Showing posts with label gregg & NeNe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gregg & NeNe. Show all posts

4/15/19

The Daily Buzz For April 16 ☕📰☕


Rebel Wilson for InStyle US - May 2019
Rebel Wilson is reflecting on her journey from Australia to Hollywood.
Before charming her way into our hearts in movies like Pitch Perfect, Wilson was getting a law degree. Now, 10 years after arriving in the United States, the 39-year-old has become a household name. In May, Wilson returns to movie theaters in the film The Hustle, alongside Anne Hathaway. Before the film's premiere, Wilson is looking back at her career and her path to Hollywood stardom in her cover story for InStyle's Beauty Issue.

When asked about her journey from Sydney to cover star, Wilson tells the magazine, "There is no way on earth I thought this would happen because — I'll put it this way — I never got anywhere because of my looks. I got places because I had a good brain and a good imagination."
"When I walked into my agency, William Morris Endeavor, on my second day in Hollywood, 10 years ago, they were like, 'Wow, we have nobody who looks like you.' I'm assuming they meant a plus-size girl," Wilson tells the magazine. "You look at the people who came out of Australia before me, like Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts. There are tons more now, but back then they were the glamours. I've kind of grown into my looks. Or maybe I'm just taking a bit more pride in my appearance now, which I think is a positive thing because I was too far the other way before. I was like, 'I'll just wear this baseball cap.' I'm still like that sometimes, but, particularly when you're dating, you do need to pay attention."
Wilson notes that while being in the public eye makes you think about your appearance, she's "a pretty low-maintenance chick."
"Through working with my stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, I've learned all these little tips and tricks — and they really work," she shares. "Then you feel more comfortable when you have to dress up. I remember I didn't even go to a friend's wedding in my 20s because I didn't know where to buy a dress in my size. Now it is the opposite. Now I have a wardrobe full of custom Givenchy."

Wilson has found her confidence, both personally and professionally, which is clear from her impressive resume.
"If you look at the odds of someone from Australia making it, they're pretty small. When I look at all the things I've done in my career...I feel like I've got so much farther to go. But I am really proud, and, you know, I didn't have to sleep my way to the top," Wilson says with a laugh, adding that she got to where she is by being "unique and true to myself."

"Now I'm producing movies too," she continues. "It's much more than I could have ever dreamed about. When I first came to America, I just wanted to get in one Hollywood film."

You can pick up a copy of InStyle's Beauty Issue with Wilson on newsstands now.


#RHOA: She’s at it, AGAIN! NeNe Leakes is Not Sure She Wants to Save her Marriage to Husband Gregg: 'We'll Just Have to See'!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is digging deep into NeNe Leakes' fractured marriage with husband Gregg amid his cancer battle.

In Sunday's second part of the Season 11 reunion, NeNe and Gregg had a tense talk with host Andy Cohen, who asked Gregg how he felt about NeNe sharing some of the less savory details of their marital issues with the world — including that he had once cheated on her.
“That was so long ago, that it really just didn’t have any weight," Gregg said of the cheating revelation. "The hurt from that got removed from me a long time ago”.
“Maybe it didn’t get removed from you?” Cohen asked NeNe, who replied in a defeated tone, “Maybe." And while a lot of their issues were made “exponentially worse” by Gregg's colon cancer diagnosis, NeNe confirmed they had been having issues for a while.

But regardless of whether they end up "best friends" or spouses, NeNe reassured her husband, “We are family. Period. Whether we’re together or not, we share a 20-year-old son. I’m always going to be here for Gregg.”
When asked outright if they were interested in saving their marriage, Gregg replied, “I do,” while NeNe admitted she wasn't sure.
“I can’t tell you anything that I’m going to do," she told Cohen. "I feel like I have been pushed up against a wall, and I’m coming out like, ‘No’. Anything is possible. We’ll just have to see.”

It wouldn't be the first time NeNe and Gregg split, marrying for the first time in 1997, divorcing in 2011 and remarrying in 2013.
In addition to her issues with Gregg, NeNe was forced to confront the end of her friendship with Porsha Williams, who spoke her piece to her former big sis about being there for her this season through her pregnancy.

"Honestly, I would love to sit here and just be as nonchalant and just not give a f— as NeNe is being right now, but the fact of the matter is, when we found out [about Gregg's cancer], we were there for you, and we genuinely pray for you and your husband," Williams told NeNe. "Your main issue is you don't know how to accept the support from your friends."

"And then at this point, now where we are is f— all of us. That s— is hurtful!" she continued. "That makes me feel like any experience I have ever had with you was fake. For you to sit here and say, 'No, I didn't get you a gift,' and 'No, you're not my friend' ... You have sat here and told me so many times since we've been on this couch -- which is brand new to me...that we are not friends. Okay? So just understand that what you're doing, you think it's all nonchalant and cute, but that shit f—ing hurts because me and my fiancé have prayed for you. And my mother! All of us!"

"So the fact that you will sit here now and give a big f— you to all of us is very f—ing hurtful," the new mom concluded. "I cannot leave this damn couch without saying that."
When asked by Cohen what her response was to Williams' speech, NeNe simply said, "No response."

Yeah, we’ll see. The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sunday on Bravo!


#Empire: Recap; Episode 14 Family Infighting!
Back at the concert hall, Jamal is trying to reign in the natives. They’re bickering and fighting and being gernally silly toward each other. Jamal tells them to pull it together, and they need to do this for Andre. This is , of course, after he gave Hakeem a pep talk about how Andre is the older brother who loves him the best, even if he does’t realize it.

