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Divorce by Text
August 10, 2020
Neflix's new season of Selling Sunset has revealed the heartbreaking details of host Chrishell Stause's divorce from husband, Justin Hartley.
The season starts with an intact relationship between the show's host and her This Is Us star husband, Justin Hartley. The first episode explains how the couple is living happily in their dream Los Angeles home.
However, it was the fifth episode of the season where viewers see things go downhill quickly. In the episode titled "Bad News Travels Fast," Stause's colleages catch wind of the divorce filing through a TMZ report. In shock, they came to Stause who was equally confused and heartbroken.
When her colleage Mary Fitzgerald asked what happened, the star realtor responded with a despondent, "I don't know".
She added in a confessional that her famous husband had texted her about the divorce filing earlier in the morning and "within 45 minutes, the whole world knew".
"We had a fight that morning over the phone, and I never saw him since," Stause says. "We didn't talk things through and before we had a chance to figure anything out, he filed ... In a fight, like that's his go-to. Like, 'I'm out, I'm out.' I hate that kind of impulsive stuff, but I always just thought that's just an issue (but) we'll work through it."
The couple has, however, continued the separation process as the filing was back in November of 2019.
Kim Slows Kanye's Race
July 30, 2020
After a last minute trip to Wyoming to visit her husband, Kim Kardashian encourages Kanye West to delay his presidential campaign to "focus on his mental health instead".
Kanye refused to take this suggestion. The American rapper has already qualified as an independent candidate in many state, though he still has very far to go.
It appears that Kim's public frustration towards her husband started on the Fourth of July, when Kanye first began his senseless accusations against the Kardashian family.
Last week, Kim published a lengthy statement about her husband's current mental state as well as their relationship overall. The post made it clear that she did not support the idea of West running in the current election.
Demi Lovato Newly Engaged to Boyfriend Max Ehrich
July 23, 2020
After accidentally revealing their relationship in an Instagram live back in March, singer and actor Max Ehrich proposed to Demi Lovato in Malibu.
While the couple has not been together for long, a source says that they grew rapidly close in quarantine during the pandemic.
Ehrich explains that he knew he wanted to propose very early on, waiting only for the ring to be finished before popping the question. He even had the beautiful stone selected just two months after they met.
The two were first seen together while running errands in their 2020 staple mask-and-gloves. Ehrich first directly addressed the relationship with a sweet Instagram post for the couple's one month anniversary.
Nick Cannon Under Fire for Anti-Semetic Remarks
July 17, 2020
After making anti-Semitic comments on his podcast 'Cannon-Class', resulting in ties cut with long-running associate ViacomCBS, Nick Cannon has tweeted an apology.
The entertainer first posted: "First and foremost I extend my deepest and most sincere apologies to my Jewish sisters and brothers for the hurtful and divisive words that came out of my mouth during my interview with Richard Griffin."
He continued to explain that his words "reinforced the worst stereotypes of a proud and magnificent people". He also thanked a leader in the Jewish community for "enlightening" him on the issues he spoke about.
He says: "I want to assure my Jewish friends, new and old, that this is only the beginning of my education—I am committed to deeper connections, more profound learning and strengthening the bond between our two cultures today and every day going forward."
This apology followed a statement published by Variety on Tuesday where Viacom stated: "ViacomCBS condemns bigotry of any kind and we categorically denounce all forms of anti-Semitism.
"We have spoken with Nick Cannon about an episode of his podcast 'Cannon's Class' on YouTube, which promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories."
It goes on to say, "While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him. We are committed to doing better in our response to incidents of anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry. ViacomCBS will have further announcements on our efforts to combat hate of all kinds."
While Cannon's apology may not have saved his connections with ViacomCBS, Fox has allowed him to continue hosting their new competition series 'The Masked Singer'.
In a statement, the media outlet wrote: "When we were made aware of Nick Cannon's interview with Richard Griffin on YouTube, we immediately began a dialogue with Nick."
Cannon's comments were made with rapper Professor Griff on June 30th during his podcast 'Cannon-Class'. The comments included anti-Semitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothchild family, as well as a claim that people with less melanin were "a little less".
He went on to say that black people were the "true Hebrews" and therefore could not be considered anti-Semitic.
He explained, "It's never hate speech, you can't be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people. When we are the same people who they want to be. That's our birthright. We are the true Hebrews."
Singer August Alsina Claims Jada Smith Affair
July 2, 2020
Singer August Alsina details alleged affair with Jada Pinkett Smith which he claims was approved by her husband, Will Smith.
“I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation due to the transformation from their marriage to life partnership … he gave me his blessing.” Alsina said in an interview with 'The Breakfast Club'.
