Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, may not be allowed to visit Australia because of his history of anti-Semitic remarks, a government minister said on Wednesday.

According to Reuters.com, Minister for Education Jason Clare condemned Ye’s “awful” anti-Semitic comments involving Hitler and the Holocaust, saying others who had made similar statements had been denied visas.

“People like that who’ve applied for visas to get into Australia in the past have been rejected,” Clare said in an interview with Nine News. “I expect that if he does apply he would have to go through the same process and answer the same questions that they did.”

Australian media reported that Ye would visit the country to meet the family of his partner, Bianca Censori, who grew up in Melbourne.

Australia’s Migration Act sets security and character requirements for non-citizens to enter the country. Any decision on whether Ye gets an Australian visa would be made by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, whose office said he could not comment on individual cases due to privacy reasons.

Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, met government officials on Tuesday to argue for an entry ban.

“We had a sympathetic hearing,” Wertheim said on Sky News.

“We’ve made the case that this particular individual does not meet the character test and that it would be in the national interest not to grant him a visa and we set out our reasons in some detail.”

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said if he were in government, he would be inclined to bar Ye on character grounds.

“My inclination would be not to allow him in,” Dutton told Melbourne’s Radio 3AW on Tuesday via Foxnews.com.

Social media viewers described this TV moment as a “gorgeous interaction of human kindness.”

Golden Globe-winning actress Angela Bassett hit an emotional spot for actor Brian Tyree Henry as the two made a recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

During the episode, Henry took over the interview segment with Bassett, giving him a chance to ask her a few questions.

Henry poked a little fun with a question when he asked Bassett if she liked him more or Corden.

“I love what my eyes have laid sight on. And that is a completely brilliant artist whose work I’ve come to admire and to love,” she complimented Henry. “I appreciate the work that you do and I hope to be lucky one day to work with you. Your vulnerability and sensitivity and strength and you’re just a badass!”

Bassett’s response full of compliments caused Henry to tear up before he stood up to embrace her with a warm hug.

Viewers were also moved by the heartfelt moment, taking to social media to share their thoughts.

“The way Angela spoke to Brian chokes me up,” a commenter on YouTube wrote. “[She] is just a phenomenal human being.”

Another commenter wrote, “This was such a magical interview..the black beauty inside and out of both of these incredible artists, and their immense respect for each other radiated through my screen!!! Love this,” they concluded with two hearts.

Other media professionals also took to their Twitter pages to highlight the moment.

Spencer Althouse, an editorial director at BuzzFeed started his own thread about the interaction the actors shared on national television.

Angela Bassett complimenting Brian Tyree Henry until he starts crying…whew! I’m emotional pic.twitter.com/ESo3FJlXxc

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) January 23, 2023

Followers of Althouse responded to his post, one user saying, “Look at these Oscar nominees fangirling each other. I love it!!!!!”

Another Twitter user wrote, “*OSCAR NOMINEE Angela Bassett complimenting *OSCAR NOMINEE Brian Tyree Henry until he starts crying…whew! I’m emotional.”

• News

by Booker Jones

January 26, 2023

Airport Worker Who Died After Being Pulled Into Plane Engine Remembered as Loving Mother

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An airline worker died on New Year’s Eve after being sucked into an engine while working near a plane. Now, the family of Courtney Edwards is trying to raise funds for Edwards’ three children.

Edwards was praised as a loving mother.

Matt Barnes has the streets talking about a video that shows him spitting on and shoving his fiance’s ex-husband at an NFL game.

The NBA alum was at the Cowboys vs. 49ers game on Sunday where he bumped into David Patterson Jr., the ex-husband of his fiance Anansa Sims. It became clear that all is not well between Barnes and Patterson as the two former pro athletes got into a nasty shoving match that had to be broken up.

The incident happened around 3:40 PM, just before the playoff contest began at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, TMZ reports. The video shows Barnes sending a wad of spit Patterson’s way before another clip shows the two pushing and shoving each other before others came to separate them.

