#MAGFAB: Naomie Harris for Amazing Magazine - Summer 2022
Nice! On Newsstands now.
#RHOA: Marlo Hampton Calls Kenya Moore 'Trash' In Season 14 Midseason Trailer
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Marlo Hampton has been making quite a stir since receiving her peach and becoming a full-time castmate. Hampton is known for her harsh verbal lashings and fashions, and this time is no different. She has a long and complicated history with Kenya Moore. In a trailer for the next half of the season, Hampton is seen getting into it with Moore.
Things between Hampton and Moore sour
Season 14 has been packed full of drama so far and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get any better. Hampton and Moore began as friends but things took a quick turn when Hampton accused Moore of lying about being sick and not showing up for a party to help cheer up fellow cast member Sheree Whitfield. Things have only worsened from there.
This week, the midseason trailer for the show dropped and it is explosive.
There seems to be issues in all of the women’s lives and everyone is dealing with something. One big moment is when Hampton and Moore get it to and Hampton calls Moore trash.
Hampton disses Moore
In a conversation with Whitfield about Moore, Hampton said that Moore”slept with half of Hollywood.” At an event for Drew Sidora, she shaded Moore’s marriage to Marc Daly.
Hampton calls Moore "trash"
“No one in this group would take me away from Michael and William,” Hampton says in the trailer for a future episode, referring to her two teenage nephews she gained custody of in 2019. Moore responded: “Yeah, ’cause you gave them away.” In turn, Hampton called Moore “trash.”
#NewMusicVideo: Ciara – Jump (featuring Coast Contra)
Ciara unveils her long awaited new single “Jump” featuring hip hop group Coast Contra. This marks her debut on Republic/Uptown Records in conjunction with her own Beauty Marks Entertainment.
“Jump” represents the start of the next chapter in her career. The dancefloor ready R&B jam comes equipped with a showstopping visual to serve as a backdrop to the song. The video was directed by Dave Meyers.
WATCH HERE
The new single sets the stage for Ciara’s first album in over four years and her eight album overall when it arrives soon.
#HipHopNews: Cardi B Denies Fighting Fan At Wireless Festival
Cardi B is putting the rumors to rest. The rapper closed out her headlining set at Wireless Festival in London on Friday with some controversy after she reportedly got into a fight. Towards the end of her performance, she went into the sea of fans while seated on the shoulder of her security guard before appearing to fend off someone in the crowd using her microphone. She took a couple swings before dropping the mic.
After the video went viral, Cardi took to Twitter to address the situation.
“Don’t believe everything you see,” she captioned a video of Miley Cyrus on stage declaring, “These motherfu**ers, I swear they tried to kill your favorite bitch!”
She also denied reports that she was fighting with a fan. “It wasn’t NO FIGHT!” she said before pointing to a Twitter page that showed another angle of the incident.
Despite the controversy, Cardi thrilled fans while performing on the Wireless stage. She brought out Megan Thee Stallion and her husband Offset, and performed her new single “Hot Shit.”
The previous night, she took the stage at Norway’s Stavernfestivalen. Her European tour continues tonight with another performance at Wireless in Birmingham.
#RIP: Vernon Winfrey, former Nashville Metro councilman and Oprah Winfrey's father, dies
Vernon Winfrey cuts Leroy McMurray's hair at Winfrey’s barbershop in east Nashville on Jan. 11, 2018. Vernon Winfrey has owned Winfrey’s Barbershop since 1965.
Vernon Winfrey, a former Metro councilman who operated an East Nashville barbershop for more than 50 years, died on Friday, his daughter Oprah Winfrey confirmed.
The 89-year-old had been ill, Oprah Winfrey said on social media this week, and died just days after his media mogul daughter and family hosted a "Vernon Winfrey Appreciation Day."
"We wanted to be able to have all his friends come and celebrate him while he is able to receive the joy," Oprah Winfrey said last week.
On Saturday morning, She said Vernon Winfrey had "reveled" in the backyard party days before his passing.
"He FELT the love and reveled in it until he could no longer speak," Oprah Winfrey said in a social media post. "Yesterday with family surrounding his bedside I had the sacred honor of witnessing the man responsible for my life, take his last breath. We could feel Peace enter the room at his passing. That Peace still abides. All is well. Thank you for your prayers and good thoughts."
Vernon Winfrey was born in Mississippi and moved to Nashville after his U.S. Army service during the Korean War. He worked as janitor at Vanderbilt University before going to barber school.
He opened Winfrey's Barbershop in 1965, in addition to an adjacent convenience shop, which became a mainstay of the Cleveland Park neighborhood in East Nashville. The shop is still open on Lischey Avenue, and Vernon Winfrey was serving customers as recently as last year, according to the barbershop social media posts.
"No one enters or leaves without a hello and a handshake," Vernon Winfrey said in 2018.
