Chris Rock Receives Standing Ovation at First Show Since Oscars Fiasco: ‘I’m Still Kind of Processing What Happened’
With an already scheduled tour that started Wednesday in Boston, Massachusetts, Chris Rock made his first public appearance since the fiasco he had with Will Smith on Sunday at the Oscars.
Although he does not have any material regarding the recent slap-gate, he did say that he is “still kind of processing what happened.”
According to Variety, the popular comedian received a standing ovation when he stepped on stage for his first stand-up show since he was slapped in the face, on stage, by a seemingly angry Smith this past Sunday.
Rock entered the stage at the Wilbur Theater wearing an all-white ensemble. He was treated to a hero’s welcome in the arena that fits 1000 people. As the sold-out audience gave him an almost two-minute standing ovation, the smiling comedian started the show by stating, “Yo, let me do the show!”
And although the comedian didn’t have much to say about the situation that transpired on Sunday, he did promise the crowd that it will be forthcoming.
“How was your weekend?” he began, drawing a wave of laughter.
“I don’t have a bunch of s**t about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend. I’m still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point, I’ll talk about that s**t. And it will be serious and funny.”
A day after the “incident” at the Oscars took place, Rock had risen up as a winner. The famed comedian’s ticket sales for his comedy tour, Ego Death World Tour, have skyrocketed.
This was Rock’s first set off his Ego Death tour which started at a sold-out show at Boston’s Wilbur Theater. The tour will go throughout the year and is expected to close in November at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. That venue is the same theater where the Oscars took place.
According to the Daily Mail, the cheapest ticket prices surged from $46 to over $400. This tour will take the comedian to 35 cities around the world, including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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How Danielle Coke’s Art Activism Helps Businesses Message DEI
The illustrator and content creator also known as Happy Dani talks with Entrepreneur about her unique business model and how brands can elevate Black content creators.
As we continue to honor Women’s History Month, I had the privilege of interviewing a Black woman founder dedicated to the intersection of art, activism and business. Danielle Coke, also known as Happy Dani, is a Black woman illustrator and content creator centering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in her work. She’s partnered with well-known brands like Toms, Adobe, and Comcast to translate their DEI values and initiatives into social-justice art with big impact.
Here are excerpts from our conversation about her unique business model and how brands can elevate Black content creators with DEI in mind.
Tell us about who you are, your journey and what lens you use to show up for equity, inclusion and belonging?
I describe myself as an illustrator and activist. I like to use art and words to encourage faith, inspire justice, and help people become better neighbors. It all started with my first piece in 2020. I posted an illustration on social media for Martin Luther King Day. I talked about why Dr. King was not a passive peacekeeper, but rather a radical disruptor who challenged the status quo. When I posted that, I was surprised to see that people who I didn’t know were sharing it. Before my art took off, I was a social media manager and graphic designer working with positive mission-based brands. After Martin Luther King Day, I told myself that I was going to keep making art for the rest of the month and talk about what it means to be a Black woman in America. That’s when my art started to circulate and I had my first piece go semi-viral on Facebook. In the summer of 2020, Black Lives Matter took center stage in our society. That’s when all of my work went viral at the same time. In one week, I gained about 300,000 followers on Instagram. It’s been exciting to see how my art inspired, encouraged and challenged people by sparking intentional conversations about DEI.
Who or what else inspires your work?
I’m inspired by the poetry of Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison’s writings about the intersection of blackness and creativity. Also, in 2019, I was working in a predominantly white small business. I was the only Black woman there. I remember going to my boss and saying, “I’m experiencing a lot of microaggressions and outright racism from people who mean well but just don’t know how to treat me. I would love it if we could invest in DEI initiatives, bring in a speaker, and try something new in this area.” My boss said he wasn’t passionate about that and couldn’t see why he would invest company money and time into DEI.
I came to the realization that this space wasn’t for me and I couldn’t see how I could thrive here. That’s what encouraged me to quit, pursue my own graphic design business, and intentionally work with justice-focused, mission-based brands who do care about DEI. That was my small way of using my passion for justice and equity.
