Ellen DeGeneres Thought Rumors She’s Mean Were ‘Just Sour Grapes’
Ellen DeGeneres ends every episode of her talk show with, “Be kind to one another,” but she has been hit with a number of allegations in recent weeks that she is mean to staffers, guests and other people behind-the-scenes.
“Ellen is at the end of her rope,” a source reveals exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly. “She thought this was all just sour grapes from a few haters. But it’s not a passing thing — the hits just keep coming.”
It all started in April when beauty YouTuber Nikkie de Jager (a.k.a. NikkieTutorials) accused DeGeneres, 62, of being “cold and distant” when she appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in January. That same month, the comedian came under fire for joking that being quarantined in her $27 million mansion during the coronavirus pandemic is “like being in jail.” In addition, Variety reported that the crew on DeGeneres’ show had been left in the dark about their jobs and pay during the global crisis, and her former bodyguard publicly called her “cold” and “dehumanizing.”
“Ellen’s so grateful to have Portia in her life as a soulmate and a sounding board, but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy,” a second source tells Us. “Their home life is strained right now. … Her real friends never ask her to be funny or tell jokes. They accept her as is.”
And at the end of the day, DeGeneres’ ratings continue to soar, which indicates that the backlash has not affected her show.
“Ellen’s been in our homes for so long, it’ll take a lot more than a bodyguard and a blogger to change how people feel about her,” the second insider notes. “Her best response is just being happy Ellen on the show every day.”
Article via MSN
Netflix drops ‘Filthy’ trailer for Jeffrey Epstein docuseries
Article via NYPost
Netflix has dropped the trailer for “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich,” a four-part docuseries about the deceased millionaire pedophile and the myriad of women who fell victim to his international sex trafficking ring.
“Stories from survivors fuel this docuseries examining how convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein used his wealth and power to carry out his abuses,” reads a short bio from Netflix for the series, available May 27.
A trailer released on YouTube Wednesday spans more than the late financier’s sex crimes and accusers, also going into his conspiracy theory-fueling August death by hanging following his July arrest. The series will also reflect on the larger #MeToo movement.
The brief look into the forthcoming show features shots of Epstein’s private Caribbean island, nicknamed “The Pedophile Island” for what one voiceover describes as an “ever-revolving door” of young girls, in a case another voiceover dubs “one of the worst failures of the criminal justice system.”
The series is directed by Lisa Bryant, executive produced by filmmaker Joe Berlinger of “Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” and based on author James Patterson’s best-selling 2016 book, “Filthy Rich: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein.”
The coronavirus quarantine hasn’t quelled interest and ongoing revelations in the Epstein case. This month, Epstein’s cell buddy Bill Mersey revealed that he believed Epstein’s death was a suicide, an accuser came forward saying Epstein flew two girls from the UK to the US — suggesting for the first time that the tycoon and his co-conspirators went after UK girls — and Harvard officials admitted that Epstein maintained his own private office at the Ivy League school for a decade following his 2008 conviction for sex crimes. Last month, a petition to remove Epstein’s alleged enabler Eileen Guggenheim from the New York Academy of Art board gained steam though Guggenheim vigorously denies the allegations.
Donald Trump Defends Promoting Jeffrey Epstein Conspiracy About Clintons #fullbreakdown
Khloé Kardashian, Tristan Thompson threaten to sue woman over paternity claim
Article via PageSix
Khloé Kardashian is taking a hard stance over ex Tristan Thompson.
After responding to rumors she’s pregnant again with Thompson’s baby, the 35-year-old reality star sent a cease and desist letter to a woman claiming to have a child with Thompson, E! News reported.
The former couple’s attorney, Marty Singer, asked Kimberly Alexander to “immediately stop defaming them with malicious defamatory lies and specious fabrications” after she claimed in alleged text messages that the Cleveland Cavaliers player is the father of her baby.
Paperwork purporting to be from a lab that specializes in DNA testing services surfaced online and suggested Thompson, 29, took a paternity test in Jan. 2020. In the cease and desist letter, obtained by the entertainment outlet, Singer confirmed Thompson took the test and received a negative result.
