2/4/19

The Daily Buzz For Feb 5 ☕📰☕


Chris Hemsworth covers the March 2019 Issue of Men's Health
Covering the March 2019 issue of Men's Health, actor Chris Hemsworth connects with photographer Steven Chee. Hemsworth promotes his fitness app Centr, as well as discussing his own physique. Asked if he feels pressure to maintain the body that made him famous, Hemsworth responds, It comes hand in hand with the roles I play, but look, occasionally you'll see paparazzi poking out of the bushes and you're like, How's my rig look? Am I on point, or have I slacked off lately? I maintain my fitness because it makes me feel better.
Discussing if age will impact his future film roles, Hemsworth shares, It's about whether the story interests me, to be totally honest. I grew up watching the Tom Cruise model of films that are fun, entertaining, and then squeezing in a few themes that speak to different parts of yourself, your personality, or your soul. Read more at MensHealth.com


#RHoA: What’s The Tea Here☕? Did Lisa Vanderpump Steal PUMP From NeNe Leakes?
Sources close to Lisa Vanderpump are speaking out after a controversial interview from NeNe Leakes.
After the Real Housewives of Atlanta star told Jenny McCarthy on her Sirius XM radio show that Vanderpump convinced her not to buy the Santa Monica Boulevard location where her hotspot PUMP now resides, an insider linked to the landlord of PUMP told the Daily Mail that Vanderpump did “nothing wrong.”

“The landlord of the SUR headquarters is the same landlord as the Pump Restaurant, so the Vanderpumps were well aware of this premises as it sits on the most prominent corner of West Hollywood and had been available for years,” the source explained.

According to the insider, Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, weren’t informed about the property by Leakes. Instead, they were well aware of its existence as they’ve always kept an eye out for potential restaurant spaces in the area of West Hollywood.
The source also pointed out that it was suspicious that Leakes waited until now to share her accusations against the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star.

‘It bewilders us that these egregious claims have surfaced six years later,” the insider said.
Lisa Vanderpump purchased PUMP years ago and opened the restaurant’s doors in May 2014.
Vanderpump was targeted by NeNe Leakes at the end of last week on The Jenny McCarthy Show. During the appearance, Leakes slammed her fellow Real Housewives star for doing “some real foul s**t to me.”
Leakes said that during her time living in Los Angeles with husband Gregg Leakes, which took place when she was starring on NBC’s The New Normal, she and Gregg were driving around Los Angeles and came across the restaurant space. Although the Leakes family considered purchasing the restaurant and opening it as their own, Leakes said she was talked out of doing so by the Los Angeles-based restaurateur who warned her about the alleged “piece of crap” property.

“[Lisa] said, “Oh darling, darling, it’s a piece of crap and they’re charging so much for it, darling,”‘ Leakes explained. “She talked me off of it and then went and got it. … That’s so f***ed up.”
While Vanderpump has been on social media in the days since Leakes’ allegations against her were shared, she has not yet responded to claims of stealing PUMP from her fellow reality star.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premieres on Tuesday, February 12 at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV.


#Empire: Taraji P. Henson Speaks out On Jussie Smollett Attack: ‘Hate Won’t Win’
“Empire” co-star Taraji P. Henson responds to the recent attack against Jussie Smollett in an interview on the “Today” show.
Taraji P. Henson knows her “Empire” co-star Jussie Smollett will be OK after he reportedly experienced a racist and homophobic attack last week. 
“Life is spiritual warfare, and we’re seeing it right before our very eyes. You just have to stay close to what you know,” Henson said Monday morning on the “Today” show.

“Jussie is love. That’s who he is. And that’s all he knows,” she added. “In this situation, hate won’t win. It will not.”
Smollett, a gay black actor who plays the character Jamal Lyon on Fox’s “Empire,” reported he was attacked in Chicago last week by two unidentified masked men. Chicago police told HuffPost that the men began “yelling out racial and homophobic slurs” before physically attacking the Smollett. The assailants “poured an unknown chemical substance,” possibly bleach, on him, police said, and one of the men wrapped a rope around his neck. 

The “Empire” actor told police in a follow-up interview his attackers yelled “MAGA country” after the assault, referring to President Donald Trump’s slogan “Make American Great Again.” 
Henson told “The Today Show’s” Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb that she gave Smollett a very simple piece of advice when she spoke to him later.
“Just stay the Jussie that everybody loves, and you saw the outpour of love that he had. He has touched a lot of people in his career,” she said. “So I just told him, just walk in your truth baby. No one can take that from you.”

Chicago police and FBI are investigating the assault as a possible hate crime, and are collecting video and looking for potential witnesses.  

Smollett spoke out for the first time since the assault in a Friday statement.
“Let me start by saying that I’m OK,” Smollett told Essence. “My body is strong but my soul is stronger. More importantly I want to say thank you. The outpouring of love and support from my village has meant more than I will ever be able to truly put into words.”
He also addressed skepticism about his account, saying he has been “100 percent factual and consistent on every level” with authorities. 

“Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread,” he said, “I still believe that justice will be served.”


#MusicNews: Brian McKnight Reveals Upcoming Album “Bedtime Story”
Legendary R&B singer Brian McKnight has been one of the most active in the genre when it comes to releasing new music in recent years, and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

In a recent post via his Instagram account, McKnight revealed that his upcoming fourteenth album is titled “Bedtime Story”, and will release this June. In addition, he will be releasing a new single next month on February 22nd.
For the new album, it appears he will be working with veteran producer Tim Kelley once again. The pair collaborated on his previous album “Genesis”, where Kelley handled the bulk of the production. He was also the producer on McKnight’s previous single “’42 (Grown Up Tipsy)”. Not only will that song presumably end up on “Bedtime Story”, but it was also one of our favorite R&B songs of 2018, ending up on our year end list.

