Marcus Jordan, credit card debt, lawsuit, credit card lawsuit
by Iman Milner

November 21, 2023

Son Of Basketball Legend Michael Jordan Settles Six-Figure Credit Card Debt

Documents obtained by Radar Online show Marcus Jordan, the son of basketball icon Michael, has settled a six-figure credit card debt with American Express.

Marcus Jordan, a possible “air” to the empire of basketball icon Michael Jordan, can breathe a sigh of relief after paying off a six-figure debt with American Express over the summer.

The company initially claimed that Jordan stopped making payments on a $175,000 balance in 2022. American Express filed a lawsuit against the Trophy Room store owner in December 2022, with Jordan agreeing to pay the balance off in $10,000 increments.

The news was originally reported by Radar Online.

Both Jordan and reality star Larsa Pippen, the ex-wife of former Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, often make headlines due to their relationship’s unusual reminder of the golden days of NBA basketball. Pippen has maintained her position that her ex-husband and her boyfriend’s father, two of the league’s most celebrated duos, had no real connection to their family before dating Jordan, Page Six reports.

“I think people really thought that we knew each other our whole lives,” she said on an episode of the pair’s podcast, Separation Anxiety with Larsa Pippen & Marcus Jordan. “Like I threw your fifth birthday or something. I’m like ‘No, by the way’, I never met you before.”

In recent years, details of the strained relationship between the Jordan patriarch and his former right-hand man have shocked sports fans who equated the pair’s on-court chemistry to an idealistic off-court bromance. Following the release of the Netflix docuseries, The Last Dance, tensions flared due to Pippen’s disapproval of how Jordan was portrayed in comparison to his teammates.

“Even in the second episode, which focused for a while on my difficult upbringing and unlikely path to the NBA, the narrative returned to MJ and his determination to win. I was nothing more than a prop,” Pippen said of his own portrayal in the series at the time. “Each episode was the same: Michael on a pedestal, his teammates secondary, smaller, the message no different from when he referred to us back then as his ‘supporting cast’.”

RELATED CONTENT: MARCUS JORDAN WANTS MICHAEL JORDAN AS HIS BEST MAN WHEN MARRYING LARSA PIPPEN

Controversial Megachurch Founder Carlton Pearson Dies At 70
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 21, 2023

Controversial Megachurch Founder Carlton Pearson Dies At 70

The pastor was known for his controversial switch to Universality preachings.

Bishop Carlton Pearson, the controversial founder of an Oklahoma megachurch, has died at 70 from cancer. Pearson was known for his staunch ideological shifts during his ministry.

The preacher founded the Tusla-based High Dimensions Family Church in 1981, rising to popularity for his Pentecostal teachings televised on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, one of two African American pastors at the time to do so. According to NBC News, the church was later renamed New Dimensions, and in 2008, Pearson shifted his sermons to focus on the “gospel of inclusion.” The universalist preachings rejected the notion of hell and also supported gay rights, two beliefs that were not held by his former congregation.

His theological stance led to advocacy, as clergy members who followed him encouraged Congress to pass anti-hate legislation. Due to his unorthodox beliefs, Pearson was labeled a heretic, ostracized by evangelicals, and lost the base of his church members. Becoming a United Church of Christ member, his last sermon at his former megachurch was in September 2008.

His newfound beliefs were displayed in his many books, such as “The Gospel of Inclusion: Reaching Beyond Religious Fundamentalism to the True Love of God,” with his additional feature in the “Heretics” episode of Chicago Public Radio’s “This American Life” in 2005. His polarizing story was dramatized in the 2018 Netflix film Come Sunday. Chiwetel Ejiofor played the infamous preacher whose journey led him from conservative Christianity to excommunication.

His public accounts announced his passing on Nov. 20, stating that Pearson “sacrificed everything for a message of unconditional love and acceptance by God.” Pearson, who battled cancer that had returned after 20 years, died surrounded by his family as he continued to spread his message of inclusivity until his final days.

“Carlton’s message and example of unconditional love, though it gained him the moniker of “heretic” by some in the Christian church, had a whole new world opened to him as a result,” explained the post announcing the news. “Non-Christians, as well as Christians who had left the church as a result of church hurts, abuse, hypocrisy, etc., loved the new message of love, healing, and restoration. He leaves a legacy of love through the multiplied thousands of lives he touched during his time on earth and the impartation of grace and mercy he preached and exhibited to everyone he encountered.”

