Tag Archives: bennyhollywood

Jodi Benson, The Original “Little Mermaid,” Defends Halle Bailey Being Cast As Ariel

Source: Joseph Marzullo/WENN.com / WENN The Original Ariel Responds To Everyone Mad At Disney’s Casting Decision As you’ve probably already heard by now, one of the biggest stories last week was the news that 19-year-old singer and actress Halle Bailey has been cast as Ariel in a live-action remake of  The Little Mermaid . You might know Halle from her group with her sister Chloe x Halle, or maybe you’ve seen her staring on Grown-ish with Yara Shahidi . Whether you’ve been a fan of Halle for a while now or this casting decision was your first time hearing of her, the second you hear her angelic singing voice there’s no doubt that she is absolutely perfect to portray the famous mermaid. Of course, racists with nothing better to do were up in arms over this decision, adopting the hashtag  #NotMyAriel and complaining that Disney cast a black performer in the role. While some people sat on their phones all day and cried about a fictional mermaid not being white, celebrities and friends of Halle all rallied behind the young star to show their support after the decision was announced. Freeform, the network that airs Grown-ish , even published a great response to everyone who thinks because Ariel is a Danish fairy tale, she has to be white. View this post on Instagram An open letter to the Poor, Unfortunate Souls: ______ #TheLittleMermaid #Ariel #MyAriel A post shared by Freeform (@freeform) on Jul 6, 2019 at 6:16pm PDT One of the most notable responses to come from this, though, was from Jodi Benson , the woman who voiced Ariel in Disney’s original animated film back in 1989. The singer just made an appearance at Supercon in Florida , where she was asked about the controversy–and she was ready to defend Halle, Disney, and their decision to cast the star as the newest iteration of Ariel. “I think that the spirit of a character is what really matters,” she replied. “What you bring to the table in a character as far as their heart, and their spirit, is what really counts. And the outside package — cause let’s face it, I’m really, really old — and so when I’m singing “Part of Your World,” if you were to judge me on the way that I look on the outside, it might change the way that you interpret the song. But if you close your eyes, you can still hear the spirit of Ariel. We need to be storytellers. And no matter what we look like on the outside, no matter our race, our nation, the color of our skin, our dialect, whether I’m tall or thin, whether I’m overweight or underweight, or my hair is whatever color, we really need to tell the story.” In other words, #NotMyAriel hashtaggers can stay mad! If the original Ariel is cool with this new casting decision, how can you justify being mad over fake issues of “authenticity”? Halle Bailey is going to absolutely crush her role as Ariel and that’s all that needs to be said. View this post on Instagram dream come true… #thelittlemermaid A post shared by chloe x halle (@chloexhalle) on Jul 3, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT

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Jodi Benson, The Original “Little Mermaid,” Defends Halle Bailey Being Cast As Ariel

Jay-Z Named Chief Brand Strategist Of Cannabis Company Caliva

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Source: Michael Kovac / Getty Jay-Z just got onboard with the legal weed hustle . Today (July 9), cannabis company Caliva announced it has named the Brooklyn multi-hyphenate its Chief Brand Strategist. Reportedly it’s a multiyear deal and Jigga is tasked with “driving creative direction, outreach efforts and strategy” for the brand. We’re going to say he has experience in such matters. Part of Mr. Carter’s duties includes the participation of individuals who were incarcerated for their illegal marijuana activities. The goal is giving the aforementioned a fair shot at getting in the game post-legalization. “Anything I do, I want to do correctly and at the highest level,” said Jay-Z via a press statement. “With all the potential in the cannabis industry, Caliva’s expertise and ethos makes them the best partner for this endeavor. We want to create something amazing, have fun in the process, do good and bring people along the way.” Caliva is a cannabis consumer products company that was founded in 2015. The brand boasts a first-place finish in the 2019 High Times Cannabis Cup thanks to the “Z-Cube” in the Best Hybrid category. Other products it sells include vapes, tinctures and beverages. Jay-Z wins, again.

Jay-Z Named Chief Brand Strategist Of Cannabis Company Caliva

#BOSSIPSounds: Beyoncé Drops The First Single “Spirit” From The Album She Curated ‘Lion King:The Gift’

Source: ROBYN BECK / Getty Beyonce Releases ‘Lion King’ Single “Spirit” The Lion King is almost upon us and Beyoncé just put a major battery in the back of the film’s marketing as she released the first single from the album she curated around the movie. “Spirit” gives us Beyoncé in all her vocal glory surrounded by African-inspired instrumentation that will no doubt give you goosebumps and might even make you shed a single thug tear. Press play below to check it out. Thoughts? Hate it or love it?

