Isaiah Washington slams former ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ co-star
Article via Page Six
Isaiah Washington took to Twitter on Monday to reignite past drama with his former “Grey’s Anatomy” co-star Katherine Heigl.
Posting a photo of the actress, Washington, 57, wrote, “This woman once proclaimed that I should ‘never’ be allowed to speak publicly again. The world agreed with her proclamation back then and protested for my job and my head in 65 languages. I wish I was on Twitter in 2007, because I will NEVER stop exercising my free speech.”
He added, “I’ve learned that all money ain’t good money and no amount of money can replace your dignity and integrity. Some call it living by your principles.”
Their feud began in 2007 after Washington reportedly used a homophobic slur to refer to his co-star T.R. Knight during a backstage argument with Patrick Dempsey. Washington issued an apology, but later denied that he’d said it.
Heigl told Access Hollywood at the time, “I’m going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period. I’m sorry, that did not need to be said, I’m not okay with it.”
The drama led to Washington’s exit from the hit ABC series.
A source close the Heigl, 41, told Page Six on Tuesday that she stands by what she said.
“Katherine stood up for her close friend twice when Isaiah publicly outed him and called him a f—-t,” the source told us, adding, “That’s hate talk, not free speech. She is proud that she stood up for him. Katherine is and always will be an advocate and ally to the LGBTQ community.”
Meanwhile, the actress had her own dramatic exit from the series in 2010 after she’d previously, and controversially, withdrawn her name from the Emmy contenders list.
“I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination,” she said in 2008. “In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.”
black twitter goes off on Isaiah Washington For his“Adapt” Tweet #TweetLikeIsaiahWashington
Diversity Coming to Disney Theme Parks?
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, recently said the theme parks will see more changes to show inclusion and diversity, according to Walt Disney World News Today.
- D’Amaro — who spoke at the IAAPA Expo Monday — said there would be “more to come” when it comes to inclusion products, WDWNT reports.
- He said that the first step would be fixing Splash Mountain to be more inclusive. The parks are now working on projects that will do the same in the near future.
Key quote:
- “This represents transformative cultural change,” D’Amaro said.
Context:
Back in June, Disney announced that Splash Mountain, which is based on the 1946 Disney film “Song of the South,” will be reworked to focus on characters from the 2009 film “The Princess and the Frog.”
- The decision to fix the rides came after controversy sprang up about the ride’s connections to “Song of the South,” which has been criticized for its portrayal of African Americans and reliance on racial stereotypes, as I reported for the Deseret News.
- Disney fans signed a petition to retheme the ride, which suggested that it rely on “The Princess and the Frog” instead. And that’s exactly what happened.
Article via Deseret
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Wendy Williams Claims Blac Chyna ‘Regularly’ Texts Her For Help Because She ‘Has No Place To Live’
Wendy Williams Claims Blac Chyna ‘Regularly’ Texts Her For Help Because She ‘Has No Place To Live’
Wendy Williams is revealing the desperate text messages that Rob Kardashian’s ex, Blac Chyna, allegedly sent her
According to the TV host, Chyna “regularly” texts her asking for help because she has “no place to live.”
Williams made the bombshell claims during Monday’s episode of “The Wendy Williams Show”.
While discussing Tyga’s recent lawsuit, she asked, “He has a child with Blac Chyna, right?”
Tyga is currently being sued by a former landlord for failure to pay $266,000 CAD in rent and damages.
The presenter continued, “I told you Blac Chyna texts me regularly ‘Can you help me find a condo I have no place to live.’”
Musing that she may not be the only person who Chyna has been texting, Williams said, “Maybe she sent a blast to everyone she knows because it didn’t say, like ‘Dear Wendy’.”
She added, “I didn’t answer it … I don’t want to be involved.”
