State Champ Radio Current Events
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Source: MARK PETERSON / Getty
A reporter caught Donald Trump dozing off during his Manhattan “hush money” trial again, and social media was quick to poke fun at him.Former president Donald Trump was back in the Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 16) for the jury selection in his “hush money” trial involving adult film star Stormy Daniels. But the proceedings seemed to have a different toll on Trump, as a reporter in the courtroom observed him falling asleep. Frank G. Runyeon, who is covering the trial for the legal analysis website Law360, detailed the septuagenarian’s slumber in steps in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“Trump’s head slowly dropped, his eyes closed. It jerked back upward,” Runyeon wrote. “He adjusts himself. Then, his head droops again. He straightens up, leaning back. His head [droops] for a third time, he shakes his shoulders. Eyes closed still. His head drops. Finally, he pops his eyes open.” Other reporters present in the courtroom also noticed Trump’s nodding off, which some noted lasted a minute or more.
The moment caught on like wildfire on social media, with the hashtag #SleepyDonald rising in the trending categories. Alina Habba, one of Trump’s lawyers and a frequent spokesperson, dismissed the idea as a “remarkable story at best,” before adding: “There were a tremendous amount of emotions being heard yesterday. I wasn’t there so I can’t comment on that. I find that to be a ridiculous thought though.” Trump himself has bragged that he doesn’t need a lot of sleep in the past. Maggie Haberman of the New York Times also pointed it out, also noting that he dozed off in court on Monday (April 15).
Trump’s sleepiness was still a hot topic on the court’s off day on Wednesday (April 17), with one expert stating to The Daily Beast that the significance of the trial as he is the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election is weighing on him. “Anyone that is on the campaign trail and fighting all these indictments against him might not be sleeping well,” said Dr. Chris Winter, a sleep expert and advisor to Mattress Firm.
We’ve collected some of the more colorful responses to Trump’s snoozing moment on social media below.
1. Ron Filipkowski
2. Jon Cooper
3. TruthHurts
4. Victoria Brownworth
5. Ron Waxman
6. Marc A Caputo
7. Santa Claus, CEO
8. Janey Vee
9. We The Sheeple
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Source: Roberto Machado Noa / Getty / Red Lobster
Red Lobster possibly going out of business? Say it ain’t so.
Folks on social media are panicking right now because they might have to find another spot to enjoy cheddar bay biscuits and endless crab legs for graduation day, Mother’s Day or after Easter service.
Spotted on TMZ via Bloomberg, iconic seafood restaurant chain Red Lobster is mulling bankruptcy as the company tries to figure out how to restructure its debt and other expenses, including restaurant leases and rising labor costs, as the celebrity gossip site reports.
Some even point to popular promotions like endless shrimp hurting the restaurant and the chain, which is bleeding cash due to the pandemic.
Per TMZ:
There’s also this tidbit that some are resurfacing amid this news — namely, the fact that Red Lobster’s recent endless shrimp reportedly hurt their bottom line quite badly … only for them to pivot to endless lobster after reporting a $12.5 million operating loss in ’23’s 4th quarter.
Even before the $12 mil hit … Red Lobster was bleeding cash, with reports saying they’d suffered a $19 million loss through the first 9 months of ’23… attributed to the pandemic, among other issues. Some minority owners in the biz have also started to jump ship.
For those who know about running a business and financial issues, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy does not mean the end for the restaurant that Beyoncé at once had popping cause she sang, “When he fuck me good, I take his ass to Red Lobster.”
Despite knowing that, the reactions to Red Lobster possibly filing for bankruptcy are flowing like butter you pour on your lobster tails, and they are hilarious.
One user hilariously wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “they still got them unlimited crab legs cause if so I’ll go tomorrow.”
“oh lawd somebody save the biscuits,” another person wrote in response to the news of Red Lobster considering chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“How did we let this happen???? Y’all too bougie for Red Lobstas?!?,” another post on X read.
We don’t think Red Lobster is going anywhere, but we are always here for funny reactions. You can see those in the gallery below.
2. Sharing means caring
3. Solid suggestions
4. Very important question
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Source: MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images / Getty
Protesters angry over the war in Gaza shut down the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco as part of a day of action worldwide.
On Monday (April 15), the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, became the scene of a major protest by those opposed to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Protesters accessed the bridge from the southbound side at 7:30 a.m. local time, blocking the travel lanes on the bridge by chaining themselves to each other, using tubes in what’s referred to as a “sleeping dragon” method. Some protesters held up a banner that read, “Stop the world for Gaza” in capital letters.