Alexander requested Thompson take a second test, which Singer said he agreed to take as long as an AABB-accredited lab perform the test. Singer also alleges Alexander was “fired” from attorney Lisa Bloom’s firm after they determined they could not “resolve” her claims.
“I did previously represent her,” Bloom confirmed to Page Six on Thursday, “and I wish her the best.”
Singer continued to blast Alexander, claiming she’s looking for notoriety.
“It is obvious that the reason you are spreading these lies about my clients is because you want your 15 minutes of fame,” the letter reads. “My clients will not tolerate your despicable conduct.”
“It has been proven that Mr. Thompson is not the father of your child and we demand that you stop claiming that he is, and that he and Ms. Kardashian somehow falsified the paternity test results,” the letter continues. “It is defamatory per se to falsely assert that someone is a deadbeat dad who allegedly does not support his children, and to falsely accuse my clients of faking paternity test results.”
Thompson and Kardashian share 2-year-old daughter True Thompson. He also shares son Prince, 3, with ex Jordan Craig.
Singer is demanding Alexander delete all social media posts and cease posting anything about Kardashian or Thompson.
“This is an extremely serious matter,” the letter ends. “If you disregard this letter’s demands, you do so at your peril since you will soon find yourself in court facing multi-million-dollar claims while attempting to defend your indefensible misconduct.”
Singer did not immediately return a request for comment.
ANTM’s Jay Manuel Breaks Silence on Why He Left, Talks Relationship With Tyra and Current Backlash
“It became a culture where you could only speak your mind so much.”
Jay Manuel is dishing out enough “America’s Next Top Model” dirt, one can’t help but “smize.”
During an interview with Variety, the former “ANTM” creative director broke his silence on why he left the show, talked “uncomfortable” moments while filming, gave his take on the recent backlash from problematic clips resurfacing and revealed where he stands with Tyra Banks.
“Over the past few years, we’ve emailed,” Jay said of Tyra, noting the last time they saw each other was at BeautyCon in 2017. “To be very honest, we really have no relationship to speak of, which is really sad. Our time together on ‘ANTM’ was amazingly productive and, at times, magical. We got to experience being part of a global phenomenon.”
As for the recent criticisms of commentary by Tyra and other judges on the show being out-of-touch, Jay said he could see both sides of the coin.
Last week, “ANTM” came under fire after old clips went viral claiming to showcase racial insensitivity, body shaming and other apparent improprieties.
One video showeds the panel of judges scolding contestant Danielle “Dani” Evans for refusing to get the gap in her front teeth filled back in 2006, as they announced it would leave her “unmarketable.”
Another put a spotlight on judges telling contestant Toccaro she had to lose 150 pounds to be considered a model.
And the producers encouraged a contestant to pose in a grave after receiving news of her best friend’s death in yet another old clip.
“I do think it’s a little unfair for people to persecute Tyra now, especially because she has already taken heat for her past executive decisions in past years,” Jay told Variety. “However, I can’t really defend her either because when ratings were high and things were great, she remained a clear figurehead, because it was her show.”
“Consistently, when s–t hit the fan and people wanted to talk about some of the things that were said on the show, we would have another singular EP come forward to claim that all creative decisions were made as the team, and I really wish that were the case, but that just simply is not true,” he added.
One of the moments that drew the biggest online ire was when the show appeared to promote blackface, which Jay said he witnessed personally.
“I do remember, and it was very uncomfortable for me, in Cycle 4, it was a photoshoot where the girls had to swap races,” he began. “I was so, so, so uncomfortable with this. I was never scripted for my intros or anything, and I didn’t know how I was going to be able to set this up — I was so afraid that I would wear this because I was the creative director, but it was not my idea.”
“That swapped race was a layer added in,” he continued. “It was supposed to be a different concept. I remember that very, very clearly. I was basically told that I had to execute the creative, and it made me very uncomfortable.”
On Friday, Tyra spoke out about the backlash, tweeting, “Been seeing the posts about the insensitivity of some past ANTM moments and I agree with you. Looking back, those were some really off choices.”