I love that your website’s name is Happy Dani. Why is it important for women of color founders to lead with joy in their work?
For me, you see the name Happy Dani and my joyful disposition, and you might think: She’s happy all the time. But it’s absolutely not true. While my joy may come natural to me, it’s followed by a lot of intentional self-care, like investing in therapy and recognizing the function racial trauma has on my day-to-day life. I’ve allowed myself to be on a journey of healing. What’s important for Black women founders to know is that we can’t divorce who we are from what we do. The fact that I’m a Black woman infiltrates every aspect of my life. There may be times as a content creator on social media that people ask me to talk about the difficult topics of the day, but it’s not common for Black women content creators to get the same kind of engagement when we talk about love, happiness, or joy. I had to make the decision for my well-being to no longer divorce who I am online from my holistic self in real life. I’m a person, not a resource.
In your stickers, you use a wide variety of skin tones. Why is it important to show skin-color diversity in your work?
When I first made the sticker that says “worthy” with all of the different colored arms, that was a piece I made during Black History Month 2020 about colorism. All of those arms represent different tones of blackness and speak to the issue of being worthy and valuable no matter your skin tone. In the summer of 2020, the piece resurfaced and was amplified by those who thought the message included more than just Black people. Although the original intention of the piece has been lost in translation, it’s been neat to see how it’s taken on a life of its own to encourage all people from all walks of life to embrace worthiness. Worthiness isn’t something to be noted and said, rather it’s something to be fought for in all places and spaces in our spheres of influence.
Who typically buys your art? What impact do you hope it has on them?
I create art and words for the heart and home. I want families to buy this art and spark conversations with their children and guests who come over. I also want the more inspiring pieces to encourage people to stay motivated in the work they’re doing. It’s hard to start out with such a niched focus with mission-based brands and then have my audience expand to everyone. It’s not ideal when deciding who I want to talk to, but it’s a blessing, too. I like how I can inspire the DEI consultant and the stay-at-home mom.
What are the challenges, hurdles, and obstacles you experience as a Black woman founder?
One of the first things that I struggled with was making sure I was getting paid my worth. When I was just starting out, I was brand new and there were opportunities that I said yes to that could have paid me more. I had opportunities that I thought would amplify my voice and message but turned out to be capitalizing on the popularity of the current justice issue. I had to remind myself that I am doing this for the greater good and I want us all to achieve equality, but I am also a small-business owner with employees and bills to pay. It’s not selfish to say, “I’d love to do this, and this is my rate.”
It’s tough to walk into spaces and be paid less than my white counterparts or be offered to do something for free that others were paid significantly to do. It was a hurdle to be here talking about justice and equity only to find out I was working in spaces where injustice was taking place. I needed to know my worth and ask for it. It’s common to say I want a seat at someone else’s table, but I also find value in building tables of my own.
What’s your current business structure, and where do you see your brand going in the future?
Currently, I have one full-time employee and two interns. We have an office in Atlanta where we fulfill our shop orders and sell prints, stickers, posters, flags and other artwork for the home. I do a lot of brand collaboration, too, and work with brands like Comcast, Coach, Adobe and Toms to help them deliver their message with joy and truth and amplify voices that need to be heard.
How do large brands typically engage with you and your work?
Brands reach out when they want to amplify Black voices and creators in a positive light and show that they see us and acknowledge us. For example, they may want to communicate Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy by asking me to illustrate something and then share it on social media. Brands might also reach out when they’re making a decision that changes their corporate social responsibility initiatives. For example, how Tom’s changed their buy a pair, give a pair initiative and transitioned to donating to Black-led grassroots organizations instead. I work with brands that want to share their internal commitment to justice and diversity with their customers and investors. It’s great for brands to intentionally seek out creators of color, ask them to interpret their messaging in their unique style and voice and then amplify their work.
