Source: WENN/Avalon / WENN Rihanna is still a real one. In a recent interview, the Bajan singer and mogul confirmed that she passed on performing at the 2019 Super Bowl specifically and unequivocally because of Colin Kaepernick. By now you should know, Kap has been essentially blackballed by the NFL as a consequence of protesting injustice by kneeling while the National Anthem was played before football games. Many have shown support for Kaepernick for sacrificing his career, including Rihanna. In a new cover story with Vogue for its November 2019 issue, Rihanna let her rationale for curving the NFL be known. “I couldn’t dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people,” Rihanna told the publication. “I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an enabler.” She added, “There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.” Nevertheless, her buddy JAY-Z has teamed with the NFL . But don’t bank on Rihanna being one of the acts Roc Nation books for an NFL performance in the name of social justice. Salute this Queen. Peep what more of what she had to say on variety of topics right here . Let us know what you think of Rih Rih’s decision in the comments.
Brooke Nevils doesn’t merely want her name out there. She also wants her voice heard. Loudly, clearly and very forcefully. Nevils is the NBC producer who issued the complaint in late 2017 that led to Lauer being fired by the network for sexual misconduct . Her identity was kept secret at the time — but she has now revealed both herself and her story to Ronan Farrow as a major part of that reporter’s upcoming book, “Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators.” In excepts released from the book this week, Nevils alleges that Lauer raped her at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 . She says the disgraced ex-Today Show host invited Nevils to his hotel room… where he proceeded to throw her on the bed and ignore her pleas NOT to have anal sex. “It was nonconsensual in the sense that I was too drunk to consent,” she tells Farrow in the book. “It was nonconsensual in that I said, multiple times, that I didn’t want to have anal sex.” Brooke Nevils confirms that she did sleep with Lauer a few times after they returned to New York City, labeling their relationship as “transactional.” Nevils went on medical leave in 2018 and was eventually paid “seven figures” by NBC to keep quiet, writes Farrow in his book. But she can’t keep quiet any longer. Not after Lauer responded to this claim via an open letter that Nevils finds abhorrent in its tone and content. Late Wednesday, Nevils released a statement, which aired on NBC Nightly News, that read as follows: “There’s the Matt Lauer that millions of Americans watched on TV every morning for two decades, and there is the Matt Lauer who this morning attempted to bully a former colleague into silence.” Added Nevils of Lauer’s lenthy reply to her accusations: “His open letter was a case study in victim blaming. I am not afraid of him now.” Lauer confessed in his letter to engaging in an extramarital affair with Nevils. He denied all allegations of assault, however, emphasizing how the two carried on a sexual relationship long after this incident in Sochi. “We performed oral sex on each other, we had vaginal sex, and we had anal sex. Each act was mutual and completely consensual,” Lauer wrote, adding: “There was absolutely nothing aggressive about that encounter. Brooke did not do or say anything to object. She certainly did not cry. She was a fully enthusiastic and willing partner. “At no time did she behave in a way that made it appear she was incapable of consent.” Nevils has taken Lauer’s words as an attempt to shame her for her actions… but she refuses to back down. “Regardless of his threats, bullying, and the shaming and predatory tactics I knew he would (and now has) tried to use against me,” Nevils said on Wednesday. Lauer, for his part, stated that Nevils never worked for him in any way at NBC, continuing: “I have never assaulted anyone or forced anyone to have sex. Period.” He then delves into the women with whom he slept while married. “For two years, the women with whom I had extramarital relationships have abandoned shared responsibility, and instead, shielded themselves from blame behind false allegations. “They have avoided having to look a boyfriend, husband, or a child in the eye and say, I cheated . “They have done