Source: WENN / WENN Actor Paul Benjamin Has Passed Away At 81 Paul Benjamin, known for playing one of the three “cornermen” in 1989’s Do the Right Thing , has died at the age of 81. Spike Lee , the film’s director, announced the tragic news on his Instagram page on Wednesday, along with writing a touching tribute to Benjamin. “I’m Sad To Write That The Great Actor PAUL BENJAMIN (Who Played ML, {Far Left} One Of The Cornermen Passed This Past Friday, 2 Days Before The 30th Anniversary Of DO THE RIGHT THING,” Lee wrote. “Rest In Paradise.” The actor died June 28, according to Lee. Other details about Benjamin’s passing, including the cause of death, were not immediately available. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Benjamin was born in South Carolina on New Year’s Day in 1938. He made his film debut in 1969’s Midnight Cowboy and would go on to appear in films including Across 110th Street , The Education of Sonny Carson , Pam Grier’s Friday Foster , Clint Eastwood’s Escape From Alcatraz , Richard Pryor’s Some Kind of Hero , and many more. View this post on Instagram I’m Sad To Write That The Great Actor PAUL BENJAMIN (Who Played ML, {Far Left} One Of The Cornermen Passed This Past Friday,2 Days Before The 30th Anniversary Of DO THE RIGHT THING. Rest In Paradise. Born 1/1/38. Died 6/28/19 A post shared by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Jul 2, 2019 at 10:15am PDT Rest In Peace, Mr. Benjamin.
Source: Paras Griffin/BET/Getty Images / Getty BET Set To Premiere Docu-Crime Series “MURDER IN THE THIRST” July 7 9 PM ET/PT We’re super excited to reveal the news that LisaRaye McCoy will be hosting BET’s new guilty pleasure docu-crime series “Murder In The Thirst” which uncovers the lengths some people will go to feed their thirst for money, power and fame. The 10-episode series reveals the desperate thirsts that drive people to kill. Hosted by entertainer, businesswoman, and actress LisaRaye McCoy, the series peeks into the world of money, mansions, and power… and the people who would do anything to get there. Each suspenseful MURDER IN THE THIRST brings these twisted tales to life, recreating an extravagant world of luxury and lies, and featuring revealing interviews with the people who lived through each story. From the desperate tale of former NFL player Rae Carruth to the “Pit bill in Prada,” a hot shot attorney who was stabbed to death in her Louisiana law office, the series will have viewers puzzling over every twist and turn. “Murder In The Thirst” Premieres, Sunday, July 7 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET. Watch the official series trailer here: MURDER IN THE THIRST SUPERTEASE from Tara Long on Vimeo . What did you think? We had a chance to speak exclusively with LisaRaye about the new show. Hit the flip for our interview.
Source: ROBYN BECK / Getty Unarmed Black Man Ryan Twyman Shot Dead By LAPD Another day , another unarmed, non-threatening, minding-their-damn-business, Black person dead at the hands of the trash a$$ police. According to KTLA , Ryan Twyman was shot dead by LAPD cops as he sitting unarmed inside of a car at a south Los Angeles apartment complex. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Officers fired 37 rounds at Twyman according to witnesses: Another witness, who also wished to speak anonymously, said deputies said little before they started shooting: “One officer goes up to the door, starts firing, never identified himself as the police … still unloading on the car 30 rounds.” The Game took to Instagram to be even more specific about the number of shots fired. View this post on Instagram Another young black man taken away from his children at the hands of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department. Under no circumstances should anyone unarmed be shot 37 times. Read the number…. 37 times !!!! This is a sick pattern & happens way too often these days. A father, a son, a brother, a human. 