Art activism is a rising field. How do you think art can push the envelope of DEI as we know it?
Sometimes art and activism are pitted against each other where activism involves taking action while art is more about emotion. When you put the two together, you have a really powerful tool because you’re inspiring action by evoking emotion. Art is also accessible. DEI conversations are nuanced, weighty, and complex. Oftentimes, there’s a critique that art oversimplifies DEI, but what’s the harm in taking an idea that doesn’t dumb down a topic, but makes it more digestible and accessible to the average person?
What do you wish you knew before starting your business?
I wasn’t asking for help enough. I would seek out resources and invest in the business, yet I found myself needing help and not asking for it. I also wish I would have known more about inventory and how much to buy for my business. I feel that I’m growing with the business through trial and error. I wish I had known that criticism and critique are not an indicator of my worthiness as a person. I’m also working through perfectionism and wish I would have been easier on myself.
How do women of color break the glass ceiling in this work?
I would say don’t let the absence of other Black women in this space stop you from bringing your full self and making the art you’re inclined to make. If you don’t see it from other women of color, you have permission to do it anyway. I didn’t see Black women doing illustrative infographics on social media. I thought to myself, I have something to say and I have a voice, so I’ll do it.
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Update: Report Says 14-Year-Old Missouri Teen’s Harness Was In ‘Locked Position’ When He Fell
An accident report has been filed in the death of a Missouri teenager who fell to his death from an amusement park ride in Florida last week.
BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who was visiting Orlando’s Icon Park with his football team, died from his injuries after a fatal plunge from the Free Fall drop tower last Thursday.
On Monday, the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services released the report that further explains the details behind Sampson’s fall. According to the document, when the ride descended and the “magnets engaged,” the teenager “came out.”
The report, which lists the names of three employees as witnesses, also explains that Sampson’s “harness was still in a down and locked position when the ride stopped.”
“Words cannot express the sorrow felt by the tragic loss of such a young man, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” Commissioner Nikki Fried said in a statement, as per PEOPLE.
“The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is actively investigating the incident, along with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office,” Fried added. “We hope the subsequent findings will be able to inform us all as to how this tragedy occurred and will precipitate any changes necessary to better protect patrons of amusement rides in Florida.”
As the investigation continues, it remains unclear whether the seat could fit the football player. Sampson’s father tells CNN that his son was 6’5 and 340 pounds.
The ride safety manual indicates the maximum passenger weight is 130 kilograms, which is approximately 287 pounds.
“Be careful when seeing if large guests fit into the seats,” the manual states. “Check that they fit within the contours of the seat and the bracket fits properly. If this is not so—do not let this person ride.”
The SlingShot Group released a statement that it has now suspended two of their rides.
“We have suspended the operations of the FreeFall ride and the Slingshot ride at Icon Park. We are fully cooperating with the authorities at the state and local levels who are investigating this tragic incident. We plan on providing additional information in the coming days, as we learn more,” the statement said.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, no criminal charges have been filed, but will be further investigating a number of factors leading to the deadly fall, PEOPLE reported.
Toni Braxton Shares How She’s Coping With Sister Traci’s Death: ‘Did I Dream It?’
Singer Toni Braxton opened up about coping with her sister Traci Braxton’s death on The Tamron Hall Show.
All in the Family: (L-R) Toni, Tamar, Evelyn, Traci, Towanda and Trina (Image: Getty)
Traci died earlier this month at the age of 50 following a battle with esophageal cancer, People reported. The family has shared statements mourning their loss on social media, but Toni’s appearance on Tamron’s show was her first interview since the tragic news was announced.
The Grammy-winning singer admitted that she’s still struggling to grasp the fact that her sister is no longer with her physically.
“I wake up every morning and I go, ‘Did I dream it? Did I dream it?’ and I have to remind myself ‘No, she’s gone but she’s been here with us for 50 years,’ ” Toni said.
“So I try to relish in that moment and try to smile about it and just be grateful for the time you have and you have to always remember to be kind to one another.”
