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04 Dec 2023

MAGA Frasier: Kelsey Grammer Voices Trump Support in BBC Interview

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Kelsey Grammer expressed his support of former President Donald Trump in an interview with the BBC, which was cut short by publicists.

On Monday (December 4), Frasier star Kelsey Grammer sat for an interview with BBC Radio 4 journalist and host Justin Webb. Toward the end, Webb asked the actor and producer: “You mentioned Roseanne early on who had a great comeback but also was a Trump supporter. You were, at least you were, a Trump supporter, I’m fascinated to know if you still are?”

Grammer replied, “I am, and I’ll let that be the end of it.” According to Webb in a studio conversation after the interview aired, he revealed that publicists with Paramount+ UK stepped in and cut the interview short when he tried to inquire further. Representatives for the actor and Paramount+ UK didn’t respond to requests for comment.

“I have to say actually Kelsey Grammer himself was perfectly happy to go on talking about it. The Paramount Plus PR people, less happy that he talked about it at some length so we… They decided we’d had plenty of time for our interview,” Webb said. Grammer has been vocal about being a Republican in the past as well as his support for the twice-impeached former president, agreeing with some of his policies while remarking that he was a “brat”. The actor also voiced his support for the controversial Roseanne Barr, the sitcom star and fellow Trump supporter who was booted off of her reboot series on ABC after comparing former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to the character of Ari in 2001’s Planet of The Apes.

The 68-year-old Grammer was on the Today program as part of a promotional tour for the reboot of his widely popular Frasier series which ran from 1993 to 2004, where he reprises the role of finicky psychotherapist Frasier Crane. The new series also stars British actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, known for his role in the series Only Fools and Horses. Grammer touched upon working with Lyndhurst who had returned to acting after losing his son at 19 to a brain hemorrhage.

“It was Nic who reminded me that it was only three or four years ago, Archie was standing right next to Nic when I said ‘I think you should be part of the next Frasier.’,“ Grammer said in an emotional voice. “So we’ve always sensed that this was something that was right for us to be together.”

04 Dec 2023

Doechii on Her Fashion Inspiration, Reaction To “What It Is,” Opening Up For Beyoncé & More | Jingle Ball 2023

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04 Dec 2023

Diddy’s Former Bodyguard Moonwalks Statements Regarding Cassie Allegations

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Days after Diddy’s former bodyguard, Roger Bonds, co-signed Cassie’s story about Diddy’s abusive ways, the man is seemingly walking back his statements and “clarifying” his initial remarks.

Over the weekend, Diddy’s former head of security, Roger Bonds, took to Instagram to backtrack on his previous statements in which he spoke about having to break up fights between Diddy and Cassie. He explained that what he saw was actually more in-tune with everyday relationship problems that couples go through. Sure, guy.

Sitting in his car and once again opening up about the Diddy and Cassie situation, Bonds went on to clarify what he meant when speaking about what he witnessed just days before stating: “This ain’t about nothin’ yo. I seen Cassie and Diddy fight. Yeah, I seen them fight—just like everybody else fight. Just like I fight. Just like y’all fight with your man and y’all fight with your girl.”

This isn’t suspicious at all…

The post comes days after Roger appeared to co-sign Cassie’s abuse allegations against Diddy and insinuated that he had witnessed more than what the general public knew.

Why Roger Bonds would feel the need to suddenly change his tune on the situation and try to downplay the seriousness of what he stated earlier is anyone’s guess. But it seems like he’s distancing himself from anything that could make Diddy look bad, so don’t be surprised if the man never speaks on this situation again.

Check out Bonds try to clean up his own words in the clip below, and let us know your thoughts on the situation in the comments section below.

04 Dec 2023

Lana Del Rey Opens Up About Wanting Children Someday: ‘I See It Coming For Me’

Lana Del Rey hasn’t ruled out motherhood. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the 38-year-old alt-pop superstar opened up about possibly wanting to have kids someday — but not until the time is right.

