The Beatles Like You've Never Seen Before for GQ Hype!
The Beatles like this before’: Peter Jackson on his epic Get Back docuseries. Filmed a year before their split, the infamous documentary Let It Be presented a band fissured by acrimony. It would be 25 years before the history of John, Paul, George and Ringo began to be revisited, retold and remastered, but only now will the truth about that studio session in January 1969 be seen. In his first interview about The Beatles: Get Back, a series of revelatory new films cut from the same rushes, director Peter Jackson reveals how far from the edge the Fab Four really were
It doesn’t matter how much you turn off your mind, relax and float downstream, because there is nothing that’s going to prepare you for the The Beatles: Get Back, Peter Jackson’s colossal Let It Be reboot.
For any self-respecting Beatles nut, this must surely count as one of the final mop-top Holy Grails, right up there with an official release of the last important unreleased studio track, “Carnival Of Light”, and the preliminary work the band did on the proposed film version of Joe Orton’s Up Against It.
Ever since the project was officially announced, at the start of 2019, expectations have been feverish, though any anxieties were assuaged when Jackson released a six-minute teaser last December, in which we saw John, Paul, George and Ringo mucking about in the studio, laughing and japing and generally acting like friends, mates, people who still liked each other – enormously.
I have seen over an hour of the completed series of three two-hour films and can confirm that, as has already been suggested, The Beatles: Get Back is indeed a counter-narrative to the glum Let It Be and an experience that will leave even the most indolent Beatles fan smiling from Blue Meanie ear to Blue Meanie ear.
The films are yet another example of how Apple Corps has turned The Beatles into the quintessential heritage act, a journey that started way back in the 1990s with “The Beatles Anthology” project.
It was perhaps fitting that 1995 was the year Britpop peaked, not with the ascendency of yet another band trying to swim in the wake of The Beatles, but with The Beatles themselves. On 4 December, EMI finally released “Free As A Bird”, a song originally written and recorded in 1977 as a home demo by John Lennon, adapted by the remaining Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Although Lennon had died in 1980, Starr said the three of them agreed they would pretend John had “gone for lunch” or for a “cup of tea”.
The single was released as part of the promotion for The Beatles’ Anthology video documentary series and the Anthology 1 compilation, the first of three double albums containing outtakes and alternative versions of familiar songs from their recording career. The first album included material from the band’s days as The Quarrymen, the famous Decca audition tape and sessions from the Beatles For Sale album. There were recordings from their days in Hamburg, as well as their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, which introduced them to American teenagers.
And for The Beatles it couldn’t have come at a better time, because as soon as Anthology 1 charted above Oasis’ (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (the second-biggest album of the year), The Beatles were suddenly cool again. Possibly even cooler than Oasis and definitely cooler than any other band flying under the Britpop umbrella. “The Beatles Anthology” was basically Beatlemania II.
Nineteen ninety-five was the year in which The Beatles had a full-on resurrection, although they were only partly responsible for it themselves. While the “Anthology” project certainly reignited interest in the band, The Beatles were also a fundamental part of the Britpop DNA and hence unavoidable. Plus, Ian MacDonald’s 1994 book, Revolution In The Head: The Beatles’ Records And The Sixties, had given them the kind of critical reevaluation that was hard to ignore. “A sunny optimism permeated everything and possibilities seemed limitless,” he wrote. “The Beatles were at their peak and were looked up to in awe as arbiters of a positive new age in which the dead customs of the older generation would be refreshed and remade through the creative energy of the classless young.” The book’s commentary was not just encyclopaedic, but its cultural scholarship also painted The Beatles as genuine pop geniuses, and with good reason.
After all, these young men once ruled the world. As their friend Eric Clapton said once, “In the early days, what was good about being George’s friend was that it was kind of like basking in the sunshine of this immense creativity. Whenever we were together in public, for all the amount of weight I thought I carried, I would turn into nobody. If we were going into a restaurant or a club, the way people would behave around The Beatles’ aura was beyond belief.”
‘THERE WERE HOURS AND HOURS OF US JUST LAUGHING AND PLAYING MUSIC, NOT AT ALL LIKE THE LET IT BE FILM. THERE WAS A LOT OF JOY’
Nineteen ninety-five also saw the pendulum start to slowly swing back to McCartney, as from hereon it would start to be him who the culture would hold up as King Beatle. It was as if people had suddenly realised that, yes, John Lennon was 15 years dead, but we still had half of the greatest writing partnership in the history of pop walking among us, making records, touring, appearing on TV and influencing an entire generation of musicians and nascent stars obsessed with his old band.
