Salma Hayek for Vogue India - August 2021
Nice!
#RHOP: Mia Thornton Feuds with Gizelle Bryant, Robyn Dixon Over Invite That Has 'Stipulations!'
The Real Housewives of Potomac's Mia Thornton might still be the new kid on the block, but she has wasted no time in getting herself involved in drama early into her debut season.
On Sunday's episode of the Bravo hit, Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon had a conversation at their work photoshoot about Mia, 36, and her recent arguments with Dr. Wendy Osefo. As Robyn, 42, suggested that Mia likely "didn't really know which way to go" due to her bond with Karen Huger, Robyn wanted to arrange a time to get to know Mia without Karen. (Karen, 58, had brought Mia into the fold but she also recently feuded with Gizelle during the season 6 premiere.)
"I almost feel like we probably should reach out to her," Robyn said, adding that they should "try to get together with her on our own."
Gizelle, 50, then created a group to extend the invitation to Mia. "Maybe, like, we can get together for some drinks or something," Gizelle said. "I'm going to say, 'Hi, Mia, chatting with Robyn. We would love to get together for drinks.' And I'm going to say, 'without Karen.'"
Gizelle noted in a confessional that Karen "is not a good judge of character" but that Mia "seems nice" and she's interested in "getting to know her better."
Mia later invited Karen over to her home to catch up over tea. At the time, they discussed Gizelle and Robyn's drinks invitation that purposely excluded Karen.
"I'm not saying that one day moving down the road you and Gizelle won't have cocktails together, but she's got to come at you a different way," Karen said as Mia replied, "And I would absolutely go have cocktails with her, but she can't put stipulations on who I can and can't bring. That's not what we're doing here."
Robyn, in turn, discussed Mia's response to their invitation after an outdoor workout session with Wendy, 37, and friend Askale Davis. Recalling how Mia told Robyn and Gizelle that she didn't "have time" to talk to them unless it pertained to business and that she could have her assistant "pencil" them in, Robyn told Wendy and Askale that she "couldn't let that go."
Reading off her reply, Robyn said: "'Hi, Mia. I'm quite taken aback by your rude response. Was something done to you that we are not aware of? Is this how you treat people who are trying to get to know you? What am I missing?'"
Robyn — who told her costars that she "had nothing" to say in response to Mia, who believed she was just "being direct" rather than "rude" — theorized in a confessional that Karen "is influencing Mia" and wants to make her and Gizelle "the bad guys."
"We invited Mia because we wanted to get to know her and we were coming from a good place," Robyn continued. "But clearly, Mia is being misguided. When you're friends with Karen Huger, that's what happens."
Toward the end of the episode, the entire cast — sans Ashley Darby — were invited over to Candiace Dillard Bassett's home for a pajama-themed party. Early arrivals Karen and Robyn made small talk about their respective relationships before Gizelle entered, saying to Karen: "Hi, the hater is here!"
As more of the ladies popped in, they addressed whether they were "going to be nice" to Mia when she arrived. "Is Mia going be nice to us?" Wendy asked in response as Robyn added, "Her text messages were so completely rude."
Karen then recalled the conversation she had with Mia about her heated text exchange with Gizelle and Robyn, which led Gizelle to say in defense: "I said 'without Karen,' because I already know you. So the issue was for me and Robyn to get to know her. Not you, her."
Karen suggested her name "shouldn't have been in the text" but Gizelle countered that "yes, it should have." Gizelle then said that Mia needed to set the record straight on the situation.
Right as Mia arrived, she was immersed into the discussion regarding the trio's "choice of wording" in the text messages. "I'm saying it was wrong to say, 'Not Karen.' Grown women don't do that, because she wouldn't have brought me anyway," Karen said as Gizelle argued, "Grown women say whose going to be invited, so I chose the invitation list. Period."
Mia chimed in, "I will own the fact that maybe I was a little bit aggressive in my response, but I don't allow people to dictate or put stipulations on what I do."
As Askale chimed in to point out Mia's "delusion" in the situation, Mia questioned the amount of businesses she owns. Askale pointed out that she is in charge of "several" companies, to which Mia replied: "So you're going to tell me that you have time for people who come to you and put stipulations on how you move?"
Following Mia's attack on Askale, Wendy said that "when you're with a group of girlfriends, you don't talk to your girls like that." Candiace, in turn, stepped in to break up the argument.
"I think that this is not going to get solved here today, but I think that there needs to be individual conversations, because these are individual problems," Candiace, 34, explained. "For now, I want to play Prosecco pong."
As the ladies gathered to play the game, Mia pulled Gizelle aside to try and clear the air. "Gizelle, I really think that, you know, we just got off to the wrong foot," Mia said as Gizelle disagreed, "No, we didn't, Mia. I was extremely nice to you. I didn't have anything bad to say to you, no ill will. And out of the kindness of my heart, [I] was like 'Hey, let me get together with this girl to get to know her better.'"
Mia chimed in, "You did. Well, what I'm saying now is that I will try with my deliverance to be better."
Gizelle then said that she "never" wants Mia to text her like that again, and Mia agreed to not do it.
Later in a confessional, Mia acknowledged how her approach can often rub others the wrong way. "There's probably things that I do that a lot of women are like, you know what, they don't really rock with me," she admitted. "It's something that I'm going to be working on, so I'm just gonna apologize for making you feel that way, honey."
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays (8 p.m. ET) on Bravo.
#NewMuisc from Stokley – Women!
