Beyoncé is weeks away from delivering her much-anticipated LP Renaissance to the world. On Wednesday, the music icon shared the LP’s cover art and what making the album was like for her: it “allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world.”
Captioning the cover image, which features a photo of Beyoncé riding a ghost-like horse and staring intently into the camera while nearly nude, she wrote, “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom.”
Beyoncé continued by saying that creating the LP became a “beautiful journey of exploration” and that she hopes her fans enjoy the new music as much as she does.
“I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha!” she wrote. “And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.”
The singer also updated her profile picture to the horse-riding image after leaving it blank for several weeks.
The statement from Queen Bey is the first taste fans have gotten about what’s to come with the new record since releasing the house music-inspired single “Break My Soul” earlier this month.
A British Vogue cover story described the record as “Music that makes you rise, that turns your mind to cultures and subcultures, to our people past and present, music that will unite so many on the dance floor, music that touches your soul.”
This is Beyoncé’s first LP since 2016’s iconic Lemonade. Since then, she’s released her The Carters LP with Jay-Z, Everything Is Love, and curated the Lion King: The Gift album following the release of the Disney film.
She also dropped “Black Parade” for Juneteenth 2020 and “Be Alive” from the King Richard film last year.
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The roots of Lifetime’s next made-for-TV movie are planted firmly in the past.
Fifteen years after the WB-turned-CW sitcom Reba ended its six-season run, series stars Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman are set to reunite in The Hammer, a new film inspired by the life of traveling circuit judge Kim Wanker.
McEntire, who is also an executive producer, will play Kim Wheeler, “an outspoken, firecracker lawyer who is appointed Judge of the 5th District of Nevada, and is one of the few traveling judges left in America,” according to the official synopsis. “After the reigning judge passes away under suspicious circumstances, Kim finds herself covering a circuit that stretches between Las Vegas and Reno — a rugged, often desolate area where anything and everything can happen. With gavel in hand, she lays down the law with a no-nonsense brand of justice, that quickly earns her the nickname ‘The Hammer.’
“As the investigation of the former judge’s death heats up, Kim’s sister Kris (Peterman), who runs the local brothel, suddenly becomes the prime suspect,” the synopsis continues. As a result, Kim is forced to “work even harder to make certain the appropriate justice is served.”
The cast also includes McEntire’s real-life boyfriend, CSI: Miami vet Rex Linn, and Totally Normal‘s Kay Shioma Metchie. A premiere date has not yet been announced.
Reba first premiered on The WB in 2001, running for six seasons (and 125 episodes) through 2007. The series told the story of Reba Hart, a single mom who worked too hard, who loved her kids and never stopped after longtime husband Brock left her for his ditzy dental hygienest, Peterman’s Barbra Jean. Over the course of the series, Reba warmed to Barbra Jean despite her best efforts to keep Brock’s second wife at an arm’s length — something that proved all the more difficult once Brock and Barbra Jean bought the house next door.
McEntire previously reunited with Peterman on CMT’s Working Class and Freeform’s Baby Daddy. Interestingly, while both McEntire and Peterman currently recur on CBS’ Young Sheldon, sometimes even appearing in the same episode, their characters — June Ballard and Brenda Sparks — have never crossed paths. (Linn, who also recurs on the Big Bang Theory prequel as Principal Petersen, only recently shared a scene with Peterman’s Brenda in the Jan. 27 episode, “A Lock-In, a Weather Girl and a Disgusting Habit.”)
Are you looking forward to McEntire and Petersen’s Lifetime reunion? Hit the comments with your reactions to the news.
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LIVERMORE, Calif. -- Sonny Barger, the leather-clad fixture of 1960s counterculture and figurehead of the notorious Hells Angels motorcycle club, has died. He was 83.
Barger's death was announced on his Facebook page late Wednesday.
“If you are reading this message, you’ll know that I’m gone. I’ve asked that this note be posted immediately after my passing,” a posting said. “I’ve lived a long and good life filled with adventure. And I’ve had the privilege to be part of an amazing club.”
The post said that “I passed peacefully after a brief battle with cancer.”
Barger's former attorney, Fritz Clapp, told The Associated Press that Barger had liver cancer and died Wednesday night at home in Livermore, California. Barger composed the post placed on the Facebook page managed by Barger's wife, Zorana, he said.
Ralph “Sonny” Barger was a founding member of the Oakland, California, chapter of the Hells Angels in 1957 and was present at its most infamous moment — the 1969 Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway during which bikers hired as security staff fatally stabbed a concertgoer who pulled a gun on one of their members.
The Hells Angels were typically depicted by the media as the dark fringe of the 1960s counterculture, embracing freedom, drugs and rock music, but also crime and violence.
But Barger, the unofficial spokesman for the Hells Angels, downplayed their outlaw reputation.
“They say we're organized crime, but if you took every Hells Angel on the face of the Earth and got rid of them you wouldn’t drop the crime rate in the world one-tenth of one percent,” he said in a 2000 interview for Heads magazine. “We’re a little drop in the bucket. There’s more cops committing crimes than Hells Angels.”
Barger’s own arrest record included charges ranging from drunken driving to attempted murder. He served 13 years in various prisons, according to news reports.
He claimed that one of his most satisfying experiences was his acquittal in 1980 on a count of racketeering, and the declaration of a mistrial on a charge of conspiracy to violate the racketeering law.
But in 1988, a jury found Barger guilty of conspiracy to violate federal firearms and explosives laws in plots to kill members of a rival gang. He was sentenced to a six-year term at the Phoenix Federal Correctional Institution and was released in 1992.