During the 1980s, The Beatles had started to become vitiated, marginalised even, by a culture that perhaps felt it had learned everything there was to know about them. While The Beatles had never quite gone out of fashion, during this decade the remaining members were probably at their lowest point creatively, with Ringo Starr narrating Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends, George Harrison releasing novelty songs such as “Got My Mind Set On You” and McCartney sullying his image with substandard album fillers.
“The Beatles Anthology” changed all that – “Anthology” and a generation of 1960s-obsessed musicians who weren’t even born when The Beatles started their journey. It was almost as though the stars of Britpop had been acting as fluffers for The Beatles, as, for the three years prior, rarely a week had gone by without a member of Oasis, Blur, Pulp or whoever making a reference to the Fab Four. (Oasis themselves had been called the Sex Beatles, the coarse-grained Beatles, the Mancunian Beatles, the Burnage Beatles. Noel Gallagher actually learnt to play guitar by listening to The Beatles’ Red and Blue albums.)
Journalists contributed to this fetishistic narrative by constantly writing about the way in which Britpop was being framed by The Beatles themselves, or at least by the Beatles industry. If you trawl back through the mountain of press coverage surrounding even the most mediocre Britpop acts, it is remarkable how often you see the word “Beatlesque”. This could have been referring to anything from “Penny Lane”-style piano clusters, an overuse of cellos, close harmonies, colloquial lyrics, nonsense words, gang-like group photographs, upbeat radio interviews, 1960s-inspired clothes, pop-art graphics, pudding-bowl haircuts, jangly guitars, rudimentary drumming – you could take your pick.
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MJ Rodriguez is POSING herself to a Emmy Nomination!
On Tuesday, Ron Cephas Jones and daughter Jasmine Cephas Jones announced the nominees for the 2021 Emmy Awards. Spoiler alert: "Pose" received a whole lot of love from the Television Academy.
While the cast and crew are likely celebrating "Pose's" nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, many are taking extra notice of Rodriguez's spot in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category.
As it turns out, Rodriguez made Emmys history by becoming the first transgender nominee for the Best Actress category.
In addition to Rodriguez, co-star Billy Porter also scored a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
"Mj Rodriguez's Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is a breakthrough for transgender women in Hollywood, and a long-overdue recognition for her groundbreaking performance over the past three seasons of POSE," GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. "Additionally, the show's nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, as well as Billy Porter's third nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, mark a historic show that undoubtedly raised the bar for trans representation on television and changed the way viewers around the world understand the trans community."
Rodriguez is the third openly transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy in the award show's history.
The 2021 Emmy Nominations: Here Are the Nominees!
On Tuesday morning, the Emmy-winning father-daughter duo Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (#FreeRayshawn) unveiled the nominations for the 73rd Emmy Awards.
The Crown and The Mandalorian led the way with a whopping 24 nominations each, with WandaVision, Ted Lasso, and The Handmaid's Tale also coming in strong. And not to be forgotten, just a week after not being renewed for a second season by HBO, Lovecraft Country scared up 18 total nominations.
Last year's show went almost fully virtual amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year's ceremony — hosted by Cedric the Entertainer — will be more of a return to form with a limited live audience of nominees and their guests.
The Television Academy's Board of Governors recently announced a small but notable rule change for this year's Emmys to be more inclusive of gender-noncomforming individuals: A nominee or winner of any acting category can request they be recognized with the more gender-neutral title "Performer" on their nomination certificate and Emmy statuette, although the categories themselves relating to Actor and Actress won't change.