The show’s co-creator, Ken Mok, also tweeted that the clips were cringe-worthy, but added, “Just a FYI — the entire creative team made the choices on those shows — not just Tyra.”
TooFab has previously contacted reps for Tyra regarding the show clips.
Meanwhile, according to Jay, Ken’s statement was a bit misleading.
“I think it’s a little unfair to throw the whole team under the bus,” he said during the interview. “The whole team wasn’t there on the front side when they were making decisions about the show in its heyday. The team wasn’t really supported, so to speak.”
Finally, Jay cleared up any rumors of why he left the show after 18 seasons, as many fans believed he had a fallout with Tyra and was fired.
“When we parted ways, I had already completed my contract after Cycle 18 with no plans to return for Cycle 19, and that’s something that people don’t know,” he dished. “It was 100% my decision to leave the show, as I was ready to move my career in a different direction, but unfortunately at the time, my departure was misreported to the press, and contractually, I could not speak about leaving the show.”
“Now, I can speak about it, so I can be clear that my departure from the show was one of choice.”
Moving his career in a different direction has found Jay releasing his first novel, “The Wig, The Bitch & The Meltdown,” which was inspired by his time on “ANTM.”
“I wanted this book to entertain and that’s why I used satire, and had a lot of fun with it,” Jay told Variety. “All of the characters in the book took on a life of their own and were just inspired by people in my life, but we write what we know and, as they say, art imitates life — and is often larger than life.”
“The Wig, The Bitch & The Meltdown” sashays onto book shelves on August 3.
Article via TooFab
Mary-Kate Olsen Is Requesting an Emergency Divorce
Coronavirus has halted just about everything — and some government offices are no exception. According to TMZ, Mary-Kate Olsen and her husband, Pierre Olivier Sarkozy, are in the midst of a divorce. On top of that, Sarkozy’s legal team is demanding that Olsen remove her belongings from their New York City apartment by May 18. She says that it’s not safe to be moving at the moment and because New York City courts are closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her request for a petition for divorce has been in limbo.
TMZ reports that Olsen submitted the petition for divorce back on April 17 and that courts are only processing “emergency” filings. In Olsen’s case, she could be facing the possibility of Sarkozy tossing all of her belongings. In court documents, she claims that Sarkozy is “forcing” her out of the premises by terminating their lease without her knowing. Olsen requested an extension to May 30 and TMZ adds that Sarkozy has been unresponsive.
When the divorce petition is filed, it would “trigger an automatic court order” and prevent Sarkozy from getting rid of Olsen’s personal property. Olsen filed an emergency order to move the divorce process ahead and TMZ adds that she’s asked that the couple’s prenuptial agreement — which was never made public — be honored. Olsen and Sarkozy got married back on November 27, 2015, in a wedding that reportedly included “bowls of cigarettes.”
There is precedent for a divorce via telephone, though Olsen and Sarkozy’s messy situation may make things more complicated. A “non-contested” divorce can take place over the phone with a judge present and depending on the situation, there can even be video conferences for certain hearings.
Article via YahooNews
Pandas sent back to China over bamboo shortage
The Calgary Zoo will send its two giant pandas back to China over a shortage in bamboo supply amid the coronavirus pandemic.
7-year-old shot after allegedly trying to break into home in north St. Louis, MO
ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) — A 7-year-old boy and two 12-year-old boys are accused of breaking into a north St. Louis house Tuesday evening. The 7-year-old was shot by the homeowner during the attempted burglary.
The call initially came into police as a shooting.
St. Louis police said a man was at his house in the 1800 block of North 20th Street in the St. Louis Place neighborhood around 6 p.m. He told police he heard banging and glass break from the back of his house.
Police said the homeowner feared for his life and started shooting at the burglars. Police said the burglary suspects took off.
In the shooting, the 7-year-old boy was shot in the leg and one of the 12-year-old boys was hit by debris in the wrist. Both boys were taken to the hospital in stable condition. The third boy was not hurt.