Toni, who was promoting her new Lifetime film anthology, Fallen Angels Murder Club, touched on the sisterly relationship she had with Traci and how they would always come together after a disagreement.
“We’re sisters, we’re always gonna fight. That’s what sisters do, OK, it’s a rite of passage to fuss and fight but in the end, we’re always there,” Toni explained.
“We can be fussing and fighting with each other even on the show and we’d be right there, ‘OK, I’m bringing the kids over’ and not talk to each other, but we’ll be cooking together.”
She added, “We’re just very fortunate to have had my sister with us for as long as we did.”
Toni, 54, the eldest of the six Braxton siblings, said she and Traci were more like “twins” than sisters. They were the eldest two sisters along with their brother Michael, 53. Towanda, 48, Trina, 47, and Tamar, 45, are the three youngest.
The “Unbreak My Heart” singer recalled the day Traci passed and how the family came together.
“We were all there. Her son was there, husband was there, everyone was there. Her best friends were there,” Toni shared.
“She had so much love. The hospice nurses were incredible. You never think that it’s going to happen to you and your family. So you have to remind yourself to enjoy the moments, be happy.”
Chicago Rally Honoring Transgender, LGBTQ+ Lives Turns Into Mayhem
Following the deaths of two Black Chicago women, activists and community members rallied together to shed light on the violence against the transgender and LGBTQIA community.
But the peaceful event, held by Equality Illinois, escalated into a shouting match when several members of Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change, including founder Tyrone Muhammad, crashed the event with bullhorns, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
“Our community is dying every day in these streets,” Muhammad declared, wanting to draw more attention to the broader Black population in Chicago who are dying as a result of street violence.
In response, transgender activist Zahara Bassett said, “We’re all here for the same fight.”
“Black trans people have a genocide going on with them right now—particularly Black trans women are being murdered and we are doing nothing about it,” Bassett said before being interrupted. “No justice is being done.”
After a “scuffle” between members of the opposing factions, the transgender advocates will reschedule the rally, the Sun-Times reported.
Bassett, founder and CEO of Life Is Work, wanted to honor the lives of Tatiana “Tee Tee” Whetstone and transgender advocate Elise Malary.
On March 18, Whetstone, a transgender woman Whetstone also known as Tatiana Labelle, was found dead in a garbage can in an alley located in the Chicago neighborhood of East Chatham. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed her cause of death was due to multiple injuries of assault and therefore ruled it a homicide.
Malary, a founding member of the Chicago Therapy Collective in Andersonville, was reported missing on March 11. She was found dead six days later along Lake Michigan in Evanston. Here cause of death has not yet been announced, according to NBC Chicago.
“We are here because we will not let hatred and bigotry prevail,” said Mony Ruiz-Velasco of Equality Illinois.
According to the National Black Justice Coalition, 2021 was the deadliest year on record for Black transgender women in the United States. Rallying for the deaths of these two Chicago women is part of a national movement to spread awareness of LGBTQIA discrimination.
Jae Rice of Brave Space Alliance, the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ Center on Chicago’s South Side, said that the two recent deaths highlight a larger issue at hand in the community.
“Black trans folks deal with a lot of intra-community violence. We are faced with violence from folks who say that they love us, from folks who say that they care about us, and quite frankly, we’re dealing with an epidemic as far as Black trans deaths.”
Wanda Sykes Feels ‘So Awful,’ Calls Will Smith Slap On Friend Chris Rock ‘Sickening’
Wanda Sykes finally got the chance to host the Oscars but had her big night overshadowed by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during the live televised event.
Sykes co-hosted the show along with Regina Hall and Amy Schumer, and as a fellow comedian, she was disturbed by Smith’s reaction to Rock’s joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith. The Ice Age star recently appeared on The Ellen Show Wednesday, where she spoke out against Smith’s violent outburst and defended Rock from the physical assault.