Meanwhile, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith's reps labeled these claims "absolutely not true" and "wrong".
Alsina has been close with the Smiths since Jaden introduced him in 2015, even joining the famous family on a vacation to Hawaii in 2016 and attending the BET awards with them in 2017.
Soon after, he claims the love affair started, saying “I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life, and I truly and really, really deeply love and have a ton of love for her. I devoted myself to it, I gave my full self to it — so much so to the point that I can die right now and be okay with knowing that I truly gave myself to somebody.”
“And I really loved a person, I experienced that and I know what that feels like — and some people never get that in this lifetime,” Alsina continued. “I know that I am completely blessed and this conversation is difficult because it is so much, that it would be hard for people to understand but — once it starts to affect me and my livelihood — I have to speak up about my truth.”
This is not the first time Alsina has made such claims, even singing the lyrics "Why is you textin me / Asking who next to me / Why you care about who having sex with me / Now you all on my line, why you pressing me?” in his 2019 song 'Nunya'. The accompanying music video also shows texts with the contact Koren, Pinkett Smith's middle name.
Alsina ended the interview by reiterating his gratitude for the entire Smith clan, saying, “I love those people literally like my family. I don’t have a bad thing to say about them. They are beautiful people.”
Blue Ivy Accepts Award for 'Brown Skin Girl'
June 29, 2020
Jay Z and Beyonce's 8 year old daughter became the youngest BET award recipient on Sunday with her song 'Brown Skin Girl'.
The song, from 2019's The Lion King soundtrack, features Blue Ivy's mom, Saint Jhn, and Wizkid. Other nominees included Alicia Keys with 'Underdog', Cia, Lupita Nyong'o, Ester Dean, City Girls, and LaLa for 'Melanin'. Layton Greene for 'I Chose', Lizzo and Missy Elliot with 'Tempto', and Rhapsody and PJ Morton for 'Afeni'.
The young star has received accolades for the song before, taking home trophies from the 2019 BET Soul Train Awards, winning the Ashford & Simpson Songwriters Award, as well as Outstanding Duo, Group, or Collaboratoration category at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards.
Blue Ivy was also featured on Beyonce's 'Homecoming' album and Jay Z's '4:44'. On June 28th, her mom also announce the release of a visual album on Disney Plus titled 'Black is King', which will also include Blue Ivy as well as Kelly Rowland and Jay Z.
Snapchat Apologizes for Insensitive Juneteenth Filter
June 22, 2020
In acknowledgement of Junetheenth, Snapchat released a filter that involved users smiling to "break the chains". The filter was met with criticism the morning of its release and taken down by 11am ET.
“We deeply apologize to the members of the Snapchat community who found this Lens offensive,” a Snap spokesperson said in an email to The Verge. “A diverse group of Snap team members were involved in developing the concept, but a version of the Lens that went live for Snapchatters this morning had not been approved through our review process. We are investigating why this mistake occurred so that we can avoid it in the future."
Animated lenses like these are made by a group called Looksery, which Snapchat acquired in 2015. Unlike the app, Looksery is located in the Ukraine, which snapchat indicates may account for a lack of sensitivity for the holiday's history. Additionally, while black employees were involved in creating the lens, none were asked to sign off on the finished product.
Juneteenth is not normally celebrated in such a joyful way. The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when the last group of enslaved individuals in Texas were informed of their emancipation, over two years after Lincoln had declared its abolition.
This controversy comes just a week after Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel was accused of purposefully releasing the company's demographic make-up. Spiegel has said that diversity at Snapchat is on par with other Silicon Valley tech offices, majority white men, however, Snapchat is the only large tech company in the area that hasn't published this data.
TW: Danny Masterson Charged with Rape
June 18, 2020
Actor Danny Masterson of That 70's Show fame has been charged with three counts of rape in Los Angeles County, announced by Distric Attorny Jackie Lacey.
Masterson was arrested Wednesday morning and released that afternoon on $3.3 million bail after being accused of forcibly raping three women in different incidences between 2001 and 2003. His arraignment is scheduled for September 28.
The actor's attorney, Tom Mesereau, released a statement saying, "Mr. Masterson is innocent, and we're confident that he will be exonerated when all the evidence finally comes to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify."
The statement went on: "Obviously, Mr. Masterson and his wife are in complete shock considering that these nearly 20-year old allegations are suddenly resulting in charges being filed, but they and their family are comforted knowing that ultimately the truth will come out. The people who know Mr. Masterson know his character and know the allegations to be false."