enormous damage in the process. And I will no longer provide them the shelter of my silence.” Nevils is one of these women, yet she has serious issues with the way Lauer has framed their interactions. And she’s thankful to all who have stood by her side. “I want to thank the many survivors who shared their stories with me today and offered their support. It takes courage, and I am truly grateful,” Nevils Tweeted last night. NBC, meanwhile, which has been accused of covering up Lauer’s heinous misdeeds, issued a statement of its own yesterday. “Matt Lauer’s conduct was appalling, horrific and reprehensible, as we said at the time,” said the network. “That’s why he was fired within 24 hours of us first learning of the complaint. Our hearts break again for our colleague.” It concluded as follows: The first time we learned about Matt Lauer’s sexual misconduct in the workplace was the night of November 27, 2017 and he was fired in 24 hours. Any suggestion that we knew prior to that evening, paid any ‘hush money,’ or tried to cover up any aspect of Lauer’s appalling behavior is absolutely false. NBCU’s legal team has done an exhaustive search of available records and conducted dozens of interviews of past and present staff, and uncovered no claims or settlements relating to allegations of inappropriate conduct by Matt Lauer that pre-date his firing. Only following his termination did we reach agreements with two women who had come forward for the very first time and those women have always been free to share their stories about Lauer with anyone they choose. View Slideshow: Matt Lauer: A Timeline of Terrible Behavior
Kate Gosselin has not said very much in public of late. But a new report suggests that the reality star is very afraid of what her kids might say about her in the near future. Two kids in particular, that is. As previously reported, sources recently claimed that Kate is basically living in fear these days , petrified that ex-husband Jon Gosselin might spill any one of a number of damaging beans. If you’ll recall, Kate and Jon got divorced in 2009 and both sides than signed a gag order that legally prevented them from bashing the other in any kind of specific detail. We previously quoted an In Touch Weekly insider who alleged Kate is worried Jon “might be up to something,” and that he may even be angling for his very own show, despite the father of eight never once hinting he wants to go in this direction. Now, this same insider tells this same tabloid that Kate isn’t only concerned about her ex-spouse might tell the world… … she’s also afraid of what her very own kids could expose. “She’s afraid that… Hannah and Collin might start talking,” the aforementioned publication writes. “About what? Kate says she doesn’t know, but of course she does.” The 15-year olds both now live with their father in Delaware. Various recent reports have indicated that Kate has almost no contact with either Hannah or Collin , the latter of whom only just got out of a special needs facility late last year. Upon doing so, he ended up in the care of Jon because Kate didn’t even bother to show up for a custody hearing in December. Making matters even worse and more controversial, Jon told DailyMailTV this summer that Collin was only ever diagnosed with ADHD — but that Kate insisted in basically locking him away. “Kate … couldn’t deal with him. He was alone for three and a half years with no parents, all alone. It was inhumane,” Jon told this outlet of his son and his ex, adding in mid-September: “It’s time America found out the truth about Kate, she isn’t the person you think she is.” That’s an interesting quote because most people think Kate is a rather irresponsible parent who cares more about garnering attention than doing what’s best for her many children. Or maybe that’s just us. In this same interview, Jon alleged that Kate has “mentally abused and alienated” Hannah . The teenager recently decided to sit out a trip with her mom on Kate Plus 8, prompting Kate to sort of throw her under the bus. “Hannah … it was sad for us because … you know, they’re getting older, and they’re making different choices, and they’re doing different things,” Kate said in a confessional on the show. “And she opted to stay back with her dad, actually. Which again, you know, her choice. Whatever. It’s not optimal for Mom. But it’s something that I support. And you know, we just, adjust and move on.”
