Dear Justin Timberlake,
As a proud stan for 17 years, I feel like we have the kind of relationship in which we can be honest with each other. I mean, I stuck with you during the Britney Spears years, the cornrows and the decades-long hellatuses between albums. I traveled to NYC for the release of your first solo album and I saw you on your last tour FIVE times in two different states. Sometimes I worry that I'm on some sort of list. But I can't worry about that when reports are swirling that you are close to becoming the official half-time act for the 2018 Super Bowl. Please understand when I say the following:
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If you’re even the most lax consumer of entertainment, odds are you’ve seen Mahershala Ali's flawlessness on your big or small screen at least once. His gorgeousness, charisma, insane talents, and love of fashion is more than enough to make this now two-time SAG Award winner this week's #MCM. He’s been mine for more since his breakout role in USA's The 4400 (2004-2007).
It may seem like the country is in a horrifying tailspin after last week's sickening displays of police brutality with the killings of Alton Sterling (July 5) in Baton Rogue, Philando Castile (July 6) in Minnesota, and the sniper-style massacre of Dallas police officers at an otherwise peaceful anti-police brutality protest (July 7). The shootings left five police officers dead, and injured seven more as well as two civilians, according to HuffingtonPost.com.
Even worse, the heavily-armed and violent police response to otherwise peaceful demonstrations across the America, particularly in Baton Rogue where Sterling was killed, echoes Ferguson’s disastrous protests following Michael Brown's murder in 2014. Well-known and beloved Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson was one of over 100 people arrested in Baton Rogue late Sunday night after documenting police provocation.
BLM supporters across the country flooded the Baton Rouge Police Department with calls in effort to get McKesson and others released. He was eventually freed on Sunday afternoon.
As we all try to process how such injustices are happening in America, Black Twitter has managed to find joy in every victory, and celebrated DeRay’s release with the #DerayHasBeenReleasedParty hashtag. It was filled with brilliant humor, carefree joy and the ever-present wokeness. It even caught the eye of Queen Sugar and Selma director, Ava DuVernay.
Here are the some of the highlights of the #DerayHasBeenReleasedParty hashtag:
In the wake of the Orlando's horrific mass shooting, it’s been difficult to continue regular life, which includes diving face-first into entertainment and fangirling about it here. When my personal life gets difficult, I seek refuge in the universes of my favorite shows, however, with a tragedy so devastating, doing so can feel selfish.
While it’s important to stay woke, protecting your own mental and emotional health is also vital. Thankfully, a newly redheaded Christina Aguilera reminds me that entertainment, especially music, can be healing and cathartic when she took her website on Thursday night to announce that her new single, “Change,” will be dedicated to the victims of Orlando, and proceeds from all American downloads will be donated to the victims’ families through The National Compassion Fund. She writes: “The horrific tragedy that occurred in Orlando continues to weigh heavily on my mind. I am sending so much love and so many prayers to the victims and their families. Like so many, I want to help be part of the change this world needs to make it a beautiful inclusive place where humanity can love each other freely and passionately. We live in a time of diversity, in a time of endless possibilities, in a time where expression of oneself is something to be celebrated. And I am left wondering how people filled with so much love could be taken by so much hate…We all have the choice to spread love, encourage individuality and make a difference to others – we are all in this together, as one, united in love.” Written by Aguilera and Fancy Hagood, Flo Reutter, the ballad resonates with full body goosies and maybe a few tears. It is a sonic, visceral and healing representation of our helplessness, our grief, and our hope. "Change," with its deeply personal lyrics, simple production, and powerful vocals, is Aguilera’s “Man In The Mirror.” Utilizing her legendarily soulful voice, Xtina sings: “Who you love or the color of your skin/ Or the place that you were born and grew up in / Shouldn’t decide how you will be treated / 'Cause we’re all the same when everybody’s breathing / Waiting for a change to set us free / Waiting for the day when you can be you and I can be me / Waiting for hope to come around / Waiting for the day when hate is lost and love is found.” She also shared a lyrical video, which features pictures from Christina’s childhood. Watch below, and don’t forget to buy from iTunes. You can also donate directly to The National Compassion Fund.
The first Monday is May may be ho-hum for us working-stiffs but if you’re among the celebrity elite, it is the Superbowl of fashion events. The annual Met Gala—an event hosted by Vogue Magazine, that celebrates the opening of the fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—is held in New York City, and it boasts one of the most extreme red carpets of the season.
This year’s theme is “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age Of Technology.” Like contestants on Project Runway, stylists bolted for the nearest metallic dresses and bedazzlers. This Small Screen Girl, who would happily live in sweatpants if I didn’t have to go to said day job, dies for the sublime moments of wearable art and cringe-worthy moments of horrendous fails. The only edit I have for next year is that there should be actual Anna Wintour-trained fashion police to escort people off the red carpet who dare to show up in regular clothes. Fittingly, technology only makes the Met Gala coverage better. Thanks to social media, fashionistas across the planet can react to the red carpet chaos in real time, and they wasted no time providing hilarious and merciless commentary on the over-the-top ensembles. Here are by favorite and most lethal reactions to Met Gala fashion...
Trend alert: Kindness is the new sexy.
Don’t believe me? This Monday's Man Crush will prove it in spades. When he’s not executive producing and starring in his own TV show, Ballers, filming or promoting his latest summer blockbusters like the Baywatch re-boot or Central Intelligence with Kevin Hart, or kicking ass in the WWE ring, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson still manages to be totally crushable.
Last week, a new and fantastic trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier just about obliterated the internet. Between Captain America’s angsty voiceover, T’Challa/Black Panther in all of his big cat glory, and Bucky Barnes’ remorseless attempt to shoot Tony Stark in the face (!!!), I’ve all but memorized every frame. The trailer draws battlelines between Team Cap and Team Iron Man. Which side am I on? The hottest one, of course!
Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez might play a kind-hearted, Type A single mother on her scrumptious telenovela, Jane The Virgin, but a new Instagram video proves of her boxing she’s slightly different from her character, Jane. The actor, newly minted red carpet staple and recent recipient of the Young Humanitarian Award at Variety’s unite:4humanity benefit proves she’s also a badass in an Instagram video showcasing her mad boxing skills.
“This is because I love you guys so much. I’m actually doing this. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Gina squeals to the camera before displaying impressive footwork and speed as she boxes, bobs and weaves with a trainer. Her boxing prowess would make Rocky and Adonis Creed proud. I'm betting that Rodriguez will showcase those skills on the big screen or her television show very soon! Check out the epic video below. If you think an expanding baby bump dooms you to two trimesters of chaste, tent-esque maternity clothes, then you haven’t seen model and TV personality and mom-to-be Chrissy Teigen on a red carpet.
Teigen, who is expecting a daughter with husband John Legend, is redefining pregnancy chic by clinging to fashion staples—leather, heels and denim shorts—and embracing her growing bump. Check out Chrissy’s dynamic pregnancy style!
The Super Bowl has always been testament to American competition, spectacle and one-upsmanship. And Super Bowl 50 brought plenty of all three.
Lady Gaga’s sparkly ensemble and operatic national anthem made for a unique and spangly start, however, the true competition was found on the field—and I’m not talking about the Denver Broncos beating the Carolina Panthers for the win. Beyonce and Bruno Mars absolutely slayed during their halftime performance of the newly released black empowerment anthem “Formation” and 2015’s instant dance hit, “Uptown Funk.” Oh yeah, Coldplay was there too. |
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