Prior to releasing “Genesis” in 2017, Brian McKnight gave us “Better” in 2016 and “More Than Words” in 2013. It’s great to see that he’s flexing so much creativity as an independent artist and as inspired as ever. Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming project.


#HipHopNews: Cardi B, Killer Mike, Offset, Meek Mill & More Support 21 Savage Following ICE Arrest
The rap community is rallying around 21 Savage after he was arrested by ICE on Sunday morning (February 3). The 26-year-old Atlanta resident is allegedly from the U.K. and has been in the United States illegally for the past 13 years.

21 was riding around with fellow rapper Young Nudy and two other men when they were pulled over. Although Nudy was law enforcement’s original target, once APD officers ran 21’s government name – Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph — he was placed into custody.
According to a statement from ICE, “Mr. Abraham-Joseph initially entered the U.S. legally in July 2005, but subsequently failed to depart under the terms of his nonimmigrant visa and he became unlawfully present in the U.S. when his visa expired in July 2006.

“In addition to being in violation of federal immigration law, Mr. Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in October 2014 in Fulton County, Georgia.”
The I Am > I Was artist is currently facing deportation. Despite the serious nature of the situation, social media has turned 21 into a giant meme.

Killer Mike, Cardi B, Meek Mill, Offset, Vince Staples and Swizz Beatz are just a few of the many artists who have come to 21’s defense.


'Young and the Restless' star Kristoff St. John has DIED at 52!
"Young and the Restless" star Kristoff St. John has died at age 52.
His attorney Mark Geragos confirmed the actor's death, saying in an email: "Sadly we can confirm."
The LA County Department of the Medical Examiner-Coroner Public Information Officer Sarah Ardalani said that St. John was pronounced dead at a home in Woodland Hills on Sunday.

Ardalani confirmed that an autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
Officer Rosario Cervantes, of the LAPD, said police responded to an incident Sunday in the San Fernando Valley area where a person was pronounced dead. She could not confirm the name of the deceased.
“We did respond yesterday at 2:05 p.m. on Morea Way for a possible alcohol overdose and that’s going to be a coroner's case,” Cervantes said.
St. John had played the character of Neil Winters since 1991 on the long-running CBS daytime soap opera.

The actor was nominated nine times for Daytime Emmy Awards, and he won 10 NAACP Image Awards.
He also had roles in the 1990s on a variety of sitcoms, including "Martin," "The Cosby Show," "Living Single" and "The Jamie Foxx Show."
St. John's son, Julian St. John, died of an apparent suicide in 2014 while in a mental health facility.
On Jan. 21, St. John retweeted a tweet about the loss of a child that reads: "Grieving the loss of a child is a process. It begins on the day your child passes, and ends the day the parent joins them."

He also responded to the tweet, writing: "Never a truer word was spoke. Thanks for posting this."
The actor took a leave of absence from "Y & R" in October 2017 to undergo psychiatric treatment after a reported scare with regards to his mental health, according to Entertainment Weekly.
"No parent should ever have to bury their child, and for those who do, it is a nightmare that haunts you forever," ex-wife Mia St. John said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight that month. "The death of our beloved son Julian, has taken a toll on both of us. He is an actor and while he may appear whole on the outside, his heart is broken. As a society we need to start taking mental health seriously and realize that no one is immune."

St. John was set to be wed, announcing in September that he was engaged to model Kseniya Mikhaleva. He posted a photo of the engagement ring with the caption “She said yes."
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown reacted to the news of his death Monday on social media, mourning her fellow actor friend.
"No!!! This news has truly broken my heart," Brown tweeted. "Kristoff was pure & so kind. I will never forget how wonderful he was to me and everyone else he came into contact with. He was just a good, good man."

"My heart is with the family and loved ones of Kristoff St. John. Sending you strength and healing," Hunter wrote. "May he be met with the comforting arms of his beloved son and may their gentle souls rest together for eternity."
Vivica A. Fox shared her feelings on social media about St. John, posting a photo of the two of them on Instagram.
Jemele Hill also tweeted out her reaction to the news: "This is just heartbreaking. Kristoff St. John’s character was so revolutionary because he & @victoriarowell represented the only black family on Y&R, the no. 1 soap. Kristoff is appreciated and will be sorely missed."


Demi Lovato Deletes Her Twitter Account After Her Comments About 21 Savage Spark Backlash
On Sunday night during the 2019 Super Bowl when Demi Lovato made a comment about the rapper 21 Savage. 21 Savage, whose real name is  Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was arrested on Sunday morning by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) for reportedly overstaying his visa. He faces a possibility of deportation. He was reportedly born on the island of Dominica, which was a British colony.

News of 21 Savage’s arrest quickly spread over social media and subsequently became a meme. Lovato wrote on Twitter Sunday afternoon, “So far 21 savage memes have been my favorite part of the Super Bowl.”
People immediately began calling her out, including Offset, who sort of seemed to subtweet her. “ALL THE MEMES AND S–T AINT FUNNY WHEN SOMEBODY GOING THROUGH SOME,” the Migos rapper wrote. “PRAYING FOR MY DAWG AINT S–T FUNNY HIS FANILY [sic] DEPENDING ON HIM.
The 26-year-old singer tried defending and clarifying herself in later tweets, but it wasn’t enough to calm the criticism.
“If you’re gonna come at me for making a joke, try coming at me with some original not involving drugs,” she wrote.