Check below for an extended list of this year's nominees, with the remaining categories available on the Emmys website.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Boys
Bridgerton
The Crown
The Mandalorian
Lovecraft Country
Pose
The Handmaid's Tale
This Is Us
Outstanding Comedy Series
Black-ish
Cobra Kai
Pen15
Emily in Paris
Hacks
Ted Lasso
The Flight Attendant
The Kominsky Method
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Billy Porter, Pose
Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
Josh O'Connor, The Crown
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Emma Corrin, The Crown
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Uzo Aduba, In Treatment
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale
Jurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country
Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid's Tale
Max Minghella, The Handmaid's Tale
O-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid's Tale
John Lithgow, Perry Mason
Tobias Menzies, The Crown
Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian
Chris Sullivan, This Is Us
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gillian Anderson, The Crown
Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
Emerald Fennell, The Crown
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid's Tale
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid's Tale
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale
Madeline Brewer, The Handmaid's Tale
Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
William H. Macy, Shameless
Kenan Thompson, Kenan
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant, Shrill
Jean Smart, Hacks
Allison Janney, Mom
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso
Brendan Hunt, Ted Lasso
Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso
Jeremy Swift, Ted Lasso
Paul Reiser, The Kominsky Method
Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Hacks
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
Aidy Bryant, Saturday Night Live
Rosie Perez, The Flight Attendant
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
Juno Temple, Ted Lasso
Outstanding Limited Series
Mare of Easttown
I May Destroy You
WandaVision
The Queen's Gambit
The Underground Railroad
Outstanding Television Movie
Uncle Frank
Sylvie's Love
Oslo
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Dolly Parton's Christmas on The Square
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Paul Bettany, WandaVision
Hugh Grant, The Undoing
Ewan McGregor, Halston
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit
Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown
Julianne Nicholson, Mare of Easttown
Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Moses Ingram, The Queen's Gambit
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Anthony Ramos, Hamilton
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, The Queen's Gambit
Evan Peters, Mare of Easttown
Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Courtney B. Vance, Lovecraft Country
Charles Dance, The Crown
Don Cheadle, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Timothy Olyphant, The Mandalorian
Carl Weathers, The Mandalorian
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid's Tale
Mckenna Grace, The Handmaid's Tale
Claire Foy, The Crown
Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us
Sophie Okonedo, Ratched
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Dave Chappelle, Saturday Night Live
Daniel Kaluuya, Saturday Night Live
Dan Levy, Saturday Night Live
Morgan Freeman, The Kominsky Method
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Issa Rae, A Black Lady Sketch Show
Jane Adams, Hacks
Bernadette Peters, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist
Yvette Nicole Brown, A Black Lady Sketch Show
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Conan
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Outstanding Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Nailed It!
RuPaul's Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race
Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness, Queer Eye
Nicole Byer, Nailed It!
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons, Top Chef
Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary, Shark Tank
The Emmy Awards will air Sunday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+
#RHOP: Gizelle Bryant Reveals the Secret Behind Her Impressive Weight Loss
Shedding what she doesn't need. After splitting again with ex-husband Jamal Bryant, The Real Housewives of Potomac star Gizelle Bryant is debuting her new fit body just in time for her single, hot girl summer.
So what's the key to the Bravolebrity's impressive weight loss?
"I joined Nutrisystem and I'm an ambassador for them and that really, really helped me," Gizelle exclusively shared to E! News about losing the "COVID ten or fifteen" she gained during quarantine. "With Nutrisystem, it gets delivered to your door so I didn't need to worry about going out and buying all this junk, all this stupid stuff that I was eating...The pounds just literally fell off."
Gizelle joked that she may invest in a drone to snap even steamier Instagram bikini snapshots!
The mother of three has always worked out five days a week, but her shift to a new diet and "eating right" is what propelled her into the best shape of her life. "I don't really have a set number of pounds I want to lose," she revealed. "I just want to look in the mirror and feel like a hot, sexy mama, that's it."
The Real Housewives of Potomac Season 6 Cast Photos
Well, mission accomplished!
After seven months of working with Nurtrisystem, Gizelle has successfully lost 15 pounds.
"I am feeling so confident in a bikini thanks to @Nutrisystem!" Gizelle gushed on Instagram on June 15. "A bikini, y'all! Nutrisystem fits into my life. Even when on vacation, I can still maintain portion control and make smart choices. If I can do it, you can do it!"
See Gizelle's stunning transformation during the new season of The Real Housewives of Potomac airing Sundays at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
#MusicNews: Rihanna And A$AP Rocky Shoot Music Video Together!
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky had love on the brain while on set of their new video.
The couple was spotted in New York City filming what appeared to be a music video over the weekend. The two weren’t shy to show PDA as they touched and hugged each other during the two-day shoot in the Bronx.
On Saturday, they were seen holding hands as they strolled down the street. Rihanna wore a long brown coat and brown pants with a scarf wrapped around her head, while Rocky donned a bomber jacket and black jeans with a trucker hat.
The following day, the stylish duo donned colorful clothing while shooting scenes on a balcony, with Rocky wearing a neon green fur hat and Timberlands. RiRi rocked a pink fur coat and lime green heels while smoking a joint. A shirtless Rocky was also photographed throwing a block party in the streets before meeting up with Rihanna for more nighttime scenes.
It’s unclear what the video was for, but there is speculation it’s for a song off Rocky’s upcoming album All Smiles, which is about 90 percent complete. In an interview with GQ earlier this year, Rocky described the project as a “ghetto love tale” and “way more mature” than his previous work.