NYPD Loses Challenge As New York State Appeals Court Upholds Choking Ban
by Sharelle B. McNair

November 21, 2023

NYPD Loses Challenge As New York State Appeals Court Upholds Choking Ban

New York's State Appeals Court decided to uphold the city's ban on police use of chokeholds.

The New York Police Department took another L on Nov. 20 when the state’s appeals court decided to uphold the city’s ban on police use of chokeholds.

Along with 16 other law enforcement unions, the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York challenged the law, labeling it unconstitutional. However, the Court of Appeals said the City Council exercised its use of authority to keep the ban alive.

The measure has been at the forefront of conversation following the deaths of Eric Garner in New York and George Floyd in Minneapolis; police were accused of using excessive force during both the victims’ arrests.

“The language of the section also provides fair notice of the conduct prohibited and is sufficiently definite to avoid arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement and is therefore not void for vagueness,” the ruling read.

The police unions argued that the law would make it difficult to assess whether the pressure they put on a person’s chest or back makes it hard for them to breathe.

The Court of Appeals disagreed, saying the law is evident in its language. According to Police 1, while upholding the choking ban, the law also includes a section that forbids officers from compressing a person’s diaphragm, including kneeling, sitting, or standing on a person’s chest or back, making it difficult to breathe.

“Both private citizens and law enforcement officers have long been required to gauge the impact of physical force used against others to ensure their employment of force is consistent with statutorily delineated parameters,” the decision continued.

“While this is not the outcome we had hoped for, the Court’s decision is a victory insofar that it will provide our officers with greater certainty when it comes to the statute because, under this Court’s decision, it must be proven at a minimum that an officer’s action in fact ‘impedes the person’s ability to breathe,’ was ‘not accidental,’ and was not a ‘justifiable use of physical force,'” John Nuthall, spokesman for the Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement.

Cardi B Drops Support For Biden After Budget Cuts And Military Aid To Ukraine And Israel
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 21, 2023

Cardi B Drops Support For Biden After Budget Cuts And Military Aid To Ukraine And Israel

Rapper Cardi B might be speaking for the masses when it comes to her drop in support for President Joe Biden.

Cardi B recently used her platform to explain why she’s dropping in support for President Joe Biden. The Grammy-winning rapper sounded off about politics during an Instagram Live session on Sunday, Nov. 19.

As the 2024 presidential election gets closer, Americans see their options dwindling down to Pres. Biden and former one-term president Donald Trump as the only two names on the ballot. But Cardi, like many others, is over it and doesn’t feel either politician deserves her support.

“I don’t give a f–k… I’m not endorsing no f–king presidents no more,” Cardi said.

“Joe Biden’s talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars. We can fund two wars.’ Motherf–kers talkin’ about ‘we don’t got it, but we got it. We’re the greatest nation.’ No the f–k we’re not! We’re going through some s–t right now.”

This comes after Cardi sat down for an interview with Joe Biden for Elle magazine during the 2020 election, where she proudly expressed her support for him.

The “Bodak Yellow” rapper had already called out New York Mayor Eric Adams’ announced budget cuts, that include closing libraries and cuts to sanitation services. The news upset Cardi, who grew up in the Bronx, NY, and knows firsthand how these cuts will impact NYC residents.

“In New York, there is a $120 million budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries, and the police department — y’all know I don’t give a f–k about the cops, but it is what it is,” she said.

“There’s gonna be a $120 million budget cuts, with schools, with libraries and the cops… And a $5 million budget cut in sanitation. B–ch, we are gonna be drowning in f–king rats.”

Cardi still has family members in New York City who will be directly affected by the cuts to the city’s police department and schools, among others.

“Where these kids gonna go. Like, I’m lucky. I’m blessed,” Cardi said.

“I’m whatever the f–k, but what’s going to happen to my nieces? What’s going to happen to nephews? What’s going to happen to my cousins, my aunts, my friends that’s livin’ in the hood?… B–ch New York is already f–king super dirty.”