Legendary singer Stokley celebrates the beauty and essence of Nubian queens worldwide with the release of his new single “Woman”. The song features AfroBeat superstar Kidi and we also get a first look at the visual which was shot in Ghana.
“Woman” was written and produced by Shakespear! & S.Dot along with Stokley. The song is a love letter to black women and shows appreciation for all of the great qualities they exude.
WATCH HERE
Stokley is currently riding the wave of success of his current single “Cascade” featuring The Bonfyre. The song has reached #8 on the Adult R&B Songs radio charts.
Both of these songs will be included on Stokley’s upcoming sophomore solo album “Sankofa” which will release soon.
#HipHopNews: Nas Reveals ‘King’s Disease II’ Tracklist
Nas is back in business. After his surprise announcement last week, the rap icon has revealed the tracklist for his new album King’s Disease II. Executive produced by Hit-Boy, the 14-track set includes Nas’ first collaboration with Eminem, who appears alongside EPMD on “EPMD 2.”
Ms. Lauryn Hill guests on “Nobody,” while A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and YG team up on “YKTV.” Other features include Charlie Wilson, Blxst, and Hit-Boy.
King’s Disease II marks the sequel to Nas’ 2020 album, which debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, with appearances from Big Sean, Don Toliver, Lil Durk, Anderson .Paak, Fivio Foreign, and A$AP Ferg. The album earned Nas his first Grammy for Best Rap Album.
King’s Disease II will be available Friday. See the tracklist below.
KING’S DISEASE II TRACKLIST
1. “The Pressure”
2. “Death Row East”
3. “40 Side”
4. “EPMD 2” feat. Eminem & EPMD
5. “Rare”
6. “YKTV” feat. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie & YG
7. “Store Run”
8. “Moments”
8. “Nobody” feat. Ms. Lauryn Hill
9. “No Phony Love” feat. Charlie WIlson
10. “Brunch on Sundays” feat. Blxst
11. “Count Me In”
12. “Composure” feat. Hit-Boy
13. “My Bible”
14. “Nas Is Good”
Shaun King Moved Into $842,000 Home In New Jersey and now is moving out due to Media and Folks coming to his home!
Shaun King is speaking out amidst reports of him moving into a $842,000 New Jersey home & Tamir Rice’s mom accusing him of owing money. He says that he and his family have decided to move, as the media has posted his address making it unsafe for him and his family.
See his full message below.
This past weekend, news began circulating that political activist Shaun King moved into a new home earlier this year. The activist’s house is five bedrooms and located in North Brunswick, New Jersey, and is reportedly worth $842,000.
Tamir Rice‘s mother, Samaria Rice, is calling out Shaun King in the wake of the news. Tamir Rice was murdered by an Ohio police officer back in 2014 over a toy gun, and his mother has since become an outspoken activist against police brutality. As such, she formed a working relationship with Shaun King.
However, Samaria Rice has previously accused the activist of stealing money and misappropriating funds raised in Tamir Rice‘s name. She issued similar sentiments yesterday (Sunday, August 2nd) on Facebook and Instagram, writing:
“Shaun King owes TamirRice [sic] Money from unauthorized fundraising and that’s the truth.”
She continued in a follow-up post:
“And others that used my son name I’m starting a foundation Tamir Rice need his money…”
For context, Shaun King previously raised about $60,000 in the wake of Tamir Rice‘s death, but his mother claimed she was unaware that a fundraiser had been conducted. Eventually, courts seized the money and placed the funds in Tamir Rice‘s estate, and things have been touchy between the activist and Tamir Rice‘s mother since then.
What do you think about Shaun King’s new $842,000 home, as well as Tamir Rice’s mother calling him out?
Los Angeles Lakers, Carmelo Anthony Agree To One-Year NBA Free-Agency Contract!
Free-agent forward Carmelo Anthony agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Anthony's manager, Bay Frazier, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The deal -- one of several made by the Lakers on Tuesday -- is for one season, according to Frazier. Anthony's agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA Sports, completed the agreement with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka on Tuesday.
Anthony, who moved up to No. 10 on the NBA's career scoring list last season, rehabbed his career in two seasons in Portland after being out of the league for a year following an ill-fated stint with the Houston Rockets.
The 18-year veteran flourished in a bench role with the Blazers last season, averaging 13.4 points in 24.5 minutes per game while shooting a career-best 40.9% from 3.
Anthony, 37, entered into the league with LeBron James in the famed 2003 draft class, and the two have maintained a close friendship.
Anthony has earned more than $260 million in salary in his career and is a 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection and three-time Olympic gold medalist. Success has eluded him on the postseason stage, though. In 13 career playoff appearances, Anthony's teams have made the conference finals just once, and he has yet to play in the NBA Finals.
After being traded by the New York Knicks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017, Anthony had an up-and-down season with the Thunder as the team failed to meet expectations. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks the next offseason, then immediately waived.
He signed with the Rockets, agreeing to play a long-anticipated bench role for the contenders led by James Harden and Chris Paul, but was waived after just 10 games. Anthony wasn't signed by another team that season, casting doubt on the future of his NBA career.
But the Blazers offered a lifeline, and Anthony accepted the role and opportunity to contribute to a Western Conference playoff team. He started all 58 games his first season with Portland as it dealt with a series of injuries, but he came off the bench in 66 of his 69 appearances last season.
A surefire future Hall of Famer, Anthony currently sits at 27,370 points, just 39 points behind Moses Malone for ninth.
