#MAGFAB:Demi Moore for The Wrap March 2025
For Demi Moore, there was no escaping her own image in “The Substance.” As Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading star who injects a dubious drug to spawn a younger version of herself named Sue (Margaret Qualley), Moore spends the majority of the film alone, her only scene partner her reflection in the mirror — or the giant, floor-to-ceiling portrait that looms over her living room like a shrine to the past. Over and over, Elisabeth engages with her reflection, forever dissatisfied with what she sees, which eventually is a hunchbacked, bald woman preternaturally aged due to an abuse of the sickly green solution.
These scenes presented Moore with a steep acting challenge. “I feared being repetitive. Like, is this going to be boring?” she said. “We all know our tendency is to find what’s wrong when we look in the mirror. There’s an intimacy that we experience looking at ourselves and it was definitely uncomfortable. So I just utilized that.”
To great effect. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance” is a furiously gory indictment of beauty standards that women internalize to their own self-destruction. Since its debut in Cannes last May, the body-horror black comedy has been building the kind of momentum that Moore had never
experienced in her 44 years in Hollywood — the kind that landed her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Part of what makes her performance hit so hard is the metacommentary she brings to it. As she revealed in her 2019 memoir “Inside Out,” she battled a severe eating disorder during her 1990s heyday, when she starred in such era-defining movies as “Ghost,” “A Few Good Men,” “Indecent Proposal” and “G.I. Jane” and suffered a media backlash when she became the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, her $12.5 million salary for “Striptease” earning her the snide nickname “Gimme Moore.” Few actresses of that time endured the level of hostile scrutiny that Moore did (her marriage to Bruce Willis was also a paparazzi magnet). So there is a certain poetic justice to earning her first Academy Award nomination for a performance in a film that takes a sledgehammer to misogyny.
“It has been quite an unexpected wild ride,” Moore said during a Zoom call from Paris, where she was doing press for “The Substance,” accompanied, as ever, by her teeny-tiny chihuahua Pilaf, who snoozed on her doggie bed during our conversation. Recalling her reaction to reading Fargeat’s screenplay, Moore, 62, said, “It really touched on so many different levels. While I am not Elisabeth, I immediately extracted from the script the potential depth of what it could bring forward, which is what we do to ourselves. That physical manifestation of the violence we can have against ourselves, to me, was just an extraordinary idea.”
It was, she said, the part she’d been waiting for, however unconsciously: “Roles find you as much as you find them.”
When you accepted your best actress Golden Globe last month, you mentioned that 30 years ago, a producer called you a “popcorn actress,” and you bought into it, not allowing yourself to hope for the critical recognition you’re currently enjoying. What would that Demi think of this moment?
That Demi probably would have been in even more shock than I was on that evening. What I would say to her is, “We did all right, kid.” [Smiles] Everything in life isn’t really what somebody else does or doesn’t do. It’s how we hold it. I didn’t misunderstand what he was saying. But I made it mean that there was a limitation to what my potential was. I don’t look back at that as any big slight to me. I think it was a genuine, honest reflection of how he saw films at that time, that there was a separation between those who could be in films that were big box office successes and those who got critical acclaim. If I had had a different perspective of being a popcorn actress, I might have been able to see that I’m allowed to have both. I think I desired both. But somehow, my deeper belief, my hidden belief, was that I wasn’t allowed.
The idea that Elisabeth is so self-hating, despite how great she — you — looks is the point: It’s never enough. At the same time, the movie does not make you look like you are 25. There are lots of close-ups under harsh lighting and nude scenes that are almost clinical in their frankness. How did you feel about those aspects?
The script was very detailed. There was no way of going into this and thinking that this was something where I was glamorized. I knew it was asking me to be seen in those vulnerable states that generally we can dress around. We want good lighting. Trust me, I love me some good lighting. [Laughs] And knowing that in fact, the flaws would be more exaggerated — there’s some of my body where she’s shooting low and wide, and I’m even wider and bigger — that was a wonderful opportunity to step out of my own comfort zone and confront those layers that still exist of our own self-judgment. On the other end of this, I actually found great liberation. Like, what else is there to tear me apart?
You’re telling a very visceral story about how we live in our bodies. When Elisabeth rapidly ages, you become increasingly covered in prosthetics. How did that affect your performance?
It’s that idea of our worst nightmares coming to light — the idea of something happening that you cannot change. It’s the whole body degrading and then you have to let go of all control. The prosthetics were definitely an easier read on paper. You’re reading it, and it’s like, “Oh, wow. Yes, that’s great.” That’s before you know you may be in the makeup chair six to nine-and-a-half hours. [Laughs] But that time allowed me to shift into that different body. Before I stepped on the set, I needed to take a couple of minutes just to look at myself in the mirror because your insides still feel like you. And so really being able to say, “Ok, yes. This is what your outside is,” and being able to align in that.
One of the scenes that comes up in every conversation I’ve had is the one where Elisabeth is in front of the mirror and violently rubs off her makeup after she decides not to go on a date. Why do you think that resonates so much with people?
Even though it’s very extreme, I think that it’s the most human [moment]. I also think it’s that arc of something, that sliver of hope that she has in that moment of breaking out of this self-imposed prison. We’ve all had moments of trying to make something a little better, only to make it worse and then trying to fix that, and then you don’t want to leave the house. The truth is, no external thing will fix what is occurring because it’s on the inside. I really felt a big part of my job in the film was to anchor it in reality because I knew that it was going to these extreme, exaggerated places. If I couldn’t bring that deeper human truth to it, then I don’t know if it would have had the same balance.
Knowing that my flaws would be exaggerated was a wonderful opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and confront layers of self-judgment.
The movie goes to dark places, but you do have some funny moments, like when Elisabeth is watching Sue on TV while cooking a massive feast, getting increasingly irritated by her. You start mimicking her.
It wasn’t written necessarily as comedic. That kind of just evolved, adding that stuff in, which made that a lot of fun for me. I loved the sabotaging that was going on because that is also what we do to ourselves: Her late-night gorging and then waking up, even though it was in the younger body, and going, “Oh, what the f— did I do?”
Yeah, the emotional eating of it all.
Been there! [Raises hand] Maybe not that gross. Coralie had very, very locked ideas of what she wanted. And it was almost a little constricting, but for some reason in that scene, because it was so chaotic, throwing the eggs [at the TV] just came out of the natural frustration of seeing Sue on TV.
To lean into the film’s theme of transformation — from the outside, it seems like you’ve been on this journey of self-affirmation, starting with your memoir, in which you really bared your soul, now to this moment of professional appreciation. Do you see it that way?
I feel like… [Coralie and I] met many times, and I think because this was such a personal story to her that a part of her was really holding tight, and I knew that talking with her about some of my experiences — even though much of my own personal body horror happened when I was much younger, ironically, as opposed to at this point in my life — I thought, You know what? Let me give her the book. Because I think seeing it in black and white, you might understand the depth of how I understood it, not from being in it, but being on the other side. The book certainly had a very healing, cathartic nature, and in a way, this is almost the completion of that.
You’ve talked about the turmoil you were in during the height of your fame in the ’90s. Do you feel like the culture has improved regarding body image?
Look, do we still have some ways to go? Definitely. But yes, there is definite change that I can see. There’s greater diversity, there’s greater inclusivity, but at the same time, there is a duality that’s occurring as social media has exploded and become part of the tapestry of our culture. There is a different type of heightened compare-and-despair. So while there is, I think, greater representation, there is still a certain aspect of perfectionism that is being sought. And it’s a challenge.
If we look at it cinematically, look at the women that are nominated this year and the roles that they’re doing. It really leaves me with such hopefulness and excitement for where we could go because what it’s saying is there’s an audience, there are people interested in these stories about these women, about different types of women in different worlds. I mean, I look at Mikey [Madison] in that role [in “Anora”]. I think about me doing “Striptease,” and look at how far we’ve come. She’s being lauded for her courage, her bravery. Obviously they are different films — I’m not comparing them. But the judgment, the shame that I experienced by playing a dancer, a stripper, versus now? I also wanted to add, I’m playing Elisabeth Sparkle, who’s turning 50. And I was 60 when we did the movie. In truth, somebody 50 really would have probably [looked] way too young. So just knowing that, in some respects, already represents that we’ve come a distance.
Demi Moore photographed by Zoe McConnell for TheWrap
There’s a moment in the beginning of “The Substance“ when Dennis Quaid’s character is on the phone and he says, almost as an aside, that Elisabeth won an Oscar years ago.
I know. How funny is that?
So was this journey to an Oscar nomination all predestined?
You know what? It’s not why we do it. I never thought about that as I was doing this. But I will say, on the day we were doing the first scene where [Margaret’s] naked body has to fall on top of my naked body — I’ve got the scar that she’s sewn up in the back, and I’ve got to crawl out from under her. Literally, after the very first take of that, she said, “Oh, you’re gonna win an Oscar.” I think back now to Margaret putting that out into the universe with deep appreciation, just knowing that she was seeing something in me that I wasn’t yet seeing and how beautiful that was, because we really did look out for each other throughout the whole thing. I also know even if you do good work, not every film has this [kind of response]. I just keep saying, “Don’t make it mean too much. But also remember not to make it mean too little.” And that’s allowed me to really stay in the joy.
This story first appeared in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. Read more from the issue here. https://view.flipdocs.com/?ID=10004691_702232
To great effect. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance” is a furiously gory indictment of beauty standards that women internalize to their own self-destruction. Since its debut in Cannes last May, the body-horror black comedy has been building the kind of momentum that Moore had never
experienced in her 44 years in Hollywood — the kind that landed her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Part of what makes her performance hit so hard is the metacommentary she brings to it. As she revealed in her 2019 memoir “Inside Out,” she battled a severe eating disorder during her 1990s heyday, when she starred in such era-defining movies as “Ghost,” “A Few Good Men,” “Indecent Proposal” and “G.I. Jane” and suffered a media backlash when she became the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, her $12.5 million salary for “Striptease” earning her the snide nickname “Gimme Moore.” Few actresses of that time endured the level of hostile scrutiny that Moore did (her marriage to Bruce Willis was also a paparazzi magnet). So there is a certain poetic justice to earning her first Academy Award nomination for a performance in a film that takes a sledgehammer to misogyny.
