Warner Bros Discovery announced plans to drop HBO from HBO Max. It will now be called Max.

According to Deadline, Max combines programs from HBO Max and Discovery+. As of May 23, HBO will be known as Max.

“This is a real moment for us … This is our time. This is our chance, and everything is possible,” David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros Discover, said during a press junket, cited by Deadline. “I feel like, for our company, this is our rendezvous with destiny.”

Customers who subscribe to HBO Max will automatically transfer to Max, with no change in price. Existing customers will also have the same watch history and profiles. However, existing Discovery+ customers can upgrade to Max, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

JB Perrette, president & CEO of streaming and games for Warner Bros Discovery, said he hopes to appeal to a broader audience with the rebranding. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Perrette added that HBO may have appealed to a high-brow audience.

Perrette added: “HBO is not TV. HBO is HBO. It needs to stay that way, which is why we will privilege it in the product experience and also not push it to the breaking point by forcing it to take on the full breadth of this new content proposition.”

New programs slated to hit the new streaming service include Harry Potter, The Conjuring, a Game of Thrones spinoff, and a new Big Bang Theory, among others, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Over 96 million customers subscribe to HBO, Discovery+, and HBO Max. Warner Bros Discover has not made known the number of subscribers per app. While the company will merge HBO to HBO Max, Discovery+ will remain a solo service, according to THR.

The new merger is how the company will preserve and protect “the most iconic trailblazing brand in entertainment, David Zaslav, CEO of WarnerMedia and Discovery, said, cited by THR.

• Celebrity News

by Booker Jones

April 15, 2023

Shaquille O’Neal Doesn’t Identify As A Celebrity, Because He Says Most Celebrities Are ‘A**Holes’

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Shaquille O’Neal has always managed to stay afloat in whatever he chooses to do—probably because he lives by a self-defined code.

The former LSU Tiger took time out of his busy schedule to chat with People.com. During the interview, Shaq Diesel said he separated himself from the “celebrity” title decades ago.

“I denounced myself from being a celebrity thirty years ago because a lot of celebrities are a-holes… Celebrities are obnoxious and often rude to people. I don’t want to be in that category. I’d rather demote myself to being just a regular person before you call me a celebrity and put me in the category of those jerk-offs,” Shaq said to People.

The TNT analyst also said he’s also picky about who he decides to work with. For instance, Shaq told the outlet that Bad Luck Brian, the internet star who appears next to the former Los Angeles Laker in the latest General Insurance commercial, is a pleasant guy.

“I don’t like to work with celebrities because celebrities are crazy, so I just like to work with people,” Shaq said during the interview. “He was a very nice guy,” O’Neal said of Brian. “People are saying ‘internet celebrities,’ but I don’t want to use those terms in this. He was nice, I was nice, and his story is an amazing story, how he became the sensation that he is.”

In the interview, the NBA champion told People that General Insurance would become the NBA G League’s official sponsor. Shaq’s son, Shareef, plays for the G League’s Ignite.

“As part of the collaboration, The General and the G League are launching a docu-series titled The Break presented by The General, which will showcase stories and personalities from across the G League with a behind-the-scenes look at players’ path to the NBA,” People writes.

• Education

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 15, 2023

African American Irish Diaspora Network and the Council on International Educational Exchange Create Scholarship for African Americans to Intern in Ireland

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The African American Irish Diaspora Network (AAIDN) and the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) have partnered to launch the AAIDN/CIEE Intern Scholars in IrelandProgram for African American college students.

Nearly forty percent of African Americans have Irish ancestry, according to some researchers, and African Americans share many other cultural, historic and social justice affinities with Ireland. Beginning in 2023, the AAIDN/CIEE Intern Scholars in Ireland Program will provide a life-changing opportunity for Scholars to explore their heritage, provide international business experience, and polish tangible work skills that will aid them in their future career.

In this inaugural year of the program, three exceptional African American college students will attend CIEE’s Summer Global Internship in Dublin program that includes an eight-week work placement, housing, and a three credit academic course. During the students’ eight-weeks in Ireland, CIEE will provide the academic and work experience for each intern, while AAIDN will provide each student with a stipend to offset travel and living expenses.

