2/26/19

The Daily Buzz For Feb 27 ☕📰☕


Rami Malek for Vanity Fair Italia - February 2019
When Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek took the stage to collect his best-actor Oscar statue Sunday night, his speech was shot through with humble thank-yous: “Thank you, Queen. Thank you, guys, for allowing me to be the tiniest part of your phenomenal, extraordinary legacy. I am forever in your debt . . . I may not have been the obvious choice, but I guess it worked out . . . My crew and my cast, I love you. You are my equals. You are my betters . . . To anyone struggling with [their identity] and trying to discover their voice. Listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant . . . We’re longing for stories like this. I am the son of immigrants from Egypt. I’m a first-generation American. Part of my story is being written right now.”

Malek may have framed himself as an underdog in the fight for an Oscar, but his win came as no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention this awards season. Malek has practically run the table all year, picking up the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, BAFTA, and more as he made his unstoppable run at Oscar. That streak would have seemed completely surprising to pundits any earlier in the season, who had their money initially on more likely candidates like Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale. Sure, Malek’s film, Bohemian Rhapsody, made a lot of money—but box-office success alone won’t get you a little gold man. Just ask the un-nominated cast of 2018’s most successful film: Black Panther.

Still, Malek had a few key Oscar factors in his favor—as well as a brilliantly executed strategy that allowed him to pace himself on the long road to awards-season victory.
The most reliable asset for an actor hoping to take home an Oscar is to play a real person. Seven of the 11 best-actor victors since 2009 have won for playing historical figures, ranging from Harvey Milk to Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Hawking, and Winston Churchill. The Academy’s other favorite quality is physical transformation—and Malek’s bucktoothed turn as Queen front man Freddie Mercury fit that bill as well.
If these elements alone were enough to secure a win, then surely Bale would be the one who ended up securing the top prize for his chameleonic turn as Dick Cheney in Vice.
But Bale—never one to rub elbows in Tinseltown—has been largely absent from the campaign trail this season. Perhaps that’s because his film, Vice, debuted to middling reviews and a muted box office. Or maybe that’s because he simply wasn’t in the mood: “I've not seen [Vice’s] Christian Bale anywhere,” one anonymous Oscar voter told The Hollywood Reporter during its infamous annual roundup of cantankerous Hollywood hot takes.

Cooper, the anointed early favorite out of Toronto, also declined to hustle for his statue early on in the awards season. The actor himself would dispute that critique—but still, ever since The New York Times ran with the headline “Bradley Cooper Is Not Really into This Profile,” the actors’s chances seemed to go into free fall. His descent culminated in a best-director snub that even Cooper said he was “embarrassed” by.

Malek, on the other hand, was everywhere this season. And because he’s relatively new to the film world, he was also able to work the circuit with some shades of Richard E. Grant’s humble just-happy-to-be-here vibe. Malek’s new-kid-on-the-block demeanor closely aped that of 2015 best-actor winner Eddie Redmayne, who was similarly committed to working every screening, party, and event he could on the way to his eventual win. “Rami Malek is going to win—everywhere I've gone, Rami Malek was there; he’s a very charming fellow,” T.H.R.’s cranky voter explained. “I’ve now spent more time with him than I have with my dog.”

Not even a significant awards-season scandal could stop Malek. The day after the actor was nominated for an Oscar, The Atlantic published a massive and damning piece on Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer, which allegedly corroborated long-gestating rumors about Singer’s relationships with underage boys. Singer has denied the allegations. Initially, Malek and his cohort tried to ignore the Singer issue on the circuit, neglecting to thank the director in their acceptance speeches and declining to discuss him at the Golden Globes. That strategy was undermined by Singer’s own social media, when the director took credit for Rhapsody’s big night at the Golden Globes.

But before The Atlantic story hit, denial was still Malek’s approach. The morning of his Oscar nomination, Malek told the Los Angeles Times: “I didn’t know much about Bryan. I think that the allegations and things were, believe it or not, honestly something I was not aware of [before signing on for Bohemian Rhapsody], and that is what it is. Who knows what happens with that . . . but I think somehow we found a way to persevere through everything that was thrown our way.” Malek then declined to address the Singer situation once more when collecting his Screen Actors Guild Award a few days later.

But several days later, Malek took the opportunity of an onstage conversation at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to finally tackle the elephant in the room. Speaking with T.H.R.’s Scott Feinberg, Malek positioned himself as an ally. The actor reportedly pushed to have Singer removed from the film, allegedly after the director’s long absences and antics on set complicated production. Though Singer was not fired for sexual misconduct, Malek told Feinberg: “For anyone who is seeking any solace in all of this, Bryan Singer was fired. Bryan Singer was fired. I don’t think that was something anyone saw coming, but I think that had to happen—and it did.”