Lovato said in another message, “F–k Twitter. This is why I don’t tweet anymore.”


Rami Malek Says Bryan Singer Was ‘Not Pleasant’ to Work With
Rami Malek, who recently claimed that Freddie Mercury’s ghost helped produce Bohemian Rhapsody, has finally spoken out about the allegations of sexual abuse against director Bryan Singer. While speaking at the Santa Barbara film festival, Malek said that his working relationship with Singer was “not pleasant, not at all,” which tracks. Singer was famously fired from Bohemian Rhapsody before production was complete for his on-set blowups with Malek, during which he angrily threw a piece of electrical equipment at no one in particular.

Malek also addressed the allegations against Singer, which were recently detailed by The Atlantic — although his comments seem to specifically speak to anyone uncomfortable with Bohemian Rhapsody in the wake of these accusations. “For anyone who is seeking any solace in all of this,” Malek said, as reported by The Guardian. “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.”
In January, Malek told the LA Times that the allegations against Singer were “honestly something I was not aware of” and that he never wanted “to take away from Freddie’s story. I think that puts a button on it in a number of ways." But in the weeks since The Atlantic’s story has been published, it’s clear that those tied to Bohemian Rhapsody can’t put a button on Singer’s involvement with the film — not if they want to win an Oscar, at least.

“My heart goes out to anyone who has to live through anything like what I’ve heard and what is out there,” said Malek. “It’s awful, it’s remarkable that this happens, I can appreciate so much what they’ve been through and how difficult this must be for them. In the light of the #MeToo era, that this somehow seems to exist after that, it’s a horrible thing.”


The Kardashian Sisters Awarded $10 Million in Cosmetics Lawsuit
The super-rich are getting super-richer ... the Kardashian sisters are celebrating like Tom Brady Monday morning after winning $10 million in a legal war over a cosmetics line ... TMZ has learned.
According to docs, Kourtney, Khloe and Kim Kardashian emerged victorious over Hillair Capital Management ... which had sued the sisters nearly 3 years ago. As we first reported, Hillair claimed the sisters didn't hold up their end of a licensing deal ... after it sunk $10 mil into a "Kardashian Beauty" line with Haven.

The K sisters didn't take that lying down -- insisting they had nothing to do with "Kardashian Beauty" -- and the case ended up in arbitration. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, a 3 judge panel completely rejected Hillair's claims and ordered the company to pay Kim and co. nearly $7.4 mil. It also has to fork over another $3.2 mil in interest.

The Kardashians' attorneys don't think Hillair will just cut a check. They've filed the arbitration decision in L.A. Superior Court to get the $10 mil award locked in, but according to the docs ... they fully expect Hillair to fight the decision.


Gladys Knight's national anthem costs betting company BetOnline.AG Dearly!
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Gladys Knight's rendition of the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Sunday caused a headache for one sports betting company after the singer extended the end of the song, the length of which had drawn intense wagering interest.
BetOnline.AG had set the length of the song, which ends with the word "brave," at one minute and 50 seconds and Knight completed singing the word at one minute and 49 seconds.

But after a pause she sang the word again and was clocked at one minute, 53 seconds.
While some companies chose to pay out the over and others the under on the bet, BetOnline.ag said they would pay out both sides, losing an estimated six-figures on the bet, the company said.

Money wagered on the length of the national anthem is by far the largest pre-game proposition bet, far exceeding the coin toss and others combined, the company said.


WATCH: Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Super Bowl Trailer 
Marvel Studios offered fans an exciting new look at the Avengers: Endgame trailer before the highly anticipated film opens in theaters on April 26, 2019.

Watch HERE
Watch the full trailer for Avengers: Endgame here.


Cardi B Continues Beef With Tomi Lahren: ‘Don’t Make Me Get My Leash’
Cardi B took a new shot at Tomi Lahren in their on-going feud on Monday after the Fox Nation host shared an article that appeared to celebrate the arrest and possible deportation of rapper 21 Savage. “Don’t make me get my leash,” the rapper said in a tweet which — although sent late Sunday night — still managed to rack up tens of thousands of retweets by Monday morning. The tweet from Cardi B is a call back to an earlier shot she took at to Lahren last month when the rapper warned that she would “dog walk” the Fox News personality. That post had nearly 200,000 retweets and the rapper was even offered a job with National Spokesperson for Media Matters for America — a left-wing media watchdog group which mostly targets Fox News. 

The two have traded jabs on Twitter in the past — with Lahren dismissing Cardi as a lightweight whose political views did not merit being taken seriously. “Looks like @iamcardib is the latest genius political mind to endorse the Democrats. HA! Keep it up, guys! #MAGA2020,” Lahren said in the tweet which immediately precipitated the dog walking incident. A rep for Lahren’s at Fox News did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap on the latest escalation, but Lahren did address her feud with Cardi B on “Fox & Friends” in January.

“Viewers can look up on Urban Dictionary what dog walking someone means but to put it simply, it’s to severely beat somebody up. So we go from a political disagreement to I want to hurt you,” she said. And while Lahren may not be a fan of what Cardi thinks — one person who is, is the rapper’s old history teacher, Joan Hill, who said in a recent Facebook post that her former student could pack a punch. “For those of you on my feed who are trashing Cardi B for representing a political voice a) she probably scored higher than you on the US History regents exam and was in my AP govt class b) you’re not nearly as busy as her, and what have you done to advance political discourse in this country? c) She has a national platform and is using it to speak about things that are important… why can’t we respect that? d) STFU and take a seat,” Hill said in the post.