The students selected for the first cohort of AAIDN/CIEE Intern Scholars in Ireland are:

• Benedict College: Mia Douglas (’24), Mass Communication and Media Studies
• Delaware State University: Dapria Fell (’26), Mass Communication and Media Studies
• Sacred Heart University: Jayla Vyent (’25), Psychology

“We are honored to partner with AAIDN to help build bridges between African American and Irish communities through people-to-people exchange,” said James P. Pellow, Ed.D., president and CEO of CIEE. “The AAIDN Internships in Ireland program will allow African American college students to prepare for the global job market, develop intercultural communication skills, and embrace Ireland’s well-known hospitality, rich culture and natural beauty.”

Dennis Brownlee, founder and chairman of AAIDN, stated: “We are delighted to work with CIEE to offer this transformative international learning and career development opportunity in Ireland to a group of outstanding students. These are the kinds of experiences that will help broaden their perspectives and advance their careers.”

The AAIDN/CIEE Intern Scholars will be encouraged to share reflections of their time in Ireland through written blogs and weekly posts on social media. They will serve as mentors for the next class of AAIDN Intern Scholars, thereby extending the African American Irish family network to future decedents of Africa and Ireland.

To learn more about the AAIDN Intern Scholars in Ireland program, or to contribute to this effort, please contact Stacy Benjamin, CIEE’s Director of Professional Development, at sbenjamin@ciee.org.

It’s harder to stay at the top than it is to get there. Just ask the artist formerly known as Kanye West.

According to Forbes, the Adidas deal that placed him on the billionaire’s list is the one that catapulted him off of it, in theory. The actions and behavior of Ye preceding the loss of the deal are the real culprits. But, the money stipulated with that agreement being taken away caused his net worth to drop to under half a billion.

The mercurial entertainer sat on top of the hip-hop billionaire list for three years until a fateful day in October 2022. The sneaker company finally cut ties with him after anti-Semitic comments he made in multiple interviews. Although the Yeezy line was very profitable for adidas, they cut ties after public outcry, and other companies turned away from the rapper.

After staying silent on the Ye partnership, the designer dared them to cut him loose.

When he appeared on DJ Efn and Nore’s podcast, Drink Champs, he blatantly stated, “I can say anti-Semitic s**t- and Adidas cannot drop me.” Well, that chess move backfired.

Previously, Forbes placed a value of $1.5 billion on the Adidas deal. That figure was based on “a forward multiple of the royalties Ye was being paid.”

On October 25, the sneaker brand kicked Ye to the curb. According to Adidas, the move cost them about $535 million of the forecasted operating profit due to a huge number of unsold Yeezys. That move knocked Ye off the coveted list. The $1.5 billion was attributed to the deal; since he no longer had the deal, his net worth dropped to an estimated $400 million. The Adidas deal and canceled contracts with other retailers like Gap and haute couture house Balenciaga also contributed to the drop.

Choreographer, actor, and director Darrin Henson is giving viewers an inside look into his captivating rise from street dancer to world-renowned choreographer with his official documentary, Darrin’s Dance Grooves: The Untold Darrin Henson Story.

The documentary sheds new light on Henson’s remarkable journey to Hollywood, building a dance empire he still owns, and working for world-class superstars like Michael Jackson, Prince, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, The Spice Girls, George Michael, Enrique Iglesias, Xscape, and many more.

Having dominated the 1990s to early 2000s with choreographed dance routines that would influence an entire generation, Henson became a household name as the man behind the most popular dance moves of the era.

Despite what many would assume, Henson was no trained dancer and perfected his craft dancing inside his bedroom before taking his talents to the streets of the Bronx, New York. An adventurous journey from the circus to Hollywood would ultimately grant him an opportunity with the late Michael Jackson, which helped with his career trajectory.

 

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He would launch his Darrin Dance Grooves corporation, which turned into a successful DVD series that commanded the dance scene of the early 2000s. Henson still cashes checks from the DVD and takes pride in his early ownership decisions.

“The bag has never stopped,” Henson jokingly told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “One of the things that is really wonderful is called residual income.”

“I created it. I own it. I own the name,” he continued. “Ownership is wonderful, and that’s something that we must know, and there’s something about it we must learn about it if we don’t know.

“Ownership is always the key,” he added.