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb opened this morning’s new installment of The Today Show with their reactions to a scandal that is both personal and professional: A newly-reported rape accusation against Matt Lauer. As previously detailed, a former NBC staffer named Brooke Nevils told Ronan Farrow for the reporter’s latest book that Lauer sexually assaulted her in a Sochi hotel room during that city’s 2014 Olympic Games. According to Nevils, the ex-Today co-host (who was fired in November 2017 for sexual misconduct ) pushed her down on a bed and asked if she liked anal sex. Nevils then claims she said no , but Lauer ignored her declaration, didn’t use lubricant and raped hre from behind. “It was nonconsensual in the sense that I was too drunk to consent,” Nevils tells Farrow in his book. “It was nonconsensual in that I said, multiple times, that I didn’t want to have anal sex.” She said she “bled for days” as a result of the incident. During the first hour of Wednesday’s edition of Today, Guthrie and Kotb responded to this allegation while sitting side-by-side, the latter in the chair formerly occupied by Lauer. “I feel like we owe it to our viewers to pause for a moment,” Guthrie said. “You know, this is shocking and appalling, and I honestly don’t even know what to say about it. I want to say that we — I know it wasn’t easy for our colleague Brooke [Nevils] to come forward then. It’s not easy now. “And we support her and any women who come forward with claims. It’s just very painful for all of us at NBC and who are at the Today show. It’s very, very, very difficult.” As it turns out, Nevils was the one who issued the complaint in 2017 that prompted Lauer’s firing. Her name was kept secret at the time, however. Shortly after Lauer was let go, a different accusation of rape was leveled against the disgraced star. Kotb, for her part, looked back at Lauer’s 2017 firing, which took place following an official complaint of inappropriate sexual behavior. “I’m looking at you, and I’m having a weird moment that we were sitting here just like this two years ago, and truth be told, Savannah and I did a little prayer upstairs just before just to sort of sort out what we were going to do,” she said. Continued Kotb this morning: “I think it’s like you feel like you’ve known someone for 12 years, and I don’t know if you guys have ever felt like that: You know someone, you know them, you feel like you know them inside and out. “And then, all of a sudden, like, a door opens up, and it’s a part of them you didn’t know. And we don’t know all the facts in all of this, but there are not allegations of an affair. There are allegations of a crime. I think that’s shocking to all of us here who’ve sat with Matt for many, many years. So, I think we’re going to just sort of continue to process this part of this horrific story. “And, as you said, you know, our thoughts are with Brooke. It’s not easy what she did to come forward. It’s not easy at all.” Guthrie concluded by saying “we’re disturbed to our core” and pledged to keep viewers informed of any new developments. Lauer, for his part, broke a lengthy silence in order to respond to this rape allegation. “I had an extramarital affair with Brooke Nevils in 2014,” he said, citing the night in question and stating: “We performed oral sex on each other, we had vaginal sex, and we had anal sex. Each act was mutual and completely consensual.” Lauer later said in his statement: “I have never assaulted anyone or forced anyone to have sex. Period.” NBC News, meanwhile, told Variety the following on Wednesday: “Matt Lauer’s conduct was appalling, horrific and reprehensible, as we said at the time.That’s why he was fired within 24 hours of us first learning of the complaint. Our hearts break again for our colleague.” View Slideshow: Matt Lauer: A Timeline of Terrible Behavior
Last week, Prince Harry blasted the British press for its consistently unfair — and frequently bigoted — treatment of his wife, Meghan Markle. The final straw was the Daily Mail ‘s publication of a letter that Meghan wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle . But based on Harry’s comments, it’s safe to assume that he’s been nursing this grudge for quite some time. “I have been a silent witness to her private suffering for too long. To stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in,” the prince explained. “There comes a point when the only thing to do is to stand up to this behaviour, because it destroys people and destroys lives. Put simply, it is bullying, which scares and silences people,” Harry added. “We all know this isn’t acceptable, at any level. We won’t and can’t believe in a world where there is no accountability for this.” And Harry did more than just call out his wife’s bullies in a public forum. The father of one put his money where his mouth is by filing a lawsuit against the Mail . It’s an almost-unprecedented move from the royals, who typically just ignore slanderous tabloid gossip. Or at least that was the method preferred by previous generations, who seemed to believe that any response would only serve to legitimize the lies and speculation. But both Harry and his brother have chosen a more progressive approach to the problem. Back in April, Prince William threatened to sue a UK newspaper for reporting on rumors that he was cheating on Kate Middleton with one of her closest friends. Now, Harry is making it clear that any media outlets who continue to treat Meghan unfairly will face the full brunt of the royals’ legal team. “It’s an accumulation, and Harry refuses to sit and do nothing as the British press scrutinizes Meghan and invades her privacy,” a source close to the situation explains to Us Weekly . “Meghan comes across as a strong woman, but she’s been deeply affected by the negative stories about her.” While Harry has reportedly marveled at his wife’s imperviousness to the slings and arrows of the tabloid press, insiders say he’s concerned about the long-term effects of such constant libel. According to the Us source, Harry is ”worried that the recent escalation of press intrusion has an impact on his relationship with Meghan, as well as their relationship with the royal family and the public.” And unfortunately, his fears are well-founded. While life as a royal has always been a fishbowl experience characterized by intense press scrutiny, the coverage has never been so constant — or so vitriolic — as it is in 2019. By pushing back against the bullies who are turning our media landscape into unsafe territory, Harry isn’t just standing up for Meghan — he’s fighting for a brighter tomorrow. View Slideshow: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Make Red Carpet Debut… AND MEET BEYONCE!
