Former Kansas City VA Employee Files Discrimination Lawsuit, Says He Was Called ‘Nappy-Headed’ And ‘Ghetto’
A Black man who previously worked at Kansas City’s Veteran Administration Hospital filed a civil lawsuit in federal court last week over claims of being racially discriminated against.
Michael Hill worked as an accounting technician but claims he was forced to quit two years ago. Hill has since become one of the 50 current and former employees who claim to have experienced racism in the workplace, Kansas Cityreports. Hill filed his lawsuit in U.S. District Court for Western District of Missouri on Friday over claims he was forced to resign in 2019 after working there for nine years.
Hill’s lawsuit recalls a number of alleged incidents dating back to at least 2013 where Hill says he heard workers using racist slurs toward the Black staff. Phrases like “you people,” “ghetto” and “nappy-headed,” were allegedly used to belittle Black workers.
In the suit, Hill claims he was called “boy” so much that it eventually became his official nickname at work. After complaining about the name, Hill claims white employees would still call him “boy” and make a mockery out of his request not to be referred to that way.
“Oh, I guess I better not say that,” the suit says employees would respond.
Hill also claims that he was called a “crackhead” at times and physically pushed out of meetings, KSHB reports. In the suit, Hills says he started to suffer from panic attacks after seeing the white employee who called him a “crackhead” get to work remotely while he was forced to come into the office.
“While she was teleworking, her certificates were left on the wall. A white supervisor, while perusing the teleworking co-worker’s certificate, said that Plaintiff was not wanted at the KCVA,” court documents state.
“At the time, the supervisor told Plaintiff he was not wanted there, Plaintiff was speaking to a Black colleague. The supervisor pointed to the certificate on the wall and told Plaintiff that it was a symbol of the ‘cross-burning mentality,” it continued.
The suit also stated that Hill was “repeatedly ignored” for promotions and “required to train new individuals to take higher grade positions over him.”
“Plaintiff was the only African American male accounting technician in the Fiscal Department. From the start, his two Caucasian supervisors began isolating him from his coworkers and stripping him of his duties,” documents state. “He was required to send every email he generated to his trainers and supervisors, unlike any other employee.”
Hill has two master’s degrees in accounting and is a certified public accountant, but the suit says white workers repeatedly told Hill “his degrees were not real, were not earned or were not helpful” in the fiscal department.
Hill’s lawsuit comes one month after Grecian Gill, a former KCVA medical support assistant, addressed her discrimination lawsuit citing ‘rampant’ racism at KCVA.
U.S. Officials Including President Joe Biden Call For Calm In Cuba As Protests, Violence Continue
Reuters – Cuba blamed historic protests that took place over the weekend on U.S. “economic asphyxiation” and detained some of the highest profile activists, while the Biden administration said it supported the Cuban people’s right to demonstrate.
The streets of Havana were quiet on Monday, although there was a heavy police presence and the capitol building, where more than a thousand had congregated the day before, was cordoned off. Outages in mobile internet – the only way many Cubans have of accessing the web – were frequent.
Thousands of Cubans joined street protests https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/street-protests-break-out-cuba-2021-07-11 from Havana to Santiago on Sunday in the biggest anti-government demonstrations on the Communist-run island in decades. They were protesting against the country’s dire economic crisis and handling of the pandemic, but many went further, calling for an end to communism and chanting “freedom.”
At least 100 protesters, activists, and independent journalists had been detained nationwide since Sunday, according to exiled rights group Cubalex – some at the protests but others as they tried to leave their homes.
“It’s becoming impossible to live here,” said Havana resident Maykel, 21, who declined to give his surname for fear of retaliation. “I don’t know if this can happen again, because at the moment, Havana is militarized.”
“Still, Cubans are losing their fear,” he said.
Others Reuters spoke to said they hoped there would be no more protests, citing fears of violence, and saying they would prefer there to be more dialogue.
The protests erupted amid both Cuba‘s deepest economic crisis since the fall of former ally the Soviet Union and a surge in COVID-19 infections that has pushed some hospitals to the edge of collapse in a country that prides itself on its healthcare system.
The tightening of decades-old U.S. sanctions under former President Donald Trump and the pandemic have exacerbated shortages of food and medicine, as well as power outages.
A minority of counter-revolutionaries were fomenting unrest, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in a more than four-hour-long televised address alongside his Cabinet. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez blamed U.S.-financed mercenaries.
In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States stood with the people of Cuba who were “bravely” asserting their right to peaceful protest, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Cuban officials should not blame the protests on U.S. sanctions.