While Barnes, 42, was the one who decided to spit on Patterson, 37, the former Los Angeles Lakers player claims Patterson started the whole thing. Barnes submitted an application for a temporary civil restraining order against Patterson two days after their heated encounter.

https://twitter.com/nojumper/status/1618483981812649986?s=20&t=jxHxyPLAqGuwgFB4G7hydQ

According to Barnes, Patterson “hunted me down and aggressively confronted me,” the filing states. The NFL alum is accused of yelling profanities and threats at Barnes that incited the crowd and it turned “into a frenzy by yelling out my full name repeatedly.”

Barnes claims Patterson “shoved me, and I was forced to push him off of me.”

He continued, “I did not want the altercation to physically escalate further, and out of frustration with him seeking me out and his unrelenting repeated harassment I spit in his direction in disgust.”

Barnes claims that Patterson has been terrorizing him for months due to him allegedly being “jealous of my relationship with his ex-wife,” the filing states. The NBA champion accuses Patterson of threatening to shoot him last year and wants the court to restrict him from coming within 100 yards of him.

Barnes proposed to Sims last month over the Christmas holiday.

This teen connected her talents from spelling to writing.

Zaila Avant-garde, the teen champion of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, announced her newest accomplishment: becoming a children’s book author as she prepares to release two books this summer.

According to Scripps News, the two books, It’s Not Bragging If It’s True and Words of Wonder from Z to A, will be released by Penguin Random House.

Avant-garde shared the new business venture with her Twitter followers.

https://twitter.com/ZailaAvantgarde/status/1615815239840276494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1615815239840276494%7Ctwgr%5E76170a2c54e4986b44fdc4fda3a5ef9778cae7f5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplemost.com%2F2021-scripps-spelling-bee-champion-zaila-avant-garde-to-release-2-childrens-books%2F

It’s Not Bragging If It’s True is a nonfiction book that follows Avant-garde’s life as she rose to fame after her win at the spelling bee. The middle-grade level book will target children eight to twelve years old and offer them advice on how to accomplish their dreams.

“In this nonfiction book, Zaila shares the personal anecdotes that have shaped her life and extends advice to readers on living authentically,” the book’s summary read. “While Zaila is an exceptional and inspiring young woman, she has fears and anxieties just like everyone else; what makes her remarkable is the way she chooses to move through the obstacles in front of her.”

Words of Wonder from Z to A targets a younger audience of children ages three to seven. The picture book will cover 26 of Avant-garde’s favorite words such as “hope,” “kindness,” and “resilience.

The young author, who made history as the first African American student to take home the spelling bee championship title, will release both books this Summer.

It’s Not Bragging If It’s True, co-written with Marti Dumas, is set to release on May 2. Readers can pre-order the nonfiction biography directly from the publisher or on Amazon as a hardcover, e-book, or audiobook.

Words of Wonder from Z to A, is set to be released a few weeks later, on June 27. Pre-orders for a hardcover or e-book can also be fulfilled from the publisher or on Amazon.

Taye Diggs and Apryl Jones have the rumor mill spinning with speculation about the couple’s possible engagement or marriage.

Diggs ignited the marriage rumors with a video he posted on Wednesday from the set of a project he and Jones are working on together called The Comeback. In the video, Jones shared behind-the-scenes details, while Diggs playfully touched up her makeup.

“Make up for #Thecomeback,” he captioned the post.

While the context of the video was to promote their upcoming film and tease their happy relationship dynamic, viewers couldn’t get past the gigantic diamond ring Jones was wearing on her left hand.

“Both of y’all wearing rings… we the people want to know are congrats in order!! 🤎” one fan wrote.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta)

Many noticed that Diggs was also wearing a ring on his left hand.

“Right! It’s obvious they want us to know they’re married without bluntly coming out telling us,” one user wrote. “I am happy for them. Let nothing or no one…”

“I see the rings and the other post talking about the blended family. Did we have a private wedding??? 💒,” added someone else.

Many others assumed the rings were just props for their upcoming movie together.