37 bullets & for what ?!?!? What’s the explanation… How y’all gone try to cover this one up ?!?!? Killed in Compton on 132nd & San Pedro in a neighborhood I’m all too familiar with. There has always been tension between the Sheriff’s & the youth in Compton & the hatred authority has for black children & those of Hispanic background is very visible & most including myself do or did whatever necessary to avoid confrontation with you heartless mothafuckas. What about Ryan, enraged you so much that you felt the need to shoot him 37 fuckin times while he was unarmed ?!?!? Sad times we are living in as this occurrence & ones like it get little or know media coverage as we know the mass agenda wants it swept under the rug. Let a civilian shoot an officer 37 times & the entire world would’ve known about it as soon as it happened. What does the value of ones life depend on ? Color ?? Privilege ???? Job title ?? What is it ??? Police, peace officers, protect & serve…. naw, y’all trained assassins these days & young minorities are being targeted & gunned down with no regard for their lives. This shit really hurts my heart. & then the media wants posts about his murder but fails to include the amount of times he was shot just for sitting in his car with with girlfriend & friend who were beaten & taken into custody. And I repeat, no weapon was found on his person or at the scene. I’d ask, how do y’all sleep at night but I already know the answer is “comfortably” as police killing men of color in this country seems to be legal at the rate situations like this arise. My condolences to Ryan’s entire family as I am truly saddened to hear of his murder & the magnitude of force inflicted on him in such a defenseless state. 24 years old & stripped of his future by cowards #JusticeForRyanTwyman #WIPBenzo A post shared by The Game (@losangelesconfidential) on Jun 13, 2019 at 7:48am PDT A GoFundMe has been started to help Twyman’s family and at this time it has raised close to $8,400. F**k 12. Periodt.
Source: Sheri Determan/WENN.com / WENN Barbara Corcoran’s Brother Died At A Dominican Republic Hotel Back In April Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran’s brother, John, was found dead in his Dominican Republic hotel room while on vacation with a friend back in April, according to reports from TMZ . While an autopsy was not performed, Barbara and her family were told that her brother suddenly died of a heart attack. If true, this story coincides with the scary string of American tourist deaths that have occurred in similar circumstances on the island over the past couple months. Within the last year, six Americans have died at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, and Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts, all showing nearly identical causes of death. Miranda Schaup-Werner was celebrating her wedding anniversary at the Luxury Bahia Principe Bouganville hotel last month when she suddenly died after having a drink from the mini-bar. Her death came just five days before an American couple from Maryland was found dead at the same resort. As of now, it’s unclear what hotel Corcoran’s brother was staying in the Dominican Republic when he was found dead and it’s also unknown if he had a drink from the mini-bar prior. Kaylynn Knull and Tom Schwander filed a lawsuit against the Grand Bahia Principe Hotel La Romana resort earlier this year after becoming sick during their stay in 2018. The Colorado couple suspects that the release of insecticides into the central air conditioning system led to their sickness. Our condolences go out to Barbara Corcoran and the whole family. Hopefully, this eerie situation taking the lives of those visiting the Dominican Republic gets solved sooner than later.
Source: Roberto Machado Noa / Getty 96% Of Sagging Pants Arrests In Shreveport Have Been Black Men Since 2007 Look, we get it. Some people truly abhor seeing men walk around a$$ed out with their pants sagging below their waist, but this is f***ing ridiculous. According to Shreveport Times , ever since ordinance 50-167 was passed into law in 2007, a law prohibiting sagging pants in public, there have been 726 arrests made. Of those 726, 699 of them are Black men in comparison to the 12 white men arrested. That’s right, 12. Additionally, 13 Black women were arrested for this crime in comparison to 1 white woman. This means that 98% of the people placed into the criminal justice system behind this law are Black, 96% are Black men. Tuesday, City Councilwoman LeVette Fuller proposed to abolish the law prohibiting the public wearing of pants below the waist, exposing the skin or undergarments. At least three national news outlets reported on the proposal in connection with the death of Anthony Childs that occurred during an officer-involved shooting. For those unaware, Anthony Childs was shot at eight times by a cop, SPD Officer Traveion Brooks, three of those shots hit him. A reported self-inflicted shot to the chest ultimately killed Childs. The officer was trying to stop Childs because his pants were sagging. This law is racist as HELL.