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#BOSSIPSounds: Beyoncé Drops The First Single “Spirit” From The Album She Curated ‘Lion King:The Gift’

Hello Summer: Essence Atkins Is 47 And Still As Fine As Ever…Good Lawd

View this post on Instagram I know I'm a little late for National Bikini Day but I was working y'all… Finally enjoying a day off. #grateful #thisis47 #nofilter #noretouch A post shared by Essence Atkins (@essence_says) on Jul 7, 2019 at 2:12pm PDT Essence Atkins is one of those actresses who has been in the game for a while and has been in some classic flick and shows. She’s also been fine as all hell this whole time. She was down in Essence Fest this weekend looking as fine as ever. The Bossip crew definitely noticed and wanted to salute her un-aging excellence. At 47, she looks just like she did 20 years ago. So you know what time it is: take a look at the newest addition to our Hello Summer series. So let’s salute a baddie legend and another reminder that black don’t crack. View this post on Instagram Y'all know what day it is… On location in Atlanta working on my new film “Open”. I'm both starring in and a producer on this one alongside @ninaholidayent (@cassigers & @terrijvaughn). It's a new hat and a lot of responsibility but I'm excited about the challenge. Great things come when you listen to God's promptings instead of your own deficit rhetoric. I am grateful to all who support me and are enjoying the evolution too. #myfriendaredope #blackgirlmagic #lovemyjob #thisis47 . . . And thank you for watching @ambitionsown where the summer is about to get even hotter A post shared by Essence Atkins (@essence_says) on Jun 26, 2019 at 4:46pm PDT

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Hello Summer: Essence Atkins Is 47 And Still As Fine As Ever…Good Lawd

A3C Announces 2019 Conference Speakers Live At The Gathering Spot

Source: Courtesy of A3C Festival / A3C A3C Announces 2019 Conference Speakers Live At The Gathering Spot A3C is the annual gathering of entrepreneurs, artists and creatives in Atlanta to connect, discover, and create. The pillars of the A3C Conference include music, tech, film, social justice and culture. We invite a number of today’s most innovative and influential thought leaders to share their stories, insights and vision for the future. 2019 A3C featured speakers include: Bozoma Saint John (Endeavor), T.I. (Rapper/Activist), Gary Vaynerchuk (VaynerMedia), Lenny S (Roc Nation), Mike Will Made It , Will Packer (Film Producer), Dapper Dan (Fashion Designer), Charlamagne Tha God , Kevin Liles (300 Ent), Just Blaze , Fadia Kader (Instagram), Baron Davis , Paul Judge (Techsquare Labs & Pindrop), Kei Henderson (Sincethe80s), No Vacancy Inn (Creative Agency) and Rob Markman (Genius). Over the next 3 months A3C be adding hundreds of conference speakers to this initial announcement.   The  A3C Festival  (Oct 8-13) is a series of unforgettable concerts and experiences celebrating hip-hop’s past, present and future at premier venues across Atlanta. The events highlight different elements of hip-hop culture and feature hundreds of artists, producers, DJs and creatives from around the world. Venues and schedule of events to be announced. The  A3C Conference  (Oct 10-12) includes keynotes, panels, workshops, mixers and sessions featuring hundreds of innovators and thought-leaders. Connecting, educating and inspiring the artists, entrepreneurs and creatives that shape culture and business.

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A3C Announces 2019 Conference Speakers Live At The Gathering Spot

