#MAGFAB: Paloma Elsesser Covers Vogue Brasil May 2024, Lensed by Zee Nunes
Top model Paloma Elsesser graces the pages of Vogue Brasil’s May 2024 issue. Elsesser is styled by Rita Lazzarotti in a Dolce & Gabbana animal print cover, accented inside by Balenciaga, Maison Alaia, Marc Jacobs, Maison Margiela and more.
Top model Paloma Elsesser graces the pages of Vogue Brasil’s May 2024 issue. Elsesser is styled by Rita Lazzarotti in a Dolce & Gabbana animal print cover, accented inside by Balenciaga, Maison Alaia, Marc Jacobs, Maison Margiela and more.
Nice!
#RHOA: Newbie Kelli Ferrell’s Soon to be Ex Hubby Was Recently Jailed
Bravo announced that Kelli, a Food Network chef, will join season 16 of RHOA along with Angela Oakley, Shamea Morton Mwangi, and Brittany Eady. She opened Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles in Georgia. Kelli currently seems to have a lot going on, and viewers may catch snippets of her divorce drama in the upcoming season.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Kelli listed her date of marriage as August 20, 2011. Her separation was listed as January 2022 with “no hope for reconciliation.”
Chuvalo responded to the divorce in June 2022. He likewise admitted there was no hope for resolving their issues. However, he did contest that their separation happened in 2021 and not 2022.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, Kelli listed her date of marriage as August 20, 2011. Her separation was listed as January 2022 with “no hope for reconciliation.”
Chuvalo responded to the divorce in June 2022. He likewise admitted there was no hope for resolving their issues. However, he did contest that their separation happened in 2021 and not 2022.
And, like in any divorce proceedings, it gets messy here. Kelli listed marital assets as worth $1.7 million, including the restaurant, home furnishings, cars, and various luxury items accumulated during their marriage.
The ex-couple also shares three children, while Kelli has an older daughter from a previous relationship. Currently, Kellis is asking for sole custody, child support, and attorney fees. She also filed a restraining order to prohibit her ex from selling or transferring any of their communal property while proceedings were ongoing.
For his part, Chuvalo is demanding joint physical and legal custody of their kids. He also argued that both he and Kelli are “self-supporting” and that neither should get spousal support.
However, like many divorces, things continued to get complicated. The ex-couple navigated court proceedings, properties, and their business and kept volleying lawsuits back and forth as they determined who deserved what and how much was owed.
Over the past couple of years, both parties have accused the other of alleged misdeeds in handling their joint finances and business. However, in June 2022, a judge found in favor of Kelli, granting her ownership of Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles. Her ex was also ordered to pay her back $420,000 he allegedly withdrew.
Chuvalo admitted the court order but contested the decision. He claimed the money was supposed to be used to construct another restaurant location.
In 2023, the exes reached a temporary custody agreement, with Kelli retaining physical custody while they shared joint legal custody. Chuvalo was also ordered to pay monthly child support.
But it didn’t end there. Kelli recently filed a motion for contempt against her ex for allegedly failing to follow the court’s order. The court found Chuvalo in contempt, and he was taken into custody in January and released in February. He allegedly still owes her the $420,000 and unpaid child support.
For his part, Chuvalo hasn’t revealed much but has stated through his attorney that he is focused on his family and has taken issue with Kelli involving their children in “public appearances and on television” without his consent. I guess we’ll see what that means for the show.
According to the court docket, the next divorce hearing is set for August.
#NewMusic from Tinashe ‘Match My Freak’ Remix EP
Tinashe has her first Billboard Hot 100 smash in 10 years (and first-ever solo charter) with her viral hit “Nasty.” The track, which currently sits at an appropriate No. 69 on the chart, is near Song Of The Summer status and driving the people wild on TikTok, so it’s only right that Nasty Nashe capitalizes on the moment with her newly released Match My Freak remix EP.
The Match My Freak EP takes “Nasty” to new places thanks to remixes from some of the best in the game. First up is DJ Tunez, who aims to make us break a sweat on the dance floor with the club-ready tropical house vibes of the “Nasty (Match My Heat Remix).” The song is then taken even further into EDM territory as Wuki chops up the vocals and sets the song free over an industrial dance cut on “Nasty (Match My Peak Remix).”