“It has been quite an unexpected wild ride,” Moore said during a Zoom call from Paris, where she was doing press for “The Substance,” accompanied, as ever, by her teeny-tiny chihuahua Pilaf, who snoozed on her doggie bed during our conversation. Recalling her reaction to reading Fargeat’s screenplay, Moore, 62, said, “It really touched on so many different levels. While I am not Elisabeth, I immediately extracted from the script the potential depth of what it could bring forward, which is what we do to ourselves. That physical manifestation of the violence we can have against ourselves, to me, was just an extraordinary idea.”
When you accepted your best actress Golden Globe last month, you mentioned that 30 years ago, a producer called you a “popcorn actress,” and you bought into it, not allowing yourself to hope for the critical recognition you’re currently enjoying. What would that Demi think of this moment?
That Demi probably would have been in even more shock than I was on that evening. What I would say to her is, “We did all right, kid.” [Smiles] Everything in life isn’t really what somebody else does or doesn’t do. It’s how we hold it. I didn’t misunderstand what he was saying. But I made it mean that there was a limitation to what my potential was. I don’t look back at that as any big slight to me. I think it was a genuine, honest reflection of how he saw films at that time, that there was a separation between those who could be in films that were big box office successes and those who got critical acclaim. If I had had a different perspective of being a popcorn actress, I might have been able to see that I’m allowed to have both. I think I desired both. But somehow, my deeper belief, my hidden belief, was that I wasn’t allowed.
The idea that Elisabeth is so self-hating, despite how great she — you — looks is the point: It’s never enough. At the same time, the movie does not make you look like you are 25. There are lots of close-ups under harsh lighting and nude scenes that are almost clinical in their frankness. How did you feel about those aspects?
The script was very detailed. There was no way of going into this and thinking that this was something where I was glamorized. I knew it was asking me to be seen in those vulnerable states that generally we can dress around. We want good lighting. Trust me, I love me some good lighting. [Laughs] And knowing that in fact, the flaws would be more exaggerated — there’s some of my body where she’s shooting low and wide, and I’m even wider and bigger — that was a wonderful opportunity to step out of my own comfort zone and confront those layers that still exist of our own self-judgment. On the other end of this, I actually found great liberation. Like, what else is there to tear me apart?
You’re telling a very visceral story about how we live in our bodies. When Elisabeth rapidly ages, you become increasingly covered in prosthetics. How did that affect your performance?
It’s that idea of our worst nightmares coming to light — the idea of something happening that you cannot change. It’s the whole body degrading and then you have to let go of all control. The prosthetics were definitely an easier read on paper. You’re reading it, and it’s like, “Oh, wow. Yes, that’s great.” That’s before you know you may be in the makeup chair six to nine-and-a-half hours. [Laughs] But that time allowed me to shift into that different body. Before I stepped on the set, I needed to take a couple of minutes just to look at myself in the mirror because your insides still feel like you. And so really being able to say, “Ok, yes. This is what your outside is,” and being able to align in that.
One of the scenes that comes up in every conversation I’ve had is the one where Elisabeth is in front of the mirror and violently rubs off her makeup after she decides not to go on a date. Why do you think that resonates so much with people?
Even though it’s very extreme, I think that it’s the most human [moment]. I also think it’s that arc of something, that sliver of hope that she has in that moment of breaking out of this self-imposed prison. We’ve all had moments of trying to make something a little better, only to make it worse and then trying to fix that, and then you don’t want to leave the house. The truth is, no external thing will fix what is occurring because it’s on the inside. I really felt a big part of my job in the film was to anchor it in reality because I knew that it was going to these extreme, exaggerated places. If I couldn’t bring that deeper human truth to it, then I don’t know if it would have had the same balance.
Knowing that my flaws would be exaggerated was a wonderful opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and confront layers of self-judgment.
The movie goes to dark places, but you do have some funny moments, like when Elisabeth is watching Sue on TV while cooking a massive feast, getting increasingly irritated by her. You start mimicking her.
It wasn’t written necessarily as comedic. That kind of just evolved, adding that stuff in, which made that a lot of fun for me. I loved the sabotaging that was going on because that is also what we do to ourselves: Her late-night gorging and then waking up, even though it was in the younger body, and going, “Oh, what the f— did I do?”
Yeah, the emotional eating of it all.
Been there! [Raises hand] Maybe not that gross. Coralie had very, very locked ideas of what she wanted. And it was almost a little constricting, but for some reason in that scene, because it was so chaotic, throwing the eggs [at the TV] just came out of the natural frustration of seeing Sue on TV.
To lean into the film’s theme of transformation — from the outside, it seems like you’ve been on this journey of self-affirmation, starting with your memoir, in which you really bared your soul, now to this moment of professional appreciation. Do you see it that way?
I feel like… [Coralie and I] met many times, and I think because this was such a personal story to her that a part of her was really holding tight, and I knew that talking with her about some of my experiences — even though much of my own personal body horror happened when I was much younger, ironically, as opposed to at this point in my life — I thought, You know what? Let me give her the book. Because I think seeing it in black and white, you might understand the depth of how I understood it, not from being in it, but being on the other side. The book certainly had a very healing, cathartic nature, and in a way, this is almost the completion of that.
You’ve talked about the turmoil you were in during the height of your fame in the ’90s. Do you feel like the culture has improved regarding body image?
Look, do we still have some ways to go? Definitely. But yes, there is definite change that I can see. There’s greater diversity, there’s greater inclusivity, but at the same time, there is a duality that’s occurring as social media has exploded and become part of the tapestry of our culture. There is a different type of heightened compare-and-despair. So while there is, I think, greater representation, there is still a certain aspect of perfectionism that is being sought. And it’s a challenge.
If we look at it cinematically, look at the women that are nominated this year and the roles that they’re doing. It really leaves me with such hopefulness and excitement for where we could go because what it’s saying is there’s an audience, there are people interested in these stories about these women, about different types of women in different worlds. I mean, I look at Mikey [Madison] in that role [in “Anora”]. I think about me doing “Striptease,” and look at how far we’ve come. She’s being lauded for her courage, her bravery. Obviously they are different films — I’m not comparing them. But the judgment, the shame that I experienced by playing a dancer, a stripper, versus now? I also wanted to add, I’m playing Elisabeth Sparkle, who’s turning 50. And I was 60 when we did the movie. In truth, somebody 50 really would have probably [looked] way too young. So just knowing that, in some respects, already represents that we’ve come a distance.
Demi Moore photographed by Zoe McConnell for TheWrap
There’s a moment in the beginning of “The Substance“ when Dennis Quaid’s character is on the phone and he says, almost as an aside, that Elisabeth won an Oscar years ago.
I know. How funny is that?
So was this journey to an Oscar nomination all predestined?
You know what? It’s not why we do it. I never thought about that as I was doing this. But I will say, on the day we were doing the first scene where [Margaret’s] naked body has to fall on top of my naked body — I’ve got the scar that she’s sewn up in the back, and I’ve got to crawl out from under her. Literally, after the very first take of that, she said, “Oh, you’re gonna win an Oscar.” I think back now to Margaret putting that out into the universe with deep appreciation, just knowing that she was seeing something in me that I wasn’t yet seeing and how beautiful that was, because we really did look out for each other throughout the whole thing. I also know even if you do good work, not every film has this [kind of response]. I just keep saying, “Don’t make it mean too much. But also remember not to make it mean too little.” And that’s allowed me to really stay in the joy.
This story first appeared in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. Read more from the issue here. https://view.flipdocs.com/?ID=10004691_702232
#RHOA: Porsha Williams Slams Ex Simon Over ‘Campaign of Obstruction and Harassment’ in Fight Over ‘RHOA’
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia married in November 2022 before confirming their split in February 2024.
Williams has slammed her estranged husband, for allegedly attempting to hinder her “ability to sustain her livelihood and career,” In Touch can exclusively report.
Porsha, 43, filed a response to Simon’s recent motion demanding the court vacate an order allowing her to film RHOA inside the $7 million mansion they once shared.
Porsha has also asked the court to enforce the prenuptial agreement they signed before walking down the aisle on November 25, 2022.
Simon argued for the prenup to be thrown out. Porsha also asked for temporary exclusive use of their home. Simon claimed Porsha had her own separate property nearby and should move there.
The judge awarded Porsha temporary exclusive use of the Georgia mansion despite Simon’s objections. In November 2024, Porsha said the court ruled that she could film RHOA inside the home and had “unrestricted right to film and produce television, film or social media or other audiovisual content in and around the Marital Residence.”
As In Touch first reported, weeks later, Simon asked the court to reconsider the decision on allowing Porsha to film the Bravo show inside the pad. Simon claimed he was owed a hearing on the matter before a decision was reached.
In her new motion, Porsha denied a hearing was required. She asked that Simon’s request to vacate the order be shut down.
Porsha’s lawyer, Randall Kessler, argued, “The court’s Order Permitting Filming in the Marital Residence is both just and equitable under the circumstances. Preventing Wife from filming her day-to-day activities and lifestyle in the marital residence, over which she has exclusive possession, use and occupancy, is neither reasonable nor fair.”
“Such a restriction would unjustly hinder Wife’s ability to sustain her livelihood and career, which are intrinsically tied to her public persona and professional obligations,” Porsha’s lawyer added.
Porsha and her attorney called out Simon for his alleged “abusive litigation.”
Randall wrote, “Since Wife’s initiation of the instant divorce matter and insistence on the enforcement of the Prenuptial Agreement, Husband has engaged in a campaign of bad-faith and abusive litigation all targeted at retaliating against Wife with the goal of intentionally restricting her ability to earn a living, expand her career and establish independence from Husband.”