“It would be a grievous mistake because it would show that they simply are not hearing the voices and will of the Cuban people,” he told a news briefing.
Some Cuban celebrities who have to date not touched on sensitive political issues publicly came out in support of the protesters.
“Their voices should be heard and their rights to express themselves respected,” said singer-songwriter Cimafunk, whose real name is Erik Rodriguez. “We need to unite and find the path forward together, peacefully.”
In Miami, home to a large community of Cuban Americans, hundreds turned out in Little Havana on Sunday to express solidarity and celebrate what they viewed as the beginning of the end. On Twitter, Miami mayor Francis Suarez implored the United States to “take action.”
VIOLENCE
Diaz-Canel denounced vandalism that took place during the demonstrations.
“They threw stones at foreign currency shops, they stole items… and at police forces, they turned over cars – a totally vulgar, indecent and delinquent behavior,” he said.
But the president said pro-government supporters had finally restored order, after on Sunday instructing them to fight back and “defend the revolution” – orders that caused consternation among some Cubans.
Reuters witnesses saw protesters in Havana on Sunday confronted by smaller pro-government counter-rallies, while police officers stopped their attempt to march to Revolution Square.
Amnesty International said it had received with alarm reports of “internet blackouts, arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force – including police firing on demonstrators.” Reuters was unable to independently verify the use of firearms.
Network monitoring company Kentik said it had observed the entire country go offline for less than 30 minutes at around 4pm on Sunday, followed by several hours of intermittent outages.
“Until very recently, large internet outages were very rare,” said Doug Madory, Kentik’s director of Internet analysis. “Internet shutdowns are new to Cuba in 2021.”
Internet blockage observatory NetBlocks said there was partial disruption to social media and messaging platforms in Cuba on Monday, “likely to limit the flow of information from Cuba.”
The United Nations said it was monitoring the protests and called for the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly to be respected.
Jose Daniel, the leader of Cuba‘s largest opposition group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), was arrested as he left home to join the protest in Santiago de Cuba in the east of the country on Sunday. His whereabouts is unknown, UNPACU activist Zaqueo Baez told Reuters.
The Cuban government did not immediately comment on the arrests. Cuba slams dissidents as mercenaries in the pay of the United States and allied with anti-Castro Cuban exiles.
“It feels like a dangerous moment,” Ruiz said by phone, noting her neighborhood had had no mobile data all day. “I’m worried about the kind of reprisals they could take against activists – they have been increasingly plying the theory that we are terrorists lately.”
Julie Chung, Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, called for the immediate release of them and others.
Diaz-Canel attacked what he called Washington’s hypocrisy for expressing concern when it was fueling the crisis in Cuba with its trade embargo.
The United States tightened sanctions on Cuba under Trump, including restricting crucial remittances in the middle of the pandemic. Biden vowed during his campaign to ease some of these measures but has yet to do so, with the White House saying it was not among his top priorities.
“Is it not very hypocritical and cynical that you block me… and you want to present yourself as the big savior?” he said.
He said the government had been fighting to keep the economy functioning “in the face of a policy of economic asphyxiation intended to provoke a social uprising.”
(Reporting by Sarah Marsh, Marc Frank, Nelson Acosta and Reuters in Havana; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Howard Goller and Rosalba O’Brien)
A New Mural for DMX is Unveiled in His Hometown of Yonkers, NY
Earl Simmons, the troubled rapper and actor known as DMX (Dark Man X) has gotten many accolades and praises since his untimely death earlier this year. Another honor has been done in his name, this time in his hometown of Yonkers, New York.
The rapper, who died on Friday, April 9 at the age of 50 years old, has had a mural drawn for him that was recently unveiled.
According to TMZ, the mural of DMX was designed by NYC artist Floyd Simmons, who is not related to DMX. The artistry was displayed on a wall near the Calcagno Homes on School Street, which is the public housing complex where DMX had once lived.
According to NBC New York, Simmons, the artist who drew the mural, was the same artist who created a mural honoring Harlem’s own, Big L. That mural appears on 139th and Lenox in Harlem. Simmons is also credited with painting the mural on the hood of the ’64 Impala in Mariah Carey’s music video, “Heartbreaker” Remix.
The iconic rapper was admitted to the hospital on April 2nd after a drug overdose. He suffered a heart attack and was taken off life support while at White Plains Hospital. DMX was surrounded by family during his final days.
