#FASHIONFAB: HOT or NOT, Tessa Thompson in Oscar de la Renta at the THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER UK Gala Screening
For Tessa Thompson’s whole fashion deal for the Thor: Love and Thunder London premiere she wore De La Renta. Take a gander at her look.
Well the bust is too tight and it’s cutting into her, because the overall effect is pretty great and she’s spectacularly well-suited to it. She’s been working a lot of armor-like looks for this tour, appropriately enough, and she has both a preference and a knack for wearing these deconstructed sorts of looks. We adore the dégradée effect, but we think the faux foundation garment element wasn’t needed. Still, with the hair and the boots, we can’t say she didn’t ace the styling on this one.
What say you? Is it Hot or Not?
#RHOA: Phaedra Parks Would "Love" to Date in the Middle East After RHODubai Visit
Phaedra Parks is single and ready to mingle in the City of Gold.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum is finally making her highly anticipated cameo on the July 6 episode of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Dubai. Invited by longtime friend and RHODubai co-star Caroline Brooks, Phaedra said she had an "amazing" time meeting the ladies of Bravo's latest Housewives location.
"I really love this cast," Phaedra told E! News exclusively during an interview with Caroline. "This cast really has a lot of potential because they are all so different and the space that they are in in Dubai is such an interesting playground."
During her visit, Phaedra was particularly interested in learning about the laws allowing Muslim men to have multiple wives.
The mother of two joked, "I really gotta meet these men over there because I love the thought of having a sister wife. We can break these responsibilities up. I love a good friendship. I love it, it's very intriguing to me."
Caroline laughed, adding, "You won't like it. You don't want to share."
"Never say never, honey," Phaedra responded. "I'm from a big family, I've got three siblings. Sharing has never been an issue to me. As long as I'm in first position."
As for the laws in the United Arab Emirates, Caroline explained, "You'll be treated equally...That's the rules and customs of Islam: If they want to have more than one wife, every wife must be treated the same, provided for the same and have the same. Otherwise, you can't do it. They have to be able to afford that many wives."
Phaedra quipped that the U.S. has "never been good on equality," so a change could be "refreshing." In the meantime, she did recently go on a date stateside with a "cute" bachelor.
"It's gonna take a special type of guy to be with me because I'm very different," the Real Housewives Ultimate Girls star star added. "I'm a lot."
The Real Housewives of Dubai airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo, and don't miss Phaedra on new episodes of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip every Thursday on Peacock.
#NewMusicVideo from Mary J. Blige – Come See About Me (featuring Fabolous)
The legendary Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige has just unveiled the visual for her latest single “Come See About Me” featuring Fabolous.
The song was included on the deluxe edition of her recently release album “Good Morning Gorgeous”.
WATCH HERE
Later this year, Blige will be heading out on the “Good Morning Gorgeous” tour to support the new album.
#HipHopNews: DJ Khaled Announces New Album 'God Did'
After much anticipation, DJ Khaled has revealed the official title of his 13th full-length studio album, God Did.
He shared the inspirational title along with a trailer featuring a new song and a highlight reel of his accolades, including his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
And just like his past albums, it looks like God Did will be another star-studded affair. He hinted at some of the superstar guests, with footage of himself in the studio with artists including Drake, Kanye West, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Future, Don Toliver, Roddy Ricch, Gunna, and 21 Savage.
“I made this album for all the believers and non believers. They didn’t believe in us…do you?” Khaled said.
The God Did title was inspired by Khaled’s signature catchphrase, a mantra adopted by the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Hart. He has yet to announce a release date, only teasing that the album is “coming soon.”
Khaled is expected to deliver more anthems with his new project, which follows 2021’s Khaled Khaled. That album spawned a pair of Drake-assisted singles, “Popstar” and “Greece,” and featured appearances from Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Migos, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Justin Bieber, and more.
Japan ex-leader Shinzo Abe apparently shot, in heart failure
Former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe died on Friday after being shot at a campaign event, in an attack that shocked a country where gun violence is virtually nonexistent.
Abe, 67, was a towering political presence even after he stepped down as Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, and he was campaigning ahead of elections scheduled for Sunday. He had just begun a speech in the western city of Nara, near Kyoto, when gunfire was heard around 11:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. Thursday ET).
Officials said that one person had been apprehended in relation to the shooting.
Abe was rushed to Nara Medical University Hospital after suffering cardio and pulmonary arrest. The hospital announced his death shortly after 5 a.m. ET.
Dr. Hidetada Fukushima, a professor of emergency medicine at the hospital, said Abe had two gunshot wounds and no vital signs when he arrived less than an hour after the shooting. Life-saving measures including blood transfusions were unsuccessful, he said, and Abe was pronounced dead at 4:03 a.m. ET.
Speaking from his office in Tokyo earlier in the day, a visibly shaken Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that while the attack was still being investigated, “it was a despicable and barbaric act that took place in the midst of an election, which is the foundation of democracy.”
“I condemn it in the harshest possible terms,” he told a hastily arranged news conference after returning from campaigning in the country’s north.
Kishida said no decisions had been made as to how the shooting would affect the election for the upper house of Parliament. Abe, who stepped down in 2020, was campaigning for other members of the governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) but was not a candidate himself.
Abe dominated Japanese politics for the best part of a decade and has remained politically active since his resignation, leading the biggest faction in his party.