Just last week, NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced five percent cuts across the board that will affect every city agency, CBS News reports. The cuts include cutting back on hiring police, budget cuts to schools, sanitation, and other city workers.

The cuts are to deal with a $7 billion budget gap caused in part by the migrant crisis and the reduction in federal aid for COVID.

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Wayne Brady, pansexual, gay, bisexual, interview, part and parcel, mental health, gay, misconception
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 21, 2023

Wayne Brady Gets Into Fistfight Following Car Accident

Wayne Brady might really be about that life after getting into a fistfight with a driver who crashed into his vehicle.

Wayne Brady might really be about that life after it was reported that he got into a fistfight with another driver who crashed into his vehicle.

The Who’s Line Is It Anyway? star was driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, on Sunday, Nov. 19 when another driver hit him, TMZ reports. Once Brady and the 51-year-old man driving the other vehicle pulled over, things quickly escalated.

Words were exchanged and even a couple of punches. Brady called the police after the fight and reported the man had already fled the scene. Authorities eventually caught up with the other driver and arrested him for battery, DUI, and hit-and-run.

“Wayne is so upset about this incident with a drunk driver. As a father, he was just thankful it was not his daughter or anyone’s child dealing with this,” a source told People. “He kept thinking what if it was his daughter.”

It’s a pretty ironic situation considering Brady’s reputation for being one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. It also makes fans remember his famous skit on Chappelle’s Show where he took Dave Chappelle for a gangsta ride around the city and asked his adversaries “Does Wayne Brady have to smack a bi*ch?!”

Brady is currently at work on an eight-episode unscripted series for Hulu that follows his life as an entertainer and co-parent with his “ex-wife, soulmate and business partner” Mandie Taketa as they navigate life as a blended family, Variety reports. Brady and Taketa were married from 1999 to 2008 and have a daughter Maile, 20.

The Let’s Make A Deal star expanded his co-parenting duties when Taketa adopted her son Sundance-Isamu with her boyfriend Jason Fordham. Taketa, Maile, and Fordham are all extremely close with Brady and supported him when he came out as pansexual in August.

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Keke Palmer, Real Estate, Mother, Nope, Wills, financial planning, finances, Tru Jackson VP,birthday, pregnant, Creme of Nature
by Stacy Jackson

November 21, 2023

‘Baby This Is Black-OWNED Friday’: Keke Palmer Teams Up With Google To Promote Black-owned Businesses

Palmer's shopping anthem celebrates Google's fourth annual Black-owned Friday in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

Singer and actress Keke Palmer is shopping everything Black-owned for Black Friday.

The entrepreneur and Black business owner teamed up with Google this holiday season to encourage consumers to search, shop, and support Black-owned businesses 100%.

“This isn’t just Black Friday, it’s #BlackOwnedFriday,” Palmer captioned a new music video she released on Nov. 20 on X, formerly known as Twitter. In the song’s chorus, the singer shops around to the lyrics, “From the back to the middle and around again, I’m gonna be there ’til the end. One hundred percent, Black-owned.”

Palmer’s music video is a mini advertisement celebrating Google’s fourth annual Black-owned Friday in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. According to Google, the shopping soundtrack reimagines the 90s classic “100% Pure Love” by Crystal Waters. The new anthem, titled “Black-Owned Friday (100% Supporting)” and directed by Andre Muir, invites shoppers to spend their money this year at Black-owned businesses. The video spotlights several U.S. Black-owned businesses, from coffee to clothing and plant shops.

The initiative includes a mini-site that serves as a one-stop-shop to locate local Black-owned businesses and discover tips on being an influential supporter. The site features beauty, accessories, food and drinks, home decor, pet products, and all the businesses spotlighted in Palmer’s video.

In a Nov. 20 Instagram post, the Hustlers actress requested followers to share posts as they shop Black-owned businesses this year and use the hashtag “#BlackOwnedFriday.”

She left viewers this message: “Just search Black-owned businesses and BOOM! You ain’t got to be Black to do it.” Some followers in the comments were tickled when she added, “You can be white, brown, beige, fluorescent beige. We have all the colors of the rainbow. We want the money, though.”