Specifically, Masterson, who is being charged by his full name, Daniel Peter Masterson, is accused of raping a 23-year-old woman some time during 2001, a 28-year-old woman in April 2003 and another 23-year-old sometime between October and December of that same year.
The alleged attacks took place in the actor's home in the Hollywood Hills. He faces 45 years to life in state prison if found guilty.
Kanye Cosmetics?
June 16, 2020
Recent Yeezy trademarking indicates that Kanye West may be expanding his brand into the cosmetic world.
Reports show that the rapper's legal team has applied for trademarks on Yeezy brand makeup, face masks, false eyelashes, moisturizers, haircare, perfume, and nail polish.
The brand will also be working on more unusual products like toothpaste, deodorant, and potpourri, though West's representatives have not yet commented.
Kanye is familiar with the beauty world as he filed for a trademark on DONDA Cosmetics, named after his late mother, in 2017, though the project never came to fruition. Additionally, his wife runs a beauty empire with KKW Beauty. His sister-in-law, Kylie Jenner, is also a beauty mogul of Kylie Cosmetics fame.
Iggy Azalea Surprises Fans with 'Private' Baby
June 11, 2020
Iggy Azalea had some exciting news to share right when we needed it most (and no it wasn't a new song!). On Wednesday, June 10th, the rapper posted an Instagram story, writing, "I have a son. I kept waiting for the right time to say something but it feels like the more time passes the more I realize that I’m always going to feel anxious to share news that giant with the world. I want to keep his life private but wanted to make it clear he is not a secret & I love him beyond words.”
Though Azalea didn't reveal the baby's father, she's been dating rapper Playboi Carti for over a year. When rumors circulated in December 2019 that the couple could be expecting a child, the 'Fancy' singer posted a toned bikini picture to put any baby bump suspicions to rest. Clearly, this rapping pair wanted control over their child's privacy and we still know very little about him, including the little guy's name. Either way, the couple is receiving many congratulations and support for their newest addition.
Justin Bieber Supports Black Lives Matter After Admitting He's 'Benefitted Off Black Culture'
June 8, 2020
In a moment of self-reflection, Justin Bieber explained the influence black culture has had on his career and vowed to fight against racial injustice.
“I am inspired by black culture. I have benefited off of black culture,” the singer, 26, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, June 6. “My style, how I sing, dance, perform, and my fashion have all been influenced and inspired by black culture.”
He went on to say, “I am committed to using my platform from this day forward to learn, to speak up about racial injustice and systemic oppression, and to identify ways to be a part of much-needed change.”
This wasn't his first time supporting the movement. On May 28th, Bieber also wrote on Instagram, "no lives matter until black lives matter'. The next day, he also told fans to 'rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation'.
Besides just speaking on the issue, the 'Intentions' singer also asked his followers to sign a petition to reopen the case regarding the murder of Breonna Taylor, whose birthday would have been Saturday.
Despite these efforts, the pop star can never change the regretable things he's said in the past, including using the N-word when he was 14 years old.
Admitting these mistakes in December 2019, Bieber posted, 'When I was young I was uneducated and found myself saying really hurtful things not knowing the power of my words,' The Instagram post went on to say, 'Racism is still very prevalent and I want to use my voice to remind we are all human being and all of EQUAL VALUE BEFORE GOD!'
Ellen Degeneres Gives Emotional Message About Recent Racial Protests
June 2, 2020
Ellen Degeneres broke her silence to address the killing of and subsequent riots for George Floyd, posting a casual video from her backyard in Los Angeles.
The talk show host's comment came after CNN anchor Don Lemon called her out, among other celebrities like Tracee Ellis Ross and Oprah, for not speaking on the matter despite previously supporting charities or other social issues.
Defending this silence in the video, the 62-year-old explained, "I have been posting my thoughts and my stance, on this, but I haven't spoken directly because I don't know what to say."
"I am so sad, and I am so angry, and, I know I'm not going to say the right thing, and I know that there are gonna be a lot of people who are gonna be, in disagreement with what I say.
"But, I have a platform and I have a voice, and I have always stood for equality, I have always wanted to be a voice for people who felt like they didn't have a voice.
"Because I know what that feels like, and maybe you don't agree with how it's coming out, but you have to understand it, and then we can heal it,' she added, while taking a number of pauses.
"I just... I'm just..., so sorry, that it's come to this. I really don't know what to say other than, this has gone on way, way, way too long. People have gotten away with murder, and that's what's happening."
"So we've gotta see fairness, and we've gotta see justice for all, because right now this is not a fair world, not at all, I don't know if it will ever be completely fair.
"But we have a long way to go to even get close to being fair. And if you don't understand this, then you have never felt as though you weren't heard or that you weren't equal."