He won the scoring title with the Knicks in 2012-13, averaging 28.7 points. Anthony spent 10 consecutive seasons in the top 10 in scoring and finished as a runner-up for the scoring title twice in that stretch.
The Lakers also on Tuesday agreed with restricted free agent Talen Horton-Tucker on a three-year, $32 million deal to stay with the team, his agents, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and Lucas Newton, told Wojnarowski.
Age Just a Number., The Lakers won't lack experience this season. They've added several players in their 30s in recent weeks. A look at how they currently stand (with guaranteed contracts, including free agent acquisitions):
PLAYER AND AGE
Carmelo Anthony 37
LeBron James 36
Marc Gasol 36
Trevor Ariza 36
Dwight Howard 35
Wayne Ellington 33
Russell Westbrook 32
Kent Bazemore 32
Anthony Davis 28
Kendrick Nunn 26
Malik Monk 23
Talen Horton-Tucker 20
Horton-Tucker is an important player for the Lakers -- a 20-year-old ascending talent with a penchant for scoring.
A second-round pick by L.A. in 2019, Horton-Tucker averaged 9.0 points on 45.8% shooting with 2.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals in more than 20 minutes per game last season.
The Lakers also on Tuesday agreed to terms with Kendrick Nunn and Malik Monk, sources told Wojnarowski.
Nunn agreed to a two-year deal with the Lakers that includes a player option, a source told Wojnarowski. Nunn turned down significantly more money to chase a title in Los Angeles, the source said.
Nunn, who turned 26 on Tuesday, followed up a strong rookie season with a solid second year in which he averaged 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Miami Heat.
Monk, 22, enjoyed a breakout fourth season with the Charlotte Hornets as he averaged 11.7 points per game and shot a career-high 40.1% from 3-point range last season.
The Hornets did not extend a qualifying offer to Monk, which made him a free agent.
The Lakers have been busy this offseason, previously agreeing to a trade with the Washington Wizards for 32-year-old Russell Westbrook.
Per Elias Sports Bureau, they have now added six players age 32 or older this offseason -- Anthony, Westbrook, Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza and Kent Bazemore -- the most in a single offseason in NBA history.
The Lakers currently have 12 players (including the free agent acquisitions), and their average age at the start of the regular season will be 31 years, 302 days old (or 31.83). Per Elias, without weighing for playing time, the oldest team in NBA history is the 1997-98 Knicks (31.76); the oldest team weighted for playing time is the 2000-01 Jazz (32.6).
T.I. Arrested in Amsterdam Over Bicycle Incident Involving Police Officer!
T.I. was apparently arrested in Amsterdam on Tuesday (August 3) over an unfortunate biking incident.
via: Complex: The Atlanta rapper took to Instagram to explain the situation but seemed unfazed about being in custody in a foreign country.
“So, I’m locked up now,” Tip said in a video he posted on Instagram. “I’m obviously not supposed to have my phone as I’m biking, and because the policeman ran into me and broke his rear view[mirror], and because I didn’t have my passport on me. I don’t know, it’ll be fine.”
T.I. and his wife, Tiny, were in Italy celebrating their 11th wedding anniversary and must have stopped in Amsterdam while in Europe. He explained that the Amsterdam police didn’t handcuff or search him, but instead asked him to get into the back of their car.
“He was extremely upset. I, myself, was a great time. I’m still not upset, I’m having a phenomenal time. They arrested me and didn’t even put me in handcuffs. They just opened the door and invited me to the backseat. I obliged.”
The rapper also said that they weren’t letting him make his bond with the large amount of cash he showed to have on him, so he had to call someone to bail him out. “We’re working on the buddy system out here, and I like,” T.I. added before ending the video.
According to TMZ, T.I. went on IG Live after being released and said that he wasn’t mad that he got detained and that “everybody has a bad morning.”
Lucky for TIP the situation didn’t end bad.
Normani admits she was terrified to play “Wild Side” for her father
Normani’s Cardi B-assisted new single “Wild Side” is one of the raunchiest tracks of 2021, so, it makes sense that the singer would be somewhat hesitant to play the song for a family member.
Speaking with Apple Music for an interview clip that premiered on Tuesday (Aug. 3), Normani breaks down some of that anxiety, admitting that she was actually afraid to play the song for her father, even if he’s listened to all of her previous tunes.
“I was so terrified to play this song for my dad,” Normani tells Ebro Darden in the new interview. “He kept asking to hear the record because everyone else heard it but he didn’t hear it.”
While her dad, a person she says listens to her songs when working night shifts, continued asking to hear the song, Normani couldn’t find the nerve to play it for him. Eventually Normani’s mother played him the track and Normani’s pops apparently liked what he heard on the song.
“He was like ‘That shit is hard,’ he’s like ‘That shit is fire’ and he told me all the time, every single day, I kid you not: he’s like ‘Are you ready to take over the world? Are you ready to take over the world?’” reveals the Atlanta artist. “He loves the song, he loves the record.”
Cardi B says she made her “Wild Side” verse “nastier” after request from Normani’s team
Normani’s dad isn’t the only fan of “Wild Side,” an infectious slap that’s made waves since it was released a couple of weeks ago. The track, which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, features verses imbued with memorable raunch. Its video has gotten 26 million YouTube views since it hit the web. It’s doing numbers, and it looks like it’s got some staying power.
Jennifer Hudson Wears Aretha Franklin Shirt to 'Respect' Screening in Atlanta!
Jennifer Hudson is continuing her press tour for her new movie Respect!
The 39-year-old singer and actress made a special appearance at a screening of her new movie on Tuesday evening (August 3) at the IPIC Theaters at Colony Square in Atlanta, Georgia.