 Cardi B has a long history of making her political opinions known and in past interviews has said her favorite president was Franklin D. Roosevelt. “He helped us get over the Depression, all while he was in a wheelchair. Like, this man was suffering from polio at the time of his presidency, and yet all he was worried about was trying to make America great-make America great again for real,” she told GQ last April. “He’s the real ‘Make America Great Again,’ because if it wasn’t for him, old people wouldn’t even get Social Security.” 

Cardi B took a new shot at Tomi Lahren in their on-going feud on Monday after the Fox Nation host shared an article that appeared to celebrate the arrest and possible deportation of rapper 21 Savage.
“Don’t make me get my leash,” the rapper said in a tweet which — although sent late Sunday night — still managed to rack up tens of thousands of retweets by Monday morning.
The tweet from Cardi B is a call back to an earlier shot she took at to Lahren last month when the rapper warned that she would “dog walk” the Fox News personality. That post had nearly 200,000 retweets and the rapper was even offered a job with National Spokesperson for Media Matters for America — a left-wing media watchdog group which mostly targets Fox News.
The two have traded jabs on Twitter in the past — with Lahren dismissing Cardi as a lightweight whose political views did not merit being taken seriously.

“Looks like @iamcardib is the latest genius political mind to endorse the Democrats. HA! Keep it up, guys! #MAGA2020,” Lahren said in the tweet which immediately precipitated the dog walking incident.
A rep for Lahren’s at Fox News did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap on the latest escalation, but Lahren did address her feud with Cardi B on “Fox & Friends” in January.
“Viewers can look up on Urban Dictionary what dog walking someone means but to put it simply, it’s to severely beat somebody up. So we go from a political disagreement to I want to hurt you,” she said.

And while Lahren may not be a fan of what Cardi thinks — one person who is, is the rapper’s old history teacher, Joan Hill, who said in a recent Facebook post that her former student could pack a punch.
“For those of you on my feed who are trashing Cardi B for representing a political voice a) she probably scored higher than you on the US History regents exam and was in my AP govt class b) you’re not nearly as busy as her, and what have you done to advance political discourse in this country? c) She has a national platform and is using it to speak about things that are important… why can’t we respect that? d) STFU and take a seat,” Hill said in the post.

Cardi B has a long history of making her political opinions known and in past interviews has said her favorite president was Franklin D. Roosevelt.
“He helped us get over the Depression, all while he was in a wheelchair. Like, this man was suffering from polio at the time of his presidency, and yet all he was worried about was trying to make America great-make America great again for real,” she told GQ last April. “He’s the real ‘Make America Great Again,’ because if it wasn’t for him, old people wouldn’t even get Social Security.”


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘BIA BIA’
I’m so bad at seeing red flags that I’m about to ask her out on a date.


EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Mr Growler
Meet Mr Growler! 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

2/3/19

The Daily Buzz For Feb 4 ☕📰☕


Essence Sets 2019 Black Women in Hollywood Honorees
Essence will honor four actresses at its forthcoming annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards. The honorees are Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk) and Regina Hall (Support the Girls).

The Oscar-week luncheon will take place Feb. 21 at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills.
In acknowledging this year’s slate of Black Women in Hollywood honorees, Essence chief creative and content officer MoAna Luu stated, “We are proud to salute the marvelous work and stunning achievements of our awardees who, as a collective presence, are challenging perceptions and impacting social change. Through their craft and commitment to causes, Amandla, Jenifer, Kiki and Regina represent the dynamic intersection of art and activism that is influencing how we shape our own destiny.”

Essence’s film-noir themed content throughout awards season — including digital profiles and the debut of four customized magazine covers — will feature each honoree. The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards is presented by The Ford Motor Company and sponsored by AT&T.


The New England Patriots Are Super Bowl Champions Again, Beat The Rams 13-3
In a testament to the enduring power of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots emerged victorious in Super Bowl LIII for the team's sixth championship victory since 2002.
The Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in a slow-moving game with the lowest total score in Super Bowl history. That means the oldest quarterback-coach duo in Super Bowl history has defeated the youngest duo, Jared Goff and Sean McVay.

"[The Patriots] played like champions," Belichick said. "Everybody counted us out from the beginning of the season, the mid-season, but we're still here."
Wide receiver Julian Edelmen was named Super Bowl LIII MVP, after a remarkable showing with 149 yards and 10 receptions.

"It was an unbelievable year," Brady said after the game. "We fought through it more so than anything. It's unbelievable to win this game."
For the second time in as many decades, the Super Bowl featured a David versus Goliath clash between the Patriots and the Rams — but this time, the teams had swapped roles. The Rams weren't the big, bad favorites they were back in 2002, the last time they met the Patriots on the NFL's biggest stage. And the Patriots didn't stride onto the field as the lovable underdogs they were when Tom Brady was just a blushing sophomore.

These days, the Rams hail from Los Angeles, Brady's Hall of Fame career is old enough to vote and the question on the minds of everyone outside New England before the big game was some variation on the following: Could the Patriots please quit winning already?
As it turns out, no. At the outset, pressure from the LA defense looked like it could pose an insurmountable challenge to quarterback Brady. That proved not to be the case.

The Patriots put the first points on the board with a second-quarter field goal, answered in the third-quarter by the Rams. But the teams went the first three quarters of the game without a touchdown — a first in Super Bowl history.
Viewers complained about the low-scoring game, while commentators suggested that Rams kicker Johnny Hekker's record for the longest punt in Super Bowl history – at 65 yards – was the most exciting part of an otherwise incredibly boring night.