Article via ETCanada
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A full-scale humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Ethiopia, the UN says
Article via CNN
A full-scale humanitarian crisis is developing in the Horn of Africa as thousands of people flee ongoing violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Tuesday. An average of 4,000 women, men and children have crossed the border into eastern Sudan every day since November 10, the agency said. In total, more than 27,000 people have now traveled into Sudan at three border locations, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said at a news conference in Geneva.”Refugees fleeing the fighting continue to arrive exhausted from the long trek to safety, with few belongings,” Baloch added. “UNHCR, with its partners, is supporting the Sudanese government in its response, ramping up humanitarian assistance at the borders as the needs continue to grow.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military offensive in the restive Tigray region on November 4 after accusing its ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), of attacking federal troops in the northern region, which borders Eritrea and Sudan. After announcing that it was “at war” with the TPLF, the federal army has since stepped up its military offensive, carrying out air strikes as part of Prime Minister and Nobel laureate Ahmed’s “law enforcement operation,” which has led to clashes across the area.A deadline for TPLF forces to lay down arms has expired, Abiy warned in a Facebook post published on Tuesday. He also promised to “reintegrate our fellow Ethiopians fleeing to neighboring countries” in a tweet on Monday night. Across the border in Sudan, refugees from Tigray are arriving exhausted and with few belongings, said the UNHCR. In the border town of Hamdayet, clean water is available and latrines are being built but the agency says it is concerned about hygiene conditions as thousands more people continue to arrive on a daily basis. Other humanitarian organizations are also distributing relief items, including blankets and sleeping mats, according to the UNHCR. The World Food Programme is providing high-protein biscuits, while hot meals are being distributed by Muslim Aid.
In Tigray, a lack of electricity, telecommunications and access to fuel and cash is hampering humanitarian efforts and making it difficult to verify information about attacks in the region. International diplomatic pressure to de-escalate tensions has fallen on deaf ears and other countries on the continent have begun to voice their concerns about stability in the region. Speaking at the State House in Nairobi on Monday, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta urged the fighting parties to find a “peaceful means to end the crisis.” He warned against a full-blown conflict in Tigray, saying Kenya and Ethiopia have for long served as “anchor states for regional peace and stability,” according to a statement. Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni met Ethiopian deputy prime minister Demeke Mekonnen on Monday. In a tweet, he said the focus of their discussion was peace and security in Ethiopia. “Being one of the oldest countries that was not colonized in Africa, Ethiopia is the pride of the continent,” Museveni said.
Usher Shares the First Photo of Newborn Daughter Sovereign and How Astrology Played Into Her Early Birth
It was just two months ago that the Grammy winner shared the exciting news he was a father again. Back in September, he and his girlfriend Jenn Goicoechea welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Sovereign Bo Raymond.
And while the couple kept the baby news tight-lipped throughout Jenn’s pregnancy, it looks like Usher is ready to open up about his first few months with his little one.
During a virtual appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday, Nov. 11, the singer shared the first image of his newborn daughter while also discussing her early birth in a candid interview.
“She looks like a little porcelain doll. She doesn’t even look real,” Ellen DeGeneres said, marveling at Sovereign’s baby photo. However, Usher cheekily reminded the talk show host that his little one is cute “until you have to change her diaper.”
The “Bad Habits” singer also quipped that his daughter is already calling the shots. But he mentioned he’s not too surprised by this since he and Sovereign share the same zodiac sign.
As he put it, “She came out early. She was scheduled to be a Scorpio but decided she had a different plan. Libras, you know, they kinda have their minds made up on what they wanna do.”
“It’s funny because the umbilical cord was wrapped around her wrists,” he added. “So she’s pulling the thing, like, ‘Pull me outta here, it’s time to go!'”
Sovereign’s early arrival isn’t just leaving a sweet impression on her famous father. Usher revealed that his sons, Usher Raymond V, 12, and Naviyd Ely Raymond, 11, “are excited about being big brothers.”
“As they get older, I’m less cool of a dad,” Usher explained of how his sons see him these days. “So now I’m starting this whole cycle over again and I’m kind of the apple of her eye right now.”
The superstar shares his two kids with his ex-wife Tameka Foster.
Usher’s mom is also over-the-moon over his baby girl. He admitted that she’s already redecorating her place to make room for Sovereign.