UNIIQU3 then throws the track into ever-popular Jersey Club territory, complete with bed squeaks and the heavy thud of kick drums on “Nasty (Match My Speed Remix).” The song then gets glitchy with Jane Remover, who throws it in a blender along with squelchy synths, hi-hats and programmed drums for the “Nasty (Match My Tweak Remix).” Last, but certainly not least, are the legendary OG Ron C and DJ Candlestick, who take the song to Houston as they chop and screw it for the “Nasty (Match My Sleek) [ChopNotSlop] Remix.”
LISTEN HERE
Depending on how you like “Nasty” freaked, there’s something for all tastes here. And if you just like it the way it already is, the original’s also included for your enjoyment. We have a feeling that Tinashe might be able to ride this nasty little wave all the way to the top of the charts before summer’s over.
#HipHopNews: Quavo Remembers Takeoff On The Late Rapper's 30th Birthday
“Happy Birthday, Take!!! A 30 ball. Damn, bro. The youngest out [of the] gang [is] getting old, [boy], but today we celebrate no matter what. We will always celebrate you and keep your name alive. As long I’m here, you are too, twin,” Quavo penned on Instagram. “It always [has] been like that, and don’t [nothing] change but the chains to [the] infinity rocket, man. I love you. Let’s get it!”
Fans and former collaborators showed their support underneath the post, including Murda Beatz, who replied with a rocket ship emoji. Hitmaka, DeJ Loaf, and Zaytoven left similar responses in the comments section.
Takeoff was shot outside Houston’s 810 Billiards & Bowling on Nov. 1, 2022. He was attending a private event with Quavo when a dice game reportedly escalated into gunfire. Although not involved in the dispute, the “Last Memory” rapper was fatally hit while two others were left injured.
The murder suspect, Patrick Xavier Clark, cited self-defense in the situation. His attorney claimed, “I don’t think they can say with any degree of certainty that it was Patrick who actually fired the shot that took Takeoff’s life.”
“There was someone else who started the shooting, [and] it was not Patrick Clark. He was in the same position that Takeoff was in; he was trying to get out of there alive as well,” legal professional Letitia Quinones-Hollins continued. “He didn’t have anything to do with the argument that occurred. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when people started firing weapons.”
After his passing, Takeoff was featured on Quavo’s second solo project, Rocket Power. The pair united for “Patty Cake” and “Back Where It Begins” featuring Future. The late artist’s vocals also appeared on “Over H**s & B**ches,” a diss track aimed at Chris Brown, in April 2024.
Baseball Icon Willie Mays has died at 93
Willie Mays, the iconic Hall of Fame center fielder who is known as the greatest all-around baseball player, died Tuesday, the San Francisco Giants announced. He was 93 years old.
Mays, nicknamed “The Say Hey Kid,” had a professional baseball career that spanned four decades, beginning with the Negro Leagues in the late 1940s and ending with the New York Mets in 1972. In between, he spent 21 years with the New York Giants, who would later move to San Francisco.
Mays' death triggered an outpouring of tributes, for both his decorated playing career and his impact on everything else around baseball.
Early interest in baseball
Mays was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama, and named Willie, not William. Both his parents were talented athletes, but his father was the one who introduced Mays to baseball. Cat Mays was a semi-pro player on several local Black teams and had his son sitting in the dugout with him at 10 after teaching him the fundamentals years before.
By the time he was in high school, Mays starred in several sports. His professional baseball career began in 1948, when he played for the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro League before he had finished high school. He signed with the Giants after he graduated high school in 1950 and earned his call-up to the majors in May 1951 after barely a year of playing in the minors.
Mays' career
Mays was a true five-tool player, excelling at speed, throwing, fielding, hitting for average and hitting for power. He had a career triple-slash line of .301/.384/.557, with 660 home runs, 525 doubles and 338 stolen bases. He was the NL stolen-base leader four times and led the NL in homers four times. Over 24 seasons in the majors, he grounded into just 45 double plays.
In May, 10 hits were added to Mays’ career total when Negro League stats were officially integrated into MLB’s historical record. His home run total was not adjusted due to the lack of box scores from those games.
In the grand scheme of his career, it didn’t take long for Mays to become the amazing all-around player we remember today, but it wasn’t instantaneous. He debuted on May 25, 1951, and didn’t put up overwhelming numbers — his first hit, a home run, came against the Boston Braves in his fourth game in the majors — but won Rookie of the Year, the first of many accolades.
He also earned his nickname, “The Say Hey Kid,” in his rookie year. It was given to him by either his manager, Leo Durocher, or writer Barney Kremenko of the New York Journal American, who said he gave Mays that name because the shy, first-year player "would blurt 'Say who,' 'Say what,' 'Say where,' 'Say hey.' In my paper, I tabbed him the 'Say Hey Kid.' It stuck."