Barger capitalized on his notoriety. He wrote three books about his life and philosophy, including a best-selling autobiography, “Hell’s Angel.” A chapter title in one of his books was “Nothing states your position more clearly than a punch in the face.” He also wrote two novels.
Sonny Barger Productions operates a website and sells clothing.
A high school dropout at 16, Barger grew up in Oakland and joined the Army in 1955 with a forged birth certificate. He was kicked out with an honorable discharge after the forgery was discovered.
He started the Hells Angels with friends and soon learned there were other Hells Angels clubs in California. Barger helped unify the clubs.
He served as the main character in Hunter Thompson’s 1966 expose “Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.”
“He’s smart and he’s crafty and he has a kind of wild animal cunning. He was clearly the most competent person around,” Thompson wrote.
Of the Altamont killing, Barger argued that the Hells Angels acted in self-defense. The club member charged in the incident was acquitted. The stabbing was captured by a camera crew filming the documentary “Gimme Shelter.”
Barger underwent a laryngectomy in the early 1980s for throat cancer, which he attributed to a long, three-pack-a-day cigarette habit. Thereafter, he breathed through a plastic valve in his neck, and covered the vent to speak.
“Live your life the Sonny Barger way? I don’t recommend it,” he wrote in the opening lines to his 2005 book “Freedom: Credos from the Road.”
———
Biographical material compiled by former AP reporter Gary Kane.
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The 49-year-old actor, who stepped back from Hollywood in 2018, will star alongside Jamie Foxx in Netflix’s action-comedy “Back in Action.” The project reunites Diaz and Foxx, who worked together on 1999’s sports drama “Any Given Sunday” and 2014’s “Annie” remake, which was Diaz’s final film role before “retiring.”
Foxx made the announcement on Twitter, sharing audio from a phone call with Diaz, who can’t seem to find the words to tell the world that she’s returning to the silver screen.
“I don’t know how to do this, you know?” she says.
So Foxx brought in someone who knows a thing or two about returning to work after hanging up their hat: Tom Brady, who earlier this year retired from the NFL only to rejoin the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 40 days later.
“I was talking to Jamie and he said you needed a few tips on how to un-retire,” Brady says. “I’m relatively successful at un-retiring.”
Cameron I hope you aren’t mad I recorded this, but no turning back now. Had to call in the GOAT to bring back another GOAT. @CameronDiaz and I are BACK IN ACTION – our new movie with @NetflixFilm. Production starting later this year!! 🦊🐐 pic.twitter.com/vyaGrUmbWb
Diaz confirmed the news on her Instagram Story, writing, “Jamie Foxx, only you could get me back in action!!! I can’t frickin wait it’s gonna be a blast!”
Seth Gordon (“Horrible Bosses”) is directing the movie from a script he wrote with Brendan O’Brien (“Neighbors”). Plot details are being kept under wraps. According to Foxx, production is expected to begin later this year.
Foxx is executive producing “Back in Action” with Datari Turner, O’Brien and Mark McNair. Producers are Beau Bauman (“Central Intelligence”) for Good One Productions and Gordon via Exhibit A.
One of the most bankable stars in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Diaz shot to fame after making her film debut in 1994’s “The Mask” opposite Jim Carrey. She later starred in a string of successful romantic comedies, including “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “There’s Something About Mary,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “Shrek.” She announced her retirement in 2018, which meant the role of Miss Hannigan in “Annie” marked Diaz’s final film performance. That is … until Foxx and Netflix came knocking.
(CNN)Chris Pratt understands that social media trolling tends to accompany success in Hollywood, but he'd like to do his best to protect his family from it.
In a new interview with Men's Health, the actor addressed the public backlash he received last November over an Instagram post he wrote about his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger.
"I said something like, 'Find someone who looks at you the way my wife looks at me.' And then I gave her some s*** in the thing and said, 'But I love you. I'm so thankful for my wife—she gave me a beautiful, healthy daughter," Pratt recalled. "Then a bunch of articles came out and said, 'That's so cringeworthy. I can't believe Chris Pratt would thank her for a healthy daughter when his first child was born premature. That's such a dig at his ex-wife.' And I'm like, That is f***ed up. My son's gonna read that one day. He's nine. And it's etched in digital stone."
Pratt and Schwarzenegger are parents to two young daughters. He shares son Jack with his ex-wife Anna Faris.
"It really f***ing bothered me, dude. I cried about it," Pratt told Men's Health. "I was like, I hate that these blessings in my life are—to the people close to me—a real burden."
In the article, Pratt also addressed misperceptions about his relationship with organized religion after he spoke about God during an acceptance speech at the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2018.
"I didn't know that I would kind of become the face of religion when really I'm not a religious person. I think there's a distinction between being religious—adhering to the customs created by man, oftentimes appropriating the awe reserved for who I believe is a very real God—and using it to control people, to take money from people, to abuse children, to steal land, to justify hatred. Whatever it is. The evil that's in the heart of every single man has glommed on to the back of religion and come along for the ride."
Pratt next stars in the Amazon Prime Video thriller series "The Terminal List," about a Navy SEAL whose platoon is killed in action.
“Here’s me, definitely not having almost any of my s–t figured out, to let you know that i am trans,” the reality star, 26, captioned a slideshow.
“My name is Leon or Leo (I love both) and my pronouns are they/them,” the TLC personality continued. “I’m finally ready to share my favorite self with the world. And that self is incredibly genderqueer, trans, and unapologetic.”
“Sister Wives” star Leon Brown came out as transgender via Instagram on Tuesday.leon brown/Instagram
Leon noted that they were “pretty young” when they knew they didn’t identify as a girl.