Cutting over to Cookie again, Damon cames to visit. And Cookie flat out tells him they can’t be together again. Damon thinks she’s playing but Cookie tells him that Andre is sick and she needs to focus on him, and she’s afraid her bad behavior might have brought the cancer upon her son. Damon then drops a thoughtful spirit bomb: You hear me? You are not important enough to cause any of this.”

Damon’s own daughter had cancer and the one lesson he learned is that everyone is small and inadequates and not big enough to cause some calamity. He also promises to let the bedtime banter drop and to leave her alone. We also see, via flashback, that Cookie did get on the bed with Damon and she was in her slip but she decided she couldn’t cheat on her husband so she left the room.

Meanwhile the Truth Tour is going well. Everyone is on the same page again and there is now a special tribute to the brothers, which is nice for #NationalSiblingDay, which is also trending while Empire is airing. Hakeem and Jamal sing a duet of “Lean On Me,” and show images of Andre from childhood to adulthood. That scene fades over to Andre leaning on Terry and being sick. The doctor comes in to ask how he is feeling, and to cut all the crap about it, Andre feels terrible and finally admits it.

This is a good thing, says the doc. It means the chemo is working and Andre I ready for the rest of the trial. The family looks relieved.
The last scene of the episode is of Lucious and Cookie in their bedroom, figuring out where they will go next and Cookie remembering how she left Damon without violating her marital trust. She tells Lucious she has to tell him something. And she almost talks about the Damon episode, but she holds back. Instead, she says “I love you.”

We’ll see what happens this Wednesday!


#MusicNews: GOOD NEWS! PJ Morton Enters Partnership Between Morton Records & Tyscot Music to Release Two New Projects
Good news for PJ Morton! He has just announced a new partnership with Tyscott Music & Entertainment to release two new projects via his Morton Records Inspiration Division.
First up is the debut solo album from Atlanta based singer/songwriter Josiah “Jojo” Martin, who has toured as a background vocalist for Fred Hammond and Morton for years. A single and album will come out later this year.

Following that, Morton Inspiration will deliver an all-star project in 2020 titled The Gospel According to PJ. That project will feature reinterpretations of hit songs Morton has written for other celebrated artists over the years.

“I’m very excited about the new partnership between Morton Inspiration and Tyscot Records,” says PJ Morton. “I’ve seen Tyscot do an amazing job in gospel music for many years. When I decided to produce a gospel compilation and sign a gospel artist Jojo Martin, I knew that I needed a strong partner that could successfully move in that space. There was no better fit for us.”

Stay tuned for the release of these exciting new projects!


#HipHopNews: T.I. Previews Kodak Black Diss Track
The T.I. and Kodak beef continues. Last week, the “ZEZE” rapper stirred controversy for his insolent comments about Lauren London by saying he would wait “a whole year” before pursuing her. “Lauren London dat baby though. She finna be a whole widow out here. I’ll be the best man I can be for her,” he said just days after Nipsey’s Hussle death.

In response, T.I. put Kodak on blast for disrespecting the grieving London. “You out of pocket, ni**a. Fix that shit…quickly, expeditiously,” he told him.
As a result of his remarks, Kodak’s exhibit was removed from T.I.’s Trap Music Museum in Atlanta, prompting Kodak to lash out at the museum. “Fuck that pussy ass museum,” he said. “I ain’t give you permission to put me up anyway.”

Kodak later claimed that T.I. was only targeting him because he himself was interested in pursuing Nipsey’s late girlfriend. “Dude just wants first dibs on her,” Kodak said during an Instagram livestream. “Eat a baby dick,” he added.

Now T.I. is firing back at Project Baby with a new song on which he appears to be taking shots at him. “I’m conditioned to see the vision, you / I don’t care if you’re 81 or 22,” he raps in the clip. “All that back and forth finna get into / I said what I said and I meant it too.”

Tip continues, “Ni**a took it too far, better slow down / Your belief becomes your thoughts, then your thoughts become your word … I can only teach these ni**as the same way that I learned / And that’s a public violation / Ni**as show your ass in the mall and get your ass whooped and maced / I can show you life with no consequences, I don’t know none.” You can listen to it HERE!

WOW!


Lori Loughlin and husband plead NOT GUILTY in college admissions case!
Lori Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, are pleading not guilty to charges of mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy stemming from the Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press.

According to the documents filed Monday, Loughlin and Giannulli said they waived their right to appear in Boston federal court for their arraignment. They are accused of paying $500,000 in bribes in order to have their two daughters designated as recruits to the University of Southern California’s crew team, despite the fact that neither of them participated in crew.

Loughlin’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment by EW.

The scandal first came to light last month, when the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts announced indictments against a group of wealthy parents and college athletic coaches who allegedly worked together with a man named William Rick Singer to cheat the college admissions process. (Singer is one of the government’s cooperating witnesses.) The methods of the conspiracy included having professionals take ACT and SAT exams on behalf of students, and using Photoshop and cooperating coaches to fabricate athletic backgrounds for students who didn’t actually play sports, according to prosecutors.

The Full House star is one of the most famous names in the court documents, alongside actress Felicity Huffman (American Crime, Desperate Housewives). Huffman announced her intention to plead guilty to mail fraud charges last week, saying, “I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept consequences that stem from those actions.” She is scheduled to appear in Boston on May 21 to enter her plea.


The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is on fire!
A massive fire engulfed Paris’ famed Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday, as the city’s mayor and firefighters warned people to stay away from the area. Reuters reported that the spire had collapsed.