Photo Credit: kmov.com
Black gospel singer, 48, is ‘gunned down during a traffic stop tussle with a Houston officer who was trying to detain him for DUI after he admitted to drinking one mimosa’
A Houston choir director and gospel singer was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop on Friday, prompting fury from the man’s family who has demanded that the department release footage of the killing.
Adrian Medearis, 48, who was black, was shot during an alleged scuffle with a police officer who stopped him on suspicion of drunken driving early Friday.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said Monday afternoon that he would not release the video until he could meet with the family and personally show it to them.
Acevedo also stressed that the county was a ‘unique community’ that had its ‘own values and expectations,’ which meant that if the officer was indicted, the case could go to a county where jurors had a ‘different mindset.’
When asked during the press conference if he had reached out to Medearis’ family prior to announcing his killing, Acevedo shared that he had left them a ‘message.’
The Houston Police Department said in a statement that Medearis was pulled over while speeding. An officer – identified as J. Ramos – conducted a field sobriety test. Ramos has been with the department for seven years.
The officer then tried to arrest Medearis on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to the police statement. During the conference, Acevedo claimed Medearis admitted to drinking one mimosa.
Medearis allegedly resisted and grabbed the officer’s Taser, and the policeman then fired four times, including two rounds that struck and killed the suspect, Acevedo told a press conference on Monday.
No other officers were involved and there were no known witnesses, police said.
Acevedo said the officer’s body camera was knocked off during the alleged struggle with Medearis, but footage from other cameras captured the incident.
Acevedo said that before the scuffle, Medearis complained to the officer about the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was shot and killed by a white father and son while jogging in Brunswick, Georgia, on Feb. 23.
The struggle between the officer and Medearis took about 2- 1/2 minutes, Acevedo said. At one point the officer had Medearis pinned to the ground. But when he let go with one hand to call for backup, Medearis flipped the officer over and the fight continued.
‘What’s sad about this is that by all accounts what occurred is conduct that is not consistent with who Mr. Medearis is,’ Acevedo said.
Family members of the choir director slammed the department on social media, however, horrified by the lack of communication they have received pertaining to the killing.
‘It is disappointing and absurd that Chief Acevedo would call a public press conference before speaking with the family of Adrian Medearis,’ said the man’s brother, Audrick Medearis, in a Monday statement”
“I am not only his brother, but am also a first responder and Cy Fair firefighter. I am very easily accessible to HPD. The Harris County Chief Medical Examiner is aware that I am the next of kin as I contacted the office last Friday requesting to view my brother’s remains.’
Audrick Medearis shared that as of Monday afternoon, he had not been told where his brother’s possessions or BMW were located. He also shared that the department had not invited him to view the footage of how Adrian was killed.
‘I have not been told how many times Adrian was shot, which areas of his body were struck by the bullets, nor if he was dead-on-arrival at the hospital, and if not, what lifesaving measures were taken at the ER to save his life,’ he added.
Medearis, a gospel singer well-known locally, was the choir director at the Evangelist Temple Church of God In Christ and several years ago formed the gospel group Standing in the Gap.
‘We are beyond shocked at the initial accounts of this tragedy,’ Medearis’ family said in a statement posted by Audrick. ‘Unfortunately, there are no public details available regarding the murder of our loved one.’
Audrick and the family described Adrian as a ‘talented gospel artist on the rise.’
Dav Lewis, a longtime friend of Medearis, called for releasing the video. ‘Everybody – and especially his family – deserve to know what happened that night, they need to see what happened to their loved one,’ he said. ‘We must hold the police accountable and we’re not going to just sit back and take the police word on this.’
Lewis said it would be completely out of character for Medearis to react aggressively during a traffic stop.
‘We deserve to see the proof of what police are alleging,’ he said. ‘Nothing is going to make sense until we see the video.’
The family announced that it will hold a private funeral for family members.
‘We hope to announce a ceremony at a later time where his bounty of friends and supporters can safely pay their respects,’ their statement read.
Photo Credit: facebook
Woman shot and killed by Kentucky police who entered wrong home, family says
A woman was shot and killed in her Louisville, Kentucky, home by police executing a “botched” search warrant who forced their way in, surprising the woman and her boyfriend who thought the officers were burglars, her family says in a lawsuit.
