Dwayne Johnson, his wife and two young daughters test positive for the coronavirus
Article via CBSNews
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has a message for everyone around the world: wear your mask. The actor and former wrestler revealed Wednesday that he and his family had tested positive for COVID-19.
“I wanted to give you guys a little helpful update on things that have been going on on my end for the past two-and-a-half to three weeks now. So the update is this: my wife Lauren as well as my two baby girls and myself, we have all tested positive for COVID-19,” Johnson shared in an 11-minute Instagram clip.
The 48-year-old said that they caught the virus from “very close family friends,” who are “devastated” that they spread the virus. The star added that it has been “one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure as a family.”
“Testing positive for COVID-19 is much different than overcoming nasty injuries or being evicted or even being broke, which I have been more than a few times,” said the Jumanji actor. “The reason why I feel this is different is because my number one priority is to always protect my family and protect my children, my loved ones.”
While Johnson shared that the family are now “good” and “healthy,” he said he and his wife, who celebrated their first wedding anniversary last month, had “a rough go.”
His youngest daughters, Jasmine, 4 and Tiana, 2 had minor symptoms. “They had a little sore throat the first couple of days, but other than that, they bounced back and, and it’s been life as normal, happy babies running around and playing,” Johnson said.
Johnson told his followers he recommended getting all house guests to test for COVID-19 before they visit. He also urged fans to wear their masks.
“This baffles me that some people out there, including some politicians, will take this idea of wearing a mask and make it a political agenda,” he said. “It has nothing to do in politics.”
“Wear your mask. It is a fact, and it is the right thing to do. And it’s the responsible thing to do,” Johnson continued.
“I’m not a politician. I am a man though, who cares about my family deeply and will do everything I can to protect them. But I’m also a man who cares about all of you guys. I don’t care what political party you’re affiliated with. I don’t care what part of the world you’re from. I don’t care what your skin color is, what your job is, what your bank account says. I don’t care. I do care about all of you. And I do not want you or your entire family to get COVID-19.”
Disney confirms its first bisexual lead character, who is also multi-cultural
Diversity is making its way onto the Disney Channel. Disney has confirmed it has a bixsexual lead character on “The Owl House” series.
The 14-year-old Dominican-American girl, Luz Noceda, is not Disney’s first LGBTQ+ character. Pixar featured a gay main character in a short film on Disney Plus, but Luz is the first bisexual character to make a Disney debut on a television series. “The Owl House” series follows Luz’s adventure to becoming a witch, even though she does not have any magical abilities.
At first, “certain Disney leadership” was not too fond of the idea of having an LGBTQ+ character, said the series’ creator, Dana Terrace, in a tweet.
“I was very open about my intention to put queer kids in the main cast. I’m a horrible liar so sneaking it in would’ve been hard,” she says in her tweet. “I was told by certain Disney leadership that I could not represent any form of bi or gay relationship on the channel.” Terrace identifies as bisexual. She wanted to write about a bisexual character, so she really pushed Disney to allow the character.”Luckily my stubbornness paid off, and now I am very supported by current Disney leadership,” she said.Terrace has gotten tons of positive feedback from viewers. Many are thanking her for representing the LGBTQ+ community, and wishing they had a show like “The Owl House” when they were children.
In “The Owl House,” a teenager finds herself stuck in the Demon Realm and battles the forces of evil alongside a rebellious witch and a pint-sized warrior. One of those commenters is Alex Hirsch, the creator of Disney’s “Gravity Falls.” Disney forbade Hirsch from any kind of LGBTQ+ representation, he says in a tweet to Terrace.”Apparently ‘happiest place on earth’ meant ‘straightest,'” he says in his tweet. “Thanks to Dana Terrace and team, there are explicitly queer animated main character on Disney TV.”
“This time, Disney- you did good,” he adds.Terrace encourages others to fight for what they want to see represented in the media and society. “Representation matters!” she says.
‘This is no longer a debate’: Florida sheriff bans deputies, visitors from wearing masks
On Tuesday, as Florida set a daily record for covid-19 deaths, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods prohibited his deputies from wearing masks at work. His order, which also applies to visitors to the sheriff’s office, carves out an exception for officers in some locations, including hospitals, and when dealing with people who are high-risk or suspected of having the novel coronavirus.
In an email to the sheriff’s department shared with The Washington Post, Woods disputed the idea that masks are a consensus approach to battling the pandemic.
“We can debate and argue all day of why and why not. The fact is, the amount of professionals that give the reason why we should, I can find the exact same amount of professionals that say why we shouldn’t,” Woods wrote in the email, which was first reported by the Ocala Star-Banner.
