State Champ Radio Current Events
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Source: Prince Williams / Getty / Iman Shumpert
Remember when these two were couple goals? We don’t either. The drama in the ongoing divorce proceedings continues; allegedly, Iman Shumpert is not raking in the dough and wants his child support payments reduced.
TMZ exclusively reports that Iman Shumpert claims his funds are not on par with those of his ex-wife, Teyana Taylor.
According to court documents obtained by the celebrity gossip website, the former NBA hooper discussed the couple’s finances, and he said TT got it, and he doesn’t.
Per TMZ:
According to Iman’s accounting, Teyana’s gross monthly income before taxes is $93,885 … nearly double the $47,981 he says he brings home every month.
The alleged pay gap here is interesting … remember, when Teyana quietly filed for divorce she claimed Iman was insecure and jealous of her fame, despite earning way more in NBA money than she could ever dream of making in music.
Iman earned over $48 million in NBA contracts during his career … but he hasn’t played pro ball since the 2021 season, when he played 2 games with the Brooklyn Nets.
The gossip site reports that Shumpert is “comfortably” paying $8,000 monthly in child support for the former couple’s two children.
Shumpert will continue to pay health insurance for “major” medical expenses but wants Taylor to chip in for other health services their children will require.
Teyana Taylor & Iman Shumpert’s Divorce Woes
Since shocking the world with the announcement of their separation, something the singer/actor blames Shumpert for making public, the couple has been battling over finances.
Taylor has accused The Chi star and Dancing With The Stars winner of leaving her with $200K worth of home renovations, which he began three years ago.
The “Rose In Harlem” singer also claims Shumpert withdrew nearly $4 million from several of the couple’s accounts.
Damn.
We hope these two can figure it all out for the sake of their kids.
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Source: Gary Hershorn / Getty
Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is considered a thing of the past and people have resumed living their everyday lives as if the coronavirus has magically disappeared (it hasn’t), many people still wear face masks whenever going out in public to protect themselves from catching the dreaded virus.
But according to the Gothamist, that may no longer be an option for people taking public transportation as New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering banning protective masks in the New York City subway system after videos of masked anti-Israel protestors causing a ruckus in a subway car earlier this week hit social media. In the video that made the rounds on the internet, masked pro-Palestinian protestors took to the 14th Street subway station and hopped on a train where they asked the riders to “Raise your hand if you’re a Zionist,” and if so “this is your chance to get out…”
We wonder if they would’ve jumped anyone who claimed to be a Zionist. Just sayin.’
Still, the video was enough for the New York Gov. to consider a partial ban on people wearing face masks on the train as anti-Israel protests continue to rise out in the streets of New York with some people looking to take their pro-Palestine views above and beyond their call of duty.
The Gothamist reports:
In a news conference at the state Capitol on Thursday, Hochul said she has started discussions with Mayor Eric Adams and state lawmakers about what a mask crackdown would look like and how to craft exemptions for health and religious reasons. The mayor’s office confirmed it was looking into the issue.
But Hochul made clear she wants to see mask restrictions in some form, which she believes would help deter crime on public transit.
“We will not tolerate individuals using masks to evade responsibility for criminal or threatening behavior,” Hochul said. “My team is working on a solution, but on a subway, people should not be able to hide behind a mask to commit crimes.”
During an appearance on the “Cats & Cosby” radio show Wednesday evening, Adams compared protesters who cover their faces to the Ku Klux Klan.
“Cowards hide their face,” the mayor said. “Dr. King did not hide his face when he marched and for the things he thought were wrong in the country. Those civil rights leaders did not hide their faces. They stood up. In contrast to that, the Klan hid their faces.”
While we’re all for a free Palestine and want a stop to the atrocities that’s going on in Gaza, it’s things like this that turn people off from the cause who may not even have an opinion on the matter.cNow people who religiously wear face masks on the train to keep from catching COVID might be upset that they can’t protect their health because of a protest they may not even be a part of.
No word on whether or not a face mask ban will actually happen but if things like this keeps happening, it’s only a matter of time before it does.
What do y’all think of Gov. Kathy’s proposed face mask ban? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA / DOJ
It’s been just over two years since white supremacist murderer Payton Gendron gunned down 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, for no other reason than because they were Black.
