celebrity news
Page: 33
Two months after his shocking passing, Ellen DeGeneres is paying tribute to her former DJ and good friend, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, on the grounds of her Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“As we celebrated the one year anniversary of our Ellen Campus this past week, we took a moment to recognize a very special person who left us too soon,” read an Instagram post from the Fund. “tWitch brought light to so many and was a wonderful friend to @ellendegeneres In his honor we planted this tree so he will be forever remembered on the campus.”
The post featured a photo of a memorial plaque honoring the dancer/DJ and co-executive producer of the Ellen show who died by suicide on Dec. 13 at 40. “In memory of Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss and the light that he brought to the world,” it reads, noting that the tree was planted this month. An accompanying picture of the sapling showed it in an expansive greenspace with towering mountains in the background.
DeGeneres inaugurated the Ellen Campus in 2022 to expand the study of gorillas by the fund established by famed primate researcher Fossey in 1967.
Days after Boss’ death a devastated DeGeneres shared some memories of her friend and TV compatriot. “Right now what I want to do is remember all the love and laughter I had with tWitch. He brought so much joy to my life. I know he brought joy to yours too. I’m going to be sharing some of my favorite moments with him. If you want to you can also share yours,” she wrote on Instagram using the hashtag #ILovetWitch.
See the Fund’s post below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Fans first became familiar with Eminem’s daughter through his many references to her in his early music. However, Hailie Jade is all grown up at 27, and she recently got engaged to her boyfriend Evan McClintock, according to Page Six.
Hailie Jade Mathers shared three photos with the caption “casual weekend recap… followed by a crying and ring emoji.” In one photo McClintock is seen on one knee holding a ring box. In another the couple is popping champagne.
Fans chimed in the comments section to congratulate the happy couple. Several wondered if McClintock asked Mathers’ Grammy-winning father for permission.
“Imagine having to ask Em to marry his daughter,” one person wrote, while another joked, “I wonder if knees were weak and his arms were heavy,” quoting Eminem’s 2002 hit “Lose Yourself.”
Hailie and Evan met while they both attended Michigan State University in 2016. The couple has been together ever since.
According to Page Six, Eminem shared a rare glimpse into his private life when he was asked if Haille had children of her own yet. “No babies,” Eminem replied. “Just a boyfriend. She’s doing good,” he added. “She’s made me proud for sure.”
Hailie hosts a podcast called Just a Little Shady and recently appeared at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with her legendary dad. In his speech, Eminem referenced his daughter saying, “I almost died of an overdose in 2007, which kind of sucked because — Hailie, plug your ears! — because drugs were f**king delicious and I thought we had a good thing going.”
According to Entertainment Tonight, Haillie talked a little about growing up with her famous father on the podcast last summer, saying, “It’s so fun to look back [now], thinking back as an adult, I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s so, so surreal,’” she reflected at the time. “Those memories of me thinking those were normal things, now I look back like, ‘Holy crap, that was cool!”‘
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty
Big Freedia is adding another achievement, as she announced her plans to open a hotel in her hometown of New Orleans.
The “Best Beleevah” rapper took to social media last Wednesday (Feb. 1st) to announce her latest venture. “This dream of mine has been in the works for a long time, I’ll be one of the first black hotel owners in New Orleans! Will keep y’all posted on the official opening date, can’t wait to see y’all at Hotel Freedia.” she wrote on Twitter.
Related Stories
The “Queen of Bounce” said to the New Orleans Times-Picayune that the idea to have her own hotel came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Not being able to go out and work during the pandemic, cooking brought so much light and creativity it just really got me interested in doing a restaurant,” Freedia said. “And I always had a dream of opening a hotel, so it just kind of came together that way.”
According to reports, the hotel is a result of a partnership with developer Zach Kupperman & her manager Reid Martin. The “Hotel Freedia”, located on Decatur Street near Frenchman Street in the Marigny neighborhood, will be constructed as a micro-boutique hotel with just five rooms atop a 60-seat restaurant and music venue with an outdoor courtyard with a pool and clubhouse. The unnamed restaurant is expected to feature some of Freedia’s signature recipes.