From dancing to acting in classic hits like the Soul Food TV series, Henson continues his reign in Hollywood, starring in Carl Weber’s The Family Business on BET and Double Cross on ALLBLK. Henson is also gearing up to tap back into his choreographer bag with the release of a show that will highlight today’s rising choreographers.

“I’m developing a new show right now that will shine a light on the work they do,” Henson said. “Because we often see the star artists doing these amazing dance performances on stage and in videos, but the people behind the scenes who create the dance steps rarely get recognized. I want to change that.”

Press play below to learn more about Darrin Henson’s journey from street dancer to world-renowned choreographer, and be sure to catch Darrin’s Dance Grooves: The Untold Darrin Henson Story when it premieres on ALLBLK on Thursday, April 20.

Rihanna might’ve just teased what she’s having during a recent shopping trip. But her fans are convinced the billionaire is just tricking the public as she did during her first pregnancy. Daily Mail reports that the pregnant “Diamonds” singer and her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, were spotted shopping for baby clothes in Los Angeles on Wednesday. She sent fans into a frenzy after she picked up a pastel pink baby romper.

But fans recall early last year when the Fenty Beauty mogul played mind games with the paparazzi by shopping for girl’s clothing for her then-unborn baby.

She did the same thing last time and it was a boy lol 😭

— ☈ (@shadyfenty_) April 13, 2023

When she gave birth in May, fans were surprised to learn she and Rocky, real name Rakim Meyers, welcomed a boy. The celebrity couple has kept their baby boy’s name under wraps as they await the arrival of their second child together. Her loyal fans think since Rihanna did such a good job at hiding the sex of her first child, why wouldn’t she do it the second time around? “She did the same thing last time and it was a boy lol,” the fan tweeted.

We are not falling for this again

— BadGalDoonerys 🎈 (@Doonerys) April 13, 2023

“We are not falling for this again,” one fan joked. This will be baby number two for Rihanna, who announced the pregnancy during her headlining performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. The Grammy Award-winning singer stepped out in an all-red number that fully displayed her baby bump. When she, Rocky, and their son covered British Vogue a few days later, she admitted she had no idea she was pregnant with her second child during the photo shoot.

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“My son so fine! Idc idc idc (I don’t care)!” she wrote on social media. “How crazy both of my babies were in these photos and mommy had no clue (love heart emojis)… thank you so much (editor) @edward_enninful and (photographers) @inezandvinoodh for celebrating us as a family!”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 14, 2023

Wrongfully Taken: Advocates Host Protest For Texas Parents Whose Newborn Was Taken By Protective Services

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Supporters are rallying for the safe return of a baby taken by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Kara News reports advocates with The Afiya Center, a nonprofit that supports Black reproductive rights, held the protest Thursday afternoon in hopes of convincing the state to give Temecia and Rodney Jackson their newborn child back after being wrongfully taken away.

Jackson gave birth to a baby girl, Mila, in March, under the care of a midwife. Their child was treated at home for a diagnosis of jaundice, but when they brought their daughter in for a routine postpartum hospital visit, their pediatrician reported them to authorities, leading to, according to CBS News, Rodney’s brief arrest and the child being placed in foster care.

Cheryl Edinbyrd, a licensed professional counselor and the couple’s midwife since 2022, said there were no signs of jaundice within the first 24 hours. She also said there were scheduled follow-ups three and five days after Mila was born. The parents of three brought their daughter to Dr. Anand Bhatt’s office for what they described as a “newborn checkup.” “Within that visit, we were told ‘everything is good, she looks great, the only thing is she has jaundice,” Temecia Jackson said during a press conference. “A couple hours later, the pediatrician called my phone and wanted us to admit Mila into the hospital.”

DFPS filed an affidavit saying that Bhatt alerted the authorities on Mar. 25. An investigator spoke with the doctor who said a test run on the baby showed she had bilirubin levels of 21.7 milligrams, raising a cause for concern because it could lead to brain damage.

Jackson admitted that the pediatrician called and texted several times, claiming the family was “going against what he felt like we should do for her child” and warned them he would call DFPS if they didn’t show up to the hospital with Mila. Hours later, DFPS investigator, Brenda Martinez, showed up at the family’s home with two Desoto Police officers, but the family refused to speak to them.