On September 30, Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin married (again) in a beautiful ceremony. The Biebs has been gushing about his smokin’ hot wife, even sharing wedding photos. Now it’s Hailey’s turn to share pics from the ceremony, and fans are swooning . Hailey Baldwin shared this photo, captioning her post with the date of “9 30 19.” “You both are so beautiful, i’m speechless!” praises one fan. “Your wedding looked so beautiful and perfect. i’m so happy for you [pink heart].” “WOW THE CONTENT WE DESERVE!” raves another. “I’m so happy for you both [heart] you two looking hot and beautiful as always.” “Breathtaking! congrats hails! Praying many blessings!” another commenter gushes. Hailey was not done sharing with that cozy hot photo of husband and wife, either. Hailey also shared this image. As you can see, it is yet another black-and-white snap, this time a close up of their hands. Here we see the couple’s wedding rings — tasteful enough that some fans were genuinely surprised. Loving jewelry is a natural instinct in humans, but wedding rings hold a special significance as they represent the person whom you love. Hailey’s affections are palpable through these photos that she has elected to share with fans and follower. And so are Justin’s. He’s become one of those “Wife Guys” who gushes about his wife, and it’s adorable. Of course, not all of the pics that Hailey and The Biebs have been posting lately have been lovey-dovey. The two also shared this steamy “My Calvins” photo. It’s not every day that both husband and wife are so outrageously hot that they’re both literal underwear models. It’s even rarer for the two to do advertisements together. But that goes to show how unique Hailey and Justin are as a power couple. Most power couples aren’t this hot, and almost none of them are this young. Millions of fans are celebrating Justin and Hailey’s official wedding, even though the couple got their actual marriage license last year. However, some still remain skeptical of the couple’s prospects. It’s not just that all marriages end — either in divorce or in death. People have doubts about these two, specifically. See, Justin got with Hailey in the summer of 2018. They’d dated more than once before, of course. He proposed to her just weeks after their reunion went public, which seems like rushing things. Fan concerns were compounded by how very recently Justin had been dating his other famous old flame, Selena Gomez. He had waltzed back into her life and spent months taking her on the same church dates on which he would later take Hailey. Reports even said that he believed that it was a divine plan for him to be with Selena. And then she had enough, and ditched him. We hope that his decision to marry Hailey was not clouded by past relationship baggage or some odd desperation to be a married man. We really do wish this beautiful couple the very best. Not only because they’re beautiful, but that does make it easier to root for them. View Slideshow: Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber: Married! Again! Get All the Romantic Details!