A majority of epidemiologists and other health experts say face masks and social distancing are key to slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has ravaged Florida. The state, which has recorded more than 542,000 cases and more than 8,600 deaths, added 277 more deaths on Tuesday; Marion County also set a record for daily deaths on Tuesday, with 13.
Police nationwide have faced scrutiny over inconsistent use of masks by officers, even in large cities like New York and Philadelphia where face coverings are mandatory. Many large departments only suggest officers wear masks, ABC News recently found, while those that require them, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, make exceptions for incidents where masks might impede officers in the line of duty.
Woods is among the first law enforcement officials to outright ban masks for his deputies, though.
He issued the order as Marion County and its largest city, Ocala, are mired in a politically charged debate over a mandatory mask rule. The Ocala City Council passed an emergency mask order last week, but Mayor Kent Guinn (R) vetoed it, citing in part a refusal by Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham to enforce the rule.
“My chief and I have talked about it. We will never write a fine. We’re just not going to do it,” Guinn told the Sky 97.3 FM on Monday.
The city council plans to meet Wednesday to consider overriding the veto, the Star-Banner reported.
Woods, meanwhile, told his deputies on Tuesday to stop wearing masks in most cases. While officers can still mask up in areas including the courthouse and county jail, they must immediately take off the face coverings afterward. Deputies working special events are also forbidden from wearing masks, Woods said.
By Tim ElfrinkAugust 12, 2020 at 3:32 a.m. EDT
On Tuesday, as Florida set a daily record for covid-19 deaths, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods prohibited his deputies from wearing masks at work. His order, which also applies to visitors to the sheriff’s office, carves out an exception for officers in some locations, including hospitals, and when dealing with people who are high-risk or suspected of having the novel coronavirus.
In an email to the sheriff’s department shared with The Washington Post, Woods disputed the idea that masks are a consensus approach to battling the pandemic.
“We can debate and argue all day of why and why not. The fact is, the amount of professionals that give the reason why we should, I can find the exact same amount of professionals that say why we shouldn’t,” Woods wrote in the email, which was first reported by the Ocala Star-Banner.AD
A majority of epidemiologists and other health experts say face masks and social distancing are key to slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has ravaged Florida. The state, which has recorded more than 542,000 cases and more than 8,600 deaths, added 277 more deaths on Tuesday; Marion County also set a record for daily deaths on Tuesday, with 13. Subtitle Settings Font Font Size Font Edge Font Color Background As states reopen, coronavirus masks symbolize a cultural divide.
Police nationwide have faced scrutiny over inconsistent use of masks by officers, even in large cities like New York and Philadelphia where face coverings are mandatory. Many large departments only suggest officers wear masks, ABC News recently found, while those that require them, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, make exceptions for incidents where masks might impede officers in the line of duty.
Woods is among the first law enforcement officials to outright ban masks for his deputies, though.
He issued the order as Marion County and its largest city, Ocala, are mired in a politically charged debate over a mandatory mask rule. The Ocala City Council passed an emergency mask order last week, but Mayor Kent Guinn (R) vetoed it, citing in part a refusal by Ocala Police Chief Greg Graham to enforce the rule.
“My chief and I have talked about it. We will never write a fine. We’re just not going to do it,” Guinn told the Sky 97.3 FM on Monday.
The city council plans to meet Wednesday to consider overriding the veto, the Star-Banner reported.
Woods, meanwhile, told his deputies on Tuesday to stop wearing masks in most cases. While officers can still mask up in areas including the courthouse and county jail, they must immediately take off the face coverings afterward. Deputies working special events are also forbidden from wearing masks, Woods said.
All visitors to sheriff’s department buildings will be asked to take off their masks in the lobby, Woods said, linking that rule to the ongoing protests against police brutality.
“In light of the current events when it comes to the sentiment and/or hatred toward law enforcement in our country today, this is being done to ensure there is clear communication and for identification purposes of any individual walking into a lobby,” he wrote.
The sheriff argued working mask-free hasn’t led to a spike of infections in his 900-person department. “Since the beginning of this pandemic the operation of this office has not changed and no wearing of masks has been put in place,” he said.
But as the Star-Banner reported, the local jail has seen a serious spike, with at least 200 inmates testing positive, along with 36 jail employees, including officers. A nurse at the jail has also died of covid-19.
Should anyone challenge a deputy about wearing a mask, Woods wrote, “politely and professionally tell them I am not required to wear a mask nor will I, per the Order of the Sheriff.”
Woods, who participated in a phone conference with President Trump and other sheriffs on Tuesday, ended his missive by making it clear that he would brook no dissent.