“My mom, with all of the kids, she gives them their own room,” he told Ellen about his children and niece. “I’m like, ‘Mom, you’re kind of out of space, what are you gonna do?’ She’s like, ‘Oh no no no no, she’s gonna have her room. She’s just gonna take your room.'”
“She’s kicking me out,” he said with a laugh. “I’m sleeping on the couch and Sovereign, she now has my old bedroom. But it’s cool.”
In late September, Usher shared the heartwarming news that his bundle of joy arrived early.
“We are feeling blessed and full of love with the arrival of our beautiful baby girl, Sovereign Bo Raymond,” he captioned his Instagram post. “‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Stevie Wonder on repeat.”
A few weeks before his daughter’s arrival, the father of three raved about the baby news during an interview with James Corden. “It’s been a tough time for everybody, so I’m really excited to have this incredible news,” he told the host. “This new arrival. I’m really anticipating it.”
Now, the singer’s little Libra is here and making everyone swoon.
Article via EOnline
After Johnny Depp Was Fired From Fantastic Beasts, Fans Petition For Amber Heard’s Removal From Aquaman 2
Article via CinemaBlend
Becoming a celebrity is a tricky thing. Because fame can result in notoriety and a major payday, things like personal relationships also become public events. Actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard know this all too well, as their divorce proceedings and legal battle have been making headlines as the two actors throw abuse allegations at each other. Depp was recently fired from his gig as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, and now there’s a petition gaining momentum or Heard to also be removed from DC’s Aquaman.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have been battling in court for months, most recently with Depp suing The Sun after the publication referred to him as a “wife beater.” The judge ultimately sided with The Sun, resulting in Warner Bros. asking the actor to step away from his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts movies. And now nearly 1 million moviegoers have signed a petition for Heard to be fired from her role in the Aquaman franchise.
The petition in question is on Change.Org, titled “Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2.” At the time of writing, the online campaign has been signed by a whopping 903K people and counting. The organizers maintain that Heard should have a similar fate to Depp in regards to his firing from Fantastic Beasts. Warner Bros. is in control of both the Wizarding World and DC Extended Universe, so it’s ultimately the same studio heads that can make this decision.
The online calls for Amber Heard’s firing are largely based on the various allegations that have been thrown her way over the years. While she’s testified in court about Johnny Depp’s reportedly abusive behavior, her ex-husband presented his own slew of wild stories during his libel suit with The Sun. And it’s for that reason that the nearly 1 million participants in the petition have been making their voices known.
Given the timing of Johnny Depp’s departure from Fantastic Beasts 3, it’s clear that Warner Bros.’ decision to part ways with the actor was influenced by the results of his loss in court. The legal system in the U.K. ruled on the side of The Sun, which was seemingly a victory for Amber Heard. Of course, the two actors’ will have their own legal battle to continue in the states.
There’s currently no indication that Warner Bros. plans on releasing Amber Heard from her contract playing Mera in the Aquaman franchise. In fact, it was announced that the 34 year-old actress was actually participating in reshoots for Zack Snyder’s Justice League. But if Johnny Depp’s case against Heard is won, it should be interesting to see if the studio pulls a similar move regarding Heard’s role in the DCEU.
Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently set to arrive in theaters on July 15th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.
UPS ends ban on beards and natural Black hairstyles
The shipping company is lifting several of its longstanding strict rules on the personal appearance of its employees who interact with the public — mostly its army of delivery drivers.
The changes loosen the previous strict limits on facial hair (no beards for most employees, and mustaches limited to above the crease of the lip), how long men could wear their hair (nothing longer than collar length) and hairstyles (no Afros or braids). While styles still must be business-appropriate and not pose a safety concern, those specific limits have been eliminated.Wednesday’s announcement also includes the lifting of gender-specific regulations, including rules like the length of the uniform’s shorts. The new rules, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, were posted on an internal company web site for employees.
“These changes reflect our values and desire to have all UPS employees feel comfortable, genuine and authentic while providing service to our customers and interacting with the general public,” UPS said in a a statement, adding that the company is “determined to continue to make UPS a great place to work for all of our more than 500,000 employees around the world.”