Mariah Carey Stuns Fans, Reveals Limited Number of Sexual Partners

Mariah Carey may or may not have been involved with a Satantic cult as a kid . But the iconic singer has now opened way up to Cosmopolitan and revealed the exact number of men with whom she has been involved. In a biblical sense. By which we mean the following: Carey has told the world just how many sexual partners she’d had in her life. And while there is no right or wrong answer to this question, of course, Mariah’s response is garnering national attention for two seasons: 1. How many celebrities have just come right out and revealed this information to the public?!? 2. For someone who looks like Mariah Carey and for someone as rich and famous as Mariah Carey… the answer is surprisingly low. “I haven’t had that many, but there has been a variety pack,” Carey said at the outset of her response to this question, prior to just spitting out the figure: “I’ve only been with five people in my life, so I’m kind of a prude, honestly, compared to most others in the field.” (Notice the not-so-subtle shade she hurled here at other pop stars? All bow down before this Queen Diva, folks. Seriously: Do it!) Carey is currently dating herf ormer backup dancer, Bryan Tanaka. So there’s one person, if we safely assume the two have engaged in sexual intercourse.  Carey as also married back in the 1990s to Sony Music mogul Tommy Mottola — and she has twins with ex-husband Nick Cannon, meaning they fornicated on at least one occasion. We’re as sure as a celebrity gossip website can be that Carey also dated Derek Jeter awhile ago as well, which leaves just one open spot spot in her bedroom boinking list. We’d say it’s none of our business to think about such a personal topic, but hey: Mariah is the one who brought it up! (UPDATE: Carey was also engaged to James Packer ! There you go! There’s the five!) Tanaka is much younger than Mariah — but Mottola was significantly older, which is likely what prompted the singer to remark on the “variety” of men that have seen her in her birthday suit while she either writhed around on top of them or spread her legs for them via the missionary position. “You might want to picture a child bride,” she told Cosmo of her first marriage, adding: “There was a conscious effort to keep me as this all-American, whatever that means, girl. It was very controlled. “There was no ­freedom for me as a human being. It was almost like being a prisoner.” Yikes . Elsewhere, along with sort of slut-shaming other artists in her industry, Carey detailed all the obstacles she had to overcome in order to make it huge. “They have no idea what I went through as a child to even get to be an 18-year-old girl with a record deal,” she explains. “This was before you could just go on YouTube and sing.” She continued: “A lot of artists say they write, but they don’t really write. No offense to anybody. That’s just what I’ve seen.”

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Mariah Carey Stuns Fans, Reveals Limited Number of Sexual Partners

Kim Kardashian: Fine, I’m SORRY I Tried to Trademark "Kimono!"

When Kim Kardashian tried to trademark the word “kimono,” she got called out. Her first instinct was to insist that “kimono” wasn’t cultural appropriation despite a massive outcry. Now, Kim has wisely changed her tune and shown real growth. But what’s her brand’s new name? Kim Kardashian spoke about the kimono kontroversy with WSJ Magazine in their first-ever all-digital issue. “You would think we would have obviously thought it through a little bit deeper,” Kim admits. She says: “I’m the first person to say, ‘Okay, of course, I can’t believe we didn’t think of this.’” Kim wants to clarify that “I obviously had really innocent intentions.” “But, let’s listen,” Kim adds. “And I want to really listen.” “And I want to really take it all in,” she expresses. She notes that Kanye “was in Japan when all of this was happening.” “It’s a place that we love and go to,” Kim reminds the world. “I have such respect.” “I am always listening, learning, and growing,” Kim affirms. Hey, so are the rest of us. And most of us aren’t hindered by the celbrity bubble. Kim wants to make it clear that “I so appreciate the passion and varied perspectives that people bring to me.” Last week, the most famous of the famous family revealed that she was walking back her brand’s intended name. “When I announced the name of my shapewear line,” Kim announced. “I did so with the best intentions in mind.” “My brands and products are built with inclusivity and diversity at their core,” she emphasized. “And after careful thought and consideration,” Kim revealed. “I will be launching my Solutionwear brand under a new name.” “I will be in touch soon,” she added. “Thank you for your understanding and support always.” Kim does not that there are other kimono trademarked brands that did not evoke this level of backlash. “There might be more eyes on me and my brand,” Kim humble-brags. “And so I have to tune it out and really learn and really grow,” she suggests. “And have to realize that maybe there is a different standard.” “Do I feel held to a higher standard?” Kim asks rhetorically. She then emphasizes: “I’ll take responsibility for that and do the right thing.” So what will this new brand be called? “We’re figuring it all out now,” Kim promises. She explains that she decided to get into shapewear and solutionwear because “everyone needs this.” “Underwear, bras,” Kim lists. “This is what people wear every day.” That’s true enough. This is not the first time that Kim has come under fire with accusations of cultural appropriation. Like a couple of her sisters, she does not understand why some communities of color resent seeing her wear cornrows. The reason, of course, is that in most states, people can lose their jobs or be denied employment for “unprofessional” hairstyles like that. Here’s a hint: “unprofessional” is by and large a euphemism for “black” when it refers to hairstyles. Seeing a mega-millionaire whose own immediate family is black flaunt hair that causes people of color to face discrimination is understandably upsetting. People aren’t out to spoil Kim’s fun, and not all criticisms that Kim faces are fair or true, but it’s good to hear that she is open to listening. View Slideshow: Kim Kardashian Calls Out Jack in the Box, Ignites Voracious Fast Food Feud

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Kim Kardashian: Fine, I’m SORRY I Tried to Trademark "Kimono!"