In 1975, he was elected to Nashville Metro Council, where he served for nearly 20 years.
Vernon Winfrey also served as a deacon at Faith United Missionary Baptist Church.
Metro Councilman Vernon Winfrey, left, cuts a customer's hair as his Bayard Avenue barbershop while listening to a constituent's community concerns on Aug. 3, 1990.
After splitting time between her mother's home in Milwaukee and Nashville, Oprah Winfrey returned to Vernon Winfrey in her adolescence.
In a 1986 Washington Post profile, Oprah Winfrey credits her father for helping her turn her life around, setting her on a meteoric rise through local Nashville media to worldwide media mogul.
Vernon Winfrey cuts Leroy McMurray's hair at Winfrey’s barbershop in east Nashville on Jan. 11, 2018. Winfrey is the father of Oprah Winfrey.
"When my father took me, it changed the course of my life," Winfrey told the Washington Post. "He saved me. He simply knew what he wanted and expected. He would take nothing less."
Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills’ Star Garcelle Beauvais Confronts Erika Jayne For Cursing At Her Son.
Looks like RHOBH star Garcelle Beauvais had to confront Erika Jayne after the way she spoke to her son.
As previously reported, singer and personality Erika Jayne made some inappropriate comments to her fellow castmates son while attending Garcelle Beauvais’s 55th birthday celebration. During the episode, Garcelle’s 14-year-old son Jax was assisting with preparations for the event, when a slightly inebriated Erika told him “get the f*ck out of here.” In the most recent episode, Garcelle confronted Erika about the incident.
Speaking about the moment, the former host of The Real stated:
“I understand we were all having a good time at my birthday party, I understand that your liquor level was beyond. Under no circumstances though can you disrespect not only a kid, but my kid.”
During the previous episode Garcelle immediately called out Erika after Jax explained to his mother what transpired. Though she demanded her castmate apologize in that moment, the TV personality stated she wanted to speak with Erika sober. It seems Garcelle got her point across as Erika responded with full admission to being wrong. She stated:
“I agree and take full responsibility and you know what I was sh*t talking and treating the kids like they were adults and I was wrong….so I fully apologize….it didn’t come from a bad place. It wasn’t vicious. It was just wrong.”
As the conversation continued, Erika admitted that a change in medication mixed with too many drinks prompted her unruly behavior, stating:
“Here’s the thing I’ve had a change in medication so it makes me tired then it makes me spike….But at your party, I had a few too many sneaky margaritas.”
However, it seems by the end of the episode all things were forgiven with the two, as Erika complimented Garcelle on how well behaved her children are. Garcelle also accepted Erika’s apology.
Amanda Bynes and Paul Michael break off engagement
Amanda Bynes and Paul Michael have broken off their engagement, according to a new report. The pair, however, do remain in a relationship.
“They are still together as a couple, but they have put a pause on their engagement and wedding planning,” a source told Entertainment Tonight Friday, adding that the pair called it off “sometime in 2021.”
“They have gone through ups and downs, together and personally, and realized they might have moved quickly, but they love each other and are still committed to one another.”
The “Easy A” actress, 36, announced her engagement to Michael — whom she met at a sober living facility — Valentine’s Day 2020, showing off a massive emerald cut diamond ring on Instagram at the time. While it was reported that the couple spilt the following month, Michael later told Page Six that they never broke up, which appears to still be the case.
“[Bynes and Michael] are still in a committed relationship and take their relationship seriously,” ET’s source added. “They wear rings now to show their loyalty to each other and as a symbol of learning and growing together, but the rings aren’t everything to them.”
The couple are also focused on their own personal growth as they navigate their relationship.
“Amanda looks great and has gotten through many hard and significant experiences that have helped make her an incredible woman. She is sober, killing it and doing better than ever,” the source continued. “Paul is in law school after working in healthcare for 10 years and doing well.”
Bynes’ attorney did not immediately return our request for comment.
Twitter vows legal fight after Musk pulls out of $44 billion deal
Elon Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla and the world's richest person, said on Friday he was terminating his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter because the social media company had breached multiple provisions of the merger agreement.
Twitter's chairman, Bret Taylor, said on the micro-blogging platform that the board planned to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement.
"The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk...," he wrote.
In a filing, Musk's lawyers said Twitter had failed or refused to respond to multiple requests for information on fake or spam accounts on the platform, which is fundamental to the company's business performance.
"Twitter is in material breach of multiple provisions of that Agreement, appears to have made false and misleading representations upon which Mr. Musk relied when entering into the Merger Agreement," the filing said.
Musk also said he was walking away because Twitter fired high-ranking executives and one-third of the talent acquisition team, breaching Twitter's obligation to "preserve substantially intact the material components of its current business organization."
LEGAL BATTLE
Musk's decision is likely to result in a protracted legal tussle between the billionaire and the 16-year-old San Francisco-based company.