The lawsuit — filed by the family of the woman, Breonna Taylor, an EMT worker — says she and her boyfriend thought they were being burglarized and he fired at the officers in self-defense. The lawsuit accuses the three officers of “blindly firing” more than 20 shots into the apartment.
After the March 13 incident, the Louisville Metro Police Department said the officers had knocked on the door several times and “announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant.” After forcing their way in, they “were immediately met by gunfire,” Lt. Ted Eidem said at a news conference.
Taylor’s death gained national attention this week after the family hired attorney Ben Crump, who is also representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery, the black man in Georgia who was killed on Feb. 23 after being pursued and shot by two white men. The two men are charged with murder and aggravated assault.
Taylor, 26, was shot eight times by police. Kenneth Walker, 27, was arrested and charged with assault and attempted murder on a police officer. An attorney for Walker could not immediately be reached.
Crump called Taylor’s death a “senseless killing.”
“We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department,” he said in a statement Monday on Twitter.
The attorney called out the police department for not providing “any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred.”
“Breonna Taylor was sleeping while black in the sanctity of our own home,” Crump said at a Wednesday press conference, adding, “we cannot continue to allow them to unnecessarily and justifiably kill our black women and escape any accountability.”
Records show that the police investigation was centered around a “trap house” more than 10 miles from Taylor’s apartment, and that a judge had approved a “no-knock” search warrant, meaning officers did not have to identify themselves, according to The Courier-Journal.
The lawsuit states that Taylor and her boyfriend, Walker, were asleep in their bedroom when police in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles arrived at the house looking for a suspect who lived in a different part of the city and was already in police custody.
The three officers entered Taylor’s home “without knocking and without announcing themselves as police officers,” the suit states.
The lawsuit says Taylor and Walker woke up and thought criminals were breaking in. Walker called 911 and police said he opened fire and shot an officer.
“The defendants then proceeded to spray gunfire into the residence with a total disregard for the value of human life,” the lawsuit alleges. “Shots were blindly fired by the officers all throughout Breonna’s home.”
The suit states that Walker had a license to carry and kept firearms in the home, and that Taylor was unarmed.
Taylor and Walker had no criminal history or drug convictions. No drugs were found in the apartment.
Her address was listed on the search warrant based on police’s belief that a drug suspect had used her home to receive mail, keep drugs or stash money. The warrant also states that a car registered to Taylor was seen parked on several occasions in front of a “drug house” known to the suspect.
Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, filed the lawsuit in April in Jefferson Circuit Court alleging wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence.
Crump said during an interview on MSNBC that Taylor was “completely innocent” and went on to say that “black women’s lives matter too.” The attorney also called for the charges against Walker to be immediately dropped.
A police spokesperson had no comment this week because the investigation was still ongoing.
The officers, identified as Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, were reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said on Twitter Tuesday, “As always, my priority is that the truth comes out, and for justice to follow the path of truth.”
Sam Aguiar, another lawyer for the family, said at a news conference Wednesday that he hopes the exposure Taylor’s case is getting leads to a change at the police department. “The truth will be uncovered,” he said.
Photo Credit: nbcnews.com
Memphis Dad Builds Stage in his Driveway to Throw His Daughter A Graduation
Even though COVID-19 has ruined graduation plans this year, a Memphis Tennessee dad made sure that his daughter received a graduation after obtaining a degree at Xavier University in Louisiana.
FOX13 reports after seeing his daughter, Gabrielle Pierce upset, and crying for a week because she could not walk, Torrence Burson, Pierce’s father decided to throw Pierce a graduation at there home.
“I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘that’s it. I’m just going to be the graduation here, ” he said.
The graduation included a full stage, presenters, speakers, and neighbors watching in the street. In a statement, Pierce said, “I was just I awe. I was amazed. I couldn’t believe a lot of people showed up. People were driving by yelling congratulations”
Pierce said her future plans include entering the Air National Guard before going back to school to become an Epidemiologist.
Photo Credit: thesource.com