Audrey Roloff is a happily married woman who clearly thinks she navigated her dating life in the most ideal way possible, hence this happy marriage. And this is wonderful for the former Little People, Big World star. More props to her, right? The thing is, what’s best for one person isn’t necessarily best for another person. And what’s best for this other person may not be best for some other person, you know? We say all of this because Audrey just shared the very sweet above photo of herself and husband Jeremy, writing along with it some advice to various women around the world. Some questionable advice, many folks out there believe. “SINGLE LADIES: To all my girls out there that are “hanging out” with a guy that you’re just not sure about… “You can’t help who you fall in love with, but you CAN help who you spend time with,” the expecting mother of one wrote to open her polarizing caption. Continued Audrey, in confusing fashion: Be careful spending too much time with someone you don’t see yourself marrying because you just might fall in love with them…. And falling in love with someone you don’t see yourself marrying only ends in hurt. Guard your heart so that you can give it undividedly to your future husband. You would want him to do the same for you. Just… weird, right? For starters: What, exactly, is the difference between falling in love with someone and finding someone you want to marry? In what sort of situation would a man or woman fall in love with someone, and yet also know for certain he or she would not want to marry this person? Secondly, what’s the matter with simply dating for the sake of dating? For the sake of having fun? For the sake of learning something about yourself? Or of discovering what you want out of a long-term partner? We aren’t the only ones who reacted to Audrey’s message with these questions and issues. The following comment sums it up well: OR how about single women enjoy the single life without making marriage the end goal? Fall in love multiple times, learn, grow, find out what you don’t like and what you do, have fun, experience new things, have a LIFE that does not revolve around marriage and kids. I feel bad for women like you who don’t seem to have any other identity besides a wife and a mother. Don’t put that onto other women just because it’s what you wanted. Audrey likely does mean well by offering up this advice. As others have noted in the past, however, she’s only been married for five years . Is she really in a position to be giving such broad advice to all “single ladies,” as Audrey herself writes in this controversial caption? Should she really be telling anyone how to lock in a godly husband ? Jeremy and Audrey are parents to an adorable two-year old named Ember. They are expecting a son in early January and, like we previously said, they appear to be very content with each other — which is fanastic! We aren’t judging their relationship at all, merely whether Audrey should be dishing out advice to others based purely on her own belief system. “I love growing with you, working with you, playing with you, learning with you, dreaming with you, adventuring with you, and I love loving you,” Audrey wrote to her husband a month ago, adding: “I’m so honored to live this life alongside you. I’m inspired by who you are and who you are becoming and so grateful that you’re my best friend.” View Slideshow: Audrey Roloff Shares Gender Reveal Pics: It’s a Boy!
Sometimes it's difficult to figure out what exactly is going on in Jenelle Evans' life, as the woman lies as naturally as most people draw breath. But that doesn't mean she's good at lying. In fact, all her attempts at obfuscation inevitably fall apart once Jenelle gets wrapped up in her emotions (which are apparently quite intense at all times) and takes to social media to vent. Often, the object of her frustration is none other than her dog-killing husband David Eason. But is that the case this time, or is yet another one of her business relationships falling apart? Tough to say – but we know for sure that Jenelle is really pissed off about something, so let's dive right in and dissect her latest tantrum. 1. The Unhappy Couple Jenelle Evans is throwing another social media tantrum. But is she pissed off at David, or are her followers just indulging in a bit of wishful thinking? 2. Tough Times In the months since Jenelle got fired from Teen Mom 2, she and David have done their best to maintain a united front, even going so far as to claim their recent troubles have brought them closer together. 3. Bad at Lying/Life The problem with that is, Jenelle and David are frequently at war with one another, and for reasons that defy explanation, they post the evidence of their battles all over social media. 4. What a Guy Yes, we have mountains of video evidence of David’s abusive behavior, including clips like this that were posted AFTER he killed Jenelle’s dog and helped to get her fired. 5. What a Guy, Part 2 And then there’s stuff like this, which came out before David’s puppy execution, but still points out how frighteningly volatile the Easons’ marriage is. 6. Here We Go Again? With everything that’s been going on between these two in recent months, it’s no surprise that Jenelle’s latest Insta-rant led many fans to the conclusion that she’s once again experiencing David Problems. View Slideshow
