• Lifestyle

by Wendy Medina

April 24, 2022

Chris Rock Speaks on Will Smith Oscars Slap at Sold-Out Baltimore Show

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During a sold-out show in Baltimore, Maryland, on Friday, Chris Rock finally spoke out addressing the Oscars slap during his set. Having remained silent about it for weeks, Rock touched on the tense encounter with Will Smith for only a second before continuing with his act. 

In his performance at the Lyric Performing Arts Center, the 57-year-old comic started the show with, “I’m alright. I’m alright. Healed from the nicks and bruises… for the most part,” reports WJZ-TV. 

Apparently, that was literally all Rock said regarding the slap. He went on as usual on his hour-and-a-half-long set as if he hadn’t said a word about it. 

Rock’s mother, Rosaline “Rose” Rock, recently discussed her reaction to the incident on a local news station. 

“When Will slapped Chris, he slapped all of us, but he really slapped me,” shared the matriarch. “When you hurt my child, you hurt me.”

She went on to call out the Oscar ban, claiming it was not sufficient punishment since the Smiths don’t even attend every year. Additionally, she claimed Smith’s apology was not genuine.

“I feel really bad that he never apologized,” Rose said. “His people wrote up a piece and said, ‘I apologize to Chris Rock,’ but something like that is personal. You reach out.”

Earlier this month, the star comedian shared at an Indio, California, show that he was perhaps shopping around for the highest bidding network that would hear Rock’s uncut story.

He stated that he would keep his mouth shut about the slap, “not until I get paid.” 

Smith has apologized multiple times since that night at the L.A. Dolby Theater, resigned from the Academy, and was banned from the ceremony for a decade. 

He has not been seen since being spotted at a private airport yesterday in Mumbai, India, taking pictures with fans, seemingly in a good mood, reports People.  

For Rock’s next show, he heads to Las Vegas, Nevada, set to perform at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on May 6.

• News

by Wendy Medina

April 24, 2022

Syracuse PD Stands Behind Cops Who Detained 8-Year-Old in Viral Video

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In an April 18 video that has now garnered more than 6.1 million views, social media was outraged to see white officers detaining an 8-year-old Black boy over allegedly stealing a bag of chips.

The Syracuse Police Department and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh held a news conference Thursday to reveal body cam footage and respond about the extreme way the officers placed the child in the back of the police cruiser, which took place midday on April 17.

Police were responding to a larceny in progress at a local dollar general in the northside of Syracuse when they came across the children that were responsible a block away.

A bystander, Kenneth Jackson, began filming the now-viral video of the cops grabbing the child from his bike using excessive force.

“I felt his terror and decided to intervene,” Jackson said to NBC affiliate WSTM. “There’s a way that the police need to interact with kids, and what they did that day was completely unacceptable.”

https://twitter.com/HunndoHefner/status/1516069289362706437?s=20&t=bBSODcnPzZA_mX5qoLvEnA

In different angles of the incident, Sgt. Mark Rusin played five different body cam clips at the news conference, totaling about 15 minutes of video of the three officers involved. 

The footage revealed their familiarity with the children they encountered, referring to them by first name. According to Rusin, the cops knew the kids from prior interactions dealing with repeated petty thefts.

“They knew where he lived, they knew his parents. And when they took the child home, they took the time to engage with that father, with that child, with his siblings and talk about what went on,” said First Deputy Police Chief Joe Cecile. 

“Folks, this is community policing 101. It is what every citizen is asking from our police department — community policing — and it’s what we ask the officers to do as well. Know your territory, know the citizens in your territory, whether they are the adults or the children,” the newly instated chief continued.

Ceclie took over Syracuse PD due to Police Chief Kenton Buckner having resigned just days after the video surfaced online. 

The police chief of Syracuse, NY, has resigned from his position, citing "personal reasons."

His resignation comes after a Syracuse police officer was filmed detaining a crying Black child for allegedly stealing a bag of chips.

An investigation is ongoing. pic.twitter.com/hKKh35z2Kt

— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 22, 2022

Anthony Weah, the 8-year-old’s father, accused the officers of using excessive force. Per Syracuse.com, Weah is struggling to take care of his sick wife while working and raising his three children. He told authorities he simply needed some sleep when his boys left the house Easter morning.

