Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith were having so much fun while filming Inside The NBA on Tuesday night that Shaq ended up tumbling face-first into a gigantic Christmas tree.

Hilarious video captured the moment Shaq, 50, and Kenny, 57, made a dash for the big screen to cover the Halftime Report when “The Jet” shoved Shaq into the massive Christmas tree on set.

“Don’t cheat!” Kenny playfully shouted at Shaq as they ran off.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600303761477378048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1600303761477378048%7Ctwgr%5E622f5d1530c8283794fa2eb7d5853c2b49374c5d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-33065498983569042415.ampproject.net%2F2211182146000%2Fframe.html

But somewhere in the short race, Kenny decided Shaq wasn’t playing fair and pushed his co-host into the Christmas tree. Shaq’s stature met with gravity and the 7′ 1″ NBA champion ended up at the bottom of the tree under the bristles.

Shaq’s feet waved hello from under the tree as the rest of the cast burst out in laughter. The show shared the clip on Twitter along with a follow-up showing Shaq cleaning the Christmas tree bristles off his head.

“”This means war Kenny, this means war,” Shaq jokingly said.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1600306961785843712?s=20&t=FlDgwoXG-jjBNzbiTFf_zw

Fans of the show seemingly knew Shaq’s run-in with the tree was coming. Viewers have watched him trip over cords and other set props so much, it’s become part of his signature on the show.

“Minutes before he did that I’m watching the show and I’m like “dang with this Christmas set they have now, I wonder how many weeks it’ll take for Shaq or one of them to be shoved into the Christmas tree or for it to fall on them” 🤣🤣” one fan wrote.

Shaq has hosted Inside The NBA alongside Kenny, Charles Barkley, and Ernie Johnson Jr. since the 2011-2012 NBA season started. O’Neal’s addition led to the launch of his Shaqtin’ a Fool segment that highlights bloopers from around the league.

The quartet is known for joking throughout the show, with Shaq being the main one who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty all for a good laugh.

• News

by Niko Mann

December 7, 2022

20-Year-Old Jackson State University Student Accused Of Killing Flynn Brown Denied Bond

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The 20-year-old Jackson State University student accused of killing 22-year-old Flynn Brown will not receive bond, according to WAPT News. Brown was found dead inside a vehicle on campus in Jackson, MS. on Dec. 2.

Randall Smith of New Orleans was arrested in connection with Brown’s death. The freshman at Jackson State University appeared in court virtually on Dec. 5 with a public defender. Smith, who turned 20 on Nov. 30, was denied bond by Hinds County Judge Johnny McDaniels.

Brown was discovered at approximately 8 a.m. inside a Dodge Charger in the parking lot between Campbell College Suites and Dixon Hall. He died from apparent gunshot wounds. Flynn was a star football player from New Jersey who had earned a spot on the school’s team for the next season. The president of the university, Thomas Hudson, J.D., announced the sad news on Dec. 2.

Fans attending the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 3 were still in shock from the tragic news. One fan, Brelinda Pruitt, shared her condolences for both students’ families.

“My condolences to both of the families because each one of them lost something special. One lost a son that she will never see again and the other lost a son that she will never see again.”

McDaniels said Smith would not receive bond due to the nature of the crime. A preliminary hearing for Smith was scheduled for Dec. 15.

Another fan, Chester Owens, spoke about gun violence in the city. “It’s just so many things going on in Jackson right now with the gun violence. There needs to be some kind of control and the control needs to start at home,” he said.

Alicia Wilson, Johns Hopkins’ inaugural vice president for economic development and community partnerships, will leave at the end of the year to become Global Head of Philanthropy For North American Region at JPMorgan Chase.

Her drive, creativity, savvy, and deep passion and love for Baltimore, helped leverage Johns Hopkins’ resources and expertise to support the city, communities, and neighbors.

Since joining Johns Hopkins in this new enterprise-wide role in 2019, Wilson has led existing economic development initiatives to new heights with a combination of strategic acumen and contagious enthusiasm, while also nimbly identifying new opportunities to deepen and enhance Johns Hopkins’ partnerships and collaborations in Baltimore City and beyond. Under Wilson’s leadership, HopkinsLocal not only met ever higher goals for spending, hiring, and contracting in the Baltimore community but also expanded the institution’s efforts into diversifying Hopkins’ investment managers. She and her team have worked to create opportunity throughout Baltimore through the College Access Initiative, and support for small businesses and expungement clinics for justice-involved individuals, clearing pathways to jobs.