Smoke billowed from the top of the cathedral as flames ripped through its roof and bell towers.
It was not immediately clear what had caused the fire, while local media reported that police in the city were treating it as an accident.
The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and is famous for featuring in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame,” attracts millions of tourists every year.
President Emmanuel Macron cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give later on Monday evening

There have been no confirmed deaths and the cause of the fire is still unknown, according to Paris police.
A major operation was under way, the fire department said, while a city hall spokesman said on Twitter that the area was being cleared.
Notre-Dame was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, while bronze statues were removed last week for works.
Smokes ascends as flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris on April 15, 2019 afternoon, potentially involving renovation works being carried out at the site, the fire service said.

In a tweet the mayor of Paris confirmed the fire and called for people to remain away from the scene.
This story is developing.


Jay Z will perform for the Re-Opening Webster Hall in NYC!
Great news for JAY-Z fans! The 49-year-old rapper and music mogul is opening Webster Hall with ‘B-Sides 2’ on Friday, April 26 for Day 1 fans. AMEX Card Members can get tickets on 4/18 at 10am ET before the public on sale on 4/19 at 11am ET.
He last headlined a NYC show in 2017, at the Barclays Center. In 2015, he did a B-Side concert at Terminal 5


Shade No Shade Tho! Monica Won’t Talk Shannon Brown Divorce On ‘T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle’
Monica is allegedly avoiding to talk about her marital problems on the new season of ‘‘T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle’.
According to TMZ reports, Sources close to production on “T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle” tell TMZ … Monica is refusing to talk about calling it quits on her marriage, and she won’t even mention her ex-husband’s name.

We’re told Monica’s decision to stay mum is frustrating the people tasked with crafting an interesting storyline for the singer … and she’s just not cooperating with producers begging for her to open up about her relationship with Shannon.

The trailer for the reality show’s upcoming season makes it seem like Monica’s an open book when it comes to her divorce … but we’re told that couldn’t be further from the truth. In the trailer, she says she never imagined being a single mother in her 30s — but that’s all you’re gonna get outta her.


Tristan Thompson had a Run-In With his Ex Khloe At their Daughter’s True's B'Day Bash
Tristan Thompson attended his daughter True Thompson's first birthday party and his run-in with his ex-
Khloe Kardashian pulled out all the stops for her daughter True Thompson's first birthday that went down over the weekend.

The "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star threw a rainbow-themed bash for baby True to celebrate her first birthday with family and friends. She put her petty aside and invited True's dad, Tristan Thompson and their first interaction was super cringy.
For the first time True's parents have been seen together since the Jordyn Woods cheating scandal broke, Khloe is seen literally ignoring the Cavs baller's existence. In a clip Khloe posted on her IG stories, Khloe is holding True (both wearing matching August Getty Atelier ensembles) while Tristan tries to get True from her so he could snap a pic for social media, but she acts as if he's not even standing right next to her.
Oop. Safe to say these two aren't on the best of terms, but they're clearly trying to work on the co-parenting thing.


Will Sunday’s Premiere of Game of Thrones be The most-watched episode ever?
The Game of Thrones season 8 premiere has come and gone, so was it the most-watched episode in series history?
The season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones drew in just over 10 million viewers in overnight linear ratings, but the season 8 premiere should break that with ease and could double that number.

Considering this is the first episode in 20 months and the premiere for the final season, the excitement and anticipation for a single episode of Game of Thrones has never been this high. This is the best show on TV and the final season is underway so, it’s an easy question to ask: Will the Game of Thrones season 8 premiere be the most-watched episode in series history?
The ratings numbers will be made available on Monday, but heading into the premiere, I would be shocked if it didn’t set a Thrones record for most-watched across all platforms.

Viewers don’t need HBO to watch, they can watch through so many platforms, including through Amazon Channels, Roku and Hulu. Yes, all of them require subscription fees, so it’s not exactly like watching This Is Us on NBC or NCIS on CBS or Grey’s Anatomy on ABC.

For a premium cable outlet, 20 million potential viewers that Entertainment Weekly is theorizing can hit is nothing short of remarkable, and something that may not be eclipsed for several years.
And by comparison, tonight’s audience watching Game of Thrones should deliver Barry’s highest ratings in the show’s two-season run considering it airs immediately after the hour-long premiere. Veep and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver should also see noticeably higher ratings because of Game of Thrones.

And while the numbers for the premiere may not be approached for the next four episodes, the series premiere on May 19 will easily smash the season 8 premiere views and could rank among the most-watched TV show episodes in television history.


Dallas Police Arrest Suspect In Beating Of Transgender Woman In Viral Video
Dallas police have arrested 29-year-old Edward Thomas in the brutal beating of a transgender woman, which is being classified as a hate crime.

According to the victim, Muhlaysia Booker, the attack happened during the day after a minor traffic accident near an apartment complex. The incident also caught on cell phone video, as it occurred in front of a crowd of people.
In the video, Booker is seen being viciously punched by one man and kicked by other men from the crowd. She was reportedly beaten unconscious while the crowd looked on before several women eventually carried the victim’s body to safety.
Dallas Mayor Michael Rawlings said he is “extremely angry about what appears to be mob violence against this woman,” as he added that those responsible don’t represent how most Dallas residents feel about the “thriving LGBTQ community.”
Booker is now at home recovering after suffering a facial fracture and has her right arm in a sling. According to USA Today, at least 26 transgender people were fatally shot or violently killed nationwide last year, the majority of whom were black transgender women.

In the meantime, authorities are continuing to canvas the neighborhood where it happened for other participants and witnesses.