Porsha’s lawyer continued, “Husband’s retaliatory motives are evidenced by the fact that both of the parties’ participated in reality TV, prior to and during the marriage, including numerous instances where filming took place inside the marital residence.”
Porsha accused Simon of “consistently” seeking to delay and prolong the divorce, “further demonstrating his abusive approach to the legal process.”
Her lawyer ended, “Husband’s instant Motion to Vacate Order Permitting Filming in Marital Residence is yet another attempt to perpetuate this campaign of obstruction and harassment. By granting Wife the right to film in the residence she occupies, the Court has maintained a balanced and equitable approach, ensuring that Wife’s ability to provide for herself and move forward independently is not unduly compromised by Husband’s continued interference.”
A judge has yet to rule.
Williams has slammed her estranged husband, for allegedly attempting to hinder her “ability to sustain her livelihood and career,” In Touch can exclusively report.
Porsha, 43, filed a response to Simon’s recent motion demanding the court vacate an order allowing her to film RHOA inside the $7 million mansion they once shared.
Porsha has also asked the court to enforce the prenuptial agreement they signed before walking down the aisle on November 25, 2022.
Simon argued for the prenup to be thrown out. Porsha also asked for temporary exclusive use of their home. Simon claimed Porsha had her own separate property nearby and should move there.
The judge awarded Porsha temporary exclusive use of the Georgia mansion despite Simon’s objections. In November 2024, Porsha said the court ruled that she could film RHOA inside the home and had “unrestricted right to film and produce television, film or social media or other audiovisual content in and around the Marital Residence.”
As In Touch first reported, weeks later, Simon asked the court to reconsider the decision on allowing Porsha to film the Bravo show inside the pad. Simon claimed he was owed a hearing on the matter before a decision was reached.
In her new motion, Porsha denied a hearing was required. She asked that Simon’s request to vacate the order be shut down.
Porsha’s lawyer, Randall Kessler, argued, “The court’s Order Permitting Filming in the Marital Residence is both just and equitable under the circumstances. Preventing Wife from filming her day-to-day activities and lifestyle in the marital residence, over which she has exclusive possession, use and occupancy, is neither reasonable nor fair.”
“Such a restriction would unjustly hinder Wife’s ability to sustain her livelihood and career, which are intrinsically tied to her public persona and professional obligations,” Porsha’s lawyer added.
Porsha and her attorney called out Simon for his alleged “abusive litigation.”
Randall wrote, “Since Wife’s initiation of the instant divorce matter and insistence on the enforcement of the Prenuptial Agreement, Husband has engaged in a campaign of bad-faith and abusive litigation all targeted at retaliating against Wife with the goal of intentionally restricting her ability to earn a living, expand her career and establish independence from Husband.”
Porsha’s lawyer continued, “Husband’s retaliatory motives are evidenced by the fact that both of the parties’ participated in reality TV, prior to and during the marriage, including numerous instances where filming took place inside the marital residence.”
Porsha accused Simon of “consistently” seeking to delay and prolong the divorce, “further demonstrating his abusive approach to the legal process.”
Her lawyer ended, “Husband’s instant Motion to Vacate Order Permitting Filming in Marital Residence is yet another attempt to perpetuate this campaign of obstruction and harassment. By granting Wife the right to film in the residence she occupies, the Court has maintained a balanced and equitable approach, ensuring that Wife’s ability to provide for herself and move forward independently is not unduly compromised by Husband’s continued interference.”
A judge has yet to rule.
#MusicNews: Lalah Hathaway Releases Phil Beaudreau Remix Of Single “No Lie”
During 2024, musical legend Lalah Hathaway released her latest standout album “VANTABLACK”.
She’s now gearing up to released a special “Expansion Pack” companion to the album, which will see her release a series of remixes from the project through the Spring.
During 2024, musical legend Lalah Hathaway released her latest standout album “VANTABLACK”.
She’s now gearing up to released a special “Expansion Pack” companion to the album, which will see her release a series of remixes from the project through the Spring.
LISTEN HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMqdNwa4i8s
The first offering is the Phil Beaudreau remix of her hit single “No Lie” featuring Michael McDonald.
The album version of the single was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards. The album “VANTABLACK” was also nominated for Best R&B Album.
#HipHopNews: Ty Dolla Sign Condemning Hate Speech After Ye’s Rant Raises More Questions Than It Does Answers
It seems like everyone is stepping away from Ye these days, including his most frequent collaborator, Ty Dolla Sign. On Wednesday (Feb. 12), the “Memories” singer took to social media to condemn hate speech, coincidentally just days after his ¥$ counterpart’s antisemitic tirade.
“I do not condone any form of hate speech towards anyone,” Ty Dolla Sign wrote on his Instagram Stories, alongside raised fist emojis in every skin tone. Though he didn’t mention Ye by name, the timing said it all.
The real question is: Why now? Back when Ye was fresh off the “White Lives Matter” T-shirt controversy and denying the Holocaust, Ty Dolla Sign was one of the first artists to stand by him. In fact, their 2023 collaboration “VULTURES” had Ye doubling down on the very thing that cost him millions: “How I'm antisemitic? I just f**ked a Jewish b**ch / I just f**ked Scooter's b**ch and we ran her like Olympics.”
One of the more obvious reasons for Ty's IG Story message is that standing next to Ye can be a business risk, especially when you don’t have his $2.77 billion net worth as a safety net. If the California native was fine working with the “Heartless” rapper through every past controversy, it could very easily be damage control.
The Two Released A Collaboration Amid Ye’s Latest Rant
It’s also worth mentioning that Ty Dolla Sign and Ye dropped “Wheels Fall Off” not long after the whole “Yaydolf Yitler” comments and everything that came with it. Not to mention, VULTURES 3 is still on the bill for 2025, marking the third and likely final installment in their album series under the ¥$ moniker.
Knowing Ye, it wouldn’t be shocking if it gets pushed back once again or scrapped altogether. After all, his Shopify store and social media accounts were shadow banned or deactivated within the past week, so the rollout already isn’t looking great.
Ty Dolla Sign really only has two choices here. One is to distance himself from a longtime friend and collaborator. The other is to drop music so good that people move on from everything that’s happened. Given the success of their chart-topping hit “CARNIVAL,” both are possible, albeit risky. If Ty did cut ties, would you feel that at this point, it’s too little, too late?
“I do not condone any form of hate speech towards anyone,” Ty Dolla Sign wrote on his Instagram Stories, alongside raised fist emojis in every skin tone. Though he didn’t mention Ye by name, the timing said it all.
The real question is: Why now? Back when Ye was fresh off the “White Lives Matter” T-shirt controversy and denying the Holocaust, Ty Dolla Sign was one of the first artists to stand by him. In fact, their 2023 collaboration “VULTURES” had Ye doubling down on the very thing that cost him millions: “How I'm antisemitic? I just f**ked a Jewish b**ch / I just f**ked Scooter's b**ch and we ran her like Olympics.”
One of the more obvious reasons for Ty's IG Story message is that standing next to Ye can be a business risk, especially when you don’t have his $2.77 billion net worth as a safety net. If the California native was fine working with the “Heartless” rapper through every past controversy, it could very easily be damage control.
The Two Released A Collaboration Amid Ye’s Latest Rant
It’s also worth mentioning that Ty Dolla Sign and Ye dropped “Wheels Fall Off” not long after the whole “Yaydolf Yitler” comments and everything that came with it. Not to mention, VULTURES 3 is still on the bill for 2025, marking the third and likely final installment in their album series under the ¥$ moniker.
Knowing Ye, it wouldn’t be shocking if it gets pushed back once again or scrapped altogether. After all, his Shopify store and social media accounts were shadow banned or deactivated within the past week, so the rollout already isn’t looking great.
Ty Dolla Sign really only has two choices here. One is to distance himself from a longtime friend and collaborator. The other is to drop music so good that people move on from everything that’s happened. Given the success of their chart-topping hit “CARNIVAL,” both are possible, albeit risky. If Ty did cut ties, would you feel that at this point, it’s too little, too late?
Destiny’s Child Reunite For Kelly Rowland’s 44th Birthday
Beyoncé and Michelle Williams helped bring in their “Birthday Bestie’s” 44th trip around the sun with an intimate dinner that appeared to be full of laughter, drinks, food and most importantly, love.
In photos posted to Bey’s Instagram, she showed the trio snapping it up and reassuring fans that their longstanding bond hasn’t fizzled a bit.
Rowland wore a sleek velvet black dress, as Williams sported a short sequin red cocktail dress. As for Bey, she left the Cowboy Carter getup at home, opting for a body-hugging black mini-dress with gold embellishments forming a corset on the front.
As fans have been dying to see the trio reunite onstage for a Destiny’s Child Tour, the former R&B group has made it clear that it probably won’t be happening anytime soon. However, Williams recently opened up about just how close they still are, giving insight into their very private group chat.
While visiting Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday (Feb. 11), Williams spoke on her “pure” friendship with her sisters in music, and even shared who’s the most “talkative” in their thread. “What’s the Destiny’s Child group text like?” host Hudson asked. “It is pure, it’s friendship, it’s all of those things,” Williams didn’t hold back, emphasizing the unshakable relationship she still has with Bey and Rowland two decades later.
Hudson then pressed further, asking a burning question fans want to know: “Who’s the most talkative out of you three?” Without hesitation the “Heard a Word” singer admitted, “Surprisingly me.” The response drew an amused reaction from Hudson, who playfully added, “I feel like it’s you, Michelle.”
However, Williams wasn’t entirely sure she should take the talkative title by herself. She added, “I don’t know … [maybe] Kelly now,” she said. Hudson agreed, noting, “Kelly can talk,” ahead of Williams adding, “Yep, yep, yep. It depends.”
Beyoncé and Michelle Williams helped bring in their “Birthday Bestie’s” 44th trip around the sun with an intimate dinner that appeared to be full of laughter, drinks, food and most importantly, love.