For the event, Jennifer wore a shirt that had an old school photo of Aretha Franklin on it, paired with a sparkling copper-colored skirt and leopard-print heels.
Last week, Jennifer attended a screening of her new movie at the 2021 Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival.
Respect will chronicle Aretha’s rise to fame from singing in her father’s church choir as a child to becoming an international musical superstar and legend.
The film will be released in theaters on Friday, August 13th.
Angela Bassett Receives One Of The Highest Salaries For An Actress Of Color With Hit Series 9-1-1!
Angela Bassett Receives One Of The Highest Salaries For An Actress Of Color With Hit Series 9-1-1
Okay talk about getting to the bag! Angela Bassett is more than deserving of this! She is now receiving one of the highest salaries for an actress of color with the hit series 911.
The hit series is approaching it’s fifth season and the Oscar nominee, led the conversation of salary increases with Fox and she is getting what she deserves
According to Usmagazine, Bassett will be making $450,000 a episode. That rate is among the top salaries of network television stars.
Now some streaming salaries are higher than Bassett’s rate, but streaming numbers aren’t classified as the same thing. Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston both raked in $1 million an episode for Apple TV+’s The Morning Show.
Previously talk show host Ellen spoke on the struggles of getting a higher salary that she had to fight for with the network by stating, “As women, you know, it’s not only about what’s done to us or what’s not given to us. It’s what don’t we ask for,” the actress said on Jimmy Kimmel Liveabout why she was so open about her income. “You know, how much of it is [it] isn’t given to us, or is it that we don’t ask? I think that as much as we can point the finger at other people and [say], ‘You don’t give us or you don’t treat us fairly,’ We also have to point the finger at ourselves and say, ‘Did we ask? Did we step up and have the uh, gumption, to ask for what a man would?’ We have to own part of it. And sometimes we’re too shy; we’re too afraid to be seen as difficult to really speak our mind.”
As for Angela Bassett she has been on our TV screens for years and showing her work ethic with classic projects so this is major win for women of color.
Kathy Griffin speaks out after successful cancer surgery and pill addiction revelation!
Kathy Griffin says her surgery for lung cancer on Monday "went well." The 60-year-old comedian shared a health update Tuesday after the operation to remove a large mass on her left lung. In the social media post, she said she was "grateful" for the support following her cancer news as well as disclosures the same day that she had privately been battling a pill addiction and had made a past suicide attempt.
"Wow! I’m so grateful for all the love you guys are sending me," she began. "Surgery went well yesterday. Phew."
She went on to admit, "I was very nervous about opening up on @Nightline re my suicidal ideations and my prescription pill addiction. This keychain means the world to me," she said of the photo showing the Alcoholic's Anonymous medallion marking one year of sobriety.
Griffin ended the post, "One day at a time."
The star of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List went public with her lung cancer diagnosis via social media on Monday morning. A non-smoker, Griffin said she had long had a mass on her lung, which she had x-rayed every three years. It hadn't increased in size until recently — to the point that half of her lung had to be surgically removed. The cancer is stage one and contained to her left lung, so doctors hoped the surgery would eliminate a need for chemo or radiation.
Her rep told People on Monday afternoon that she was "out of surgery" and "everything went well, per her doctor."
But that was half of a story. An interview with Griffin ran on Monday's Nightline about the cancer diagnosis, but also that she is one year sober after a pill addiction.
She said it started amid several turbulent professional years, after her infamous photo shoot mocking former President Donald Trump. She was prescribed Provigil, an amphetamine similar to Adderall, followed by Ambien, a sleep aid, and then painkillers oxycodone and Vicodin for an elbow injury.
At her darkest point, she considered suicide and was hospitalized on a psychiatric hold. That led to a "nasty" detox and ultimately a sobriety path that includes attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. She said the attending the meetings, despite being a non-drinker her whole life, led the "clouds [to] part."
Griffin said the recovery time for surgery should be a month or less. She urged people to keep up to date with their medical check ups, adding, "It'll save your life.
Shontel Brown Wins A Very Contentious Ohio Democratic Primary against Nina Turner!
MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio ― Shontel Brown, a Cuyahoga County councilwoman, defeated Nina Turner in the special primary election for Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, all but ensuring that she will represent the Cleveland-area seat in Congress.
Brown’s victory is a major win for leaders of the moderate Democratic establishment, who backed her, and a stinging defeat for a progressive movement that counted Turner, a former Ohio state senator-turned-Bernie Sanders lieutenant, as one of its most beloved stars.
In an interview with HuffPost after her win, Brown attributed the outcome to “nine years of hard work that no one got a chance to see, cultivating quality relationships, delivering, responding to the needs of the community and being open and transparent while doing it.”
Turner conceded the race on Tuesday night before all the results came in, but she was trailing Brown by a large enough margin that she and her team believed she did not have a path to victory.
“Tonight, my friends, we have looked across the promised land, but for this campaign, on this night, we will not cross the river,” Turner said to supporters at an election night party at a bowling alley just outside Cleveland. “Tonight our justice journey continues, and I am proud to continue that journey with each and every one of you.”
In her remarks, Turner blamed the influx of outside money on Brown’s behalf for her defeat.
“We didn’t lose this race ― evil money manipulated and maligned this election,” she said.
When asked to respond to Turner’s comments, Brown simply reiterated a line she used on the trail and repeated during her victory speech.
“Results over rhetoric won out today. Public service over lip service won out,” Brown said. “That’s the bottom line and I’m grateful for the people recognizing the difference.”