“You can’t treat him like that because of a bag of chips like he killed somebody. He’s not a criminal,” said Weah.

Walsh maintained that police need better training in dealing with youths who come from struggling homes.

The fact remains, this would never be done to a white child.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 24, 2022

Buffalo Bills Player Sued for Allegedly Sending Private Explicit Photo of Woman to Two Unnamed Celebrities

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A professional football player has been sued for allegedly distributing sexually explicit photographs of a woman he used to previously date.

According to TMZ Sports, Buffalo Bills defensive end, Von Miller has been sued in Los Angeles by a woman who has accused him of distributing sexually explicit photos of her in May 2020.

The NFL player purportedly sent two messages with photos that were taken while the two were in a relationship. The victim alleges that he sent them to two unnamed celebrities. The woman is seeking monetary damages for committing the act.

According to the paperwork filed, Miller and the woman were dating and the couple allegedly took some private pictures with each other during “sexual acts” with both agreeing that the photos would never be shared.

The woman, who filed under “Jane Doe” alleges that, “in a fit of jealousy, anger, and rage” Miller sent “sexually explicit” photos to two unnamed celebrities. The first one was sent on May 7, 2020, and supposedly said, “This the b*tch you want? You can have her dawg.” While the second message was allegedly sent three minutes after the first to someone else, stating, “This the b*tch you want?”

• News

by Yolanda Baruch

April 24, 2022

Louisiana High School Senior Brandon Sterling Dies After Playing Pickup Game Of Basketball

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A family had to lay to rest their son, Brandon Sterling, 18, after he died on April 17 during a basketball pickup game in Morgan City, Louisiana, according to Houma Today.

Sterling was a student at Assumption High School in Napoleonville, Louisiana looking forward to graduation.

According to witnesses, he suddenly collapsed while playing basketball with his friends and slammed the back of his head on the court at the Jimmie Johnson Memorial Park in Morgan City, described by his mother, Darnisha Sterling, Houma Today reports.

“They said he hit his head on the concrete and he started to seizure,” Darnisha said of her son. “They said he was shaking real bad.”

Brandon laid on the court for “up to 30 minutes” until the ambulance arrived and transported him to Ochsner St. Mary Hospital in Morgan City. He was later declared dead, according to The Shadow League.

Darnisha said her son did not have any pre-existing conditions and was in perfect health. “He was so active,” she said. “I don’t know what happened. They never told me what happened to my baby.

Darnisha is patiently waiting for the medical examiner’s autopsy results, and police authorities have ruled out any suspicions of criminality. However, Morgan City Police Captain Betty Augman is still investigating his death, The Shadow League reports.

“We are doing our due diligence to investigate what happened to the young man and family,” said Augman. “We don’t suspect any foul play. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this time.”

Brandon had a bright future ahead of him; he planned to attend Nicholls State University, major in nursing, and follow in his mother’s footsteps in the medical field, according to Houma Today.

“I never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He stayed out of trouble and looked after his brothers. I appreciate everybody that has been reaching out to me. It’s good to know how loved my baby was- I just want my baby back,” Darnisha said of her eldest son, she is the mother to two other sons.

“He was the best kid,” reports The Shadow League. “He was a jack of all trades who was good at basketball and football. He could dance. He was good at everything. Sterling even had a high school basketball recruiting profile on the ‘Next College Student Athlete’ website.”

“I never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He stayed out of trouble and looked after his brothers. I appreciate everybody that has been reaching out to me. It’s good to know how loved my baby was … I just want my baby back,” said the grieving mother, Houma Today reports.

Brendon Sterling spoke highly of his older brother and said he was an inspiration to himself and their young brother, Dwayne McZeal Jr.

“My brother was a legend,” said Brendon Sterling. “He was a father-figure for me and my brother. He taught me and my brother everything about life. He didn’t hate anyone. He loved everybody.”

Brandon Sterling is survived by his parents, five siblings, aunts, uncles, and other relatives, The Shadow League reports.

Pro golfer Tiger Woods is bringing one of his professionally designed golf courses to Florida later this month.

