A family affair is heading to CBS this fall.

According to Deadline, a new untitled series starring Damon Wayans Sr. and Jr. has been given an official pilot order by CBS. The upcoming project is being co-written by Damon Sr. and former Last Man Standing executive producer Kevin Hench.

The storyline attributed to the series relies on a legendary talk radio host who is happily divorced, “Poppa,” who has an adult son who still lives with him. He faces challenges at his workplace when a new female co-host is hired to work with him. At home, his son is trying to be a responsible parent and husband while pursuing his passion.

The untitled sitcom will be executive produced by both Wayans and Hench. It will be produced by Damon Jr. and his Two Shakes Entertainment. The project will be overseen by Kameron Tarlow of VP Productions.

The sitcom will be the latest project that Damon Sr. will perform in. The four-time Emmy nominee, along with his older brother Keenan Ivory Wayans, co-created and both starred in the classic sketch series In Living Color. The last television show Damon Sr. starred in was the television remake of the Mel Gibson/Danny Glover movie series, Lethal Weapon. He is slated to star with Foxy Brown herself, Pam Grier, in an upcoming Tubi thriller titled Cinnamon.

Damon Jr. first appeared in his father’s 2001-2005 television sitcom, My Wife and Kids. He was most recently seen in movies such as Supercool, Cherry, and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Later, he will be seen in Netflix’s Players and is listed as an executive producer on an upcoming Netflix drama series Glamorous.

Meanwhile, Hench co-created and executive-produced Cristela and Mr. Iglesias. He is currently doing some work on Tim Allen’s new Disney+ series The Santa Clauses.

Gucci Mane and Keyshia Ka’Oir have welcomed their second child together, a daughter named Iceland Davis.

The “Lemonade” rapper took to Instagram on Thursday to announce the arrival of his and Ka’Oir’s first daughter.

“Im so thankful that my baby girl is here and she so pretty and healthy 2/8/23 7lbs 2oz ICELAND DAVIS ❤️❤️ #Daddyprincess 👑,” he captioned his post.

Photos showed Gucci Mane and Ka’Oir holding baby Iceland in the hospital bed.

 

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A post shared by Gucci Mane (@laflare1017)

Iceland is the second child for the happily married couple after they welcomed their son, Ice, 2, in December 2020. Gucci Mane is also father to his eldest son, Keitheon, whom he shares with his ex, Sheena Evans, Entertainment Tonight reported. Ka’Oir also has three children, two daughters, and a son from a previous relationship.

Last month, Ka’Oir shared her gender reveal by posting a family photo dressed in all pink.

“It’s a girl!” she captioned the post.

 

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A post shared by Keyshia Ka’oir Davis (@keyshiakaoir)

Gucci Mane and Ka’oir tied the knot in 2017 after years of dating. They first met when Ka’oir appeared in one of his music videos in 2010, People reported.

The Jamaica native was originally hesitant to date the rapper but eventually agreed. Gucci Mane has always claimed to have been instantly smitten with Ka’Oir “on sight.” In his memoir, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, the “Freaky Girl” rapper detailed how poorly he treated Ka’Oir during his time in prison and due to his drug use.

“Keyshia had good reason to not want to help me out,” he wrote in the book about his arrest. “I’d gone crazy on her, first privately on the phone when she’d tried to talk me off the ledge and then on Twitter.”

• Fashion & Beauty

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 10, 2023

Hermès Wins Lawsuit Against Artist Who Created ‘MetaBirkins’ NFTs

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The French fashion house Hermès has won a trademark violation lawsuit against an artist who designed non-fungible token (NFT) versions of the brand’s popular Birkin bags.

On Wednesday, a New York jury ruled that artist Mason Rothschild violated the trademark rights of Hermès by selling pictures of furry, copycat purses dubbed “MetaBirkins” as NFTs, The Guardian reported. The fashion retailer argued the NFTs, which were sold for over $1 million, would confuse consumers into thinking they were affiliated with Hermès.

The French luxury brand was awarded $133,000 in damages for trademark infringement, dilution, and cybersquatting, a violation that involves registering or using a brand’s trademark in bad faith. The jury didn’t agree that Rothschild’s “MetaBirkins” constituted a protected form of speech under the First Amendment.

Rothschild, real name Sonny Estival, argued his case by comparing his “MetaBirkins” to Andy Warhol’s portrayal of giant Campbell’s soup cans in his famous pop culture silk screens. The artist believed his NFTs served as a mockery of the excesses of the luxury fashion world.