Mays spoke and sang backup on “Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)” in 1954, recorded by the Treniers, with music legend Quincy Jones conducting the orchestra.
Mays didn’t get the chance to follow up on his promising MLB debut until 1954, after he served two years in the Army during the Korean War. He spent most of that time (the majority of 1952 and all of 1953) playing on military baseball teams with other MLB players and traveling around to entertain the troops.
When he returned home in 1954, the switch had been flipped. Mays had the greatest season of his career, hitting .345/.411/.667 with 41 home runs. He won MVP and was selected to the All-Star Game
While that was his best overall season, he had many great ones after that. From 1955 to 1966, Mays finished in the top six of MVP voting in all but one year, winning MVP again in 1965 and coming in second two times. He was selected to the All-Star Game 20 times in his career (24 times if you count the second All-Star games from 1959 to 1962). He won All-Star MVP in 1963 and 1968, becoming the first player to win the award twice, and also won 12 Gold Gloves.
Despite his prolific hitting, Mays said he enjoyed fielding more than anything else.
"Don't get me wrong: I like to hit,” he told the Sporting News in 1955. “But there's nothing like getting out there in the outfield, running after a ball and throwing somebody out trying to take that extra base. That's real fun."
As a player, he set many on-field records, but one off-the-field record set an important precedent for future players. On Feb. 20, 1963, he signed a contract with the Giants worth $100,000 per year, the first six-figure contract in baseball history.
The greatest catch ever made
Despite his on-field success, Mays won just one World Series in his 24-year career, with the 1954 New York Giants, who swept the Cleveland Indians (now known as the Guardians). That series gave us one of the most iconic plays in MLB history: Mays’ famous over-the-shoulder catch.
The play, still known simply as “The Catch,” came in Game 1 at the Giants’ stadium, the Polo Grounds. The score was 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning, and the bases were loaded with Cleveland players. Cleveland’s Vic Wertz came up to bat and smashed a ball into the stadium’s cavernous center field. Mays, running at full speed from shallow center toward the wall, managed to track down the ball and make a stunning, no-look catch. Then he turned on a dime and fired a throw to second base, which prevented any runners from scoring.
Mays said he didn’t evaluate his outfield plays ("I don't compare 'em. I just catch 'em," he said via ESPN), but “The Catch” is still considered one of the greatest of all time.
And Mays never had any doubt that the ball would fall into his glove.
“I had it all the way,” he said.
Mays’ later life
Mays began a slow decline in the late 1960s, though he still posted a National League-best .425 OBP in 1971. The Giants traded him to the Mets in May 1972, after which he was finally playing in front of New York crowds once again.
While Mays wasn’t named an All-Star in 1972 for the first time in his career, he earned another nod in 1973, his final season.
After retiring, he became the Mets hitting coach until 1979, when he terminated his baseball contract to become a greeter at an Atlantic City hotel and casino. Then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn banned Mays from baseball due to the gambling connection, but he was reinstated in 1985 by Peter Ueberroth, Kuhn’s successor.
The Giants, who retired Mays’ number in 1972, signed him to a lifetime contract in the 1990s, making him a permanent special assistant to the president. He spent years visiting the Giants’ minor-league teams, attending spring training and making appearances on behalf of the club.
Mays is survived by his son, Michael. Mays married his wife, Mae Louise Allen Mays, in the early 1970s. She died in 2013 following a long battle with Alzheimers.
Mays’ legacy
Mays was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility. It was a surprise that he wasn’t a unanimous choice. Twenty-three members of the BBWAA didn’t select him on their ballots, giving Mays 94.68% of the vote.
New York Daily News writer Dick Young was flabbergasted.
"If Jesus Christ were to show up with his old baseball glove, some guys wouldn't vote for him,” Young wrote. “He dropped the cross three times, didn't he?"
Despite those 23 Mays-less ballots, Mays was revered in the industry. Years after he retired, many baseball announcers of that era still considered him to be the best all-around player they ever watched.
His first manager, Leo Durocher, maintained through the years that Mays came to the majors fully formed as a legend.
"I never taught him anything," Durocher said. "He taught me. Willie is the greatest player I ever saw. No doubt in my mind."
Warren Spahn, who pitched the ball that became Mays’ first major-league hit (a home run), reflected on that moment years later.