'RHOBH' Star Kyle Richards Fires Back at Troll's 'Too Old' for Coachella Comment
It's that time of year when celebrities and fans alike dress in their trendiest outfits to pose for that perfect Instagram photo at Coachella.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards posed with her bff castmates, Lisa Rinna and Teddi Jo Mellencamp and before you know it, the trolls came out!

Richards titled the photo, "#Chaperones #coachella #helloKyle"
One troll immediately took to the comment section to say, "To old for the s— go home grandmas."

"it's too," Richards fired back. "And you're sitting home doing what?"

That wasn't the only troll to speak their mind, someone else wrote, "grasping at their youth... Time for rinna to change her depends."
Someone else wrote, "You're no longer a ride or die friend. You're just like the others. And it's just a show. You really want to stick with the troublemakers? Call Brandi Glanville, maybe? Too bad, you were my 2nd favorite."

Another person thought they were too old to be there as well saying, "Old women living through their kids. Weird. Boring. And strange. And if they were men, would be questioned."
Not to worry RHOBH fans, while there was plenty of hate in the comment section, there was lots of love from IG users as well. One person said, "We're not regular moms, we're cool moms."

One person stuck up for the reality star saying, "She's just jealous" while someone else said, "People are really mean sorry about that you guys look fabulous."
Another user seemed to be a fan of Richards style saying, "My fav sunglasses EVER !!! What & where !!!!!?!!?"

Kim Kardashians best friend Jonathan Cheban commented saying, "Fun."
It's no surprise people are jumping all over the reality star and her friends because all of them are wrapped up in something called "Puppygate."
"I still don't understand why they had such a severe reaction," Richards said to Lisa Vanderpump in a blog post for Bravo. "It didn't have to be like this. We could have sat down as two friends and talked it out, even if we ended up agreeing to disagree. That's what friends do."

"We don't just tell each other what the other wants to hear," she continued. "That's not friendship. Contrary to some of the comments I've see, Lisa and I did have a real friendship. we have laughed, fought, and make up. We've had our ups and downs. Some friendships have more than others. I always felt our friendship was worth it."


Michael Vick Teen Center Unveiled At A Virginia Boys And Girls Club
A dedication ceremony was held Friday night in Newport News, Virginia where the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula was renamed “The Michael Vick Teen Center.”

The Boys & Girls Club: Greater Hampton Roads Unit was like a second home for the former NFL star quarterback when he was growing up. Now the club is named in his honor.
“My time at the Boys and Girls Club was so pivotal at a crucial point in my life when I had to learn people skills, and learn to communicate, and learn discipline, and learn what trust was all about,” Vick said. “It happened for me, so I wanna do it for them.”
Vick has fully funded the renovations to the club, along with Fox Sports and some other local area sponsors.
Vick was on hand with his family for the ribbon cutting dedication and took pictures with fans and participated in a game.

The club will have plenty of resources to help teens with social development including computer labs and job force training as well as a recreation center where kids can play video games.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘HULKETTE’
Bruce Banner’s wife out doing a little shopping today. That’s nice.


#EGGPLANT NATION Meet ARMANDO THE RICAN BEAR 🐻!
Meet Armando! To see more you can GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS!  And remember they’re NSWF!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.

ENJOY!


HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!
EFREM

4/14/19

The Daily Buzz For April 15 ☕📰☕


Taron Egerton and Jamie Bell for Man About Town 2019
’Rocketman’ Stars Taron Egerton & Jamie Bell Covers Our Latest Issue, Shot By Brooklyn Beckham, Godson To Sir Elton John.
2019 is set to be a huge year for Taron Egerton and Jamie Bell. The pair will star in ’Rocketman’, the epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough years, with Egerton playing the celebrated singer, and Bell assuming the role of songwriter Bernie Taupin. The film has already garnered an impressive amount of hype from its trailer and press screenings, and is already being touted as one of the biggest hitters of 2019. We talk to Taron and Jamie about the making of the film, the risks and rewards of portraying real-life characters, and the ‘true fantasy’ that fans cannot wait to see.
Photography - Brooklyn Beckham
Fashion - Way Perry
Words - Benji Walters
Groomers - Lucy Halpem and Katya Thomas
Hair on Taron - Joe Mills at Mills x Primark
Production Federica Barletta
Photo Retouch Spring Studio
Digital Operator Tom North
Photography & Light Assistant Conor Clarke
Fashion Assistant Harry Clements
Special thanks to Loft Studios
Man About Town: 2019, Chapter 1 is available to pre-order now.
Shipping from Mid April 2019


#RHOA: NeNe and Gregg Leakes Forced to Tell the Teas about their Cheating and Marriage Drama at the 'RHOA' Reunion
NeNe Leakes and husband Gregg Leakes faced some uncomfortable questions at the hands of Andy Cohen during Part 2 of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Season 11 reunion.
While the episode doesn't air until Sunday, a sneak peek clip shows Andy asking Nene if her husband gets on her about "revealing too much" about their relationship on the show.

"Yeah," NeNe says somberly. "He gets on me about revealing a lot of things."
Turning his sights to Gregg, Andy asks, "Do you take issue with some of the things she says on the show?"
"I think that there are limits," Gregg replies, adding that he thinks his wife should "spoon feed" and not "shovel feed" viewers certain information about their marriage.
"There's a lot of things I don't say," NeNe interjects. "Gregg knows that."
Going right in for the kill, Andy asks Gregg if he wished NeNe hadn't spoken specifically about his past infidelity on the show.
"That was so long ago, that it really just didn't have any weight," Gregg replies. "The hurt from that got removed from me a long time ago"

Looking at NeNe, Andy says, "Maybe it didn't get removed from you?"
"Maybe," she replies with a sad smile.
NeNe first revealed Gregg cheated on her in a previously unaired scene from the ladies' trip to Tokyo last year, which Bravo released in December. During a game of Truth or Dare, newcomer Shamari DeVoe asked NeNe, "[Has] there ever been any infidelity in your relationship?"

