Daniel Kaluuya Opens Up About His Own Run-Ins With Police Officers: ‘It’s Been Consistent’
“The more you have respect yourself, the more problematic you are,” he told ESSENCE.
Here’s hoping that by now you have seen the glory that is Lena Waithe and Melina Matsoukas‘ Queen & Slim. The instant cultural classic stars Daniel Kaluuya and ESSENCE cover girl, Jodie-Turner Smith as two unlikely lovers, who are on the run after shooting a White police officer in self-defense.
When we sat down with Kaluuya, he shared his own experience with the police in the U.K. And it sounds sadly similar to what Black Americans go through with law enforcement.
“I first got stopped when I was 13 and it’s been consistent,” Kaluuya recalled.
In fact in 2013, the actor sued the Metropolitan Police for assault and false imprisonment after he was wrongly suspected of being a drug dealer.
“It’s this weird kind of Black male right of passage,” he continued. “The more you have respect yourself, the more problematic you are.”
Queen & Slim isn’t just a film about race relations with the police. That pain is contrasted by a beautiful Black love story onscreen. Kaluuya told ESSENCE he was shocked that it was the first time he saw two dark skinned people just being in love on the big screen.
“This reminds me of my aunties and my uncles,” Kaluuya said. “I saw that as a kid in life. I never saw that in a mainstream cinema. Even though I knew it was coming, it still jarred me how new it felt. To be a part of something like that, I feel really special.”
The film’s director, Matsoukas wanted the world to see Black love play out in a “different way” on-screen, she said. And not just Black love, but dark skinned Black love.
The Grammy Award-winner told ESSENCE, “I really hope that it represents us in a true and authentic way. I really wanted to show a love story between two dark skinned Black people. I wanted to start redefining what beauty is in this country, which has always leaned toward a more Eurocentric version of beauty. And I wanted that reflection onscreen.”
Article via Essence
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Florida man charged for sexually assaulting stuffed Olaf from ‘Frozen’ toy
A Florida man got hot and heavy with a “Frozen” toy, cops said.
Cody Christopher Meader allegedly had his way with the stuffed snowman Olaf, from the popular Disney flick, ejaculating on the doll and sticking it back on the shelf at a Target in St. Petersburg.
When he was done, Meader apparently moved on to a large stuffed unicorn and began dry humping it, police said, according to The Smoking Gun.
Meader, 20, of St. Petersburg, was charged Friday with criminal mischief in the Oct. 22 incident in the Target, according to a police report. He remains free on $150 bond.
Meader admitted to doing “stupid stuff” and that he had “nutted” on the Olaf stuffed animal, police said.
The toys were “removed from the store floor,” according to cops.
“The merchandise could not be re-sold and [was] destroyed due to circumstances.”
Photo Credit: MEGA
KFC is selling a chicken-scented fire log to warm your drumsticks this holiday season
NEW YORK — Ahhhh yes, the chill of winter has descended upon us once again. And that means the time has come to slip on your fluffiest socks, snuggle up next to a crackling fire, and bask in the smoky scent of….chicken?
In a partnership with artificial fire log company Enviro-Log, Kentucky Fried Chicken is offering what’s sure to be the hottest commodity of the season — a hunk of flammable, chicken-scented bliss otherwise known as the 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog .
You don’t even have to go flying out of the front door to get your hands on the bizarre, flaming mass. It’s exclusively sold on Walmart.com for a slick $18.99.
You will need to really assess your priorities to decide whether that’s too much to pay for a log that will fill your house with a distinct poultry smell.
Last year, KFC said, the creation sold out in just three hours. So, of course, they could not resist giving the people what they obviously want for a second year in a row.
“Since selling out last year, we have received weekly calls from hopeful fans wanting to get their hands on the 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog,” said Ross McRoy, president and founder of Enviro-Log.
KFC suggests you pop that sucker in your online shopping cart, cash in on Walmart.com’s free two-day shipping, and then hit up kfc.com to order a $20 Fill Up to be delivered straight to your door. You may never have to leave the house this winter with this succulent duo!
What is a $20 Fill Up , you might ask? It’s a whole spread equipped with 8 pieces of KFC’s Original Chicken Extra Crispy or Kentucky Grilled Chicken, a large cole slaw, four biscuits and two large heaps of mashed potatoes and gravy to keep you warm.