“People are tired of the negativity,” she added. “They want people who are focused on the issues.”
Brown’s senior consultant, Daniel Barash of the Washington firm SKDK, was more blunt about Turner’s comments, noting that much of the outside money that drew Turner’s ire came from pro-Israel groups.
“I think you should be more careful when you talk about Jews and money,” he said.
Turner’s loss is the latest in a string of primary defeats for progressive candidates this year, following two election cycles in which left-wing challengers ousted five House incumbents.
“It is a victory for the more traditional side of the Democratic Party, which in Ohio is probably where most of the Democrats in the state are,” said Kevin Spiker, a political scientist at Ohio University.
Shontel Brown, a Cuyahoga County councilwoman, won the special Democratic primary in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District. She is the prohibitive favorite in the general election.
The race’s outcome also affirms President Joe Biden’s status as a sacrosanct figure among a critical mass of Democratic voters. Brown promised cooperation with Biden, while Turner had a history of clashing with Biden and other top Democrats.
Days before the election, Sean McElwee, co-founder of Data for Progress, a polling firm that consulted for a group backing Turner, said that if Turner lost, “It would suggest that a certain theory of left politics is incorrect and that a certain hyper anti-Democratic politics is not good.”
“Biden is viewed more positively among Democrats than [Donald] Trump is viewed among Republicans,” he added.
Ohio’s 11th is a majority-Black and heavily Democratic seat that includes parts of Cleveland and Akron and their surrounding towns.
The seat opened up when Biden appointed Marcia Fudge to serve as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. While Brown is due to face a Republican in November, the partisan balance in the district makes her the prohibitive favorite.
Brown, 46, is more ideologically moderate than Turner, 53. She has declined to embrace left-wing priorities like “Medicare for All” and the Green New Deal, and has not ruled out accepting corporate PAC contributions. Brown focused instead on the broad goals of reviving the region’s economy and combating gun violence.
But perhaps more important than Brown’s policy positions was her promise to adopt a less confrontational style than Turner, particularly vis-a-vis Democratic Party leadership.
She vowed to be a “partner” in Congress for the Biden-Harris administration, including Fudge, and “not be a thorn in their side.”
The contrast with Turner, a frequent antagonist of the Democratic establishment, was clear.
Clearly much of the establishment Democratic Party not located in Ohio viewed this race as an important one for them to get involved in.
David Cohen, political scientist, University of Akron
Turner had legislated as a mainstream Democrat during her early career as a Cleveland city councilwoman and state senator, shepherding an education reform deal opposed by the city’s teacher unions and teaming up with then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, to address police killings.
But Turner’s decision to endorse Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid in 2015 marked the beginning of an independent and sometimes controversial period in Turner’s career that would haunt her bid for Congress.
On the one hand, Turner developed national name recognition and stardom as a Sanders surrogate during the 2016 and 2020 presidential cycles.
At the same time, she took to combat with the Democratic Party with the zeal of a convert, going further than Sanders in her wariness of party leadership. In the 2016 general election, Turner publicly considered an invitation to join Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein’s ticket as a running mate. She has still not stated for whom she voted in that election.
In July 2020, Turner likened the choice between then-President Donald Trump and Biden to a choice between a “bowl of shit” and “half” of a bowl of shit.
In a February interview with HuffPost, Turner called the remarks a “colorful comment made by me speaking to people’s pain.”
Likening it to Vice President Kamala Harris’ reconciliation with Biden after suggesting he had opposed school integration during the first presidential debate, Turner added, “I would like to think people would judge me by my entire body of work and not just a colorful comment I made that they disagreed with.”
Until the final two months of the campaign, Turner appeared to be getting her wish. She locked up the most prominent progressive endorsements and mobilized the Sanders-aligned network of progressive voters to raise more than $1 million in her first six weeks in the race.
Nina Turner, a left-wing rockstar, reintroduced herself to voters as a loyal Democrat with local roots. But her recent history as an anti-establishment brawler caught up with her.
A massive cash advantage allowed Turner to air advertisements on broadcast television a month before Brown. She used those ads to shore up her mainstream Democratic credentials, touting her commitment to causes like gender pay equity and her work with Kasich.
“She reminded people that she had a deep well of political experience that went beyond being an organizer and a chair for the Bernie Sanders campaign,” said David Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron.
The legislative experience that Turner amplified in her TV spots also helped her win key endorsements from outside the progressive firmament, including Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, state Senate Democratic Leader Kenny Yuko and former Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. The editorial board of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland’s flagship newspaper, not only endorsed Turner, but dismissed Brown as “pleasant but undistinguished.”
Polling conducted by both campaigns at the end of May showed Turner ahead by more than 30 percentage points.
That would end up being Turner’s high-water mark before a few key developments broke Brown’s way.
First, Turner’s campaign dramatically ratcheted down their TV advertising in June, going almost entirely dark in the first two weeks of the month.
Brown staked a major chunk of her modest campaign chest on ad buys that introduced her to voters virtually uncontested on the airwaves.
In her first broadcast TV spot, she and her mother discuss her work in county government and her support for Biden. “Shontel’s a Democrat’s Democrat ― proudly voted for Joe Biden,” Brown’s mother says while holding up a photo of Brown and Biden.
Next, Turner made the biggest mistake of her campaign. Speaking on a panel with rapper “Killer” Mike Render, Turner appeared to express agreement when Render said it was “incredibly stupid” for House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) to have endorsed Biden without demanding more in exchange.
Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black member of Congress, endorsed Brown days later, claiming the “Killer Mike” incident had inspired his decision. Brown soon featured Clyburn’s endorsement in one of her TV ads. In the spot, Clyburn dubbed her the rightful heir to the “legacy” built by Fudge and her predecessors, former Reps. Lou Stokes and Stephanie Tubbs Jones.
Another spot featured the endorsement of Fudge’s elderly mother, effectively giving Brown, a Fudge protégé, the HUD secretary’s blessing by proxy.
The most important factor of all, however, was an influx of outside support from the pro-Israel super PAC Democratic Majority for Israel. At the end of June, the group initiated a $2-million TV, digital and field effort attacking Turner and bolstering Brown.
Critically, DMFI’s ads informed voters that Turner had declined to support Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. They also highlighted Turner’s “bowl of shit” comments, emblazoning the image of Turner as a disloyal Democrat in the public’s psyche.
A subsequent digital barrage of more than $500,000 from Third Way, a corporate-backed Democratic group, reinforced the message.
“Clearly much of the establishment Democratic Party not located in Ohio viewed this race as an important one for them to get involved in,” Cohen said. “When that happened, Shontel Brown’s campaign fortunes turned around.”
Of course, Turner had given them ample material with which to work. “I don’t think there’s any question that the ‘bowl’ comments hurt Nina Turner,” Cohen said.
Pro-Turner super PACs tried to stanch the bleeding with ads of their own rebutting the attacks on Turner, and drawing attention to Brown’s support from some Republicans.
No one went further than Turner’s campaign, which blasted Brown for voting to approve a multimillion-dollar contract for a construction contractor with ties to her partner.
A Turner ad in the final days of the race misleadingly claimed that Brown is already under investigation and that Brown “could face criminal charges and, if convicted, jail time.”
In the end, plenty of mainstream Democratic voters stood by Turner, recalling her record of public service in Cleveland.
“The main thing is that she’s for the people,” said Margaret Taylor, a retired cashier voting in Cleveland’s Lee-Harvard neighborhood, where Turner also lives. “She’s a beautiful person.”
The attacks on Turner are a “bunch of junk,” Taylor said.
But other voters that Turner needed to win abandoned her, indicating that the advertising campaign had resonated.
“I’m not a Nina Turner fan, with all the things she’s said and done about the Democratic Party, and things she’s said about Biden,” said Erskine Bevel, a nonprofit executive voting in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights. “She doesn’t support the Democratic Party.”
“Bowl of crap?!” he added. “Come on!”
For other voters, Turner’s more forceful speaking style drove them into Brown’s arms.
“Nina is portraying herself as an angry Black woman. And that’s how everybody sees Black women ― as angry,” said Monique Jenkins, who is Black.
Jenkins, a resident of Lee-Harvard who knew Turner for much longer than Brown, had grown disillusioned with Turner’s left-wing turn in recent years.
“She’s gone with the wind,” Jenkins said. “She’s not a Democrat any more. She’s not Republican. She’s whichever way the wind blows.”
Chris Evans Has a Marvelous Response to Lizzo Saying She's Pregnant With His Baby!
Somebody come get Chris Evans, we think he got lost in Lizzo's DMs—again.
Yes, our favorite duo is back with good as hell content. The latest? Well, the Grammy winner posted a TikTok pretending to be pregnant with Captain America's baby. "This is something that I've been really trying to keep personal and private just between me and the father of my child," she said. "But since we're airing out all the rumors today, I've been sucking in. We're going to have a little America."
And, as it turns out, Chris took a DNA test—and he's 100 percent that fake baby's dad. Returning to TikTok Aug. 2, Lizzo shared what appeared to be their Instagram direct messages. "Hi! Just heard about our little bundle of joy," he wrote with a laughing emoji. "My mother will be so happy lol."
He then added, "(Just promise me no gender reveal parties lol)."
Now, Lizzo is out here getting loose, gotta blame it on this news. "Guess what besties?!" she wrote to her 17.1 million followers. "We secured the child support bag!!!!!"
This time, the truth definitely doesn't hurt. "OMG YALL—HE SAW THE BABY BUMP!" she continued. "WE DID IT! NOW YALL GOTTA NAME LIL MERICA!!!!! WHAT YALL BOUTA NAME MY BABY ?!"
And the suggestions were epic. "Y'all can name it Erica," one commenter suggested, "because you can't spell America without Erica." Added another, "Name yo kid Steve Rogers."
Lizzo first decided to shoot her shot with Chris back in April. "Don't drink and DM, kids..." she wrote alongside a TikTok showing her message to him. "For legal porpoises this is a joke."
Thankfully, the Avengers alum was totally game. "No shame in a drunk DM [face-throwing-a-kiss emoji]," he replied, "god knows I've done worse on this app lol [facepalm emoji]."
Needless to say, a drunk DM has turned into a beautiful friendship we're very envious of. In fact, her most recent TikTok showed Chris even sent her a message on her birthday. "Happy birthday!! Heard you're in Vegas celebrating," he wrote in at the time. "I'm jealous :) Have fun!"
So go ahead, shoot your shot.
#NOPE: Jordan Peele Reveals Title Of Next Horror Film & Drops Poster!
Now that we've become accustomed to the sometimes real-life horror film we've all been living in - the pandemic - it's high time we get another big screen pic from new horror king Jordan Peele. His big reveal inside.