“Unfortunately I grew up in a context that was incredibly gendered & restrictive,” the Utah resident added. “So I continued to be socialized as a girl & later a woman.”
Leon’s pronouns are “they/them.”leon brown/Instagram
Leon concluded that their social media upload was meant to set “boundaries” with their followers.
“If you choose to not use my correct name or pronouns, then you do not need to speak to or about me,” they explained. “My name is Leo or Leon, and my pronouns are they/them. Please only refer to me in that way.”
“I’m finally ready to share my favorite self with the world,” they wrote via Instagram.leon brown/Instagram
The reveal marked the program manager’s first Instagram upload since June 2021 when they advocated for transgender athletes.
“I stand with trans athletes,” Leon wrote at the time. “I stand with trans kids. Let trans kids, and trans girls especially, play sports! Trans kids belong, always.”
Leon is Meri Brown and Kody Brown’s only child. While their dad, who has 17 other children with three other women, has yet to react to the Instagram announcement, Meri shared Leon’s post to her Story on Tuesday.
“You are my sunshine,” the 51-year-old wrote.
Leon is in a relationship with Audrey Kriss, and the pair got engaged in 2019 after two years of dating.
Kriss came out as transgender in December 2021. “I just wanted to let you know that I am transgender, and my pronouns are they/them. I’m still going by Audrey,” they wrote via Instagram at the time.
“I don’t want to make this all sad because I am SO happy being me!” the graphic designer continued. “Being fully myself lately has brought me so much joy. For the first time, I look at my body and I feel free. I am starting to feel more at home, more ME. I love being trans and I love being queer.”
Bam Margera has gone missing from a rehab facility in Florida for the second time in two weeks, Page Six can confirm.
The “Jackass” star, 42, was last seen in the area around LifeSkills residential facility in Deerfield Beach, Fla., on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., a Broward County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson tells us.
The public information officer says Margera was “wearing a black shirt, black sweatpants and black sneakers” at the time.
“Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact BSO Detective Chris Blankenship at 954-321-4268 or the BSO non-emergency number at 954-764-HELP (4357).”
Staff at LifeSkills would not confirm to Page Six whether Margera was a patient there and did not immediately return requests for comment on the MTV alum’s abrupt exit.
In recent months, Margera has been staying at rehab centers following a court order.
Police officers responded to an emotional disturbance call at the Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach, Fla., where the former skateboarder was staying, in September 2021.
After finding Margera had a legal order against him requiring cops to take him to rehab, they transferred him to a nearby facility.
Margera and his wife, Nicole Boyd, share a 4-year-old son named Phoenix.bam__margera/Instagram
One month later, Page Six exclusively obtained a 911 call that revealed the “Viva La Bam” alum allegedly attacked a woman while on cocaine during the incident. His reps at the time denied the claims made on the call.
Since then, Margera appeared to be getting back on track as he settled a major lawsuit with Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the “Jackass” team and laid relatively low for a while.
However, earlier this month, the father of one was reported missing for the first time after leaving a rehab facility in Delray Beach, Fla., without authorization on June 13.
The stunt performer allegedly told the facility’s manager of his plans to exit the premises and check into a different rehab center, but cops could not locate him.
Then, on June 15, Margera was found safe while hiding out in a Florida hotel room.
Sources told TMZ that the “Bam’s Unholy Union” alum was sober and cooperative when police picked him up and took him to a second treatment center, which is the facility from which he most recently escaped.
Margera posted this photo with his family at a baseball game on June 4.bam__margera/Instagram
Prior to his departure from LifeSkills, Margera had been active on social media.
One of his latest Instagram post was shared on Friday and featured a throwback picture of himself.
Margera said in the caption that his mother, April Margera, had been “scrapbooking,” and he added, “🤘💜#f–KYeah.”
Then amid reports he had gone “missing,” the TV personality posted throwback photos on Instagram of tattoos he had gotten from Kat Von D.
A rep for Margera did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment on his whereabouts.
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Former child star Jodie Sweetin hit the road when she was thrown to the ground by armored cops at an abortion rights protest, but fortunately, the Full House star did not suffer any serious injuries. On Sunday, Per TMZ, Sweetin had joined protesters in Los Angeles in condemning the United States Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protection for abortions. In a viral video posted online by someone who recorded the incident, Sweetin can be seen standing on the side of the road with a megaphone in hand when a group of LAPD officers aggressively shove her toward street, causing her to take a fall on the pavement.
According to the original uploader of the video, Sweetin had taken charge by trying to lead the group of protesters away from the freeway. After the shove, Sweetin rose back to her feet and joined the protesters in chanting, "No justice, no peace." The actress did not suffer any serious injuries and remains proud of the protest.
"I’m extremely proud of the hundreds of people who showed up yesterday to exercise their First Amendment rights and take immediate action to peacefully protest the giant injustices that have been delivered from our Supreme Court," Sweetin told TMZ. "Our activism will continue until our voices are heard and action is taken. This will not deter us, we will continue fighting for our rights. We are not free until ALL of us are free."
Sweetin, a former child star, is best known for playing Stephanie Tanner in the classic sitcom Full House, a role she reprised for the Netflix spinoff series Fuller House. In recent years, she has appeared in Hallmark Channel holiday movies and has appeared in reality shows like Beyond the Edge, Worst Cooks in America, and Name That Tune.
Many Celebrities Have Been Criticizing the Supreme Court's Decision
There have been other celebrities speaking out about Roe v. Wade getting overturned and what this will mean for women in the country moving forward. Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson quickly made it clear with a post on social media that she was very angry and said that now is the time for all women to stand up and fight back.