Don’t have a fireplace to burn the log in?
Consider these options:
- Slam it on top of a pile of holiday shopping catalogs for the ultimate paperweight
- A door-stop that doubles as an air diffuser once the chicken scent starts to leak into the air
- A permanent art installation in your home entryway
- The quintessential KFC collectors item
- A perfect holiday gag gift
Photo Credit: KFC
Billie Eilish says she believes Trump will be reelected: ‘Some people just love horrible people’
Singer Billie Eilish reportedly said she thinks President Trump will likely be reelected in 2020 and said it makes her “heart break.”
The 17-year-old singer, who will be able to vote for the first time next year, said she plans to stay engaged politically, The Los Angeles Times reported.
“I’m pretty worried about [2020],” she said. “I think stupid Trump is probably going to get reelected, and that makes my heart break. You know, some people just love horrible people. It’s weird.”
She told The Times she plans to do her research and isn’t sure how she’ll vote in 2020 yet, “but I think it’s so funny when a lot of adults think that they know what’s right.”
Eilish said she’s registering voters and including eco-activism booths at every show on her national tour to help get young people involved.
Eilish has been dubbed an “anti-pop singer” who writes provocative music like “bury a friend,” “ocean eyes” and her most recent anti-smoking song “xanny.”
Article via FoxNews
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Maryland Driver Accused of Fatally Hitting Teen Girl Had Whiskey, 92 Minibottles of Liquor in Car
A woman accused of driving off the road and killing a teenager in Maryland had two bottles of whiskey and 92 minibottles of liquor in the car, police said.
Jennifer Jean Jones, 30, has been charged with negligent manslaughter by vehicle, Baltimore County police said Thursday.
Charging documents say Jones crossed the double lines of a Dundalk road Tuesday, hitting Trinity Lynn Brooks, 15, and then kept going: hitting a tree, driving through a fence and into three backyards before coming to a stop.
Police say two bottles of whiskey and 92 minibottles of liquor were found on the front passenger side floorboard.
Jones was found unconscious in the wrecked car, the documents state. First responders administered Narcan because they believed she was under the influence of opioids. The documents say she told police she had her last drink five minutes before the crash. Police say she admitted to drinking heavily every day and had been a heroin user.
Brooks was a freshman at Dundalk High School, Baltimore County schools spokesman Brandon Oland said.
“It’s obviously a very sad week at that school,” Oland said. “Our thoughts and wishes are with her family.”
A vigil for Brooks was held at the crash site Thursday. A visitation will be held Monday and funeral services will be Tuesday, according to news outlets.
Jones waived her right to appear at her bail review Thursday. She’s being held without bond at the Baltimore County Department of Corrections. It’s unclear whether she had an attorney who could speak for her.
Photo Credit: Baltimore County Police Department
Baby Phat is officially back with a surprise relaunch
Baby Phat is officially back in business.
Kimora Lee Simmons announced that she would be relaunching and revamping her iconic streetwear brand earlier this year, and dropped a surprise collection on BabyPhat.com on Friday at 4 p.m.
The initial capsule consists of tracksuits, with a cropped jacket retailing for $150 and matching jogger styles for $120. There’s also a reflective wind breaker ($190), windbreaker shorts ($90) and tank tops with the bedazzled logo ($75) in the first drop.
A representative confirmed to Page Six Style that the first release will be followed another in about two weeks, and that the brand will continue rolling out styles continuously afterward.
The official Baby Phat Instagram started posting images from the campaign — starring Simmons’ daughters Ming Lee, 19, and Aoki Lee, 17 — earlier in the week, indicating that something was coming.
After splitting with the company — which was previously owned and then sold by her ex-husband Russell Simmons — in 2010, the former supermodel, 44, bought back Baby Phat earlier this year with plans to revive the line.
“It’s so fulfilling to see one generation squealing with nostalgia at the news of our relaunch, and another discovering the brand for the first time,” Simmons previously told Page Six Style. “I’m heartened that the original aesthetic found its wait into the zeitgeist. That’s affirmation for me and a whole community of women who were underserved by fashion the first time around.”