PopStroke Entertainment Group, a national leader in golf entertainment and co-owned by Wood’s TGR Ventures and Greg Bartoli have announced the official opening of its PopStroke Sarasota location. The venue is scheduled to open on Thursday, April 28 at noon.

I’m excited to share a sneak peek of the courses @tgrdesignbytw and I designed for @PopstrokeGolf Sarasota, which opens on Thursday, April 28th. Read more here: https://t.co/DBpCCb1qmm pic.twitter.com/1SGwbCcA7X

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 20, 2022

“We are excited to introduce PopStroke to the Sarasota community as we continue our expansion,” said Tiger Woods in a written statement. “PopStroke is about bringing friends and families together to create lasting memories around the game of golf. We have created two 18-hole putting courses that can be enjoyed by all, regardless of age or skill level. We look forward to welcoming a new generation of players to our unique putting experiences at PopStroke Sarasota.”

PopStroke is a technology-infused golf entertainment venue that features the creativity of Wood’s TGR Design team. It is billed as a one-of-a-kind golf experience with two 18-hole putting courses. The venue features include an outdoor dining area with a full menu and a broad selection of craft beer, wine, signature cocktails, ice cream as well as an outdoor area and a playground. The Sarasota location, which is situated at 195 University Town Center Drive, is the first of the company’s properties to have a two-story layout with a rooftop bar and private event space.

There is a planned ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, April 26 that will take place at 11 a.m.

The ceremony will be hosted by Bartoli and attended by TGR Ventures, Sarasota County officials, and the media. The official opening to the public takes place on Thursday, April 28 at noon. Friday, April 29 PopStroke Sarasota will start the regular hours of operations from 9 a.m. to midnight 7 days a week.

“We are incredibly excited to bring our unique entertainment brand to the Sarasota community,” said Bartoli. “I have spent countless hours visiting Sarasota with my children for youth sporting events over the years and have long recognized the attributes that make Sarasota such a vibrant and thriving community. With an abundance of young families, working professionals, and retirees, Sarasota is the perfect fit for all that PopStroke has to offer in bringing people together across generations to enjoy the game of golf in an affordable, fun, and competitive environment.”

For more information, you can visit the website at www.popstroke.com.

Get your taste buds ready for the new show The Great Soul Food Cook-Off airing on discovery+ and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, according to the show’s official press release.

Hailing as the first-of-its-kind soul food cooking series spotlighting Black chefs and Black culinary traditions that are the pillars of American cuisine. Hosted by revered chef and television show host Kardea Brown of Food Network’s Delicious Miss Brown, the series debuts with six one-hour episodes starting May 6 and running through June 10, featuring eight chefs going toe-to-toe to take home the grand prize of $50,000, according to ET Online. 

“Today, we see Black culture recognized like never before in music, film, fashion, TV, sports, and more, but that same cultural recognition remains long overdue in the kitchen,” reads the official press release.

Brown, along with renowned chefs Eric Adjepong and Melba Wilson, including featured chefs Tanya Holland, Alexander Smalls, BJ Dennis, Tiffany Derry, Millie Peartree, and Kwame Onwuachi, will all provide evaluations of the chefs’ creations based on the challenges.  

“Soul food originated in the earliest African American communities and describes a style of cuisine that represents the creativity and skill of Black cooks from many cultures within the African diaspora,” said Tina Perry, president, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in an official statement. 

“Our audience cherishes time together as a family around the table and many have passed down favorite family recipes for generations. This series is a celebration of long-standing traditions we hope to introduce and spotlight for new and existing viewers as we shine a light on a few of today’s most talented Black chefs and culinary curators.”

The competition launches with a Soul Starter Challenge paying homage to the foundational “meat and three,” a meal featuring a portion of meat and three sides that are African American community staples. 

In this first challenge, The Great Soul Food Cook-Off, chefs rally into teams and are tasked to prepare a Meat N’ Three Knockout with smothered pork chops, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and a potato salad. The winning team will advance into the main Cook-Off Challenge, where the chefs create innovative dishes with key ingredients. 

Tune in to see who wins or goes home. 

The Great Soul Food Cook-Off  premieres on OWN, Friday, May 6 through June 10.