Disputed mergers and acquisitions that land in Delaware courts more often than not end up with the companies re-negotiating deals or the acquirer paying the target a settlement to walk away, rather than a judge ordering that a transaction be completed. That is because target companies are often keen to resolve the uncertainty around their future and move on.
Twitter, however, is hoping that court proceedings will start in a few weeks and be resolved in a few months, according to a person familiar with the matter.
There is plenty of precedent for a deal renegotiation. Several companies repriced agreed acquisitions when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020 and delivered a global economic shock.
In one instance, French retailer LVMH threatened to walk away from a deal with Tiffany & Co. The U.S. jewelry retailer agreed to lower the acquisition price by $425 million to $15.8 billion.
"I'd say Twitter is well-positioned legally to argue that it provided him with all the necessary information and this is a pretext to looking for any excuse to get out of the deal," said Ann Lipton, associate dean for faculty research at Tulane Law School. Shares of Twitter were down 6% at $34.58 in extended trading. That is 36% below https://tmsnrt.rs/3aoza2X the $54.20 per share Musk agreed to buy Twitter for in April.
Twitter's shares surged after Musk took a stake in the company in early April, shielding it from a deep stock market sell-off that slammed other social media platforms.
But after he agreed on April 25 to buy Twitter, the stock within a matter of days began to fall as investors speculated Musk might walk away from the deal. With its tumble after the bell on Friday, Twitter was trading at its lowest since March.
The announcement is another twist in a will-he-won't-he saga https://tmsnrt.rs/3ACFgY1 after Musk clinched the deal to purchase Twitter in April but then put the buyout on hold until the social media company proved that spam bots account for less than 5% of its total users.
The contract calls for Musk to pay Twitter a $1 billion break-up if he cannot complete the deal for reasons such as the acquisition financing falling through or regulators blocking the deal. The break-up fee would not be applicable, however, if Musk terminates the deal on his own.
Some employees expressed disbelief and exhaustion on Friday, publicly posting memes on Twitter, such as of a rollercoaster ride and a baby screaming into a phone, in apparent commentary on the breakup. Employees have worried about the deal will mean for their jobs, pay and ability to work remotely, and many have expressed skepticism about Musk's plans to loosen content moderation.
DIGITAL AD WOES
Musk's abandonment of the deal and Twitter's promise to vigorously fight to complete it casts a pall of uncertainty over the company's future and its stock price during a time when worries about rising interest rates and a potential recession have hammered Wall Street. Shares of online advertising rivals Alphabet, Meta Platforms, Snap and Pinterest have seen their stocks tumble 45% on average in 2022, while Twitter's stock has declined just 15% in that time, buoyed in recent months by the Musk deal.
Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush, said Musk's filing was bad news for Twitter.
"This is a disaster scenario for Twitter and its Board as now the company will battle Musk in an elongated court battle to recoup the deal and/or the breakup fee of $1 billion at a minimum," he wrote in a note to clients.
Chris Brown breaks The Weeknd and Elvis Presley's billboard records
Chris Brown has officially surpassed The Weeknd’s record for most hot R&B tracks. The accomplishment comes after nine entries from Brown’s latest album, Breezy, bringing him to 79 songs overall on the chart.
This list, which dates back to Oct. 20, 2012, now boasts 71 entries owned by The Weeknd, currently in second place.
“Psychic,” featuring Jack Harlow, was Brown’s most-streamed song during the tracking week, with 6.41 million official streams. “Call Me Every Day,” featuring Wizkid, came to a close second at 6.39 million streams.
Additionally, Brown surpassed Elvis Presley‘s record for most Billboard Hot 100 songs, becoming the most decorated male artist in that category.
The 32-year-old singer passed Presley’s 109 recorded entries, snagging 112 entries of his own. Although the album was released on the same day as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, Breezy quickly topped the charts.
In 2020, Brown became the fastest male artist to reach 100 Billboard Hot 100 entries.
Last week, the singer shared his upset over the lack of support for the album on his Instagram stories. He was unhappy that the media and his fans focused on negative stories rather than his new music.
“July 8 [Breezy] deluxe album, not that [it] matter,” he said. “Seems like y’all only invest in the negative stories about me. Chris gets in trouble (the whole world is on it). Chris drops [an] album. [cricket emojis].”
In another post, Brown said, “I’m back on my gangsta shit… It’s brackin at all Times.”
As his album makes waves on the charts, Brown kicks off the “One Of Them Ones” Tour with Atlanta rapper Lil Baby on July 15 in North Carolina. The tour concludes in Las Vegas on Aug. 27.
During an interview with Big Boy, Brown explained how he still gets nervous before a performance. He said he is anxious about his tour and has sleepless nights over it. However, he is still excited.
“Man, that’s gonna be fun,” he said. “I still get nervous. I have sleepless nights. Because it’s the excitement, it’s adrenaline. If you don’t understand that, you know energy. You can feel [the] energy.”