After that, it appeared Malek’s Oscar was a foregone conclusion. It helped, in all this, that Malek could also leverage the left-leaning social messages of Bohemian Rhapsody in his campaign. Not only is Freddie Mercury a gay icon, but the centerpiece of the film is the 1985 Live Aid concert, which sought to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Many of the historical details of Bohemian Rhapsody may have been off, but Malek made it clear throughout his campaign that a vote for him was a vote for the eternally beloved, but once-upon-a-time misunderstood Mercury—and who was going to argue with that?

When Malek won the Emmy for Mr. Robot in 2016, he also positioned himself among the outsiders and outcasts of society. As he said during that victory speech: “I play a young man who is, like so many of us, profoundly alienated. I want to honor the Elliots. There’s a little bit of Elliot in all of us.” The same approach worked like a charm with Mercury fans—and, with an absolutely killer Queen soundtrack accompanying his journey all the way, Malek’s ended up being an awards season gambit you can tap your toes to.


BREAKING: The US House of Representatives Passes a Resolution To Block Trump's National Emergency Declaration
The Democratic-led House approved by a 245-182 vote a resolution on Tuesday that would terminate President Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border — a declaration he made to allow him to access funds to build a wall without congressional consent.

Only 13 Republicans joined Democrats to oppose the president, signaling that Congress will not ultimately have the veto-proof margin required to override Trump.
The resolution now heads to the Senate. It is a privileged measure, which means it is not subject to a filibuster, needs only a simply majority and is required to come to the floor for a vote within weeks. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on Tuesday that he expects the Senate will vote on it before March 18.
So far only three Senate Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — say they will vote with Democrats in opposition to the president's actions.
The Republican-led Senate is split 53-47, which means Democrats need one more vote in addition to Collins, Murkowski and Tillis for the measure to pass. McConnell declined to handicap the vote, but other members of Senate leadership including Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said they expect it to pass the Senate.

Vice President Pence and a Justice Department lawyer huddled privately with Senate Republicans for their weekly Tuesday meeting that was dominated by debate over the president's legal authority to use his emergency powers as he has to find funding for a border wall.

McConnell characterized it as a "robust, vigorous" discussion and said he had not "reached a total conclusion" over the legality of the president's actions. However, McConnell has already publicly committed to voting against the resolution in support of the president's position.
The White House asserts that the president has the legal authority to declare a national emergency and to redirect existing federal funds to address that emergency. Congress did approve $1.375 billion for new physical barriers along the border in a spending bill approved earlier this month, but it was less than the White House requested. Soon after, the president declared a national emergency to redirect more than $6 billion to build additional barrier.

If the resolution reaches his desk, it will be the first veto of Trump's presidency. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., told reporters that Congress will not be able to block Trump's emergency declaration. "When you see the vote today there will be nowhere near the votes to override a veto," he said, "Ultimately we are gonna stand with the president in making sure we can secure this border and confront this national crisis that's taking lives every single day."

A coalition of 16 states has filed suit against the Trump administration to try to block his emergency declaration. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have also said they will challenge the national emergency declaration in court, setting up a potential constitutional test over the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government.


#RHoA: Are Former RHOA Kenya Moore And Kim Zolciak Still Feuding After Leaving The Show?
Kim Zolciak and Kenya Moore couldn’t stop themselves from feuding during their time on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Although the two are no longer a part of the show, fans are still wondering if the former co-stars buried the hatchet following a drama-filled Season 10 reunion.

Zolciak talked about her relationship with Moore during a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. While Zolciak and Moore parted ways on a sour note during the reunion, the Don’t Be Tardy star actually had nice things to say about her former enemy.

According to Daily Dish, Zolciak was asked if she thought Moore has changed now that she has had a baby. Zolciak admitted that becoming a mom is an amazing thing and that she hopes only the best for Moore and her husband, who had their first child, Brooklyn Doris Daly, a few months ago.

“You know what, I think motherhood is the most incredible thing in the world, and so is being a daddy,” Zolciak shared. “So I wish that upon everyone, and I’m happy for her.”
That probably doesn’t mean that Zolciak and Moore are now besties, but it is good to see that they have moved past their issues. It is also great to know that Moore has found happiness in her marriage with Marc Daly, especially given her previous experiences in the relationship department.

Kim needs to go away! What do you think?


#Empire: Fox Execs Doubt Jussie’s Alleged Attack Was Over his Salary
New reports claim Jussie was frustrated over the reception of his debut album.
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson claimed Jussie Smollett staged his own attack to get a pay raise but the executives at Empire aren't buying it, according to TMZ. Empire sources claim they never even heard whispers of Smollett's frustration about his salary at the show and if there were, he never mentioned it.
Jussie Smollett was reportedly making $125K per episode which is on par with his co-star Bryshere Y. Gray. Taraji P. Henson and Terrance Howard reportedly make $250K per episode. The actor was in the midst of a long-term contract with Empire but he nor his reps ever inquired about it.