View this post on Instagram I can’t believe my life right now. All my dreams have come true. Thank you @therealdaytime for treating me and @thebrooklyndaly so kindly for her TV debut. And special thanks to @comiclonilove for looking out for me. #313 #whatupdoe #love #happymothersday #kenyamoorehaircare @kenyamoorehair A post shared by Kenya Moore Daly (@thekenyamoore) on May 10, 2019 at 11:52am PDT Some Mother’s Day preciousness… Kenya Moore’s Daughter Brooklyn Daly Makes Her TV Debut Kenya Moore recently showed off her baby girl on TV for the first time ever and she’s so precious that you might become a mom on this Mother’s Day holiday. The new mommy/RHOA alum was a guest on “The Real” this week and she talked her motherhood journey and the “conversations” she’s had about returning to “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Most importantly, however, she brought her beautiful baby girl Brooklyn Doris Daly out to make her television debut. Kenya’s uncle brought out baby Brooklyn and Kenya’s Detroit sister Loni Love was moved to tears. According to Kenya, baby Brooklyn is a “symbol of hope” for women who want to have families. Mind you, Kenya gave birth to baby Brooklyn at 47. How…cute…is…baby…Brooklyn?! Kenya also showed off her daughter’s adorable footwear. View this post on Instagram @thebrooklyndaly had to have her own shoe cam on @therealdaytime LOL custom shoes A post shared by Kenya Moore Daly (@thekenyamoore) on May 10, 2019 at 12:20pm PDT See more of Kenya Moore on “The Real” on the flip.
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Peggy Lipton Dies The mother of Rashida Jones and Kidada Jones has unfortunately passed away. Quincy Jones’ daughters both confirmed their mother’s passing in a joint statement to the Los Angeles Times. “She made her journey peacefully with her daughters and nieces by her side,” said Rashida and Kidada. “We feel so lucky for every moment we spent with her.” “We can’t put all of our feelings into words right now, but we will say: Peggy was and will always be our beacon of light, both in this world and beyond,” they added. “She will always be a part of us.” Lipton was 72-years-old. The “Mod Squad” actress who wed Quincy Jones in 1974 stepped away from her career to focus on raising a family. The pair divorced in 1989. Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN She later returned to Hollywood as Norma Jennings on the TV series “Twin Peaks. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Peggy Lipton.
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Peggy Lipton Dies The mother of Rashida Jones and Kidada Jones has unfortunately passed away. Quincy Jones’ daughters both confirmed their mother’s passing in a joint statement to the Los Angeles Times. “She made her journey peacefully with her daughters and nieces by her side,” said Rashida and Kidada. “We feel so lucky for every moment we spent with her.” “We can’t put all of our feelings into words right now, but we will say: Peggy was and will always be our beacon of light, both in this world and beyond,” they added. “She will always be a part of us.” Lipton was 72-years-old. The “Mod Squad” actress who wed Quincy Jones in 1974 stepped away from her career to focus on raising a family. The pair divorced in 1989. Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN She later returned to Hollywood as Norma Jennings on the TV series “Twin Peaks. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Peggy Lipton.