In photos posted to Bey’s Instagram, she showed the trio snapping it up and reassuring fans that their longstanding bond hasn’t fizzled a bit.
Rowland wore a sleek velvet black dress, as Williams sported a short sequin red cocktail dress. As for Bey, she left the Cowboy Carter getup at home, opting for a body-hugging black mini-dress with gold embellishments forming a corset on the front.
As fans have been dying to see the trio reunite onstage for a Destiny’s Child Tour, the former R&B group has made it clear that it probably won’t be happening anytime soon. However, Williams recently opened up about just how close they still are, giving insight into their very private group chat.
While visiting Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday (Feb. 11), Williams spoke on her “pure” friendship with her sisters in music, and even shared who’s the most “talkative” in their thread. “What’s the Destiny’s Child group text like?” host Hudson asked. “It is pure, it’s friendship, it’s all of those things,” Williams didn’t hold back, emphasizing the unshakable relationship she still has with Bey and Rowland two decades later.
Hudson then pressed further, asking a burning question fans want to know: “Who’s the most talkative out of you three?” Without hesitation the “Heard a Word” singer admitted, “Surprisingly me.” The response drew an amused reaction from Hudson, who playfully added, “I feel like it’s you, Michelle.”
However, Williams wasn’t entirely sure she should take the talkative title by herself. She added, “I don’t know … [maybe] Kelly now,” she said. Hudson agreed, noting, “Kelly can talk,” ahead of Williams adding, “Yep, yep, yep. It depends.”
Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss’ Family “Completely Appalled” By Widow’s Memoir
The family of Stephen “tWitch” Boss is prepared to take legal action against his widow Allison Holker with claims she embellished accounts in her memoir This Far. In a statement shared to social media on Wednesday (Feb 12) by tWitch’s mother Connie Boss Alexander, the family expresses the desire to seek legal counsel over “misleading accounts,” written by Holker.
“Over the past two years, we have extended the olive branch countless times and the only time we get acknowledgment is when we address the public. It is time that we seek a remedy to find closure,” explained the caption.
In this image released on October 14, tWitch speaks onstage at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on October 14, 2020 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with the costs of litigation. As of Thursday morning (Feb. 13), it has raised $15,840 of a $250,000 goal. On Tuesday (Feb. 11), Alexander, as well as tWitch’s younger brother Dre Rose spoke with CBS Mornings about the memoir.
“The intent was to grieve together,” explained Alexander of her relationship with Holker.
The statement signed by “The Boss Family” details their stance against the book, which was released earlier this month.
“We, the Boss Family, are completely appalled by misleading accounts and inconsistencies in Allison’s book,” the memo began. “As a family, we have repeatedly shown compassion toward Allison despite her disrespectful and evasive actions since Stephen’s passing.”
“Her portrayal of Stephen appears to reshape the story into a narrative that aligns with her perspective. These statements, along with her insensitive opinions about mental health, add unnecessary hurt during an already difficult time,” the statement added. “Stephen does not deserve this treatment, in life or death and her accounts cause us to doubt everything she has uttered publicly and privately.”
Last month, the family called out Holker for claiming tWitch used drugs and forcing them to sign non-disclosure agreements to attend his funeral. Holker claims she has no intention of tarnishing her late husband’s legacy.
“I’ll always love you. Just trying to help people feel safe to ask for help and support,” expressed Holker to friends and family of tWitch voicing their concerns.
Stephen “tWitch” Boss died by suicide in December 2022. The autopsy reported no signs of drug use or alcohol. Along with his wife, Stephen “tWitch” Boss is survived by their three children Zaia, 3, Maddox, 6, and Weslie, 14.
“Over the past two years, we have extended the olive branch countless times and the only time we get acknowledgment is when we address the public. It is time that we seek a remedy to find closure,” explained the caption.
In this image released on October 14, tWitch speaks onstage at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on October 14, 2020 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with the costs of litigation. As of Thursday morning (Feb. 13), it has raised $15,840 of a $250,000 goal. On Tuesday (Feb. 11), Alexander, as well as tWitch’s younger brother Dre Rose spoke with CBS Mornings about the memoir.
“The intent was to grieve together,” explained Alexander of her relationship with Holker.
The statement signed by “The Boss Family” details their stance against the book, which was released earlier this month.
“We, the Boss Family, are completely appalled by misleading accounts and inconsistencies in Allison’s book,” the memo began. “As a family, we have repeatedly shown compassion toward Allison despite her disrespectful and evasive actions since Stephen’s passing.”
“Her portrayal of Stephen appears to reshape the story into a narrative that aligns with her perspective. These statements, along with her insensitive opinions about mental health, add unnecessary hurt during an already difficult time,” the statement added. “Stephen does not deserve this treatment, in life or death and her accounts cause us to doubt everything she has uttered publicly and privately.”
Last month, the family called out Holker for claiming tWitch used drugs and forcing them to sign non-disclosure agreements to attend his funeral. Holker claims she has no intention of tarnishing her late husband’s legacy.
“I’ll always love you. Just trying to help people feel safe to ask for help and support,” expressed Holker to friends and family of tWitch voicing their concerns.
Stephen “tWitch” Boss died by suicide in December 2022. The autopsy reported no signs of drug use or alcohol. Along with his wife, Stephen “tWitch” Boss is survived by their three children Zaia, 3, Maddox, 6, and Weslie, 14.
R. Kelly’s Bid To Appeal His Sex Trafficking Conviction Denied By Federal Judge
R. Kelly is staying in prison on his sex trafficking and racketeering convictions for the required 30 years. His request for appeal was denied by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday (Feb. 12), per AP. The ruling was made after first hearing arguments last March.
The disgraced singer-songwriter was convicted back in 2021.
Kelly’s legal representation, Attorney Jennifer Bonjean, said in a statement that she feels the Supreme Court will agree to hear an appeal. She called the 2nd Circuit Court’s ruling “unprecedented,” adding that it gives prosecutors unlimited discretion to apply the racketeering law “to situations absurdly remote” from the statute’s intent.
The court declined to hear his appeal last year regarding his 20-year sentence from his 2022 child sex abuse charges in Chicago. The 2nd Circuit Court refused Kelly’s argument that the trial evidence was insufficient and the constitutionality of certain laws presented against him were questionable. The singer also felt four jurors were biased, said the trial judge made “improper rulings,” and believed that the racketeering charge was also inappropriate
“Enabled by a constellation of managers, assistants, and other staff for over twenty-five years, Kelly exploited his fame to lure girls and young women into his grasp,” the appeals court said, and mentioned that members of his entourage helped introduce him to underage girls.
The three-judge panel continued, “Evidence at trial showed that he would isolate them from friends and family, control nearly every aspect of their lives, and abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually.”
The court noted that it was “neither arbitrary nor irrational” that several accusers who testified at trial said Kelly gave them herpes without disclosing he had the STD, and it was not “unduly prejudicial or cumulative” that seven of them who were minors at the time of abuse were also allowed to testify.
“None of the testimony was more inflammatory than the charged acts,” the appeals court said. When speaking on letting jurors view graphic videos as evidence of the abuse, the 2nd Circuit stated that it was not “unfairly prejudicial.” The videos “were properly admitted to show the means and methods of the enterprise, including the level of control and dominance Kelly had over his victims.”
Bonjean called out one 2nd Circuit judge, Richard J. Sullivan, and agreed with what he described as the majority’s “excellent opinion,” but disagreed with a restitution award given to one victim for a lifetime supply of a suppressive regime of herpes medication. “This was not restitution. This was an effort by the government to unfairly enrich government witnesses for their testimony,” Bonjean said.
Since being incarcerated, Kelly had paid over half-million dollars to victims, associated fines, and more.
R. Kelly is staying in prison on his sex trafficking and racketeering convictions for the required 30 years. His request for appeal was denied by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday (Feb. 12), per AP. The ruling was made after first hearing arguments last March.
The disgraced singer-songwriter was convicted back in 2021.
Kelly’s legal representation, Attorney Jennifer Bonjean, said in a statement that she feels the Supreme Court will agree to hear an appeal. She called the 2nd Circuit Court’s ruling “unprecedented,” adding that it gives prosecutors unlimited discretion to apply the racketeering law “to situations absurdly remote” from the statute’s intent.
The court declined to hear his appeal last year regarding his 20-year sentence from his 2022 child sex abuse charges in Chicago. The 2nd Circuit Court refused Kelly’s argument that the trial evidence was insufficient and the constitutionality of certain laws presented against him were questionable. The singer also felt four jurors were biased, said the trial judge made “improper rulings,” and believed that the racketeering charge was also inappropriate
“Enabled by a constellation of managers, assistants, and other staff for over twenty-five years, Kelly exploited his fame to lure girls and young women into his grasp,” the appeals court said, and mentioned that members of his entourage helped introduce him to underage girls.
The three-judge panel continued, “Evidence at trial showed that he would isolate them from friends and family, control nearly every aspect of their lives, and abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually.”
The court noted that it was “neither arbitrary nor irrational” that several accusers who testified at trial said Kelly gave them herpes without disclosing he had the STD, and it was not “unduly prejudicial or cumulative” that seven of them who were minors at the time of abuse were also allowed to testify.
“None of the testimony was more inflammatory than the charged acts,” the appeals court said. When speaking on letting jurors view graphic videos as evidence of the abuse, the 2nd Circuit stated that it was not “unfairly prejudicial.” The videos “were properly admitted to show the means and methods of the enterprise, including the level of control and dominance Kelly had over his victims.”
Bonjean called out one 2nd Circuit judge, Richard J. Sullivan, and agreed with what he described as the majority’s “excellent opinion,” but disagreed with a restitution award given to one victim for a lifetime supply of a suppressive regime of herpes medication. “This was not restitution. This was an effort by the government to unfairly enrich government witnesses for their testimony,” Bonjean said.
Since being incarcerated, Kelly had paid over half-million dollars to victims, associated fines, and more.