Angie Martinez launches new podcast with Lauren London as first guest
According to Complex, Angie Martinez announced the launch of her new podcast, “Angie Martinez IRL” (In Real Life). According to the radio personality, the idea originated from a near-fatal car accident in 2019.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life. I’ve experienced a lot. I still love what I do regularly. I love talking to artists. There are conversations I want to have that I wasn’t necessarily having. I’ve had a challenging couple of years as the whole country has,” Martinez said.
“Personally, I was in a bad car accident a few years ago, but then COVID, and just the way the world was, I was feeling all of these ideas about life and what’s important and all the weird things we do,” the radio personality said. “Trying to navigate through that and wondering about having these deeper conversations with artists or people that have interesting stories. It’s not just artists, honestly.”
Martinez will sit down with her famous friends for insightful conversations about life and its difficulties. During the first season, the talks will also explore philosophies and life choices. The following seasons will address different questions.
“So we’re framing it around life—it’s called the ‘Angie Martinez IRL’ podcast—but it’s about life, legacy, mortality, and purpose. Everything that really matters,” she continued. “We’re all so busy. We should have goals, and there are places to have those conversations about business, finances, or hustling. There’s plenty of information about that.”
Martinez shared that her first guest for the podcast will be actress Lauren London. In the wake of the passing of her partner Nipsey Hussle, London has kept her interviews to a minimum.
Mary J. Blige, Joe Budden, and others will also be featured in the season.
The first episode of “Angie Martinez IRL” debuts later this month. In addition, six weekly episodes will follow.
Malia Obama Gets In a Workout at Afternoon SoulCycle Class in L.A.
Malia Obama is getting in a workout with a friend. The 24-year-old former First Daughter hit up a SoulCycle studio with a friend for an afternoon class on Saturday (July 9) in Los Angeles.
For her class, Malia went sporty in a gray zip-up hoodie paired with pink and purple biker shorts and tan clogs.
After the class, Malia and her friend headed to a drive-thru Starbucks to grab a few drinks.
Earlier this week, Malia celebrated her 24th birthday on the Fourth of July.
In honor of her birthday, her parents – former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama – took to social media to share some sweet messages.
“Happy birthday, Malia! No matter how sophisticated, accomplished, beautiful, and gracious a young woman you’ve become—you’ll always be my baby. And I will always be here to lift you up,” President Obama wrote on Twitter.
The former First Lady then wrote on Twitter, “Happy birthday, Malia – and Happy Fourth of July, everybody! 24 years ago, this day became extra special when your wonderful spirit arrived in this world. I’m so proud of the beautiful, caring, and driven young woman you’ve become. I love you so, so much! Love, your Mommy. ❤️”
Mariah Carey, Lupita Nyong'o Join More Stars at Dolce & Gabbana Fashion Show in Italy!
The stars are stepping out for the Dolce & Gabbana Fashion Show!
Mariah Carey, Lupita Nyong’o, and Emma Roberts joined tons of other stars at the 2022 Alta Moda show hosted by designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana held on Saturday (July 9) in Sicily, Italy.
Joining Mariah at the fashion show were her 11-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan Cannon.
Mariah wasn’t the only celeb to bring her kids to the event – Ciara, Ellen Pompeo, and Christian Bale also attended the show with their children.
F Troop's Larry Storch Dead at 99
Larry Storch, who memorably played Corporal Randolph Agarn on the mid-1960s ABC sitcom F Troop, died on July 8, six months shy of his 100th birthday.
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“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share with you the news our beloved Larry passed away in his sleep overnight,” the message reads. “We are shocked and at a loss for words at the moment. Please remember he loved each and every one of you and wouldn’t want you to cry over his passing. He is reunited with his wife Norma and his beloved F Troop cast and so many friends and family.”
Airing for two seasons (from September 1965 to April 1967), F Troop followed Ken Berry’s Captain Wilton “Wil” Parmenter, who after accidentally becoming a “hero” was put in charge of Fort Courage, a U.S. Army outpost in the Old West. Storch’s Corporal Randolph Agarn was the daft sidekick to Forrest Tucker’s enterprising Sergeant O’Rourke.
Storch also, now and again, played lookalike relatives of Agarn’s, including Russian, French-Canadian and Mexican cousins.
Prior to his F Troop enlistment, Storch recurred on Car 54, Where Are You? and did voice work for series such as Out of the Inkwell and Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales. His myriad TV guest spots, meanwhile, included (but were by no means limited to!) I Dream of Jeannie, Get Smart, Gomer Pyle: USMC, the cruise ship sitcom The Queen and I, The Love Boat and Love, American Style.
Storch also had runs on the early-’70s animated series The Brady Kids and 1975’s live-action The Ghost Busters, which reunited him with F Troop‘s Tucker.