Degeneres ended her statement with a plea for "peace and communication".
Court Documents Reveal Lori Loughlin Will Plead Guilty in College Admissions Scandal
May 21, 2020
Lori Loughlin has accepted a plea agreement, admitting guilt in the college admissions scandal after maintaining her innocence for 14 months.
News broke in March of 2019 that Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, had paid William Singer, the mastermind of the scandal, half a million dollars to get their daughters Bella, 21, and Olivia, 20, into the University of Southern California. Singer photoshopped the girls as rowers to admit them as athletes. Laughlin has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud as well.
Prosecutors request Loughlin and Giannulli receive two and five months respectively in federal prison, the plea deal stipulates. Loughlin has also agreed to pay a $150,000 fine and fufill 100 hours of community service while Giannulli is faced with $250,000 fine and 250 hours of community service.
Kendall Jenner Settles Fyre Festival Lawsuit with $90,000 Payoff
May 21, 2020
Kendall Jenner finally settles legal controversy surrounding the ill-fated Fyre Festival by paying $90,000.
Jenner was paid a reported $275,000 to promote the festival to her millions of followers. She wrote in a since deleted Instagram post, ""So hyped to announce my G.O.O.D Music Family as the first headliners for @fyrefestival. Use my promo code KJONFYRE for the next 24 hours to get on the list for the artists and talents afterparty on Fyre Cay."
According to court documents obtained by E! News, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star did not indicate that she was being paid for the promotion, which led many followers to believe that her brother-in-law, rapper Kanye West, would be performing.
Additionally, the prosecution claimed that Jenner failed to, "inform their fans and followers that they ultimately decided not to attend the Festival because of problems with the Festival of which they and their agencies were uniquely aware."
In March 2019, Jenner explained to the New York Times, "You get reached out to by people to, whether it be to promote or help or whatever, and you never know how these things are going to turn out, sometimes it's a risk."
She continued, "I definitely do as much research as I can, but sometimes there isn't much research you can do because it's a starting brand and you kind of have to have faith in it and hope it will work out the way people say it will."
Celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski, Migos, Pusha T, Blink-182, and Lil Yatchy were also hit with lawsuits.
Brian Austin Green Announces Split from Megan Fox After Nearly Decade Long Marriage
May 19, 2020
Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox have decided to separate after almost ten years of marriage.
Green broke the news on his podcast, 'With Brian Austin Green', addressing rumors of Fox's new love affair with Machine Gun Kelly after images of the two circulated.
Fox met the 30-year-old rapper while abroad, filming 'Midnight in Switchglass' late last year. Green marks the separation as the beginning of the distant feelings that have since troubled the couple, claiming, "things hadn't really changed" when Megan returned.
The 90210 actor gave his wife some time to "recoup a little bit and get back into life" before initiating a conversation about their marriage.
When the two did sit down to talk, Green explains, "She said, 'I realized when I was out of the country working alone that I feel more like myself and I liked myself better during that experience and I think that might be something worth trying for me.'" He admits, "I was shocked and I was upset about it but I can’t be upset at her because she didn’t ask to feel that way. It wasn’t a choice she made, that’s the way she honestly felt. We talked about it a little more and said let’s separate for a bit… and so we did."
Despite the decision, he added, “We’ve had an amazing relationship and I will always love her and I know she’ll always love me." The two will now be tasked with co-parenting their three, six, and seven year old children.
Green also wanted to be clear that cheating had nothing to do with the split. When talking about Fox's new love interest, Green stated, "I've never met him, but Megan and I talked about him and they're friends at this point. And from what she's expressed, he's a really just nice, genuine guy. I trust her judgment. She's always had really good judgment." Further, he emphasized that he is in no way a "victim" in this decision.
The hopeful husband did not rule out the idea of reconciliation either. "Who knows if this is the end of the journey," he said. "I mean, we have a lot of life left."
"So the paths have started [to go] in separate ways for now. They could come back together. They may not. We don't know. I don't know. I don't want to make any predictions with that because I have no idea."
After meeting on the set of 'Hope & Faith' in 2004, Fox, then 18, and Green, 30, were immediately attracted to one another. In 2009, Fox remembered those first encounters in an interview with New York Magazine, saying, “Brian accidentally touched my leg. I remember literal electricity shooting through me and out me from every direction. It was like magic.”
The couple went on to break off an engagement in 2006, eventually coming back together for a wedding in 2010. After welcoming their first son Noah to the family, Fox was seen without her wedding ring and filed for divorce in 2015.
“They had several conflicts that led to the divorce,” a family source said. “Megan worked a lot last year, and she continues to work a lot. When she is away, Brian stays with the kids. Before they filed for divorce, they had disagreements about this situation.”