She previously released a collaboration with Forever 21, consisting of leopard-print bike shorts, tiny crop tops, terrycloth tube tops and more to much fanfar; the collection sold out online almost immediately.
Judging by the images, fans can expect dollar bill-printed opera gloves, fur stoles, sheer bodysuits and many more sexy silhouettes from the brand in the near future. With celebrity fans like Rihanna — who reportedly bought out an entire vintage collector’s archives of the brand as recently as last year — the relaunch is sure to bring back sexy ’90s nostalgia in a major way.
Photo Credit: Baby Phat
8-year-old girl strip-searched while visiting her dad in Virginia prison
An 8-year-old girl was strip-searched by Virginia corrections officials — after being told she wouldn’t be allowed to see her jailbird dad if she refused, according to a report.
The girl — who visited the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn while accompanied by her father’s girlfriend — was told during the Nov. 24 visit that refusing the search could result in both of them being banned from the state prison, the Virginian-Pilot reports.
“I told her, that means you have to take all of your clothes off or you’re not going to be able to see your dad,” Diamond Peerman, the incarcerated man’s girlfriend, told the newspaper. “That’s when she started crying.”
A Department of Corrections K-9 trained to detect drugs and other contraband had earlier singled out Peerman, requiring that she be searched. Peerman then asked if the girl would also need to strip down, leading a captain to affirm that she would after guards initially said no, the newspaper reports.
Peerman said she informed the guards that she wasn’t the girl’s legal guardian, but was told to sign a consent form approving the search anyway.
State policy allows for such searches, but performing without a legal guardian’s consent violates department policy, a corrections spokeswoman said.
“It is deeply troubling and represents a breach in our protocol,” DOC spokeswoman Lisa Kinney told the newspaper in an email. “We sincerely apologize to this child and her family and will be taking immediate disciplinary action against the person responsible.”
The staffer who authorized the search “didn’t have the authority” to do so, Kinney said, adding that a search of a minor is extremely rare.
No contraband ultimately was found during searches of Peerman and the girl, as well as Peerman’s car. They were allowed to meet with the girl’s father just days before Thanksgiving, but had to settle for a no-contact visit through a pane of glass, the newspaper reports.
The girl — who suffers from bipolar disorder, depression and ADHD — has missed school due to the distressing incident. She’ll no longer make the trip to visit her dad, her mother said.
“Her and her dad have a good relationship … because she gets to go see him every weekend,” she told the newspaper. “But, at the same time, she went through something that traumatized her. I’m not sending her back there.”
Photo Credit: AP
Long Island woman threatens to stab TGI Fridays worker over endless apps
Nothing was going to get between a Long Island woman and her “all-you-can-eat” doggie bag.
A Long Island woman threatened to stab a TGI Fridays employee who tried to stop her from heading home with an extra helping from their “all-you-can-eat” deal at the chain restaurant, police said.
The suspect, 32-year-old Skylar Williams, allegedly walked behind the bar of the restaurant on Sunrise Highway and tried to pack up food from the promotion at about 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, police said.
An employee told her she wasn’t allowed to be behind the bar — and Williams allegedly flipped out, grabbing a bottle of liquor and swinging it at the man, authorities said.
Williams and a friend then tried to leave with the bottle of liquor, but the same employee tried to stop her, cops said.
She then produced a black knife and threatened to stab him with it, police said.
Cops responded shortly after and tracked Williams down to a nearby yard.
Williams, of Wyandanch, had several Oxycodone pills on her at the time of the arrest, cops said.
She was hit with robbery, menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance charges.
A restaurant worker said Friday an “endless appetizers” deal is the only all-you-can-eat deal currently offered at the outpost.
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Texas Cop Reportedly Shoots Black Man In The Head As Questions Go Unanswered
The mother of a young Black man killed by police claims a detective said that her son was shot in the head even though he didn’t have a gun or pose a threat to the officer involved. Michael Dean was killed on Monday, according to Temple Daily Telegraph. But days later, there are still a handful of unanswered questions.
“If my son was in the wrong, so be it,” Christine Dean said on Wednesday. “But why is he dead? He didn’t deserve to be shot down. Nobody can give me answers. If he was in the wrong there would [be] a whole story out there, wouldn’t there?”
