EDITORIAL
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Kathy Griffin is once again heading back to cancel court after posting a video accusing Kanye West of abusing his wife, Bianca Censori.
In the lengthy clip, shared widely on social media, a pale-faced Griffin shares her thoughts on Kanye West, who has been the punchline for many of her jokes. According to the d-list comedian, Ye is allegedly abusing Censori based on her attire and recent actions since the two wed. In the unhinged video, Griffin asserts that West is abusing his wife, claiming that she has no voice, saying:
“While it’s easy to make fun of Kanye because he is crazy and nutty. We’ve all seen those photos of Kanye and his new wife Bianca Censori, right? I see those photos when she is in those pantyhose and like not even a bandeau top, it’s really all about being see-through. I’ve heard that she has a master’s degree in architecture from a university in Australia, she’s gorgeous and she seems to have no voice whatsoever,” she said, adding that while Censori had a “banging body,” she looked “almost identical” to Ye’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.
Despite having NO evidence to support her assertion, the 62-year-old continued her allegations stating that if Ye “wasn’t physically abusing [Censori] then he was ‘psychologically abusing’ her,” using the example of the couple’s recent visit to Italy that led to a viral video of them allegedly engaging in lewd behavior on a boat in Venice, while locals complained about the scantily clad Censori causing mayhem with an impromptu fashion shoot in Florence.
“When they were in Italy and he had her drop to her knees and give him a ‘service’ and we saw his bare butt — knowing there were paparazzi photographers all the way around and people with just phone cameras — that to me just reeks of abuse,” Griffin continued. “Like ‘get on your knees and do this now on a freaking water taxi.”
Griffin doubled down on the “Carolyn Bryant Donham” styled accusation, adding in her video: “I don’t know her, I’m never going to meet her, but I just want to know what you guys think, because it just looks like something a really controlling dude would do.”
After a clip of Griffin’s TikTok was shared to X, formerly Twitter, many people came to the defense of Kanye, calling for the half a chuckle-worthy comedian to be sued over the slanderous video.
“Ye and Bianca Censori need to sue Kathy Griffin for all she’s got after this libel and slander,” one person wrote on X.
With another writing: “As much i know she is probably worried. Throwing out allegations like this is NOT OKAY.”
As previously reported, Yeezy and Censori got married at a ceremony in Beverly Hills in January, just two months after his divorce from Kardashian was finalized.
Neither West nor Censori have responded to the allegations.
Check out the video below, and more reactions in the gallery.
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Jason Aldean got involved in America’s silly culture war after Country Music Television removed the video for his controversial song “Try That In A Small Town” from its platform. Because the MAGA Nuts and the “Respect My Rights” crowd are sensitive little cherubs, they’re complaining about the takedown while dragging Garth Brooks into the beef.
Let’s take our time with this one.
Jason Aldean, a popular country music star who once notched a big hit with Ludacris, has gone on to sell millions of for Nashville, Tenn’s Broken Bow Records. His latest single, “Try That In A Small Town,” pretends to be a song about the resilience of working-class America but the video makes no secret of its nefarious aims. It is a vehicle to take shots at the perceived lawlessness in big cities, most especially protests against police and public demonstrations decrying racism.
We usually don’t center tweets from goofballs in the body of a story but here’s an example of what the minds of proud Americans are focused on instead of, we don’t know, human decency and common sense, maybe?
Here are the lyrics and hook for “Try That In A Small Town”:
Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalkCarjack an old lady at a red lightPull a gun on the owner of a liquor storeYa think it’s cool, well, act a fool if ya like
Cuss out a cop, spit in his faceStomp on the flag and light it upYeah, ya think you’re tough
Well, try that in a small townSee how far ya make it down the roadAround here, we take care of our ownYou cross that line, it won’t take longFor you to find out, I recommend you don’tTry that in a small town
It is clear what Aldean is communicating and the video, reportedly shot in front of a former site where lynchings took place, speaks to the fragility of white conservative America and the silly attack on the “Woke Left” or whatever else these nutballs come up with.
Tacked onto Aldean’s controversy is some discussion from the MAGA weirdos about Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Over a year ago, Brooks and Yearwood made a public appeal to help refugees caught up in the ravages of war in Ukraine. That video was resurfaced and the strawman arguments have only intensified.