With the Candyman remake on deck at the box office (August 27th), and folks STILL reeling from Get Out & Us, Jordan Peele is revealing his newest horror pic on its way to the masses. The just revealed title: Nope. And the poster has our minds racing:
This feels like an attack of the killer clouds situation with an alien invasion, and we are READY.
The Oscar winning director re-teams with Get Out star Emmy & Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, and brings in Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun for the film, dropping July 22, 2022. Keke commented about the flick saying:
As for any other details - Jordan and the crew are keeping things extra tight lipped.
Surprise! John Corbett Reveals That He Married Bo Derek Last Year!
John Corbett tends to be super private when it comes to his personal life, including his longtime relationship with Bo Derek, but on Tuesday, he made a big revelation during a virtual appearance on The Talk: He and Derek wed in 2020.
The former Sex and the City star broke the news casually. He mentioned that he'd spoken to co-host Jerry O'Connell for a couple of hours the other day. But there was something he'd left out.
"Jerry, I can't believe that I forgot to tell ya that, around Christmastime, we got married!" Corbett said. "Bo and I got married."
O'Connell had been wondering if something was up with Corbett, because of a new piece of jewelry he was sporting.
"I noticed your ring, and I was gonna say something, but not on live television," O'Connell said. "But wow! Congratulations!"
Corbett noted that he and Derek, who met on a blind date in 2002, are "pretty private," although they'd already told their friends and family members.
"This is the first time either one of us has said anything publicly about it because, really, we haven't had an opportunity," Corbett said, "so you're my buddy, and now I guess I'm telling, you know, all of America or the world. And, yeah, after 20 years we decided to get married. We didn't want 2020 to be that thing that everybody looks back at and hated. We thought, 'Well, let's get one nice thing out of it,' so we did it around Christmas."
Corbett has obviously changed his mind on the subject of marriage over the last few years. In August 2016, he told the Huffington Post that the secret to a long relationship is "don't get married." His reasoning was that he had "a lot of friends that get divorces."
Derek herself explained in 2015 that the two had discussed marriage, but...
"We don't have children and we're not young, so there isn't that pressure or need to get married," she told Entertainment Tonight.
Derek was previously married to actor John Derek for nearly 22 years, from 1976 until he died in 1998.
Jaleel White is starting a Podcast titled. ‘Ever After With Jaleel White’!
The Ever After with Jaleel White podcast, featuring the actor behind 90’s uber-nerd Steve Urkel from ABC sitcom Family Matters, is getting the TV treatment.
The podcast, which comes from Jared Gutstadt’s Audio Up, launched last year and Topic, the streaming service from First Look Media, has now ordered a 30-minute TV pilot.
It marks the first podcast from Gutstadt burgeoning business to make it to the small screen and comes as audio series continue to be a Hollywood goldmine.
Ever After will see White reminisce on his early days in the industry, and give viewers an insight into what life was like after the iconic run as Urkel ended. It will look back on White’s early to mid-90’s fame, as he shares the microphone with an array of fellow child star guests, to discuss how their paths diverged from their early days of fame.
The pilot will air on Topic on August 26 and will feature Beverly Hills 90210’s Brian Austin Green as the first guest.
The TV pilot is produced by White, Alfredo De Villa, Audio Up’s Philip Alberstat and Jared Gutstadt as well as Topic’s Ryan Chanatry, and Debbie De Montreux.
“The 90’s were a decade where pop culture took flight and were defined by some truly iconic moments that make us more nostalgic than ever. It was also the decade of sitcoms where many child actors got their start,” said White. “Philip Alberstat, my producing partner, and I thought it would be exciting to create a show where we would reach out to some of TV’s most famous child actors and see where they are now, how they dealt with fame, growing up famous and what the future holds for them. The podcast series enabled us to have deep, meaningful conversations with many actors and now we are even more excited to have a TV pilot ready for viewing.”
“Jaleel and I felt strongly that audiences were yearning for 90’s nostalgia,” added Alberstat. “His status as a child star and television icon gave him the credibility to ask our guests tough questions and explore what fame does to kids who were famous during the 90’s. We are very excited to have a successful podcast series now move to the television space.”
“We’re excited for our partnership with Jaleel and Audio Up,” said Ryan Chanatry, General Manager of Topic. “Ever After’s nostalgia and comedic curiosity brings a fresh perspective to the Hollywood stories behind child stars.”
“The goal for us has always been to create the best audio that can cross over to the top in-class television formats. Working with Jaleel White and seeing his entrepreneurial and creative growth over the last year, has been extremely inspiring,” added Gutstadt.
Cuomo, De Blasio Recommend Indoor Masking For Vaccinated—But Stop Short Of Full Mandate!
Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped short of issuing a full mask mandate on Monday, instead strongly recommending that people wear masks inside all public indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status.
"We want to emphasize vaccinations, vaccinations. That is the whole ballgame," the mayor said during his morning press briefing. His comments came amid rising COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious delta variant.
Earlier, Governor Andrew Cuomo held a separate press conference in which he urged localities to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance last week to prioritize indoor masking for all. Having been stripped of his "pandemic powers" in March and after the underlying emergency declaration expired in late June, Cuomo said he could no longer re-issue a statewide mask mandate without having the legislature pass a law for such a measure.
The governor also announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Port Authority would mandate vaccinations for their employees beginning on Labor Day. He also urged private businesses to require their customers to be vaccinated.
Asked why he did not opt for a stronger policy for face coverings, de Blasio said, “Mask wearing is not a substitute for vaccination." The mayor added the city was following the CDC's guidance which was a recommendation. “The CDC recommended, and we are recommending,” he said. De Blasio, who has repeatedly clashed with the governor over pandemic restrictions and reopening rules, said he did not have a conversation with the governor about the policy.