“I’m not creating or selling fake Birkin bags. I’m creating artworks that depict imaginary, fur-covered Birkin bags,” Rothschild wrote in a letter in response to the lawsuit.

But the Hermès brand said the NFTs were created by “a digital speculator who is seeking to get rich quick by appropriating.”

“Metabirkins brand simply rips off Hermès’ famous Birkin trademark by adding the generic prefix ‘meta’” Hermès stated in a complaint filed in January 2022.

 

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A post shared by MetaBirkins (@metabirkins)

Rothschild’s attorney Rhett Millsaps called the verdict a “terrible day for artists and the First Amendment.”

Hermes’ luxury leather Birkin handbags typically retail for tens of thousands of dollars apiece, CNN reported. Court documents revealed that more than $1 billion worth of Birkins have been sold in the United States alone, including more than $100 million worth in the past 10 years.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 10, 2023

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Gears Up For The War On Rats After Being Cited At His Brooklyn Residence

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If you have been to New York City, you have more than likely seen a rat or two parading around the subway or walking with you on the streets. And NYC residents have complained as the issue has gotten worse. Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to engage in a solution. However, city officials feel he’s part of the problem.

Bloomberg reports that Adams was cited by the sanitation department Thursday for allegedly harboring rats in his Brooklyn townhome. Appalled at the accusation, Adams came with receipts, defending the allegation. During a hearing with the city’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, Adams claims to have spent $8,000 on the war on rats. “The burrow is a small hole that is on my neighbor’s property,” Adams said on the call. “It is not on my property, and I have photos I can show you as evidence.”

According to Bloomberg, the 62-year-old showed photos and videos of the rodent holes across the property line.

The mayor’s hatred for rats is growing more profound, as he even mentioned it during his campaign, speaking of hiring a “rat czar” for the Mayor’s office. “Most people don’t know this about me, but I hate rats. And pretty soon, those rats will be hating me,” Adams said. Bloomberg reported that the mayor spent $7,000 on rodent abatement last year and $200 monthly for an exterminator. Thanks to the work, he said he hasn’t seen any evidence of rats on the property since October.

ABC News states that city records show Adams received close to 18 summons over the years at his Brooklyn residence, mostly related to garbage issues. While he would usually pay the fine, Adams decided to fight back this time.

The rat brigade has been made famous on social media. Recently, a video of a man seen sleeping on an NYC subway train went viral as a rat made the man his playground.

A rat climbs up a man on a subway train in #NYC. #fridaymorning pic.twitter.com/AExCUpqfn1

— Judgy Emoji (@JudgyEmoji) February 3, 2023

Adams isn’t the first New York City mayor to fight back against rats. According to ABC News, his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, spent millions of dollars on efforts to reduce the rat population. With his eye on specific neighborhoods, de Blasio used tactics like more trash pickup, aggressive housing inspections, and replacing dirt basement floors with concrete.

Trey Songz has been named in a $25 million lawsuit filed by an anonymous woman accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 2016.

The woman, identified as Jane Doe, refiled her suit with allegations that fall in line with claims she previously made in a $20 million lawsuit filed in February 2022, Rolling Stone reported. The lawsuit was thrown out last November after Songz’s legal team argued the filing was past the statute of limitations.

Songz’s label, Atlantic Records, his manager, Kevin Liles, and Liles’s label, 300 Entertainment, are also listed as defendants in the new lawsuit over claims the execs are partly responsible for the singer’s alleged misconduct.

The woman reference other allegations of sexual assault, sexual intimidation, and physical violence made against Songz in recent years.

“This case is much more than about one singer and one viciously abused sexual-assault survivor who has the courage to take action,” Doe’s attorney, George Vrabeck, said in a statement.

“It’s also very much about the systematic sexual abuse in the music industry and the music industry’s complicity in silencing sexual-abuse survivors,” Vrabeck added. “It’s virtually impossible to believe that those executives are not and were not aware of the institutionalized sexual abuse.”

In the lawsuit, the woman claims to have had a consensual sexual relationship with Songz prior to the alleged rape. She was under the impression they would get intimate again during a house party in March 2016. However, she claims Songz threw her to the ground and anally raped her despite her screams begging him to stop, Vulture reported.

