HERE!

Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and more models were seen at the star-studded event!

Could These Really Be The Names Of Jay Z And Beyonce’s Twins???

Since the moment Beyonce announced her pregnancy earlier this year, folks have been taking a stab at what the famous couple would be naming their twins. And now, the wait is over.

It’s being speculated that Jay and Bey have named their twin girl and boy, Rumi and Sir.

According to reports, the names were legally trademarked by Yonce and Hov’s company on June 26th. They also requested trademarks to be used for other swag like teething rings, strollers, mugs, water bottles, hair ribbons, playing cards, tote bags and rattles.

The couple has not confirmed the news, but if Rumi and Sir are indeed the names, we say it perfectly fits in with their 5-year-old daughter’s name, Blue.

Beyonce gave birth to her bundles of joy earlier this month in Los Angeles.

Man Charged With First-Degree Murder In Road Rage Killing

A Trainer, Pennsylvania man has been charged with first-degree murder in the savage road rage killing of an 18-year-old recent high school graduate.

Investigators say, on June 28, David Desper and Bianca Roberson played a game of “cat and mouse” while trying to merge into the same lane on Route 100 in Chester County around 5:30 p.m.

That’s when Desper pulled out a Smith and Wessen .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and shot Bianca in the left side of her head killing her instantly.

Her car veered off of the road into a ditch and hit a tree. Desper sped off fleeing the scene. Bianca Roberson was pronounced dead at the scene.

A manhunt ensued for David Desper over the course of several days and spanned across multiple states. He turned himself in to police around 2 a.m. Sunday morning.

“This is a story of a savage and senseless murder. Someone didn’t want her to merge into a lane of traffic,” Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said during a news conference Sunday.

Police also say they don’t believe race was a factor. *blank stare*

Mel B has wiped out her Spice Girls fortune.

Mel B spent majority of her Spice Girls money….Back in June 9th, Stephen Belafonte’s quest for spousal support from Mel B has been delayed again after a judge pushed back their hearing until the end of the month.

Stephen, 42, who currently has no income, is said to have racked up $60,000 in credit card debts and is in desperate need of support from the former Spice Girl, 42.

According to reports, Mel B has wiped out her multi-million pound Spice Girls fortune after leading an “extravagant” lifestyle, a court was told as the star appeared at her bitter divorce battle for the first time.

The Leeds-born singer, 42, attended court in Los Angeles on Friday to face Stephen Belafonte, who she says tormented her with years of physical and mental abuse.

Los Angeles Superior Court was told that the pair both had outstanding tax debts after making “improvident” lifestyle choices.

Grace Jamra, representing Belafonte, said: “Their lifestyle was extravagant and affluent.

“She wiped out all her Spice Girls money, approximately 50 million if not more.”

AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES

Courtesy of P.O.Wm 

‘STAMP IT’

Tramp stamps are still a thing? Who am I kidding, bad decisions haven’t gone away so why would these tattoos?

EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Lee!

Meet Lee!  You know what to do to see them goods. 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 WEEK AHEAD EVERYBODY!!!

EFREM

The Daily Buzz For Jan 12

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! 

Lady Gaga Scores Four V Magazine Covers

After laying low for the past few months, Lady Gaga is back in the limelight on the cover of V Magazine's issue #99.

The “Just Dance” singer actually posed for a total of sixteen versions of the cover page, shot by famed photography duo Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

Gaga told the publication, “This issue of V is about all of these people coming together to express a passion for art and fashion, to really ‘go there’ to make a great statement and to change things…I feel like we all share an appetite for living a life of passion and creativity…it’s like we all found our immortality through art and fashion…we share that deep spiritual place.”

#EGGPLANTNATION! Meet Straight Outta Compton’s Marlon Yates (THE D.O.C)

Ladies and others LOL, Meet Marlon Yates actor from the summer blockbuster ‘Straight Outta Compton’. He’s also the EX Boyfriend of Shaunie O’Neal (Shaq’s Ex). I guess he wants you to see what Shaunie was in love with while they were together.

GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS. (NSFW)

Thank us later!