Last Tuesday, in the wake of a study of a recent outbreak in Cape Cod, the CDC advised that vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in public areas whenever case rates rise about 50 infections per 100,000 residents. All five boroughs fall in this category. Following that study, a CDC internal document strongly suggested that the delta variant spreads faster than expected, potentially because vaccinated people can serve as carriers when community transmission rises too high.
The delta variant, the dominant strain in New York City since mid-May, has contributed to the national uptick in COVID cases. Nearly all recent hospitalizations and deaths are among unvaccinated Americans.
For weeks, Mayor Bill de Blasio had resisted calls by academics and elected officials to update the mask rules—he has emphasized vaccinations first. Currently, everyone is still required to wear face coverings on public transportation as well as at schools and congregate dwelling facilities such as homeless shelters and nursing homes. Otherwise, vaccinated individuals are permitted to go maskless.
The mayor has repeatedly argued that focusing on masks would undermine the broader strategy of getting shots into more arms. “It’s important not to lose the forest from the trees," de Blasio told CNN on Friday. "The main event is vaccination."
On Monday, the mayor's office expanded the vaccine requirements for city employees, stating that all new hires would be required to show proof of their shots prior to beginning their jobs. All of the city's more than 300,000 municipal employees must either be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing by mid-September. Major cities like Los Angeles and Washington D.C. have issued indoor mask mandates.
The mayor's decision not to require masks in all indoor public spaces will likely draw criticism. Experts have said a multi-pronged strategy makes sense in light of the increasing number of new cases. The seven-day rolling average of daily COVID cases is now over 1,000—for the first time since May. Between June 15th and July 12th, New Yorkers between the ages of 25-34 experienced the highest number of hospitalizations--followed closely by people over 75.
Following the mayor's press conference, Jumaane Williams, the city's public advocate, criticized both de Blasio and Cuomo for what he described as a lack of urgency and action.
"It’s unbelievable that we are playing the same movie over and over again," he said. "I’m incensed that the two leaders that helped get us here are moving us in a way that assumes a whole bunch of risks."
Williams said the mayor's decision to follow the CDC's mask guidance with a policy that fell short of a mandate was "incorrigible," adding that he was "ashamed" of de Blasio.
When asked if the City Council could step in, Councilmember Brad Lander, who also attended the virtual event, said a bill would likely take too long to pass. Two health policy experts who spoke with WNYC/Gothamist agreed that the mayor has the authority to issue an immediate mandate.
Williams also argued that the governor, in the absence of any emergency powers to issue an executive order, could have called the legislature back into emergency session to pass the masking requirement as a law.
He also scoffed at the de Blasio's reasoning that a mask mandate would take away the focus from vaccinations. "We can walk and chew gum at the same time," he said.
The public advocate was joined by Céline Gounder, an epidemiologist who advised the Biden administration, and City Councilmembers Brad Lander and Mark Levine.
Like other experts, Gounder argued that the city needs to "use every tool" that it has to combat the more infectious variant.
New York City had been responding to the variant by requiring vaccination or testing for city employees and rolling out a series of new incentives. Citywide, nearly 55% of all New Yorkers are fully vaccinated. Last week, the mayor announced that new shot takers would receive $100 at city-run vaccination sites. All of the city's “Homecoming Week” concerts will require attendees to be vaccinated.
As of Monday, over 8,300 had received their first shot under the $100 bonus program, de Blasio said. Traffic doubled at city-run vaccination sites, he added.
But interviews conducted on the same day with residents in parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx, which have full vaccination rates of below 50%, suggest a group that is strongly distrustful despite overwhelming evidence that the shots are safe and protect individuals from the worst outcomes.
Several young beachgoers at Orchard Beach in the Bronx said on Friday they were suspicious of how fast drugmakers developed the vaccines. In fact, nearly two decades of research laid the groundwork for the vaccine.
"How do you come up with the vaccine in less than a year and then boom, new vaccine. I don't get that," said Julisa Figueroa, a 23-year-old Tremont resident.
Malik Walls, 35, expressed concern and confusion about the vaccines' side effects, which do not affect everyone, are typically minor and tend to go away after a few days.
"What's the point of getting a vaccine if you're still going to get sick?" Walls said.
Genesis Perez, a 32-year-old FedEx employee, said she would only get the vaccine if her employer requires it.
"I'm not gonna go willy nilly and take it myself. But if it's mandated, then it's mandated," she said, adding, "But until then, I don't feel like I need it. I'm very healthy."
Ronald Hickman, a 23-year-old Parks Department employee, said he received the vaccine three days ago because he learned about the city's upcoming requirements. "I was like, let me just get it out of the way," he said. He said he had waited because he was worried about the side effects.
De Blasio has been urging private employers to mandate vaccinations, saying that they have the flexibility to impose stricter rules than the government. However, the U.S. Justice Department stated that both public agencies and private businesses could institute the vaccine requirements without violating federal law, even though the shots lack full approval.
He has applauded the decision by New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer to require all employees and customers to be vaccinated to work or dine in any of his restaurants.
On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to President Biden, spoke of the urgency of changing people's minds on vaccination.
"Make it easy for them, convince them, do something to get them to be vaccinated because they are the ones that are propagating this outbreak," he said
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘YEAH, IT’S A LONG SHIFT TODAY’
When you come for work but you’re also alcoholic.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet XL
Meet XL! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
Enjoy!
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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