The incident sent shockwaves through Japan, where gun violence is extremely rare. Handguns are banned in the country and people must undergo extensive tests, training and background checks to obtain and keep shotguns and air rifles.
Iwao Horii, an LDP member of the upper house representing Nara, was standing next to Abe when the former prime minister was shot. “We heard two loud sounds while he was talking and he fell immediately after that,” Horii said at a news conference. He added that Abe was unresponsive when emergency medics tried to resuscitate him.
“This is something that shakes the very foundations of democracy and cannot be forgiven,” he said.
The shooting was also condemned by the country’s main opposition party, the center-left Constitutional Democrats, with party leader Kenta Izumi calling it “an unforgivable act of barbarism.”
#RIP: James Caan, Oscar nominee for 'The Godfather,' dies at 82
James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of “The Godfather” and to television audiences as both the dying football player in the classic weeper “Brian’s Song” and the casino boss in “Las Vegas,” has died. He was 82.
His manager Matt DelPiano said he died on Wednesday. No cause was given and Caan's family, who requests privacy, said that no further details would be released at this time.
“Jimmy was one of the greatest. Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved,” DelPiano said. “Our relationship was always friendship before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years."
Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in “Misery” tweeted, “I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them.”
A football player at Michigan State University and a practical joker on production sets, Caan was a grinning, handsome performer with an athlete’s swagger and muscular build. He managed a long career despite drug problems, outbursts of temper and minor brushes with the law.
Caan had been a favorite of Francis Ford Coppola since the 1960s, when Coppola cast him for the lead in “Rain People.” He was primed for a featured role in “The Godfather” as Sonny, the No. 1 enforcer and eldest son of Mafia boss Vito Corleone.
Sonny Corleone, a violent and reckless man who conducted many killings, met his own end in one of the most jarring movie scenes in history. On his way to another job, Corleone stops at a toll booth that he discovers is unnervingly empty of customers. Before he can escape he is cut down by a seemingly endless fusillade of machine-gun fire. For decades after, he once said, strangers would approach him on the street and jokingly warn him to stay clear of toll roads.
Caan bonded with Brando, Robert Duvall and other cast members and made it a point to get everyone laughing during an otherwise tense production, sometimes dropping his pants and “mooning” a fellow actor or crew member. Despite Coppola’s fears he had made a flop, the 1972 release was an enormous critical and commercial success and brought supporting actor Oscar nominations for Caan, Duvall and Al Pacino.
Caan was already a star on television, breaking through in the 1971 TV movie “Brian’s Song,” an emotional drama about Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo, who had died of cancer the year before at age 26. It was among the most popular and wrenching TV movies in history and Caan and co-star Billy Dee Williams, who played Piccolo’s teammate and best friend Gale Sayers, were nominated for best actor Emmys.
After “Brian’s Song” and “The Godfather,” he was one of Hollywood’s busiest actors, appearing in “Hide in Plain Sight” (which he also directed), “Funny Lady” (opposite Barbra Streisand), “The Killer Elite” and Neil Simon’s “Chapter Two,” among others. He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in “The Godfather, Part II.”
But by the early 1980s he began to sour on films, though Michael Mann's 1981 neo-noir heist film “Thief," in which he played a professional safecracker looking for a way out, is among his most admired films.
“The fun of it was taken away,” he told an interviewer in 1981. “I’ve done pictures where I’d rather do time. I just walked out of a picture at Paramount. I said you haven’t got enough money to make me go to work every day with a director I don’t like.”
He had begun to struggle with drug use and was devastated by the 1981 leukemia death of his sister, Barbara, who until then had been a guiding force in his career. For much of the 1980s he made no films, telling people he preferred to coach his son Scott’s Little League games.
Short on cash, Caan was hired by Coppola for the leading role in the 1987 film “Gardens of Stone.” The movie, about life at Arlington National Cemetery, proved too grim for most audiences, but it renewed Caan’s acting career.
He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in “Misery” in 1990. In the film, based on Stephen King’s novel, Caan is an author taken captive by an obsessed fan who breaks his ankles to keep him from leaving. Bates won an Oscar for the role.
Once again in demand, Caan starred in “For the Boys” with Bette Midler in 1991 as part of a song-and-dance team entertaining U.S. soldiers during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. The following year he played a tongue-in-cheek version of Sonny Corleone in the comedy “Honeymoon in Vegas," tricking Nicolas Cage into betting his girlfriend, Sarah Jessica Parker, in a high-stakes poker game so he can spirit her away and try to persuade her to marry him.
Other later films included “Flesh and Bone,” “Bottle Rocket” and “Mickey Blue Eyes.” He introduced himself to a new generation playing Walter, the workaholic, stone-faced father of Buddy’s Will Ferrell in “Elf.”
Born March 26, 1939, in New York City, Caan was the son of a kosher meat wholesaler. He was a star athlete and class president at Rhodes High School and, after attending Michigan State and Hofstra University, he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater under Sanford Meisner.
Following a brief stage career, he moved to Hollywood. He made his movie debut in a brief uncredited role in 1963 in Billy Wilder’s “Irma La Douche,” then landed a role as young thug who terrorizes Olivia de Havilland in “Lady in a Cage.” He also appeared opposite John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in the 1966 Western “El Dorado” and Harrison Ford in the 1968 Western “Journey to Shiloh.”
Married and divorced four times, Caan had a daughter, Tara, and sons Scott, Alexander, James and Jacob.