“I just felt so awful for my friend Chris,” Sykes said. “It was sickening. I physically felt ill and I’m still a little traumatized by it.”
Sykes seemingly shared some of the same sentiments as celebrities like Jim Carrey, who feel like Smith should have been escorted out after attacking Rock.
“And for them to let him stay in that room and enjoy the rest of the show and accept his award—I was like, ‘How gross is this?’ This is just the wrong message,” Sykes said.
“You assault somebody, you get escorted out of the building, and that’s it. For them to let him continue, I thought it was gross.”
Carrey used the same word when sharing his reaction to Smith slapping Rock.
“I was sickened. I was sickened by the standing ovation,” Carrey told Gayle King Tuesday on “CBS Mornings.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydbJ1LMLag0
Smith took the stage just minutes after smacking Rock to accept his Oscar for Best Actor for the King Richard film. The Philadelphia native gave an emotional speech where he apologized to the Academy but not to Rock.
“Hollywood is just spineless en masse, and it really felt like this is a really clear indication that we aren’t the cool club anymore,” Carrey said of the audience’s seemingly unbothered reaction to Smith.
On Tuesday, Smith took to Instagram to issue an apology statement to Rock slamming his “unacceptable and inexcusable” actions.
Sen. Susan Collins Said She Will Support Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Confirmation To High Court
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced Wednesday she will vote to confirm Appeals Court JudgeKetanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court.
“After reviewing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s extensive record, watching much of her hearing testimony, and meeting with her twice in person, I have concluded that she possesses the experience, qualifications, and integrity to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court,” Collins said in her statement according to CNN.
“I will, therefore, vote to confirm her to this position.”
Brown Jackson, who showed poise and grace in what many are calling the most contentious confirmation hearing, was virtually assured the spot after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) said he would support Brown Jackson, but with Collins’ support, the confirmation will now be bipartisan and will provide cover in case Manchin changes his mind.
Collins and Brown Jackson met for a second time earlier this week and Collins later told reporters that Brown Jackson “provided clarification on some of the issues, so it was a useful meeting.”
Sen. Mitt Romney also met with Brown Jackson earlier this week, but he has not said if he will vote for the Harvard graduate. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.) voted to confirm Brown Jackson to the powerful DC-based appellate court.
Collins is the first Republican to say that she will vote for Jackson. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), Josh Hawley (R-Mo), Tom Tills (R-N.C.), and Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) have all said they will not confirm Brown Jackson.
In her statement, Collins added that she and Brown Jackson do not agree on everything, but that is not a disqualification for the judge. She also said the confirmation process is “broken” due to partisan politics and has moved away from the appropriate evaluation of a nominee’s “experience, qualifications and integrity.”
“This is the approach that I plan to continue to use for Supreme Court nominations because it runs counter to the disturbing trend of politicizing the judicial nomination process,” Collins told reporters.
Academy Reveals Will Smith Was Asked to Leave the Oscars Ceremony But REFUSED
In a new statement released by the Academy, Oscar-winning actor Will Smith was indeed asked to leave the ceremony after slapping Chris Rockacross the face.
That bit of info became a bone of contention among many who said the Academy lacked the integrity to make Smith leave after an act of violence.
“Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused,” the Academy said in a statement announcing that disciplinary proceedings against Smith has begun, Varietyreports.
But the Academy clarified the situation saying Smith was asked to leave and refused. But the Academy also admitted that could have done better in its lax response.
“We also recognize we could have handled the situation differently,” the Academy statement read.
Here’s the statement:
The Board of Governors today initiated disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Smith for violations of the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy.
Consistent with the Academy’s Standards of Conduct, as well as California law, Mr. Smith is being provided at least 15 days’ notice of a vote regarding his violations and sanctions and the opportunity to be heard beforehand by means of a written response. At the next board meeting on April 18, the Academy may take any disciplinary action, which may include suspension, expulsion, or other sanctions permitted by the Bylaws and Standards of Conduct.
Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television. Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.
Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.