"He was something like 0 for 21 the first time I saw him. His first major-league hit was a home run off me — and I'll never forgive myself. We might have gotten rid of Willie forever if I'd only struck him out." (Mays was actually 0 for 12 when he faced Spahn the first time.)
Even celebrities understood how talented Mays was.
“I can’t stand Willie Mays,” Dodgers fan Cary Grant said in 1971. “Imagine, knowing when a fellow is going to hit the ball and how far and where and at what instant it will come down at a given point and being there when it does.”
Actress Tallulah Bankhead summed it up simply: "There have been only two authentic geniuses in the world: Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare."
In 2015, Mays received the greatest honor the government can bestow on a civilian: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. When he was given the award by President Barack Obama, he joined Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra and Stan Musial as the only baseball players awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor.
REST IN POWER SIR!
Jessica Biel All Smiles And Busy At Work After Justin Timberlake's DWI Arrest
On Tuesday, June 18, the 42-year-old beauty was spotted out for the first time since Justin's DWI arrest. She returned to the set of the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series, which she also executive produces, in New York City.
Looking in good spirits, Jessica was photographed laughing with other cast members and crew members while filming an outdoor scene in the Big Apple. She rocked a striped black-and-beige long-sleeve shirt and short bob do as she stood around between takes during the filming.
Nate Robinson Faces Life-Threatening Kidney Failure, Desperately Needs Transplant
Jessica was spotted on the set of "The Better Sister" just hours after Justin was arrested on DWI charges in Sag Harbor, NY. He was pulled over after failing to stop at a duly posted stop sign and failing to stay in his lane.
"On June 18, 2024, at 12:37 AM, Justin R. Timberlake, age 43, of Tennessee, was observed operating a 2025 BMW southbound on Madison Street, failing to stop at a duly posted stop sign and failing to maintain his lane of travel," read a police statement from the Sag Harbor PD.
"A traffic stop was initiated by a Police Officer from the Sag Harbor Village Police Department and upon investigation it was determined that Mr. Timberlake was operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition," the statement continued. "Mr. Timberlake was placed under arrest, processed, and held overnight for morning arraignment."
The Grammy winner, who has been candid about his struggles with excessive drinking in the past, reportedly failed a field sobriety test, demonstrated bloodshot and glassy eyes, and exhibited slurred speech and an inability to divide attention. Sources noted that the 43-year-old refused to take a breathalyzer test, leading to a suspension of his driving privileges in New York state for a year.
The former NSYNC member was released without bail on Tuesday morning. He was dressed in a black cap, blue jeans, white sneakers and a black jacket over a gray graphic tee when leaving a police station in the Hamptons with his defense attorney Edward Burke Jr.
Serena Williams And Alexis Ohanian Allegedly Headed For Split Months After Welcoming Baby No. 2
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian may be having trouble in paradise. Less than one year after they welcomed their second child together, the wedded couple has been hit with breakup rumor.
According to Media Take Out, it's hearing whispers from "people in the know" who suspect that the retired tennis player and her Internet entrepreneur husband may be preparing to separate. Fueling the speculation, they have not been seen together in public lately.
The former professional athlete even attended the Met Gala in New York City solo, marking the first time she was at the event without Alexis since they were married.
As noticed by the outlet and seen in her recent social media posts, Serena has stopped wearing her wedding ring. She left her ring finger bare in some photos from Milan Fashion Week she uploaded on Monday, June 17
Serena, who shares two children with Alexis, also did not offer a Father's Day tribute to her husband on Sunday. Instead, she posted a cryptic quote about being lonely. "If you are lonely, turn off the lights and put on a horror movie after a while it won't feel like your [sic] alone anymore," read the quote, with Serena adding, "Try it... it works."
Neither Serena nor Alexis has addressed the split rumor. The pair, who tied the knot in November 2017 in New Orleans, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., in September of the same year. Their second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, was born in August 2023.
Serena recently opened up about undergoing a tummy-tightening procedure to rediscover her confidence. "Being ok to take time for myself is something I have always struggled with," she shared on Instagram along with a video of her undergoing a radio frequency treatment at a spa in Paris. "She knows after 2 babies I have been self conscious of my tummy. I just had to post this video she took. The results have been amazing," she gushed.
Chris Rock, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold Set For ‘Everybody Still Hates Chris’ Animated Revival
Additionally, new cast members include Tim Johnson Jr. as the titular character, Ozioma Akagha as Rock’s little sister Tonya, Terrence Little Gardenhigh voicing his brother Drew, and Gunnar Sizemore taking on Greg, Chris’s only friend at school.