Gillie Da Kid Reveals Identity Of His Son’s Killer
Gillie Da Kid has been mourning the loss of his son YNG Cheese for over a year now. This week, he revealed that he learned who the killer was, the recently slain teenage basketball player Noah Scurry.
The Million Dollaz Worth Of Game host appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay fresh off of his Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX. At one point, they discussed Scurry and how athletes with high potential used to get “protected.” That’s when Gillie offered the shocking information about his son’s connection to the drill rapper.
“That’s who killed my son,” he said. Sharpe and Gillie sat in silence before the NFL Hall Of Famer asked for more details. “Yeah,” Gillie added. “The 17-year-old basketball player that just got shot 17 times, that’s who killed my son.”
Shannon Sharpe asked what caused Noah Scurry to kill YNG Cheese, and Gillie Da Kid clarified that the bullets weren’t intended for him. “Them blocks is beefin’,” he said. “They going through it. My son just so happened to pull up, out there five minutes. They come to shoot the block up. My son’s not from that block […] he just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s how deep it is.”
Sharpe was bewildered at the fact Scurry had the potential to make something of himself but chose to engage in that dangerous lifestyle. Gillie informed him that Scurry was a rapper who put his lifestyle on full display. “He got videos with a joker mask on,” he said. “Bunch of guns in his hand. These kids is influenced by all the wrong things. The sh*t that don’t matter. The sh*t that, once upon a time when I was growing up in the ghetto, I was influenced by.”
He informed the Nightcap host of how poor the area is, to the point where just driving 45 minutes to Atlantic City was viewed as a vacation for people in those Philly neighborhoods. “These kids don’t know no better,” Gillie added. “These kids actually think that you can’t make it as a rapper unless you killed somebody. Unless you did something out here in these streets. This is the mindset.”
Noah Scurry, who went by JokerOTV, was known for his academic excellence, boasting the highest SAT score at his school. He released his first track on Jan. 13 and was shot and killed in front of his home the next day. Gillie also informed Shannon Sharpe that the police told him they were “close” to arresting and charging Scurry for killing YNG Cheese back in 2023, though it is unclear why that did not happen.
The Million Dollaz Worth Of Game host appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay fresh off of his Philadelphia Eagles winning Super Bowl LIX. At one point, they discussed Scurry and how athletes with high potential used to get “protected.” That’s when Gillie offered the shocking information about his son’s connection to the drill rapper.
“That’s who killed my son,” he said. Sharpe and Gillie sat in silence before the NFL Hall Of Famer asked for more details. “Yeah,” Gillie added. “The 17-year-old basketball player that just got shot 17 times, that’s who killed my son.”
Shannon Sharpe asked what caused Noah Scurry to kill YNG Cheese, and Gillie Da Kid clarified that the bullets weren’t intended for him. “Them blocks is beefin’,” he said. “They going through it. My son just so happened to pull up, out there five minutes. They come to shoot the block up. My son’s not from that block […] he just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s how deep it is.”
Sharpe was bewildered at the fact Scurry had the potential to make something of himself but chose to engage in that dangerous lifestyle. Gillie informed him that Scurry was a rapper who put his lifestyle on full display. “He got videos with a joker mask on,” he said. “Bunch of guns in his hand. These kids is influenced by all the wrong things. The sh*t that don’t matter. The sh*t that, once upon a time when I was growing up in the ghetto, I was influenced by.”
He informed the Nightcap host of how poor the area is, to the point where just driving 45 minutes to Atlantic City was viewed as a vacation for people in those Philly neighborhoods. “These kids don’t know no better,” Gillie added. “These kids actually think that you can’t make it as a rapper unless you killed somebody. Unless you did something out here in these streets. This is the mindset.”
Noah Scurry, who went by JokerOTV, was known for his academic excellence, boasting the highest SAT score at his school. He released his first track on Jan. 13 and was shot and killed in front of his home the next day. Gillie also informed Shannon Sharpe that the police told him they were “close” to arresting and charging Scurry for killing YNG Cheese back in 2023, though it is unclear why that did not happen.
Wendy Williams Believes Her Son Took Advantage Of Her Financially, Triggered Her Guardianship
Wendy Williams revealed on Wednesday (Feb. 12) that her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., may have been the catalyst behind her guardianship. Ahead of visiting her family for her father’s 94th birthday this weekend, she’ll also be reunited with her 24-year-old son whom she said “took advantage of her financially and triggered her guardianship,” per TMZ.
The radio veteran opened up about the mishandling of her money in her new documentary, TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy. The guardianship came after Wells Fargo noticed an influx of unauthorized withdrawals. Williams believes her son and others were making the purchases, but he’s denied any wrongdoing.
“While [her son] Mr. Hunter apologized for past mistakes and inappropriate behavior, the court is not convinced that he can keep her safe and wouldn’t willingly or unwittingly expose her to financial exploitation,” TMZ reported per court documents from last September
In the documentary, she told TMZ’s Harvey Levin, “My son, he overstepped his boundaries in terms of me. He overstepped his boundaries and he was inappropriately using my money without telling me crap about it.”
Williams continued, “Like, is he stealing from me? Look, all I know is that, in terms of what I’m dealing with, this is still going on, because that’s when my money got frozen at Wells Fargo, thank God. No more money stealing from my son and the other people.”
However, she does feel her only child has a good heart, but has been influenced badly by others.
“My son is a really good person. Look, my son is a good person. But at this point, he is a horrible person to me,” Williams explained. “The way he moves with other people, and what’s going on with these other people in my apartment in Miami. ‘What are you doing? Oh, you spent on what? What is going on at Wells Fargo?’ […] It’s about my money. It’s about holding my money and using it for other people and nothing for me.”
The documentary spotlights her life while in an assisted living facility, which she compared to a prison. “I want my life back. I want my freedom back,” Williams shared.
The former radio/television host also appeared on Levin and Mark Geragos’ podcast, 2 Angry Men, and admitted that she’s looking forward to seeing her son despite his alleged transgressions.
Wendy Williams revealed on Wednesday (Feb. 12) that her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., may have been the catalyst behind her guardianship. Ahead of visiting her family for her father’s 94th birthday this weekend, she’ll also be reunited with her 24-year-old son whom she said “took advantage of her financially and triggered her guardianship,” per TMZ.
The radio veteran opened up about the mishandling of her money in her new documentary, TMZ Presents: Saving Wendy. The guardianship came after Wells Fargo noticed an influx of unauthorized withdrawals. Williams believes her son and others were making the purchases, but he’s denied any wrongdoing.
“While [her son] Mr. Hunter apologized for past mistakes and inappropriate behavior, the court is not convinced that he can keep her safe and wouldn’t willingly or unwittingly expose her to financial exploitation,” TMZ reported per court documents from last September
In the documentary, she told TMZ’s Harvey Levin, “My son, he overstepped his boundaries in terms of me. He overstepped his boundaries and he was inappropriately using my money without telling me crap about it.”
Williams continued, “Like, is he stealing from me? Look, all I know is that, in terms of what I’m dealing with, this is still going on, because that’s when my money got frozen at Wells Fargo, thank God. No more money stealing from my son and the other people.”
However, she does feel her only child has a good heart, but has been influenced badly by others.
“My son is a really good person. Look, my son is a good person. But at this point, he is a horrible person to me,” Williams explained. “The way he moves with other people, and what’s going on with these other people in my apartment in Miami. ‘What are you doing? Oh, you spent on what? What is going on at Wells Fargo?’ […] It’s about my money. It’s about holding my money and using it for other people and nothing for me.”
The documentary spotlights her life while in an assisted living facility, which she compared to a prison. “I want my life back. I want my freedom back,” Williams shared.
The former radio/television host also appeared on Levin and Mark Geragos’ podcast, 2 Angry Men, and admitted that she’s looking forward to seeing her son despite his alleged transgressions.
Jodeci Singer K-Ci Is Recovering After Being Hospitalized For Pneumonia, Group Cancels Weekend Shows
Jodeci fans will have to wait a bit longer for their next show after K-Ci was hospitalized with pneumonia.
The lead singer of the R&B group was admitted to the hospital for treatment but has since been released and is now resting at home with antibiotics, according to his manager, Michael Paran.
While K-Ci is on the mend, the group has canceled this weekend’s shows as a precaution. Paran assures fans that all upcoming concerts after this weekend will proceed as scheduled.
The canceled shows include a Valentine’s Day performance at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, along with a follow-up concert in Connecticut. However, Jodeci is working on rescheduling these dates for later this year.
We wish K-Ci a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on stage soon!
The lead singer of the R&B group was admitted to the hospital for treatment but has since been released and is now resting at home with antibiotics, according to his manager, Michael Paran.
While K-Ci is on the mend, the group has canceled this weekend’s shows as a precaution. Paran assures fans that all upcoming concerts after this weekend will proceed as scheduled.
The canceled shows include a Valentine’s Day performance at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre, along with a follow-up concert in Connecticut. However, Jodeci is working on rescheduling these dates for later this year.
We wish K-Ci a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on stage soon!
Rihanna Brings Sons To Court For Closing Arguments In A$AP Rocky’s Gun A$$ault Trial
Rihanna is sticking by her man. The superstar showed up to court today with her sons, RZA, 2, and Riot, 1, to support A$AP Rocky as closing arguments take place.
Rihanna is sticking by her man. The superstar showed up to court today with her sons, RZA, 2, and Riot, 1, to support A$AP Rocky as closing arguments take place.
Rocky is on trial after his former friend, A$AP Relli, accused him of assault, claiming he fired a gun during a 2021 altercation. Rocky denies the allegations, and his lawyer says the gun was just a prop.
If convicted, he faces up to 24 years in prison. However, there have been reports that he’ll receive 9 years if found guilty. Rihanna has attended multiple hearings, witnessing tense exchanges between Relli and Rocky’s legal team.