And then the Patriots scored the first touchdown of the game. An impressive 29-yard catch by tight end Rob Gronkowski brought the Pats within scoring distance, and running back Sony Michel sealed the deal with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Any hopes for a comeback by the Rams were more or less dashed by a Stephen Gostkowski field goal for the Patriots in the closing minutes of the game.
"Coach Belichick did an outstanding job," said McVay after his team's loss. "There's really no other way to put it. You know, I'm pretty numb right now, but definitely I got out-coached."


The Patriots are now tied for most Super Bowl victories with the Pittsburgh Steelers — six apiece. It's their second victory in three years. And although the game was the lowest scoring in Super Bowl history, it was also the highest margin of victory for New England in any Super Bowl.


#RHOA: Seriously? Nene Leakes Reveals She Turned Down 'Celebrity Big Brother'
Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes could’ve been pulling double reality television duty this winter season. The mother-of-two revealed on Saturday, February 2 that she was approached to do the 2nd season of Celebrity Big Brother but turned it down! Read on to find out why she said no.

NeNe spoke exclusively with Entertainment Tonight about why she didn't go on CBB and why she was "surprised" her RHOA costar Kandi Burruss did.
"I was surprised that she went on the show, because they asked me to go on and I said no," she shared. "I was surprised that Kandi took it. She is more of a game player than me. I'm not really that girl. I don't want to be away from my phone and locked up and sleeping with people that I don't know, because I didn't know who I was going to enter the house with."

"You have to be in a room with other people and then the cameras are watching you except for when you are on the potty and in the shower. They watch you brush your teeth, they watch you do a lot and I just don't want them to watch me do everything," NeNe explained of why she said no to being on CBB. "I don't want to be watched."
NeNe appears to be more team Tamar Braxton than Kandi on CBB. "I caught an episode, and I saw Tamar (Braxton) and I was like, 'Well, looks like Tamar's the one doing well.' It looked like Tamar was carrying her a little bit,"NeNe said about the former Real host.

"(Stirring stuff up} is what Tamar (does). That's why they need her in the house. She is coming there to shake things up," NeNe continued while also adding that she thinks the "Love & War" singer will win CBB when all is said and done on Wednesday February 13th.

Do you think Kandi or Tamar has a better shot at winning CBB?


#Empire: Jussie Smollett returns to stage at The Troubadour in Hollywood for the 1st time since Attack!
WEST HOLLYWOOD, California -- Jussie Smollett was blunt, emotional and defiantly determined Saturday night at a Southern California concert some urged him not to play, telling the crowd before singing a note that he had to go on with the show because he couldn't let his attackers win.
"The most important thing I can say is 'thank you so much, and I'm OK," said the "Empire" actor and R&B singer from the stage at the Troubadour in West Hollywood in his first public appearance since he reported to police in Chicago on Tuesday that two masked men had assaulted him and put a rope around his neck while using homophobic and racial slurs.

"I'm not fully healed yet," said Smollett, who is black and openly gay, "but I'm going to be, and I'm gonna stand strong with y'all."
The concert had been planned long before the incident, and his family members and others had urged him to postpone it.

But Smollett said he couldn't do that. "I had to be here tonight, y'all. I couldn't let those (expletives) win," he said to screams and cheers from the packed room of about 400 people. "I will always stand for love. I will only stand for love."
His small band then launched into an upbeat song and he broke into dance, wearing a simple white buttoned shirt, white sneakers and black jeans, shuffling across the front of the stage and at times standing defiantly with a fist in the air.

Smollett kept the tone mostly celebratory through his hour-long set before addressing the attack head-on toward the end of his hour-long set, when he told the crowd he wanted to clarify a few things.
He said he was bruised but his ribs were not cracked. He went straight to the doctor but was not hospitalized, and physicians in both Chicago and Los Angeles cleared him to play but told him to be careful.
"And above all, I fought the (expletive) back," he said to cheers.
Then he paused and said, emphatically but with a laugh, "I'm the gay Tupac."

WATCH HERE

Fan Monique Davis said after the show that she was shocked he spoke so bluntly and directly about the incident, but she's glad he did.
"It was amazing, it was emotional, it was inspiring," Davis said. "He showed everyone in the room he was strong."

Smollett told police the men attacked him as he walked home in Chicago early Tuesday, throwing a chemical substance at him in addition to shouting slurs and putting the rope around his neck.
Surveillance video captured potential persons of interest in the attack on 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett , Chicago police said Wednesday afternoon.
No arrests have been made, and police have not found surveillance video of the attack, though they found footage of Smollett walking home with the rope around his neck.

Smollett had made his first public comments about the incident on Friday in a written statement that said he had been "consistent on every level" with the police during their investigation, countering comments on social media saying he had changed his story and been uncooperative with investigators.
Chicago police also said Smollett has been cooperative and they have found no reason to think he's not being genuine.
Smollett stars alongside Terence and Taraji P. Henson in "Empire," the Fox TV show about the power struggles of a family in the music business that is now in its fifth season. The series has allowed Smollett to play, sing and occasionally write music in addition to acting.
Last year he released a solo album, "Sum of My Music, which made up much of Saturday night's set, along with songs from "Empire."
He often sits at the piano on the show but stood front and center at the microphone at the Troubadour, the legendary Los Angeles club that helped launch the careers of James Taylor, the Eagles and Elton John.
He was joined in jubilant dance by his family members during his encore.
Earlier, they had taken the stage and voiced their support before he came on.

"To be honest, as his big brother, I wanted him to sit this one out," Joel Smollett Jr. said. "But we realized this night is an important part of Jussie's healing. He's been a fighter since he was a baby. He fought his attackers that night, and he continues to fight."