BREAKING: WNBA star Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drug charges in Russian court
American basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Moscow court Thursday, her lawyers said, as her family and friends stepped up their calls for the U.S. government to do more to free her.
Griner, 31, could face up to 10 years in prison on drug smuggling charges under Russian law. She was detained in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after Russian authorities said they found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her luggage.
Griner’s lawyer, Alexander Boikov, said after the hearing that the basketball star admitted that the vape canisters were hers, but she brought them to Russia unintentionally.
Her other lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, said they hope for the leniency of the court. Griner’s next hearing will take place next Thursday.
NBC News was not in the courtroom when Griner spoke.
Her latest appearance comes after President Joe Biden sought to reassure Griner’s wife that he was working to secure her release as fast as he could. Griner penned an emotional letter to the president earlier this week, pleading with him to bring her home.
Her arrest took place just days before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, and has highlighted the frayed relations between Washington and Moscow.
The Kremlin has been accused of using Griner as a political pawn while the Biden administration has said she has been “wrongfully detained.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied Griner was being held as a hostage in Russia.
Griner is a 6-foot-9 native of Houston, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a center for the Phoenix Mercury. Her trial began last week.
She entered the court on Thursday wearing glasses, a red t-shirt and red pants. She was led into the courtroom in handcuffs before being placed in a white metal cage. Griner was later joined in the courtroom by three U.S. embassy representatives and her lawyers, with no TV cameras and only a few journalists allowed in.
Griner, who plays for a Russian basketball team during the WNBA’s offseason, has made no public statements since her detention and it’s unclear what she makes of the accusations against her or what she says were the circumstances surrounding her arrest.
Since her trial started, her family, friends and colleagues have increased their calls for the U.S. to do more to bring her home.
Her team held a rally in her support in Phoenix on Wednesday while Rev. Al Sharpton urged Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday to arrange for him and a group of faith leaders to meet Griner in Russia.
The White House said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, on Wednesday to assure her that he is working to secure Griner’s release as soon as possible. He also read her a draft of the letter he was sending Griner on Wednesday, according to the White House readout of the call.
It came after Griner said in the handwritten letter addressed to Biden earlier this week that she was terrified she could be in Russian jail forever, imploring him to do all he can to bring her home.
In May, the State Department reclassified Griner as having been “wrongfully detained” and transferred oversight of her case to the State Department presidential envoy for hostage affairs.
U.S. officials have said they are working behind the scenes to free her.
So far, Washington has not officially commented on any possible prisoner swaps, despite speculation in Russian state media in May that Griner could be exchanged for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S. NBC News wasn’t able to confirm those reports.
There are also growing questions over whether Griner could be traded along with Paul Whelan, another American serving a 16-year sentence for espionage.
Eric Holder Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder In Killing Of Nipsey Hussle
A Los Angeles jury reached a verdict on Wednesday (July 6) in the trial of Holder, who fatally shot the 33-year-old rapper outside his Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles more than three years ago.
The panel deliberated for nearly five hours on Friday followed by just over half an hour on Wednesday before finding Holder guilty of first-degree murder.
During the murder trial, which lasted over two weeks, prosecutors said that Holder had a conversation with Hussle and became angered over accusations he was a snitch. He returned to the store with two handguns and opened fire repeatedly in the parking lot outside the store. Hussle was shot 11 times. Two other men were also shot and survived.
Holder and Hussle were both members of the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips gang. The prosecutor told the downtown L.A. courtroom that Holder said to Nipsey, “You’re through,” to which Hussle replied, “You got me.”
Multiple witnesses confirmed that Holder approached Hussle on March 31, 2019 and his face was captured by security cameras, according to the Los Angeles Times. Instead of arguing for an acquittal, Holder’s attorney tried to persuade jurors they should convict his client of a lesser manslaughter charge.
Along with the murder conviction, Holder was convicted of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter for the shooting of the two other men, as well as two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was found not guilty of premeditated attempted murder.
The trial was delayed for one day after Holder was attacked by other inmates in a jail holding cell while on his way to court, an injury that required three staples to the back of his head.
Holder faces life in prison when he is sentenced at a later date.
‘Cheer’ Star Jerry Harris Sentenced To 12 Years In Jail For Child Pornography Charges
Netflix’s “Cheer” star Jerry Harris was sentenced to 12 years in jail after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.
Harris was sentenced on Wednesday (July 6) during a court hearing where the judge got to hear his supporters read character statements before handing down the 12-year sentence.
A source told TMZ that Harris has also been ordered into eight years of court-supervised release after prison.
Jerry Harris was facing up to 50 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one court of receipt of child pornography, and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Federal prosecutors recommended that he be sentenced to 15 years.
The FBI began investigating the former cheerleader in 2019 after authorities claimed he was soliciting sex from minors at cheer competitions, and persuaded teenage boys to send him inappropriate photos. Harris was arrested in September 2020.
Harris’ former cheerleading coach, Monica Aldama posted a statement to her social media after his arrest was made public, saying:
“I am devastated by this shocking, unexpected news. Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I’m praying hard for the victims and everyone affected.”
The second season of the Netflix show included an episode about Harris’ arrest and the aftermath within his former cheer team.
Three Michael Jackson Songs Removed From Streaming Following Fans’ Claims Of Fabricated Vocals
Fans of the late music icon Michael Jackson will not have three less songs to listen to.