If convicted, he faces up to 24 years in prison. However, there have been reports that he’ll receive 9 years if found guilty. Rihanna has attended multiple hearings, witnessing tense exchanges between Relli and Rocky’s legal team.
Senate confirms Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services
The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Health and Human Services secretary on Thursday, giving the longtime vaccine skeptic who has vowed to take on "big pharma" and ultra-processed food the power to oversee the nation’s food and health care systems.
Kennedy, 71, a longtime environmental lawyer, was confirmed by a vote of 52-48. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who survived polio before Jonas Salk's breakthrough vaccine in the 1950s, voted against Kennedy after raising concerns about his position on vaccination. The former Republican majority leader has angered some of Trump's supporters for votes and views that conflict with the president's.
At his confirmation hearing, Kennedy, who has no academic background in medicine or health care, said his “journey into the issue of health” began with his career as an attorney working with hunters, fishermen and communities along the Hudson River in New York.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrives to testify before the Senate Finance Committee during a confirmation hearing on his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services on Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington, DC.
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“I learned that human health and environmental health are intertwined and inseparable,” he said. “The same chemicals that kill fish also sicken human beings.”
Kennedy’s popularity among many, particularly mothers worried about additives and food dyes in the meals they consume, has largely been attributed to him calling out food companies. His platform is called "Make America Healthy Again." The mothers call themselves MAHA Moms.
He has said he will “reorient federal health agencies toward chronic disease and rid them of Big Pharma’s influence," and ban hundreds of food additives and chemicals that are already banned in other countries.
President Donald Trump, for his part, has said he’ll let Kennedy “go wild” on food, health and medicine.
As the head of HHS, Kennedy will oversee the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ever since Trump announced Kennedy as his pick to head HHS, medical professionals and public officials had been sounding the alarm on Kennedy’s earlier statements undermining confidence in vaccines, including falsely linking them to autism. Decades of studies show vaccines do not cause autism
Among his most controversial statements that have been discredited: Antidepressants are related to school shootings, Wi-Fi causes cancer, fluoride in public water systems causes bone cancer and IQ loss, and COVID-19 was “ethnically targeted” to attack “Caucasians and Black people” while sparing “Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese” people.
But the one that got the most airtime from senators was his views on vaccines.
Throughout the two hearings, Kennedy insisted he was not “anti-vaccine” but “pro-safety.”
“I'm pro-good science,” he said. “I worked for 40 years to raise awareness about mercury and other toxics and fish. And nobody called me anti-fish.”
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which questioned him on the second day of hearings, had said he was “struggling” with his decision on whether to support Kennedy.
A former physician, Cassidy said he wanted Kennedy to "come out unequivocally" and say vaccines are safe and they do not cause autism.
But ultimately, Cassidy, who is up for reelection in 2026, ended up supporting Kennedy, citing “serious commitments” he had received from both the candidate and the White House in the intervening days.
In a statement explaining his vote Thursday, McConnell noted he survived childhood polio and has watched vaccines "save millions of lives" in his lifetime.
Kennedy has "a record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions," the senator said.
"I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles," McConnell said. The administration "deserves a leader who is willing to acknowledge without qualification the efficacy of life-saving vaccines and who can demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of the U.S. healthcare system. Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency."
Kennedy comes from one of the most well-known political dynasties in the U.S. and has suffered tragic losses in the public sphere.
Kennedy is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who represented New York in the U.S. Senate and served as the U.S. attorney general. He was assassinated in 1968 while running for president. His uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963.
Kennedy, 71, a longtime environmental lawyer, was confirmed by a vote of 52-48. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who survived polio before Jonas Salk's breakthrough vaccine in the 1950s, voted against Kennedy after raising concerns about his position on vaccination. The former Republican majority leader has angered some of Trump's supporters for votes and views that conflict with the president's.
At his confirmation hearing, Kennedy, who has no academic background in medicine or health care, said his “journey into the issue of health” began with his career as an attorney working with hunters, fishermen and communities along the Hudson River in New York.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrives to testify before the Senate Finance Committee during a confirmation hearing on his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services on Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington, DC.
More
“I learned that human health and environmental health are intertwined and inseparable,” he said. “The same chemicals that kill fish also sicken human beings.”
Kennedy’s popularity among many, particularly mothers worried about additives and food dyes in the meals they consume, has largely been attributed to him calling out food companies. His platform is called "Make America Healthy Again." The mothers call themselves MAHA Moms.
He has said he will “reorient federal health agencies toward chronic disease and rid them of Big Pharma’s influence," and ban hundreds of food additives and chemicals that are already banned in other countries.
President Donald Trump, for his part, has said he’ll let Kennedy “go wild” on food, health and medicine.
As the head of HHS, Kennedy will oversee the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ever since Trump announced Kennedy as his pick to head HHS, medical professionals and public officials had been sounding the alarm on Kennedy’s earlier statements undermining confidence in vaccines, including falsely linking them to autism. Decades of studies show vaccines do not cause autism
Among his most controversial statements that have been discredited: Antidepressants are related to school shootings, Wi-Fi causes cancer, fluoride in public water systems causes bone cancer and IQ loss, and COVID-19 was “ethnically targeted” to attack “Caucasians and Black people” while sparing “Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese” people.
But the one that got the most airtime from senators was his views on vaccines.
Throughout the two hearings, Kennedy insisted he was not “anti-vaccine” but “pro-safety.”
“I'm pro-good science,” he said. “I worked for 40 years to raise awareness about mercury and other toxics and fish. And nobody called me anti-fish.”
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which questioned him on the second day of hearings, had said he was “struggling” with his decision on whether to support Kennedy.
A former physician, Cassidy said he wanted Kennedy to "come out unequivocally" and say vaccines are safe and they do not cause autism.
But ultimately, Cassidy, who is up for reelection in 2026, ended up supporting Kennedy, citing “serious commitments” he had received from both the candidate and the White House in the intervening days.
In a statement explaining his vote Thursday, McConnell noted he survived childhood polio and has watched vaccines "save millions of lives" in his lifetime.
Kennedy has "a record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions," the senator said.
"I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles," McConnell said. The administration "deserves a leader who is willing to acknowledge without qualification the efficacy of life-saving vaccines and who can demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of the U.S. healthcare system. Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency."
Kennedy comes from one of the most well-known political dynasties in the U.S. and has suffered tragic losses in the public sphere.
Kennedy is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who represented New York in the U.S. Senate and served as the U.S. attorney general. He was assassinated in 1968 while running for president. His uncle, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963.
$10 million settlement in Sonya Massey shooting case gets final approval
Officials in Sangamon County, Illinois, have agreed to a $10 million settlement with the family of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who was shot and killed in her home last summer after she called police for assistance.
The agreement reached last week between lawyers for Massey’s family and attorneys representing the county was unanimously approved Tuesday evening by the Sangamon County Board.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, held a virtual news conference Wednesday on what would have been her 37th birthday.
Crump said it “is only the first step in the journey for justice.”
“We want civil accountability, criminal culpability and we want legislative changes,” Crump said. “We want the laws to prevent something like this from happening again.”
He and Antonio Romanucci, another family attorney, called the settlement “historic.”
“It’s our understanding that this, by far, is the largest settlement reached in Sangamon County of any kind, let alone a civil rights case such as this one,” Romanucci said.
He pushed back against criticism that the amount was too low, saying it came to 50% of the sheriff’s office’s annual budget.
“This settlement is magnanimous, and it’s very relevant, and it’s very significant, because, as Ben knows, we’re not in Minneapolis, we’re not in Memphis, we’re not in Louisville,” he said, referring to other cities where he and Crump have negotiated or are negotiating settlements for the families of Black people killed by police. “We’re in Sangamon County.”
Donna Massey, the mother of Sonya Massey, at New Mount Pilgrim Church in Chicago in June.Scott Olson / Getty Images file
The county administrator, Brian McFadden, said at the meeting Tuesday that it is the largest settlement in his memory. County officials have said the $10 million would be paid from a settlement fund and reserves from other county funds.
Romanucci said the money would go to Massey’s two children, adding that a court will decide compensation for attorneys.
Massey called 911 early on the morning of July 6 to report a suspected prowler outside her home. Then-Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson and another deputy, who has not been identified, responded, according to body-camera footage.
Grayson, who is white, pointed out a pot of boiling water on the stove, and as Massey retrieved it and was handling the pot, she twice said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson yelled at her to drop the pot, and as she ducked, he fired three shots at her, one of which struck her beneath her left eye.
Grayson said in a report written three days after the shooting that he feared “great bodily harm” or death because Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Prior to the shooting, Grayson had worked for six law enforcement agencies in central Illinois in four years. Nearly two weeks after Massey’s killing, he was fired and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail.
His attorney declined to comment on Wednesday.
Sonya Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said at Wednesday’s news conference that Sangamon County and some of the other agencies where Grayson worked were responsible for his daughter’s death.
“I think he should have never been hired,” Wilburn said.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
The day before the shooting, Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, had called 911 seeking help for her daughter, who she was concerned the police might try to hurt, Donna Massey told a dispatcher in recordings released by the sheriff’s department.
After her killing, Massey’s name joined a growing list of Black residents fatally shot in their homes by police across the country, including Botham Jean in 2018, Atatiana Jefferson in 2019 and Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson last year.
Massey’s fatal shooting also forced the premature retirement of Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell, who hired Grayson, after residents and Gov. JB Pritzker called on him to step down.
Pritzker said at the time that Campbell had failed at his job because he hired Grayson despite documented issues with Grayson’s performance at previous agencies.
Grayson’s employment history, and two DUIs convictions, in 2015 and 2016, led Massey’s family and others to question why he was allowed to work in law enforcement. The 2015 conviction led to his premature discharge from the Army the following year.
The Massey case prompted a memorandum of agreement between the U.S. Justice Department and the sheriff’s office, in which the county pledged a series of changes, including more training, updates to policies pertaining to nondiscriminatory policing and the reporting of use-of-force data.
The DOJ found no discriminatory practices by the sheriff’s office or the county’s emergency dispatch operation in connection with Massey’s death.