#RHOA Oh? Nene Leakes Slams Rhoa With Kandi, Kenya Moore As Boring & Forced

NeNe Leakes slammed RHOA 8 led by Kandi Burruss and Kenya Moore as “boring”, “fake”, and seemingly “forced”. RHOA has received the praise of many fans this season. Leakes in turn recently told Andy Cohen that she has watched nearly all the episodes this season. And while “RHOA” (and “Don Juan”) were trending much of Sunday night, Leakes jumped into the Tweet-vest to express her twirls on the situation.

NeNe Leakes rejoins the RHOA 8 cast later this season. And NeNe, who went from blocking Kenya Moore on Twitter before the RHOA Jamaica trip, to following Kenya after the RHOA Jamaica trip, is now back “un-following” Moore again. However, Leakes opened up about season eight.

During Sunday’s telecast, Leakes kept on retweeting much the same messages. “I see why NeNe Leakes had to come back, RHOA is boring as h-l and petty without her. I’m waiting on your arrival”. Leakes retweeted another message which said “I am missing NeNe Leakes on Real Housewives. It’s not the same without and the show seems forced and fake this season”. Another message stated “Where is NeNe? This show is a bore without her!” One stated much the same. “This season has been boring. Bring NeNe back!”

The real mystery, however, was one tweet that NeNe wrote midway through the above retweets. Leakes wrote “I show loyalty until I’m NOT shown loyalty”. To date, Leakes has not been clear why she left the show, why she returned to the show, and why she changed her mind. To date, Leakes’ To Tell the Truth has not been picked up for a full season commitment, her role in Broadway over the holidays has concluded, and her purported comedy Tour called “So N-sty so Rude” has yet to be confirmed.

#TEAMEMPIRE: Taraji P. Henson says Prepare for an Even More "Unpredictable" Empire!

Cookie got what's hers at the 2016 Golden Globes. Translation: Taraji P. Henson took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Drama for her work as Cookie Lyon on Empire.

"When good people are talented, they deserve to win. As huge and wonderful and pure as her talent is, her heart is even better. And for that—I can't contain myself," Jussie Smollett told the media at Fox's Golden Globes party. "I feel like my sister won…it's so deserving and it's so perfect. And she gave out cookies to everybody, it's perfect."

As for what's next on the hit Fox drama, you can expect changes.

"We're going to kind of switch it up on everyone, I think. We have some really interesting moves that we're making and it's going to be much more unpredictable than people think," Grace Gealey told us about the second half of Empire season two. You may recall Empire signed off for the winter with Lucious (Terrence Howard) declaring musical war on his son Jamal (Smollett) and a hooded figure (probably Gealey's Anika) pushing Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday) down a flight of stairs.

Empire returns with new episodes on Wednesday, March 30 at 9 p.m. on Fox.

New Music: Kristinia Debarge Feat. Problem – Problem

Kristinia Debarge returned with a brand new EP titled Thinkin Out Loud. The eight track project includes collaborations with West Coast MCs Iamsu! and Problem, who appears on the aptly-titled single “Problem.”

Over the bouncy Bay Area style beat, Kristinia keeps it real singing, “I’m a motherfu**in’ problem / Won’t find a real one like me.”

The 25-year-old daughter of James DeBarge (of DeBarge fame) can currently be seen alongside Romeo Miller and Angela Simmons on WE tv’s reality series “Growing Up Hip Hop.”

Hear her new single HERE

Thoughts?

ICONIC MOMENTS FROM DAVID BOWIE! That Time he Called Out MTV For Racial Discrimination

A 1983 MTV interview with David Bowie is making its rounds on the Internet Monday, a day after the legendary singer's death. 

In the video interview with MTV veejay Mark Goodman, Bowie called out the network for neglecting to air music videos by black artists. 

"[MTV] is a solid enterprise and it's got a lot going for it," Bowie said. "I'm just floored there's so few black artists featured on it, why is that?" 

WATCH HERE:

A tweet posted Monday has more from that interview and has since gone viral: 

Bowie's concern was also echoed by many big, black artists of the time, including "Slick" Rick James, who called MTV "racist" after the network turned down his 1982 video "Super Freak." 

"I'm just tired of the bullsh*t. I have sold over 10 million records in a four-year period... and I can't get on the channel," James reportedly said in a 1983 interview with Rolling Stone. He mentioned some of his other successful peers like Stevie Wonder,  Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson, among others, who had also been excluded from the network. "It's like taking black people back 400 years," he reportedly said. 