Three tracks—’Breaking News,’ ‘Monster’ and ‘Keep Your Head Up’—have all been removed from streaming services after some fans long claimed they weren’t performed by Michael Jackson. Each of the songs were featured on the 2010 posthumous album Michael.
Michael Jackson‘s estate and Sony Music claim in a statement that the tracks were taken down in an effort to “move beyond” the controversy, but they stand by their claim that the vocals were not sung by a different person. Sony Music said,
“The Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music decided to remove the tracks ‘Breaking News,’ ‘Monster’ and ‘Keep Your Head Up,’ from the 2010 album ‘Michael’ as the simplest and best way to move beyond the conversation associated with these tracks once and for all. The album’s remaining tracks remain available. Nothing should be read into this action concerning the authenticity of the tracks – it is just time to move beyond the distraction surrounding them.”
The tracks were the focus of an “unusually aggressive” legal campaign by fans, which was won by the estate in 2018. They were supposedly recorded in 2007, two years before Michael passed away from an accidental overdose.
Michael impersonator/musician Jason Malachi reportedly acknowledged in a 2011 Facebook post that he was actually behind the vocals. Jason Malachi said,
“Sheesh guys, I guess it’s time to confess. I’ve lied to many people, including someone today, but…. It was me. It was me who sang Breaking News, Keep Your Head Up, Monster and Stay. I had an agreement with the record company, but now the cat is out of the bag. Sorry to all my fans, and fellow Michael Jackson fans.”
Both Jason Malachi and his manager later refuted the claims, alleging that his page had been hacked and the post was false.
Kenneth Petty Sentenced to Probation and In-Home Detention After Failure to Register as Sex Offender
Nicki Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty has been sentenced after pleading guilty to failing to register as a sex offender in the state of California in 2020.
via People:
During a hearing in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Petty was sentenced to three years probation and a year of in-home detention, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was also ordered to pay a $55,000 fine, CBS Los Angeles and MyNewsLA.com report.
Petty, 44, pleaded guilty in a September hearing and at the time, faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. His sentencing was postponed multiple times ahead of Wednesday’s court date.
Petty was arrested in March 2020 after being indicted for failure to register as a sex offender. At the time, Petty pleaded not guilty and posted $100,000 bail, according to records accessed by PEOPLE.
He initially faced legal trouble after being pulled over by the Beverly Hills Police Department on Nov. 15, 2019, when the department determined he was registered as a sex offender in New York — but not in California, where he now resides, TMZ previously reported.
Petty is required to register as a sex offender, as he was convicted for the first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl in 1995. He was sentenced to 18 to 54 months, but spent four years in prison. Petty is a level two registered offender in New York, which means he’s considered a “moderate risk of repeat offense.”
In August, Petty’s alleged rape victim, Jennifer Hough, filed a lawsuit against him and Minaj, 39, in which she accused the pair of attempting to intimidate her into recanting her rape accusation.
The lawsuit also accused Petty and Minaj, who married in October 2019, of intentional infliction of emotional distress and alleged that the couple had offered Hough up to $500,000 to recant her claims.
The suit was then dropped by Hough in January, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.
“The case against Nicki was voluntarily dismissed. The case against Kenneth Petty is still ongoing. Stay tuned!” Hough’s lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, told PEOPLE at the time.
Minaj’s lawyer, Judd Bernstein, told Hough’s lawyer he was pleased that Hough and Blackburn “came to their senses,” according to an email obtained by PEOPLE.
“Your conduct in pursuing this case against Nicki represents the worst of our legal system: bottom-feeding lawyers who pursue frivolous actions against a celebrity assuming that they will be paid off if they throw up enough dirt,” he wrote.
Bernstein added, “It is just the beginning of Nicki’s and my efforts to make you pay for your disgraceful conduct with both money and, if the Court recommends it, disciplinary sanctions.”
#RIP: Dr. Willie Morrow, Afro Pick Inventor, Dies At 82
Dr. Willie Lee Morrow—entrepreneur, barber, author, inventor of the Afro pick, and pioneer of the Jheri Curl hairstyle—has passed away. He was 82.
Morrow was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 9, 1939. Once of age, Morrow trekked to San Diego (then referred to as the “Harlem of the West”) where he felt there was an abundance of opportunity for growth. The Black icon taught himself the basics of barbering and sciences like chemistry and used these skills to begin his hair care empire.
According to San Diego Union-Tribune, Morrow wanted to use the hair care products he invented in the 1960s and ’70s to give back to San Diego’s Black community, create opportunities, and provide resources for his people.
Morrow began his career in the California city as a barber and offered haircuts in the Black community. From there, he began to capitalize on his cuts’ popularity, created a hair care line, and invented styling staples like the Afro Pick and the Blow Out Comb.
The famed hairstylist then used the profits from his barbershop and hair product business to power his desire to open up his own media company. Using the same commercial building as his barbershop, Willie started his own radio station and newspaper business, providing opportunities for Black people and Black business owners.
Speaking about her father’s urge to be a force in his community, Cheryl Morrow stated that her father was driven to see his people thrive.
“He just believed in the community being the source of the economy,” Cheryl said. “You should not have to go out of your community for the resources and wealth you needed. It should be in your community.”
Along with establishing his empire, San Diego also served as the area where Willie Morrow met his wife, Gloria. Married for 56 years until his recent passing, Willie and Gloria Morrow had two daughters.