Featured businesses in the “Black-Owned Friday (100% Supporting)” include:

  • McMullen
  • Michael J. Payne’s Family Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Mo’ Better Brews
  • Celsious
  • Cleo’s Southern Cuisine
  • Studio Detroit Dance Center
  • Rollercade Detroit
  • Critter Care Animal Hospital
  • Bloom & Plume

Black business owners can find resources like Google’s Black-owned business attribute and the U.S. Black Chambers’ ByBlack Platform to get their businesses discovered.

‘I Am A SA Survivor’: Revolt Podcaster Cancels Show Due to Diddy Scandal
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 21, 2023

‘I Am A SA Survivor’: Revolt Podcaster Cancels Show Due to Diddy Scandal

A journalist has announced her departure from Revolt after Diddy quickly settled a rape and abuse lawsuit filed by his ex, Cassie.

A journalist has departed from her Revolt-hosted podcast after Diddy quickly settled a rape and abuse lawsuit filed by his ex, Cassie.

Writer Dawn Montgomery took to Twitter on Monday, Nov. 20, to publicly announce the end of the Monuments To Me podcast since it is hosted on Diddy’s Revolt platform. After recording two seasons of the show, Montgomery has opted out of a third season as she makes a stand to “Believe Black Women.”

“FYI: I won’t be signing on to do the 3rd season of @revolttv’s “Monuments To Me” podcast,” she wrote. “I am a SA survivor & I cannot be a part of a show that’s supposed to uplift black women while @Diddy leads the company. Believe Black women.”

https://twitter.com/_dawnmontgomery/status/1726708617297227995
In a series of additional tweets, Montgomery explained why it wasn’t hard for her to come to the decision to quit the show and called out Revolt’s leadership for remaining silent amid Diddy’s allegations.

“I also feel like Revolt’s leadership not speaking on this says a lot and even though this podcast experience blessed me… I’m done,” she added.

Montgomery’s show was on a mission to “celebrate every aspect of Black women in a world that tries to ignore or destroy them.” With the show aimed at amplifying women, it makes sense why the award-winning journalist would opt out of hosting her show on Diddy’s platform.

The hip-hop mogul is seeing a drastic fall from grace after quickly settling a lawsuit Cassie filed accusing him of repeatedly raping and physically abusing her for nearly a decade. The allegations included forcing the singer to engage in sexual encounters dubbed “freak offs” with male escorts.

She also accused Diddy of blowing up rapper Kid Cudi’s car after she dated him during a brief breakup with the Bad Boy founder. While Diddy had professed his innocence against the claims by way of his lawyer, many on social media aren’t convinced and continue to speculate about him.

RELATED CONTENT: Diddy And Cassie Settle Abuse And Rape Lawsuit One Day After It Was Filed

The Good Candidate: Hill Harper Leaves ABC’s ‘The Good Doctor’ To Prepare For Senate Run
by Sharelle B. McNair

November 21, 2023

The Good Candidate: Hill Harper Leaves ABC’s ‘The Good Doctor’ To Prepare For Senate Run

Hill was one of the three original cast members still with the successful show.

Hill Harper is trading in the scripts for bills.

The actor has officially ended his run as Dr. Marcus Andrews on ABC’s The Good Doctor, announcing he will not return for season 7 of the show amid his campaign for Michigan’s U.S Senate seat, TV Line reports.

A spokesperson for Harper’s campaign released a statement regarding his decision, saying his focus is on saving democracy. “Hill Harper feels strongly that there is a crisis in American democracy—too often, government only works for the rich and powerful while the rest of us struggle to find a voice.”

“Hill is dedicating his efforts full time to fixing that, and he’s running for the U.S. Senate as an active union member to give working people more of a voice in Congress,” the spokesperson added.

Harper was one of three remaining series regulars who started from season one of the hit show and one of two cast members not returning for season 7. His character, Dr. Andrews, resigned as St. Bonaventure’s president, the perfect setup for Harper’s exit.

The official exit comes just four months after Harper announced his candidacy. His campaign will challenge Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the congressional representative for Michigan’s 7th district, who, according to Entertainment Weekly, has received most of the endorsements from leading political figures in the state and federal government.

Outgoing senator Debbie Stabenow currently holds the seat.