The morning commute was brought to a standstill, with law enforcement clearing the protesters and reopening the bridge at 12:15 p.m. Before it was cleared up, traffic was backed up into Marin County on the southbound 101 highway. The California Highway Patrol told members of the press that 26 of the protesters present were arrested for multiple charges, including unlawful assembly, false imprisonment, refusal to comply with a lawful order, resisting arrest and conspiracy.
Some drivers caught up in the traffic jam caused by the protest boiled over into frustration, with one confrontation being caught on camera. “We’re just trying to get home or work, everyone’s just mad,” said one driver, Aung Zin. “I think this is the only way people will listen but at the same time, I wish there was a resolution around it.” Another driver spoke about their frustration as the protests blocked them from arriving for a medical procedure. “I’m headed to the city for stem cell replacement. They’re frozen I have to get there before they thaw. I’m feeling frustrated, I support the right for people to protest but if It causes thousands of people disturbance, it isn’t the right way to go about it,” said Rachel McKim.
The protest was part of A15, a day of action initiating a worldwide economic blockade to display solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza who have suffered over 30,000 lives lost and to call for the end of aid to Israel by the United States. It was set for Monday to coincide with it being the final day for U.S. citizens to submit their taxes. Other protests occurred on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, as well as at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
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Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty / G. Dep
G. Dep is wasting no time speaking about his murder confession following his release.
G. Dep sat down with The Art of Dialogue for his first interview since his release earlier this month, touching on why he confessed to the crime almost 20 years after he committed it.
The rapper signed to embattled music mogul Sean P. Diddy Combs’ Bad Boy Records label in the 90s and finally gained some notoriety for his 2001 hit record “Special Delivery.”
He attempted to rob a man at gunpoint in 1993 but, during a scuffle, shot and killed John Henkel, and that crime went unsolved until 2010 when the rapper, born Trevell Coleman, confessed to the murder, leading to his 15 years to life prison sentence.
Now 49, he is a free man after Governor Kathy Hochul granted him clemency and is speaking on that faithful day when his life was forever changed.
Per HipHopDX:
In his first interview since regaining his freedom, G. Dep spoke to The Art of Dialogue about why he confessed to the crime long after it happened.
“In order to restore balance to my life and someone’s family, I wanted to turn myself in and see what happened,” he said. “I was willing to put myself on the line, whether or not he passed on. I just needed to get that off my mind.”
G. Dep continued: “I did the right thing.”
G. Dep Says He Has No Regrets About His Confession
During the interview, G. Dep also denied having any regrets about his decision to turn himself in, even though he was never considered a suspect in the case initially.
While Dep is opening up about his confession and his time behind bars, his former boss is potentially looking at a long prison stint, being that he is the subject of an ongoing federal investigation that he was involved in sex trafficking.
You can watch the entire interview below.
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Source: Fulton County PD / Fulton County Sheriff’s Department
For years now Gunna has been fending off allegations that he went Tekashi 6ix9ine on Young Thug and his YSL family and though he isn’t going to be taking the stand against his former crew in their upcoming RICO trial, fans are still torn on whether or not the rapper did allegedly snitch when he took a plea deal.
Now the rapper is looking to clear up any misconceptions about how he was able to dodge a five-year prison stint and regain his freedom in 2022 and in a recent interview with XXL, Gunna tried to explain that the general public has been misled about his Alfred plea which caused a few of his rap peers such as 21 Savage, Lil Baby and others throw darts at him for allegedly dropping dime.
Per XXL:
“None of those rappers, they’re not on the case,” Gunna told XXL. “They don’t know legally what’s going on.”
He added that he has talked “peacefully” to about “three or four of those guys,” but wouldn’t elaborate further.
“I definitely feel like everybody’s been misled,” Gunna added. “And like, you know, when you’re being misled, you got a choice to follow or make your own decisions. And that’s what is being shown right now. You’re being a follower or you’re being neutral to be like, ‘I don’t know what their business is or what they really got goin’ on.’”
Regardless of how his fellow Hip-Hop peers and fans might feel about his current street status, Gunna went on to release his first post-prison album, A Gift & A Curse in 2023 which further divided fans as many loved the album while others refused to listen to it based off principal. Still, the album went on to debut at number 3 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart and garnered more than 100 million streams for records off the album.
Obviously he still has support out on these streets.