Now, in Atlanta, another aggrieved, violent and vehemently anti-Black white man from Arizona has been indicted after his alleged plot to murder innocent Black people at random was discovered, fortunately, before it was carried out. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, 58-year-old Mark Adams Prieto of Prescott, Arizona, was indicted on Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges of firearms trafficking, transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, and possession of an unregistered firearm.
The indictment came after Prieto, who is—get this—a vendor at a gun show venue in Prescott, had discussions between January and May with two people who, unbeknownst to him, were working with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, which most certainly made it inconvenient that Prieto was allegedly discussing plans to commit a mass shooting at a rap concert in the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, which he allegedly targeted due to the city’s large Black population.
From Fox 5:
While authorities do not say what concert, the dates provided in the indictment are the same as two nights of performances by the popular singer Bad Bunny at the venue.
Officials say their investigation began when Prieto told a man at a gun show that he wanted “to incite a race war prior to the 2024 United States Presidential Election.”
Prieto, a vendor at the Crossroads of the West gun shows in his hometown, allegedly would trade his personal firearms, using cash deals to avoid any interference from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
On Jan. 21, officials say Prieto discussed with the source and an undercover FBI agent that he wanted them to help him carry out a shooting at a rap concert in Atlanta, specifically targeting the city because of its Black population.
As reported by the indictment, Prieto said he wanted to target a rap concert because “there would be a high concentration of African Americans” and planned to leave confederate flags after the violence and to shout phrases like “KKK all the way.”
So, just to recap: A white supremacist who is a vendor for gun shows—those places where Second Amendment enthusiasts often go to get around state gun restrictions and regulations—felt comfortable enough at the gun show to openly discuss his desire to gun down Black people for no other reason than because they’re Black, and he planned on targeting a random rap concert in Atlanta because Atlanta has a lot of Black folks and Black folks love rap music. He also planned “to incite a race war prior to the 2024 United States Presidential Election,” and, if we’re keeping it real, one doesn’t have to stress their brain out too much coming up with guesses as to who Prieto was likely planning to vote for if he got the chance. (Hint: It’s the candidate who is also no stranger to federal indictments.)
On May 14, Prieto was pulled over in New Mexico and seven firearms were found in his vehicle. Later, officers searched his home and found more guns, including an unregistered short-barreled rifle. When he was questioned by investigators, Prieto denied he was headed to Atlanta, and, instead, claimed he was going to visit his mother in Florida. However, he did admit to discussing the mass shooting, and admitted to selling an AR-15 to the FBI agent and telling him that it “would be a good gun to use in the attack.”
If Prieto is convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison for each charge of firearms trafficking and transfer of a firearm for use in a hate crime, up to 10 years for having an unregistered firearm, and he could face fines of up to $250,000 for each charge.
We have to be safe out here, Black people. Violent white supremacists are still out here, they’re armed, and they’re clearly feeling emboldened in the era of MAGA.
Stay vigilant, good people.
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Source: MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Getty / Austin Rivers
Austin Rivers is not happy with Hulu’s original series Clipped or the casting choices for the roles of members of the Los Angeles Clippers during Donald Sterling’s tenure as owner.
In a recent episode of his The Offguard Podcast, former NBA player turned ESPN NBA analyst expressed his frustration with the actors chosen to play his NBA brethren in Clipped.
The Hulu series is based on the ESPN 30 For 30 podcast, The Sterling Affairs, which focuses on the turmoil following the Clippers’ former owner being recorded by his mistress saying derogatory racial remarks.
In a clip shared on Instgram, Rivers goes ham on the actor cast to play Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry: “That is Stephen Santiago. That’s, like, the third baseman for the Padres. Who the hell is that guy?”
The actor who plays Blake Griffin in the series also caught a vicious stray from Rivers. “This is really bad. The guy’s hairline’s receding already, and he looks just nothing like Blake.”
P-Valley star J. Alphonse Nicholson’s portrayal of the “point god,” Chris Paul, did not win over Rivers either. “That is my local A/C man, Frederick. Who is this? Who the hell is that?”
Damn, that’s how you doing, the man who plays Lil Murda to perfection?