Her team’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the humanity and persistence Wilson brings to all her work. Beginning in spring 2020, she convened Johns Hopkins’ COVID-19 Anchor Strategy Workgroup, a cross-institution partnership between Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Health System.

The Workgroup helped steer the institution’s response to local needs and supported a series of initiatives, including hosting town halls, to share information with local grassroots organizations, families, and civic leaders. They provided accurate, timely information about public health best practices; briefed medical practitioners, elected officials, and leaders of small and large businesses; and distributed boxes of fresh groceries to roughly 7,000 Baltimore residents per week—more than 6 million meals in all—through the East Baltimore Food Access Initiative.

Wilson also helped to launch and lead HEAT Corps (Health Education and Training), which helped to bring Hopkins’ public health messaging about COVID-19 to a global audience by providing 10,000 youths in 18 states and six countries with education and training.

A proud Baltimore native and a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Wilson has always drawn on her deep reservoir of local and statewide relationships and made it a priority to cultivate and support local talent, in her office and across the institution.

Beyoncé has the Bey Hive reeling after releasing an official “Hive Certified” music video for her platinum-selling hit single Break My Soul.

On Tuesday, Beyoncé dropped the new video on her official YouTube channel as an homage to her loyal fans and supporters who had shown off their dance moves on social media when Bey released the song back in June.

The video comes in response to Break My Soul going platinum on Nov. 30, as noted by Billboard. It features a montage of Bey Hive members dancing, recording TikToks, and just losing themselves to Beyoncé’s vocals.

Bey kicked off the video with a clip showing a fan tricking his mom and sister into thinking he doesn’t like “Beyonce’s new song.”

“Get out of here before I break your soul,” the fan’s mom said in response, while his sister stared in disbelief in the background.

The next four-and-a-half minutes highlight video clips of fans dancing, singing, and showing how their everyday circumstances won’t break their souls. Many even jammed out to the song while at work, singing Bey’s lyrics about quitting her job and finding new drive.

“BREAK MY SOUL is Certified Platinum,” Bey shared in the video’s caption. “Thank you so much for all the love and for releasing the wiggle.”

Beyoncé released the song at the end of June, one month before releasing her highly anticipated Renaissance album. The house-inspired track features vocals from New Orleans’ own Big Freedia and samples Robin S’ 90s House hit Show Me Love.

Break My Soul peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for two weeks, marking the Houston native’s eighth career No. 1. Last month, Break My Soul garnered Beyoncé three Grammy nominations, including record of the year, song of the year, and best dance/electronic recording.

Bey is also nominated for Album of the Year for Renaissance, R&B performance, Dance/Electronic Album, and more. In total Bey secured nine nominations that add to her long list of Grammy noms.

A woman in Belfast, Ireland who tattooed her eyeballs purple and blue is now losing her eyesight, according to The Daily Mail.

Anaya Peterson was hospitalized after her eyelids began swelling shut, and she is now facing permanent blindness.

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♬ Own Brand Freestyle – FelixThe1st & Dreya Mac

The 32-year-old law student shared a video on TikTok about her decision to tattoo her eyeballs and said she was inspired by Australian tattoo model Amber Luke, otherwise known as “the blue-eyed white dragon,” because of her tattooed eyeballs. Peterson, who had to have eye surgery and is facing permanent blindness, now regrets her eye tattoos.

“It was traumatizing to go through. I just remember thinking, ‘I’m not doing that s—t again with the eye tattoo.’ I’m definitely not doing that s—t again.'”

“My eyelid started to swell, and my bottom eyelid started to swell. It kept getting worse and worse. I looked like I’d done ten rounds with Mike Tyson.”

Peterson, who also has a split tongue as well as several face and body piercings, was temporarily blind for three weeks. Her seven-year-old daughter warned Peterson she could go blind, and now the mother of five wishes she’d only tattooed one eyeball instead of two.

One TikTok user commented, “your daughter knew better than you.” Another said, “It’s supposed to be mama knows best. Not pickni is smarter than mother. Poor baby”

Ophthalmologists told Peterson she is at high risk of contracting glaucoma and that her vision is also clouded with hundreds of thousands of floaters. The law student said that she has lost her 20/20 vision and can no longer see people’s facial features from a distance.

“If I didn’t have my eyeballs tattooed, I wouldn’t be having this problem. Even today I woke up with more floaters in my eyes. And that is dangerous.”