With that being the case, Gunna went on Instagram to announce that his next album One Of Wun is on the way and though he didn’t give a release date, the reception in the comments have been mostly positive as his day-ones will remain in his corner. At least until someone like Young Thug comes out and confirms that Gunna did indeed become a turncoat. Should something like that that happen, who knows how the Hip-Hop community would react.
What do y’all think about Gunna saying people have been “misled” about his plea deal? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
The value of shares in Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social, has been cut in half since being available on the public trading market.
According to reports, shares of Trump Media & Technology Group, the company that operates the Truth Social social media network, closed at $32.59 Friday (April 12). Despite a late rally, the price reflects a 50% drop from its original peak closing price of $66.22 when it was first made available for public trading on the NASDAQ stock market on March 27. The drop has shaved billions off of the value of the stock, of which the lion’s share (at 57.6% of all shares) is owned by former president Donald Trump. Trump owns 78.75 shares of TMTG stock. Its value was previously listed as $5.2 billion, closing with a value of $2.6 billion.
The slide comes as observers have cast aspersions about the validity of the TMTG stock. IAC and Expedia chairman, Barry Diller, went on record in an interview with CNBC calling the public trading of the stock “ridiculous,” comparing it to the “meme stock” that has been associated with GameStop and AMC Entertainment since 2021, which was valued at $700 and $500 at the time. “The company has no revenue. It’s a scam, just like everything he’s ever been involved in is some sort of con,” Diller said.
When asked about his opinion of those buying the stock, he replied: “I think they’re dopes.” Representatives for TMTG fired back at Diller. “It is unsurprising to see die-hard Trump haters and leftwing flacks blow a gasket now that Truth Social has become a public company that, still today, refuses to suppress political expression that contradicts the narratives they want to enforce,” they said.
Donald Trump is currently in New York City as the jury selection process has begun for his “hush money” trial in a Manhattan courtroom Monday (April 15), the first-ever criminal trial of a former president. The company filed a motion to issue 21.4 million additional public stock shares earlier in the day. The impact of the news plunged the value of shares down another 15% at the beginning of trading. The additional shares cannot be released until a registration takes effect with the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to the preliminary prospectus filing.
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Source: Dania Maxwell / Getty / Tyler the Creator
Tyler, the Creator, used his 2024 Coachella headlining set to get a few things off his chest.
Jerrod Carmichael had the internet buzzing last month when a clip from his new Max series, the Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, went viral.
In the clip, Carmichael revisits the moment he shared his feelings for Tyler, the Creator, which led to an awkward moment between the two friends, with the rapper responding to the comedian by turning him down and calling him a “stupid bitch.”
During their sit-down, Carmichael reveals the moment created “a distance” between himself and the rapper. Tyler permanently put Carmichael in the friend zone, calling him a “true brother” and saying he’s like “family.”
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During his headlining set at Coachella, Tyler, the Creator broke his silence on the matter.
“I’m guessing y’all got TikTok and probably seen my homie try to fuck me on camera,” he said. “I looked terrible. I told the n—a no, and he said, what about if we filmed it? Terrible.”
That wasn’t the only thing Tyler, the Creator, touched on during his set. He also revealed to the crowd his past hate for A$AP Rocky and Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, both of whom he shared the stage with during his electrifying performance.
Per Variety:
Childish Gambino (a.k.a. Donald Glover) was the night’s first guest, singing the hook on “Running Out of Time.” “You know what’s sick?” said Tyler after Gambino left the stage. “I used to hate that n—a. Seriously. I don’t know why, I gotta go to therapy to figure it out, but this n—a put this song called ‘Urn’ out. It was so undeniable n—a, I was at conflict with myself, like fuck, how could a n—a I hate so much make something so good?”
He shared that he felt a similar way about ASAP Rocky, who joined him for “Potato Salad” and “Who Dat Boy.” “You know what’s crazy? I used to hate that n—a too,” he said. “OK we thought we had beef. it was the n—s around us and then me and Rock was like, we got love and now we friends.” Elsewhere, Charlie Wilson joined Tyler at a piano for “Earfquake,” while Kali Uchis made a brief cameo to sing her part on “See You Again.” He also took an opportunity to take a trip down memory lane, running through a medley of verses from tracks like “She,” “Tron Cat,” “Yonkers” and “Tamale.”
We can always count on Tyler, the Creator to give us a stellar performance.
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Source: Arturo Holmes / Getty
It looks like Will Smith is officially out of the doghouse as far as fans are concerned. Years after alienating millions of his supporters for slapping Chris Rock, Smith is once again feeling the love and adoration whenever he takes the stage these days.