The woman claims a rideshare driver took her to a hospital for treatment on the night of the attack. After the incident, Doe claims Songz harassed her at a New Year’s Eve party and called her a “slut” and a “liar” before having security kick her out.

Doe moved to another state out of fear of Songz, the lawsuit states. But she claims she was threatened by another musician who told her to “keep [Songz’s] name out her f**king mouth or he’d kill her.”

The Grammys should have done more for Beyoncé, according to this legend.

NBA great Magic Johnson recently took to social media to call out the Grammys for its underwhelming celebration of Beyoncé after she broke the record for the most Grammy wins of all time.

According to Billboard, the former Lakers great and business giant went on his Twitter page to voice his perspective in a series of tweets.

“Over the weekend I was very disappointed with the lack of tribute and recognition the Recording Academy showed Beyoncé after she became the most decorated artist in Grammy history with 32 Grammy awards,” the former all-time assists king in the NBA wrote Wednesday.

Grammys host Trevor Noah and late-night host James Corden presented Beyoncé with the record-setting best dance/electronic album award.

“It should have been a much bigger moment and celebration for her, her family, and her fans from around the world,” Johnson added. “I don’t know if something can be done but to me, it was extremely disrespectful to Beyoncé and all of her work as an artist.”

Over the weekend I was very disappointed with the lack of tribute and recognition the Recording Academy showed Beyoncé after she became the most decorated artist in Grammy history with 32 Grammy awards.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 8, 2023

Johnson compared Beyoncé’s moment with LeBron James’ record-breaking moment Tuesday when he surpassed former teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record of 38,387 points. The NBA paused the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder to project a video in honor of James in the arena, as the scoreboards flashed the words “LeBron James—NBA All-Time Leading Scorer.”

“THAT is what a real tribute to celebrate a historic moment should look like,” Johnson tweeted about the NBA’s gesture for James.

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Beyoncé took home four new Grammy awards on Sunday, bringing her total to 32 (the same number Johnson wore in his NBA career), surpassing late classical conductor Georg Solti‘s record.

The “Break My Soul” singer was nominated for nine Grammys this year.

While he is still under a cloud of suspicion for allegedly committing welfare fraud in his home state of Mississippi, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre is suing several individuals in connection with the scandal.

According to ESPN, the NFL Hall of Famer filed three individual defamation lawsuits Thursday against Mississippi state auditor Shad White and two superstars in sports media, former football players Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee.

White’s office found out that at minimum, $77 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program was misappropriated to go to rich and powerful people who live in Mississippi. Favre was allegedly given $1.1 million in funds regulated for the TANF program. The money was paid to Favre supposedly for speeches that he never gave.

Although it took some time, Favre eventually paid it back; the state wants a payment of $228,000 in interest.

In Favre’s lawsuit filed against White, he accuses the auditor of using the fraud allegations against him for political clout to advance his career. The audit done by White led to the allegations levied against Favre. In legal paperwork, the former quarterback accuses White of “shamelessly and falsely attacking Favre’s good name” to advance his political career.

In response to Favre’s lawsuit, Fletcher Freeman, a spokesman for the State Auditor’s office said, “Mr. Favre has called Auditor White and his team liars despite repaying some of the money our office demanded from him. He’s also claimed the auditors are liars despite clear documentary evidence showing he benefited from misspent funds. Instead of paying New York litigators to try this case, he’d be better off fully repaying the amount of welfare funds he owes the state.”

In the paperwork filed against Sharpe and McAfee, Favre is suing because both broadcasters made statements pertaining to the character of Favre once the news came out about the auditor’s findings.

In Favre’s lawsuit against Sharpe, co-host of Fox Sports 1’s Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, Farve claims that Sharpe defamed him by saying Favre is a “sorry mofo to steal from the lowest of the low,” and that Favre “stole money from people that really needed that money.”

McAfee, according to the suit, called Favre a “thief” who was “stealing from poor people in Mississippi” on The Pat McAfee Show.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 10, 2023

New Study Shows An Increase In Business Occurs By Labeling Businesses As ‘Black-Owned’

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Is there any harm in labeling something as “Black-owned?”

The answer is no. According to the Boston Globe, a study from Harvard Business School wanted to know if the inclusive lanes tech companies were getting into actually worked. Co-author Michael Luca found the answer to be yes.