"Yes. [It was] Gregg," NeNe replied. "There was many days when I just thought I was gonna divorce Gregg."
"I think my breaking point came when Gregg and I couldn't communicate," she added. "Gregg has never been a good communicator. And the way that he communicates now is because he's learned a lot."
NeNe, 51, and Gregg, 64, married for the first time in 1997. They divorced in 2011 and remarried in 2013.
"I think a lot of people were surprised when I filed for divorce," NeNe said during an April 2018 appearance on TV One's "Uncensored" series. "I filed for divorce because I always felt like you have to teach people how to treat you, and I felt like at that time that Gregg wasn't treating me the way I felt I should be treated. It was me teaching Gregg a lesson, and I think he got it."

Gregg was diagnosed with cancer in May 2018, with NeNe taking on the role of caretaker. Gregg's cancer battle has caused major stress on the marriage, prompting NeNe to lash out at cast and crew and vent to fans on social media.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" reunion continues on Sunday at 8 p.m. on Bravo.


#Empire: Recap; Blake and Tiana, Treasure, Cookie and Lucious – The Angry Aftermath
Cookie is still pissed at Lucious for seemingly messing around with Treasure. But Lucious explains again that Treasure got head of herself and didn’t know how to express gratitude except sexually, so he stopped her. Cookie is still pissed and reminds Lucious that she is the one who has to care for her firstborn because his firstborn is the guy who ruined Empire. Ouch.
Back at the concert hall, where everyone is practicing for tonight’s show on the Truth Tour, all the talent is pissed at each other for one reason or another. Sexual tensions that led to one-night stands didn’t turn out so well. Tiana isn’t actually impressed with the guy she slept with. And Blake looks hung over and upset that Tiana got with someone else.

Jamal tells Kai that Andre has stage 4 cancer and that given the family drama, he thinks Kai is right: this is not the right time to be in a relationship at all. He attempts to break up again with Kai, but later in the episode, Kai tells Jamal that he accepts the Lyon family drama and all. Finally.
Over at Empire headquarters, Lucious and Giselle (Nicole Ari Parker) are talking about Treasure’s trip up. NO one knows what happened besides Lucious and Giselle thinks it’s crazy to let Treasure go, but she will. Lucious calls a meeting and everyone attends. Becky (Gabby Sidibe, who last week directed her first episode of Empire) tells the group that the tour is going well but it’s not helping to move any units. Free is good but it doesn’t beget sales and she recommends pushing their wares overseas where the data mining issues haven’t hurt them as bad with the consumer base.

“What we can do is start to canvass internationally because the data mining thing wasn’t that big of a scandal overseas,” Becky says. “That’s what Andre suggested and I think we should do it.”
Lucious then has another flashback of a young Lucious and a young Cookie and a young Andre, who is sick and coughing with the croup. Baby boy is very ill and Lucious is supposed to be at a showcase, but Lucious decides to leave the showcase and come home to help with the kid. They sit outside in the cold so the baby can inhale the cold air and stem the coughing. It works.  This is when Lucious decides to leave Empire headquarters and go home to be with his son. His presence helped then, why wouldn’t it help now?
Meanwhile, Treasure comes to visit Cookie at the Lyon family home. She apologizes and is very tentative and says she understands why she is being dropped from the label. But Cookie forgives her (!). Yes, forgives her.

“What you did was stupid and painful, but most of all it was dangerous. Do you know how many people would be happy to take advantage of a sweet little thing like you? I don’t want you to leave Empire…. You got some growing to do, and clearly you’ve been through some things and we’ll get you someone to talk to and then you’ll get your little ass in the studio and we’ll get you some hits.”
Treasure says thank you. Then Cookie once again thinks of her and Damon that night when she took her clothes off. She thinks she’s going to tell him what happened, but Cook’s sister advises against it. Lucious will leave her, she tells Cookie.

The next scene shows Lucious in the room, watching Andre sleep. Andre woke up and sees his “pop,” and Lucious makes it clear that he will always be there for his son.

What’s next? Stay tuned. Empire is on Wednesdays on Fox!


#NewMusicVideo from Chris Brown – Back to Love
Chris Brown returns with the brand new single called “Back to Love”. The Cam Wallace produced song also comes with a music video which was directed by Brown and Arrad. The cinematic visual was filmed in Paris and features people dancing around the world, as well as follows Brown exiting an apartment building and taking a drive through the city of love.

WATCH HERE

The release of the new single comes on the heels of the success of previous single “Undecided”. Both songs will be included on his upcoming highly anticipated 9th studio album “Indigo” via RCA Records.


#HipHopNews:  Cardi B Laughs When Asked If She Would Make Up With Nicki Minaj
Add this to the list of most awkward hip-hop interviews. Cardi B talked to Variety in a brief red carpet chat at the Swisher Sweets Artist Project event posted on Friday (April 12) and things got really weird when the interviewer asked her about mending fences with Nicki Minaj.
The interview started off well. Bardi talked candidly about her views on Donald Trump, 2020 presidential candidates and her upcoming album. But things turned left when the interviewer asked the Invasion of Privacy rapper, "Is there ever a chance that you and Nicki would make up and perform together?"