UPS is also surely motivated by its scrambling to add the staff needed to handle the increase crush of packages associated with the surge in online shopping brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.”Our CEO, Carol Tomé, listened to feedback from employees and heard that changes in this area would make them more likely to recommend UPS as an employer,” said UPS in its statement.Tomé, the first woman to lead UPS, told investors on a recent conference call that the company had increased its employee training, including to combat unconscious bias and promote diversity and inclusion, “to ensure our actions match our values.”
UPS had faced criticism that its appearance rules, particularly the hair guidelines, amounted to a form of discrimination. In 2018 it agreed to pay a $4.9 million fine and enter into a consent decree with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to allow greater freedom to wear beards and long hair by those who filed for a religious exemption.
“The EEOC alleged … UPS failed to hire or promote individuals whose religious practices conflict with its appearance policy and failed to provide religious accommodations,” said the EEOC at the time, which also alleged that “UPS segregated employees who maintained beards or long hair in accordance with their religious beliefs into non-supervisory, back-of-the-facility positions without customer contact.”The company then moved to allow religious and medical exemptions for facial hair. But Wednesday’s announcement addresses a broader problem of unconscious bias that the rules reflected, according to Lucinda Duncalfe, founder and CEO of AboveBoard.com, an executive hiring firm that promotes diversity.
“These policies are hold-overs from a different era and reflect the biases that hold back progress, and performance,” said Duncalfe, who praised the change as “great news.” “It never made sense that “natural’ hair was impermissible,” she added.Nearly 300,000 UPS employees are represented by the Teamsters union, and the former rules applied to many of them. The union praised the change.”We are very pleased about it,” said Teamsters’ statement. “The union contested the previous guidelines as too strict numerous times over the years through the grievance/arbitration process and contract negotiations. We have proposed neatly trimmed beards during several previous national negotiations.”It’s been a busy year for UPS. The volume of packages UPS handled increased 13.5% in the third quarter compared to a year earlier, and the company hired 39,000 permanent new employees in the second quarter of 2020, and it intends to hire more than 100,000 additional seasonal employees for the peak holiday season.
Chipotle To Open Its First Digital-Only Restaurant
via Chipotle.com
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced its first-ever Chipotle digital-only restaurant called the Chipotle Digital Kitchen. Located just outside of the gates to the military academy in Highland Falls, NY, the restaurant will open this Saturday for pick-up and delivery only. The new prototype will allow Chipotle to enter more urban areas that wouldn’t support a full-size restaurant and allows for flexibility with future locations.
The Digital Kitchen concept is focused on accelerating the digital business in non-traditional locations. It is unique because it does not include a dining room or front service line and guests must order in advance via Chipotle.com, the Chipotle app or third-party delivery partners. Orders can be picked up from a lobby that is designed to include all of the sounds, smells and kitchen views of a traditional Chipotle restaurant. The Digital Kitchen will also service large catering orders available for pick up in a separate lobby with its own dedicated entry.
“The Digital Kitchen incorporates innovative features that will complement our rapidly growing digital business, while delivering a convenient and frictionless experience for our guests,” said Curt Garner, Chief Technology Officer of Chipotle. “With digital sales tripling year over year last quarter, consumers are demanding more digital access than ever before so we’re constantly exploring new ways to enhance the experience for our guests.”
Cultivate Center
Chipotle’s new design concepts and menu innovation are envisioned at the Company’s Cultivate Center in Irvine, California. Located minutes from Chipotle’s corporate headquarters, the new 22,000 square foot facility features the same natural aesthetic with ecofriendly materials and designs found in Chipotle restaurants. To pay homage to its heritage, the original sign from the first Chipotle restaurant opened in 1993 in Denver, Colorado dons the entryway.