Officials in Sangamon County, Illinois, have agreed to a $10 million settlement with the family of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who was shot and killed in her home last summer after she called police for assistance.
The agreement reached last week between lawyers for Massey’s family and attorneys representing the county was unanimously approved Tuesday evening by the Sangamon County Board.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, held a virtual news conference Wednesday on what would have been her 37th birthday.
Crump said it “is only the first step in the journey for justice.”
“We want civil accountability, criminal culpability and we want legislative changes,” Crump said. “We want the laws to prevent something like this from happening again.”
He and Antonio Romanucci, another family attorney, called the settlement “historic.”
“It’s our understanding that this, by far, is the largest settlement reached in Sangamon County of any kind, let alone a civil rights case such as this one,” Romanucci said.
He pushed back against criticism that the amount was too low, saying it came to 50% of the sheriff’s office’s annual budget.
“This settlement is magnanimous, and it’s very relevant, and it’s very significant, because, as Ben knows, we’re not in Minneapolis, we’re not in Memphis, we’re not in Louisville,” he said, referring to other cities where he and Crump have negotiated or are negotiating settlements for the families of Black people killed by police. “We’re in Sangamon County.”
Donna Massey, the mother of Sonya Massey, at New Mount Pilgrim Church in Chicago in June.Scott Olson / Getty Images file
The county administrator, Brian McFadden, said at the meeting Tuesday that it is the largest settlement in his memory. County officials have said the $10 million would be paid from a settlement fund and reserves from other county funds.
Romanucci said the money would go to Massey’s two children, adding that a court will decide compensation for attorneys.
Massey called 911 early on the morning of July 6 to report a suspected prowler outside her home. Then-Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson and another deputy, who has not been identified, responded, according to body-camera footage.
Grayson, who is white, pointed out a pot of boiling water on the stove, and as Massey retrieved it and was handling the pot, she twice said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson yelled at her to drop the pot, and as she ducked, he fired three shots at her, one of which struck her beneath her left eye.
Grayson said in a report written three days after the shooting that he feared “great bodily harm” or death because Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Prior to the shooting, Grayson had worked for six law enforcement agencies in central Illinois in four years. Nearly two weeks after Massey’s killing, he was fired and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail.
His attorney declined to comment on Wednesday.
Sonya Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said at Wednesday’s news conference that Sangamon County and some of the other agencies where Grayson worked were responsible for his daughter’s death.
“I think he should have never been hired,” Wilburn said.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
The day before the shooting, Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, had called 911 seeking help for her daughter, who she was concerned the police might try to hurt, Donna Massey told a dispatcher in recordings released by the sheriff’s department.
After her killing, Massey’s name joined a growing list of Black residents fatally shot in their homes by police across the country, including Botham Jean in 2018, Atatiana Jefferson in 2019 and Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson last year.
Massey’s fatal shooting also forced the premature retirement of Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell, who hired Grayson, after residents and Gov. JB Pritzker called on him to step down.
Pritzker said at the time that Campbell had failed at his job because he hired Grayson despite documented issues with Grayson’s performance at previous agencies.
Grayson’s employment history, and two DUIs convictions, in 2015 and 2016, led Massey’s family and others to question why he was allowed to work in law enforcement. The 2015 conviction led to his premature discharge from the Army the following year.
The Massey case prompted a memorandum of agreement between the U.S. Justice Department and the sheriff’s office, in which the county pledged a series of changes, including more training, updates to policies pertaining to nondiscriminatory policing and the reporting of use-of-force data.
The DOJ found no discriminatory practices by the sheriff’s office or the county’s emergency dispatch operation in connection with Massey’s death.
Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian destroys Jason Whitlock over his latest "hot take"
The Super Bowl always brings surprises, but few expected Serena Williams to be at the center of post-game debates. During Kendrick Lamar's halftime show, Williams made a brief but memorable cameo, doing a quick dance move that referenced her 2012 Wimbledon celebration. While fans embraced the moment, not everyone was on board.
Sports commentator Jason Whitlock, never one to hold back, decided to take a shot at Williams, calling her appearance inappropriate and even suggesting she should apologize. That take did not sit well with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. And if there's one thing we know about the Reddit co-founder, it's that he does not let criticism of his wife slide.
Ohanian wasted no time clapping back at Whitlock with a response that felt less like an argument and more like a life intervention. "I get it-you're 57, and life didn't turn out the way you imagined," he wrote on X. "That kind of disappointment must be exhausting." From there, he painted Whitlock as someone who peaked in high school and has spent decades chasing online validation.
And he didn't stop there. Ohanian closed out his response with a bit of unsolicited but arguably solid advice: "There's still time to rewrite the ending-start by working on yourself first." The implication? Whitlock's energy would be better spent improving his own life instead of critiquing others.
The back-and-forth didn't end with Ohanian's words. Whitlock fired back, calling Ohanian a "beta" and suggesting that Serena is still thinking about her ex, rapper Drake. The mention of Drake, who was romantically linked to Williams years ago, only added fuel to the fire. But Ohanian had already made his stance clear-his wife wasn't the one obsessed with the past.
The controversy spilled into sports media, with Stephen A. Smith weighing in on First Take. Smith suggested that if his wife were publicly trolling her ex, he'd take that as a red flag. His comment, intended as a hypothetical, only reinforced how Williams' brief dance move became a bigger talking point than expected.
Despite the noise, Ohanian doubled down on his support for Serena. He reminded critics that she faced backlash for the same dance over a decade ago and dismissed any suggestion that it was a personal jab at anyone.
As debates rage on, one thing is clear: Ohanian will always defend his wife, and if you're coming for Serena Williams online, you'd better be ready for what comes next.
Sports commentator Jason Whitlock, never one to hold back, decided to take a shot at Williams, calling her appearance inappropriate and even suggesting she should apologize. That take did not sit well with her husband, Alexis Ohanian. And if there's one thing we know about the Reddit co-founder, it's that he does not let criticism of his wife slide.
Ohanian wasted no time clapping back at Whitlock with a response that felt less like an argument and more like a life intervention. "I get it-you're 57, and life didn't turn out the way you imagined," he wrote on X. "That kind of disappointment must be exhausting." From there, he painted Whitlock as someone who peaked in high school and has spent decades chasing online validation.
And he didn't stop there. Ohanian closed out his response with a bit of unsolicited but arguably solid advice: "There's still time to rewrite the ending-start by working on yourself first." The implication? Whitlock's energy would be better spent improving his own life instead of critiquing others.
The back-and-forth didn't end with Ohanian's words. Whitlock fired back, calling Ohanian a "beta" and suggesting that Serena is still thinking about her ex, rapper Drake. The mention of Drake, who was romantically linked to Williams years ago, only added fuel to the fire. But Ohanian had already made his stance clear-his wife wasn't the one obsessed with the past.
The controversy spilled into sports media, with Stephen A. Smith weighing in on First Take. Smith suggested that if his wife were publicly trolling her ex, he'd take that as a red flag. His comment, intended as a hypothetical, only reinforced how Williams' brief dance move became a bigger talking point than expected.
Despite the noise, Ohanian doubled down on his support for Serena. He reminded critics that she faced backlash for the same dance over a decade ago and dismissed any suggestion that it was a personal jab at anyone.
As debates rage on, one thing is clear: Ohanian will always defend his wife, and if you're coming for Serena Williams online, you'd better be ready for what comes next.
Diddy Sues Peacock for $100M Over Documentary
Sean “Diddy” Combs is combating one of the documentaries tracing the sexual-assault allegations against him. The hip-hop mogul filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Peacock, NBCUniversal, and Ample Entertainment over Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, per “Page Six.” The lawsuit claims the documentary and its producers “falsely, recklessly, and maliciously” promoted allegations of murder, sex trafficking, and sexual abuse against Diddy, who is currently jailed on racketeering and sex-trafficking charges and faces dozens of lawsuits. “In making and broadcasting these falsehoods, among others, Defendants seek only to capitalize on the public’s appetite for scandal without any regard for the truth and at the expense of Mr. Combs’s right to a fair trial,” Erica Wolff, Diddy’s attorney, told “Page Six.”
Diddy’s lawsuit comes nearly a month after the documentary premiered on Peacock. It is the first such project to be made since his September 2024 arrest. Another docuseries, The Fall of Diddy from Investigation Discovery, followed later in January. Diddy has not yet sued ID over that series, though ID faces a similar lawsuit brought by Chris Brown over a 2024 documentary on him.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is combating one of the documentaries tracing the sexual-assault allegations against him. The hip-hop mogul filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Peacock, NBCUniversal, and Ample Entertainment over Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, per “Page Six.” The lawsuit claims the documentary and its producers “falsely, recklessly, and maliciously” promoted allegations of murder, sex trafficking, and sexual abuse against Diddy, who is currently jailed on racketeering and sex-trafficking charges and faces dozens of lawsuits. “In making and broadcasting these falsehoods, among others, Defendants seek only to capitalize on the public’s appetite for scandal without any regard for the truth and at the expense of Mr. Combs’s right to a fair trial,” Erica Wolff, Diddy’s attorney, told “Page Six.”
Diddy’s lawsuit comes nearly a month after the documentary premiered on Peacock. It is the first such project to be made since his September 2024 arrest. Another docuseries, The Fall of Diddy from Investigation Discovery, followed later in January. Diddy has not yet sued ID over that series, though ID faces a similar lawsuit brought by Chris Brown over a 2024 documentary on him.
New York Jets Cut Aaron Rodgers After 2 Seasons as Their Quarterback
The New York Jets have cut quarterback Aaron Rodgers from their roster.
The “Rodgers-Jets” experiment lasted two seasons in the NFL. The Jets signed the 41-year-old former MVP hoping it would lead to a Super Bowl appearance.
Instead, Rodgers tore his achilles in his first season, and his second season ended with the head coach and General Manager both being fired.