Four seconds of awkward silence followed. The man even threw in Cardi's trademarked catchphrase "Okurrr" in order to try to break the tension. It worked, kind of. Cardi proceeded to cackle in his face for a full 15 seconds without answering the question before the interview ended.
Cardi and Nicki Minaj's beef is well documented. It came to a head a couple times in 2018. Once in September when they got into a heated confrontation at a 2018 Fashion Week event. That was followed by a back and forth that featured wild claims and call outs. Things have been mostly quiet since October when they both appeared to agree to go about things positively. However, if this interview is any indication, we are far from getting a collab any time some.


Tiger Woods is back! He wins The 2019 Masters in Augusta!
Tiger Woods captured his fifth green jacket on Sunday, and we we were covering Big Cat's Masters win the entire way
Sunday in Augusta, Georgia, brought us the moment many not that long ago thought they'd never see happen. With a bogey putt on No. 18, Tiger Woods clinched victory at the 2019 Masters, giving us one of the most incredible visuals in the history of the great game as one of the greatest golfers of all time completed a comeback for the ages.
There was, of course, some historical significance that came along with Woods' victory on Sunday at Augusta National. The 2019 Masters victory serves as the 15th major win of Tiger's career, which now puts him just three back of the legendary Jack Nicklaus (18). Woods' win earned him the fifth green jacket of his illustrious career, which pushes him past Arnold Palmer and leaves him just one back of Nicklaus (6).


#PRAYERSUP: The Young Boy Thrown From Balcony at Mall of America Remains Hospitalized
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) - Authorities say a 5-year-old boy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America near Minneapolis remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

Bloomington police Chief Jeffrey Potts said in a news conference Saturday that the boy fell nearly 40 feet after a man threw him off the balcony Friday. Authorities haven't released the boy's name and say his family is requesting privacy.
Potts said he couldn't give an update on the boy's status, but that he's alive and receiving care and that his parents are with him. Hospital officials haven't responded to requests for a status update.

Twenty-four-year-old Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, of Minneapolis, was arrested at the mall's transit station after the attack and is jailed on a suspicion of attempted homicide charge. Court records show he was charged in two previous incidents at the mall and at one point had a trespass notice banning him from the mall.


Oh My! Fire Breaks Out at Coachella
A fire broke out on the grounds of the Coachella music festival in the early hours of Saturday but was contained by emergency personnel, according to a report in The Guardian. There were no injuries.

The fire started in a shower block at the festival’s site, the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif., during or shortly after Childish Gambino’s headlining set. Video footage posted by attendees shows a blaze erupted from a mobile shower unit while security urge people away from the fire, yelling “Back up, back up!” Campers said they heard “explosion sounds.”
Firefighters arrived on the scene shortly after 2 a.m. The Riverside County fire department tweeted, “Firefighters responded to reports of a mobile shower unit on fire. Upon arrival, the shower unit was fully involved, near centre of venue.”

Within half an hour, the blaze was “contained”, the department said. “Mobile shower unit in lot eight storage area. Total of two trailers involved. One damaged, one destroyed. No reported injuries to fire personnel or civilians. Fire crews will remain on scene for one hour for overhaul,” it added.

The festival continued!


#SERIOUSLY? LAPD Arrests One Of The Other Men Shot During Nipsey Hussle's Murder, Due to His Gang Connection to Nipsey and now he’s Paralyzed!
After one of the three victims in the Nipsey Hussle shooting, 56-year-old now wheelchair bound Kerry Lathan, was treated and released for his gunshot wound to his back, he was arrested days later at his halfway house.  Police state he was out on parole, and was barred from being around criminals or people affiliated with gangs.  They claim Nipsey is still affiliated with the Rolling 60's, so Lathan was in violation of his parole.  He was also left paralyzed from the shooting.

Reportedly, Lathan had just recently gotten out of jail after serving a 20 year sentence for murder when he was visiting Nipsey at The Marathon Store.  He and another man were outside with Nipsey - supposedly when words were exchanged with the suspect Eric Holder - when the shooter opened fire.

TMZ reports: Five days after the shooting, Lathan, who is out on parole after serving 20 years for murder, was arrested at his halfway house for associating with a known gang member -- namely, Nipsey.

One of the standard conditions of parole is not associating with known gang members, and police claim Nipsey was a member of the Rollin 60's Crips.
Lathan is now in Men's Central Jail in downtown L.A. where he waits as authorities try to revoke his parole. Lathan is in a wheelchair -- the result of the shooting -- unable to walk.
Damn homie.  To lose a friend, your bodily functions, and freedom - even if temporarily - all in a matter of a week.  That's a lot.

In a 2014 interview with VLADtv, Nipsey explained his decision to join the Rolling 60's after leaving his house at the age of 14.

But, in recent years, and even during that interview, Nip also talked about elevating past that life and the responsibility of elevating the culture and his people using corporate moves. He saw the bigger picture and the greater place the Crenshaw area could become with his financial and human investments in his community.


#BoxOficeNews: 'Little' Comes in at #2 as 'Shazam!' is #1 for Second Weekend and newcomer 'Hellboy' came in Third!
After four straight weekends featuring a new #1 film at the weekend box office, Warner Bros.'s Shazam! took the crown for a second weekend in a row, topping a flurry of newcomers that delivered varying returns. Universal's Little secured the runner-up position, out-performing Lionsgate and Summit's Hellboy, which struggled amidst a flurry of negative reviews ahead of release not to mention reports of tension during production. Additionally, United Artists's release of Laika's Missing Link missed expectations and Aviron's After out-performed pre-weekend expectations.

At the top of the box office is Shazam!, which delivered an estimated $25.1 million in its second weekend, a drop of -53%, for a domestic cume just shy of $95 million. The film also topped the global box office for a second weekend in a row as it added $35.9 million internationally for an overseas cume that now stands at $163.9 million and a global tally reaching $258.8 million.