Very sad news today out of the television world. Troy Dean Shafer, best known as the contractor and host of DIY Network’s restoration series Nashville Flipped, passed away in his sleep on April 28. He was 38 years old. The reality star’s brother, Tim, told TMZ that there were no warning signs and no previous medical conditions that would have given anyone close to Shafer cause to be concerned. The family remains in shock over the heartbreaking news. This same gossip website reports that the coroner’s office in Erie, Pennsylvania had not yet performed an autopsy on Troy’s body — but a toxicology report will be finalized in the weeks ahead. Until then, those close to Shafer and those who worked with him will remain perplexed over what transpired. “The DIY Network family is sorry to hear about the passing of Troy Dean Shafer, a dedicated, driven entrepreneur and restoration expert who was admired by everyone who worked on the series,” the network has said in a statement, concluding: “We continue to extend our deepest condolences to Troy’s family and friends during this difficult time.” Shafer was laid to rest in a small ceremony last week. He graduated from Penn State University and had actually moved to Nashville to pursue a career in singing. Ultimately, though, he utilized his construction skills and pitched a home renovation show based in this beloved city, one that focused on homes from the 1800s and early 1900s. The series, Nashville Flipped, also starred Rob Kuskin and Sean Roberge and premiered in April of 2017. A year earlier, Shafer opened about his many TV offers but said many had been looking for a “character” — and that just wasn’t him. “They were looking for some over-the-top drama, and I get it. That makes good TV, and that’s the way a lot of house flipping shows are, but that’s definitely not me,” he told The Nashville Ledger at the time, adding: “I’m not dramatic, and even if I was, I wouldn’t go on TV and broadcast it, because the show may last one year, but I need this company to last. “I want to pass this down to kids. “I don’t want anyone thinking anything other than who I really am.” Shafter was partly popular due to this sort of attitude; simply put, he kept things real. Meanwhile, according to Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook, there’s a very good chance that drugs played a role in this unexpected passing. “Given the situation, we strongly suspect drugs were involved and a factor in his death,” Cook told Radar Online. However, he will not know for certain until the results of the toxicology report come back. Shafter is survived by his parents, Timothy and Janey Shafer; his brother Tim; as well as a niece, cousins, aunts and uncles – and his wife, Becky, who he married in 2014. May he rest in peace. View Slideshow: The Most Shocking Reality Star Deaths: Gone, But Not Forgotten
Sad news today out of the entertainment industry: Peter Mayhew, the actor behind the legendary Chewbacca suit/character in the Star Wars trilogy, passed away on Tuesday, April 30. He was 74 years old. The London native, who also played a key role in the television series Dark Towers back in 1981, passed away in his North Texas home. He was surrounded by loved ones at the time, as confirmed via the following Twitter announcement. The family of Peter Mayhew, with deep love and sadness, regrets to share the news that Peter has passed away, He left us the evening of April 30, 2019 with his family by his side in his North Texas home. According to Variety, Mayhew was discovered by producer Charles H. Schneer while working as a hospital attendant in Englad; he was then cast in Ray Harryhausen’s Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.” The following year, he was cast as Chewbacca, the 200-year-old Wookiee who was a key and beloved part of the Star Wars franchise from the very first movie. Mayhew went on to appear in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens and The Star Wars Holiday Special. (“He fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound to stand tall and portray Chewbacca once more,” his family said after Mayhew returned in 2015 for The Force Awakens.) He was active on the “Star Wars” convention circuit and wrote two books about his experience overall in the franchise, Growing Up Giant and My Favorite Giant. Awhile back, Mayhew was asked by Australia’s BMag why Chewbacca didn’t receive a medal at the end of the first Star Wars along with Solo and Skywalker. “I think it was one of two reasons,” he said in response, adding in this interview: “One, they didn’t have enough money to buy me a medal. “Or two, [Carrie Fisher] couldn’t reach my neck, and it was probably too expensive to build a little step so that I could step down or she could step up and give me the medal.” On the small screen, Mayhew made guest appearances on Donny & Marie, The Muppet Show and Glee. Mayhew also “consulted” on The Last Jedi, according to his relatives when that film came out, putting “his heart and soul into the role of Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films from his knock-kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down to each subtle movement of his head and mouth… “But to him, the Star Wars family meant so much more to him than a role in a film.” Shortly after news of Mayhew’s death went viral, costar Mark Hamill paid tribute to Mayhew online, Tweeting: “A big man with an even bigger heart who never failed to make me smile & a loyal friend who I loved dearly-I’m grateful for the memories we shared & I’m a better man for just having known him. Thanks Pete.” Actor Joonas Suotamo served as Mayhew’s Chewbacca double for The Force Awakens and portrayed the character fully in The Last Jedi in 2017. In 2018, Suotamo told People Magazine Mayhew was a “great guy” adding at that time of the 7’3″ star: “He gave me a week-long Wookie boot camp where he taught me all the nuances of the character.” There will be a memorial service for friends and family on June 29, with a memorial for fans in Los Angeles in early December at EmpireCon. He is survived by his wife, Angie, and three children. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2019: In Memoriam