“I think it’s important to have somebody that you can bounce those creative juices and ideas off of,” he said of Rihanna, who has “absolutely” influenced the new music. “It’s just a different point of view.” pics courtesy of Getty
In the same interview, Rocky gushed about his girlfriend, calling her the “love of my life.” “She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones,” he told the magazine. “I think when you know, you know. She’s the One.”
The two previously collaborated on the remix to Rihanna’s 2012 single “Cockiness (Love It).” Rihanna also starred in Rocky’s video for “Fashion Killa” in 2013.
#HipHopNews: Pop Smoke’s ‘FAITH’ Album Cover Revealed!
Ahead of its release date, the cover for Pop Smoke’s forthcoming second posthumous album has been unveiled.
Steven Victor, who worked as Pop’s manager before the rapper’s tragic death, shared an Instagram post that includes an image of the album cover for FAITH, the new Pop Smoke album set to be released this Friday. He also included a trailer for the LP.
The cover for Pop’s new album features a close-up on his face and a charcoal black background. In the image, you can get a really good look at the “Faith” tattoo above his left eye.
The trailer for the album includes archival footage of Pop in his element, whether he’s performing, kicking it with his friends or being interviewed by Hot 97. It also includes a snippet of a new song. It’s another glimpse at the star power that helped define a career that was cut far too short.
At the time of his death, Pop Smoke’s Meet the Woo 2 mixtape had just been released. With a distinctively gruff voice, a knack for making bangers, and a level of charisma that helps define rap icons, his rise to superstar status appeared imminent. Tragically, he was shot and killed in California’s Hollywood Hills neighborhood on Feb. 19, 2020 after four intruders broke into a home he was renting.
That July, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, a posthumous debut album featuring Lil Baby, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Future and more, was released. The album was executive-produced by 50 Cent, and it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart after its first week of release. Now, the hope is that his new album will also resonate with fans. Check out the trailer and album cover for FAITH below.
Jada Pinkett Smith, Debuts shaved head: 'Willow made me do it'!
Jada Pinkett Smith has a new look for summer! The Red Table Talk host just shaved her head, and she credited 20-year-old daughter Willow Smith for encouraging her make the change.
"Willow made me do it because it was time to let go BUT … my 50's are bout to be Divinely lit with this shed," Jada, who turns 50 in September, captioned the Instagram post and video.
Willow, who is sporting a matching buzz cut of her own, called her mother "DIVINE" in the comments section — and that seems to be the consensus among Jada's famous friends.
"Perfection," wrote Lena Waithe.
"Beautiful," commented Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles-Lawson. "It Just shows that beautiful face and soulful eyes more prominently."
Gabrielle Union dropped a bunch of heart and fire emojis.
Jada was obviously inspired by Willow, who shaved her head (again!) over a year ago.
Willow turned the event into a performance-art piece. Her collaborator, Tyler Cole, gave the singer a haircut over 24-hours while locked in a glass room at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles. It was designed to showcase eight emotional stages related to anxiety: paranoia, rage, sadness, numbness, euphoria, strong interest, compassion and acceptance.
#RIP: Charlie Robinson, Who Played Mac on ‘Night Court,’ Dies at 75!
Charlie Robinson, known for playing Mac the court clerk in the 1980s and ’90s sitcom “Night Court,” died on Sunday in Los Angeles due to cardiac arrest and cancer. He was 75.
Throughout his 50-year career, Robinson appeared in movies such as “Secret Santa,” “The River,” “Set It Off,” “Antwone Fisher,” “Jackson,” “Even Money” and “Miss Lettie and Me,” and TV series including “Buffalo Bill,” “Home Improvement,” “Mom,” “Hart of Dixie,” “NCIS” and “The Guestbook.”
Born in Houston, Robinson began his career as a theater actor and singer for R&B groups Archie Bell and the Drells and Southern Clouds of Joy. In the late 1960s, Charlie attended Chris Wilson’s acting school, Studio 7, at the Houston Music Theatre. He soon moved to Hollywood and began acting for the screen.
In the 1970s, Robinson acted in films such as “Sugar Hill,” “The Black Gestapo,” “Caribe,” “A Killing Affair” and “The White Shadow.” In his later career, he appeared in “Beowulf,” “Malevolence,” “Land of the Free” and “Mercy Street.” He directed three episodes of “Night Court” and one episode of “Love & War.