Adding to this, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made an explosive goof even by his lowly standards after sharing an article from the satirical website Dunning-Kruger-Times (which should’ve been a dead giveaway but here we are). The article was about a fictional moment featuring Brooks being booed offstage for supporting Bud Light. Before deleting the tweet, Gov. Abbott used the tired phrase “Go Woke. Go Broke.”
On Twitter, the dumbassery of MAGA is on full display over Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, and all things ‘MURRICA. Check out the reactions below.
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President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which ended the legal practice of slavery, went into effect on January 1, 1863, a reluctant move on his part that satisfied the wants of abolitionists. On June 19, 1865, enslaved Blacks in Texas were finally alerted that they were freed and thus, Emancipation Day, better known as Juneteenth, was born.
Lincoln’s path to signing the proclamation was wrought with barriers that were mostly political, if not racially motivated. Slavery was a big business and with the Union victorious over the southern Confederate states, there was some resentment for the North’s desire to do away with one of its best money-makers in slavery. Lincoln treaded carefully but signed the law in 1862 before it went into effect.
On that day in 1865, Union troops made their way to the coastal city of Galveston, Texas. Texas, like many southern and non-battleground states, was resistant to ending slavery. However, the law of the land prevailed and the slaves being held in bondage finally enjoyed true freedom. But as expected, the newly emancipated were given their “Freedom Day” with a bit of a warning.
From Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger:
The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.
From that point, Juneteenth became a moment of pride and togetherness for Blacks in Texas and across the South. The celebration eventually spread to other states and cities, primarily in rural areas before expanding wider.
Public figures and celebrated Black writers such as Maya Angelou and Ralph Ellison both have centered their work on the holiday as well. Juneteenth even found itself in the crossfire of Hip-Hop angst at a time.
In 1992, Geto Boys rapper Wille D’s “U Still a aggiN” references the holiday, although not positively.
“Mama’s outside, barbecuing ribs and links/It’s Juneteenth, but to me it don’t mean stink/It’s a day of emancipation, but everybody wonder why Willie ain’t celebrating/But things ain’t perfect, I’m looking beyond the surface/So instead of drinking beer, and playing Dominoes/I’m sitting in the room with my eyes closed,” Willie D rapped.
Today, 28 states recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday, which means state government offices are closed. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, with some states offering the day off as a paid holiday or a day of observance.
Learn more about the Juneteenth holiday here.
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Ja Morant has been suspended 25 games by the NBA thanks to his love of waving firearms on social media. The vibe on Twitter is that the high-flying point guard got off light.
ESPN reports that on Friday (June 16), the NBA announced that the Memphis Grizzlies point guard had been suspended 25 games for “conduct detrimental to the league” at the start of the 2023-2024 NBA season. The formal suspension comes after a second incident in which Morant was seen brandishing a gun on social media, this time in May.
Back in March, the NBA suspended Morant for 8 games for a similar incident where he showed off a firearm on Instagram Live while in a club in Denver. In response to that situation, Morant reportedly enrolled in counseling.
After the second incident, NBA Twitter fully expected NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to drop the hammer on Morant, with many speculating at least a half a season on ice for the talented player. Now it’s a question of Morant staying on the straight and narrow after his second strike.
“Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver n a statement. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.”
Silver added, “For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”
Source: Ronald Martinez / Getty
In response, Morant issued his own statement which address his assigned homework.
“I’ve had time to reflect and I realize how much hurt I’ve caused,” said Morant in a statement he released on Friday. “I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman and Robert Pera — who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me — I’m sorry for the harm I’ve done. To the kids who look up to me, I’m sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I’m going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I’m going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I’m going to make it up to you, I promise.”
Peep Twitter’s reactions to Ja Morant’s punishment in the gallery.
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LeBron James will have to endure a long offseason of people questioning his greatness from the comfort of their couches and game controllers despite willing the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers to the Western Conference Finals. The Denver Nuggets, the top-seeded team in the Western Conference, swept the Lakers in their best-of-seven series and some NBA fans are unfairly making LeBron James the fall guy.
LeBron James, who turns 39 this year, spent years carrying the Cleveland Cavaliers on his shoulders and doing so at an elite level for years. After two decades of basketball, wear and tear is natural and the high-flying exploits aren’t there every night but all of the greats have off nights.
James didn’t have an off night on Monday, leading all scorers with 40 points and remaining on the floor for the entire game. James supporting cast of Davis and Reaves did what they could but they were outmatched by Nikola Jokic, who led all Nuggets scorers with 30 along with 13 assists and 14 rebounds, and Jamal Murray, who poured in 25 points and was electrifying in the WCF.