However, other sources claim that Jussie Smollett's motive for allegedly staging his own attack was the release of upcoming music. Smollett was dissatisfied with the reception of his album and he became more and more stressed after over the debut of new music.
Smollett's fate on Empire is still up in the air, despite his contractual agreements. Last week, it was revealed that he was cut from the final episodes of Empire season 5 in order to "avoid further disruption on the set." A few days later, it was reported that Smollett's character, Jamal Lyon, could be re-cast in upcoming seasons of the show. 

Smollett was charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report which carries a maximum 3-5 year sentence.



#MusicNews: Essence Festival 2019 Lineup: Missy Elliott, Pharrell, H.E.R., Mary J. Blige, City Girls and More
The 2019 line up includes: Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, H.E.R., Big Freedia, City Girls, Davido, Ginuwine, Jacquees, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild, Nas, Normani, Pharrell Williams, Queen Naija, Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike, Teyana Taylor, Timbaland, 702 and many more.

“When the ESSENCE Festival was founded 25 years ago, it marked a pivotal moment of vision and reverence – a critical acknowledgement of and investment in the power of our culture,” said Michelle Ebanks, Chief Executive Officer of ESSENCE Communications. “In the years since, it has set a standard that many other festivals have aspired to, and today, the ESSENCE Festival has grown to represent an annual homecoming for Black artists from across the globe. In honor of our 25th anniversary, nearly 30 artists per night over 3 epic nights will come together to mount the world’s largest and most extraordinary cultural celebration. To one and all, we say, ‘Welcome to ESSENCE. Welcome home.’”
Highlights will include special performances celebrating the 25th anniversary of Mary J. Blige’s My Life and Nas’ Illmatic, as well as a live album recording by Grammy Award-winning musician PJ Morton featuring performances from Jojo, Luke James, The Hamiltones and more.

ESSENCE will also cultivate a noteworthy mainstage moment honoring Frankie Beverlyfor his lifetime contribution to music.

Weekend ticket packages for the 2019 ESSENCE Festival are currently on sale, with prices starting at $185. To see a complete listing of the full lineup, click HERE


#HipHopNews: from Offset Feat. Gucci Mane – ‘Quarter Milli’
Offset teams up with Gucci Mane in the cinematic video for “Quarter Milli” off his newly-released debut album Father of 4. In the vintage clip, set around the 1920s, the dapper rappers star as gangsters who pull off an elaborate bank heist. Armed with an arsenal of guns, the Bando Brothers—which also include Metro Boomin and Southside—come through dripping before making off with a quarter million in cash.

WATCH HERE

The Metro Boomin-produced track appears on Father of 4, which also features appearances from J. Cole, Cardi B, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Quavo, and more.


Bradley Cooper's Ex-Wife Jennifer Esposito Gives One-Word Response To His Lady Gaga Duet
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's steamy performance of "Shallow" from the 91st Academy Awards had everyone raising their eyebrows. That kind of suspicion towards the pair's evident chemistry even received a response from the Hollywood titan's former wife, Jennifer Esposito.

After the pair's Sunday (February 24) performance at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, comedian David Spade took to Instagram to share a snapshot from the pair's romantic on-stage duet and asked the question on everyone's mind: "Is there any chance these two aren't f**king?" Esposito, who was married to Cooper for less than a year between 2006 and 2007, replied to the question with a one-word response that will only intensify all the romantic speculation, writing, "Ha."

Over on Twitter, Esposito felt the need to clarify her comment, writing, "so confused. I get off a flight to see a comment I made of “HA” to a joke from @DavidSpade has gone wild!?. Has everyone gone mad? Somehow I’m insulting an X by laughing at a joke someone else made? Pls take your insanity elsewhere."
Meanwhile, Cooper's current girlfriend, Irina Shayk, watched the number from a front-row seat and didn't seem phased by all the fuss. "Irina knows that Bradley and Gaga are artists," a source exclusively told Us Weekly. "It's a nonissue for her. They were in character putting on an Oscar performance." The two are parents to 23-month-old daughter Lea.

Whether it was a front or not, the film's anthem, "Shallow," walked away with the trophy for Best Original Song, giving Mother Monster her very first Oscar title. "Thank you so much. To the Academy for this wonderful honor. Thank you to every single person in this room," she said at the podium alongside Mark Ronson and the track's other co-writers. "Bradley, there is not a single person on the planet that could’ve sung this song with me but you. Thank you for believing in us, thank you so much."


Oh? Meek Mill SWOONS At Kourtney Kardashian After She Shares Sexy Pic
Meek Mill has his eye on Kourtney Kardashian.

After the 39-year-old reality star shared a series of sexy photos of herself in a sheer gown, beside her sisters Khloe Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, Meek couldn't help but comment his liking of one photo in particular. "A** Phat in the second pic," he wrote, referencing the shot of Kourtney showing off her derriere while wearing the all-exposing dress.