A supervisor instructed Martinez to take custody of Mila “due to her health being in immediate danger of serious long-term consequences.” Court documents show Rodney was charged with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of preventing the execution of a civil process.

• Business

by Stacy Jackson

April 14, 2023

‘Cash Stuffing’ Helped Business Owner Jasmine Taylor Clear Up Debts: Business Heads Towards $1M This Year

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It’s called cash stuffing. Get into it.

Jasmine Taylor, the owner of Baddies and Budgets, has made her duties as an influencer significant to her follower’s pockets, teaching people an old-school method that will help people pay off debt and keep them from overspending.

Reportedly, after the businesswoman crossed paths with the idea of cash stuffing on YouTube, she implemented the method in her financial routine and pulled herself out of the nearly $70,000 debt she had accumulated.

The cash-stuffing budgeting method requires one to withdraw cash from the top of each paycheck or at the beginning of the month and place a planned amount into labeled envelopes. Each envelope is stuffed with dedicated money for rent, groceries, utilities, and more expenses.

Taylor tried the method for herself, racking up a grand within her first few months. “I looked into the envelope, and it had been sitting there for a while, and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I haven’t needed this,’” she told the outlet.

After a year of cash stuffing, she found she could clear up her medical and credit card debts. “It’s a really surreal feeling when you’re a person who has mismanaged money all their life, when you finally get to the point where it’s like, ‘OK, I can do this.’” Taylor shared her success with the method on TikTok and across other social channels, influencing others to try it for themselves.

 

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Using the zero-based budget helped Taylor turn her finances around. “That means you start your budget with whatever your paycheck number is, and you give every dollar a place to go, down to zero,” she said. Taylor has implemented the budgeting method into her Baddies and Budgets business, leading her toward a goal of $1 million, which she is set to make this year.

Those interested in using the cash stuffing method are encouraged to examine spending habits and financial goals before commencing the process.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 14, 2023

Mentally Ill Man Allegedly Eaten Alive By Bed Bugs Inside Infested Atlanta Jail Cell

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A family is demanding answers after the death of their loved one, whom they believe was eaten alive by bed bugs inside his Atlanta jail cell.

CBS News reports that LaShawn Thompson was arrested for a misdemeanor battery charge on June 12 and was taken to Fulton County Jail, where he was placed in the psychiatric wing due to mental health issues. However, Thompson was found unresponsive in his jail cell on Sept. 19 and pronounced dead after failed attempts to resuscitate him.

According to the family’s attorney, Michael Harper, Thompson “was found dead in a filthy jail cell after being eaten alive by insects and bed bugs.”

Jail records reportedly show that authorities noticed Thompson was deteriorating inside the jail cell but did nothing to help him. The medical examiner reported his cause of death as “undetermined.”

“They literally watched his health decline until he died,” Harper said.

“When his body was found one of the detention officers refused to administer CPR because in her words she ‘freaked out.'”

Thompson was diagnosed with schizophrenia but was physically healthy when booked into jail, Harper said.

“There is no excuse for a mentally ill inmate to be left alone in a jail, abandoned to die,” he declared.

Disturbing photos show the cell’s dirty conditions with Thompson covered in bed bugs. Harper said the cell was “not fit for a diseased animal.”

“He did not deserve this. Someone has to be held accountable for his death,” Harper said. “The Fulton County Jail must be closed and replaced.”

Thompson’s brother, Brad McCrae, said the family was horrified to see the photos.

“It was heartbreaking because nobody should be seen like that. Nobody should see that,” McCrae told WSB-TV.

The alarming death comes after Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat raised concerns last year about the extreme overcrowding at the jail and the need for funding.

“You have 3,500-plus points of data that show the dangers of where we are and the crisis that we’re in,” Labat said during a meeting with the Fulton County Commission.

He also noted the more than 400 inmates sleeping on the floor due to overcrowding, with the city’s commissioner, Bob Ellis, calling it a “humanitarian crisis.” Thompson’s family is calling for a criminal investigation into his death and for the Fulton County Jail to be replaced.

A Fulton County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson says a full investigation has been launched.

“The ongoing investigation is examining details regarding the medical care provided and ultimately will determine whether any criminal charges are warranted in this case,” the spokesperson said.