The musical venue is slated to be Big Freedia’s home base for performances in addition to hosting local and nationally-known artists and bands. “Obviously, Frenchmen Street is all about local music so we want to have a lot of local music going on, but we’re also interested in having some national music coming in,” Martin said.
Groundbreaking is set to take place in the spring, with a goal of opening for Mardi Gras in 2024. Big Freedia elaborated on the details at a meeting of The Nieux, an NFT-based community space for artists. There, she offered attendees a discounted membership of $750 in the cryptocurrency Ethereum which gives them access to her events and the pool and clubhouse. “We’re experimenting right now,” Martin said. “For now, it’s the only way to buy a membership, but eventually we might sell using traditional currency.”
Priscilla Presley posted a note to thank fans for their kind words and gestures in the wake of her daughter Lisa Marie Presley‘s death on Jan. 12. In an emotional tweet on Thursday night (Jan. 26), Presley wrote, “I’m truly overwhelmed with your words, your prayers, your love and your support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart in trying to help me get through this loss. Every parent who has lost a daughter or son knows what a dark painstaking journey it is,” along with a broken heart emoji.
The tweet came three days after Priscilla — whose only child with Elvis Presley was rushed to a California hospital earlier this month where she died of undisclosed causes — offered her fist public statement on her daughter’s passing. “Thank you all for your condolences, you have touched me with your words. It has been a very difficult time but just knowing your love is out there makes a difference,” Presley wrote on Jan. 23.
Singer/songwriter Lisa Marie was remembered during a funeral service Sunday (Jan. 22) as a loving mother and an “old soul” who endured tragedy but persevered as a dedicated protector of her father’s legacy as a rock ‘n’ roll pioneer and pop icon. More than a thousand people gathered on the front lawn of Elvis’ Memphis estate, Graceland, where reclusive Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose shared heartfelt words about his close friend before performing a solo rendition of the GNR classic “November Rain.”
In addition to Rose, the memorial service also included musical tributes from Billy Corgan, who performed an acoustic rendition of the Smashing Pumpkins song “To Sheila,” and Alanis Morissette, who sang her 2017 song about mental health “Rest.”
See Priscilla Presley’s tweet below.
To YOU, I’m truly overwhelmed with your words, your prayers, your love and your support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart in trying to help me get through this loss. Every parent who has lost a daughter or son knows what a dark painstaking journey it is. 💔— Priscilla Presley (@Cilla_Presley) January 27, 2023
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bryan Bedder / Getty
As the salacious romance between GMA3 hosts T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach gets more scandalous with every new revelation. A source who claims to be close to Robach says the 49-year-old had no idea about the other office romances Holmes allegedly had, nor did she expect that the whole affair would “blow up into a scandal.” (I mean…OK.)
From Page Six:
The “GMA3” personality, whose shocking romance with her co-host catapulted the pair into the news cycle last November, feels like “collateral damage,” a source told the US Sun.
“She had no idea the scope of T.J.’s alleged past office romances,” the insider added, referencing Holmes’ alleged dalliances with an intern 13 years his junior and an ABC producer.
“She certainly did not foresee that their relationship was going to cause major upheaval — outside of her own marriage.”
So…you know, I don’t like to be too judgmental—but I just feel like, for an experienced TV personality hosting Good Morning America, to not foresee that your affair with your married celebrity cohost might cause “major upheaval” if it went public just seems unbelievably naive, does it not?
Also, I’m just saying, you don’t get to be a married person sleeping with another married person then call yourself “collateral damage” when you find out you ain’t the only one.
But like I said, I don’t like to be judgmental.
Anyway, the source also said they expect that the ongoing internal investigation at ABC “will look into Amy’s past to try to find some scandal.”
“But fortunately for her, she is fairly well-behaved,” they concluded.
Meanwhile, a different source told Page Six Robach is full of it if she says she didn’t know anything about anything outside of her own extramarital affair, because, at the very least, Holmes’ alleged relationship with producer Natasha Singh was “up front” and out in the open.