Meek's flirty comment comes weeks after the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star revealed she's looking for love. Back in January, Kourt posted a clip from the famed rom-com Notting Hill to her Instagram Story, which she captioned, "I want to be in love" with the crying emoji next to it. As fans know, Kourtney has been single for nearly six months, following her August split from her 25-year-old boyfriend, Younes Bendjima. While she's been linked to a number of famous hunks in recent months — Luka Sabbat and Travis Barker— Kourt is still on the prowl for Mr. Right.

Meek is also single and ready to mingle. The 31-year-old rapper recently revealed what he's looking for in a woman. After a fan asked him what's it going to take for him to take a woman seriously, during his most recent #AskMeek Twitter session, Meek responded: "She gotta match me and I gotta match her." He later tweeted: "I ain’t sitting around waiting on nobody to love me 🤷🏾‍♂️ I’m Just having it my way! 🏆" (Sounds like Meek and Kourt two need to meet, if you ask me.)

Meek previously dated Nicki Minaj. The two called it quits back in January 2017 after two years together.


Nicki Minaj Says She Doesn’t Owe Tracy Chapman anything in Lawsuit Over Leaked Nas Track
Last Year, Nicki Minaj announced that her new album ‘Queen’ might get pushed back because of an uncleared sample from folk singer Tracy Chapman’s 2002 hit single ‘Baby Can I Hold You’. 

Tracy Chapman reportedly seek legal action against Nicki after she released the song anyway.
Here’s an update on the situation.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Minaj is denying all allegations of wrongdoing in the case brought by Chapman claiming Nicki sampled her song “Baby Can I Hold You” on a track with Nas titled “Sorry.”
Minaj admits her team made several requests to Chapman to use her music and says those requests were denied. She also says she did record the song before getting permission.
In the court docs, Minaj says she did want to put “Sorry” on her album “Queen” but left it off due to not having clearance.
The song was eventually leaked to Funk Flex, who posted it on social media, and then it went viral soon after.

Minaj argues the use of Chapman’s sample in her song was fair use and even says Chapman doesn’t own the copyright to the sampled track.
Minaj is demanding the entire lawsuit be thrown out.The case is ongoing.


Tyler Perry has a last Call at 'A Madea Family Funeral' NYC Premiere!
Tyler Perry keeps it cool and casual while attending the premiere screening for his latest film A Madea Family Funeral held at the SVA Theater on Monday (February 25) in New York City.
The 49-year-old actor was joined at the event by his co-stars Patrice Lovely, KJ Smith, Quinn Walters, Rome Flynn and David Otunga.

The new Madea film is the 11th and final for the writer-producer-director: “I don’t want to be her age playing her, so it was time to shut it down and move on,” Tyler told THR. “I’ve got some other things I want to do, and in this next 50, I’m going to do something different.”
“It’s always going to be open-ended because what you don’t want to do is murder a family member,” Tyler added. “And a lot of people feel like she’s a family member.”
Movie is out Friday!


PRAYING: Former NBA Star Kenny Anderson Suffers A Stroke
Former NBA star Kenny Anderson has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke over the weekend.
Kenny’s friend and former NBA star Ron Harper shared the sad news via Twitter writing:
Let’s say a prayers for my guy kennyandersonofficial who is the hospital after having a stroke over the weekend. You’re in my thoughts my brother.
Tami Roman, who has two daughters by Kenny, has not commented on the news of his stroke.

Sending up prayers for a full and speedy recovery.


Australian Press Council Deems ‘Offensive’ Serena Williams Cartoon Not Racist
SYDNEY (AP) — The Australian Press Council has ruled there was no breach of its standards of practice in a cartoon of tennis star Serena Williams which attracted global condemnation after being published by Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper last September.

The depiction of Williams by cartoonist Mark Knight showed the 23-time major winner reacting angrily during her loss to Naomi Osaka in the final of the U.S. Open. Williams is depicted with her mouth open wide, hands in fists and jumping above a broken tennis racket and a baby’s pacifier. The umpire was shown telling a blond, slender woman — meant to be Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and a father from Haiti — “Can you just let her win?”
In a ruling published Monday, the Australian Press Council said it “acknowledged that some readers found the cartoon offensive” but said there was sufficient public interest in commenting on the behavior of a player with a globally high profile.
Critics of Knight’s cartoon described it as a clear example of a stereotype facing black women, depicting Williams as an irate, hulking, big-mouthed black woman jumping up and down.

The press council said it had received complaints from people who believed the cartoon was racist and sexist.

“Specifically, concern was expressed that the cartoon depicted Ms. Williams with large lips, a broad flat nose, a wild afro-styled ponytail hairstyle different to that worn by Ms. Williams during the match and positioned in an ape-like pose,” the council said in a statement. “The council considered that the cartoon uses exaggeration and absurdity to make its point but accepts the publisher’s claim that it does not depict Ms Williams as an ape, rather showing her as ‘spitting the dummy,’ a non-racist caricature familiar to most Australian readers.”
Spitting the dummy is an Australian term for a tantrum.
The Washington Post criticized the cartoon at the time of its publication as reflective of the “dehumanizing Jim Crow caricatures so common in the 19th and 20th centuries.”