Several days ago, it was reported that an analysis of the rapper’s urine determined that cocaine was present in his body. He reportedly suffered a cocaine-induced heart attack. However, a coroner did not perform an autopsy. Police and medical professionals did not list a cause of death.
“His death literally happened immediately because the brain was dead,” explained a source. “So obviously, there were a number of days where he was on ventilatory support and so forth in the hospital. However, he was diagnosed brain-dead early on…He never woke up from [a coma].”
It was also reported that despite prior speculation–DMX did not have COVID, nor was he vaccinated.
Sassy and Successful: How Charis Jones Built Her Own Fashion and Beauty Brand From the Ground Up
Charis Jones is a successful entrepreneur who knows what it’s like to risk it all to make a dream come true.
The Richmond, Virginia-based mother of twins once worked in sales and marketing for Fortune 500 companies but felt joyless and dissatisfied working in her corporate career. Just making a living wasn’t making her happy so Jones took a leap of faith and launched a now flourishing fashion and beauty brand called Sassy Jones.
Her newest venture is a ready-to-wear collection which will launch July 22 under Sassy Jones.
In an exclusive interview, Jones told BLACK ENTERPRISE how she began selling accessories in 2016 and ultimately landed a show on the retail company, HSN.
in 2016, after making more money by selling jewelry and sunglasses at an expo in one day than she did working a full-time job for two weeks, Jones was inspired to figure out the next steps in her entrepreneurial journey but it surely was a sure-shot.
But she faced a new frustration of trying to set her brand apart by finding unique styles.
“I got frustrated because I was running into the same styles,” Jones said to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “All of the other boutiques were carrying the same things and I didn’t want my things to be easily identifiable.”
Feeling a bit discouraged, Jones decided to forge her own path by designing her own items.
Today, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, belts, scarves, handbags, lip gloss, fox fur vests, and more can be found on her website. Jones kept challenging herself to grow her brand, even if it meant selling her Mercedes to finance buying inventory for a tradeshow.
“Just for the record, we are not funded. I do not have an investor; (I) never pitched this brand a day in my life. We still don’t have a line of credit. We are a cash-run business. We work on American Express that we pay off every single month at the end of the month,” Jones told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Jones pushed fear aside and dove into the e-commerce space. Her efforts were enhanced by the creation of The Sparkle Party in 2017. Jones started teaching followers how to wear things she sold on Periscope. Then, she began showcasing her items on Facebook.
“When I did my first Sparkle Party, we had like 12 viewers, and I made $600 for like that one live stream. And now we live stream and there’s like, there’s thousands. The average Sparkle Party views are like 30,000 views now,” Jones said.
The Sparkle Parties generate an average of $50,000 now, but Jones did not stop there. Her audition for an opportunity to have a HSN show led to exclusively designed items for “the third-largest retailer in the world.” The show, called “The Big Find – Sassy Jones Accessories” launched in 2020. However, Jones sells separate items through her brand.
MLB Commits $150 Million Over Ten Years To Player’s Alliance In Effort To Boost Black Participation In Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) has announced it will donate $150 million over the next decade to the Player’s Alliance to help grow Black participation in baseball.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement before the MLB Home Run Derby Monday night at Coors Field. Manfred said combining the efforts of the MLB and its players will ensure a successful partnership that will help across the country.
.@MLB just announced a historic and significant financial commitment of up to $150 million to the Players Alliance. pic.twitter.com/C6fN7ngiiG
“From our perspective, [having] players alongside and involved makes everything we do better and more effective,” Manfred said. “In terms of the attention it draws to the game and to the issues, it’s really important to us. We see this as a supplement to what we’re doing already, and a way to amplify what we’re doing, not a substitute for it.”
The money will go toward several programs built to boost participation in baseball, mentorship, professional baseball employee development, and Black baseball history and culture. Additionally, the funding will include educational grants and service opportunities to communities.
The Players Alliance, which was formed last year, seeks to elevate racial equality and provide greater opportunities for the Black community. The Players Alliance reached out to the some of the league’s owners to further the relationship, sparking the process that led to Monday’s announcement.
Former New York Yankees Centerfielder and Players Alliance President Curtis Granderson was excited about the partnership between the MLB and the Alliance and its future.
“All of this is possible because of the players in this game that want to see the game continue to get better and strive in directions that we all know that it can be,” Granderson said in a statement. “This is a big step moving forward. This is going to allow us to continue to keep doing all the things that we said we’re going to do, that we’ve already been doing. And we are hopefully going to continue to do more things as we build from this moment on.”