Storch’s final TV appearances included playing himself in a 1995 episode of Married… With Children, and guesting a 1996 episode of Days of Our Lives.
Regina Hall, Sterling K. Brown Invite Us to 'Shake It for the Lord' in Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul
Before we begin to dissect this new trailer for Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul starring Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown, let us bow our heads for a word of prayer.
First, giving honor to Black Jesus, who is the head of my life. Lawd, we thank you—once for the Father, twice for the Son, and thrice for the Holy Ghost. For we know that God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Lawd, we also know that it was only by Your grace that Plymouth Rock didn’t land on us—but we, instead, landed on it. And while your ways may be mysterious, we thank you that your love is ever-present. In the name of the Black Jesus we pray, everybody said “amen” and “amen” again.
Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s dive into Honk for Jesus.
The Black megachurch-centered satirical comedy is set to tell the tale of Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall), the proud first lady of a Southern Baptist megachurch, who together with her husband, Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown), once served a congregation in the tens of thousands. But after a scandal forces their church to temporarily close, Trinitie and Lee-Curtis must reopen their church and rebuild their congregation to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen.
What ensues next, as far as we can see from the trailer, is a myriad of attempts to get back in the general public’s good graces. Whether that means hiring a camera crew to document it all (which sounds a little narcissistic when you think about it) or “shaking it for the Lord” on the church’s corner whilst standing beside a mannequin of a fully-melanated Black Jesus with locs and a hella creepy smile (sorry Black Jesus, I just thought your holy grill would be a bit more...ecclesiastical than that), what’s abundantly clear is that the duo are trying to do all they can to save face. But will it be enough to save their church, and more importantly, their souls?
That question and more will have to remain unanswered until the film drops it low for Jesus and slides on into theaters and Peacock on Friday, Sep. 2. (And let me just say this, as a reformed church kid: I will be front and center with my popcorn, MLK fan, tambourine, stale strawberry candy and breath mints when this comes out, mkay?)
WATCH HERE
Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul stars Regina Hall, Sterling K. Brown, Nicole Beharie, and Austin Krute. It’s written and directed by Adamma Ebo with Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya producing.
Britney Spears’ Dad Requests Daughter To Be Deposed For ‘Untrue’ Allegations About His Handling Of Her Conservatorship
Britney Spears’ family drama continues to intensify as her dad, Jamie Spears, has filed legal documents, asking a judge to depose his daughter for “untrue” claims she made about the way he handled her conservatorship. As fans will already be aware, the “Toxic” singer’s 13-year court-ordered arrangement was terminated in November, just months after Britney claimed her family had taken advantage of her by allegedly forcing her to do things against her will, and if she didn’t obey, she was punished to extreme measures.
In July 2021, Britney told a judge how she had been “traumatized” by what they had put her through, claiming she was “forced” to use an IUD because her conservators were against the idea of her having more children. She had also alleged being put on the psychiatric drug lithium, which constantly left her feeling “drunk,” despite her persistent pleas to be taken off the medication. The mother of two further accused Jamie of pushing her to work against her will, disallowing her the right to drive her own car, and having little to no communication with friends.
And since the conservatorship ended, the pop star has taken to social media on countless occasions to speak out against her relatives, particularly her father, who is now said to be using Britney’s Instagram posts in an effort to depose her for the supposed false allegations she’s made about him to her fans.
Britney has reportedly refused to cooperate with Jamie’s wishes, with her attorney Mathew Rosengart arguing that the deposition is only coming about now that she’s looking to sue everyone who did her wrong during her conservatorship. In the motion filed by Jamie’s legal team, they state that by California law, his daughter must sit for a deposition, even though her counsel is believed to have contended that he can get the information he wants from her through the help of other parties.
Jamie, per Radar Online, also shed light on the controversial New York Times documentary, “Framing Britney Spears,” which included testimonies from former staff members, who added fuel to fire by insisting that the Grammy winner was not only heavily supervised, her bedroom was allegedly bugged so that conservators could listen in on her private affairs.
To that, Jamie’s attorneys wrote, “The court has not made any findings against Jamie nor has Britney’s counsel proven any of these allegations with admissible evidence in a Court of law. And, of course, New York Times articles are neither evidence of wrongdoing nor a window into Britney’s personal knowledge about any of her allegations.”
Jamie is adamant of pushing for Britney for a deposition to “prove with admissible evidence that Britney’s allegations are untrue and dispel Britney’s accusations regarding the administration of her Estate.”
Slain former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s funeral, vigil scheduled
Slain former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be laid to rest at a Tuesday funeral attended by close friends and family, according to media reports.
Prior to the funeral, a vigil is scheduled for Monday night, but officials in Japan have not released any plans for a public memorial service for the country’s longest serving prime minister.
Abe’s body returned home Saturday, driven by motorcade from the city of Nara, where an assassin gunned down the former leader as he delivered a campaign speech.