The Herald Sun said the cartoon used “satire, caricature, exaggeration, and humor” to depict an event of public interest.

Knight told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday he was “very happy” with the council’s ruling.
“I will not be changing the way I draw cartoons because I think I’m a very free and fair cartoonist and I accept issues on their merits and draw them as such,” he said.
The press council said it accepted the newspaper’s contention the cartoon was in response to Williams’ behavior during the match.

The newspaper “said that the cartoon was not intended to depict negatively any race or gender and was drawn in a style that the cartoonist has drawn over several decades and was only intended to be a ‘sporting cartoon’ for the publication’s local readership,” the press council said in its findings.
During the final against Osaka, Williams got a warning from the chair umpire for receiving coaching from the sidelines. An indignant Williams emphatically defended herself, denying she had cheated. A short time later, she smashed her racket in frustration and was docked a point. She protested and demanded an apology from the umpire, who penalized her a game.

Williams has won the Australian Open seven times and is a crowd favorite at Melbourne Park, where she has been playing at the season’s first tennis major since 1998. She returned for the tournament last month but lost in the quarterfinals.


TRAGIC: Mother-Daughter Duo Charged In Murder Of Five Family Members
A mother-daughter duo has confessed to the brutal murders of five family members, including three children. 

According to ABC, the incident occurred over the weekend after multiple visits and welfare checks performed by Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency in PA. In the first visit to the Robert Morris Apartments on the 200 block of West Bridge Street, which occurred on Saturday, the social worker left a card when no one answered the door.

Two days later, reps returned to the apartment for an unannounced visit. But, when the door was, once again, left unanswered, the representative asked a maintenance man to open the door. Upon entry, the two women, Shana and Dominique Decree, were found in a bed. 
The apartment, according to an affidavit of probable cause, was ransacked and the women seemed “disoriented,” so police were called to the scene and the women were taken to a hospital. Upon further investigation, four bodies were found in a small bedroom, with a fifth later discovered underneath another. 
The women were then arrested and questioned. Dominique revealed that she lived in the home with her mother, Shana, her sister Naa’Irah, her brother Damon, her aunt Jamilla Campbell, and Campbell’s twin daughter. Although the two initially denied knowing what happened, they both claimed Campbell’s boyfriend came in with two other males and killed everyone except them. 

Shortly after the initial admission, Shana claimed that everyone in the apartment, including the 9-year-old twins wanted to die, and were talking about suicide. But, in the final hours of questioning, Dominique confessed to the killings, explaining that her mother killed one twin, then Damon and Naa’Irah, then Campbell killed the other twin, before Shana strangled Campbell to death. Although Shana confessed to the murders as well, she said Dominque helped her with one of the murders and that Campbell killed her daughter, Naa’Irah.

Despite the variations, Shanaa, 45, was arraigned on five counts of murder and conspiracy charges, and is being held without bail. Meanwhile, Dominique, 19, is expected to be arraigned on the same charges.

Prayers!

Janet Jackson Announces 2019 Las Vegas Residency
The ICON Janet Jackson is going through a Metamorphosis this summer. The global icon has announced a 15-date Las Vegas residency to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her multi-platinum album Rhythm Nation 1814.

Housed at The Park Theater in Las Vegas, Jackson will kick off the string of concerts on May 17 and will wrap up on August 10. She will perform music from her legendary career that spans more than over 30 years.
Tickets for Jackson’s Metamorphosis Vegas residency will be available for purchase on Saturday, March 2, 2019 on Ticketmaster.

On March 29, Jackson will be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She received her class of 2019 induction notice in December 2018. She also inked a global partnership with Paradigm Talent Agency before 2018 ended.

Metamorphosis Vegas Residency Itinerary
May 17 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 18 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 21 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 22 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 25 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 24 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 27 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 31 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 2 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 3 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 7 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 9 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 10 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater

Get your Tickets!


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES?
‘DONKEY!’
Wow! Dressed up as Shrek in Walmart. How totally normal and so topical right now. 2019 is probably the height of the Shrek popularity I’d say.


#EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Marco! 
Meet Marco! To see more of him 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

The QUEEN MUVA 😍😍 Janet Jackson Announces 2019 Las Vegas Residency Titled 'Metamorphosis'!


#MusicNews: The QUEEN Janet Jackson Announces 2019 Las Vegas Residency!
The ICON Janet Jackson is going through a Metamorphosis this summer. The global icon has announced a 15-date Las Vegas residency to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her multi-platinum album Rhythm Nation 1814.

Housed at The Park Theater in Las Vegas, Jackson will kick off the string of concerts on May 17 and will wrap up on August 10. She will perform music from her legendary career that spans more than over 30 years.
Tickets for Jackson’s Metamorphosis Vegas residency will be available for purchase on Saturday, March 2, 2019 on Ticketmaster.