Robinson won awards for his theatrical work, including the Image Theatre Award and FRED Award for portraying Simon in “The Whipping Man” and Best Actor Ovation Award for playing Troy in “Fences.” His last performance was as 82-year-old Donald Jones in James Tyler’s “Some Old Black Man.”
Among the actors who paid tribute to Robinson was “The Wire” star Wendell Pierce, who spent time with Robinson in recent months. “We created a lifetime of friendship” after 27 days of quarantine together, Pierce wrote on Twitter.
Throughout his career, he guest starred in television shows including “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Key and Peele,” “This Is Us,” “Malcolm & Eddie” and “In The House.”
Robinson is survived by his wife Dolorita; his children Luca, Charlie, Christian and Byron; and his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, daughters-in-law and dog Nala.
'The Bachelorette' Contestant Justin Glaze Apologizes for 'Ignorant and Hurtful' Past Tweets About Black Women!
‘The Bachelorette’ contestant Justin Glaze has come under fire for past tweets he made as a teenager.
The tweets, which were written between 2009 and 2011, resurfaced on Reddit over the weekend.
In the posts, Justin uses homophobic slurs and makes disparaging and colorist comments about Black women.
via People: On Monday, Glaze addressed the posts during an appearance on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast with Becca Kufrin and guest co-host Tayshia Adams.
“As I reflect on everything I just went through with this whole journey, oftentimes people ask me what I took from it,” he begins in PEOPLE’s exclusive sneak peek of the podcast which airs in full late Monday night. “And one of the biggest takeaways for me was just my personal growth, and one of those things is being able to hold myself accountable, which is something that historically I wasn’t able to do. So, I have no issue with owning up and apologizing from the bottom of my heart for the really hurtful words that I used.”
He continues, “The last thing that I want to do is run from it. That’s not who I am. I just want to speak from the heart, and hopefully, people will get an understanding of where I was then versus where I am now. When I look back at 14-year-old Justin, I was in high school and quite frankly I was the type of person who for whatever reason felt the need to fit in and say funny things and keep up with what my peers were doing and saying. The folks I had associated with would throw around really hurtful slurs that, at the time, I didn’t really think anything of.”
Glaze adds that he doesn’t want anyone to defend him because, even though the remarks are a decade old, “what I said was ignorant and hurtful then [and ] it’s ignorant and hurtful now.”
“No matter how long it was, those words shouldn’t have come out of my mouth,” he says “I’m obviously in a much different place now, over a decade later as a 27-year-old and I can look back and be ashamed of the words that I used…I know as I’ve matured and evolved and grown as a person, I’m a totally different version of Justin than I was.”
“I know those words would never come out of my mouth, because I know the weight that they carry, no matter what context they’re used in. I understand how much allyship and support those groups that I offended need.”
Glaze tells Kufrin and Adams that the criticism he’s received is a “wake-up call to let me know that I need to continue to put that work in and continue to these groups that need allyship and need support.”
He concludes, “Unfortunately, [at that time], my underdeveloped brain wasn’t thinking, ‘How can these words hurt people later on in life if they were to ever resurface?’ I’m not making any excuses. I need to be fully held accountable for my actions and my words. I fully understand that, and I just want people to know that I’ve changed immensely since then and I’m fully aware of the weight that my words carry.”
Glaze is currently vying for Katie Thurston’s heart on season 17 of The Bachelorette. So far, Thurston has not publicly acknowledged Glaze’s past tweets.
Tennis Champion Naomi Osaka’s New Barbie Doll Sells Out in Minutes!
The latest Barbie doll celebrating tennis star Naomi Osaka went up for pre-sale this morning and sold out in minutes.
Monday morning, Mattel announced that Naomi Osaka had been immortalized with her second Barbie doll — the Naomi Osaka Barbie Role Model Doll. The doll features a replica blue-and-pink Nike tank top and shorts with a white flared skirt, similar to her outfit at the 2020 Australian Open, along with a Yonex tennis racquet, light-blue Nike sneakers, and a white visor to compliment the outfit.
“It’s such an honor to be a part of the Barbie Role Model series and to remind young girls that they can make a difference in the world,” Osaka said. “I want young girls everywhere to feel empowered to dream big and to know that if they believe in themselves that anything is possible!”
The news of the launch sent fans in a frenzy, and within minutes it completely sold out on Amazon and the official Barbie website.
The Barbie release comes at a special time for Osaka, as she has been an inspiration for many who have chosen to put their mental health ahead of their professions since withdrawing from the French Open and Wimbledon. She recently wrote an essay for Time magazine about her sudden celebrity.