Austin Rivers Spares Laurence Fishburne
Sheldon Bailey, who plays DeAndre Jordan in the series, was not spared from Rivers’s ire either. “There’s no effort in this. That looks nothing like DJ.”
One person who did not catch that much flack for his performance in the show, outside of his body weight, was Laurence Fishburne. He happens to be portraying Austin Rivers’s dad, Doc Rivers, who was the Clippers head coach during the drama with Donald Sterling.
“Laurence Fishburne is a legend, and he’s a great actor,” Rivers said. “The body of my father is just a little bit different. I’m not saying he’s 100% in shape, but he’s built a little different than Laurence Fishburne. We could’ve done a little AI or something there.”
Fishburne spoke about his portrayal of Doc Rivers on a recent episode of the Dan Patrick Show revealing he had no idea who Rivers was before he got the role.
Luke James Dunks On Austin Rivers
One person who was not here for Austin Rivers’ hate was singer/actor Luke James, who had time for the former pro hooper.
“The series is great. casting is solid. u niggas should make a series. cast all the giant none acting ass niggas in it. see how it fairs out. i’m sure all these folks in agreement w/u will love it,” James wrote in the post’s comment section.
We can’t be mad at that.
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Donald Trump’s comments on the campaign trail have raised alarms from those noting his “unwell” behavior and media’s reluctance to call it out.
The mounting collection of bizarre remarks by Donald Trump on the presidential campaign trail has caused observers to note how “deeply unwell” he is and to question why more media outlets and figures aren’t calling for an examination of his mental faculties. “(But) Trump is obviously unfit—and something is profoundly wrong with a political environment in which he can now say almost anything, no matter how weird,” writes Tom Nichols for The Atlantic in a column, pointing to Trump’s most recent rally this past weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, which left many observers aghast.
At that campaign rally, Trump went into a rambling rant about electric batteries and sharks: “So I said, let me ask you a question, and he said, nobody ever asked this question and it must be because of MIT, my relationship to MIT. Very smart. He goes, I say, what would happen if the boat sank from its weight? And you’re in the boat and you have this tremendously powerful battery and the battery is now underwater and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there, by the way, a lot of shark attacks lately, do you notice that?”
“I am not a psychiatrist, and I am not diagnosing Trump with anything. I am, however, a man who has lived on this Earth for more than 60 years, and I know someone who has severe emotional problems when I see them played out in front of me over and over,” Nichols wrote, adding: “The 45th president is deeply unwell. It is long past time for Americans, including those in public life, to recognize his inability to serve as the 47th.” EJ Montini of the Arizona Republic has also called out the media’s reluctance in a column, writing: “Too many respectable journalists and respectable journalistic institutions have allowed the fear of appearing biased to prevent them from being honest.” He cited the Las Vegas remarks as “the kind of thing that would be worrisome if done by an elderly member of your family.”
As the presumptive Republican nominee continues to campaign, there seems to be no end to the comments. In a meeting with Republicans at Capitol Hill on Thursday, Trump stated that “Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” while also declaring – again – an affinity for fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter.
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Source: Eduardo Frederiksen / Getty / Atlanta Bus Hijacking
A scene reminiscent of the film SPEED starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock went down in Atlanta, and it also had a plot twist not even Tyler Perry would think of for one of his films.
Spotted on TMZ, an Atlanta city bus was hijacked by a crook, holding the driver at gunpoint and taking passengers hostage, leading ATL police on a high-speed chase that left one person dead.
Thanks to aerial footage, viewers were locked in as law enforcement was in hot pursuit of the bus as it plowed through Atlanta traffic, smashing civilian vehicles, including cop cars, in a chase that went on for miles on Tuesday.
The suspect, Joseph Grier, a convicted felon with 19 prior arrests, commanded the bus driver, Ernst Antoine, who was only on the job for three months, to drive after shooting and killing a passenger.
Speaking exclusively with ABC’s Good Morning America, Antoine said he was “ready to die” for the bus passengers and felt his handling of the situation “was right because people always coming first.”
When police finally got the bus to stop, the hostages ran for safety, and the suspect was immediately taken into custody, but that part didn’t play out so smoothly.
Speaking with PEOPLE, a passenger revealed that Grier “threw his gun and tried to disguise himself as one of the victims.”
When Antoine got off the bus, police mistook him for the suspect he revealed before pointing the cops in the right direction.