“I’m very excited to introduce the world to another funny side of my childhood,” relayed the 59-year-old in a statement.
The cartoon was first announced in August 2022, and greenlit by MTV Entertainment Studios to run on Paramount+ and Comedy Central. Rock, as well as Sanjay Shah, Ali LeRoi, Michael Rotenberg, and Dave Becky, will executive produce the series, as he did with the original sitcom.
“A reimagining of this groundbreaking, critically acclaimed series has been a source of creative discussions at our studio for a long time,” detailed George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS at the time.
“It’s exciting to join forces with 3 Arts and the comedic genius of Chris Rock as he expands on his vision of the original show in this innovative new format. This also marks another significant in-house collaboration for CBS with Chris McCarthy and our valued partners at MTV Entertainment Studios as we jointly support this marquee series for Paramount+ and Comedy Central.”
Angela Stanton-King Sent a Messy Message To Tamar Braxton
Angela Stanton-King took to social media and posted a photo with Tamar Braxton‘s caucasian king, JR Robinson, along with a super messy message.
The caption on her post read:
Hey @tamarbraxton remember when you told my child he didn’t need me?!
Well last night I told your man that he didn’t need you 😁
Of course he agreed 💋
See Angela Stanton King’s original post below.
She later wrote a memoir, “Lies of a Real Housewife,” implicating Phaedra Parks and her ex-husband, Apollo Nida, as her alleged partners in crime.
Phaedra filed a defamation lawsuit against Angela.
Angela was pardoned by Donald Trump during his presidency in 2020 and been his loyal follower ever since.
That same year, she announced she was running against John Lewis for Congress.
But, Angela Stanton-King received the most attention for her relationship with her transgender daughter.
She appeared on the “Dr. Phil” show stating she will never “accept her son as a woman.”
Clearly, Angela didn’t appreciate whatever Tamar Braxton had to say about her child.
And once again Colonel Sanders is in the middle of some messy mess between Black women.
Tamar took to her Instagram Story and posted a scripture.
JR Robinson took to the comment section of The Shade Room and called “cap” on Angela’s post.
He stated that he sponsored an event with Yung Joc and took photos with everyone.
JR said he doesn’t know Angela and they never spoke during their photo op.
I wonder if Tamar believes this…
Rihanna becomes the new face of Dior’s J’Adore
"The scent, that I have known and loved for so long, means so much to women,” she said. “I am especially looking forward to joining this adventure and contributing to it through my world, my story, my roots, as well as my creativity and my own femininity.”
Parfums Christian Dior CEO Véronique Courtois also shared her thoughts on the high-profile partnership. “Since its creation in 1999, J’Adore has always been embodied by powerful, triumphant, inspiring women,” she stated. “The choice of Rihanna to be the next face of J’Adore was obvious for us. Not only is she one of the greatest and most powerful artists of all time, she is also multitalented, a successful entrepreneur, a committed humanitarian, a mother of two, and a singular beauty.”
Courtois continued, “Rihanna is a queen of our times, an inspiring figure of female empowerment for everything she does, what she embodies and for having realized her childhood dreams. She will bring her unique touch to J’Adore, a mix of universal desirability and edginess that will bring this unique fragrance to a new generation of women.”
Rihanna’s relationship with Dior is longstanding. The billionaire mogul previously starred in the “Secret Garden IV” campaign filmed at Versailles in 2015 and collaborated on a sunglass collection with the brand the following year. The next J’Adore campaign, which was photographed by Steven Klein, is set to launch Sept. 1. Courtois teased that the campaign would embody Dior’s signature blend of "thrill, desire, sense of spectacular, and extraordinary, but also some unexpected twists.”
Post Malone, Doja Cat, and more announced for 2024 Global Citizen Festival
"The hunger crisis continues to grow, infectious diseases are still spreading, debt is on the rise, and last year was the hottest on record," read an official statement from Global Citizen. "Meanwhile, governments everywhere are reducing their contributions to foreign aid, with more than half of G7 countries having proposed cuts this year. Despite the emerging gap between what the world needs and what seems politically possible, the plight of the world’s most vulnerable communities is more urgent than ever. This is a critical year for the global community to support frontline organizations, invest in lifesaving solutions, and act today, to save tomorrow."