“I feel uncomfortable being the spokesperson or face of athlete mental health as it’s still so new to me, and I don’t have all the answers,” she wrote. “I do hope that people can relate and understand it’s O.K. to not be O.K., and it’s O.K. to talk about it. There are people who can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel.”
In 2019, Osaka was honored with her first Barbie for the brand’s 60th anniversary.
Shonda Rhimes Inks Large Extension Netflix Deal, Reportedly Valued At More Than $300 Million!
It seems like Shonda Rhimes is very pleased with her Netflix family and will be sticking around. According to reports, Shonda Rhimes has recently inked a deal extension with the popular streaming service Netflix. The second deal has reportedly locked Shonda Rhimes into working with Netflix for another five years and has landed the TV producer some serious cash. Sources claim Rhimes now has a “significant” up-front raise from the $100 million-$150 million initial contract she signed in 2017. Rhimes reportedly has multiple bonuses built in that, which could elevate its value to the $300 million-$400 million range.
There was about one year left in her initial deal with Netflix. However, after the great success of Bridgerton, the most-watched original series on the streaming network, Rhimes and her camp at ICM Partners began negotiating for a deal renewal earlier this year, according to insiders.
Sources also claim that Netflix plans on expanding the Bridgerton experience and is looking into creating live events based around the period piece series. Reportedly, due to planning by Netflix and the series creators, the upcoming London-set Bridgerton ball is scheduled to launch this November. A Bridgerton video game and a fan convention are allegedly on the table as well.
As previously reported, Shonda Rhimes shocked many fans four years ago when she stepped away from her longtime home at ABC and joined the Netflix team. Shonda Rhimes has brought multiple hits to ABC including, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder.
Initially, reports claimed that Shonda Rhimes left ABC because someone within the company denied her a $154 ticket for entrance into a Disney Park. However, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Rhimes shared that was simply the last straw. The screenwriter revealed that she wanted more from ABC, such as a pay raise and creative freedom, but the network refused to meet her demands. She added that she felt,
“like I’d been pushing the same ball up the same hill in the exact same way for a really long time.”
What are your thoughts on Shonda Rhimes’ new deal?
Chris Brown Sued For $1.5 Million Over Sample Of Red Rat’s Hit Dancehall Song!
Looks like Chris Brown can’t catch a break. Following his lawsuit with his former housekeeper, the singer is being sued again, this time for copyright infringement.
According to Complex, Greensleeves Publishing is suing the singer, Sony Music, and Chris Brown for Allegedly stealing pieces of dancehall artist Red Rat’s 1997 song “Tight Up Skirt,” for Brown’s 2017 track “Privacy,” an RIAA certified multi-platinum track.
In court documents, the New York City-based publishing company claims that it “owns and administers exclusive music publishing rights in the United States” for “Tight Up Skirt.” However, the filing alleges that Brown not only “took the core musical feature” of the song but “used it prominently” in “Privacy,” and “without permission.”
The legal docs also point out the similarity in lyrics. In Red Rat’s song, he sings he line, “Hey you girl inna di tight upskirt,” while Brown also sings, “Hey you girl without a tight upskirt.” The complaint says that the lyric is simply “a focal point” in “Privacy” because the song has “a very spare instrumental accompaniment.”
As of result of all of this, Greensleeves is now seeking over $500,000 in damages as well as over $1,000,000 for “the gains, profits, and advantages [Brown and SME] have obtained as a result of their acts of copyright infringement.” As Complex notes, the publishing company also wants an injunction preventing the defendants from creating, promoting, or selling “any materials that are substantially similar to the copyrighted work.”
Zendaya Responds to Space Jam 2 Lola Bunny Redesign Controversy!
Space Jam: A New Legacy star, Zendaya, shares her thoughts on the unexpected controversy surrounding the redesign of her character, Lola Bunny. The original 1996 comedy was a live-action/animated hybrid that starred basketball icon, Michael Jordan. In the film, he joins a basketball team led by the Looney Tunes in order to help them win a game against a group of nefarious aliens. It was a blockbuster hit, earning over $250 million worldwide and spawning a beloved following that has endured since its initial release. The highly anticipated upcoming sequel follows basketball champion, LeBron James, as he tries to save his son, Dom (Cedric Joe), from the Warner 3000 Server-Verse. To do this, he teams up with Looney Tunes favorites, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Lola Bunny, who has become a member of the Amazons.