“When I get out, the police point the gun on me. I said, ‘No, I’m not the killer. I’m the driver.’ And they asked me, ‘Who is the killer?’ I say, ‘Him,’” Antoine told GMA.
This Bus Hijacking Is The Most Atlanta Thing Ever
The hijacking only gets more interesting. Not too long after the incident, an interview featuring Grier talking to reporters following a shooting at the Peachtree Center, leaving four people shot, surfaced.
In the interview, Grier discussed what he witnessed at the shooting before later boarding the bus and getting into a fight with another passenger.
Another passenger on the bus with a gun attempted to stop the fight, leading to Grier stealing the gun and shooting and killing the person trying to break up the fight.
As for his reasoning for his behavior, Grier, 39, claims he has bipolar disorder and has been off his meds for weeks.
We shall see how this plays out.
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Source: PATRICK T. FALLON / Getty / Alamo Drafthouse
Well, this came out of nowhere. Sony is now the owner of the popular movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse.
The two companies announced the stunning news on Wednesday, revealing that Sony will oversee the theater experience under its new Sony Pictures Experiences division.
In a press release, Sony promises it “will preserve Alamo Drafthouse’s distinctive movie-dining experience.” At the same time, Alamo will continue operating “all 35 of its cinemas across 25 metro areas under the Alamo Drafthouse brand.”
Alamo’s current CEO, Michael Kustermann, will remain in his role. If you’re worried about the Fantastic Fest film festival, Alamo will still be in charge of that as well.
Sony is purchasing the movie theater chain from Altamont Capital Partners, Fortress Investment Group, and Alamo founder Tim League.
That same group took ownership of Alamo after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021.
Sony purchased Alamo Drafthouse largely due to the 2020 termination of the Paramount Consent Decrees. According to The Verge, the 1948 Supreme Court decision required movie companies to sell the theaters they owned to increase competition and allow customer choice.
Now that movie fans have so many options for viewing films, the Department of Justice decided to reverse the decree.
While the news may shock many, Sony is not the first movie company to take advantage of the decree’s reverse.
Netflix also owns movie cinemas in New York and Los Angeles.
The reactions to the news are similar, with fans of the theater chain warning Sony not to mess this up.
“Not sure what this means but it’s an Alamo down the street from me and I love that place. Don’t ruin the vibes, Sony,” one person on X, formerly Twitter, wrote.
This writer agrees, and the price of my Alamo Season Pass better not rise either.
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Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty
Hunter Biden’s conviction on felony charges in Delaware may have dismantled a major Republican conspiracy theory in the process.
On Tuesday (June 11), a jury in a Delaware court found Hunter Biden guilty on three felony counts related to him purchasing a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs. It marks the first time the offspring of a sitting president was found guilty in a criminal trial. The verdict, however, might have taken the steam out of one of the Republican Party’s conspiracy theories that they’ve pushed to hurt President Joe Biden’s chances of reelection – that he’s “weaponized” the Department of Justice to protect his family and persecute former President Donald Trump.
The line of thought, which was the focus of a House of Representatives sub-committee hearing led by Republicans last week, wasn’t only shared by the fringe element but peddled consistently on conservative media and on Fox News as they taunted, “Where’s Hunter?” But as the trial moved on towards its conclusion, President Biden’s assertion that he would not only stand by the verdict but make no moves to pardon Hunter Biden if convicted loomed large. One unnamed juror told ABC News after the verdict was announced that “politics never came into play” as they deliberated and that the prosecution achieved their burden of proof: “the verdict absolutely was not politically motivated.”
“I don’t think the verdict will materially impact the race,” said Republican strategist Rob Stutzman about the potential to impact the upcoming presidential election. “It does mute GOP claims that the Biden DOJ is weaponized against Trump and MAGA, but the election isn’t turning on that question.” The conviction comes less than two weeks after Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 counts related to fraud in the “hush money” trial where he was accused of hiding payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
Biden campaign fundraiser John Morgan remarked that “only a person with no heart would not be sympathetic” to Hunter Biden’s issues with addiction and recovery. “And [Biden] isn’t saying the trial is rigged. The contrast between the two trials will be a huge boost for the president,” he asserted. Others note that Trump’s conviction might compel voters not to pull for him instead of Hunter Biden’s situation. “The Trump verdict I think could force some lean conservative people to stay home. No poll can measure that. No one is staying home because of Hunter,” stated Democratic strategist Peter Giangreco.