Doja Cat added, "It’s been a few years since I was last on the Global Citizen Festival stage in Paris, and I’m excited to join forces with Global Citizen once again in Central Park this September to drive as much action as we can to make the world a better place. We all have a part we can play to help end extreme poverty and stand up for equity. I’m looking forward to being part of this major evening of positive change.”
Tickets for the event are free and can be obtained by following instructions on Global Citizen's mobile app or official website. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/2024-global-citizen-festival-post-malone-doja-cat/ Those interested have the option to purchase a ticket.
Huey Lewis Musical ‘The Heart of Rock and Roll' Is Closing
After only opening on Broadway two months ago, The Heart of Rock and Roll, a rom-com musical based on songs from musical legend Huey Lewis, will close on Sunday. Since April, the show will have played a total of 24 previews and 72 performances.
Set in the 1980s, The Heart of Rock and Roll tells the story of a young man named Bobby, played by Corey Cott, who works at a cardboard company in Milwaukee and has to make a choice whether or not to get back into his career as a musician. Lewis' classic songs "Hip to Be Square," "Stuck With You," and "Do You Believe in Love" featured throughout the show held at the James Earl Jones Theatre in New York City.
The Heart of Rock and Roll, directed by Gordon Greenberg and written by Jonathan A. Abrams, didn't pick up any Tony nominations.
In a statement, producer Hunter Arnold said, "It was pure joy working on the show with the team of creatives headed by writer Jonathan A. Abrams, director Gordon Greenberg, choreographer Lorin Latarro, music arranger and orchestrator Brian Usifer and special gratitude to the support and participation of the iconic music legend Huey Lewis."
Arnold continued, "We were honored to have an amazing cast and crew who brought their immense enthusiasm, commitment, and talent to each and every performance. With our original cast album just released and talks underway for a national tour and international productions, the musical will continue to delight audiences for years to come."
Despite receiving mostly positive reviews from critics, The Heart of Rock and Roll failed to perform at the box office. According to Deadline, in the week ending June 9 the show reportedly only grossed $272,051, which is not a significant amount of earnings to cover a Broadway musical.
Lewis, 73, sat down with Rolling Stone back in April and said that when he was approached about using his songs in the musical, he had his share of concerns involving maintaining the integrity in his music. Ultimately, though, he saw The Heart of Rock and Roll as a chance to "stretch the boundaries of what the song is and be open-minded that way."
"The story had lots of parallels to my life, actually," Lewis said. "The character is the same age as I was when I started my band. I had a little day job, and I had started the News. I'd been playing in bands for 12 years. The News was pretty much my last shot. So I have a sense of the anxiety, the ambition, and the worry and all that, as Bobby does."
The news about The Heart of Rock and Roll closing comes at a time when Broadway is facing financial hurdles across the board. Here Lies Love, a disco-themed musical about the rise and former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos, shut down in November. In April, Kimberly Akimbo - a show about a teenager girl who ages rapidly because of a medical condition - also shut down. Then in May after only one month running, Lempicka - a show about artist Tamara de Lempicka - also closed.
“You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!):” Taraji P. Henson’s debut children’s book tackles bullying
Taraji P. Henson’s first children’s book features Lil TJ, who is struggling in a new school.
School’s wrapped up for many kids in the Washington region, which means come August, many will be starting a new grade or entering a new school. And that transition can be tough for some students.
Taraji P. Henson tackles this issue in her debut children’s book, “You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!).”
Henson, an award-winning actress, producer, author, and mental health advocate, spoke to All Things Considered Host Tamika Smith.
The minute I met Lil TJ – the main character in your book – I was hooked. As she transitions to school, she faces a serious issue with bullying. Tell us a little bit about her experience within her first days at her new school.
Just like any kid going to school – first day – they have all these great expectations and wanting to meet new friends and new people and, but you know, people will people, whether you call it bullying or that obstacle, we face them every day, but we all have choices. We can choose joy. We don’t have to knuckle up with a bully all the time.
Lil TJ tried to dwindle and little herself so she could fit in, and that didn’t feel good to her. So she decided to speak up for herself, but not with her fist; with her heart.
How can communities support our youth in not only embracing their own uniqueness, but the cultural differences of other people?
It’s deep for us. The community needs to heal, not just the babies, [but] the parents. I‘m healing. From my not healing myself, I passed a lot of that down to my son. I see it.
I can say it because I’m cool with it. I’m healing; I ain’t perfect. I can’t save a lot of the adults, but I can start with these babies. They stand a better chance.