“This is no longer a debate nor is it up for discussion,” he wrote. “Please keep in mind this entire pandemic is fluid and constantly changing the way things are done. However, my orders will be followed or my actions will be swift to address.”
Article via WashingtonPost
Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California if it’s forced to classify drivers as employees
- Uber would likely shut down temporarily for several months if a court does not overturn a recent ruling requiring it to classify its drivers as full-time employees, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an interview with Stephanie Ruhle Wednesday on MSNBC.
- Uber and rival Lyft both have about a week left to appeal a preliminary injunction granted by a California judge on Monday that will prohibit the companies from classifying their drivers as independent workers.
- If the appeal doesn’t work out for Uber, it will bank on voters to determine its fate in voting on on Proposition 22, which would exempt drivers for app-based transportation and delivery companies from being considered employees.
Uber would likely shut down temporarily for several months if a court does not overturn a recent ruling requiring it to classify its drivers as full-time employees, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an interview with Stephanie Ruhle Wednesday on MSNBC.
“If the court doesn’t reconsider, then in California, it’s hard to believe we’ll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly,” Khosrowshahi said.
Uber and rival Lyft both have about a week left to appeal a preliminary injunction granted by a California judge on Monday that will prohibit the companies from continuing to classify their drivers as independent workers. Following the order will require Uber and Lyft to provide benefits and unemployment insurance for workers.
California’s attorney general and three city attorneys brought the lawsuit against the companies under the state’s new law, Assembly Bill 5, that aims to provide benefits to gig workers core to a company’s business by classifying them as employees. In his decision granting the preliminary injunction, the judge rejected the notion that drivers should be considered outside the course of the companies’ businesses, calling the logic “a classic example of circular reasoning.”
Uber and Lyft both said they would appeal the ruling during the ten day period before it goes into effect.
Rather than classify drivers as employees, Khosrowshahi has advocated for what he calls a “third way” that would maintain drivers’ independence while allowing companies to provide some protections without risking being viewed as full-time employers. In a New York Times op-ed ahead of the court ruling, Khosrowshahi said gig companies like Uber could pay into a fund that workers could dip into for paid time off on healthcare benefits based on the number of hours they work.
Khosrowshahi said on Wednesday that his Plan B if Uber can’t win on appeal would be to temporarily pause service in California. While he said Uber would later resume service in the state, it would likely be more centered in cities, which could mean limited availability in less concentrated areas like suburbs.
If the appeal doesn’t work out for Uber, it will be banking on voters to determine its fate. Khosrowshahi said if that’s the case, the service would likely shut down in California until November, when voters in the state decide on Proposition 22, which would exempt drivers for app-based transportation and delivery companies from being considered employees. Uber has argued its drivers prefer working as independent contractors, though California AG Xavier Becerra rejected that claim as a “bogus argument.”
Khosrowshahi emphasized that pausing service in the state would leave thousands of drivers without the income they would typically earn from Uber. Still, ridership has been down during the pandemic anyway, which the judge said made the injunction come at what is perhaps “the least worst time” for Uber and Lyft to adjust their business models.
Becerra said in an interview on CNBC Tuesday that he was unconcerned about the potential for Uber to leave the state as a result of the order.
“Any business model that relies on short-changing workers in order to make it probably shouldn’t be anywhere, whether California or otherwise,” he said.
Article via NBC
Adult film star Ron Jeremy charged with rape, sexual assault
Los Angeles County prosecutors say adult film star Ron Jeremy has been charged with raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth
Adult film star Ron Jeremy was charged with raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Tuesday.
The counts make the 67-year-old Jeremy the third man to be charged, along with Harvey Weinstein and producer David Guillod, by a task force formed by District Attorney Jackie Lacey in 2017 to investigate sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry.
Jeremy, nicknamed “The Hedgehog,” is among the best known and most prolific actors in the history of the adult film industry, with thousands of credits to his name.
Jeremy, whose real name is Ronald Jeremy Hyatt, appeared in court Tuesday, wearing handcuffs and a face mask, but did not enter a plea. A judge delayed his arraignment until Friday and set his bail at $6.6 million.
Jeremy’s attorney Stuart Goldfarb said he is “absolutely innocent of the charges. It’s not a close call.”
Jeremy was charged with three counts each of forcible rape and forcible penetration by a foreign object and one count each of forcible oral copulation and sexual battery. If convicted of all the counts he could face 90 years in prison.
Prosecutors allege Jeremy raped a 25-year-old woman at a West Hollywood home in May 2014, sexually assaulted a 33-year-old woman and a 46-year-old woman in separate incidents at a West Hollywood bar in 2017, and raped a 30-year-old woman at the same bar in July of last year.