MLB all-stars Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, Tim Anderson, Taijuan Walker, Josh Hader, Zack Wheeler, Corbin Burnes, Mark Melancon, Al Reyes, Eduardo Escobar, and Nelson Cruz were all in attendance for the announcement.
Earlier this summer the MLB announced its new digital and social media campaign that will support the “Negro Leagues 101” initiative led by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM).
MLB’s financial commitment follows the initial joint contribution of $10 million from the league and the MLB Players Association in September 2020. MLB also donated $1 million worth of youth baseball equipment and personal protection equipment for the “Pull Up Neighbor” tour by The Players Alliance.
Dr. Cornel West Resigns From Harvard University, Blasts Racism and ‘Spiritual Rot’ At School
Philosopher and activist Dr. Cornel West issued out a scathing resignation letter to Harvard University where he blasted the renowned school for alleged racism and discrimination.
In a letter West sent to the school late last month and published to Twitter on Monday, West accused the school of restructuring his classes so that courses taught by the respected social critic would be grouped under the umbrella of “Afro-American religious studies,” The Independentreports.
This is my candid letter of resignation to my Harvard Dean. I try to tell the unvarnished truth about the decadence in our market-driven universities! Let us bear witness against this spiritual rot! pic.twitter.com/hCLAuNSWDu
West noted a number of incidents where he took issue with the university, including refusing to let him take a previously agreed-upon yearlong sabbatical, poor salary options, and the university’s failure to reach out with condolences after the passing of his mother. West claims the school also issued similar treatment to a Black colleague.
“With a few glorious and glaring exceptions, the shadow of Jim Crow was cast in its new glittering form expressed in the language of superficial diversity,” the 68-year-old public intellectual wrote.
West was previously a tenured Harvard professor before he quit back in 2002, NY Postreports. In his resignation letter, West said the institution was in a state of “decline and decay.”
“The disarray of a scattered curriculum, the disenchantment of talented yet deferential faculty, and the disorientation of precious students loom large,” West wrote.
He also claimed he was given the “lowest increase possible” since returning to the school four years ago. He also had his request for tenure declined due to his public support of Palestine.
“How sad it is to see our beloved Harvard Divinity School in such decline and decay,” he wrote. “The disarray of a scattered curriculum, the disenchantment of talented yet deferential faculty, and the disorientation of precious students loom large.”
West is a Harvard grad who went on to earn a Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University, CNNreports. and West has worked as a professor at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Union Theological Seminary. He previously quit his professor role at Harvard back in 2002 following a public dispute with Harvard’s then-President Lawrence Summers. He returned in 2017 before resigning last month.
Three Black England Soccer Players Subjected to Racist Trolling After Euro 2020 Loss
Following England’s loss to Italy in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final, three Black players on the team were subjected to harsh racist trolling online.
England’s Football Association has condemned the racism that angry fans have been spewing toward Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, ESPNreports. On Monday, the EFA released a statement speaking out against the discrimination the three Black players were forced to endure.
It was during the game on Sunday night when England lost to Italy 3-2 due after Rashford, Sancho, and Saka all missed their spot-kicks. Immediately after the loss, the three Black players were tormented on social media by racist remarks, as noted by the BBC.
“The FA strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and is appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media,” the statement said.
“We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behaviour is not welcome in following the team. We will do all we can to support the players affected while urging the toughest punishments possible for anyone responsible.”
They also took to Twitter to let fans know they were standing with their players.
We’re disgusted that some of our squad – who have given everything for the shirt this summer – have been subjected to discriminatory abuse online after tonight’s game.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also spoke out against the racism the athletes endured, saying the players deserved much better treatment than they received.
“This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media,” Johnson said. “They brought joy to this country and to those who have been directing racist abuse I say ‘shame on you and I hope you will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged’.”
London’s Metropolitan Police said they are investigating the “unacceptable” social media comments on both Instagram and Twitter, CNN reports.
Savills, a UK-based real estate agency sent out a tweet on Monday saying the company was “committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce” after it was revealed that one of its employees appeared to be one of the racist trolls abusing the England players on Twitter.
“A full investigation will be carried out in regards to this unacceptable incident,” the company said
Meet The Speakers Of The Inaugural Black Enterprise DEI Corporate Boards/C-Suite Summit
Black Enterprise — the No. 1 Black digital media brand, with more than 8 million monthly unique visitors — will present its inaugural Corporate Boards/C-Suite Summit, as a groundbreaking virtual event on July 14.
Attendees of this unique, first-ever virtual event will receive exclusive information and insights on how the expansion of Black corporate leadership will transform corporations, increase shareholder value, and advance opportunities for all corporations.