When asked why she tattooed her eyeballs, Peterson said she did it just to be at home watching television.

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 7, 2022

Wendy Williams’ Son Evicted From $2M Miami Condo, Claims His Mom Can’t Pay His Rent

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Wendy Williams’s son, Kevin Hunter Jr., was evicted from his lavish $2 million Miami apartment after failing to keep up with the rent in the wake of his mom’s financial woes.

Court documents reveal Kevin Jr, 22, was slapped with a lawsuit in August for the $70,000 in back rent he’s owed since his one-year lease ran out, The Sun reports. The lawsuit included the lease that showed Williams paid a full year of rent in advance and a security deposit and other fees when her only child moved into the apartment in March 2021.

Williams shelled out over $100,000 on the apartment for her son for the first year of the lease—which ended in February. Kevin Jr. reportedly agreed to continue paying the rent monthly after the lease term ended.

But Kevin Jr. claims he’s just a full-time student who had to take off time from school due to COVID, and he claims he had to care for his ailing mother. Hunter also noted Williams’ financial woes, including having her bank accounts frozen since January.

“My mom went through some health issues that put the court in control of her finances,” Hunter told the courts.

As a result, “all of the financial support that she always gave stopped,” and Hunter has been unable to pay the hefty rent bill.

According to Kevin Jr., due to “medical and legal reasons, she has not been able to pay the rent for the past months since the 1-year lease ended and the court controlled her finances.”

He continued: “Everything happened very quickly and unexpectedly and I had no idea things would end up like this.”

Hunter agreed to move out of the apartment on Sept. 7. His eviction comes amid complaints from his father, Wendy’s ex-husband, Kevin Hunter Sr., who claims he’s facing foreclosure due to not receiving his alimony payments.

Kevin Sr. wants the payments made as “contractually required.”

• Celebrity News

by Stacy Jackson

December 7, 2022

Nicki Minaj’s Husband and His Alleged Rape Victim Ordered To Mediation By Judge

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A judge has ordered the case regarding Nicki Minaj’s husband Kenneth Petty and Jennifer Hough, who accused Perry of allegedly raping her in 1994, to mediation to settle the lawsuit Hough filed against the couple.

According to The Source, Judge James R. Cho referred both parties to mediation on Tuesday, December 6.

“The case is referred to Court-annexed mediation. Parties to select a mediator by 12/20/2022 and complete mediation by 3/6/2023. Parties may participate in the mediation remotely,” the court record said.

Both parties are expected to participate in “limited written discovery that would facilitate settlement discussions.” Failure to settle outside of court will reportedly cause the case to go to trial.

As previously reported in BLACK ENTERPRISE, Hough filed a harassment lawsuit against Minaj and her husband, accusing them of witness intimidation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, harassment, assault, battery, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

In the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. district court for the eastern district of New York, Hough recounted the 1994 incident where she claimed Petty, 16 at the time, grabbed her at knifepoint and sexually assaulted her inside a home in Queens, New York.

The Guardian reported that Hough claimed the couple attempted to intimidate her into withdrawing the accusations against Petty and Minaj’s bribery, which allegedly included a $500,000 offering to get her to drop the story.

Petty has served four and a half years in prison after he pleaded guilty to attempted rape. He was arrested in March 2020 for failure to register as a sex offender in California.

The Source reported that Petty pursued an attempt to sue the State of New York and the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services over his sex offender status.

Oral arguments in the case are set to begin on January 6, 2023.

Minaj and Petty share a son, who was 11 months old at the time the accusations surfaced.

Keke Palmer is fresh off the heels of announcing her pregnancy and is already having to clap back at social media trolls calling her “ugly.”

The Nope star took to Twitter on Tuesday to call out those criticizing her appearance in a recently shared photo alongside her boyfriend and the father of her unborn child.

“I just saw a few comments of ppl saying I was ugly cause I wasn’t wearing any makeup,” Palmer tweeted.

“And I really want y’all to get the help y’all need because makeup isn’t real. I’m beautiful in real life, because of who I am, not what I look like.”

I just saw a few comments of ppl saying I was ugly cause I wasn’t wearing any makeup. And I really want y’all to get the help y’all need because makeup isn’t real. I’m beautiful in real life, because of who I am, not what I look like.

— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) December 6, 2022

“I wish I could bottle how I feel about myself and sell it,” she added in a separate tweet. “Because some people take comments to heart and these ppl just say anything. I mean truly it’s insane to say anyone is ugly, but especially me.”

