Ruby Barker, Bridgerton
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 31, 2023

‘Bridgerton’ Actress Exposes Lack Of Support After Psychotic Breaks

We hope Ruby is on the mend.

Ruby Barker, a lead actor in the first season of the hit Netflix show Bridgerton, has called out the streaming giant and Shondaland for their lack of support after she suffered from two psychotic breaks after production wrapped.

In an interview with The LOAF Podcast from Oxford University, Barker revealed that no one on behalf of Netflix or Shondaland reached out after hearing about her mental health struggles.

“Not a single person from Netflix, not a single person from Shondaland, since I have had two psychotic breaks from that show, have even contacted me or even emailed me to ask me if I’m OK or if I would benefit from any sort of aftercare or support,” shared the actress, as confirmed by Variety.

The 26-year-old noted that she was beginning to struggle during the initial season, with her character’s journey also contributing to the break. Barker played a significant role in season one and appeared as a guest in season two as Marina, the social-climbing Featheringtons’ cousin, who moved to town while also hiding a pregnancy that made her the scandal of society.

“During filming, I was deteriorating,” explained the London native. “It was a really tormenting place for me to be because my character was very alienated, very ostracized, on her own under these horrible circumstances.”

She recalled her first psychotic break happened after filming the first season; she stayed at a hospital for a week once filming had wrapped. However, the overnight success of Bridgerton stunted her ability to recover from the mental health ordeal, especially as her hospital stay was kept quiet to prevent any negative attention to the show’s rollout.

“In the run-up to the show coming out, I was just coming out from [the] hospital, my Instagram following was going up, I had all these engagements to do… My life was changing drastically overnight, and yet there was still no support, and there still hasn’t been any support all that time,” shared the rising star.

When the second psychotic break occurred in 2022, Barker was vulnerable to her fans via social media about the matter as Bridgerton returned with more episodes on Netflix in March of that year. However, while she did thank the streamer for allowing her to be part of the successful romantic drama, she is now being transparent about the level of gratitude she owes the content platform.

With her character no longer appearing on the show, Barker feels more empowered to speak out about her experience and the lack of consideration for her mental health to keep the show “bubbly and fun.”

The rest of the conversation regarding prioritizing one’s mental health can be viewed below.

KEITH LEE, Atlanta, Food critic, Old Lady Gang
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 31, 2023

Keith Lee, Viral Food Review TikToker, Kindly Lambasts Atlanta Eateries

Keith remained a good sport throughout the foolishness.

Keith Lee, a popular food review TikToker, wrought havoc on social media with his critique of the customer service practices at the city’s food spots.

The viral influencer, who boasts over 14 million followers on the video-sharing app, has become a household name for his engaging food reviews, often shedding light on struggling restaurants with great food and service to match. However, this enjoyable dining experience was not often the case during his trip to Atlanta Oct. 28.

In his honest reviews of the Black-owned restaurants such as The Real Milk and Honey and Atlanta Breakfast Club, Lee noted the “unique” treatment of noncelebrity customers and additional charges for typically free items, such as butter for biscuits.

Another restaurant not left unscathed was Kandi Burruss’ Old Lady Gang, where Lee declined to sit and eat after his family was told they needed to wait for over an hour. It should be noted that Lee typically sends his family in first. The OLG host also informed the family that they couldn’t order takeout on the weekends.

However, it was only when Lee entered the building to inspect the scene that the hostess informed the content creator that his table would be ready in five minutes. Noting the discrepancy in the wait times, Lee decided to forego the opportunity, detailing the matter on his TikTok.

“Things like this is exactly why I do reviews the way I do,” explained Lee. “Just because I have a certain amount of followers on social media, don’t make me different from nobody.”

He then continued about the ordeal, referencing how his trips to other restaurants in Atlanta have been similar regarding general customer service.

“I’m going to be very transparent and honest. I am frustrated,” shared the social media personality. “Me and my family just trying to eat food. That’s all we try to do.”

However, Lee encouraged his large following not to partake in tearing these businesses down and instead to visit these places themselves before leaving negative reviews. The Real Milk and Honey responded to the backlash garnered since Lee’s review of its restaurant, creating a since-deleted TikTok making a sarcastic remark, “Who is Keith Lee?”

However, the video’s caption shared a message of spreading positivity as well.

BET, TYLER PERRY
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 31, 2023

Tyler Perry’s Ex ‘Beyond Grateful’ To Co-Direct Documentary On His Life

Tyler Perry's ex and the mother of his child is expressing her gratitude for co-directing the upcoming documentary on his life.