One of the most beautiful relationships you develop throughout the story is Lil TJ and her Grandma Patsy. And if I understand correctly, this mirrors the relationship you have with your grandmother – who is still with us, at 100 years old. How has that relationship shaped who you are now?
My grandma, just her strength. She has such an amazing dignity, she was married to a sharecropper and she cleaned houses, she did domestic work. That’s what that was, what she did back then. And she raised nine children, eight of hers and one was a niece; and she instilled such a deep love in this family.
You live in Hollywood now, but you grew up here; the D.C. region was you stomping ground, and you graduated from Howard. How did living here shape who you are?
You know D.C. is where the stars are born.
Ok! You better say that again.
(Laughter) They even say it in go-go songs! Growing up there just gave you a certain kind of swag, I don’t know, a certain kind of confidence.
You graduated from Howard; I’m an alum as well. Talk about your experience on the Yard, because the Yard is where stars are born, too.
Oh, absolutely. Because, let me tell you, going to an HBCU and getting the education behind my blackness, now, that was when I really became the Taraji P. Henson that I am today.
Taraji P. Henson’s debut children’s book “You Can Be A Good Friend (No Matter What!)” is out June 18th.
New book reveals why Trump fired Omarosa from White House gig
In the forthcoming book, Apprentice in Wonderland: How Donald Trump and Mark Burnett Took America Through the Looking Glass, Variety's Co-Editor-in-Chief Ramin Setoodeh talked to Trump about Omarosa's White House dismissal for the first time.
After three stints on The Apprentice and appearances on the 2016 campaign trail, Trump announced he was hiring the former reality star just weeks before his 2017 swearing-in - as assistant to the president and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison.
She lasted until December - fired by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly over overuse of the White House car service, Politico reported, and other bad behavior, DailyMail.com chimed in.
Trump told Setoodeh the issues were even more broad.'I saw her very little in the White House. The White House is a very big place! It's buildings, actually. But the people hated her in Washington,' he said.
'Her personality - she was late all the time. She wouldn't show up,' the ex-president continued. 'Look, I tried to rehabilitate her reputation as an experiment.'
'And when I did, I said, "This probably won't work out but let's see what happens,"' Trump added. 'And I also said... "When she gets fired, you always have to pay a price." It's too bad. In the White House, she didn't cut the mustard.'
Omarosa had worked in the White House before - under Democratic President Bill Clinton - but entered Trumpworld in 2004 as a contestant on season one of The Apprentice.
'Omarosa was a major hit in her first year,' Trump told Setoodeh. 'Her anger, her craziness, it just worked so incredibly well.'
When she was told 'you're fired' by Trump in March 2004, she told NBC's Chris Matthews that she had failed the challenge because she was suffering from a concussion incurred after hitting her head on a small chunk of plaster on set.
Eric Trump thought this excuse was ridiculous, he told the book author.
'Listen, Omarosa played the villain,' the middle Trump son said. 'We as a company know plaster extremely well. We're builders. A little drop of plaster landed on her shoulder, and she's walking around with ice packs, as if a high beam had dropped off the top of a building and hit her. Do I think she was hurt? No. But that was great entertainment.'
The future president thought so too, bringing Omarosa back twice on The Apprentice in later seasons.
'She was a great television personality the first time. And then I put her on a second time, and she bombed,' Trump recalled.
What was so successful the first time, Trump told Setoodeh, was that Omarosa 'didn't know just how big her arc was going to be,' the author wrote.
'The first time she was evil,' Trump said. 'The second time, she tried to be evil. And the third time, she tried even harder. And when you try, it doesn't work. Does that make sense?' the ex-president asked.
Even though she flopped, Trump decided to give her another chance - doing public outreach, especially to African-Americans.
'And then I helped her get a job at the White House because she was begging me to help restore her. So I figured, why not? I put her in,' Trump continued.
The then president-elect said he always sensed that trouble was ahead.
'I told people when we hired her, I said, "When we fire her, we'll have nothing but trouble."'
'But that's OK. That's the way life goes,' Trump added.
Setoodeh asked Trump during his series of six interviews, all conducted after President Joe Biden was in office, why he would bring Omarosa into the White House if she couldn't be trusted.
'A lot of things I do in life, I do as an experiment,' Trump answered. 'I mean, I do it out of human interest - just to see who's loyal, who's not loyal.'
'She was actually really great to me, until she left,' he added.
Obama Reveals Daughters Won’t Pursue Politics on Michelle’s Advice
*Barack Obama revealed that former first lady Michelle Obama advised their daughters daughters, Malia and Sasha, to avoid a career in politics.