Focusing on Yelp, who introduced the “Black-owned” business label in 2020, the study showed the feature created a 30% increase in sales, showing the demand in consumer support for those businesses. Particularly in the restaurant space, in-person visits per week jumped 10%, showing the impact past the virtual world. The associate professor’s findings were positive based on his initial thoughts.

According to the Boston Globe, Luca felt putting the spotlight on black-owned businesses would have negative consequences. “If you look at the history of social science research, in most cases, when you raise awareness of the race of a Black person in America, it leads to anti-Black discrimination,” Luca said. This is something he has found out firsthand. Luca previously conducted a similar study on the short-term rental giant, AirBnB.

In the case, titled, “Racial Discrimination on AirBnB,” the Harvard Business Review reported Black hosts received less in rent than hosts of other races, showing signs of discrimination against guests. Even guests with names who “sounded” African American sounding names, faced scrutiny. The company was under fire for years for prominently displaying the names and pictures of its hosts. Since then, AirBnB has limited the amount of host information shared during booking.

The difference between Yelp and AirBnB, in Luca’s opinion, is Yelp did it in a more “targeted and thoughtful way.” His research found most consumers from the Black-owned label were white. “Yelp is not putting pictures and names of the restaurant owners on top of every listing,” the researcher told the Globe. “Instead, they’re allowing people who want to find a Black-owned business to more easily search for it.”

T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach have received their exit setlements from ABC following their affair scandal.

Robach is walking away as the breadwinner when it comes to the severance packages, Page Six reported. Insiders say Robach received a higher settlement than Holmes because of her longer tenure with the network.

“Amy’s been at ABC a lot longer and has a much bigger contract [than T.J.],” sources said.

Robach joined ABC in 2012; Holmes followed two years later. Robach also produced more work for the network by co-hosting GMA3 with Holmes and appearing on 20/20 in a role sources say she “worked really hard to get.”

Insiders speculate Holmes and Robach’s settlements were just the remainder of what they would’ve gotten paid from their contract, but “it’s possible they could have gotten paid slightly more to sign an NDA—and to keep the peace,” a source explained.

Meanwhile, the happy couple is “back in New York, laying low,” after showcasing their budding romance in Los Angeles. Their settlements come after ABC officially cut ties with the former GMA3 anchors last month following a mediation session, TMZ reported.

Despite losing their jobs and marriages over their affair, sources claim Holmes and Robach are “more in love than ever,” according to the Daily Mail.

Holmes was recently spotted in New York buying a $650 David Yurman ring and a Tiffany gold chain for Robach’s 50th birthday.

“It’s kind of proof of how committed they are to each other that they’ve weathered this s**tstorm after their secret love affair was exposed, they were suspended from GMA3 and then waited for agonizing weeks as ABC kept them in limbo about their future,” a source said.

“But don’t forget that T.J. and Amy were friends long before they were lovers. Their relationship began with an awfully strong bond that—to this point—has only become, well, more.”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 10, 2023

Super Bowl Bets Range Over $16 Billion Thanks To Legal Sports Gambling

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Sports fans are overly excited about one of the biggest games of the year happening on Sunday, one group of fans in particular.

Sports betters. This year’s Super Bowl will feature the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles and KBMC News reports over $16 billion is expected to be wagered on the the big game in Glendale, Arizona, where sports gambling is legal for the first time. Predictions from the American Gaming Association expects 50.4 million Americans to have at least one bet this year.

AGA President and CEO Bill Miller made a statement, according to KBMC News, saying he feels the Super Bowl highlights the benefits of the habit. “Every year, the Super Bowl serves to highlight the benefits of legal sports betting,” Miller said. “Bettors are transitioning to the protections of the regulated market, leagues and sports media are seeing increased engagement, and legal operators are driving needed tax revenue to states across the country.”

With this year’s prediction almost doubling last year’s, more states are cashing in on bets. Thirty-three states, including Washington, D.C. have legal betting. According to Axios, Arizona is No. 10 in reported accepted wagers. New Jersey comes in at No. 1 with over $33 billion, and the gambling capital of the world, Nevada, holds the second place title with $29.5 billion. Eagles fans can get in on the fun, too, as Pennsylvania came in third place with $18.9 billion.

The fun stops for Chiefs fans as betting in the Show Me state. Fans will have to travel to the neighboring state of Kansas just to bet on their favorite team. Missouri is one of eight states to submit bills and legislature hoping to make sports gambling legal. Besides Missouri, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and mega sports state, Texas, have yet to jump on the betting bandwagon.