• News

by Wendy Medina

April 24, 2022

Louisiana Grandmother Allegedly Kills 4-Year-Old Granddaughter, Accused of Forcing Her To Drink Bottle of Whiskey

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A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 4-year-old died of acute alcohol poisoning last Thursday after her grandmother allegedly forced her to drink a bottle of whiskey, as the child’s mother watched, reports NBC News.

The child, China Record, was found with a blood-alcohol level of .68 when authorities arrived at the Wallis St. home, revealed Sgt. L’Jean McKneely in a statement, a spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Police Department. Baton Rouge Fire and EMS personnel were unsuccessful in their attempts to resuscitate her.

A .68 blood alcohol content is more than eight times the legal limit of .08 in the state of Louisiana for those aged over 21 to drive. According to a University of Notre Dame BAC chart, alcohol poisoning occurs at a level of .25; a .40 or higher can lead to a coma or death. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office confirmed the cause of death was due to alcohol poisoning.

The grandmother, 53-year-old Roxanne Record, believed the child might have taken a sip of her Canadian Mist whiskey and reportedly became angered, prompting her to punish the 4-year-old by making her finish the bottle on her knees, according to booking documents.

China’s mother, Kadjah Record, 28, sat there and watched her toddler consume the “over half full” bottle of the 80 proof liquor, per Fox affiliate WGMB.

When the toddler became unresponsive, Kadjah allegedly placed the child in a bathtub. Authorities were not contacted until China stopped breathing.

The two women each face first-degree murder charges in China’s death and were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Friday morning, per authorities. They are being held without bond. It is unknown whether the women have procured lawyers on their behalf.

After being arrested, Roxanne reportedly said, “this went too far,” and she “ruined everyone’s lives,” reports The Advocate newspaper.

On Friday afternoon, police say they were still investigating the child’s death.

A viral tweet that trolled the appearance of pop superstar Lizzo in comparison to the Why Did I Get Married star Jill Scott, was promptly shut down by Scott last Wednesday. 

The original post, tweeted by a woman, catered to preferences for men, suggesting how Scott was a classy plus sized woman while Lizzo was not, due to her appearance. 

“Your size isn’t the reason Men won’t date you. It’s the level of class you have. For instance, let’s compare Jill Scott to Lizzo. Men, which one would you date?” read the post, with side by side images of Scott at a press event and a screenshot of Lizzo rocking a raunchy outfit with an exposed derriere as she boards a private jet.

The conservative woman continued in the thread, “Yeah sure as a performer, perform as raunchy as you want, whatever, but going out in broad daylight with your cheeks out is another level of coocoo…

“Size does matter to an extent lol but you gotta know how to wear it too. If you’re plus size, make it look good because there will be someone out there for you,” she suggested.

The 50-year-old actress responded to the tweet with the quickness, posting a GIF of Kevin Hart mouthing the words, “Stop that.”

Many fans reacted to the three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter’s response, pointing out the promptness of shutting down comparisons, but especially not wanting to be center stage of unwanted drama. 

Additionally, other Twitter users urged posts like these not only damage the self-image of other plus sized women, but fuel unwarranted competition against Black women. 

“When will people learn to stop pitting women against each other, chile,” one user wrote.

“Stop putting black women against each other,” replied another.

A third Twitter user brought up, “Jill Scott has imitated fellatio mid show because she can do whatever she wants as a grown up, just like Lizzo. There are plenty of elegant photos of Lizzo, post one of those. Don’t pit black women against each other.”

Then there were others who called out the original post’s creator: “Did he pick u yet? Or u still waiting on a txt back?”

Lizzo commented on TheShadeRoom’s repost of the tweet: “STREAM ‘ABOUT DAMN TIME,’” she said with a hair-flip emoji, her newly released single. 

Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind “Roz” Brewer is one of two Black female CEOs that run Fortune 500 companies. As of 2021, she is listed as the highest-paid female chief executive, according to a new Equilar study, CNBC reports.

Brewer gained immeasurable experience from her previous top roles as CEO at Sam’s Club and Walmart. She served as Chief Operating Officer of Starbucks before settling in as CEO of Walgreens. Based on her expertise and leadership, Brewer was granted a $28.3 million compensation and $20.2 million in stocks, according to CNBC. 