“They are doing a movie or show together I think that’s where the rings came from,” an observer wrote.

However, a separate post Diggs shared on Thursday showed the happy couple standing on top of a snowy mountain with Jones sporting a smaller diamond ring than the one she wore on the movie set.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta)

Fans couldn’t help but ask again if Diggs and Jones had possibly tied the knot.

“Are y’all married? If so congratulations to you both,” one fan wrote.

Diggs and Jones have yet to confirm or deny the rumors. They might be enjoying keeping the public guessing.

• News

by Stacy Jackson

January 26, 2023

Texas Surgeons Perform ‘Historic Separation’ of Conjoined Twin Sisters

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This wasn’t an easy procedure, but doctors made it happen.

Sixteen-week-old sisters JamieLynn Rae and AmieLynn Rose Finley, a pair of conjoined twins, were successfully separated after undergoing a complex surgery.

According to CBS News, the 11-hour surgery marked a first for the Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, TX.

The operation took the help of 25 medical professionals, including six surgeons, in an attempt to properly separate the babies.

“This is a historic, amazing day,” said Wini King, senior vice president and chief of communications, diversity, equity and inclusion for the Cook Children’s Health Care System, during a news conference on Wednesday.

“This is a magical moment for Cook Children’s,” the hospital’s president and CEO, Rick Merrill said during his remarks at the conference.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cook Children’s (@cookchildrens)

Dr. José Iglesias, M.D., medical director of pediatric surgery, and the lead surgeon on the twins’ procedure, said the infants are in recovery and under close watch as there are still several risks to look out for.

“We are very happy with their progress at this point,” Dr. Iglesias said.

“They’re going to grow up into the little girls that they’re supposed to be: independent and feisty, like they’ve already shown us,” Iglesias added. “So, we’re very thankful with that so far.”

A news release from the hospital stated that medical experts from across multiple specialties collaborated on the complex surgery. It is a rare case, estimated to occur in 1-in-200,000 live births.

The Finley sisters were born as omphalopagus twins, joined at the lower part of their breastbone to their bellybutton, sharing a liver.

AmieLynn and JamieLynn were born prematurely at the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital on October 3, to their parents Amanda Arciniega and James Finley.

The twins weighed 4 pounds, 7.8 ounces at the 34-weeks gestation mark.

A Los Angeles-based executive producer and writer is calling out HBO Max for allegedly stealing a comedy series they initially shut down, but ended up giving to Keke Palmer.

On Wednesday, HBO Max announced the new comedy series, Unfriendly Black Hotties, which they’re developing with Keke Palmer, Jermaine Crawford, and Amy Aniobi, ,” Variety reported.

According to the show’s logline, the series will serve as a “comedic satire exploring Gen-Z’s weaponization of political correctness told through the eyes of four high school girls.”

Palmer, Crawford, and Aniobi will serve as co-writers and executive producers on the co-produced series between HBO Max and Entertainment One. Crawford was excited to share the announcement on Instagram and shout out the team behind the new series.

“Y’all are in for one helluva ride 😂 – Cheers team 🥂: @keke @amyaniobi @noraradd @aanch / @eone_tv and @hbomax 💙,” he captiopned his post.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by JERMAINE (@jermainecrawford)

However, shortly after the show was announced, executive producer and writer Shay Caldwell took to Instagram to accuse the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned company of stealing the series she pitched to them a few years ago.

“Unfortunately, today, I feel defeated hearing the news that a project my writing partner @heycassady and I have shopped around Hollywood for the last 2 years has been picked up by HBO Max with a crew comprised of people from my personal pitch deck,” Caldwell shared in her lengthy caption.

She went on to highlight how HBO execs allegedly turned down the show they claimed had a title that “stood no chance” in today’s climate. Only to announce the show with the same title and an all-new team of producers.