"I'M MAD AS HELL!!! Today, a group of thieves called the US Supreme Court, stripped women of their fundamental constitutional rights," Peterson said. "We must ALL stand up and say NO! Women are NOT, and WILL NOT be, 2nd class citizens in our own country!"
Many other famous stars followed suit, with Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose echoing many others by tweeting, "Yeah, ain’t NOBODY telling me what I can & can’t do with my body. Ain’t nobody telling me who I get to love or marry for that matter. America… you’re in for the fight of your life."
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Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong criticized the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade during his London show on Friday. (Photo: Burak Cingi/Redferns)
Performing at London Stadium just hours after the majority-conservative court ruled that abortion rights are no longer protected, the 50-year-old rock star lashed out at the decision on Friday night.
"F*** America," Armstrong said on stage for the Hella Mega tour his band is headlining alongside Weezer, Fall Out Boy and others. "I'm f***ing renouncing my citizenship. I'm f***ing coming here."
As the crowd cheered in response, the California native carried on his diatribe.
"There's just too much f***ing stupid in the world to go back to that miserable f***ing excuse for a country," continued Armstrong, who at one point during the show had a Union Jack flag draped over himself. "Oh, I'm not kidding. You're going to get a lot of me in the coming days."
The Daily Mail reports that Armstrong also yelled "f*** the Supreme Court of America" before playing the 2004 hit "American Idiot," Green Day's response to the Iraq War and the media frenzy surrounding it.
Armstrong — who joins musicians like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Megan Thee Stallion and more in condemning the Supreme Court ruling on stage — has previously described himself as politically independent. The singer hasn't shied away from calling out politicians, including former presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Most recently, Green Day has performed in front of a banner reading "F*** Ted Cruz," in reference to the Republican senator following the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
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Kevin Love and Kate Bock Are Married! Inside Their Great Gatsby Inspired New York City Wedding
Allan Zepeda
Introducing The Loves!
NBA Star Kevin Love and model Kate Bock married Saturday, June 25th, in a glamorous wedding at the New York City Public Library in front of their families and closest friends.
"The city is so much a part of our story and it felt so right to bring all of our favorite people together into such an iconic New York City institution," the model, entrepreneur, and founder of Love Kate, 34, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "Kevin and I are both very curious people and love literature, art, and history and the New York Public Library encompasses all of that in such a romantic setting. It evokes the old-school New York glamour we were searching for and is so iconic to the city that we love. We also love that it is so close by to the place we had our first date — the St. Regis Hotel."
With the help from their wedding planner Marcy Blum, the couple turned the historic N.Y.C. venue into a "Great Gatsby-inspired ball," according to Bock, and all guests were asked to wear black and white.
"We thought it was chic, timeless and elegant," she shares with PEOPLE.
For the ceremony, the bride stunned in a custom, "traditional and elegant" Ralph Lauren gown paired with Ralph Lauren shoes, jewelry and a matching cathedral-length veil. Bock's glam team included makeup artist Lisa Aharon and hairstylist Adam Maclay.
"My dress was inspired by Grace Kelly's wedding dress," Bock tells PEOPLE. "She was a true icon who I've always been inspired by and who I think is timeless. When I first saw the dress in person all I could think was, 'this is a piece of art.' It's very special, very regal and completely dazzling."
Kevin Love and Kate Bock Are Married! Inside Their Great Gatsby Inspired New York City Wedding
Allan Zepeda
"There is no brand more timeless and chic, which is exactly what I envisioned for my wedding day," she added of working with the iconic American label on her dream dress. "We collaborated on the vision for my dress and how it fit in with my wedding day — a black and white ball evoking old-school N.Y.C glamour, inspired by the Great Gatsby, Sinatra and the Hollywood icons of the '50s and '60s. They perfectly understood what I dreamed of for my dress and put my vision through the iconic Ralph Lauren lens to make it truly one of a kind."
The groom also dressed in custom Ralph Lauren.
"Kevin has a great sense of style and makes a tuxedo look so good," Bock shares. "It was really fun picking out the fabrics and colors for his looks and choosing different details from references we had pulled. Seeing him do his fitting really made the day suddenly feel real!
The couple bucked tradition on their big day, arriving to their wedding venue together.
"Kevin and I didn't feel it was important to keep things separate," Bock tells PEOPLE. "We planned the wedding together, got ready together and rode over to the Library together."
After their ceremony and reception, guests headed over to the after-party at the Bryant Park Hotel's Célon Lounge.
In January 2021, Love — who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers — and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model announced their engagement on Instagram alongside romantic black-and-white photos from Love's proposal.
"Well, this was the best birthday surprise I could have ever imagined. I couldn't be happier to have been asked to be a Love. Heart bursting all day & night," Bock wrote in her post at the time, sharing a close look at her diamond engagement ring.
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In February, Bock told PEOPLE she and Love were in sync when it came to wedding planning.
"I'm very lucky that we're both aligned with our style and aesthetic when it comes to home decor or weddings or style," she shared. "Luckily there haven't been too many disagreements on it. We're really excited to bring our dream party that we can throw for all of our friends and family together. We both grew up in different states, and then different countries, and then lived in many different states kind of following our careers. We have people all over the world, so I think we're just really excited to have all of our people in one place."
Love shared a similar sentiment, telling PEOPLE in April that he and Bock "both feel like [throughout] this whole process, we've just been super excited to get married."