“Thank you, San Diego, for giving an Alabama boy the reality of dreams fulfilled. Willie L. Morrow, a man whose life needed neither introduction nor exit,” Cheryl affectionately expressed in her San Diego Union-Tribune op-ed. “The great San Diego craftsman left pieces of himself with his beloved community, memories in the repositories of people’s hearts.”
A tribute for Dr. William Morrow is scheduled for July 15 at 11 a.m. PT at The Bayview Church of San Diego.
Beyoncé Makes History On Billboard Hot 100 Chart With “Break My Soul”
In March 2021, this evergreen statement was tweeted: “Beyoncé only leaves her bed to make history and that’s really it for me.” As Queen Bey would have it, the sentiment still rings true with her becoming the first woman ever to rack up at least 20 top 10 hits as a solo act and 10 or more top 10s as a group member on the Billboard Hot 100.
Overall, Queen Bey is the third artist to reach this feat, following behind Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. McCartney and Jackson, additionally, share a pair of Hot 100 top 10s: “Say Say Say,” which remained No. 1 for six weeks in December 1983, and their timeless ballad, “The Girl Is Mine,” that peaked No. 2 in January 1983.
Her newest release, “Break My Soul,” jumped from No. 15 to No. 7 after its first full week of tracking.
The 28-time Grammy winner also gained her first solo top 10 on the Hot 100 with “’03 Bonnie & Clyde” and prior to entering her Renaissance era, her most recent top 10 appearance occurred with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage (Remix).” As a member of Destiny’s Child, they gained 10 top 10s including four No. 1 hits between 1998-2005.
“Break My Soul” is the lead single from Beyoncé’s forthcoming album Renaissance, slated to arrive on July 29.
Black Tech Week announces Serena Williams as keynote speaker
On Friday (July 1), Black Tech Week announced that Serena Williams will be their keynote speaker.
Black Tech Week is an inclusion-focused ecosystem-building festival that partners with founders, corporations, and the community to create a valuable experience for investors, entrepreneurs, and techies of every kind. It is being held in Cincinnati, Ohio from Monday, July 18 to Monday, July 22. Williams will talk on Thursday, July 21 in Cincinnati’s Music Hall at 1 p.m. EST.
The tennis icon will represent her investment firm Serena Ventures, a company that unlocks value for investors, doors for founders, and opportunities for everyone to live better. Williams serves as the founder and managing partner of the company.
“Black Tech Week is a movement in support of the success of ecosystems being built by Black founders,” said Williams. “I’m looking forward to joining this strong community of talent, connecting and impacting the future of technology.”
Overall the conference will include over 60 sessions and present over 50 tech influencers, minority innovators and ecosystem builders as featured speakers. In addition to Williams, the featured speakers include REVOLT TV CEO Detavio Samuels, Black Web Fest Founder Victoria Coker, Black Girls Code Founder Kimberly Bryant, Hire Runner and Backstage Capital Founder Arlan Hamilton, National Black Society of Engineers CEO Janeen Uzzell and more. These speakers will share their experience and guidance around tech and the startup lifecycle.
It also includes a career fair at Washington Park and coincides with the Cincinnati Music Festival, featuring singer and songwriter Janet Jackson as the headliner.
Black Tech Week’s events are also presented with support from Uber, Main Street Ventures, and more.
You can register for the five-day conference, view the schedule, and learn more about the speakers at https://www.blacktechweek.com
Ryan Serhant Leaves 'Million Dollar Listing New York' as Bravo Puts Production on Pause
“Ryan made a decision when he started his own company that the ninth season would be his last season and he’s now focused on that company and being a CEO,” a source confirmed to People. “He decided his path with the show awhile ago.”
As of right now, Ryan hasn’t publicly addressed his exit from MDLNY.
Ryan has appeared on all nine seasons of MDLNY since it first premiered in 2012. Fellow original cast member Fredrik Eklund announced earlier this year that he was leaving the show.
Elon Musk Welcomed Twins With Top Exec Just Before 2nd Child With Grimes Was Born: Report
Elon Musk quietly welcomed twins with Shivon Zilis – one of his top executives – late last year, a new report from Business Insider claims.
According to court documents obtained by the outlet, the Tesla mogul expanded his family with Neurolink’s Zilis in November 2021.
Business Insider reports that Musk, 51, and Zilis, 36, filed a petition to change the twins’ names in order to “have their father’s last name and contain their mother’s last name as part of their middle name.”
The order was reportedly approved by an Austin, Texas, judge in May, though the children’s names remain unknown.
Zilis and a rep for Musk did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.
Per Business Insider, the twins were born just weeks before Musk and now-ex Grimes welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Exa Dark Sideræl, via surrogate in December 2021. They also share 2-year-old son X Æ A-Xii.
Musk’s kids with Grimes join his five other living children: Griffin, Vivian Jenna, Kai, Saxon and Damian.
Musk — who is currently dating “Britney Ever After” actress Natasha Bassett — shares his additional kids with ex-wife Justine Wilson.
After marrying in January 2000, he and the Canadian author welcomed son Nevada Alexander in 2002. Nevada tragically died of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, at only 10 weeks.
Musk explained his approach to fatherhood in a 2020 New York Times interview, admitting that he doesn’t play a prominent role in his kids’ lives when they’re young.