“It strikes me as odd that the very project execs believed stood no chance with its title in the climate we live in would go on to find a life with the exact title and very similar content matter,” Caldwell wrote.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Shay Caldwell (@shaywatch)

Caldwell’s post included a series of receipts that appeared to confirm her accusations against HBO. Photos showed Caldwell’s original title and logo for Unfriendly Black Hotties, a screenshot of the original script created by Caldwell and Cassidy Dill, along with a mood board, stills from the pilot, and screenshots of copyright emails.

Caldwell also included her full statement that told the “tale of a young Black talent being swindled for their ideas in the shuffle of the Hollywood hustle in one as old as time.”

Caldwell closed her caption by expressing her desire to “rectify” the issue with HBO and also calling out Palmer, Crawford, and Aniobi, for becoming a part of her “defeat.”

“I’m in hopes an amicable reprieve is possible because it’s disheartening to see people you admire become a part of your feeling of defeat,” she wrote.

Caldwell’s comments section has been flooded with supportive messages from other Black creators who shared the same experiences in an unfortunate practice known to plague the entertainment industry.

“Bless you. It’s happened to me a couple times,” one person wrote.

“We still stealing in 2023!” added someone else.

No word yet from HBO Max or the show’s current team of writers and executive producers.

Tyler Perry is being called out by one actor who revealed the “traumatic” experience he had while filming an episode for Meet The Browns playing a role that Perry allegedly at the last-minute decided would be gay.

An actor and voice coach, Brandin Jay took to TikTok on Wednesday to open up about how filming just one episode of Perry’s Meet The Browns turned into “the most stressful and hardest experience” of his life.

According to Jay, a day on Perry’s show set is more “drastic” than the typical one-episode shoot. The actor says episodes are usually shot in one week. However, at Tyler Perry Studios, they’re shot in one day.

In addition to the tight shooting schedule, Jay accuses Perry of making last-minute changes to the scripts the actors had to memorize before each shoot. Jay had auditioned for and was playing the role of Geoffrey, a stout high school teenager who was being bullied at school.

@brandinjay Filming Meet The Browns Storytime! Like for Part 2. #meetthebrowns❤️ #meetthebrowns🎥 #tylerperry #mrbrown #amazonprime #foryoupage #fyp #tiktok #storytime #actingtok #brandinjay ♬ original sound – Brandin Jay

“I take two to three days to learn the entire script,” Jay recounts.

Then on the day of filming the Alfonso Ribeiro-directed episode, Perry walks in, and “everything changes,” Jay claimed.

“So we literally run the entire episode for him and he hates it,” Jay said.

The actor realized Perry’s dislike for the original script would result in everyone being forced to learn new lines of the honcho’s choosing.

“Mr. Perry on the spot starts rewriting the entire script,” Jay claims while “feeding” the young actor the lines he had to perfect right there on the spot.

Jay claims the director urged him to learn the new impromptu lines or else he would be fired. While rising to the occasion to learn the new lines, Jay claims Perry decided that his character would be gay and have a crush on his high school bully.

The drastic plot change wasn’t what Jay had originally auditioned for.

“‘I want Geoffrey to be gay and he has a crush on his bully,'” Jay claims Perry said.

In part two uploaded on Thursday, Jay adds to the story to reveal his initial response to being told his character would now have to be gay. Jay says he reached out to his agent who told him that he does not have to take the role if he doesn’t feel comfortable playing a new role he never signed on for.

But after some long thought, Jay says it was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass on. He decided to play the role despite Perry’s last-minute decision to turn the character gay.

@brandinjay Part 2 Storytime of filming MEET THE BROWNS! Like for part 3! #meetthebrowns #tylerperry #meetthebrowns❤️ #meetthebrowns🎥 #actingtok #storytime #amazonprime #brandinjay #fyp #foryoupage #mrbrown #tamelamann ♬ original sound – Brandin Jay

After the “story time” surfaced on Twitter, Jay received mixed responses from people who felt like he was complaining about an acting gig that experienced the last-minute script changes that are known to take place on sets.

https://twitter.com/thetirekinge/status/1618501304619536384?s=20&t=ei1bsm3NlmkFZ545GIX9YQ