For his part, Bowie helped to bring more recognition for notable artists like Michael Jackson and also played a significant role in identifying, collaborating with and, ultimately, solidifying the success of soul stars like Luther Vandross. Vandross, who died in 2005, co-wrote the song "Fascination" and later became a backup singer and opening act for Bowie's world tour in 1974.

OH WOW! Farrah Abraham Takes A Stab At Nicki Minaj Following Twitter Fight

Former 16 & Pregnant star, Farrah Abraham is firing shots at Nicki Minaj, after the rapper initiated a feud with her on Twitter over the weekend. 

The entire incident began when Nicki Minaj was live-tweeting her reaction to re-run episodes of the reality show. Nicki tweeted Farrah, calling her a c*** for mistreating her mother on television and criticized her for doing porn. The two exchanged words for a bit and according to Farrah, she's completely done with Nicki. 

Farrah, who is now 24,  tells TMZ that her 6-year old daughter is no longer allowed to listen to Nicki Minaj's music. "They already have little girls asking for butt injections and wanting to color their hair crazy," she says.  She also believes that Nicki Minaj's trash talk was super disrespectful to single mothers who are just trying to do their best. "She's dead to me ... that mess," Farrah says in regards to Nicki Minaj. According to TMZ, Farrah also suggest Nicki Minaj focus on her "rapist brother." Look below.

Well alrighty now.

Watch: Lil Durk & DeJ Loaf’s ‘My Beyoncé’ Video

Lil Durk‘s DeJ Loaf-assisted single, “My Beyoncé,” gets the Love & Basketball style video treatment. The couple gets kissy on the basketball court after a game of one-on-one, and playful in a dorm room.

“I had fun shooting this video,” Durk tells The FADER; adding that the clip is “different than any other video I’ve shot in my career thus far.”

Watch the twosome mix love and basketball HERE

“My Beyoncé” appears on the Chicago rapper’s mixtape, 300 Days, 300 Nights – released last month. Fans can soon catch him on the road on his forthcoming tour, which launches in Urbana, IL on Feb. 18th.

OOOPS! Did Nike Clap Back At Kanye West With The Air Entertainer?

Surely you’ve heard about Kanye West throwing shots at Nike via a lackluster (just admit it) song called “Facts.” But did Nike just return fire at Mr. West via a new sneaker called the Air Entertainer?

Probably not, since Nike has millions of sneakers to focus on selling. However, the Air Entertainer has been spotted in red and black colorways and features a tonal mesh and leather upper, a heel with a similar aesthetic to the Air Yeezy 2 and a white sole akin to the Air Trainer SC 2.

Check out detailed pics of the Air Entertainer below

Think Mr. West still has any Nikes in his closet? Could this have been the Air Yeezy 3? We’ll never know.

Word is they’ll run you $130. Hey, it’s your money.

Teens Tied To BRUTAL Brooklyn Gang Rape Turned In By Their Moms

The mothers of 14 and 15 year-old suspects turned them in to police in connection with a gang rape of an 18-year-old woman on a Brooklyn playground last week. Two more teens, ages 15 and 17, also turned themselves in for the rape.

Four of the five suspects are currently in custody, while the remaining suspect has yet to be apprehended.

The woman was at a playground with her father when she was attacked last Thursday (Jan. 7) night. She was raped at gunpoint, while her father was made to leave the scene, reports the New York Post.  The dad went into stores nearby asking to use the phone but was turned away for being “drunk” according to eyewitness accounts.

“He asked to use the phone. I told him, ‘No’ because he was drunk. It was easy to tell,” recalled a 16-year-old deli employee. “He just said, ‘Give me the phone.’ I feel so bad. If I knew, I would’ve given it to him. I’d never seen him before.”

Eventually, the dad was able to flag down police officers patrolling the area but by the time he returned to the playground, the suspects had fled.

The NYPD has been criticized for waiting to inform the community of the rape. A lack of urgency is suspected because of the Brownsville neighborhood, an area known for crime. “For community leaders and the community to find out about this horrific crime from the tabloids is not acceptable,” said Borough President Eric Adams.

As for the victim, she was treated at Brooklyn’s King County Hospital and later released.