You don’t even need to be a fan of James or his team to realize what he was able to do while pushing the age of 40 is incredible. There are a few NBA players who spent 20 seasons in the league and many of them are in the Basketball Hall of Fame. James will join those ranks once he decides to hang up his sneakers for good and hopefully, he holds off on doing so after the bitter sting of the loss settles down.
The comparisons to the great Michael Jordan are inevitable and people making a case for LeBron being an inferior player will have all their stats ready for an imaginary showdown neither man asked for.
The jeers from the armchair athletes of the world will cease to matter and besides, anyone who needs to take off their shoes and then put them in their laps to tie them can’t rightly call LeBron James a bum.
But they’re certainly going to try.
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It’s 2023, and the NAACP Board of Directors has issued a travel advisory for Florida, citing that the state is “hostile toward African Americans.” Considering MAGA-friendly Governor Ron Desantis’ blatantly racist legislation aimed at the “woke,” often a replacement for the n-word in far-right circles, where is the lie?
On Saturday, May 2020, the NAACP issued its damning travel advisory. Part of it reads, “Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.”
In the past year, Desantis has overseen the kneecapping of AP African American Studies courses for high school students, banned the teaching of critical race theory and has signed four bills that restrict LGBTQ rights including an expansion of the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” law.
Added NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson, “Under the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon. He should know that democracy will prevail because its defenders are prepared to stand up and fight. We’re not backing down, and we encourage our allies to join us in the battle for the soul of our nation.”
Another feasible question is, when is Texas going to be added to that travel advisory list? History has shown that one way to handle blatant racists in power is to hit them in the pockets.
See some of Twitter’s reactions to the NAACP’s chess move in the gallery.
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Donald Trump will not go away quietly in the night, especially if major news networks continue to give him a platform to tout his MAGA philosophies at will. The former Swindler-In-Chief will appear in a town hall hosted by CNN, and the timing looks just a little curious.
As pointed out by the homies Crooks and Liars, CNN announced that the network will open its channels to host the town hall that puts Donald Trump back into the national spotlight. Despite the fact that the business mogul is embroiled in several legal tie-ups, Trump still holds sway over the Republican Party and the rabid MAGA base who want to see him returned to power.
More from CNN:
“CNN This Morning” anchor Kaitlan Collins will moderate the event at St. Anselm College, which will air at 9 p.m. ET on May 10 and will feature the former president taking questions from New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.
This will be Trump’s first appearance on CNN since the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump is positioning himself to become the Republican Party nominee for the 2024 presidential race and seems to be the frontrunner according to some analysts. If successful, the race could be a repeat of 2020 as President Joe Biden announced plans to run for reelection.
The timing of this town hall might ring curious to some as CNN just fired anchor Don Lemon, a known critic of Donald Trump. Looks a little funny in the light if you ask us.
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Source: Brian Feinzimer / Getty
You just knew Van Jones couldn’t let a historic moment like a former President being indicted just go by without putting his tap dance shoe in his mouth. The known Op is getting cooked on Twitter after he caped for Donald Trump having to sit and listen to the judge during his arraignment.
By now you should know that Trump was charged with 34 felonies, and pled not guilty. Which is his right.
But Van Jones went out of his way to show sympathy for the racist and bigoted former POTUS known for tax evasion and acting like a whole donkey on social media—the receipts are out there.
“He looks sad, he looks like the weight of it is hitting him,” said Van Jones on CNN prior to the revealing of the charges. “Just as a human being, I don’t take joy…I don’t like the prison system…I don’t like this process … doesn’t mean that accountability is not owed, we don’t know what he is going to be charged wit…but at that moment that is not a conqueror, that is a granddad having a very bad day.”
Sounds like Jones wants to give Trump a hug. Trump is also the same guy who came for the presiding judge in the case’s daughter and wife. Does he feel bad about Alvin Bragg and his family being put in harm’s way? Also, it’s a safe bet Cheeto wouldn’t spit on Jones if he was on fire.
The audacity of Jones expressing the sads about the start of Donald Trump actually being held accountable for just some of his illegal activity quickly led to another slander session from Twitter. Jones should be used to this—like when it was revealed he worked on Trump’s police reform plan on the quiet.
Peep some of the best slander in the gallery.