During production of Space Jam 2, director Malcolm D. Lee decided to rework the character design of Lola Bunny after finalizing the ensemble cast. In prior interviews, he shared his surprise when he first watched Space Jam, explaining his unease when he witnessed the sexual objectification of Lola Bunny. As a result, Lee focused on adding greater depth to her character by emphasizing her skills as an athlete and leader. He also sought to remove any type of unnecessary sexualization when it came to her animation design. However, when EW released its first look cover of the Space Jam 2 cast a few months ago, many online commenters reacted negatively to the change in Lola Bunny’s appearance.
While speaking to EW, Zendaya responded to the online disputes regarding Lola Bunny’s redesign. Acknowledging her personal admiration of the character, she recognized the ways in which Lola has left her mark on the Space Jam universe. Read what Zendaya said below:
I didn't know that was going to happen either! I definitely know we love her, but I didn't know it was going to be as much of a focus as it was. But I understand, because she's a lovable character. She's very important, so I get it.
In his own interview with EW, Lee described his disbelief when he saw the online fervor about Lola Bunny. He added, "I had no idea that people would be that up in arms about a bunny not having boobs.” As Lee noted, it was important for him that Space Jam 2 highlighted Lola’s personal and professional evolution without reducing her to an object. He explained that he hoped young female viewers would admire Lola and her abilities as a basketball player. Moreover, the director reached out to Zendaya for the role because he respected her business acumen and confidence, which he believed were similar attributes embodied by Lola.
Overall, it is fortunate that both Lee and Zendaya seem unperturbed by the “controversy” around the changes in Lola’s appearance. Many of the inflammatory debates regarding her redesign were largely centered on an unsettling desire to have a “sexy” female character in Space Jam: A New Legacy, even if that character was a fictional rabbit. Female objectification has become such a normalized part of the entertainment industry that, for many, removing it is somehow treated as a “punishment” or unnecessary course corrective. Lola should be able to play basketball in her comfortable shorts and jersey. She doesn’t need to be sexy to have worth.
Megan Thee Stallion To Appear On Cover Of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue!
Megan Thee Stallion is reportedly set to make history as the first rapper to show off her body-ody-ody on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue.
On Friday (July 9), PageSix reported that the "Hot Girl Summer" rapper is slated to be on one of the covers of the upcoming annual issue. “She’s the biggest star [right now], so it’s a no-brainer and they love surprises,” a source told the publication.
The situation seems pretty top secret, with multiple models doing cover-style shoots. “[The Sports Illustrated team] actually still don’t even know who the cover girl will be. Still undecided. No one will know until the day of the unveiling," another source told PageSix.
If she did grace the cover, the "Body" rapper would be the first hip-hop artist to be on the cover. Fellow Houston native and "Savage (Remix)" contributor Beyoncé was on the cover of the 2007 issue, in doing so, she became the first non-athlete/non-model to be featured on the cover. The new issue of Sports Illustrated's annual swimsuit issue hit stands on July 19.
After a short break earlier this year, Megan returned with the new single "Thot Shit" last month. The track peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Megan is currently prepping the follow-up to her debut album, Good News, which dropped last November and includes the Grammy-winning single "Savage (Remix)" featuring Queen Bey. There have also been reports that Megan will have a cameo in the upcoming She-Hulk film franchise.
Rapper KTS Dre Killed While Leaving Chicago Jail!
According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago rapper KTS Dre was shot and killed as he was released from jail this past Saturday night.
KTS Dre, whose real name is Londre Sylvester, was shot 64 times as he exited the Cook County Jail, where he’d been since June for violating the conditions of his release in a 2020 felony gun case. Dre has just posted the required 10% of the $50,000 bond the day before he was murdered.
The report says that Dre was walking to an awaiting vehicle as he exited the Cook County Jail when his assailants jumped out of two separate vehicles. After he was shot and killed, his shooters fled in different directions in their vehicles. Police found dozens of shell casings across the street from the jail where Dre was murdered.
Dre was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital from gunshot wounds to the head and other parts of his body. He was 31 years old.
The investigation into his murder is ongoing and TheSource.com will update the story as details develop.
Disney Alum Kyle Massey Hit With Arrest Warrant After Missing Court Date!
Former Disney star Kyle Massey was slapped with an arrest warrant for missing a court appearance.
The 29-year-old actor was due to appear in a King County, WA, court Monday for his arraignment in regard to his immoral communication with a minor case. However, when he was nowhere to be found, the judge issued the $100,000 warrant, TMZ reported.
Massey also missed his arraignment last month, but despite back-to-back absences, his lawyer Lee Hutton is insistent that the “That’s So Raven” alum is in the clear.