For his campaign, the lawyer-turned-actor’s focuses are universal healthcare, climate justice, raising the federal minimum wage, and eliminating filibusters from the U.S. Senate. He recently supported legislation signed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer that protects victims of domestic violence by keeping firearms out of their abuser’s hands.

While fans will miss Dr. Andrews, they can still keep up with all the drama when The Good Doctor returns Feb. 20 on ABC.

Texas Southern University Will Part Ways With Coach Clarence McKinney
by Derek Major

November 21, 2023

Texas Southern University Will Part Ways With Coach Clarence McKinney

TSU will not renew the contract of head football coach Clarence McKinney.

Texas Southern University (TSU) will not renew the contract of head football coach Clarence McKinney, whose contract will expire Dec. 15.

According to Sports Illustrated, McKinney will finish his time at TSU with a 12-35 record and a 9-26 record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in five seasons. In the team’s season finale, the Tigers lost a 35-34 nailbiter to Arkansas-Pine Bluff (APB) after TSU jumped out to a 31-7 halftime lead on LaDarius Owens’ three first-quarter touchdowns and a 96-yard fumble return by Canary Simmons.

However, APB scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to overcome the deficit including a blocking a punt that was returned 30 yards by Elijah Jenkins for a TD. APB Quarterback Mekhi Hagens scored the game-winning touchdown on a 5-yard run with 1:46 left in the game.

After the game, McKinney said he appreciated the opportunity TSU gave him to be a head football coach.

“I appreciate this opportunity. I don’t take for granted to be the head coach of Texas Southern University Tigers,” McKinney said, according to SI. “Growing up in the neighborhood, always hearing the band as a kid. Coming over and playing on the field during those times I was a kid, and playing a little tackle football. It’s a special moment for me to be the head coach at TSU.”

McKinney previously coached at the University of Houston under head coach Kevin Sumlin and at the University of Arizona, where he served as the associate head coach and running backs coach in 2018.

TSU finished this season 3-8 and was 2-6 in the SWAC. Quarterback Jace Wilson led the team in passing with 1,399 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Owens led the Tigers in rushing with 204 carries for 1,399 yards and 11 TDs. Linebacker Jacob Williams was the leader on defense with 72 tackles and 7.5 sacks.

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Karine Jean-Pierre, AAFCA
by Sharelle B. McNair

November 21, 2023

Unbothered: Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Denies Democrats Concern On Biden’s Age

Biden will be 86 at the end of his second term if he's reelected.

President Joe Biden turned 81 on Nov. 20, and his press secretary assured voters that the octagenarian still has his wits about him.

However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre set the record straight during a press briefing, denying that there is any worry ahead of the 2024 presidential election. A reporter asked Jean-Pierre if there was a response to comments made by David Axelrod, senior advisor to former President Barack Obama, who expressed concern about Biden’s advancing age, potentially keeping him out of the Oval Office.

While saying she can only speak from “behind the scenes,” Jean-Pierre says there is nothing to worry about. “There’s no alarm happening behind the scenes. I can only speak behind the scenes here. There’s no alarm happening behind the scenes, and I’m certainly not going to comment on everybody who has something to say.”

She defended her boss, saying Biden is unmatched in energy and stamina, and age isn’t the issue – it’s about the experience. Jean-Pierre briefly reviewed Biden’s resume, pointing out what he’s done so far in his impressive career.

“I would put him up against anyone. The president has used his experience to pass more bipartisan legislation in recent [times] than any other president. That’s just a fact,” the press secretary said. “It’s something that we have seen this president do, and that’s because of his experience. He’s been able to manage multiple foreign policy challenges. That’s because of his experience.”

Axelrod made headlines with his comments in a New York Times article. He said he believes Biden has a “50-50 shot” of winning reelection.

“He thinks he can cheat nature here, and it’s really risky,” Axelrod said, according to The Hill. “They’ve got a real problem if they’re counting on Trump to win it for them. I remember Hillary Clinton doing that, too.”

Polls show that voters have their eyes on Biden’s age and wonder if he will survive a full four-year term. His Republican colleagues are already questioning his abilities – if he wins, Biden will be 86 at the end of his second term. However, GOP frontrunner Donald Trump won’t be too far behind. At 77, if Trump were to be elected, he would be 82 at the end of a potential second term.

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