Police arrested the suspected 41-year-old assassin, who blasted Abe with a homemade weapon in a rare instance of gun violence in the country that has strict gun-control laws.
The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, is believed to have been motivated by hatred for an unnamed religious group, who he accused Abe of promoting, according to local reports.
Yamagami, 41, told police he initially planned to attack the leader of the religious group because his mother had donated money to them, causing her to go bankrupt, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources.
Police are investigating whether he acted alone.
The police chief of Nara, meanwhile, acknowledged security shortcomings that allowed the gunman to walk up to Abe and fatally blast him with the homemade shotgun-like weapon.
“After the first report of the incident came at 11:30 a.m., and the situation was revealed, it was the height of the guilt and regret I’ve felt in my 27 years in law enforcement,” Nara Prefectural Police Chief Tomoaki Onizuka told reporters in a Saturday news conference, CNN reported.
Video footage of the assassination shows the gunman walk up behind Abe, fire a shot, then fatally shoot the former prime minister seconds later.
“I feel the weight of my responsibility,” Onizuka said at the press conference. “We can’t deny that there were problems with the security plan given how things ended.”
Candice Patton says The CW did nothing to protect her against racist fans
Candice Patton of CW's "The Flash" spoke out about being harassed by the fanbase of the DC-Universe comic-book hero early on in the series.Getty Images
Perhaps a Flash of insight would have helped.
As the female lead of DC-Universe series “The Flash,” Candice Patton was left to fend for herself upon meeting a barrage of racially charged vitriol spewed toward her by the comic-book superhero’s fanbase after the show’s premiere on the CW in 2014, and she discussed her experiences on the debut episode of “The Open Up Podcast.”
While she mentions taking the role as journalist-turned-superhero dispatcher Iris West in “The Flash” out of interest in the part and a need to “pay rent,” Patton, now 34, quickly discovered how “all this stuff comes with it. And you’re changing the way people view the superhero genre, and creating spaces for women of color that have never had that. And it’s a lot of responsibility. It’s a lot of tension. It comes with a lot.
“And it’s also a very dangerous place to be in when you’re one of the first and you’re receiving so much backlash from it. And there is no help,” she continued. “Now, people understand it a little better. And they understand how fans can be racist, especially in the genre, misogynistic, all of that.”
On Warner Bros. and the CW’s response “at the time,” she recalled, “It was kind of like, ‘Yeah, that’s how fans are, but whatever.'”
“There were no social media protocols in place to protect me. They just let all that stuff sit there,” she added of online harassment in particular.
“It’s just not enough to make me your lead female and say, ‘Look at us, we’re so progressive, we check the box,’ … It’s great, but it’s like you’ve put me in the ocean alone, around sharks,” she continued.
“It’s great to be in the ocean, but I could get eaten alive out here,” she said. “Just because you put us in a fancy Hollywood TV set or film set with the hair and makeup and you assume we’re safe. We’re not safe.”
Though the abuse had gotten bad enough to make her consider leaving the show by Season 2, she ultimately stayed on and will begin filming Season 9 of “The Flash” this summer.
Shawn Mendes postpones world tour to ‘take care of my mental health’
Singer Shawn Mendes slammed the brakes on his hotly-anticipated world tour in a bid to take care of his mental health.
The 23-year-old “Stitches” hitmaker said he’s “hit a breaking point” and needs time away from the limelight to pause and reset.
Mendes’ tour, titled “Wonder: The World Tour,” kicked off in Portland last month and was due to run through until August 2023.
“This breaks my heart to have to say this, but unfortunately I’m going to have to postpone the next three weeks of shows through Uncasville, CT until further notice,” the Canadian singer told fans in an Instagram post on Friday.
The “Treat You Better” singer admitted he never found it easy spending so much time away from his loved ones so often, admitting this time was no different.
“I’ve been touring since I was 15 and to be honest it’s always been difficult to be on the road away from friends and family,” he explained.
“After a few years off the road, I was ready to dive back in, but the decision was premature and unfortunately the toll of the road and the pressure has caught up to me and I’ve hit a breaking point.”
Mendes said he spoke with his team and mental health professionals, who advised him to take “time to heal and take care of myself and my mental health, first and foremost.”
“As soon as there are more updates I promise I will let you know love you guys,” he added.
It’s not the first time Mendes shares his mental health woes with fans.
In April, he shared a lengthy message on Twitter saying he often asks himself “what it is that I should be doing with my life.”
In a follow-up tweet, he reassured his fans he was well, tweeting, “I’m honestly so okay! I just wanna communicate with you guys in a real honest way. so I just typed I big old note out for you lol.”
Mendes was set to continue his tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday.
Nicki Minaj Addresses Pregnancy Rumors
Nicki Minaj may have been trolling the Barbz. Ahead of her performance at London’s Wireless Festival, the 39-year-old rapper took to Instagram Live to chop it up with her fans. About midway through the broadcast, Nicki was asked if she and her husband, Kenneth Petty, were expecting a second child.