On March 29, Jackson will be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She received her class of 2019 induction notice in December 2018. She also inked a global partnership with Paradigm Talent Agency before 2018 ended.

Metamorphosis Vegas Residency Itinerary
May 17 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 18 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 21 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 22 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 25 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
May 26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 24 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 26 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 27 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
July 31 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 2 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 3 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 7 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 9 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater
August 10 — Las Vegas, NV @ Park Theater

Get your Tickets!

2/25/19

The Daily Buzz For Feb 26 ☕📰☕


Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer for Entertainment Weekly - March 2019
Killing Eve's Jodie Comer revealed she almost died while filming Killing Eve Season 2
Killing Eve immediately hooked viewers when it premiered in 2018. People are downright obsessed with the cat-and-mouse story of MI6 agent Eve Polastri’s twisted (and mutual) obsession with assassin Villanelle. After much anticipation from fans, the show will return for Season 2 on April 7th. Recently, stars Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer sat down with Entertainment Weekly to talk about the new season, and in the interview, Comer revealed that she had a particularly scary—and life-threatening—experience on set.

For some background, Comer plays Villanelle—a woman who has been hit in the face with a Scotch glass, ridden a motorcycle, and scaled literal buildings. But ironically, a pasta-eating scene is what almost took her down. When the interviewer brought up the incident, the 25-year-old actress said that it was “really triggering,” although it seems like she can laugh about it now.

"This is actually really triggering. I told my brother about it and he was like, 'I love this. Of all the things that could have killed Villanelle, it was a mouthful of pasta,'" she told Snierson with a laugh.
She elaborated, revealing that during one scene, while her character was eating pasta “in a very grotesque way,” she started choking.

"[Villanelle’s] playing it up, being her usual childish self, and the pasta was extremely dry. And it was extremely thick," Comer recalled. "I was shoveling it in, and then it just shot down my throat and then I was full-on choking. They must have it on camera—a medic came in and managed to get it out, but my life definitely flashed before me."

We’re just glad that Comer is okay.
Comer and Oh also shared more details about the predator vs. predator dynamic of Killing Eve Season 2. Oh said that Villanelle is is angry, clarifying:
"I feel like in their warped relationship, there’s so much," she said. "[...] This is what also is so complicated in the relationship. I feel that they communicate on a completely different plane, where things like stabbing the other person mean different things."

We absolutely can’t wait for the upcoming season.


#RHoA: Porsha Williams’ All-White-Themed Baby Shower Was Filmed. So is she Getting a Spin-Off? 
Porsha Williams’ all-white-themed baby shower took place this weekend despite filming being wrapped for the 11th season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
Cameras were present to take in the Feb. 24 party, which is said to be filmed for a separate special surrounding Williams’ pregnancy.

A photo of Cynthia Bailey posing with mom-to-be Williams’ mother gave away that the bash is being recorded for a later Bravo broadcast, as a camera was propped up in the background.
“Couldn’t resist taking a quick selfie with @porsha4real gorgeous mother Dyanne. Love a all white theme👑” the model captioned the post.
“Is that a cameraman behind you 👀👀. Does this mean Porsha getting a spin-off? #HELLYEAH🤩❤️” one fan eagerly commented.

Several of Williams’ current and former fellow housewives came through the shindig, which an “RHOA” fan account stated was a winter wonderland. Among those who celebrated the pending arrival of Williams’ first baby with fiancé Dennis McKinley included Bailey, Kenya Moore, and friends of the show Shamea Morton and Marlo Hampton.

Noticeably absent, however, were Nene Leakes and  Kandi Burruss. Fans promptly speculated about their whereabouts in the comments of the fan Instagram account.

What’s up with that?


#Empire: Terrence Howard ‘allegedly’ blew up and confronted Jussie Smollett on ‘Empire’ set but piblicy supports him!
Terrence Howard’s reported emotional explosion was like a loud thunderclap that pierced through the relative silence on the “Empire” set regarding the highly-controversial Jussie Smollett beatdown scandal.
Confusion and volatile emotions erupted immediately after Smollett’s highly-publicized arrest Thursday at Chicago police headquarters. According to TMZ, Howard was so infuriated that he refused to come onto the set to shoot scenes and remained in his trailer for the balance of the day.

Howard was reportedly one of the ones who doubted Smollett’s testimony from the outset. And as the investigation progressed to the point where the finger began to be pointed in Smollett’s direction, Howard confronted him with questions about the circumstances of the alleged beatdown and the timeline.

Empire’s production publicly backed Jussie Smollett throughout his hate crime scandal, until recently. When the actor became the suspect of a felony crime for allegedly filing a false police report, the mood changed with the production staff.
TMZ reported that Howard screamed at Smollett, 36, in a way to urge the actor, who plays Jamal Lyon, to come clean. The Nigerian brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairom, gave testimonies to a grand jury that served to corroborate Howard’s initial feelings. Afterward, Smollett addressed the crew to apologize about the scandal while still maintaining his innocence. But Howard was a conspicuous no-show. There were others on the set who quietly harbored the same sentiments as Howard.