Surveillance footage of the suspects in a convenience store prior to the rape has been made public. 

View it HERE:

DISGUSTING!

FINALLY! Ringling Bros. Circus To Retire All Elephants A Year And A Half Early!

(AP) — The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is ending its elephant acts a year and a half early, and will retire all of its touring elephants in May.

The move comes amid increasing scrutiny of circus elephant acts with local governments passing "anti-circus" and "anti-elephant" ordinances in response to concerns over animal cruelty.

The circus's parent company, Feld Entertainment, told The Associated Press exclusively that all of the iconic elephants will be permanently retired to the company's 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation, located between Orlando and Tampa.

The company announced in March that it would retire the full herd to the center by 2018. But once officials began planning details, they realized "we could actually do this a lot sooner" because building the new structures to house the retiring elephants didn't take as long as they originally thought, said Alana Feld, Ringling's executive vice president and show producer. It costs about $65,000 yearly to care for each elephant, Feld said.

Eleven elephants currently tour with the circus.

"They'll be joining the rest of the herd," Feld said. She's part of the family that owns Feld Entertainment, which owns the largest herd of Asian elephants in North America. In addition to the elephants still touring, 29 of the animals are on the property now, and two are on breeding loans to zoos, Feld said.

Animal rights groups on Monday applauded Ringling's new timeline and announcement.

"Like the elephants themselves, it had outsized importance because of the symbolic value of the enterprise," wrote Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "Ringling had been one of the biggest defenders of this kind of archaic animal exploitation, and the imminent end of its traveling elephant acts signaled that even one of the most tough-minded and hardened animal-use companies now recognized that the world is changing and it had to adapt."

Elephant acts have been showcased by Ringling for more than a century and have often been featured on its posters.

But because so many cities and counties have passed "anti-circus" and "anti-elephant" ordinances, it became difficult to organize tours of three traveling circuses to 115 cities each year, Feld Entertainment CEO Kenneth Feld said last year. Fighting legislation in each jurisdiction is expensive, he said.

Los Angeles and Oakland prohibited the use of bull-hooks by elephant trainers and handlers last April. The city of Asheville, North Carolina, also nixed wild or exotic animals from performing in the municipally owned, 7,600-seat U.S. Cellular Center.

Ringling's new show will begin in July without the giant pachyderms.

"We're looking at a lot of new ways of doing things," Feld said.

She said the retired elephants at the CEC will also be part of cancer research.

Cancer is much less common in elephants than in humans, even though the big animals' bodies have many more cells. That's a paradox known among scientists, and now researchers think they may have an explanation — one they say might someday lead to new ways to protect people from cancer.

Compared with just one copy in humans, elephants' cells contain 20 copies of a major cancer-suppressing gene, two teams of scientists reported in October. The gene helps damaged cells repair themselves or self-destruct when exposed to cancer-causing substances.

The findings aren't proof that those extra p53 genes make elephants cancer-resistant, but if future research confirms it, scientists could try to develop drugs for humans that would mimic the effect.

Dr. Joshua Schiffman, a pediatric cancer specialist at the University of Utah, is one of the researchers trying to find clues in the blood samples of some of the Ringling elephants.

"There's so much to be learned from their DNA," Feld said.

Animal rights activists have long alleged that circuses have mistreated elephants.

In 2014, Feld Entertainment won $25.2 million in settlements from a number of animal-rights groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, ending a 14-year legal battle over allegations that Ringling circus employees mistreated elephants.

On Monday, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, called on Ringling to end all animal acts and that "vigilance will be needed to determine how they are treated" at the Florida sanctuary.

Elephants have been a symbol of the Ringling circus for decades. P.T. Barnum brought an Asian elephant named Jumbo to America in 1882.

Hit or Miss: Chanel Iman Wearing Jaime Lee Pearl and Lace Top and Midi Skirt For W Magazine 'It Girl' Luncheon

Folks, Let's play Hit or Miss. It's the battle of fashion. We want you to decide. (Please consider hair, makeup, and clothes.) 

NOW GO! Is it a Hit or Miss!

AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES

Courtesy of P.O.Wm

‘MINIONS: LOST IN WALMART’

Looks like a real life Minion Momma….I like that. Banana!

HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!

EFREM