Tyler Perry’s ex and the mother of his child is expressing her gratitude for co-directing the upcoming documentary on his life.

Gelila Bekele, who dated Perry from 2007 to 2020, recently took to Instagram to speak on her involvement in Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story. Sharing a series of photos from the Hollywood premiere that took place on Friday, Oct. 27, Bekele opened up about the documentary that was 10 years in the making.

“Standing next to Mavericks,” Bekele captioned the post which included a photo of her standing alongside Perry, Oprah Winfrey, actor David Oyelowo, and co-leader Armani Ortiz.

“I am beyond grateful for this moment, To be standing here as a Director, presenting a film we worked on for nearly ten years. So much love and gratitude for everyone who has been part of this journey.”

She concluded with a special thank-you to Perry for including her in the project that is set to premiere on Amazon Prime on Nov. 17.

“@tylerperry tremendous gratitude for allowing us the privilege of telling your story,” she said.

The documentary shares the early life and career trajectory of Perry, born Emmitt Perry Jr. in New Orleans, and his rise to becoming a billionaire media mogul. Bekele’s involvement in the project comes despite their announced split three years ago.

At the time, Perry revealed in an Instagram post that he was “51, single and wondering what the next chapter in my life will look like.”

“Whatever it looks like I’m going to walk with God, be the best father and man I can be, hold my head up high, and try to look my best doing it!!” he wrote.

Perry and Bekele share son Aman Tyler, born in 2014. He expressed his pride in welcoming a child with her when their son was 3 years old.

“There’s no other person on this planet that I would want to be involved with or have a child with because she’s amazing,” he told People at the time.

At the time of their split, a source claimed the pair had “amicably split some time ago and remain close friends.”

“Their focus is on being the best parents they can for their son,” the insider said.

RELATED CONTENT: Tyler Perry Will Build New Home For 93-Year-Old Woman Being Displaced By Developers

Will Flavor Flav Be Singing The National Anthem Again? Two Teams May Be Interested
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 31, 2023

Will Flavor Flav Be Singing The National Anthem Again? Two Teams May Be Interested

After getting some solid reviews about his performance singing the national anthem at the Milwaukee Bucks opening night game, Flavor Flav has stated that he may have other gigs lined up!

The Public Enemy legend spoke to TMZ Sports about the anthem and why it meant so much to him to get the chance to sing it. Many fans, celebrities, and social media users gave him props for his rendition, with many actually crediting him for the effort and stating that he didn’t do a bad job. He spoke of how singing that anthem was an ode to the fallen soldiers who weren’t here to sing it themselves. It was also a chance to honor his and other people’s families. He said he was glad he “knocked it out the box.”

“When I sang that national anthem, I was singing it for them because they’re not here to sing it for themselves,” Flav said. “I did that in honor of my family and also for a lot of other people’s families, too, that fought for this country.” Flav admitted that not all reviews were positive, but it still outweighed the negative. “I ain’t gonna lie; I was kind of proud of myself after I did it.”

He did say that he had fun, and that was just as important. He also insists that he will do it again and has already gotten inquiries.

“I want to do it again. I’m gonna do it again. I can’t say exactly when and where, but I got a couple of people right now that want me to come to their venues and do this. And when I do it, I’m going to do it a little different, and matter of a fact, I might do it a little quicker, though, because this one, I took my time with it. I really took my time with this one because I said for my first time ever I’m gonna take my time, I’m gonna have fun, I’m just gonna knock this thing out the park.”

The colorful entertainer did mention that there are teams interested in his services.

“There’s two other NBA teams right now that invited me. I’m just not gonna say who they are right now, but I got teams that invited me, and one of them are my most favorite, and I was happy to hear that, you know, that I was invited to come and sing the national anthem. You know what I’m saying, at their spot, so I don’t want to say what the team is now because I don’t like counting chickens before they come out the eggs. I’m not the boy; I don’t want to be the boy who cried wolf.”

Time will tell if and when we shall see Flav in the center of a basketball court anytime soon.

Lizzo
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 31, 2023

Lizzo’s Team Defends Her Honor In Writing, Letters Deny Lawsuit Claims

Lizzo is getting support from members of her current staff in combatting the salacious claims made in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by three former dancers.

Lizzo is getting support from current members of her staff in combatting the salacious claims made in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by three former dancers.

According to 18 members of Lizzo’s touring company, the Grammy award-winning singer provided a positive work environment and not the hostile one alleged by her former dancers, TMZ reports. The nearly two dozen staffers wrote declarations disputing the lawsuit claims made by Lizzo’s axed dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez.