Meghan Markle Tell-All Book Idea Shot Down HARD By Palace!

Meghan Markle just wants to get her creative juices flowing. But the Hollywood actress-turned-royal Duchess is finding it difficult to adapt to her new life filled with strict rules set in place by the palace.  Rules that are apparently restricinting her from writing a book.  A tell-all book to be exact, a book that is basically everything we have ever wanted and more, but the palace is silencing Markle’s wish. And the people’s dreams.  Radar Online recently reported that the Duchess of Sussex is feeling “oppressed by the palace” ever since they immediately shut down her idea of writing a tell-all memoir. A source told Radar that the new mom had the idea of releasing a part lifestyle bible, part memoir to document her rise to royalty and all the struggles that come with it. But not at all to our surprise, the palace was not fond of the idea.  “Meghan had started keeping notes about her life, which will include a few personal details about Harry and baby Archie, but will mainly focus on her lifestyle, health, fashion and design choices,” shared the insider. “The only problem is, palace staffers — and the Queen — are firm in their disapproval, worrying that it will be received as a salacious tell-all.” But come on Meghan is a woman of class, and she wouldn’t dare bash the family’s regal history — at least, not too bad anyway. Some, however, believe Meghan to be a nuisance to the kingdom and think she has been rubbing the royals the wrong way ever since she married Prince Harry in May 2017 . Also, considering the many reports on Meghan’s on-going feud with Kate Middleton , her too trendy of fashion choices, and her outrageous Hollywood diva requests, the palace is terrified her book would be a chance to expose or embarrass them. “They’re terrified she’ll accidentally expose palace secrets and cause embarrassment and are demanding she knocks the project on the head,” said the source. “Meghan can’t help but feel that once again, her creative talents are being stifled at every turn.”  But we’re sure Meghan will find a way to win back her creative freedom. The palace knows Meghan isn’t one to follow the rules,  times are changing and the monarch is evolving, so we suggest they buckle up. She may be a rebel , but she’s a rebel with beautiful coats, dresses, and a baby , so who really cares.  Meghan has plenty of time and many more years ahead of her as Duchess — we are sure a tell-all book will be released one day.  (fingers crossed)  View Slideshow: Meghan Markle vs. Kate Middleton Feud: Tearing William and Harry Apart?! [UPDATED]

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Meghan Markle Tell-All Book Idea Shot Down HARD By Palace!

Andrew Glennon Files for Custody of Amber Portwood’s Son

Amber Portwood was arrested on July 5 for felony domestic assault . But the worst may still be to come for the veteran Teen Mom OG cast member. Four days after the incident that led to this arrest, in which Amber reportedly hit boyfriend Andrew Glennon with a shoe while he was cradling their one-year old son… Glennon has filed for custody of little James. For FULL custody, that is. This is the first step in what ought to be a long, painful and likely very ugly legal battle between Amber and Andrew, who have been dating for nearly two years now. As we await word in response from Portwood, scroll down for the latest on this unfortunate situation… 1. Let’s Set Amber’s Parental Scene She has two children, a 10-year old daughter named Leah with ex-boyfriend Gary Shirley and a one-year old named James with Andrew Glennon. 2. Who Has Custody of Leah? Shirley has full custody of the 10-year old. He and Amber split many years ago and are now on solid terms, with Gary even Tweeting his best wishes to his ex after her arrest on July 5. 3. This is What He Wrote: 4. As for James? He was born in May of 2018 to Amber and Andrew. The baby lives in Indiana with the couple — and he sadly was right in the middle of what led to her arrest last week. 5. Can We Go Over What Happened? Yes. According to Indiana records, Glennon texted 911 at 2:14 a.m. on Friday, July 5. This is what his text read: “I need help. My life and my son’s life is in danger.” 6. Okay. So Then Police Arrived on the Scene… … and, according to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Ryan Salisbury, they were told that an argument between Amber and Andrew commenced around 2 a.m. View Slideshow

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Andrew Glennon Files for Custody of Amber Portwood’s Son

OVAH: Ariana Grande’s Dog Elevated Her Vogue Cover Shoot & The Internet Is Living

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OVAH: Ariana Grande’s Dog Elevated Her Vogue Cover Shoot & The Internet Is Living