Universal's Little led all newcomers, delivering an estimated $15.5 million in its debut, for a second place finish. The $20 million production received a "B+" CinemaScore from opening day audiences and, over the weekend, played to a crowd that was 65% female and 56% were aged 25 or older. Additionally, the film played to a crowd that was 43% African American.
Internationally, Little debuted in 11 markets with an estimated $1.9 million led by a $751k debut in the UK. Upcoming key market releases include a June 14 debut in Spain followed by France (Jun 19), Italy (Jul 4) and Russia (Aug 8).

Lionsgate's release of Summit's Hellboy struggled in its debut, delivering a mere $12 million, well below the studio's anticipated $17-20 million opening. The film faced plenty of negativity heading into its weekend from mostly negative reviews to reports of tension during production. Opening weekend audiences were 56% male and 64% aged 25 or older and of that crowd, opening day moviegoers gave the pic a disappointing "C" CinemaScore.


#Oh? After having charges dropped Jussie Smollett vacations in Hawaii!
 “Empire” star Jussie Smollett — who had 16 felony disorderly conduct charges against him in Chicago in February that were then dropped last month — has been spotted vacationing in Hawaii.

The alleged hate-crime hoaxer — who could still face a lawsuit from the city of Chicago to recover the more than $130,000 cost of investigating his case — was photographed laughing and looking carefree at the Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park in Kailua-Kona.
Smollett’s hanging out with his family and was also seen carrying a boogie board.
Chicago police sent Smollett a letter last month demanding he pay up or they’d take him to court.
The deadline has passed, but Smollett doesn’t seem too worried.
Last week, Cook County prosecutor Kim Foxx doubled down on her office’s decision to dismiss charges against Smollett.

He alleged in January that he was physically attacked by two men who yelled racist and homophobic slurs.
Chicago police said Smollett set it all up.
Foxx has said she welcomes an investigation into her decision to dismiss the charges.


Amir Johnson Was Caught Showing Joel Embiid Texts On The Bench During Philly’s Game 1 Loss to The Nets!
The Philadelphia 76ers were caught off guard during Game 1 against the Brooklyn Nets. Despite the game happening in Philly, Brooklyn came ready to play and took it to the three-seed in the Eastern Conference. Between the Nets playing with the swagger and carelessness of a team that had nothing to lose, the Sixers looking awfully tight and struggling to hit a shot, and Joel Embiid not looking quite like himself due to lingering knee soreness, Brooklyn stole home court and picked up a 111-102 win.

While all this was happening, reserve big man Amir Johnson found himself in some hot water because of a moment on the bench caught by ESPN’s cameras. It’s unclear when this happened, but during the fourth quarter of action, ESPN aired a clip of Johnson sitting on the bench next to Embiid. Johnson pulled out his cell phone and was very obviously texting someone while Embiid looked on.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN pointed out, this has the potential to be a problem.
Now, making assumptions during this sort of thing can be dangerous, but as anyone who has ever seen an iPhone can tell you, Johnson very obviously was using Messages. Who knows what it says, if he was having a conversation with someone during the game, or if he was relaying some message to Embiid, but this is not a great look for Johnson. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.



‘Westworld’ Season 3 Adds Lena Waithe To Its Cast – Will Air on HBO In 2020
Writer/director/producer/actress Lena Waithe will appear in HBO’s Westworld during its Season 3, HBO has confirmed. But what she will be doing is still a secret and likely involves a critical plot point of the robots and humans drama. Season 3 just started production and will not air until 2020.Waithe has previously appeared in the film Ready Player One and had cameos on TV shows This Is Us, Transparent and Dear White People. She also wrote for and starred in the Netflix series Master of None, and won an Emmy for best comedy writing for the episode Thanksgiving. The BET series Boomerang has Waithe as its showrunner, and she also has The Chi running on Showtime, a show she crated and executive produces.

Waithe is represented by by WME, The Mission Entertainment, and Del, Shaw, Moonves.


Oprah is Defending Michael Jackson's Accuser after he was caught LYING!
Earlier this month Michael Jackson accuser James Safechuck was caught in a huge lie after claiming he had been sexually abused on a daily basis inside the train station at Neverland Ranch, despite proof the building did not exist during the time he claimed to have been abused [click here if you missed that].

Oprah Winfrey defends Safechuck's inconsistent claims...
Oprah tells Trevor Noah, “I have not wavered.”
“You know why I have not wavered? I’ve had girls at my school who were sexually assaulted and abused. And I have never won a case, and the reason I have never won a case is because when you put a girl on the witness stand and she can’t remember if it was Thursday or Wednesday, it’s automatically discredited. When you’re in the midst of trauma, you may not remember the exact time....if a victim is unable to remember the day and the time an alleged assault happened, “everyone’s like ‘well, okay, I guess it never happened.’ I’ve been through that, so, no.”


Students At LeBron James’ ”I Promise” School Show Major Improvements, New Report Shows Students Tested Higher Than 70 Percent Of Students Districtwide
The students at LeBron James’ “I Promise” School have made major accomplishments with high grade and test scores, behavioral improvements and more.
Back in 2018, James officially opened up his ”I Promise School that caters to educating at-risk youth. The school currently works with grades three and four, but there are plans to open the grade levels from one to eight by 2022.