Corey Anthony, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer, AT&T
Anthony started his career at AT&T in 1995, working as a manager in the Special Services Center in Wichita, Kan. Anthony has worked for AT&T for more than 25 years, holding several leadership roles across AT&T in its Wireless, Marketing, Finance, Network Operations, Human Resources, and Global Customer Service organizations. A Texas A&M graduate, Anthony also co-founded a chapter of AT&T’s African American employee resource group. He will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Racial Equity Imperative discussion.
Michele Meyer-Shipp, Chief People and Culture Officer, Major League Baseball
Meyer-Shipp joined Major League Baseball in October 2020 as its first Chief People & Culture Officer. She reports directly to Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. and sits on both MLB’s Executive Committee and the League-wide Owner’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. In her role, Michele leads human resources; diversity, inclusion and culture; and off-field office operations globally for the League supporting the Central League Office, all 30 Major League Clubs, and 120 Minor League Clubs. Meyer-Shipp will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Racial Equity Imperative discussion.
Byron Loflin, Global Head of Board Engagement, Nasdaq
Loflin leads board assessments and boardroom training for Nasdaq Governance Solutions and is the founder and former CEO of the Center for Board Excellence (CBE) – acquired by Nasdaq in 2019. Loflin’s experience and expertise are in the design and administration of assessments and advising board chairs, boards, committees, directors, and executive management in a full range of corporate governance matters, including strategic alignment, best practices, board refreshment, diversity, structures, and corporate planning. He will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Diversifying Corporate Boards discussion.
Shellye Archambeau, Fortune 500 Board Member, Former CEO Of MetricStream
Shellye Archambeau is an experienced CEO and Board Director with a track record of accomplishments building brands, high-performance teams, and organizations. She currently serves on the boards of Verizon, Nordstrom, Roper Technologies, and Okta. Archambeau has over 30 years of experience in technology including as the former CEO of MetricStream, a Silicon Valley-based, governance, risk, and compliance software company. She is also a Forbes contributor and a published author. Archambeau will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Smashing The Concrete Ceiling discussion.
Kristi Martin Rodriguez, Senior Vice President, Nationwide Retirement Institute
Kristi Martin Rodriguez currently serves as Senior Vice President of the Nationwide Retirement Institute® for Nationwide Financial. Kristi oversees an extensive network of knowledgeable professionals who provide hands-on consultation to develop client strategies and address the major concerns America’s workers face when planning for retirement. Rodriguez has over 20 years of extensive experience in business-to-business and direct-to-consumer strategies and building high-performing teams. She joined Nationwide in 2015 as the Vice President of Marketing for Nationwide’s retirement plans business. Rodriguez will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Changing The Face Of Corporate Leadership discussion.
Ronald A. Williams Board of Directors, American Express
Ronald A. Williams is Chairman and CEO of RW2 Enterprises, LLC and the former CEO of health insurance giant Aetna Inc. Williams also serves as the Lead Director of American Express and Director of The Boeing Co. and Johnson & Johnson. Under Williams’ leadership, Aetna was named FORTUNE’s most admired company in the Health Care: Insurance and Managed Care category for three consecutive years. In 2011, the year he retired, Aetna had full-year operating earnings of $5.17 per share. The Market capitalization grew from $4.7 billion in 2001 to $15.3 billion in 2011 and the company ranked 77th on the Fortune 100 list. Williams will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Changing The Face Of Corporate Leadership discussion.
Rev. Dr. DeForest B. Soaries. Jr., Founder dfree® Financial Freedom Movement
The Rev. Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. has served as the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens (FBCLG) in Somerset, New Jersey since November 1990. His pastoral ministry focuses on spiritual growth, educational excellence, and economic empowerment. In 2005, Dr. Soaries launched the dfree® Financial Freedom Movement. The dfree® strategy teaches people how to break free from debt as a first step toward financial freedom. Soaries served as New Jersey’s Secretary of State, making him the first African-American male to do so. Soaries will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Diversifying Corporate Boards discussion.
Guy Primus, CEO and Board Member, Valence Enterprises
Guy Primus is a technology executive with over 20 years of experience operating at the intersection of media and innovation. Throughout his career, Primus has demonstrated the ability to combine technology and popular culture to create aggressive organic growth for companies ranging from growth-stage startups to the Fortune 100. Primus currently serves as CEO and board member at Valence Enterprises, a venture-backed company whose mission is to create new paths to success for Black professionals. His vision for Valence helped secure investors including GGV Capital, Silicon Valley Bank, and Softbank. Primus will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Diversifying Corporate Boards discussion.