"We always say, besides the ceremony and getting through that, it's going to be about us. We want to make it about our life and all of our friends within that," he shared. "So we're going to kind of celebrate just all those relationships and getting those people together. That's how it should be."
The couple met in 2016 after a photoshoot in New York with the same photographer, who introduced them. In December 2020, Love and Bock welcomed Architectural Digest into their New York apartment.
In lieu of wedding gifts, the couple requested donations be made to the Kevin Love Fund, which focuses on breaking the stigma around mental health.
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Lil Nas X’s criticism of BET after not garnering any nominations at this year’s BET Awards has arguably overshadowed the awards themselves. Nas has made his disapproval abundantly clear, from noting “the bigger problem of homophobia in the black community” earlier this month, to the release of the song “Late to Da Party” on Friday complete with a “Fuck BET” chorus line and album artwork featuring a urine-soaked BET Award in a toilet.
The surprise shutout, however, wasn’t the beginning of any skirmish between Lil Nas X and BET, but rather the latest in an already shaky relationship over a year in the making. As the grammy-winning rapper and multiple members of his team claim to Rolling Stone, before getting the go-ahead to perform at last year’s award show — where Lil Nas X would make headlines after kissing one of his backing dancers during his performance — BET was hesitant when booking Nas, asking for his team’s confirmation that he wasn’t a “satanist or devil worshiper,” the rapper claims. And after Nas finished his performance, the kiss allegedly left certain network producers upset.
“My relationship with BET has been painful and strained for quite some time. It didn’t start with this year’s nominations like most people might think,” Lil Nas X tells Rolling Stone in a statement. “They did let me perform on their show last year, but only after [I gave] assurances that I was not a satanist or devil worshiper, and that my performance would be appropriate for their audience.”
In a statement to Rolling Stone, a BET spokesperson said that the “summation of events around Lil Nas X’s 2021 BET Awards performance is simply untrue.” “Since last year’s performance, we have been in touch to work on other projects,” the rep adds. “We are still excited about his previous performances and continue to wish him well. But today, we are focused on culture’s biggest night and delivering history-making moments for fans worldwide.”
Nas’s statement marks the latest and most complex in his barbs at BET. After the network announced its nominees for Sunday’s award show, Nas posted several since-deleted tweets criticizing his lack of nominations despite releasing several hits off one of the most acclaimed albums of last year. “Thank you BET awards. An outstanding zero nominations again,” he tweeted. “Black excellence!”
In another since-deleted tweet, he wrote, “I just feel like black gay ppl have to fight to be seen in this world and even when we make it to the top mfs try to pretend we are invisible.”
BET issued a statement following Nas’s criticism, referring to his Best New Artist nomination in 2020 and defending this year’s nominations by noting that it’s their voting body and not the network itself that selects the nominees. “BET’s Voting Academy … is comprised of an esteemed group of nearly 500 entertainment professionals in the fields of music, television, film, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, influencers, and creative arts,” the network said. “No one from BET serves as a member of the Voting Academy.” The network added that “no one cheered louder that night than BET” during the rapper’s 2021 performance.
But speaking to Rolling Stone, Lil Nas X and his team have refuted the latter claim. As one of the rapper’s team members who worked on the BET performance recalls, the issue with BET started in May 2021. Nas had just wrapped a performance of “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” on SNL in which he accidentally ripped his pants mid-song. The BET awards were soon approaching, and the ceremony felt like the right place to give the song another shot.
By that point, Lil Nas X had already faced controversy from religious conservatives for months after giving the devil a lapdance in his “Montero” video and partnering with the company MSCHF to release the controversial “satan shoes” infused with drops of human blood that Nike ended up suing MSCHF over. (The suit was settled in April 2021.) Nas’s critics had been accusing him of satanic worship, and as the team member says, the heat seemed to be enough for BET to inquire further.
“The response we got back was, ‘We need to clarify a few things,’” the team member, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution, says. “Is he a Satanist? Are there going to be elements of devil worship or satan in the show? I was so taken aback by it. We’d been fielding those questions from people for months by that point after the video and the shoes, and of course the answer was no and we obviously got the slot. But it blew our minds.
“When Nas created ‘Montero,’ he knew what he was doing. He wanted to create a queer-pop anthem. He wanted to make a statement based on what he’s heard from people probably his whole life as a gay man,” the source adds. “That statement was very clear to me. But they’ve all missed the message so much that all they see is the devil. There was no contemplation that this was what he’s always heard and that now he’s embracing it.”
The rapper’s 2021 “Montero” performance immediately went viral and became one of the most memorable parts of last year’s show. In the immediate aftermath, the rapper’s team said they expected a laudatory response from show organizers, but instead said the network was disappointed. “It didn’t feel celebratory,” the first team member says. “The response I got back was that they felt taken advantage of.”
“After [Nas] got offstage, one of the BET producers came up to me and before I could even open my mouth, he looked at me and said, ‘That was really fucked up.’” – A member of Lil Nas X’s team
The second team member, who also requested anonymity, recalled a BET producer involved in the rapper’s performance approaching them afterward. “At some point after [Nas] got offstage, one of the BET producers came up to me and before I could even open my mouth, he looked at me and said, ‘That was really fucked up.’”
“They say that ‘no one cheered louder’ for me than them that night,” Lil Nas X tells Rolling Stone, “but the BET Awards team was actually very upset that I kissed my dancer onstage and vocalized their discontent with multiple members of my team immediately following the performance.”
In their statement earlier this month regarding the controversy, the network said they are “passionate advocates for the wonderful diversity that exists within our community. We are committed to using all of our platforms to provide visibility and inclusion for all of the many intersections of the Black community.”