#NewMusicVideo from Amerie ‘Curious’
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Months after releasing her two EPs, Amerie has dropped a stunning video for “Curious,” which is lifted from her latest EP 4AM Mulholland.
Much like a Victoria Secret commercial, Amerie gets dressed in a retro bra and high waist panty set and stars as the beautiful model. She poses for a few glamour shots as she sings the sensual lyrics.

WATCH HERE

4AM Mulholland and After 4AM is the follow-up to Amerie’s 2016 EP, Drive.


#HipHopNews: ICE arrests rapper 21 Savage, says he's illegally present in US
Grammy-nominated rapper 21 Savage was arrested in Atlanta early Sunday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to ICE spokesperson Bryan Cox. The agency says he is illegally present in the United States.

ICE says that the rapper, whose real name is Shayaabin Abraham-Joseph, is a citizen of the United Kingdom, according to Cox. The agency alleges that he entered the US legally in July 2005, when he was a minor, but subsequently failed to depart under the terms of his nonimmigrant visa. ICE says Abraham-Joseph became unlawfully present when his visa expired in July 2006.
"Mr. Abraham-Joseph is presently in ICE custody in Georgia and has been placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts," ICE said in a statement. "ICE will now await the outcome of his case before a federal immigration judge to determine future actions."
An attorney for Abraham-Joseph said his representatives were working to secure his release.
"We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with the authorities to clear up any misunderstandings," Dina LaPolt said in a statement to CNN. "Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in this country, especially in Atlanta, Georgia, and is actively working in the community leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy."
Abraham-Joseph was also convicted on felony drug charges in October 2014 in Fulton County, Georgia, ICE said.
Cox said Abraham-Joseph was arrested in a targeted sting.
21 Savage features on the song "Rockstar" by Post Malone, which was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap Performance at the Grammys.
ICE's allegation that Abraham-Joseph is British came as a shock to the artist's fans, as he is most closely associated with Atlanta and its music scene. He has said the "21" in his name is a reference to a street gang in Decatur, and his songs often refer to his past in East Atlanta's Zone 6. In "Bank Account," for example, he raps that he is "straight up out the 6."
The Atlanta-based rapper released his album "Issa Album" in 2017, featuring the hit song "Bank Account." His second album "I Am > I Was" was released in December 2018. He has also released a collaborative album with Offset and Metro Boomin named "Without Warning" in October 2017.

This is a developing story.


#RHOBH’ Star Lisa Vanderpump Responds to NeNe Leakes’ Restaurant Claim By Posing With Holy Father
Lisa Vanderpump is claiming innocence by posing with her Priest, seemingly slamming NeNe Leakes‘ claim that she stole the real estate that is now PUMP out from underneath the Atlanta housewife’s nose.

The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star shared a post smiling alongside the father and tagged herself at the West Hollywood restaurant, a subtle slam at NeNe who recently said it was her idea to put an eatery there.
“Having dinner with my priest 😍🙌🏻 #FatherGreg,” Vanderpump wrote.
This comes the same day that NeNe made headlines for finally revealing the duo’s beef — claiming she saw the high priced location first and divulged she was interested in purchasing and creating a restaurant there … but Vanderpump talked her out of it.
NeNe opened up about the situation on Friday during an appearance on Jenny McCarthy‘s SiriusXM show.
“We would ride down that West Hollywood area where all the gay bars are — and I have a large gay fan base — and I kept thinking ‘it would be so cool if I had a bar right in here somewhere,’” she said.

NeNe claims when she called Vanderpump with the idea, the BH housewife convinced her not to buy the property.
“She said, ‘Oh darling, darling, it’s a piece of crap and they’re charging so much for it darling,’” Leakes said. “She talked me off of it and then went and got it.”
Vanderpump ended up purchasing the real estate and opening PUMP in 2014.

This is the latest housewives drama surrounding the restaurant entrepreneur.

Earlier in the week, Kyle Richards slammed Vanderpump for missing Andy Cohen‘s baby shower, insinuating the only way to get her around the housewives is to bribe her with cash.


Bow Wow Parties With Jermaine Dupri and Diddy After Battery Arrest
Bow Wow wasn’t going to let a little thing like an arrest for allegedly getting into a fight with his ex-girlfriend ruin his Super Bowl weekend.
While his Saturday began hanging out with cops, it ended partying with Jermaine Dupri and Diddy at a club in Atlanta. He posted a video in the wee hours of Sunday morning of the three men hanging together and having a good time.

He captioned the video, “My pops @jermainedupri and my big homie @diddy f**king ATLANTA UP!!!!”

Bow Wow was arrested early Saturday morning after an alleged altercation with his ex-girlfriend (who was also arrested). Police said they “were unable to determine the primary aggressor of the altercation, so both parties” were charged with battery.
Bow Wow’s attorney released a statement saying witnesses would corroborate the rapper’s story that she was “without a doubt the primary aggressor.”
Bow Wow was released after posting $8,000 bail.


#BoxOfficeNews: 'Miss Bala' BOMBS as 'Glass' retains No. 1 spot at box office
With the distraction of the Super Bowl, freezing temperatures affecting large portions of North America and only one big new release in theaters in "Miss Bala," movie going audiences largely took the weekend off from the theaters in what is estimated to be the lowest-earning Super Bowl weekend in nearly two decades.

M. Night Shyamalan's "Glass" kept a fragile hold on the No. 1 spot for the third time while "The Upside" stayed in a close second on this sleepy box office weekend. Studios on Sunday estimate that "Glass" has earned an additional $9.5 million in ticket sales, bringing its total earnings to $88.7 million.