Kahina Van Dyke, Global Head, Digital Channels & Data Analytics, Standard Chartered Bank
Kahina Van Dyke has more than 20 years of experience in banking and technology with an impressive track record in leading, innovating, and delivering. Her past roles include senior management at Facebook, MasterCard, and Citibank. Van Dyke’s most recent role was SVP of Business and Corporate Development at blockchain company Ripple, where she focused on driving new strategic partnerships across the global financial services industry. Van Dyke will be a speaker during Black Enterprise’s Smashing The Concrete Ceiling discussion.
The DEI Summit will also include Black Enterprise’s President and CEO Earl ‘Butch’ Graves Jr. Senior V.P. and Editor-at-Large Alfred Edmond Jr.; EVP/Chief Content Officer Derek Dingle and Executive Managing Editor Alisa Gumbs.
Bill Cosby Not Allowed to Perform at One of New York’s Most Popular Comedy Venues
Bill Cosby might be free, but he’s starting to see quite a few roadblocks are ahead.
A popular comedy venue, Comedy Cellar, located in New York City’s Greenwich Village has already nullified any chance of the just-released comedian performing there. The owner of the Comedy Cellar, Noam Dworman told TMZ that he doesn’t want Cosby to even step foot inside his club.
This is the same comedy venue that allowed white comedians Louis C.K. and Aziz Ansari to perform at the venue back in 2018 after both comedians had their own sexual misconduct scandals.
Last month, Pennsylvania’s highest court, the State Supreme Court, overturned Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction, citing a previous agreement that prevented him from being charged in the first place. Cosby celebrated with friends and family by eating pizza and collard greens. Ever since he was given the freedom to roam again, many people have conflicted feelings about his release.
But, apparently, news of what Dworman said didn’t faze Cosby at all as he just celebrated his 84th birthday on Monday and announced it on his Twitter account.
I just got a fresh cut for my birthday dinner tonight. In the words of James Brown, “It’s A Man’s World But It Wouldn’t Be Nothing Without A Woman, Girl & Mrs. Camille Cosby.” #BillCosby#ThankYou#HelloFriendhttps://t.co/PHQKMjqOrK
Before my birthday ends, a special thank you to @JudgeJoeBrownTV & his Producer, Valerie Denise Jones. I also, would like to thank the Human Highlife Reel, NBA Hall of Fame Player, Dominique Wilkins. #ThankYou https://t.co/HrIdrIaUEW
Cha-Ching! Shonda Rhimes Extends Netflix Deal For Five Years And Scores “Significant” Raise
After delivering the blockbuster hit Bridgerton to Netflix as part of their 2017 deal, Shonda Rhimes has decided to extend her partnership with the streaming giant and received a nice payout.
On July 8th, Rhimas and Netflix decided to extend their deal for another five years, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter. In return, the Scandal creator scored a “significant” raise. The hope is for Rhimes New Regency franchise to create new revenue streams for the popular streaming platform.
Those with information about the deal say Rhimes received a nice pay increase from the $100 million to $150 million she landed as part of their initial pact four years ago. Sources say Rhimes could potentially be raking in the $300 million to $400 million that super-producers like Ryan Murphy and Greg Berlanti bring in.
Talk about breaking the glass ceiling. It’s said that Rhimes’ team began contract negotiations with Netlfix earlier this year after seeing all the fanfare that her scripted series Bridgerton received. The hit series garnered over 82 million streams from Netflix users who watched at least two minutes of the series starring Regé-Jean Page.
Rhimes released a statement on Saturday confirming the big news, Digital Spyreports.
“When Ted [Sarandos, Netflix CEO] and I decided to break the traditional network TV business model to move Shondaland to Netflix, we were both taking a leap into the unknown,” Rhimes ssaid.
“Today, Shondaland at Netflix is creatively thriving, profitable as an asset and engaging audiences around the world with stories that fearlessly challenge viewers and keep them highly entertained all at once.”
Bridgerton has already been renewed for season four and another Rhimes-created spinoff is in the works. Now it’s said that Rhimes’ success on Netflix has put pressure on Ryan Murphy, creator of hit shows such as Glee and American Horror Story, who landed a $300 million deal with Netflix but has yet to release a breakout hit like Bridgerton.
“Netflix wishes that Ryan did stuff that felt more special,” one agency source said. “He makes noise but none of the shows are sticky.”