Temple Police shared only basic details about the incident and directed media questions to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The investigation was transferred to the Texas Rangers and the Bell County District Attorney’s Office. The officer, who has nine years of experience on the force, had not been identified as of Friday afternoon.
“At this time the investigation is still ongoing; any new information will be released when warranted as to not compromise the investigation.” DPS Sgt. Bryan Washko said.
Dean’s mother said a police detective initially told her that her son didn’t pull over right away and when he exited the car, he walked toward the officer, who then shot him.
“Things just don’t add up. He knows not to get out of a car when he’s pulled over. And people said they saw the police officer pull him (Michael) out of the car,” she said.
Christine Dean said the people who should be giving her answers, the Temple Police Department, are refraining to do so. “Temple has washed their hands of it. We’re told to contact the Texas Rangers,” she said.
The Temple Police Department didn’t release info that someone was killed in an officer-involved shooting until Tuesday afternoon. When questioned as to why this was omitted from the initial news release after Dean had already been declared dead, spokesman Chris Christoff said the incident occurred in public, “meaning that the vehicle had the potential of being easily recognizable. We wanted an opportunity to notify Dean’s family prior to releasing the information to the public.”
Christine Dean said the cops didn’t tell the family that Michael was dead until about 1:30 a.m., which was more than five hours after he was shot. He was pronounced dead at 8:26 p.m., shortly after he was shot at around 8:15 p.m.
Christoff’s excuse for the late family notification was “The area was subject to extensive investigative procedure to include stabilizing the scene; maintaining the flow of traffic; contacting and the arrival of all the necessary resources and off-duty personnel to include justice of the peace; contacting all of the investigators to the scene to include the Texas Rangers; and confirming the identity of the deceased and the identifies/contact inform for next of kin.”
His name was #MichaelDean. He was a father of three. He was loved. He was needed.
He was unarmed and shot in the head by @TempleTXPolice Monday night during a traffic stop.
The officer-involved shooting also wasn’t listed on LexisNexis Community Crime Map, which is what Temple Police Department uses to inform the public of incidents in the neighborhood.
Bell County Justice of the Peace Ted Duffield issued the order for an autopsy, and explained that the body was sent Tuesday morning to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences. Dean’s body has yet to be returned by press time Wednesday, Duffield said. Dean was shot in the head, according to Duffield.
Michael was adopted by his family at four years old along with his four siblings. “He’s not a criminal. He wasn’t out there committing crimes,” his mother said. “They’re making it seem like he was a bad person.”
“I feel like someone messed up. I really do,” Christine said. “I want to know why my son died on the concrete. I’ve never heard of anyone not giving information about their loved one. If he did something wrong and you had to do it, so be it — but tell me.”
Dean leaves behind three elementary-age children.
Photo Credit: S. Lee Merritt / S. Lee Merritt
Chipotle Has On-Call Nurses Who Check That Employees Who Call in Sick Are Not Just Hungover
At Chipotle, it’s not just the guac that’s extra. Some of their employee procedures are, too. Take, for example, the fact that they have a nurse check if employees are actually sick or just hungover when they call in sick to work.
Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol explained the procedure at a conference, according to Business Insider. “We have nurses on call, so that if you say, ‘Hey, I’ve been sick,’ you get the call into the nurse,” he said. “The nurse validates that it’s not a hangover—you’re really sick—and then we pay for the day off to get healthy again.”
Now this isn’t a way to just expose or embarrass employees, it’s actually done to make sure Chipotle restaurants have the cleanest and healthiest conditions possible. Back in 2017, there was a norovirus outbreak in Virginia that was linked to an unenforced sick policy at the Tex-Mex chain, CNBC reported. Managers were letting Chipotle employees work while they were sick which spread to customers.
The on-call nurses are meant to make sure that every employee is healthy enough to be working when they’re on the clock. Although, it’s a challenge to make sure restaurants remain safe and clean no matter how many preventative measures are taken.
“We’ve got cleaner that actually kills norovirus when you clean the tables in the dining room,” Niccol added, as per Business Insider. Hopefully, this will help ease anyone’s apprehension they may have had following the 2017 incident.
via: https://currently.att.yahoo.com/lifestyle/chipotle-call-nurses-check-employees-185800162.html
Photo Credit: currently.att.yahoo.com