As previously reported, Holmes and Robach are both still currently off-air and are not working on GMA3 while ABC’s investigation is still ongoing. Last week, an insider told Page Six, “They have not been terminated yet, but I don’t expect T.J. to be on again.”
Yikes!
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty
Dave Chappelle has spoken out about the backlash he’s received for his anti-trans commentary recently and how it made him feel.
In the latest episode of The Midnight Miracle podcast with Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli Tuesday (Jan. 24th), the stand-up comedian addressed the criticism he’s received for his remarks during his recent Netflix comedy specials (with The Closer drawing the most ire) targeting the trans community for hypocrisy.
“In a weird way, they had the intention of inciting violence against themselves for publicity,” he said.
Chappelle referenced the show that he did in Minneapolis, Minnesota last July as an example. Chappelle had to move the show from the First Avenue club to the Varsity Theater due to protests from staff members at First Avenue. The show was well received by the audience but was marred by protests outside of the venue.
“The trans [people] and their surrogates, always say that my jokes are somehow gonna be the root cause of some impending violence that they feel like is inevitable for my jokes,” he stated.
He continued: “But I gotta tell you, as abrasive as they were, the way they were protesting, throwing eggs at people, throwing barricades, cussing and screaming, [none of my fans] beat ‘em up. In fact, the people in the crowd would just say, ‘We love you. Like what are you talking about?’”
The 49-year-old then took aim at First Avenue’s handling of the situation, which included their issuing a statement of apology for booking him. “I was upset. I wasn’t mad that they canceled the show,” he said. “I was mad at the statement they released… You’re sorry? For booking me? What’s there to be sorry about is the position I was taking… I’m not even mad that they take issue with my work. Good, fine. Who cares? What I take issue with is the idea that because they don’t like it, I’m not allowed to say it.”
Chappelle elaborated further on that point, saying: “Everything seems absolute, and any opinion I respect is way more nuanced than these binary choices they keep putting in front of us. I don’t see the world in red or blue. Trying to silence a person like me, I don’t think it has anything to do with being loved. They want to be feared. ‘If you say this, then we will punish you.’”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: joce zerojack/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
Apparently, Cher is out here living her best life at age 76 with her current (and possibly forever?) boo-thang, who is 40 years younger.
A video is floating around the interwebs that shows the “Believe” singer out for a night on the town with 36-year-old music exec Alexander “AE” Edwards, aka Amber Rose’s ex. According to People, the couple was out for dinner in Beverly Hills last Thursday (Jan. 19(, when Cher was approached by a reporter who asked about her engagement (did y’all know they were engaged? I didn’t know they were engaged) providing her with the opportunity to show off the matrimonial bling-bling Edwards reportedly gifted her on Christmas day.
Cher was probably eager to show that her boyfriend put a ring on it (allegedly), since, apparently, she’s been defending her decision to date a man who was not born until she was 40.
From People:
In November 2022, Cher opened up about the public reaction to her relationship. “Haters are gonna hate … Doesn’t matter that we’re happy and not bothering anyone,” she tweeted
“LOVE DOESN’T KNOW MATH, IT SEES ❤️ ❤️,” Cher added in a since-deleted tweet captured by The Shade Room.
In another tweet on Jan. 12, the Grammy winner, who has expressed that the pair “kiss like teenagers,” posted a very simple update about her beau.
I meeeean, that might be a little TMI—but hey, cheers to the happy couple. Congrats!
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: MICHAEL TRAN / Getty
Billionaire entrepreneur Kylie Jenner recently shared the first photo of her now 11-month-old son, Aire whom she shares with rapper Travis Scott.
In an Instagram post, Kylie Jenner wrote that the baby’s name is Aire. Fans commented on the adorable infant and asked Jenner to clarify the pronunciation of his name. Several fans asked if the name is pronounced “air” or “airy,” and per Page Six, she set the record straight. “Air,” the reality star, 25, replied, alongside a red heart emoji.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnsVre4SqSS/
The post racked up more than 20 million “likes” and comments from fans and Jenner’s family members. Proud grandmother, Kris Jenner, wrote, “I love you Aire Webster,” while Khloé Kardashian called her nephew a “young king.”