“Right now there’s not much I can do. Grimes has a much bigger role than me right now,” he said of his then-partner.
“When the kid gets older, there will be more of a role for me,” he elaborated at the time. “I think just doing what I’ve done with my other kids.”
‘Top Chef’ Star Justin Sutherland Severely Injured In Boating Accident
Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland was severely injured over the weekend after falling out of a boat into its propeller.
The former “Top Chef” contestant and “Iron Chef America” winner was out with friends on a boat in Minnesota on Sunday when he fell into the water while trying to retrieve his captain’s hat.
“While piloting his boat, Justin’s hat blew off. He tried to grab it, hit a wave, and was knocked off the boat. He fell into the water near the motor, and the propeller did a number on his head and left arm,” a GoFundMe account, set up by his friend Beth Gillies, explained.
Sutherland was left with a broken arm and a “severely” broken jaw. Fortunately, it appears he suffered no nerve damage and has already undergone the first of many surgeries to address his injuries.
“In addition to his broken bones, he sustained many lacerations, but with plastic surgery, they will become a reminder of his survival story,” the statement went on. “The great news is, he is going to be fine. With some time, he will possibly be better than fine. He is adding more character to the face we know and love, and the most important news, his beard is intact.”
The money raised on the crowdfunding site will cover Sutherland’s ever increasing medical bills, as he did not have health insurance. They’re currently looking to raise $500,000.
“If this lofty goal amount is exceeded and his medical bills are fully paid, please know that Justin and his family are committed to donating the excess amount to the many charities and causes near and dear to their hearts,” the statement continued.
At the time of publication, the account raised just over $74,000.
News of his accident was first announced on Sutherland’s Instagram.
“He is recovering and in good spirits,” the statement assured fans, adding, “At this time his family asks for privacy, but please send him positive thoughts and prayers.”
Sutherland competed on Season 16 of “Top Chef” in 2019 and also competed and won “Iron Chef America” in 2018.
He also owns and is the Executive Chef of two restaurants in the Minneapolis area, Handsome Hog & Pearl and The Thief.
Kim Kardashian wears infamous pant-boots to walk in Balenciaga show at Paris Fashion Week
Kim Kardashian solidified her relationship with Balenciaga as she appeared on the runway for the brand's couture fashion show in Paris.
The 41-year-old reality star and mogul was the first of a few recognizable faces to grace the catwalk on Wednesday where she wore what's become her signature all-black look. Her skintight asymmetrical gown came with gloves attached, while she wore the brand's infamous pant-shoes as her bottoms.
The look doesn't seem to stray too much from a number of her recent high-profile looks, including the Met Gala in September 2021 and her appearance as host of Saturday Night Live, which were all created by the brand. In February, Kardashian even starred in a Balenciaga campaign.
Countless onlookers from the show's front row caught video of Kardashian's runway look, but her biggest supporter was likely her 9-year-old daughter North West who attended the show alongside the famous family's matriarch, Kris Jenner. This wasn't North's first Balenciaga experience, as she made an appearance with her mom and dad, Kanye West, at the brand's Paris Fashion Week show in 2014.
North and Jenner had others to cheer on as the SKIMS founder was among actress Nicole Kidman, singer Dua Lipa and models Bella Hadid and Naomi Campbell on the runway.
"KIM! DUA! KIDMAN! NOAMI! BELLA!" Derek Blasberg captioned an Instagram post featuring all of the women's walks. "That's a couture casting."
"Iconic" and "legendary" were just two of the sentiments shared in the comment section.
Jordan Peele Recalls Telling Daniel Kaluuya, ‘You’re My De Niro’
Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya could become some of the most prolific collaborators in film.
During a recent interview with Empire magazine, Peele spoke about his working relationship with Kaluuya and his plans to keep teaming up throughout their careers—much like director Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro.
“It’s so funny, but by the point I was in the middle of [shooting] Get Out, that’s what I was telling him,” Peele recalled. “I was like [makes serious eye contact], ‘You’re my De Niro, man. You’re my De Niro.’ I was like, ‘I need you to be in the future ones too, man!’ You could just tell what we had in him as a performer, from the very beginning.”
Scorsese and De Niro have have joined forces on multiple projects since the 1970s, including Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, and The Irishman. Peele and Kaluuya first worked together on the Academy Award-winning film Get Out, which marked Peele’s directorial debut and Kaluuya’s breakout role.
“We do have a bond,” Peele continued. “The first big movie he was a lead in, and my directorial debut, was Get Out. And we bonded because we went through that together. In the beginning of that, it feels like two people who have faith in each other, then by the end, it all works. So I just couldn’t wait to further that relationship and explore a completely new character with Daniel.”
The Most Hilarious Stories From Season Three | The Complex Sneakers Podcast
The two are now gearing up for the premiere of Nope, a sci-fi horror flick directed by Peele and starring Kaluuya as OJ Haywood. The film tells the story of OJ and his sister Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer), who both own and operate the only Black-owned horse ranch in Hollywood.
Nope co-stars Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, and Barbie Ferreira. It’ll hit U.S. theaters July 22.
You can read Peele’s full Empire interview in the upcoming issue, Nope in the Avatar: The Way Of Water issue. The issue hits stands July 7
Missy Elliott Shares Advice for Artists Working on Sophomore Albums: ‘If U Play Safe You Will Be Boxed In’
One of the biggest concerns in a young artist’s career is the “sophomore slump,” which refers to the follow-up to their debut effort not meeting their expectations or the expectations of critics and their fanbase.