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Source: Brandon Sloter / Getty
For the past few years many celebrities and people you may even know have decided to switch up their daily diets and go on a vegan only way of life. While that bares little to no consequences on their professional lives, hot dog eating legend Joey Chestnut’s decision to eat vegan led to his termination from his “job” of competitively eating hot dogs.
According to the New York Post, the reigning hot dog eating champion was told he will not be allowed to compete at this years Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island after he signed a deal with plant-based food brand, Impossible Foods. With Impossible Foods sponsoring the man who once gobbled 76 glizzies in a single 10-minute sitting, the higher-ups over at Nathan’s lowkey felt betrayed by Chestnut’s latest venture. Though they haven’t blatantly “banned” him from the contest, they basically banned him from competing at this year’s event.
The New York Post reports:
A rep for Major League Eating (MLE), which Nathan’s sanctions to run the event, said the organizers bent over backwards to meet Chestnut’s various other demands.
They even agreed to let him participate in a rival Labor Day dog-eating fest to be taped for TV as long as no hot dog brand was mentioned.
But they said they drew the line on letting Chestnut pitch for a different hot dog brand.
A source said Chestnut was paid $200,000 to appear in the Nathan’s contest last year, and was offered a $1.2 million, four-year contract going forward.
“The two sides could still come to a resolution before July 4, but it depends on Joey,” an insider said.
“He’s the Michael Jordan of competitive eating. But imagine if Michael Jordan said to Nike, ‘I love being the face of Nike but I want to do commercials for Adidas too,” the source said.
You know you’re that dude when someone says you’re the Michael Jordan of whatever you do even if that thing is gobbling glizzies. We wonder if there’s a porn star out there considered the Joey Chestnut of the industry. We’re not going to look into that though.
Following the news of his ouster of this year’s competition, Joey Chestnut took to Instagram to voice his displeasure over the decision and called out Nathan’s over his business decision saying, “To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with. This is apparently the basis on which I’m being banned, and it doesn’t impact the July 4th contest.”
At the end of the day, only the fans will suffer from this decision.
What do y’all think of Nathan’s Famous barring Joey Chestnut from this year’s hot dog eating contest? Fair or foul? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty / Shannon Sharpe
For the foreseeable future, Shannon Sharpe will continue to accidentally call Stephen A. Smith his old debate partner, Skip Bayless, on ESPN’s First Take.
Spotted on Deadline, ESPN announced on Tuesday that it had inked a multiyear deal with Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe.
The new deal comes less than a year after Sharpe left Bayless and FS1 for greener pastures at ESPN.
As part of his new deal with the Disney-owned sports network, Sharpe will expand his role on the popular debate show First Take, keeping him alongside mainstays Stephen A. Smith and moderator Molly Qerim.
Sharpe brought his flair for debate to the program in August 2023, and it has since experienced its most-viewed May ever.
ESPN also notes that Sharpe will now be a part of other programming on the channel.
Per Deadline:
“Shannon Sharpe has been an incredible addition to the First Take team, enhancing the show’s dynamic with his engaging presence and insightful commentary,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s Head of Event & Studio Production, in a statement today about the new deal, the terms of which were not disclosed. “Shannon’s chemistry with Stephen A. Smith has elevated our debates and been another key reason First Take is the premier destination for morning sports discussion.”
Shannon Sharpe’s Stock Continues To Rise
Sharpe’s media stock has risen immensely since leaving Skip Bayless and his failing show, Undisputed.
His podcast Club Shay Shay has had some of the biggest interviews on the net, thanks to guests like Katt Williams, Amanda Seales, and, most recently, Ray J.
Sharpe also has a podcast with fellow retired NFL superstar Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson called Night Cap, where they opine on various topics, including sports, entertainment, and other social commentary.
With his newfound popularity, Sharpe has also been criticized for some of his controversial takes on Club Shay Shay and Night Cap, and his lack of interviewing skills is also the subject of debate on social media.
Uncle Shannon continues to secure the bag, and we will never be mad at a Black man for getting some coins.