Kiara Mooring, a current tour dancer, denies Davis, Williams, and Rodriguez’s claims of being penalized if they didn’t go out partying with Lizzo.

“This claim also makes no sense because plenty of the dancers (myself included) did not go to Bananenbar that night and we still have our job dancing with Lizzo,” Mooring wrote.

In the harassment lawsuit, the former dancers noted an alleged incident that took place at Bannenbar, an Amsterdam-based bar with nude performers and a famed banana show. The axed dancers claim they were forced to touch the nude dancers despite expressing their discomfort.

But according to another tour dancer who spoke with two of the accusers after going to Bannenbar, they didn’t appear bothered by the night out.

“They never said they felt uncomfortable or pressured,” dancer Melissa Locke wrote. “They were very enthusiastic about what a great night out they had.”

She continued. “I remember telling them, ‘That sounds like so much fun, I wish you had woken me up to go with you.’ They agreed that it was a fun night and told me that they went out in the Red Light District after.”

“They did not complain or sound upset in any way,” Locke added.

In the lawsuit, Davis accuses Lizzo of body-shaming her even after she allegedly admitted to having an eating disorder. But one current dancer denies these claims.

“In my experience, there was absolutely no body shaming on tour,” dancer Alaini Walker said. “I have experienced racial discrimination, sexual harassment and body shaming in this industry, but never while working with Lizzo.

“In fact, Lizzo’s tour felt like the opposite of many negative experiences I have had as a dancer,” she added.

According to another dancer who claims to be the biggest-sized dancer on the tour, shut down any claims of body-shaming.

“I was the biggest dancer on the tour,” Asia Banks wrote. “Lizzo always went out of her way to make me feel secure and confident in my body, including by making sure I was comfortable in every single costume for the show.”

According to Lizzo’s bass player Zuri Appleby, most of the staff expressed concern about Davis’ health. But not for the reasons she claims.

“To the contrary, everyone on the tour was genuinely concerned about Davis, not because she had gained weight, but because she was lax about her performances, her hygiene and her health,” Appleby claims.

Dancer Chawnta Van also denies lawsuit claims of the dancers being prevented from taking on other work while on tour. The dancers were allegedly given a retainer where they would be paid a percentage of their weekly rate when the tour was paused and were still allowed to book other dancing gigs.

Others denied Rodgriguez’s claims of Lizzo intimidating her during a staff meeting. According to one dancer, “Lizzo never got near Rodgriuez or in her face.” The declarations are part of a motion Lizzo’s legal team filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in an attempt to dismiss most of the lawsuit claims.

RELATED CONTENT: Lizzo’s Dance Captain Demands Lawsuit Dismissal, Claims Behavior Was Justified

Chicago shooting, Crime, Halloween Party
by Iman Milner

October 31, 2023

Gender Non-Conforming Entrepreneur Gunned Down In Recent String Of Chicago Homicides

Dominic Dupree, a 25-year-old gender non-conforming entrepreneur, was gunned down on Oct. 13 on the South Side of Chicago. The killing marks another recent uptick of gun violence in the city, in which law enforcement reported the lowest total of homicides since 2019 in September, WTTW reports.

Dupree’s family, as well as LGBTQ support groups, have raised speculation that their death may have been a hate crime. “Dominic had an entrepreneurial spirit and was passionate about providing services to help others.

“Dominic was only 25, loved by so many people, and surely had so much more to give,” said Tori Cooper, Human Rights Campaign director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. “We must all work to stop the horrific gun violence that too often takes the lives of Black transgender and gender non-conforming people.”

Dupree was said to be sitting in a vehicle in Chicago on Oct. 13 that was approached and fired upon by an unidentified suspect, WTTW reports. Presently, there have been no arrests made.

Dupree became the 32nd transgender or gender non-conforming person in the U.S. to reportedly meet a violent death in 2023 and the 17th to be killed with a gun. Since 2013, 231 other transgender and gender non-conforming people have died by firearm, a number that accounts for over 70% of all deaths identified, the Human Rights Campaign reports.

A 2022 report also found that more than 10,000 hate crimes involve a firearm, totaling approximately 28 attacks per day. Hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people have been on a steady rise since 2018, with a 41% increase in crimes directed toward an individual due to their gender identity. The Southern Poverty Law Center found that anti-LGBTQ hate groups grew by over 40% in 2019.