The tension became too thick to keep Smollett around for the immediate future.

Later, Howard showed support for Smollett via social media on Saturday by showing the embattled actor playing with Howard’s child in his trailer. 
He also informed Smollett on the post that the entire cast and crew were in his corner.


#NewMusic from Brian Mcknight – When I’m Gone
R&B veteran Brian McKnight has a message for the lonely hears with his first release of 2019. The singer/songwriter spends much of each year on the road, so it’s only natural that he misses his lady.

“Do you ever get lonely, like I do? / Tell me how much you miss me / When I’m not there beside you / It’s getting harder and harder to breathe / When I’m gone,” sings McKnight.

LISTEN HERE
Brian is currently working on his fourteenth studio album ‘Bedtime Story,’ with producer Tim Kelley. The LP follows 2018’s Genesis album.


#NewHipHopVideo freom J Cole ‘Middle Child’
For his latest buzzworthy single “Middle Child”, J. Cole is being both cryptic and direct with his messages for the official music video.

WATCH HERE
Directed by fellow North Carolina artist Mez, who’s most famous for his Dr. Dre Compton guest spot — took to Instagram to relieve his thoughts on constructing the visual.

“Crazy…I wrote and directed the ‘Middle Child’ video,” he began. “Thanks to the team I had jumping those hurdles with me. Special thanks to @Scott_Lazer for being such a selfless genuine dude. I’m not normally a fan of the IG long talk, but if this is gonna be the 1st time I do this, it’s worth it. I’m so thankful my big bruh @realcoleworld believed in me like this. He took a shot on me because he said my ideas were always next level and so was my taste. I’ve got a lot of love for him for that amongst many other things. I thank God for letting me rise to the occasion. The first time I ever directed a video it ended up being for a billboard top 5 record.”

He continued, “I’m Big blessed. Nobody knows I’ve been writing video treatments for years now. People also don’t know I’m still dealing with the business side of music right now. (For anyone who asks where’s my projects etc etc) When shit got slow and got stressful, I never stopped being creative. I’ve been working in the cut so as soon as opportunity presents itself, I’d be ready. And this is the 1st of many examples. I’m going to be present in music fashion and film. I remember a time when I wouldn’t say what I’m bout to do out of fear of fans or industry people doubting me like I can’t do it. Projecting they fears on me. Never again. The stars are aligning for ya boy. I just had to be patient. @heirsentertainment going up.”


Donald Trump Calls Spike Lee’s Oscars Speech A ‘Racist Hit’ with Grammatical Errors!
President Donald Trump tried to go after Spike Lee’s Oscar acceptance speech as a “racist hit,” lashing out against the “BlacKkKlansman” director’s call for voters to get “on the right side of history” in 2020.

Lee, collecting the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at Sunday’s ceremony for “BlacKkKlansman,” delivered a powerful speech honoring Black History Month and remembering America’s history of slavery and genocide of Native Americans.

He reminded the audience that Election Day “is around the corner,” and urged people to mobilize.
“Make the moral choice between love versus hate,” he said. “Let’s do the right thing! You know I had to get that in there.”
Trump has a track record of racism dating back to housing discrimination in his early years as a real estate developer and continuing into the White House, where he shockingly called Haiti and African nations “shithole countries.”
His bigotry has extended to other minority groups as well. He mocks Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as “Pocahontas,” and has referred to Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and criminals.


Malik Yoba Will Reprise Role In ‘New York Undercover’ Reboot At ABC
Malik Yoba will reprise his role Detective J.C. Williams in ABC’s reboot of “New York Undercover.”
The new series will pick up 20 years after the end of the original series and will follow detectives Nat Gilmore and Melissa Ortiz as they investigate the city’s most dangerous criminals from Harlem to Battery Park. This time around, Williams is overseeing the unit and the next generation of detectives.

ICC friend, Anthony Hemingway is onboard to executive produce and direct the pilot.
In a post on his Instagram page, Anthony wrote:

I’m so excited to reunite with my big bro @malikyoba #NYUC #NewYorkUndercover #Blessings #Divine #CulturalComfortFood

This will be great!


Ariana Grande is Returning to Manchester Two Years After the Bombing
Ariana Grande will be returning to Manchester two years after the suicide bombing attack killed 22 people during her concert performance.
The 25-year-old entertainer will be headlining the Manchester Pride Live event, which is set to take place on August 25.
Organizers of the event said in a statement (via THR), “We’re truly honored to be welcoming Ariana back to the city to help us celebrate LGBT+ life.”

After the bombing, Ariana returned to the city for a special concert and was eventually named an honorary citizen of the area in England.


Taraji P. Henson Gets Glam Chich at Vanity Fair's Oscars Party
Taraji P. Henson looks gorgeous! While staying mum on the Jussie Smollett scandal the 48-year-old Empire star hit the red carpet at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday (February 24) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Taraji posed alongside fiance Kelvin Hayden at the event.
Taraji is wearing a Roland Mouret jumpsuit and Gismondi1754 diamonds.