The baby boy’s name was initially Wolf. His mom and his dad, Jenner’s on-and-off boyfriend—rap star Travis Scott, gave him the name. According to Page Six, the couple chose to change the baby’s name in March 2022.
“We just haven’t fully legally changed it or anything, so I don’t want to announce a new name and change it again,” Jenner explained to Extra in April 2022.
The famous couple is reportedly no longer together, but are collaborating and being co-parents. “We’re like best friends,” Jenner said of her relationship with Scott in February 2020. “We stay connected and coordinated.”
Jenner and Scott started dating in 2017 and welcomed a daughter, Stormi Webster in 2018. Aire was born in 2022.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Leon Bennett / Getty
Legendary Hip-Hop star MC Lyte will walk away from her marriage to entrepreneur and former Marine John Wyche with her music catalog intact.
The couple split in 2020 after marrying three years earlier. The divorce was finalized this week, according to Blavity.
Lyte, whose real name is Lana Michele Moorer, leaves the marriage with full ownership of her music catalog after it was deemed protected under the couple’s prenup agreement.
She will also retain ownership of other creative property, including royalties connected to her creative works and everything she owned prior to the marriage—those items include “jewelry, watches, and personal effects in her possession, custody, or control, and earnings and accumulations before the date of marriage, during the marriage, and post-separation, her Subaru, financial accounts in her name, all furniture, furnishings, and other personal property in her possession, custody, or control. She also gets to keep her term life insurance policy.”
Additionally, Wyche will not receive spousal support.
The couple met on Match.com and split due to “irreconcilable differences.”
In an appearance on The Real in February 2022, Lyte shared that divorce is a difficult process, saying, “You get to a point where you’re like, this isn’t working. It doesn’t matter. What really matters is that we end up in a happy place.”
“It’s hard in the beginning, but you realize to have happiness doesn’t mean you have to remain together, and it doesn’t mean that you are a failure because the marriage failed. It’s all ego. You just have to be able to let go.”
[embedded content]
Actress Riley Keough paid loving tribute to her late mom, Lisa Marie Presley, on Friday morning (Jan. 20), on the eve of a public memorial for the singer and only child or Elvis and Priscilla Presley. In an Instagram post accompanied by a single red heart emoji, Keough shared a throwback sepia-toned snap of Lisa Marie looking lovingly down at her daughter, who is holding a bouquet of flowers.
Lisa Marie Presley, who died at age 54 last week after going into cardiac arrest at her Calabasas, California home was laid to rest at Elvis’ Graceland estate on Thursday (Jan. 19) in a private ceremony in which she took her place next to her son, Benjamin Keough, in the estate’s Mediation Garden; Elvis, and his parents, Vernon and Gladys, are also buried in the Garden.
Keough’s tribute came in advance of a planned public memorial service slated to take place on Sunday (Jan. 22). Riley and Benjamin were Lisa Marie’s children from her marriage to ex-husband Danny Keough; Lisa Marie was also mother to twins Harper and Finley with fourth husband, Michael Lockwood. Riley was by her mother’s side at last week’s Golden Globes, just two days before her passing, where she and Priscilla helped celebrate Austin Butler’s award for playing the rock legend in Baz Luhrmann’s’ Elvis.
To date, no details about a cause of death or any possible precipitating incidents or health issues have been revealed, and according to CNN, that information might take some time. “Presley was examined on Jan. 14 and the cause of death was deferred,” Sarah Ardalani, spokesperson with the LA County Dept. of Medical Examiner-Coroner, told CNN. “Deferred means that after an autopsy, a cause of death has not been determined and the medical examiner is requesting more investigation into the death, including additional studies. Once the tests/studies come back, the doctor evaluates the case again and makes the cause of death determination.”
Check out Riley’s post below.