Hutton claimed to TMZ Monday that Massey’s legal team called the King County District Attorney’s office but did not get a response.
Hutton also said that he is “concerned with the misrepresentations made in court” about Massey, adding, “Indeed, we will move forward to defend these allegations but also determine why due process has not been followed.”
Massey was charged with the felony last month after allegedly sending sexually explicit content to a 13-year-old girl between December 2018 and January 2019.
The case is related to a civil lawsuit filed by the girl, whose name was withheld due to her age. In her suit, she claimed that Massey had sent explicit photos, texts and videos via Snapchat. She demanded at least $1.5 million.
The teen and her family then took their complaint to the sheriff’s office once the civil case became stalled.
Hutton previously told Page Six, “Massey claims that the allegations then and now are extortive.”
Kanye West Drops Pre-Order for Second Jacket From Yeezy Gap Collection!
Like he did with the first drop from his Yeezy Gap collection, Kanye West decided to surprise drop a new item. A pre-order link for a new puffer jacket in Black is available for purchase in Japan, Europe, and the UK. The links for those area will go live at 10 am local time. Prices for the Yeezy Gap jacket are ¥26,000, €180, and £160 and has an estimated shipping date of winter 2021.
A link for U.S. customers has not been made available.
The item is the same puffer jacket the Jesus Is King artist shared a little over a month ago but in black. Like the first jacket, the second one is also seemingly made from recycled nylon. The blue puffer retailed in the U.S. for $200 and is scheduled to ship in Fall 2021.
The new black jacket might look familiar to some as its the same one Kanye wore to a Balenciaga show in Paris that went down last week. Kanye paired the outfit with a full face covering and was seen hanging with James Harden, Lil Baby, Bella Hadid, and Lewis Hamilton at the Balenciaga Fall 2021 Couture event.
Jennifer Lopez to Produce and Star in 'Rodgers & Hammerstein' Broadway Musical Projects for TV!
Jennifer Lopez is getting ready for Broadway — sort of. via Page Six: JLo has reportedly partnered with Oracle scion and Hollywood producer David Ellison’s production outfit, Skydance, to develop musical projects for TV and film.
The musicals will be based on the Concord Theatricals library, which includes the Rodgers & Hammerstein catalog. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s famed musicals include “Carousel,” “South Pacific,” “The King & I,” “The Sound of Music,” “Cinderella” and “Oklahoma!” among others.
Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions will develop the projects with Skydance, and Lopez will star in at least one of the projects, Variety reported.
Lopez, 51, said in a statement: “Musicals were a part of the tapestry of my childhood. We’re so excited to begin our association with Skydance and Concord in reinterpreting some of the most classic musicals and bringing them to life in new ways for a new generation.”
Skydance already had a deal in place with Concord and has been developing a TV series version of “Oklahoma!” — from “The Blind Side” director John Lee Hancock and “This Is Us” writer Bekah Brunstetter — that would be set in modern times.
Lopez’s producing partners Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina will executive-produce the musical projects. Ellison is the producer behind Tom Cruise’s upcoming “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Mission: Impossible 8” movies, as well as “Terminator: Dark Fate.”
Family of Slain TikToker Swavy Wants Wendy Williams to Apologize for Insensitive Remarks!
Wendy Williams has found herself in the hot seat once again. This time around, she made some insensitive comments about TikTok star Swavy, who was recently murdered.
During an episode of “The Wendy Williams Show,” the host made light of his murder and painted him in a bad light, and now Swavy’s mother and brother say she needs to apologize.
They feel Williams disrespected Swavy, TMZ reported. The outlet spoke with the mother, Chanell Clark, and Swavy’s brother Rahkim Clark on the issue. They had a problem with how Williams compared Swavy’s social media following to her own and said she used an unflattering picture of him when introducing him to the audience.
After the awkward introduction, she finally revealed to the audience that he had been killed.
Swavy’s family isn’t the only one upset over Williams’ antics. Others who watched the segment were also outraged by her comments on such a sensitive topic.
Swavy’s mother witnessed him getting shot in Delaware on Monday and was there with him as he took his last breaths.
The family rightfully wants an apology from the controversial host. Wendy has yet to respond to the backlash.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘NOT YOUR EVERYDAY METAL AT WALMART’
coming soon Yep, did not see this coming though
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Carlos
Meet Carlos! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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EFREM
I saw that Wendy Williams clip and when she revealed he was murdered all I could say "What the fuck is wrong with her??"
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