“That’s why God didn’t give me children yet,” she told the publication, according to People. “Because there is more to explore. I know people who’ve tested every water. It’s burnt them, like Icarus. But I’m willing to go there.”

“I see it coming for me,” she continued. “We’ll see. We’ll see what melts the wings.”

Del Rey was reportedly in a relationship with house musician Jack Donoghue of Salem that began in early 2022. After several years with Scottish singer-songwriter Barrie-James O’Neill of Kassidy, Del Rey began dating Italian photographer Francesco Carrozzini in 2014, before a reported brief dalliance with rapper G-Eazy, followed by a year with cop Sean Larkin and an engagement to musician Clayton Johnson. Billboard reported in March that Del Rey was engaged to Range Media Partners’ Evan Winiker but it’s unclear where that relationship stands now.

The Grammy nominee also addressed her viral June Glastonbury set in the interview, a performance that was abruptly cut short by organizers after Del Rey’s blew past the midnight curfew. Videos from the night captured the musician — who was about 30 minutes late to the gig — attempting to stay onstage and sing a cappella with the crowd before security escorted her away.

“I didn’t feel great about it,” confessed the “Summertime Sadness” singer. “I was a little confused because I don’t think I was ever in a position where somebody said, ‘If you do not finish by this time, everything will go out.’ I was only 15 minutes late.”

“I’ve heard of curfews before,” she added. “But I didn’t know they actually turned the lights off!”

Del Rey’s latest interview comes shortly after the artist was nominated for five Grammy Awards, picking up nods for album of the year and best alternative album with Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd; song of the year and best alternative music performance for “A&W”; and best pop duo/group performance for “Candy Necklace” feat. Jon Batiste.

“It’s just such a fun day,” she reacted to the Grammy news in an Instagram video last month. “It’s really just about how excited everybody else is, and everybody calling, getting in touch and saying hi. All about the process and just one more exciting thing that’s happening… I in fact only learned this year that you have to submit your own album if you want to be nominated. Even that was out of my wheelhouse, but I did do that.”

04 Dec 2023

Jig’s Up 4 Juicy?: Jussie Smollett Loses Hoax Appeal, Jail Sentence Upheld

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The conviction against Jussie Smollett for his orchestration of a hate crime against himself five years ago has been upheld by an Illinois court.

On Friday (December 1), the Illinois Appellate Court affirmed the disorderly conduct conviction of former Empire actor Jussie Smollett. The three-judge panel voted 2-1 to uphold the conviction. “We wish to highlight that the decision was divided, with Justice Lyle offering a detailed analysis in favor of Smollett,” lawyers representing Smollett said after the decision. “We are preparing to escalate this matter to the Illinois Supreme Court, armed with a substantial body of evidence.” The state Supreme Court will decide whether to hear the case. If they decide not to, Smollett is expected to fulfill the entire 150-day sentence he received in 2022. He had served six days before filing the appeal and obtaining his release.

In the decision, Judge David R. Navarro wrote that Jussie Smollett’s lawyers had challenged “virtually every aspect” of the case which included the process of selecting the jury, the appointment of a special prosecutor, and the sentence that Smollett’s lawyers said was excessive in their arguments. The legal team also argued that he was being tried for the same crime twice after Cook County prosecutors dropped the original charges, claiming it was a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights against double jeopardy. 

Jussie Smollett would be convicted on five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021 on a set of new charges. He was indicted initially after claiming two men attacked him because he was Black and a gay man in January 2019 after arriving back at his Chicago residence and lying to police about it as a way to attain greater publicity. Smollett would be dropped from his role as Jamal Lyons on the Fox show amid the situation.

Justice Freddrenna Lyle dissented, citing that the state should not have re-tried Smollett after the prosecutors dropped the original charges. Special Prosecutor Dan Webb expressed that the decision was a “resounding victory for justice” after being handed down. “We are proud to have prevailed in a case that, we believe, can help restore the public’s confidence in the Cook County justice system,” Webb said to the press. “We hope this decision will reassure the community that our legal system is fair, just, and impartial.”