Goldfarb said witnesses who spoke to both detectives and his own investigator have cast doubt on the allegations. The lawyer said Jeremy often gropes women with their consent during public appearances, and suggested his long life as an adult performer makes him less likely to have committed sexual crimes.
“There is absolutely no reason for him to ever be aggressive with women,” Goldfarb said. “He’s had more women than you can count.”
He added that the bail amount was “horrendously high.”
Jeremy was investigated by the Hollywood task force after it was formed during a wave of sexual misconduct allegations that began in late 2017 with media reports about Weinstein that launched the #MeToo era.
The task force has investigated more than 20 men, but Jeremy is just the third to be charged.
Prosecutors have begun efforts to bring Weinstein to California to face charges of rape and sexual assault. He is being held in a New York prison after being convicted of similar charges earlier this year. He has denied engaging in any non-consensual sex.
On Monday, Guillod, a producer on the 2017 film “Atomic Blonde” and the 2020 Netflix movie “Extraction,” was arrested in Santa Barbara County and charged with 11 felonies, most of them rape counts, that were investigated by Lacey’s task force.
Guillod’s attorney Philip K. Cohen said in a statement that “for the past eight years, Mr. Guillod has denied these allegations” and an “overwhelming amount of evidence has been collected over the course of this investigation disputing these charges.”
Los Angeles prosecutors charged “That ‘70s Show” actor Danny Masterson last week with the rapes of three women, though that investigation preceded the formation of the Hollywood task force. Masterson denied the charges and his attorney said he will be vindicated.
Another allegation against Jeremy from 2016, was declined by the task force because of insufficient evidence.
In recent years, Jeremy has appeared in more mainstream entertainment, including music videos and reality television shows like “The Surreal Life.”
Article via ABCNews
Angelina Jolie wants judge removed in Brad Pitt divorce
Angelina Jolie asked Monday that the private judge overseeing her divorce from Brad Pitt be disqualified from the case because of insufficient disclosures of his business relationships with one of Pitt’s attorneys.
In a filing in Los Angeles Superior Court, Jolie argues that Judge John W. Ouderkirk should be taken off the divorce case that she filed in 2016 because he was too late and not forthcoming enough about other cases he was hired for involving Pitt attorney Anne C. Kiley.
It says that during the Jolie-Pitt proceedings, Ouderkirk has “failed to disclose the cases that demonstrated the current, ongoing, repeat-customer relationship between the judge and Respondent’s counsel.”
It goes on to say that Pitt’s attorney “actively advocated for Judge Ouderkirk’s financial interests in moving — over the opposing party’s opposition — to have his appointment (and his ability to continue to receive fees) extended in a high profile case.”
An email to Kiley and Pitt’s lead attorney Lance Spiegel seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Pitt and Jolie, like other high-profile couples, are paying for a private judge in their divorce case to keep many of its filings and the personal and financial details within them sealed, though some legal moves must be made within standard court procedure.
Jolie’s filing emphasizes that a private judge must follow the same rules of disclosure and conflict of interest that other judges must.
The filing says “it doesn’t matter if Judge Ouderkirk is actually biased. Under California law disqualification is required so long as a person aware of the facts ‘might reasonably entertain a doubt’ about Judge Ouderkirk’s ability to remain impartial.”
Jolie’s attorneys have sought in private proceedings to have Ouderkirk disqualify himself, but the filing says Pitt’s side has insisted on keeping him.
Pitt and Jolie were declared divorced, and the Pitt was dropped from her name, in April 2019, after their lawyers asked for a bifurcated judgment, meaning that two married people can be declared single while other issues, including finances and child custody, remain.
Because most of the documents have been sealed, it is not clear what issues remain unresolved, but Jolie filed papers in 2018 saying Pitt wasn’t paying sufficient child support, which his attorneys disputed, calling the filing an effort to manipulate media coverage of the split.
Jolie, 44, and Pitt, 56, were a couple for 12 years and married for two when Jolie filed for divorce in 2016. They have six children.
Article via PageSix
Growing Up Hip Hop’s Angela Simmons Confirms Relationship With Boxer Daniel Jacobs
Article via UrbanIslandz
Angela Simmons set social media abuzz today when she posted photos of herself alongside a hot new man.