Illinois currently has protections in place for transgender and gender non-conforming people to prevent them from being discriminated against in employment, housing, and education; however, uphill battles persist in keeping individuals safe whose gender identities often make them a target.

Suki, grocery, Walmart, Sukihana
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 31, 2023

Suki With The Good Groceries: The Rapper Gifts Food To Families

Suki is out here doing the good Lord's work!

Sukihana is starting the holiday season in a giving mood. The hip-hop artist gifted two families from Jacksonville, FL, free groceries by participating in her four-minute challenge.

The challenge prompts the families to collect all the food they can within the grocery store in four minutes, with the bill taken care of by Suki. The rising rapper showcased footage of the charitable act on her Instagram page, which has over 2.2 million followers.

The Wilmington, DE native showed two participating families, consisting of mothers and their children, as they began the quest to acquire as much food as possible within the short timeframe.

“I picked two moms and their kids so that we can go on a shopping spree,” explained the 31-year-old. “You and y’all children are going to go in there and get all the food that you can get in four minutes, and everything that you get, I’m going to buy.”

Sukihana joined the challengers on their fast-paced grocery venture, running around at the Jacksonville Walmart to help secure goods such as Lunchables and cereal. A small crowd followed as they watched the families pile their carts with food that was free of charge, courtesy of the “Casamigos” rapper.

“I’m so thankful that I got to do this with you guys, and most importantly, we got to thank God,” Sukihana expressed as she celebrated the completion of the challenge with the families.

The media personality captioned the video with the trending #4minutechallenge, stating that they had “so much fun” being able to give back in a playful way. The positive news is a break from the typical headlines associated with the star, whose sexual explicitness often results in negative attention from the public and celebrities alike.

Locker Room at UCLA and Colorado Game, Rose Bowl
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 31, 2023

Investigation Launched After Jewelry Was Allegedly Stolen From Colorado Buffaloes’ Locker Room At UCLA

The football game wasn’t the only thing Deion Sander’s college football team lost on Oct. 29. According to CBS Sports, jewelry was allegedly stolen from the Colorado Buffaloes locker room during the game against the UCLA Bruins. Several players were dismayed to find their chains—worth thousands of dollars— no longer in their lockers when they returned after losing to the Bruins. The game took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

“We are aware of players having personal belongings taken from the CU visiting locker room during Saturday’s game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl,” Colorado said in a written statement. “We are in contact with both the UCLA and Pasadena police. The Pasadena Police Department is the lead agency handling the investigation.”

There are no suspects, and the Pasadena Police Department has started investigating. The athletic department for UCLA released a statement to OutKick about the alleged theft.

“The UCLA athletic department confirmed that a report was filed to the Pasadena Police Department following the UCLA-Colorado football game regarding items that were reportedly missing from the Colorado locker room. UCLA is communicating with law enforcement, Rose Bowl Stadium officials, and the University of Colorado on the matter.”

Sadly, this isn’t the first time Sanders dealt with theft while coaching a college football team.

Two years ago, while coaching Jackson State University, it was reported that someone broke into the coach’s office and stole some items.

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported in February 2021 that in Sanders’ first game coaching Jackson State against NAIA opponent Edward Waters College, Sanders claimed that someone went into his office and took things that didn’t belong to them. It was then erroneously reported that the items at hand were “misplaced.” But Sanders cleared that up by issuing a statement via his then-Twitter account to confirm the items were stolen.

The Buffaloes are riding a two-game losing streak after starting the season 3-0. They are currently 4-4 but still sporting a better record than last year’s 1-11 tally.

UK, sorbet
by Iman Milner

October 31, 2023

Former UK Delivery Driver Creates Award-Winning Sorbet Cocktail Brand

Grace Ubawuchi, a U.K.-based entrepreneur and former delivery driver, has struck gold with her strongly spirited sorbet cocktail brand Xīn and Voltaire, earning the most promising medium-sized business honor at this year’s KPMG International’s Black Entrepreneurs’ Awards (BEA).

The first-of-its-kind adult beverage is bringing in $30,000 in monthly sales, Birmingham Live reports.

The 28-year-old entrepreneur has collaborated with scientists, mixologists, and chefs in order to face the difficult task of making a frozen alcoholic drink for the last seven years, perfecting her brand’s cocktails. The work has paid off as two of Xīn and Voltaire’s offerings—the champagne-and- mezcal-based “Giselle” as well as the champagne-and-vodka-concocted “Florian”—won bronze awards at the 2023 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC).