Brewer said it’s best to start from a learning perspective before vying for a leadership position. She worked at Starbucks drive-thru service and studied Walmart trucking logistics. 

“I was willing to take a step down to go much further, and then that’s when my career began to really explode. I was in a learning mode, but I took a step back to get ahead.”

Stepping back proved advantageous for Brewer’s career as the Equilar study listed her as the 14th highest-paid chief executive, according to CNBC.

The data Equilar assembled studied 100 of the largest companies based on revenue filed by March 31, 2021, helped determine how the private sector is improving for women seeking to enter the C-Suite status. Although there are nine female CEOs, none of them broke the glass ceiling of the exclusive list of the highest-paid CEOs, according to CNBC. 

For 2021, the top-paid CEO was Intel’s Patrick Gelsinger, with a $177.9 million salary and $170 million of that amount in company stocks and options, followed by No. 2 Apple CEO Tim Cook with a compensation of $98.7 million and $82.3 million locked in Apple stocks. 

Including Brewer, the other women on the list were evaluated based on salary, stock, and options award packages. 

Yet, even with her highly lauded accomplishment, Brewer testifies that she still is overlooked and questioned about her position.

Brewer revealed to Hoda Kotb of Today that she attended a private meeting specifically for CEOs and one attendee had a difficult time wrapping his brain around Brewer’s position. 

“I’m not the person that will walk in a room and tell you my title, right? I’m just not that person,” she modestly says to Today in a sit-down interview in 2021. “But when I’m in the room with like-minded people, I would just assume that you would think that I should be here at least at this point in my life…I refer often to a situation where I was at a meeting just for CEOs, right, private attendance, under 25 people, and I had one gentleman asked me constantly what did I do for a living, almost like ‘why are you here?'” 

She continues with the story and recalls the man asking her up to 20 questions to pinpoint her actual position. 

“In many times, you know, I just find that we are still so underrepresented in so many different places,” says Brewer.

While progress is slow and steady, Brewer enjoys the rank of CEO with three other Black women. Ursula M. Burns, the former CEO of Xerox. Thasunda Brown Duckett, the President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA, and Oprah Winfrey, CEO of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Nearly a month after the Oscars slap, Chris Rock’s mom is finally speaking out about the incident. 

Rock’s mom Rose, 71, a motivational speaker, family and youth advocate, and author, spoke to WIS 10 in a one-on-one interview to share her thoughts on that fateful night. She says that while her son is doing fine, he is “still processing” the event.

“You reacted to your wife giving you the side-eye and you went and made her day because she was mulled over laughing when it happened,” Rose said.

She added that this was the first year she did not attend the ceremony in person, and while watching at home, she initially thought the slap was staged. It was only until Will Smith began using profanity that she realized it was all real.

“When Will slapped Chris, he slapped all of us, but he really slapped me,” shared the matriarch. She further elaborated, “When you hurt my child, you hurt me.”

When asked what she would tell Smith if she had a chance to speak to him, all Rose could muster was, “What in the world were you thinking?”

She speculates how quickly things could have taken a turn, whether it was her son possibly falling backwards or Smith being escorted out in handcuffs.

She goes on to say that while she was proud to see how Chris handled the situation, she was saddened because her son was excited to present Questlove his Oscar, but Smith stole the moment as everyone was busy grasping what had just happened. 

“No one even heard his speech,” Rose said. “No one was able to just be in the moment because everyone was sitting there like, ‘What just happened?’”

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A post shared by Billie Jean Shaw (@billiejeantv)

The motivational speaker then calls out the Oscar ban, claiming it is not sufficient punishment since the Smiths don’t even attend every year. Additionally, she claims Smith’s apology was not genuine.

“I feel really bad that he never apologized,” Rose said. “His people wrote up a piece and said, ‘I apologize to Chris Rock,’ but something like that is personal. You reach out.”

Earlier this month, the star comedian shared at an Indio, California, show that he would keep his mouth shut about the slap, “not until I get paid.” He has not touched on the matter as he continues his worldwide comedy tour, Ego Death.