Since Missy Elliott has a wealth of experience, she decided to share advice to up-and-coming acts about the importance of their second studio project.
“Sophomore Albums are a very PIVOTAL time for artist! Here is a gem from MISSY!Your sophomore album be stressful but it’s the BEST ALBUM to EXPERIMENT on!” the rap legend wrote on Twitter. “Don’t be AFRAID! Becuz If u play safe you will be BOXED in & its hard to get out because your fans get used to that 1 sound💯.”
Missy went on to add that artists should trust their intuition when it comes to the music they want to release and worry about what the critics will think later.
She also noted that one of her biggest tracks, “Lose Control,” was a song that no one believed in except for her, and that trust in her gut paid off.
This type of free game is valuable, and something Missy eluded to in her series of tweets, saying “People normally charge for this kind of info but I’m giving this to the artist for FREE now let’s see who will be WISE enough to absorb this knowledge like a sponge and APPLY it to their work!”
People normally charge for this kind of info but I’m giving this to the artist for FREE now let’s see who will be WISE enough to absorb this knowledge like a sponge and APPLY it to their work! pay ATTENTION I also learned from the GREATS
Ye Corrects Report Of $1 Million Performance Fee, Says Its Actually $8 Million
Kanye is one of the greatest and most polarizing performers in hip-hop and modern day music. It’s no secret that he goes above and beyond to deliver a spectacle performance for the viewer. However, these performances come with a cost, and its no secret that Kanye is also has one of the highest performance fee’s of any musician.
A twitter user recently posted a thread of artists and their performance fees. The user put Kanye’s fee at $1 million. Kanye later reached out to the page to correct his performance fee.
“Please change this,” Ye DM’d the user. “My performance fee is 8 million,” he added.
This month Ye is set to perform at Rolling Loud Miami after a string of performances at Coachella and the Grammys were canceled. TMZ reports that Ye gave up on a $8 million performance at Coachella after the festival was going to spend $500,000 in production costs so that Ye could build the stage he wanted.
With just a couple weeks until Rolling Loud Miami, it is unsure whether Ye will make good on his promise of performing or dropout at the last minute.
Baker Mayfield Traded To The Carolina Panthers
Baker Mayfield’s time as the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns has come to a close. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report the former No. 1 overall pick is being traded to the Carolina Panthers for a 2024 conditional 5th-round draft pick.
The deal is currently awaiting a physical. Mayfield’s first game on the Panthers would be against the Browns during Week 1 in Carolina.
Garafolo adds that Mayfield will be paid $10.5 million this season by the Browns and $5 from the Panthers. Mayfield agreed to trim $3.5 million off his base salary.
All Social Media Accounts for ‘Wendy Williams Show’ Have Been Deleted
*Last month, “The Wendy Williams Show” was canceled after 13 seasons. Now the show’s YouTube channel, Instagram account and website have all been deleted.
Fans can no longer access clips and highlights from the show via the show’s official social media channels, as reported by Variety. According to Urban Hollywood 41, fans are naturally upset by this.
@MJFINESSELOVER wrote on Twitter: “They are trying to erase Wendy Williams’ legacy right in front of our eyes. They know her YouTube channel is our last memory of her iconic talk show. There is no good reason for her to delete her channel.”
@itsKenBarbie tweeted: “So… they booted Wendy Williams from her show that she worked nearly 14 years to build, deleted its official YouTube, and social media accounts… This is why ownership becomes important because I can’t believe they’re pissing all over her legacy like this.”
Wendy did not appear in the final episode of her daytime talk show that aired on June 17. She took a health-related hiatus from her hosting duties last summer and never returned due to her ongoing battle with Graves’ Disease. She also contracted a breakthrough case of COVID-19 last year. The season 13 premiere of “The Wendy Williams Show” was delayed multiple times before it debuted on Oct. 18, 2021.
Wendy said it was an amicable split from the production company behind her talk show, Debmar-Mercury. The finale episode was hosted by Sherri Shepherd, who had been filling in this season amid Wendy’s absence.
Speaking to Extra, Williams revealed that she is “heading off into the world of podcasts with iTunes” now that she has retired from television. TMZ also caught up with her and she noted that she will “make more money” as a podcaster “than doing the TV show.”
“When you’re famous, podcasts will make more money for me, being famous, than doing the Wendy Williams Show,” she told TMZ.
Williams has reportedly been in talks with some potential celebrity guests for her podcast, such as Fat Joe, Snoop Dogg, the Kardashians, and the Trumps, Yahoo reports.
Danny Roberts of MTV’s ‘Real World’ Blasts Network for Not Unpacking His HIV Diagnosis
*Danny Roberts of MTV’s “Real World: New Orleans” fame is speaking out about the network’s decision to omit his struggle with HIV during the recent reunion special.
The Real World Homecoming with the New Orleans cast aired on Paramount+ in April and the 44-year-old star tells Los Angeles Times that producers of the series reboot cut any mention of his HIV diagnosis.
“I just kept waiting: ‘Are they going to shoehorn this into the end?’ And then I realized, ‘Wow, that’s the end of it.’ And they absolutely cut it,” he said. “It feels like a huge missed opportunity.”
Roberts was diagnosed with HIV around 2011 and went public with his status in 2018.