“Am I pregnant?” she read with wide eyes. “… Oh, I did mean to tweet this: ‘I’m not fat, y’all, I’m pregnant. Yeah, I meant to tell y’all, [but] I forgot.”
Fans immediately began congratulating Nicki on the big news, with one user writing: “We knew it.”
Nicki had was clearly amused by the responses, before going silent.
“Oh wait,” she said with a serious face. “Did I say it wrong? I’m sorry. I think I said it wrong. I meant to say, ‘I’m not pregnant, I’m fat.’
Minaj then began laughing again and apologized for messing up the joke.
“But thanks, guys, for all the congratulatory messages,” she continued. “Oh my god.”
Nicki and Petty welcomed their first child together in September 2020, about a year after they tied the knot. The couple has endured several controversies over the past year, including allegations they harassed and intimidated a woman who accused Petty of sexual assault in the 1990s.
Petty was ultimately convicted of first-degree attempted rape in 1995 and served four years prison. Following the conviction, Petty was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. However, authorities say he failed to register in California when he moved from New York to Los Angeles in 2019. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to a year of in-home confinement and three years of probation for the crime.
“I take full responsibility for whatever happens today,” he said during the sentencing hearing. “I’m ashamed, embarrassed and disrespected my wife’s brand. There are no excuses, I broke the law. I thank you for giving me the chance to speak, to apologize.”
‘Sopranos’ Cast Members Pay Tribute to Tony Sirico After His Death
The cast of The Sopranos took to social media to pay tribute to Tony Sirico, who died Friday at the age of 79. Sirico played beloved mobster Paulie Walnuts on the HBO series.
Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti and starred alongside Sirico in one of the signature Sopranos episodes, Season 3’s “Pine Barrens,” shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
“It pains me to say that my dear friend, colleague and partner in crime, the great TONY SIRICO has passed away today,” Imperioli wrote. “Tony was like no one else: he was as tough, as loyal and as big hearted as anyone i’ve ever known. I was at his side through so much: through good times and bad. But mostly good. And we had a lot of laughs. We found a groove as Christopher and Paulie and I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. He is truly irreplaceable. I send love to his family, friends and his many many fans. He was beloved and will never be forgotten. Heartbroken today.”
Lorraine Bracco, who portrayed Jennifer Melfi, called Sirico “a stand up guy who always had my back and who loved my children and my parents.”
“I have a lifetime of memories with Tony— starting with ‘Goodfellas’ to ‘The Sopranos’ and way beyond— but my God, did we have fun doing the Bensonhurst Spelling Bee—I’m still laughing. I hope he’s in heaven cracking everybody up now,” she added.
Raphael Saadiq Named Exec. Music Producer of Marvel’s ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’
*Raphael Saadiq has been named executive music producer for Marvel’s new animated series “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.” The Grammy-winning musician will be responsible for giving the series a sound that is akin to the many music genres popular in New York City (hip-hop, pop, R&B, jazz, Jamaican, funk, Latin).
The news came out on July 1 from the Disney panel at the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans. There was also a promo video showing Saddiq at work in the studio (watch it above).
“I am proud to be working with Disney Branded Television on this groundbreaking new series featuring a female African American Marvel Super Hero, who is smart, funny, compassionate, and a born leader,” Saadiq revealed in a statement. “I look forward to helping the creative team bring the show to life through music.”
The official description of the series reads, “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, based on Marvel’s hit comic books, follows the adventures of 13-year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette and her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur. After Lunella accidentally brings Devil Dinosaur into present-day New York City, the duo works together to protect the city’s Lower East Side from danger.”
The vocals for the theme song and additional songs throughout the series are provided by Diamond White, voice of Lunella/Moon Girl. Apart from White, other voice cast in the series includes Alfre Woodard as Lunella’s grandmother, Mimi; Libe Barer as Lunella’s best friend and manager, Casey; Sasheer Zamata as Lunella’s mom, Adria; Jermaine Fowler as Lunella’s dad, James Jr.; Gary Anthony Williams as Lunella’s grandfather, Pops; Fred Tatasciore as Devil Dinosaur; and Laurence Fishburne in the recurring role of The Beyonder, a curious and mischievous trickster.
Bill Gates Daughter Gets Racist Comments After Posting Pic with Rumored Black Boyfriend
*Social media went wild after the daughter of (one of) the world’s richest men posted a picture with a black male. Phoebe Gates, the daughter of Bill Gates, has become the latest to be trolled online but unfortunately with a mass amount of racist remarks.
Gates, 19, posted a photo on Instagram of a young black man kissing her on her cheek as they sat side-by-side. The Stanford University student and the guy who remains anonymous became the target of jokes that were mainly about their interracial relationship and her father’s fortune.