It seems entrepreneur and reality TV star Angela Simmons is finally looking to hop out of the single ring and start a new relationship and what better way to do so than with her very own champion boxer, Daniel Jacobs. Fans of the 32-year-old Growing Up Hip Hop star have steadily linked her to quite a few high profile love interests over the years. First up on the list is her good friend rapper, Bow Wow. This one is not too far from the truth, though, as the two actually dated in the early 2000s. However, Bow Wow apparently mentioned in a Vlad TV interview that he called it quits based on Simmons’ prior decision to remain a virgin until she got married.
It seems Simmons still held onto her religious beliefs up until a couple of years ago when she got engaged to Sutton Tennyson in 2016. Sadly, Sutton has since passed away, and although he is no longer with her, Angela Simmons has stated that he left her with the greatest gift and the most precious reminder, a son.
In the eyes of her fans, Simmons was also somewhat forcibly linked to her costar Romeo Miller. However, according to actor Justin Sylvester, Romeo is the one who is madly in love with Simmons and not the other way around. Sadly a feud developed between Miller and Angela while on the show, which left her to conclude, “if he’s in love with me, it’s a horrible way to go about it.”
One other person who could be foaming at the mouth as a result of the recent reveal of her new boxer bae, is rapper Yo Gotti. No matter the occasion or setting, the Memphis rapper never hesitates to shoot his shot at the lovely Simmons. He even gave her a nice one-liner in his hit single “Down In The DM.”
Clearly, Simmons and Jacobs are telling their suitors and love interests to eat their hearts out after posing in formal getup in the images shared by Angela on her Instagram account over the weekend. In one photo, the pair stare deeply into each other’s eyes as they hold hands, a truly powerful shot. The caption left below the images is also simple but symbolic, or so we assume. Simmons posted a black heart followed by the term “TKO” with a boxer glove emoji added.
Why Mike Tyson Is Swimming With 30 Sharks
Will a shark prove to be a formidable opponent to Mike Tyson? The former professional boxer will face his latest adversary on the opening night of Shark Week. Leading up to the big fight, Tyson worked with former shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder to face his fears. The pair worked in pools before getting in the ocean, and despite throwing up out of nervousness before and after each dive, Tyson eventually faced his fears and warmed up to the gentle giants, Gelder told Inside Edition.
‘Confessing our love and trust in Jesus’: Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin share baptism photos
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are celebrating another experience as a married couple: a joint baptism.
Bieber Wednesday shared on Instagram four pictures of Baldwin and himself immersed in an outdoor body of water in a post proclaiming their baptism and commitment to Jesus.
The music superstar’s post said: “The moment @haileybieber my wife and I got baptized together! This was one of most special moments of my life. Confessing our love and trust in Jesus publicly with our friends and family.”
In the first picture, the couple is in the water at what appears to be a dock, the music superstar facing downward with an unidentified man’s hand on his back. In the second picture, Bieber, 26, and Baldwin, 23, are submerged to their shoulders, each holding one of the man’s hands. In the third picture, Baldwin is looking up at the man and in the final one, her head is going under the water while Bieber is blocked by the man’s head.
The post received many responses offering praise and support.
Carl Lentz, a pastor at New York’s Hillsong Church who previously baptized Bieber, responded: “Amazing. Love you.”
Entertainment journalist Jason Kennedy, a longtime Bieber friend, wrote: “One of the top moments of my life doing this with you”.
Vocal producer and instructor Jan Smith, who has worked with Bieber, offered two words of praise: “Blessing!!! Saved!!!!”
Bieber has talked about faith in the past. In an episode of the couple’s Facebook Watch series, they talked about difficulties in their relationship that preceded their eventual marriage.
“We both had made mistakes,” Bieber said. “When we understand how much God’s forgiven us and given us grace, it gives us the ability to give each other grace.”
Article via USAToday
NASA to remove offensive names from planets and other heavenly bodies
Political correctness has now expanded to space, where NASA says planets, galaxies and other heavenly bodies will no longer be referred to by “offensive” nicknames.
In a press release Thursday, the space agency said that all planets and heavenly bodies will be referred only to by their scientific names, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Under the new rules, the “Eskimo Nebula,” discovered in 1787 by William Hershel, will only be referred to as NGC 2392.
The so-called “Siamese Twins Galaxy” will likewise be known only as NGC 4567 and NGC 4568.
“As the scientific community works to identify and address systemic discrimination and inequality in all aspects of the field, it has become clear that certain cosmic nicknames are not only insensitive but can be actively harmful,” the agency said in a news release.
“NASA is examining its use of unofficial terminology for cosmic objects as part of its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
NASA’s Associate Administrator for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, Stephen T. Shih agreed, saying “These nicknames and terms may have historical or culture connotations that are objectionable or unwelcoming, and NASA is strongly committed to addressing them.”
Article via NYP