“So much of what I went to New Orleans to talk about was the nightmare of our healthcare system, the nightmare of not having access, the nightmare of the cost and the amazing flip side of the power of these medications [that can prevent and treat HIV]. There was so much to unpack,” Roberts told the publication.
Roberts claims a producer told him that the HIV storyline was cut because of concerns that one of Danny’s former partners would take legal action.
“Their reasoning is so silly. I don’t buy it for a second,” he said, adding that “the ultimate decision was made that the Julie circus was more important to them.”
The original 23-episode season of “The Real World: New Orleans,” filmed in 2000, and the “Homecoming” reunited cast members David “Tokyo” Broom, Melissa Beck, Jamie Murray, Danny Roberts, Matt Smith, Julie Stoffer and Kelley Wolf in “The Big Easy.”
You can stream the series on Paramount+.
“The Homecoming series ultimately focused on Danny’s mental health journey, which he shared publicly with all his former roommates for the first time,” a rep for Bunim/Murray Productions told the LA Times.
Roberts came out as gay on season 9 of The Real World in 2000. He previously told PEOPLE that he “grew up very afraid of HIV”.
He said his diagnosis meant “grieving a more innocent, healthy version of myself that’s now gone; embracing the knowledge that you’re now a slave to health care system; and letting go of the deep shame related to it.”
“I’m very, very thankful that we live in an era of science that we do now, or I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you. So I just thank God every day we live in the era we do,” Roberts said.
Owner of a Funeral Home in Colorado Admits to Illegally Selling Body Parts, Gave Families Phony Ashes
A former owner of a funeral home in Colorado admitted to illegally dissecting bodies and selling the body parts without the approval of grieving family members.
On Tuesday, Megan Hess admitted in federal court to scamming at least a dozen families who had paid to have their deceased loved ones cremated.
Hess reportedly ran the Sunset Mesa funeral home in Montrose and a human body parts company called Donor Services out of the exact location.
According to court documents, she removed the heads, spines, arms, and legs from the bodies instead of cremating them before selling them.
The prosecution is seeking a sentence of 12 to 15 years in prison for Hess, who had pleaded not guilty in 2020. Her defense has requested a lesser sentence of two years. She is currently out on bail.
Initially, Hess and her mother, Shirley Koch, established the Sunset Mesa Funeral Foundation in 2009 as a non-profit donor services organization. This “body-broker service” operated out of the funeral home and sold body parts to third parties, primarily for surgical training and other educational purposes.
It is believed that the duo collected thousands of dollars in fees from customers for cremations that never occurred. According to court documents, Hess targeted marginalized families struggling while making arrangements for the death of a loved one. In exchange for a body donation, she also provided free cremations.
According to prosecutors, many families received cremated remains mixed with other people’s ashes. One client was given concrete mix rather than their loved one’s remains.
Federal authorities discovered that Hess had falsified dozens of consent forms for body donors. According to court filings, a former employee said she made $40,000 by removing and selling the gold teeth of some of the deceased.
Federal law does not restrict the sale of corpses and body parts for use in research or teaching, even though it is prohibited to sell organs like hearts, kidneys, and tendons for transplant in the United States.
Subway to Give Away One Million 6-Inch Subs In Honor of New Menu Revamp
Earlier this week, Subway announced its new Subway Series, a revamp of 12 new sandwiches with unique names and numbers for an easier and faster ordering process.
Hundreds of recipes were evaluated by the subchain’s culinary team, and it took them more than a year to choose the 12 sandwiches that would be offered as part of the Subway Series.
The new items all fall under four categories. First, there are Cheesesteaks, including The Philly, The Outlaw, and the Monster. Another flavor dubbed the Italianos includes three sandwiches: Supreme Meats, Bella Mozza, and The Boss. Chicken gets its own category with sandwiches named the MexiCali, The Great Garlic, and The Champ. Also on the list are the clubs that showcase The All-American Club, The Subway Club, and The Turkey Cali Club.
The Monster cheesesteak, a delicious steak and additional toppings like bacon and peppercorn ranch, is one of the menu’s highlighted items. The Outlaw cheesesteak, on the other hand, has a smokey edge thanks to pepper jack cheese and Baja chipotle sauce.
Another delicious new offering is The Boss. It’s a traditional meatball sub with pepperoni, mozzarella, and marinara sauce.
Subway is providing a special deal in addition to the previously released menu. The sandwich chain will give away up to one million free 6-inch Subway Series subs on July 12. To get a free sandwich, drop by a participating restaurant between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
“The Subway Series is the most ambitious undertaking in company history, as we are changing the nearly 60-year-old blueprint that helped make Subway a global phenomenon,” Subway’s North America president Trevor Haynes said.
Even though it might be the most significant menu update in a long time, this isn’t the first summer menu revamp Subway has introduced. When the company unveiled Eat Fresh Refresh last year, the menu featured over 20 new ingredients.
“Last summer’s Eat Fresh Refresh laid the foundation to build a better Subway, and now the Subway Series enhances the entire Subway guest experience — proof that we continue to improve and get way better. Whether you leave the sandwich-making to us or are craving your custom creation, there are more reasons than ever to make Subway your dining destination,” added Haynes.
Customers can still purchase customized subs of their choice even after the Subway Series launch.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
“I DO WHAT I WANT”
NO F’s given that day
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Mr Rocky
Meet Rocky! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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Enjoy!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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