The Cultivate Center is home to Chipotle’s official test kitchen, where its culinary team utilizes real, responsibly sourced ingredients to test recipes and concoct future menu items. The space also includes a production studio for filming commercials and developing creative concepts as well as a room for restaurant training and development. The Cultivate Center is home to the Center of Excellence for Design and Construction and houses a fully equipped development lab, metal cutting and woodworking machinery to build and test new prototypes before rolling it out in a restaurant environment. Additionally, the space includes a consumer research center to allow for focus groups and gathering critical insights. The conference rooms and event spaces will be utilized for Board meetings, group gatherings and special events in the years to come.
“The Cultivate Center is a best-in-class space that will allow us to push the boundaries of innovation while delivering on our mission of cultivating a better world,” said Tabassum Zalotrawala, Chief Development Officer of Chipotle.
The rudest state in the United States
Article via bgr
We’ve seen a lot of state rankings lately, and that’s mostly thanks to the site BestLife cranking them out left and right. I’m not complaining, because I usually use them as a test to see how sharp I am on my own perceptions of the states here in the US. The latest one, however, is a real gimme, and I bet you can guess the number one state without much effort.
This latest ranking is a list of states based on their “Rudeness Score,” which BestLife came up with by combining previous rankings for rudest cities, the percentage of people who live in the cities deemed rude, the number of rude drivers based on reports by Insurify, and data from a survey of 2.5 million social media users that asked which state is the most “unfriendly.” They topped off that pile of data with an analysis of how often people from each state cursed during live chats with LivePerson, which is a live chat support company.
That’s a whole lot of data, and while you could call into question the legitimacy of any one data set, the overall picture from the various sources should produce a pretty reliable ranking. So, without further ado, let’s dive in. As usual, let’s start with the least rude states. This is the list as though it were flipped, with the 50th rudest state being the #1 least-rude state:
- Minnesota
- South Carolina
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Tennesee
- Hawaii
- Colorado
- Vermont
- Texas
- Kentucky
Okay, so this seems to make sense for the most part. As a Wisconsin resident, I’m constantly berated by tales of how nice people are in Minnesota, and I assume that’s probably true for the most part. I know that Hawaii tends to be a pleasant place to go, so I’m sure it’s earned its spot on the list, but the only time I was ever in Colorado a very pushy guy tried to get me to sign up for a credit card as soon as I got off the plane, so I’m not sure about that one.
Now, let’s see the flip side of the list. These are the rudest states in the country:
- New York
- Virginia
- Washington
- Iowa
- Alaska
- Utah
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- California
- Idaho
Everyone act surprised that New York showed up in the top spot! Just kidding, we all knew it would. Whether NYC’s reputation for having high-strung, rude people on every square foot of sidewalk is earned or not, it appears to have driven the entire state to the top of the list. California also isn’t a shock, as there’s a lot of very important people in very big hurries in that state. Some of the others are a bit more puzzling, like Alaska, which I wouldn’t assume has a lot of rude people in it, and Idaho, which I assumed had a lot of very friendly farmers.
Whatever the case, these are the extremes of the list, and if you don’t see your state that means it falls somewhere in the middle. Check out the full list for the rankings of all 50 states.
Selena’s father and Netflix sued by producer over series
Article via Page Six
The father of Latin music legend Selena is being sued along with Netflix over a new show based on the late singer’s life, according to court documents.
Moctesuma Esparza, who produced the highly acclaimed 1997 film, “Selena,” is accusing Abraham Quintanilla, 81, of violating a contract agreement signed in 1995, in which he was allegedly given the rights to the life stories of Selena, according to TMZ.
Esparza is seeking $1 million for breach of contract from Quintanilla and is suing Netflix for ignoring his and Quintanilla’s previous deal while creating “Selena: The Series,” which is set to premiere on the streaming service on Dec. 4.
In the lawsuit, filed on Nov. 6, Esparza alleges that after the success of the original film, he and Quintanilla discussed creating their own follow-up mini-series together. Those talks reportedly took place in 1998.
Selena’s sister, Suzette Quintanilla, is also named in the lawsuit because she was reportedly involved in conversations regarding a storyline about a “young” Selena.
A case summary, reviewed by Page Six, shows there is a case management conference scheduled for Feb. 23.
Reps for Quintanilla and Netflix did not immediately return our request for comment.