Even though it’s still unknown if the two are in a relationship, some thought the possible relationship was a win for the Black community.
“I’m so tickled at Bill Gates’ daughter’s new man,” one tweeted. “The black community said he secured the bag.” Another said: “Bill Gates’s daughter got a black bf. I hope they get married,” another user wrote. “We finna get reparations one way or another.”
“Bill gates bout to make a whole new virus just to end this relationship,” the Twitter user wrote. “Who would’ve thought that with the ongoing climate crisis Bill Gate’s daughter would partake in smoking coal.”
And when it comes to the young Black male securing the bag, one advised: “Phoebe Gates has a black boyfriend, young brotha do not pull out … BE GREAT.”
Derek Chauvin Will Not Be Allowed To Work In Law Enforcement After He Is Released From Prison
After Derek Chauvin serves his prison sentence, he will not be allowed to work in law enforcement.
According to legal documents, Chauvin is ordered not to work in law enforcement upon his release. However, he will be able to return to the job once his five-year supervised release is over.
The documents state that Chauvin cannot work as a law enforcement officer, corrections officer, security officer, or mall cop. Not only does the release effects Chauvin’s career, but it restricts him financially. The former police officer will not be able to open a new line of credit without consulting with his probation officer first.
In addition, Chauvin will also need approval from his P.O. to contact George Floyd’s family.
Earlier this month, Chauvin was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for violating Floyd’s civil rights. Chauvin also received five years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence.
Pennsylvania 911 Operator Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter After Not Sending Ambulance To Woman Who Died
A Pennsylvania 911 operator is facing a rare charge of involuntary manslaughter because he failed to send an ambulance to the home of a woman who died of internal bleeding a day later.
The woman’s daughter even told the operator that without medical help “she’s going to die.”
A Greene County detective last week filed charges against Leon “Lee” Price, 50, of Waynesburg, for the July 2020 death of Diania Kronk, 54, claiming his reluctance to send help without getting more assurance that Kronk would actually go to the hospital.
“I believe she would be alive today if they would have sent an ambulance,” said Kronk’s daughter Kelly Titchenell, 38.
Price was also charged with reckless endangerment, official oppression, and obstruction. Apparently, he questioned Titchenell repeatedly during the four-minute call about whether she would agree to go to the hospital.
Price has since been released on bail ABC News reported.
“It has to be very clear throughout the entire state, that when you call it’s not going to be conditioned on somebody on the other end of the phone saying there’s going to be a service provided or not,” said Lawrence E. Bolind Jr., who represents Titchenell in the federal lawsuit. “What we’re trying to do here is make this never happen to somebody else.”
In the 911 recording, Price replied to Titchenell’s plea that her mother needed
hospital treatment by asking if she was “willing to go” to the hospital that is about a half-hour away from where she was living in Sycamore.
“She will be, ’cause I’m on my way there, so she’s going, or she’s going to die,” Titchenell told Price as she drove from her home in Mather.
Price informed her that he would send an ambulance but added that “we really need to make sure she’s willing to go.”
“She’s going to go, she’s going to go,”
Titchenell said. “Cause if not, she’s going to die, there’s nothing else.”
She then said that Kronk was not thinking clearly and informed him that she was her mother’s closest relation. Price them again asked if Kronk would in fact go, Titchenell replied: “OK, well, can we just try?”
After Titchenell told the operator that she was 10 minutes from her mother’s home, Price asked if she would call 911 back once she made sure her mother was willing to go in an ambulance.
“I’m sorry,” Titchenell said, and Price replied: “No, don’t be sorry, ma’am. Just call me when you get out there, OK?”
When Titchenell and her three children arrived at her mother’s house, she said, she was nude on the front porch and talking incoherently.
“She just kept saying she was OK, she’s fine,” Titchenell said. “She’s the mom, you know — she doesn’t listen to her children.”
Titchenell said she could not call 911 from the home because the landline could not be located and there was no cell service. She also did not call on her way home because she thought that her uncle would soon check on her and that another contact with 911 would be pointless.
“This is unheard of, to me. I mean, they’ll send an ambulance for anything,” Titchenell said. “And here I am telling this guy that my mom’s going to die. It’s, like, her death, and she doesn’t get an ambulance.”
Her brother found her the next day that their mother had died.
The prosecutor, Greene County District Attorney Dave Russo, said he is investigating if there was any policy or training for the county’s 911 dispatchers that allowed them to refuse services to callers.
“We all deserve equal protections, and we all deserve access to medical services,” Russo said in an interview. “I have a major concern as to the safety of the community in regards to this.”
Titchenell, on behalf of her mother’s estate, sued Price and Greene County in Pittsburgh federal court in June, along with two 911 supervisors. The lawsuit also accuses Price of “callous refusal of public emergency medical services.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
TIME IS GOLD
She hasn’t too much time on her hands
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Myke
Meet Myke! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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