His latest surprise appearance came courtesy of J Balvin during his set at Coachella Sunday night (April 14) and much to the delight of the crowd, Will Smith burst on the scene in his Men In Black attire and performed the title track from the smash 1997 film. Why that song was chosen is anyone’s guess. Smith does have a few other songs that people would’ve grooved to like “Welcome To Miami,” Summertime” or even “Gettin’ Jiggy With It,” but nah, they decided “Men In Black” was the one.
According to Variety, the song turned out to be the right choice as not only did the crowd approve, but also appreciated the entire theme that overtook the stage for the surprise cameo.
Per Variety:
The appearance was brief but memorable, capping a UFO-themed set and concluding with Balvin being dragged off by black-suit-clad dancers as Smith pulled out a “Neuralyzer,” the famous memory-eraser device from the film.
Balvin returned for another song, however, and rocked energetically through a rousing version of his hit “In Da Ghetto” with his troupe of dancers, who were clad in comically stereotypical alien costumes, green with big black eyes.
Balvin’s concerts are always heavily thematic, and the interstellar theme was present throughout. It opened with a mock-1950s newsreel about an alien invasion (in English, with Spanish subtitles), eventually revealing that the alien was… Balvin, who then arose on a platform from beneath the stage, underneath a giant mock-UFO that looked like a cross between the evil spaceship in the film “Nope,” a pointer from a Ouija board and a cushioned toilet seat.
Who knew J Balvin was such a big Men In Black fan? We sure didn’t. Either way it was cool to see Will Smith back in his bag and getting love from the crowd. Whether or not that love once again extends to Chris Rock is anyone’s guess, but we wouldn’t bet on it.
Check out Will Smith’s performance at Coachella, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Donald Trump is due in court Monday (April 15) in New York to stand trial in the criminal hush money case involving adult film star Stormy Daniels. As a result, the hashtag #TrumpTrial is trending on X, formerly Twitter, with memes and jokes coming in by the dozens.
Several outlets, such as The Hill and CNN are covering the trial of Donald Trump with up-to-the-minute updates from inside the Manhattan courtroom. Trump is standing trial for a criminal matter involving hush money paid to Stormy Daniels to conceal the nature of their relationship ahead of the 2016 election. Trump would go on to defeat his Democratic Party opponent Hillary Clinton but only served one term.
Jury selection begins today with dozens of New York residents going through the process before 12 jurors and six alternates are chosen. It isn’t known when this selection period will end but it can be expected to take days if not longer.
The trial marks the first time a former or current U.S. president ever faced a criminal trial and it also makes him the first former president to be criminally indicted. This matter adds to several mounting legal issues that the business mogul is enduring. Trump is also facing three other indictments, including election meddling in Georgia. He is the frontrunner for the Republican Party and has a strong support base that seemingly looks past his legal mishaps.
Trump opponents online have taken to social media to voice their displeasure and the aforementioned #TrumpTrial features several reactions to the announcement of the trial that don’t exactly land in the favor of Donald Trump.
Check out those replies below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Nykieria Chaney / Getty
The cast of A Different World was welcomed at the White House and led the press room in a sing-along of the famed sitcom’s theme song.
On Wednesday (April 10), the cast of the beloved NBC sitcom A Different World was in Washington D.C. on the next stop of their reunion tour which is visiting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the nation. They did make a special stop before visiting Howard University – they visited the White House to see Vice President Kamala Harris and White House Press Secretary Karina Jean-Pierre.
The visit was made more memorable as the cast members led the press room in a sing-a-long of the show’s iconic theme song, first done by the legendary Aretha Franklin. Veteran journalist April D. Ryan of The Grio captured part of the moment on video showing Jean-Pierre enthusiastically singing along with the cast members in the front row, which she shared on her Instagram account.
A Different World ran on NBC for six seasons from 1987 to 1993. The current reunion tour’s mission is to raise funds for scholarships at HBCUs. “By leveraging the star power and cultural impact of A Different World, we aim to inspire a new generation to choose HBCUs as their academic homes,” said the statement from the group which was released as the tour began on February 29 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The tour features the core cast members Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson); Charnele Brown (Kimberly Reese); Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert-Wayne); Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne); Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor); Cree Summer (Winifred Brooks); and Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford Taylor). Sinbad, who played Walter Oakes, has joined in virtually due to his recovery after suffering a stroke a couple of years ago. Producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales are also on the 10-city tour, which will be announcing tour dates in the fall portion of the year.
Those interested in attending can visit the website for further information.