#BoxOfficeNews: 'How to Train Your Dragon 3' Debuts with a $55.5 Million Debut
The 2019 box office has finally received a jolt of energy with an impressive, $55.5 million debut for DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. The performance led the weekend box office, closing out the final weekend within what has been a rough start to the first two months at the domestic box office this year. The weekend also saw MGM's expansion of Fighting with My Family, which debuted at the lower end of industry expectations, while Roadside's Run the Race found itself within the top ten from just 853 locations.

With an estimated $55.5 million, Universal's release of the DreamWorks Animation title How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World delivered not only the #1 movie at this weekend's box office, but the largest debut of the year so far, surpassing Glass by more than $15 million. The opening is also the largest debut in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, topping the $49.4 million opening for How to Train Your Dragon 2 back in 2014. The film's overall domestic performance so far totals over $58 million once you include the $2.5 million it brought in from an exclusive Fandango event earlier this month. The question now is to wonder how the film will perform from here.

Following a $43.7 million opening, the first film went on to gross over $217.5 million in 2010, a nearly 5x multiplier. The second film, while still strong, mustered a 3.58x multiple and just over $177 million for its domestic run. Like its predecessors, Hidden World received an "A" CinemaScore and was well received by critics, earning a 91% score at RottenTomatoes. One interesting note is this is the first film in the franchise to play to an audience that skewed more male than female, albeit by a small margin, with males making up 51% of the opening weekend audience compared to 45% and 47% for the last two films. It also skewed slightly younger with 39% of the overall audience coming in aged 25 or older compared to 51% and 44% for its predecessors respectively.

Looking ahead, Using the multipliers for the first two films gives us a range anywhere from $198 million to as much as $277+ million and the film does face genre competition in the relatively near future with Wonder Park opening in three weeks. That said, a $200+ million domestic performance feels like a sure bet at this point, which is great news for Universal with their first release since acquiring DreamWorks Animation back in 2016 for $3.8 billion not to mention Hidden World carries the lowest price tag among the three films in the franchise, coming in with a reported budget of $129 million vs. $165 million for the original and $145 million for the first sequel.


Khloé Kardashian Is Pissed About Rumors That She's Going to Be the Next Bachelorette
Khloé and Kim Kardashian just shut down rumors that Khloé is being considered to be the next Bachelorette.
Both Khloé and Kim got into a Twitter feud with Bachelor show creator Mike Fleiss.
Of course, this is all amid the Jordyn Woods/Tristan Thompson cheating scandal, and Khloé is "still hurt."
Amid all the drama of the Jordyn Woods/Tristan Thompson cheating scandal, this week rumors also popped up that Khloé Kardashian might be the next Bachelorette.
Bachelor show creator Mike Fleiss began tweeting about the possibility a couple days ago, saying that Khloé was "very much in contention" and implying that he had plans to speak with Kris Jenner about it.
Sooo...looks like Khloé won't be the next Bachelorette!


Michael Jordan's Basketball Card sells for $350,100 Breaks eBay Record!
Long before the days of likes, follows and mentions, people did simple things to pass the time like collect cards of their favorite sports players. While collecting cards may not be as popular as it once was, there are still people who value the age-old practice and will pay a pretty penny to own rare collectible cards. 

Thanks to eBay, everyone has the opportunity to auction off their personal items for profit or buy items that they deem valuable. 

Recently, the winning bid of $350,100 for a rare Michael Jordan basketball card broke eBay records for the most expensive basketball card ever sold through the site. The green, foil textured, metallic and holographic card is one of ten from the original Chicago Bull’s legends 1997-1998 precious metal gems collection. 

This sale marks the highest price any Jordan card has ever sold for. Cards for other legendary players such as Scottie Pippen, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Grant Hill, and Antoine Walker saw impressive bids as well. The buyer remains anonymous, but we think it’s safe to say that the buyer is someone who wants to hold close the memories of all the awesome things that happened in the 80’s and 90’s. If  you collected anything as a kid, it may be time to check your old boxes to see if you are sitting on something that could sell for some serious cash.


Oscars 2019 Show Increases In Viewership from 2018 by 12%!
The 2019 Oscars ratings are in, and viewership grew by 12% from last year!

The ABC broadcast totaled 29.7 million viewers, compared to the 2018 telecast, which brought in 26.5 million viewers. To offer additional comparison, the 2019 Grammys had 9.7 million viewers and the 2019 Golden Globes had 11.0 million viewers.

This year’s show featured a major change from last year. This year, the Academy went forward without a host and just had a lot of celebrity presenters take the stage throughout the evening to move the show along.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘SHORTS OR NO SHORTS?’
Are you wearing pants? Are those the flesh colored leggings that should be outlawed? I don’t know, and you see, therein lies the problem.


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

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

You’re Welcome!


HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM

Followers