8. Relevant
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Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, made waves this week after she made a most unusual request in the wake of LSU’s victory over Iowa in the NCCA women’s basketball championship game. Dr. Biden said that she would suggest to President Joe Biden that both teams appear at the White House for the customary visit presented to national sports champions, which caused a stir online.
Jill Biden was in attendance at the final game featuring the victorious Louisiana State University Tigers and the Iowa State University Hawkeyes this past Sunday. Without a doubt, both teams were electrifying to watch en route to the championship contest with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark putting on a scoring clinic any time she stepped on the floor.
However, Clark’s heroics weren’t enough to defeat the strong team effort from LSU and, of course, the moment people can’t stop talking about is LSU player Angel Reese giving Clark a bit of her own “Can’t See Me” medicine.
As ESPN reports, Dr. Biden spoke at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on Monday and extended the invite to both teams.
“I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House; we always do. So, we hope LSU will come,” Biden said. “But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come too, because they played such a good game.”
Reese retweeted the news of the potential Iowa invite and captioned the tweet “A JOKE,” which echoed a sentiment shared by many online. Typically, the champions, including the players, coaches, and staff, are invited to the White House for a further celebration of their epic wins. As far as it’s been reported, a runner-up has never been extended an invite to the White House.
What we can say with confidence is that women’s basketball is just as vital as men’s basketball and March Madness didn’t disappoint on either side. Reese is also leaning into the discussion by not backing down from her gesture and saying she hopes to keep growing women’s basketball. Kudos to that.
Check out the reaction to First Lady Jill Biden extending invitations to LSU and Iowa to the White House below.
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Swarm, the new Amazon Prime series from Janine Nabers and Donald Glover, inspired a flurry of conversations around so-called “stan culture,” parasocial relationships, and the obsessive nature of some music fans. While the series doesn’t necessarily hide from running parallel to the fandom that surrounds a certain Houston, Texas superstar, the program actually serves as an examination of the deeper and often dark side of obsession.
With the promise that this piece will remain spoiler-free as possible, Swarm, which stars the excellent Dominique Fishback in the role of Andrea “Dre” Greene, is at times a very uncomfortable watch.
The opening episode, “Stung,” was directed by Glover and written by Nabers and the director. There exists heavy-handed “wink wink nudge nudge” references to Beyoncé and the BeyHive, but it becomes more about the singular mission of Dre to get next to the show’s fictional pop star, Ni’Jah, a powerhouse artist and performer who commands the so-called “Swarm” — a collection of fans who will ride on anyone who dares the critique their fave.
Naturally, the satirical sendup of fandoms seen within the series mirrors much of what plays out on social media with mega-popular stars. Names on social media that reference the stars the users revere, devoted fans draped in merchandise from the artist, and an abject willingness to defend the honor of the celebrities by verbally attacking critics with ferocity. As most are discovering, Dre handles the enemies of Ni’Jah with murderous intent which highlights the show’s brutal horror elements.
Since the show’s March 17 air date, much has been made of Glover’s intentions with the program including some believing Swarm is a subtle, if unfounded, continuation of his hatred for Black women. Yes, Glover did express some interesting thoughts about what he expected of Fishback in the role of Dre in a Vulture feature story with Fishback, which asked her to channel an animalistic quality. But does that mean he harbors hatred for Black women? It isn’t for us to say.
Other observers noted that Glover seemingly depicted Black women in a bad light or lacking complexity in the hit series Atlanta, and then there is the fact that Glover isn’t married to a Black woman. This isn’t meant to be a defense against the claims of hate but certainly detracts from the fact Glover largely got out of the way after the first episode and let his team handle the rest.
The decision by some to criticize and center Glover instead of Nabers, a talented playwright, and producer in her own right, steals some of the thunder away from the writing room, Fishback, and the dozens of actors and crew members who worked on the show. That same light is also taken from the efforts of established Black women writers on the show such as Karen Joseph Adcock, fledgling writers like Malia Obama, and rising writers such as Kara Brown along with Chloe Bailey and her performance.
Is Swarm perfect? Perhaps not. At its core, the series could simply stand as an indictment of “stan culture” and perhaps also that of the seedy underbelly of social media overall. In addition, it displays a Black woman completely disheveled and in need of loving care
It is heartbreaking at times to see how loss and the lack of others not leaning in to surround Dre with love and understanding affects her mental well-being. What we can say overall is that there is nothing on television quite like Swarm at the moment and it deserves a watch even if just for the sake of satisfying one’s curiosity.
Swarm is currently airing on the Amazon Prime streaming service.
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