After their initial separation, the couple reconciled when they learned they were expecting their third child. At the time, Green explained that the couple didn't always agree on parenting strategies, though he still holds that Fox is a “fantastic wife” and mother.
Hackers Threaten Release of Confidential Celebrity Information
May 18, 2020
A hacking group is asking for 42 million dollars from a New York entertainment law firm to not release private information on celebrities including Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson and more. First on the chopping block? President Donald Trump.
After breaking into the company’s IT system, these hackers have acquired 756 gigabytes of information on house-hold celeb names.
The group, known as REvil, threatened to release private contracts and information last week unless a ransom of 21 million dollars was paid. That number has since doubled to a whopping 42 million dollars, which the firm still plans on not paying.
Currently, the group is threatening to release compromising information on Donald Trump, however, there is no public record of the president being a client of the firm.
Nevertheless, REvil has proven themselves legitimate by posting 2.4GB of information on Lady Gaga, including contracts regarding performances, merchandise, and television cameos.
Adding to this was a post on the Dark Web where the group threatened: “Grubman, we will destroy your company down to the ground if we don’t see the money.”
REvil is an established team of hackers who have infiltrated Travelex, a currency exchange firm, receiving 2.3 million dollars in Bitcoin, fulfilling their ransom request. Other companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and Boeing have refused to pay ransoms after being targeted by the hackers.
The FBI are now involved in the case, refusing to negotiate with REvil as they are technically considered a cyber-terrorist group and, “negotiating with or paying ransom to terrorists is a violation of federal criminal law”. The law firm at stake has also commented that, regardless of their payment of the ransom, the private information could still be released.
Anderson Cooper to Co-Parent New Son with Ex
May 14, 2020
There’s more where that came from! Anderson Cooper’s new baby boy, Wyatt, will be receiving twice the love as Cooper’s long-time partner Benjamin Maisani agrees to co-parents.
Cooper reached out to Maisani, a night-club owner and his former partner for ten years, explaining, “I don’t really have a family and so my friends become my family”. He went on to tell Howard Stern, “He's a great guy. We didn't work out as a couple, but I want somebody – when I was a little kid, it was just my mom and my brother. My mom was not the most parental person and I wished some adult, after my dad died, had stepped in and been like, ‘You know what? I'll take you to a ballgame.’ Or ‘let's go out to lunch every now and then and just talk.’”
He continues to say, “No one ever did that and so I thought if something ever happens to me, or even if something doesn't happen to me, if more people love my son and are in his life, I'm all for that. My ex is a great guy and I think it's good to have two parents, if you can.”
Wyatt will refer to Cooper as “Dad” or “Daddy,” while his French counterpart, Maisani, will go by “Papa”.
Cooper quipped, “He's already speaking French to him. I have no idea what he's saying – he could be turning the kid against me, I don't know!”
But that’s not all the help he’ll be receiving. The reporter also has the support of long-time friend Andy Cohen, fellow show host on Bravo. Not only has he offered fatherly wisdom, but even hand-me-downs from his son, Benjamin.
“I'm inherently cheap,” explained a modest Cooper. “I like a good value. And it just seemed to me like if I was going to get clothes for the kid – first of all, it's a pandemic. I was planning on going shopping, which I hate to do. And then online shopping: How do you do that for baby clothes?... It just seemed weird. So yeah, he just gave me all the clothes.”
Chrissy Teigan Cooking Up "Beef"
May 14, 2020
Alison Roman of New York Times Cooking fame recently criticized Chrissy Teigan for the commercial success of her cooking brand.
In an interview with The New Consumer, Roman commented, “What Chrissy Teigen has done is so crazy to me. She had a successful cookbook. And then it was like: Boom, line at Target. Boom, now she has an Instagram page that has over a million followers where it’s just, like, people running a content farm for her.” The chef goes on to say, “That horrifies me and it’s not something that I ever want to do. I don’t aspire to that.”
The statement was followed by an acknowledgement that, “she’s making a ton of f-king money”.
While Teigan’s fans came to her defense, Roman did not back down in defending her statements. She took to Twitter to say, “When women bully other women for being honest about money and how much they do or do not make, well, that's amore.” She adds, “Just wishing I had someone to hold my hand during baby’s first internet backlash.”
While Roman maintains an air of nonchalance, Teigan, an admitted fan of Roman’s, did not take the comments as lightly. Responding on Twitter, she explains, “This is what always happens. The first day, a ton of support, then the next, 1 million reasons as to why you deserved this. It never fails."
Teigan has since decided to “take a little break,” making her Twitter account private.