But the rapper and his team disagree. “It’s almost like they didn’t mind sweet kind of gay ‘Old Town Road’ Lil Nas X, but this is too much,” the first team member says. “I think BET is doubling down on what they did wrong. Instead of saying, ‘We got it wrong,’ they said, ‘It’s [the voting] community and they don’t fuck with him,’ which is bullshit. All the accolades, the achievements Nas has had in his career, all the music people have consumed, the [voting] community doesn’t fuck with him? What are you talking about?”
Article From & Read More ( Ahead of BET Awards, Lil Nas X Details ‘Painful’ History With Network - Rolling Stone )
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Entertainment
Lily Anne Harrison revealed she is expecting her first child with Peter Facinelli at a panel, titled Behind-The-Scenes of Creating a Hallmark Movie, on Saturday.
The Christmas Camp actress, 33, announced the exciting news by gushing she is 'very pregnant' at the convention in West Palm Beach, according to Us Weekly, just three weeks after stepping out with a visible baby bump this month Los Angeles.
While the couple's nuptials have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the star also gushed about knowing 'immediately' that she would marry the Twilight alum, 48, after their first date.
'I sat down with him, and I knew immediately that he was my husband,' she gushed, before admitting to calling her parents to let them know.
In 2020, the duo got engaged during a holiday getaway to Mazatlan, Mexico.
'Both are beyond elated,' a rep for the New York City native told the outlet, 'and are very much looking forward to all that the New Year will bring.'
Both took to Instagram with a shore side shot from a New Year's Eve meal they shared at the Estrella Del Mar Beach and Golf Resort.
'A Magical night with this incredible woman. A Perfect ending to 2019,' wrote Facinelli, who played Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight series.
Harrison wrote: 'Bye 2019 thanks for kicking my butt, making me stronger than ever, protecting my family and hurtling me toward my dreams also, not a bad way to ring in the new year with my sweetheart.'
The Nurse Jackie actor's three daughters with ex-wife Jennie Garth - Luca, 24, Lola, 19, and Fiona, 15 - were there for the occasion, as were Harrison’s parents, the outlet reported.
The magazine featured a shot of Harrison donning the diamond ring her fiance proposed with.
Facinelli was previously married to the 90210 star Garth from 2001 until their 2012 split. The pair have remained amicable in the wake of their split, going on vacation to Cancun, Mexico with their kids and partners in 2017.
Facinelli was also formerly engaged to actress Jamie Alexander for a year until their split in February of 2016; the actor was seen publicly with Harrison in September of that year.
Harrison in recent years has been seen in films including Good Deed and Breaking & Exiting, as well as the TV shows Two Guys One Truck and One Tree Hill.
Article From & Read More ( Lily Anne Harrison and Peter Facinelli are expecting first child together: 'I'm very pregnant' - Daily Mail )
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Entertainment
Olivia Rodrigo didn’t mince her words when addressing the Supreme Court’s vote to overturn Roe v. Wade via the Dobbs v. Jackson decision on Friday during her set at the Glastonbury music festival in England.
“I’m devastated and terrified that so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” she said, bringing out Lily Allen to sing the song “F— You,” which they dedicated to each of the justices who voted in favor of the decision.
“I wanted to dedicated this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have shown us that, at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a s— about freedom,” she continued. “This song goes out to the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.”
Rodrigo has often been outspoken about equal rights on stage. In May, after the Supreme Court’s draft decision on Dobbs v. Jackson leaked, she spoke about abortion during a Washington, D.C. concert.
“Because we’re in D.C., I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say how heartbroken I am over the Supreme Court’s potential decision,” she said. “Our bodies should never be in the hands of politicians. I hope we can raise our voices to protect our right, to have a safe abortion, which is a right that so many people before us have worked so hard to get.”
The “Good 4 U” singer also wasn’t the only one to address the Supreme Court’s decision at Glastonbury. Phoebe Bridgers led a chant of “F— the Supreme Court” during her set.
“In all honesty, it’s like super surreal and fun. But I am having, like, the shittiest day,” she told the audience. “Are there any Americans here?” she continued. “Who wants to say ‘F— the Supreme Court’ on three?”
Billie Eilish also introduced her song “Your Power” with a comment about the decision, saying: “Today is a really, really dark day for women in the U.S. I’m just going to say that because I can’t bear to think about it any longer.”
Article From & Read More ( Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen Dedicate 'F– You' to the Supreme Court at Glastonbury: 'We Hate You' - Yahoo Entertainment )
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Entertainment
Jennifer Aniston paid tribute to her father John Aniston at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 24. The Friends actress, 53, gave an emotional speech while presenting the iconic Days of Our Lives actor, 88, with a lifetime achievement award. Although John was not in attendance at the in-person ceremony at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and Jennifer previously recorded her message, it was undoubtedly a special moment as the pair had been formerly estranged for quite some time.
“It’s an opportunity to not only pay tribute to a true icon in the daytime television world, but it’s also a chance to recognize the lifelong achievements of a great and well-respected actor who also happens to be my dad,’ Jennifer began in her speech. “John Aniston has been working in television consistently for over half a century. He started acting in 1962, garnering roles on all types of now-classic television programs like Combat!, Mission: Impossible, Kojak and later made many guest appearances on shows like Airwolf, Gilmore Girls, The West Wing, Star Trek: Voyager, Mad Men, the list goes on. All while simultaneously appearing in nearly every soap opera imaginable. You name it, I’m sure he’s been on it,” she quipped.