04 Dec 2023

King Kong & Godzilla Ride Or Die Together In ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ Trailer

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King Kong x Godzilla

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Days after Godzilla: Minus One hit theaters and moved audiences to tears (it was quite the moving affair), Warner Bros. released the first official trailer for their latest Godzilla installment. And it looks like it’s going to be an action-packed monster mash-up of a movie.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire seems to pick up where 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. Humanity continues to discover that below the surface of the world lies an unknown habitat where gargantuan beasts and monsters roam and are ready to make the earth their own. With a new red-haired ape the size of the Statue of Liberty looking to crown himself king, it’s now on King Kong and Super Saiyan-ish Godzilla to team together to stop the latest threat to mankind.

The film’s synopsis breaks down what to expect in The New Empire.

The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

Did we mention that there’s a baby Kong involved to? Gotta move Kong merchandise out on these streets.

Check out the trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire below, and let us know if you’ll be checking for it when it hits theaters in 2024.



04 Dec 2023

Box Office Queen: ‘Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé’ Dances Its Way To A $21 Million Domestic Box Office Debut

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Beyoncé Dominates Domestic Box Office With 'Renaissance' Film

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Beyoncé is closing out 2023 with a box office win thanks to her Renaissance concert film.

Spotted on Variety, Beyoncé can now add Queen of the Box Office to her still-growing list of accomplishments. Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé won the weekend at US theaters with a $21 million debut, slightly ahead of expectations.

Beyhive members who put on their best Renaissance looks once again to head to theaters to watch Renaissance helped the Houston singer join the ranks of Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” ($92.9 million), 2008’s “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert” ($31.1 million), 2011’s “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” and 2009’s “Michael Jackson: This Is It” ($23.2 million).

Beyoncé’s $21 million domestic box office debut was a massive win for the movie theater industry that was already reeling following “flops” by Marvel Studios’ The Marvels, Disney Animation’s Wish, and Ridley Scott’s latest epic Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor and military commander.

In a quote shared by Variety, the head of movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment, David A. Gross, said about the film’s performance, “This is an excellent domestic opening for a concert film. There are natural comparisons to Taylor Swift’s recent film, but these are very different artists and audiences.”

While Beyoncé can celebrate her film’s success in the US, that was not the case overseas. The concert film did not meet expectations, only bringing in $6.4 million in 94 territories and earning $27.4 million globally.

There is still time to improve on those numbers.

Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé is being distributed by AMC Theatres, with the “Cuff It” singer taking 50% of box office earnings while the exhibitors pocket the rest of the earnings per Variety.

These numbers pale compared to Queen Bey’s $549 million worldwide she made from her world tour.

Still, her box office win is nothing to dismiss.

—

Photo: Kevin Mazur / Getty

04 Dec 2023

Lenny Kravitz Clarifies Remarks About Black Media

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After a weekend of having Black journalists pull CVS-length receipts on him and his management, agents, and publicists—Lenny Kravitz clarified his statements to Esquire magazine that seemed to imply that he was snubbed by Black media.

In the original comments, the rocker said, “To this day, I have not been invited to a BET thing or a Source Awards thing,” Kravitz adds, “And it’s like, here is a Black artist who has reintroduced many Black art forms, who has broken down barriers—just like those that came before me broke down. That is positive. And they don’t have anything to say about it?”

The comments incensed Black journalists, including BET’s Entertainment Director Yesha Callahan, who noted that she had reached out to Kravitz’s team as recently as mid-October only to be ignored. Callahan’s post has since been deleted. 

But, others co-signed the experience. 

According to theGrio, Kravitz sent a statement exclusively to them which clarifies his remarks, writing, in part, “The comment I made was not about ‘black media’ or the ‘black community.’” the 59-year-old rocker said. “I was specifically referring to black award shows in particular. My comment was meant to express a concern about ensuring that black artists are being recognized for their work in what is now being called “non-traditional” black music, which it is not.”