Obama discussed his daughters in a conversation with Jimmy Kimmel in Los Angeles during a fundraiser for President Joe Biden on June 15, PEOPLE reports. When Kimmel asked which of his daughters might be a better president, Obama responded, “That is a question I do not need to answer because Michelle drilled into them so early that you would be crazy to go into politics,” he said. It’ll never happen.”
Biden called Malia, 25, and Sasha, 22, “powerful young women.”
As we reported earlier, Malia has embarked on a career in the entertainment industry. In January, she showcased a short film she wrote and directed at the Sundance Film Festival.
Obama is credited as Malia Ann on the comedy-drama “The Heart,” which “follows a lonely man named Josh, portrayed by Tunde Adebimpe, as he grapples with the sudden loss of his mother, Anita, played by LaTonya Borsay. The plot takes an unexpected turn with Anita’s peculiar request in her will for her son to preserve her heart organ and care for it after her passing,” per blexmedia.com.
During a Q&A session at Sundance, Obama described the project as an “allegorical little poem story.”
“We hope you enjoy the film and it makes you feel a bit less lonely, or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are,” Malia said in a video for Sundance discussing her project.
Malia made her television writing debut on Prime Video’s thriller series “Swarm,” which is also a Donald Glover production.
Meanwhle, Sasha graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in sociology in May 2023. According to The Cut, she has also dabbled in work in the entertainment industry. Sasha is credited as a casting interviewer for the Showtime series “Couples Therapy” under her legal name, “Natasha Obama.”
Ms. Pat Calls Big Tigger “The Biggest D**n Hater” After Abrupt Radio Show Firing
Ms. Pat joined “The Breakfast Club” on Tuesday morning, and she opened up about her sudden departure from “Big Tigger’s Radio Show.” The sitcom actress did not mince words, calling out Tigger for firing her shortly before she was to end her contract with the radio show.
“I was blown away. I’d never thought I was gon’ get fired from that job,” she explained of the ordeal, which took place in November 2023.
Ms. Pat didn’t stop there. She shared her belief that she and the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” key player, Shamea Morton, were let go with no notice due to jealousy.
“Tigger is the biggest d**n hater…I mean, you had a good show, and you messed it up because of your ego…To me, it was jealousy…I was so shocked…I said ‘y’all gon’ fire me? Do you know these people get up to listen to me?… And you gon’ fire the person who had the most going on, which me and Shamea?” Ms. Pat declared.
In one instance, she even pointed out that the former “Rap City: Tha Basement” host became envious of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon that she purchased. Since she and Morton were let go, Ms. Pat admitted that she had blocked him from contacting her but shared that the Bravo star still kept in contact with him.
“Doubling Down with the Derricos” Stars Deon & Karen Derrico Divorced Finalized Two Days After Filing
“Doubling Down with the Derricos” stars Deon and Karen Derrico have pulled the plug on their famous marriage.
According to TMZ, the TLC reality show couple filed for divorce on June 4th. In one of the shortest divorces in reality TV history, the split was finalized just two days later on June 6th, seemingly indicating that the Derricos worked out the particulars outside of court before the filing. In a statement to People, the couple maintained that their children remain their primary focus.
“Together, we remain unified in the parenting of our 14 beautiful children — their well-being is our priority. We thank everyone for their understanding and support as we move forward for the good of our family,” they shared.
The couple rose to fame in 2020 when “Doubling Down with the Derricos” debuted in 2020. The series documents their life as parents of 14 children in Las Vegas. During Season 5, which premiered on May 14th, 2024, there seemed to be some strain between the couple, who’d purchased a Las Vegas fixer-upper home. The season finale is scheduled for July 2nd.
It’s unknown if their marital woes will be documented in the final episode of the season, though it appears the split was amicable. Deon and Karen will share custody of their 13 minor children: Derrick, 13; 12-year-old twins Dallas and Denver; 10-year-old quintuplets Deonee, Daician, Daiten, Deniko, and Dariz; 6-year-old Diez and Dior; and 4-year-old triplets Dawsyn, De’Aren, and Dyver. Their oldest daughter, Darian, is 18 years old. Deon will pay $1,166 in monthly child support, while Karen will be in charge of their children’s medical expenses.
The future of “Doubling Down with the Derricos” is unknown now that the couple has split.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Is that a?
I bet that's hers!
I bet that's hers!
EVENING GOODIES: Meet Mr. Kuro
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