She then went on to highlight the role John took in 1985 that made him a household name: Victor Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives. “For over 30 years, his dedication to that show has gained him the respect and admiration of his fellow actors, deep friendships, and thrilled millions of fans around the world,” Jennifer concluded. “His career is literally the definition of lifetime achievement.”
Jennifer Aniston and John Aniston were estranged when she was a child. (Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock)
The show of love and support was a far cry from Jennifer and John’s relationship in the past, where the pair were estranged after John left his wife and Jennifer’s mother, Nancy Dow, and Jennifer when the star was only nine years old. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1999. Jennifer said she didn’t see her father until a year later. “He just called one day and said, ‘Let’s go see The Fantastickes.’ So we had a little dinner and saw the show. After that, I started seeing him on weekends, and this new way of life just unfolded.” The pair eventually made amends. “As best he could, my dad explained and apologized, and it’s enough. We’ve made up. There’s still parts that are hard for me, but I’m an adult. I can’t blame my parents anymore.”
Article From & Read More ( Jennifer Aniston Pays Tribute To Legendary Father John, 88, At Daytime Emmy Awards: Watch - HollywoodLife )
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Entertainment
“General Hospital” was the big winner on Friday night at the 49th annual Daytime Emmys, winning five awards — including daytime drama — as the telecast returned to a live, in-person event. The day’s news — the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the assault on women’s rights by a rogue Supreme Court – threatened to overshadow the event. But the two-hour telecast, hosted by “Entertainment Tonight” anchors Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner for the first time, kicked off without a hitch from the Pasadena Convention Center.
“General Hospital’s” Daytime Emmys also including supporting actor, supporting actress, young performer and directing. The “GH” haul made ABC the overall network leader of the night, with five wins. Syndicated series won overall, with six total. “GH” is the most-winning daytime drama series in history, having now won the top prize a total of 15 times.
“The Kelly Clarkson Show,” meanwhile, was a repeat winner as best entertainment talk show, and Clarkson won as entertainment talk show host, bringing its total over two weekends to seven — the most of any program this year. And “Entertainment Tonight” was once again the entertainment news program winner.
Mishael Morgan accepts the Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Drama Series award onstage at the 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Michael Buckner for Variety
Among the big wins, “Young & Restless” star Mishael Morgan made history as first Black winner in the lead actress category. “We are breaking glass ceiligns left, right and center,” Morgan said. “We can and we will do this thing called equality and unity together.”
Morgan was one of several first-time winners at this year’s show: Actually, every major acting Emmy went to someone who had never won before, including lead actor (“The Bold and the Beautiful” star John McCook), supporting actor (“GH’s” Jeff Kober), supporting actress (“GH’s” Kelly Thiebaud) and younger performer (“GH’s” Nicholas Chavez).
Also, “Jeopardy” continued its streak as the best game show winner, despite the show’s tumultuous last year, which saw executive producer Mike Richards, who had been named host of the show as Alex Trebek’s successor, fired after a week due to past comments and controversial actions.
“The scandal was, as we call it at ‘Jeopardy!,’ ‘the awkward months,'” executive producer Michael Davies said backstage. “But it showed the power of our audience and how passionately our fans care about the program, which is just so important. What’s happened over the course of the season — Matt Amodio, and Amy Schneider and Mattea [Roach] and Ryan [Long] — really made us just remember how incredible the game is. The stars of our show and Mayim [Bialik] and Ken [Jennings] have done incredible job hosting.”
Davies added, ‘we hope to have a hosting announcement very, very soon. But with all of our plans for ‘Jeopardy!’ — which is more ‘Jeopardy!,’ not less, more versions —we’re going to need multiple hosts to represent the entire audience, to represent the entire country, in order to take this franchise forward.”
Previously, the 49th Annual Daytime Creative Arts & Lifestyle Emmy Awards took place June 18 at the Pasadena Convention Center “Kelly Clarkson” picked up five awards, while “Penguin Town” was next, with three. Beyond syndication (with 10), Netflix was the big single network winner, picking up nine total, spread out among “Penguin Town,” “Cat People,” “Headspace: Guide to Meditation” and “You vs. Wild: Out Cold.” CBS and PBS tied next, with three each.
Also of note, during the Creative Arts Emmys, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s” final season landed a Daytime Emmy for outstanding writing team for a daytime non-fiction program. And in its first season, Judge Judy Sheindlin’s new series “Judy Justice,” for IMDbTV (now Amazon Freevee) won for legal/courtroom program. (It also repped the first-ever Daytime Emmy for IMDbTV/Freevee.).
Check out the winners from last week’s ceremony here.