STX's "The Upside" added $8.9 million. The Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston film has held very well in its four weeks in theaters, never dropping more than 30 percent week to week. Its domestic grosses are already up to $75.6 million.
The weekend's only big newcomer, "Miss Bala," landed in third place with $6.7 million. Gina Rodriguez stars in the Catherine Hardwicke-directed actioner, which is a remake of a 2011 Mexican film. While on the lower end of projections for the Sony film, "Miss Bala" was also made for a modest $15 million. Still, with a dismal 27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, it will have its work cut out for itself to break even.

"The box office in 2019 hasn't gotten its groove back yet," said Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "Januarys by and large are not known as blockbuster months and that certainly has held true this year with the month being down 16 percent."
"Aquaman" slid into fourth place with $4.8 million and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" clung to fifth with $4.4 million.

Peter Jackson's World War I documentary "They Shall Not Grow Old" opened on 735 screens after a few single day showings to a robust $2.4 million, which was enough for it to crack the top 10. The Mads Mikkelsen survival thriller "Arctic" also opened in limited release to $56,463 from four locations.
The overall industry grosses from the weekend is estimated to be around $71 million. There hasn't been a worse-performing Super Bowl box office weekend since 2000.

"We've had certain movies hit it big on Super Bowl weekend," said Dergarabedian. "But it's all about momentum and we don't have it right now."
Some high earning Super Bowl weekend anomalies have included "Taken" and the "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert."
It's an undeniable cooling off period from the record 2018 year at the box office, but Dergarabedian said that, "The Calvary is on the way."

Next weekend, the sequel to "The LEGO Movie" opens nationwide.


Rihanna’s Brother Arrested on Assault Charges
Rihanna‘s brother was arrested this week for allegedly assaulting two people in Barbados.
The alleged incident took place on January 20, according to Barbados Today, when Rorrey Fenty allegedly assaulted Lee-Ann Lingo while on a party boat called the M.V. Dream Chaser.
On the same day, Fenty is accused of assaulting another person, Andrew Thornton, and he was charged with causing actual bodily harm.

Fenty appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty. He was granted $1,000 bail and will next be in court on June 6.
Rihanna has two brothers, Rorrey and Rajad (both younger than her), as well as two half-sisters and a half-brother from her father’s previous relationships.


#POLITICS: Will Governor Northam Resign? There were calls Sunday made night to his staff as to will he consider resignation, or not!
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) called an unscheduled senior staff meeting Sunday night just before the start of the Super Bowl, as the governor considered resigning after two days of defiance amid a controversy over racist photos in his medical school yearbook.
People familiar with the meeting said the governor had not reached a final decision about his fate. It was unclear who was there, besides that it involved senior staffers of color. But Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, who would become governor if Northam resigned, was not there, the people said.

Calling the Sunday night meeting was a clear signal of Northam’s effort to weigh support within the administration as he evaluates his options. Though he pledged on Saturday to stand his ground, he also said he would reconsider if he felt he could no longer be effective. Just a day later, resignation is an active consideration, the people said.
The meeting was emotional, according to a Democratic official. Northam scheduled a larger meeting for Monday morning for administration staff, the official said.

Before the meeting, Northam spent much of the day in seclusion at his family home on the Eastern Shore as confidantes delivered conflicting advice about whether he should resign or continue fighting to clear his name, according to people close to the governor.
Some of his strongest allies in Virginia’s Democratic Party took their calls for resignation to the national airwaves Sunday, arguing that the discovery of a racist photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page had made him unable to continue to lead the state.

Even within the circle of his staunchest defenders, there was debate about whether he should step down, according to one person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity. At least one senior staffer and one cabinet member have reached out to private firms about job possibilities, according to a person who was approached by the two.
One of those urging Northam to stay and defend his honor is First Lady Pam Northam, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Some supporters worked Sunday to track down evidence about the yearbook photo that they believed would prove Northam was not in the racist image, which showed two figures, one in blackface and the other in Ku Klux Klan robes, each holding a can of beer.
The uncertainty over what Northam would do next left Richmond in limbo Sunday. No Virginia governor has failed to complete his term since the Civil War, and the current crisis comes as the state officials would rather focus on two big anniversaries - the arrival of the first Africans and the first meeting of representative government, both in 1619.
Lawmakers met Sunday to work on the state budget in a somber climate of rumors and dismay. Northam is well-liked by Republicans and Democrats alike and had compiled a glittering list of accomplishments in his first year in office, but sentiment around the legislature was almost universal that he should step down.
Northam initially apologized Friday night after the racist image surfaced on the conservative web site Big League Politics, but reversed himself Saturday at a nationally televised press conference and insisted he was not in the photo.

After the press conference, in which he admitted another incident in which he wore blackface to imitate Michael Jackson at a dance contest in 1984, Democrats in the General Assembly and in Virginia’s congressional delegation intensified their calls for him to resign.
Northam stood his ground in calls to old friends and colleagues Saturday night, saying he intended to stay and fight, according to three people who received those calls. Among them was Sen. Richard Stuart (R-Stafford), a close friend and fishing buddy.

Stuart did not want to disclose what the governor told him. “But I can tell you I firmly believe that he is going to do everything he can to clear his name and do what he thinks is right in the face of this. I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” Stuart said.