The Jets posted on Twitter, now X, “We have informed Aaron Rodgers that we will be moving in a different direction at quarterback.”
The “Rodgers-Jets” experiment lasted two seasons in the NFL. The Jets signed the 41-year-old former MVP hoping it would lead to a Super Bowl appearance.
Instead, Rodgers tore his achilles in his first season, and his second season ended with the head coach and General Manager both being fired.
The Jets posted on Twitter, now X, “We have informed Aaron Rodgers that we will be moving in a different direction at quarterback.”
Lady Gaga Talks Early Days in Music Industry, If She Ever Wanted to 'Walk Away' From Her Career
Lady Gaga opened up while eating the spicy wings of death on Hot Ones.
The 38-year-old “Abracadabra” pop star appeared on the February 13 episode of the popular interview series and reflected on her career from the very start to where she’s at today.
More specifically, she revealed the extreme lengths that she’d go to when trying to book shows in her early days. The hitmaker shared a lesson that she learned as her career evolved.
Gaga also reflected on if she was ever tempted to “walk away” from the industry.
“I just look back on that time so fondly. My whole day was spent trying to get those gigs, and I would knock on door after door after door and just say, ‘Can I please play here?’ Or I would call and pretend I was my manager. I’d tell people… I’d be like, ‘She’s so hot right now.’ And sometimes I would do an accent. I would do anything to get booked,” Gaga admitted about her start in New York.
As her career started taking off, and she went on tour, she learned a lesson about self restraint.
“One set piece that we built, which was like really cool, actually a 3-D sculpture that Nick Knight built. He put me inside a grand piano, made this huge statue. But we just didn’t… It was so early in my career. I didn’t plan how it would get on and off the stage. It was so heavy, and the crew guys were like, ‘We cannot get this thing that’s as big as the arena. We can’t put it on the stage.’ That was pretty expensive and a bad decision,” she recalled.
However, it was a learning opportunity: “I definitely now try to be a lot more resource, just making less and not overproducing things. I just want to be more resourceful. I’m grown up.”
Near the end of the interview, Gaga was asked if she’d ever thought about leaving music behind and had a thoughtful response.
“I missed the community that I had in New York, and that was really hard. So there were definitely times where I felt like maybe I should walk away. But I’ve known for sure that I never would. I would definitely say that I was tested, and I always didn’t give up. And I’m still doing it. So that must mean I want to do it,” she said.
Lady Gaga will drop her new album Mayhem on March 7. Check out a trailer with track titles, feature details and more.
Lady Gaga opened up while eating the spicy wings of death on Hot Ones.
The 38-year-old “Abracadabra” pop star appeared on the February 13 episode of the popular interview series and reflected on her career from the very start to where she’s at today.
More specifically, she revealed the extreme lengths that she’d go to when trying to book shows in her early days. The hitmaker shared a lesson that she learned as her career evolved.
Gaga also reflected on if she was ever tempted to “walk away” from the industry.
“I just look back on that time so fondly. My whole day was spent trying to get those gigs, and I would knock on door after door after door and just say, ‘Can I please play here?’ Or I would call and pretend I was my manager. I’d tell people… I’d be like, ‘She’s so hot right now.’ And sometimes I would do an accent. I would do anything to get booked,” Gaga admitted about her start in New York.
As her career started taking off, and she went on tour, she learned a lesson about self restraint.
“One set piece that we built, which was like really cool, actually a 3-D sculpture that Nick Knight built. He put me inside a grand piano, made this huge statue. But we just didn’t… It was so early in my career. I didn’t plan how it would get on and off the stage. It was so heavy, and the crew guys were like, ‘We cannot get this thing that’s as big as the arena. We can’t put it on the stage.’ That was pretty expensive and a bad decision,” she recalled.
However, it was a learning opportunity: “I definitely now try to be a lot more resource, just making less and not overproducing things. I just want to be more resourceful. I’m grown up.”
Near the end of the interview, Gaga was asked if she’d ever thought about leaving music behind and had a thoughtful response.
“I missed the community that I had in New York, and that was really hard. So there were definitely times where I felt like maybe I should walk away. But I’ve known for sure that I never would. I would definitely say that I was tested, and I always didn’t give up. And I’m still doing it. So that must mean I want to do it,” she said.
Lady Gaga will drop her new album Mayhem on March 7. Check out a trailer with track titles, feature details and more.
Philadelphia Eagles Star Saquon Barkley Comes to Taylor Swift’s Defense After Super Bowl Booing: ‘She’s Made the Game Bigger’
Saquon Barkley is in the midst of celebrating his 2025 Super Bowl win with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he’s not feeling so celebratory about the way some of his team’s supporters treated Taylor Swift at the Big game over the weekend.
During a SiriusXM interview with Howard Stern on Wednesday (Feb. 12), the superstar running back criticized the way some Eagles fans openly and loudly booed the “Fortnight” singer at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans three days prior. “I remember that they showed [Swift] on the jumbotron and she got booed,” Barkley told the radio host.
“I don’t get it,” the first-time Super Bowl champion continued. “I don’t get why she was getting hate there. She’s there supporting her significant other and she’s made the game bigger. … I don’t get the slack that she’s getting.”
As Barkley pointed out, Swift was simply in attendance Sunday to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs, who ultimately lost 40-22 against the Eagles. That didn’t stop some Eagles fans from meeting her with a choir of boos when, at one point, her face was shown on the stadium’s big screens, something the 14-time Grammy winner simply side-eyed and laughed about in the moment.
Shortly afterward, both Serena Williams — who was also at the game to make a cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show performance — and Flavor Flav came to Swift’s defense online. “I love you @taylorswift13 dont listen to those booo!!” the tennis champ wrote on X that day, while the Public Enemy rapper encouraged on Bluesky, “Just Shake It Off.”
Jimmy Kimmel also jumped in later to defend Swift after Donald Trump taunted the musician with a post on Truth Social reading, “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
“She didn’t get booed out of the stadium,” the talk show host chided on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday (Feb. 10). “Unlike you, she stayed for the whole game — and it was the Eagles fans who were booing her. But you’re right, it’s all about you.”
During a SiriusXM interview with Howard Stern on Wednesday (Feb. 12), the superstar running back criticized the way some Eagles fans openly and loudly booed the “Fortnight” singer at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans three days prior. “I remember that they showed [Swift] on the jumbotron and she got booed,” Barkley told the radio host.
“I don’t get it,” the first-time Super Bowl champion continued. “I don’t get why she was getting hate there. She’s there supporting her significant other and she’s made the game bigger. … I don’t get the slack that she’s getting.”
As Barkley pointed out, Swift was simply in attendance Sunday to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs, who ultimately lost 40-22 against the Eagles. That didn’t stop some Eagles fans from meeting her with a choir of boos when, at one point, her face was shown on the stadium’s big screens, something the 14-time Grammy winner simply side-eyed and laughed about in the moment.
Shortly afterward, both Serena Williams — who was also at the game to make a cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show performance — and Flavor Flav came to Swift’s defense online. “I love you @taylorswift13 dont listen to those booo!!” the tennis champ wrote on X that day, while the Public Enemy rapper encouraged on Bluesky, “Just Shake It Off.”
Jimmy Kimmel also jumped in later to defend Swift after Donald Trump taunted the musician with a post on Truth Social reading, “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”
“She didn’t get booed out of the stadium,” the talk show host chided on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday (Feb. 10). “Unlike you, she stayed for the whole game — and it was the Eagles fans who were booing her. But you’re right, it’s all about you.”
Kanye West and Bianca Censori Reportedly Divorcing Just Days After Grammys Stunt
Kanye West and Bianca Censori are reportedly calling it quits just 11 days after her nearly-nude Grammys red carpet appearance, according to the Daily Mail. Sources claim the couple has verbally agreed to a $5 million payout for Censori, and legal filings to officially end their marriage are expected soon.
Censori, 30, is currently staying at the couple’s $35 million Beverly Park North home in Los Angeles, while West’s whereabouts remain unknown. Some speculate he may return to Tokyo, where he spent much of last year.
Their reported split comes shortly after West allegedly instructed Censori to drop her fur coat on the Grammys red carpet, a move that made international headlines. While friends of the rapper insist it was meant as an “artistic statement” reflecting the cover of his upcoming album Vultures 2, critics slammed the stunt as controlling and exploitative.
Despite initially defending the moment on social media, West soon became embroiled in fresh controversy. In the days following the Grammys, he made a series of anti-Semitic remarks, claimed he was a former Emperor of Japan, and had his online store shut down after trying to sell Nazi-themed merchandise. His comments led to widespread backlash, with celebrities including Isla Fisher and David Schwimmer publicly condemning him.
West, 47, and Censori reportedly wed in December 2022, just one month after his divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalized. Their relationship has sparked concern from fans, especially as Censori has frequently been seen wearing revealing outfits that some believe were encouraged—or even mandated—by West.
Censori, 30, is currently staying at the couple’s $35 million Beverly Park North home in Los Angeles, while West’s whereabouts remain unknown. Some speculate he may return to Tokyo, where he spent much of last year.
Their reported split comes shortly after West allegedly instructed Censori to drop her fur coat on the Grammys red carpet, a move that made international headlines. While friends of the rapper insist it was meant as an “artistic statement” reflecting the cover of his upcoming album Vultures 2, critics slammed the stunt as controlling and exploitative.
Despite initially defending the moment on social media, West soon became embroiled in fresh controversy. In the days following the Grammys, he made a series of anti-Semitic remarks, claimed he was a former Emperor of Japan, and had his online store shut down after trying to sell Nazi-themed merchandise. His comments led to widespread backlash, with celebrities including Isla Fisher and David Schwimmer publicly condemning him.
West, 47, and Censori reportedly wed in December 2022, just one month after his divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalized. Their relationship has sparked concern from fans, especially as Censori has frequently been seen wearing revealing outfits that some believe were encouraged—or even mandated—by West.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Crack Me Up
The line to get into a fitting room is long and the wait time can be frustrating
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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