Fans were quick to applaud the star and praise her natural good looks. One fan even shared a behind-the-scenes shot of the actress wearing no makeup while practicing lines for her SNL hosting debut last Saturday.

This Keke Palmer with no makeup?? Ugly?! Where?! https://t.co/8uPl5YHkk2

— Bryce (@TheBryceEstate) December 6, 2022

The trolling came in response to Palmer posting an adorable photo with her beau following their pregnancy announcement. The happy couple posed in front of a soccer stadium and sported matching jerseys.

Palmer covered her baby bump that her boyfriend cradled. The couple smiled ear to ear showing their happiness ahead of their baby’s birth.

Keke Palmer and boyfriend Darius Jackson in new photos together. pic.twitter.com/U095efUJFd

— Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) December 6, 2022

Palmer announced her pregnancy to fanfare on Saturday during her SNL opening monologue. The Scream Queens star pulled back her jacket to debut her baby bump.

Palmer’s boyfriend, Darius Jackson, followed her big announcement with a photo post showing his pregnant girlfriend. He included a heart emoji and 2023, a reference to the baby’s birth date.

Palmer is too blessed to be stressed and utterly unbothered by the trolling.

Ten-year-old Zoe Oli is giving 1,000 dolls away this holiday season to young girls in need.

She has partnered with several non-profit organizations including Atlanta Children’s Shelter, Partners for Southern Equity, Girls Who Brunch Tour and others to distribute the dolls. A sixth grader, author and entrepreneur, Zoe Oli is the CEO of Beautiful Curly Me, an Atlanta-based mission-driven toy company empowering girls through natural hair dolls, puzzles and storybooks.

Zoe launched her company at seven years old with her mom’s help after she overcame self-esteem challenges. Her line of dolls, books and accessories instill and inspire confidence in young black and brown girls. For every doll purchased on beautifulcurlyme.com, one is given to a young underserved girl.

Zoe gives back regularly and is so excited to impact 1,000 girls especially this time of year to bring smiles to their faces and also inspire them.

Zoe and Beautiful Curly Me have been featured on various media outlets including Forbes, Good Morning America, People, BLACK ENTERPRISE, The Kelly Clarkson Show and her doll Leyla appeared on the Oprah’s Favorite Things promo in 2020. Zoe was also a Time and Nickelodeon Kid of the Year finalist this year.

Zoe is passionate about inspiring young girls and recently gave a TEDx talk sharing her ideas to build girls confidence as the youngest TEDx speaker in the U.S./Youngest Black TEDx speaker.

To support Zoe’s efforts and get dolls in the hands of more girls, visit beautifulcurlyme.com.

Beautiful Curly Me is on Instagram,  Facebook and LinkedIn.

Learn more at http://www.beautifulcurlyme.com.

A fight broke out that left eight players thrown out of a women’s college basketball game in Texas.

According to ESPN, the game took place on Monday between Texas Christian University (TCU) and George Washington University (GW). An altercation on the court resulted in multiple players from both teams getting ejected.

The eight players – five from GW and three from TCU – were kicked off the court after an initial fight between GW Colonials’ Essence Brown and TCU Horned Frogs’ Bella Cravens. The incident started with 5:51 minutes remaining in the first half at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas.

It all started when Brown pulled Cravens’ hair when she went to retrieve a rebound during play. After doing so, Cravens, in retaliation, reached back, in an attempt to smack Brown. The two opposing players started going at it while teammates from both schools tried to stop the fight.

Brown, and Cravens were ejected. Brown’s teammates Nya Robertson, Jayla Thornton, Caia Loving, and Nya Lok, were also penalized. TCU’s Lucy Ibeh and Roxane Makolo faced the same punishment.

GW Athletics released a statement to ESPN regarding the incident.

“Yesterday’s incident was obviously challenging and unfortunate for our student-athletes and coaches, and we are working with the necessary parties on the path forward.”

TCU’s coach, Raegan Pebley, also commented to reporters after the game ended.

“We never want to be a part of anything like that. It doesn’t matter to me one bit who started it, who said what. It doesn’t matter. … I definitely know that we have, as do they, high-character kids that the moment got away from all of them.”

She also credited the referees for taking the right action and allowing the game to continue without any more issues.

“I thought the officials…did a really, really good job of managing it, not just in the moment, but throughout the game as well,” Pebley said.

TCU won the game by a score of 70-58.