“My philosophy is if you don’t try, you don’t get,” Ubawuchi said. “I came up with the concept for Xīn and Voltaire when I was in Birmingham at university. I worked at Deliveroo but I learned so much about the food and drink industry while I was there.”

It was Ubawuchi’s love for a good cocktail combined with her steadfastness that led to her business capturing the eyes of an investor at a private equity firm, per Birmingham Live.

“I was a very wild child when I was younger and would go out clubbing in London with my cousins. I loved cocktails but wanted to have proper chilled pre-made ones at home, too, but couldn’t find them, so I thought about creating it myself,” she said.

“Perseverance has been the biggest thing for me. I had to get used to hearing ‘no’ for a while and was sending out 100 emails a day to try and get an investor. In the end, someone at a private equity firm believed in it, and I got investment in 2018.”

Currently, Xīn and Voltaire sorbet products can be found at U.K.-based Soho House locations, London’s Mandarin Oriental, popular department store Selfridges, and Electric Cinema. Ubawuchi plans to expand distribution to Mexico, Dubai, Switzerland, and Spain, the outlet reports.

“I have first-hand experience of how challenging it can be initially, especially as a solo founder without access to information or a community,” Ubawuchi said. “What’s great about today is that social media and incredible people with access act as the megaphones, sharing key information so that those barriers are broken.”

Former ‘Real Housewives’ Star Accused of Using The N-Word And Claiming ‘Most’ Black People Are Fatherless
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 31, 2023

Former ‘Real Housewives’ Star Accused of Using The N-Word And Claiming ‘Most’ Black People Are Fatherless

Details into a former "Real Housewives" star's alleged racism are coming to the surface and this time around, Eboni K. Williams isn't the only one calling her out.

Details into a former “Real Housewives” star’s alleged racism are coming to the surface and this time around, Eboni K. Williams isn’t the only one calling her out.

A new exposé published by Vanity Fair highlights Ramona Singer’s alleged race-based behind-the-scenes antics on Season 13 of “The Real Housewives of New York City.” Fans of the show are aware that it was the final season before a three-year hiatus that resulted in the entire cast being axed for a rebooted version of the show for Season 14.

Now, amid former “RHONY” star Bethenny Frankel’s legal tirade against Bravo network, details have emerged into Singer’s alleged racist behavior that didn’t make the show. The New York realtor is accused of expressing racial hostility and using the N-word in a conversation with a Black crew member.

Singer’s alleged use of the slur led to an internal investigation within Shed Media, Warner Bros. Discovery, Bravo, and NBCUniversal, that came back “inconclusive,” Page Six reports. There was also a “virtual education session” held before the filming of the 2021 season where Singer, Williams, Leah McSweeney, Sonja Morgan, and Luann de Lesseps were present along with an NBCUniversal communications executive, a Bravo publicist and two representatives from a racial justice organization.

During the call, Singer allegedly made the racist assumption that “most” Black people come from fatherless homes, according to Williams. McSweeney also supported the claims.

“’What if they don’t have a father? Why can’t I say that?’” Singer said, according to Williams. “’Most of them don’t.’”

The network publicist, who is Black, told Singer that she has a father in her life. But Singer allegedly claimed to have read a study that alluded to Black children being primarily fatherless.

Singer admits to the call and the “open dialogue” where she presented her statistic claims.

“The training included ‘open dialogue,’” Singer told Vanity Fair.

“In that spirit, I asked a question about a statistic I had read about single-parent households, where children with single-parent households were statistically less likely to succeed than two-parent households.”

In 2021, Singer was accused of saying, “This is why we shouldn’t have black people on the show,” after an upset Williams left de Lesseps’ home following a heated exchange. Singer claimed the allegation was “a lie” at time.

But the exposé claims otherwise. Not only did Singer allegedly make the racist statement, but she is said to have taken it further by adding that Williams’ presence was “gonna ruin our show.”

While filming Season 13, Singer allegedly made a racist comment to one Black producer.

“’There’s so many of you guys here now, please don’t change your hair as I’m not gonna be able to remember anybody’s names,'” Singer allegedly said.

Two additional sources claim Singer excused her racist remark by exclaiming, “There’s so many black chicks!”

“The Real Housewives of New York City” has since been rebooted to include an all-new cast of ladies from diverse backgrounds. The new cast includes Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Dana Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, and Brynn Whitfield. The ladies recently wrapped Season 14 and their two-part reunion aired on Sunday, Oct. 29.

RELATED CONTENT: Candiace Dillard Talks Colorism In Reality TV And Teases “RHOP” Season 8 Drama

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