Receiving a lifetime achievement during the telecast: Soap opera icon John Aniston (“Days of Our Lives”). And here are this year’s Daytime Emmys winners in 15 key categories, as broadcast Friday night:
OUTSTANDING DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES
“Beyond Salem” (Peacock)
“The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
WINNER: “General Hospital” (ABC)
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
(Last year’s winner: “General Hospital”)
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTRESS
Marci Miller as Abigail DiMera
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
WINNER: Mishael Morgan as Amanda Sinclair
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Cynthia Watros as Nina Reeves
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Laura Wright as Carly Corinthos
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Arianne Zucker as Nicole Walker
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
(Last year’s winner: Jacqueline MacInnes Wood as Steffy Forrester, “The Bold and the Beautiful”)
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTOR
Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Eric Martsolf as Brady Black
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
WINNER: John McCook as Eric Forrester
“The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
James Reynolds as Abe Carver
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
Jason Thompson as Billy Abbott
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
(Last year’s winner: Maurice Benard as Sonny Corinthos, “General Hospital”)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA SERIES: ACTRESS
Kimberlin Brown as Sheila Carter
“The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
Nancy Lee Grahn as Alexis Davis
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Stacy Haiduk as Kristen DiMera
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
Melissa Ordway as Abby Newman
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
WINNER: Kelly Thiebaud as Dr. Britt Westbourne
“General Hospital” (ABC)
(Last year’s winner: Marla Adams as Dina Mergeron, “The Young and the Restless”)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA SERIES: ACTOR
Bryton James as Devon Hamilton
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
WINNER: Jeff Kober as Cyrus Renault
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Aaron D. Spears as Justin Barber
“The Bold and the Beautiful” (CBS)
James Patrick Stuart as Valentin Cassadine
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Jordi Vilasuso as Rey Rosales
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
(Last year’s winner: Max Gail as Mike Corbin, “General Hospital”)
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES
Lindsay Arnold as Allie Horton
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
WINNER: Nicholas Chavez as Spencer Cassadine
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Alyvia Alyn Lind as Faith Newman
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
William Lipton as Cameron Webber
“General Hospital” (ABC)
Sydney Mikayla as Trina Robinson
“General Hospital” (ABC)
(Last year’s winner: Victoria Konefal as Ciara Brady, “Days of Our Lives”)
OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW
“Family Feud” (SYNDICATED)
WINNER: “Jeopardy!” (SYNDICATED)
“Let’s Make a Deal” (CBS)
“The Price Is Right” (CBS)
“Wheel of Fortune” (SYNDICATED)
(Last year’s winner: “Jeopardy”)
OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW HOST
Wayne Brady
“Let’s Make a Deal” (CBS)
WINNER: Steve Harvey
“Family Feud” (SYNDICATED)
Leah Remini
“People Puzzler” (Game Show Network)
Pat Sajak
“Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (ABC)
Pat Sajak
“Wheel of Fortune” (SYNDICATED)
(Last year’s winner: Alex Trebek, “Jeopardy!”)
OUTSTANDING INFORMATIVE TALK SHOW
“GMA3: What You Need to Know” (ABC)
“Peace of Mind with Taraji” (Facebook Watch)
“Red Table Talk” (Facebook Watch)
“Red Table Talk: The Estefans” (Facebook Watch)
“Tamron Hall” (SYNDICATED)
WINNER: “Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts” (Disney+)
Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, Meghan McCain
“The View” (ABC)
WINNER: Tamron Hall
“Tamron Hall” (SYNDICATED)
Taraji P. Henson, Tracie Jade
“Peace of Mind with Taraji” (Facebook Watch)
Robin Roberts
“Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts” (Disney+)
(Last year’s winner: Larry King, “Larry King Now”)
OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT TALK SHOW
“The Drew Barrymore Show” (SYNDICATED)
“Hot Ones” (Complex Networks)
WINNER: “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (SYNDICATED)
“Live with Kelly and Ryan” (SYNDICATED)
“Today Show with Hoda & Jenna” (NBC)
(Last year’s winner: “The Kelly Clarkson Show”)
OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT TALK SHOW HOST
Drew Barrymore
“The Drew Barrymore Show” (SYNDICATED)
WINNER: Kelly Clarkson
“The Kelly Clarkson Show” (SYNDICATED)
Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush-Hager
“Today Show with Hoda & Jenna” (NBC)
Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest
“Live with Kelly and Ryan” (SYNDICATED)
(Last year’s winner: Kelly Clarkson, “The Kelly Clarkson Show”)
OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS SERIES
“Access Hollywood” (SYNDICATED)
WINNER: “Entertainment Tonight” (SYNDICATED)
“Extra” (SYNDICATED)
“Inside Edition” (SYNDICATED)
(Last year’s winner: “Entertainment Tonight”)
OUTSTANDING WRITING TEAM FOR A DRAMA SERIES
“Beyond Salem” (Peacock)
WINNER: “Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
“General Hospital” (ABC)
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
(Last year’s winner: “The Young and the Restless”)
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING TEAM FOR A DRAMA SERIES
“Beyond Salem” (Peacock)
“Days of Our Lives” (NBC)
WINNER: “General Hospital” (ABC)
“The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
(Last year’s winner: “General Hospital”)
Susan Lucci introduced the In Memoriam segment, paying tribute to her husband, Helmut Huber, who died in March. Michael Bolton sang his ballad “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” during the segment. Meanwhile, Jennifer Aniston appeared on tape to congratulate her father John Aniston, on his Lifetime Achievement award. John Aniston also couldn’t attend, but his co-star Suzanne Rogers accepted the award on his behalf.
Overall this year, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” received the most Daytime Emmy nominations, with 18, followed closely by ABC’s “General Hospital,” with 17. Among outlets, syndicated fare earned the top tally, with 48 nods for various program distributors, followed by two broadcasters tied on top: ABC and CBS, both with 31. (Netflix was next, with 27.)
Among this year’s other key highlights: The Daytime Drama category — which has been shrinking since the broadcast networks reduced their serial output — has expanded back to five nominees for the first time since 2014, thanks to the addition of “Days of Our Lives” spinoff “Beyond Salem.”
Meanwhile, this reps the first year under the agreement between the two major TV academies in which several categories have been realigned to focus on genre, rather than dayparts, as a way to divide eligibility between the Primetime (administered by the L.A.-based TV Academy) and Daytime Emmys (handled by the NY-based NATAS). It’s also the first year that children’s and family programming categories have been removed from both shows and relocated to a new Children’s & Family Emmy Award competition and ceremony, the first new Emmy show since 1979. (That event will take place in December.)