According to The New York Times, the 240 students enrolled in I Promise have already set the tone for higher achievement. Math and reading scores have jumped from the lowest percentile for both grades in reading to 9th and 16th for third grade and fourth-grade students, respectively. While math was raised from the lowest to 18th, and fourth graders moved from second-lowest to the 30th, according to Complex Media.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

On Friday, Erica L. Green of the NYT reported that the third- and fourth-graders at I Promise School “were, by many accounts, considered unredeemable” upon their arrival — “identified as the worst performers in the Akron public schools and branded with behavioral problems.” Now, with the inaugural 240 students finished with Measures of Academic Progress testing, the school is “helping close the achievement gap in Akron.” “The 90 percent of I Promise students who met their goals exceeded the 70 percent of students districtwide, and scored in the 99th growth percentile of the evaluation association’s school norms, which the district said showed that students’ test scores increased at a higher rate than 99 out of 100 schools nationally,” Green reported.

“When we first started, people knew I was opening a school for kids,” James said. “Now people are going to really understand the lack of education they had before they came to our school. People are going to finally understand what goes on behind our doors.” In addition to providing individual educational needs and support, the school also gives clothing, food and other resources to families in need, which, is partially funded by James’ foundation.

“We are reigniting dreams that were extinguished,” school principal Brand Davis said. “We want to change the face of urban education.”


Historical Morehouse College to admit transgender men starting in 2020
The country's only all-male historically black college will begin admitting transgender men next year, marking a major shift for the school at a time when higher education institutions around the nation are adopting more welcoming policies toward LGBT students.
Leaders of Morehouse College in Atlanta told The Associated Press that its board of trustees approved the policy on Saturday.

Transgender men will be allowed to enroll in the school for the first time in 2020. Students who identify as women but were born male cannot enroll, however, and anyone who transitions from male to female will not be automatically eligible to receive a degree from the institution.
Morehouse officials hailed the move as an important step toward a more inclusive campus while affirming its mission to educate and develop men.

"I think Morehouse having the courage to speak to issues of masculinity in today's environment is important," Morehouse College President David Thomas told The Associated Press. "For 152 years, the world has, in some way, seen Morehouse as the West Point of black male development."
The policy also states that Morehouse "will continue to use masculine pronouns" which it calls "the language of brotherhood."

Morehouse is an iconic college that counts the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., filmmaker Spike Lee and former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson as its alumni. It bills itself as the "college of choice for black men" that has instilled leadership skills in generations of African American men.
More than 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide have adopted some form of a transgender policy, including about two dozen historically black colleges. An increasing number of schools are updating admissions guidelines to ensure transgender students have a welcoming experience, said Human Rights Campaign spokeswoman Sarah McBride.

"Young people are incredibly supportive of LGBT equality, including transgender equality," McBride said. "Schools are responding in kind. In many ways, our college campuses look like the country we'll have in 10 or 15 years. There are a lot of reasons for hope."
Morehouse becomes the first standalone all-male college in the country to adopt a transgender policy. Nationwide, there are only two other all-male colleges, Wabash College in Indiana and Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. Minnesota's St. John's University, which enrolls only men but shares a co-ed academic program with the College of St. Benedict, also has a transgender policy.

Morehouse has had challenges around LGBT issues, most notably the 2002 attack of a 19-year-old student accused of beating a fellow student with a baseball bat who he mistakenly thought was making a sexual advance.
Gregory Love's skull was fractured in the beating. Aaron Price was found guilty of assault and initially sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The incident was widely seen as reflective of a larger and pervasive attitude toward the LGBT community among African Americans.
Thomas acknowledged that historically black colleges and universities — mainly established after the Civil War with the help of religious institutions like the Baptist and Methodist churches — face added challenges in addressing issues of gender and sexuality because of opposition in black churches.

"I can't speak for all HBCUs, but we know in the black church there has largely been silence on this issue," Thomas said. "I can imagine there may be people who would say, 'Why would you even raise this?' I say to those people we live in an era now where silence on these issues is actually not helpful. For us, as a school for men, it's important for us to set clear expectations about what that means. That's what we're trying to do with this policy."

In 2009, the college updated its dress code, in part to address a handful of students who were wearing women's clothing on campus. The following year, Morehouse held its first Gay Pride. Morehouse offered its first LGBT course in 2013 and has a scholars program named for civil and gay rights icon Bayard Rustin.
Spelman College, an all-woman HBCU next door to Morehouse, adopted a transgender policy in 2017, and the first transgender woman graduated in 2018.
Other HBCUs with transgender policies include Tuskegee University, Howard University, Florida A&M University, Southern University in Louisiana, North Carolina Central University and Morgan State University in Maryland.
Titi Naomi Tukes — a 2017 graduate of Morehouse who enrolled as a cisgender man in 2013 but now identifies as transgender nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them/their — said they disapproved of the policy, which they learned about in an alumni email on Saturday. Tukes said the policy is hostile and exclusionary toward transgender women and nonbinary students, and could put transitioning students in an unsafe environment if they have to leave the college.

Titi Naomi Tukes — a 2017 graduate of Morehouse who enrolled as a cisgender man in 2013 but now identifies as transgender nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them/their — said they disapproved of the policy, which they learned about in an alumni email on Saturday. Tukes said the policy is hostile and exclusionary toward transgender women and nonbinary students, and could put transitioning students in an unsafe environment if they have to leave the college.

"You can't control how someone feels in their body," said Tukes, now a management consultant working in New York who added they are willing to offer input on how the policy is implemented. "The college fails at addressing and understanding the gender journey that one undergoes during their college experience, spiritually, emotionally, physically and psychologically."


AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘ALWAYS TAILS’
Tails from Sonic is all grown up. How adorable.


EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Father David
Meet David. You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.

Enjoy!


HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD!
EFREM

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