It was only after breaking up that Bear Brown and Raiven Adams realized that they were expecting a child together . Bear and Raiven got back together after realizing that they still had feelings for each other. Now, Raiven is showing off her baby bump — and telling fans her plans for her baby’s reality career. Raiven and Bear’s relationship went public and immediately got a little rocky thanks to the “opinions” of so-called fans. But for now, they’re focused on the positive. Late on Tuesday night, Raiven took to Instagram to share a photo of her barely-there baby bump. Here is her bare tummy at 11 weeks pregnant. It may be a subtle bump, but you can see it. Awww! Raiven also opened up this week in an Instagram Q&A. A follower had asked if she planned on letting her little bun in the oven appearing on Alaskan Bush People like his father. “I would be very sad for my little to not be filmed,” Raiven’s response begins. She added: “[They will be] in the biggest parts of our life.” “So yes,” Raiven answered. Raiven also spoke about what makes her so sure that reality television would be a good place for her child to grow up. She writes: “and [the] film crew is so wonderful!” That is certainly heartwarming to hear. “I know they will treat our baby as their own,” Raiven predicts. This is so sweet! It’s wonderful that she’s having such a positive experience with all of Bear’s family and with their reality star lifestyle. Fans asked about more than just reality stardom, however. One followers asked Raiven if she is “excited to watch [her] little one grow up with Noah’s little one.” Noah Brown and his wife, Rhain Alisha, already welcomed their first child. Raiven indicated in the affirmative, writing: “Noah and Gabe’s.” That’s right — Gabe Brown and Raquell Rose are expecting their first child , as we learned this summer. That will mean three cousins close in age, all growing up close to each other! If you didn’t catch Raiven’s not-so-subtle hints, it seems very clear that she’s appeared on Alaskan Bush People . Talking about the camera crew with such familiarity sounds like the words of someone who has been filmed — a lot. It’s not really a surprise that the show is expanding to film Bear’s partner. One, there’s only so many times that they can film him running in the woods and howling. They need some fresh material for him. Two, Bear and Raiven are part of a new element of the show: grandbabies! As Raiven was sure to mention, Gabe and Raquell are expecting their first child. And Noah and Rhain have already welcomed their precious baby. As Rain Brown approaches adulthood (faster than anyone would believe), she’s already becoming an aunt – soon, an aunt of three. Thta also means three grandbabies for Billy and Ami. Of course fans are interested and invested in the latest additions to the Brown family. We look forward to seeing this side of the Brown family in season 11! We’re excited to see that — and to see Matt’s return . View Slideshow: Alaskan Bush People: 13 Secrets They Don’t Want You to Know
The Hills are alive with the sounds of… … crying. Both of the happy and frustrated variety, we should specify, because Lauren Conrad just welcomed a brand new baby into the world! The former MTV personality confirmed this blessed piece of news herself on Wednesday evening being an adorable drawing of what we presume to be herself, her husband William Tell and their two kids. “Our sweet baby boy, Charlie Wolf Tell, has arrived!” Conrad wrote on Instagram as a caption to the cool image below. The couple is already parents to son Liam James Tell, 2. The Hills alumna initially shared news of her second pregnancy back in April, posting a sweet photo of her bump and writing along with it: “It’s been hard to keep this one to myself! Very excited to share that our family will be getting a little bigger this year.” Conrad, who has remained mostly out of the spotlight ever since the original The Hills went off the air (she plays no role in the much-maligned reboot) married Tell in a September 2014 sunset ceremony at a boutique winery. She mostly makes a living these days in the fashion industry. A decade before tying the knot and shifting her goals, however, an 18-year-old Conrad sky-rocketed to prominence after being cast on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. This reality show chronicled her and her friends’ lives in their hometown of Laguna Beach, California. This series was then spunoff to create The Hills two years later. After it went off the air, though, Conrad really focused on her family life and the fashion world, never even responding to shade hurled her way by former rivals Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag. She really does seem far over all that these days. Earlier this year, meanwhile, Lauren opened up about finding her footing when it comes to parenthood. “Feeling like your quote unquote old self, I think takes a really long time,” she said in her Asking For a Friend podcast, adding at the time: “For me, I would argue it took me at least a year to start feeling like normal again.” We’re guessing millions and millions of women can relate to this quote and the sentiment behind it. Thankfully, the ex-reality star has learned to lean on her parents — and her husband’s family. “There is a lot of pressure to do it on your own and I felt that even with all the help I was like, ‘No, I need to do this all by myself,'” Lauren said. “I don’t know when we decided that that was the way it was supposed to be or set that standard because it’s so impossible. When you’re not sleeping, that’s a form of torture! “You’ll literally lose your mind to the point where I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’m qualified to watch a baby right now. I don’t know if I should be left along with my child. I haven’t slept in three days. I’m so tired.'” We feel ya, LC. And we’re so very happy for you and William! Congrats on the new addition!