Northam’s only public appearance Sunday was at his home church in Capeville on the Eastern Shore. The pastor at First Baptist Church - Kelvin Jones - is African American and had been in Richmond the day before to support Northam at the press conference.
Northam returned to Richmond Sunday afternoon. A small circle of staffers and trusted advisers has been helping him handle the crisis, including chief of staff Clark Mercer and Brian Coy, a former spokesman who was a holdover from the administration of former Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Fairfax (D), who had begun making preparations to take over as governor on Saturday when it seemed as though Northam might resign, spent Sunday with his family in Northern Virginia and returned to Richmond in the evening.
Party leaders, concerned that Northam will become a liability for 2020 Democratic hopefuls and threaten Democratic control of an important swing state, have been unrelenting in their demands that he step aside.

McAuliffe, who helped Northam win the state’s top office and under whom Northam served as lieutenant governor, said on Sunday that he was “heartbroken” over the discovery of the photo. But he said Northam’s insistence that he was not in the picture was irrelevant.
“It doesn’t matter whether he was in the photo, or not in the photo at this point,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We have to close that chapter.”
McAuliffe, a possible 2020 presidential contender, also defended Northam, saying he will be remembered for doing some great things, including helping McAuliffe restore the voting rights of Virginians who completed their sentences for felonies — many of whom are African American.

But McAuliffe said part of Northam’s legacy should be choosing “the right moral course for Virginia” and resigning.
Host Jake Tapper noted the nickname “Coonman” appeared in Northam’s Virginia Military Institute yearbook and cited other examples before asking McAuliffe if Northam is racist.
“I have zero indication of that,” he said.

On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), speaking as a member of Congressional Black Caucus leadership, said there is nothing Northam can do to convince him to give him more time in office.
“He’s lost the authority to lead,” said McEachin, who served in the Virginia Senate with Northam. “He’s lost the authority to govern. He has to resign. It’s in the best interest of the commonwealth. It’s in the best interest of the party.”

One Democratic official said the state party has had no contact with Northam since calling for him to step down on Saturday. Others said that Northam has lost the ability to lead even if he is not in the original photograph because of the way he flipped his story and because of his admission of the Michael Jackson incident.
The question of how the photo could have turned up on Northam’s page in the 1984 yearbook from Eastern Virginia Medical School without Northam’s knowledge remained a central mystery.
William Elwood, who helped lay out the school’s 1984 yearbook, said each student was responsible for submitting photos for his or her page in a sealed envelope
“Every student would provide them - some big envelopes, some small - with their names written on the outside, and we would keep them sealed until it was time to design that student’s page,” recalled Elwood, 68, a retired family practice and emergency-room doctor in Mississippi. “I don’t remember exactly after, but I think they were sealed up and given back” to the students, he said.

Elwood said he had served a tour in the Navy before college and so was 29 and more apt to hang out with a group of older students at Eastern Virginia. He said he didn’t know Northam EVMS or remember if he designed his yearbook page.
But the yearbook, he recalled, was a laborious project for seniors. Elwood had the time to help, he said, because he had taken a four-year path through medical school, giving him a lighter load his senior year.
Elwood said looking at the photo in recent days, he has believed it was likely done in jest. “People back then put on all kinds of costumes at parties,” he said. “I think it probably is a thing of humor more than politics or racist.”

But there was no excusing the photograph for Northam’s fellow Democrats, especially members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. Lamont Bagby, chair of the caucus, said despite his repeated calls for Northam to resign, impeachment isn’t publicly on the table yet.
“I encourage the governor to step aside so that we can start the healing process,” Bagby said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I’m not at a point where I want to publicly have a conversation about impeachment.”
Former Virginia congressman Jim Moran, a Democrat, emerged Sunday as the virtually the only person defending Northam and encouraged him to ride it out.

“I hate to be on the other side of virtually all of my friends on this,” he said on “This Week.”
“But I do disagree with their judgment because I think it is a rush to judgment before we know all of the facts and before we’ve considered all of the consequences,” Moran said.

Moran said Northam should be given a chance to redeem himself and invoked President Lyndon B. Johnson’s ability to work with conservative Republicans because of his background in Texas.
“No untarnished liberal from the North could ever have gotten the Great Society programs passed,” Moran said, “but he was able to work with his Southern colleagues because he knew where they were coming from. We still have a conservative Republican legislature and, frankly, I think that Ralph will have the highest motivation possible to bring us further away from this horrible past of racism.”

Then Moran brought up Robert C. Byrd, the long-serving senator from West Virginia, who was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1940s but, after many decades in the Senate, helped set aside land on the Mall for a memorial to Martin Luther King Jr.

“That’s the power of redemption,” Moran said.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS BABY’
She seems like the type that thought she pulled one over on the store by only paying $12 for that outfit that clearly has thousands of dollars on it.


EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Dillion The Cub
Meet Dillion! So you know what to do to see more. Just GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!

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

You’re Welcome!


HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!
EFREM

2/1/19

THE BOSS! Diana Ross to perform at The Grammys for her 75th Birthday salute! 💓🎤💓


THE BOSS! Diana Ross to perform at The Grammys for 75th for her Birthday salute!
Diana Ross will perform during the Grammy Awards show on Feb. 10, part of a yearlong celebration of her 75th birthday.
The Grammys, with host Alicia Keys, will air live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Ross performance was announced this morning by the Recording Academy.

The Detroit-born Ross, who will turn 75 on March 26, has launched a "Diamond Diana Celebration" for 2019, including a planned nationwide showing of her 1983 concert film, "Diana Ross: Live in Central Park." Screening dates have not been set.

A full-on Motown tribute show produced by the Grammys is also in the works for Feb. 12 in L.A., as the label marks its 60th anniversary.

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