He added, “Rock and roll is the music we were instrumental in creating and is a part of our history. We must retain our heritage and celebrate that together. BET and countless others have paved the way for this type of recognition.  I hope that by sharing my concern a spotlight will be shone on this issue. Love and peace.“

BET has not specifically addressed the comments. However, Callahan shared that the company recently created a video package highlighting Black non-traditional artists. 

Social media users are split about the comments. While some believe that Kravitz and others have not gotten their “flowers” from Black media—insiders and others recognize the power dynamics at play including the fact that Black journalists are often snubbed on red carpets and their media requests are often rejected by the non-Black representatives of some of their faves. 

One thing is for sure, if BET invites Kravitz to this year’s awards show… He better show up. 

Kravitz’s 12th studio album, Blue Electric Light, will be released March 15, 2024. 

04 Dec 2023

The Official ‘Barbie’Screenplay is Coming & You Can Preorder it On Sale Now: Shop Here

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It’s time to return to Barbleland as the official Barbie screenplay is coming to paperback. Now, film enthusiasts can dive further into the making of the blockbuster hit film — while also watching the movie on repeat at home. The book will be released on Dec. 26, but preorders for the paperback copy are open on Amazon (and for a discounted price of $17) as well as on Target and Barnes & Noble for $20.

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Written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach and published by Faber & Faber, the screenplay includes an exclusive introduction by Gerwig and Baumbach, eight full-color photos from the film and the entire script of the film starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell and Simu Liu.

Rather than wait until the book is released, preordering a copy will help ensure you get your hands on the it and have the screenplay on your doorstep as soon as the day of release. Plus, with Amazon’s current deal, you can save 17% off — a deal that may not last forever.

Keep reading to preorder the book now.

gold cover of Barbie screenplay book

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‘Barbie’ Screenplay by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach

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Featuring 138 pages, the Barbie screenplay makes the perfect collector’s piece to display as a coffee table book and to give you more insight into the creation of the hit movie. The cover features a chic gold design with the iconic Barbie logo that’ll make a stellar gift for the friends always showing off their best Barbiecore outfits.

Whether you’re the fan or you know someone always quoting the movie back to you, there is a plethora of giftable collectables you can surprise your loved one with on top of the new screenplay. Fans can enjoy the collectable Barbie dolls wearing iconic outfits from the movie or if they’re a Funko collector, make sure to gift them the Barbie Funko Pops!

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best female musician memoirs, dorm essentials and the best music books.

04 Dec 2023

Usher Gets Overcome With Emotion During Final Performance of Las Vegas Residency: ‘God Bless You’

After 100 performances, Usher closed out his headline-making Las Vegas residency on Saturday (Dec. 2) — and the singer felt a certain type of way about it.

A fan-filmed clip reposted by Usher on Sunday (Dec. 3) showed the “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” singer breaking down on stage during the last show of his My Way residency. In the middle of his finale rendition of “Without You” — Usher’s much-loved 2011 collaboration with David Guetta — the singer fell to his knees crying. Surrounded by a crew of backup dancers hugging and cheering him on, Usher slowly returned to his feet and began singing the song’s final chorus a capella, encouraging the audience to join him.

With the whole crowd chanting the lyrics along with him, Usher raised his hands out to the crowd to offer them a moment of thanks. “God bless you, I love you,” he shouted into the audience as they sang back to him.

Speaking to Billboard back in August 2022, Usher said that he wanted his now-wrapped residency to prove that he and his team could show his. “The challenge was to show it’s not by chance we had success in Las Vegas,” he said. “We deliberately made decisions that would elevate your thinking on the evolution of who I am as a creative.”

The finale performance of Usher’s new show comes ahead of a busy few months for the pop-R&B legend. After hopping on a remix of Jung Kook’s “Standing Next to You,” Usher posted a clip of himself and the BTS star dancing to his hit single “Yeah” over the weekend, encouraging fans to “stay tuned” for what the pair have coming next. Meanwhile, the singer is also preparing for his upcoming performance at the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 11.