Source: Rich Polk / Getty Fox News Host Laughs With Guest About Slavery Comments Fox News being insensitive about racism? Could’ve seen that one coming. The latest controversy from the network comes following a guest who appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show and said African Americans “need to move on” from slavery because it was abolished “a century-and-a-half ago”. Mark Steyn is a cultural commentator and made these comments on Thursday, during a segment discussing 2020 presidential candidates who are in favor of some sort of reparations for African Americans. During his rant on the topic, Steyn said: “Slavery was abolished a century and a half ago, nobody alive today has a grandparent who was a slave, and in that sense I think you reach a point where, you know, you need to move on. “The reparations thing, eventually, as the decades go by, becomes ridiculous,” he continued. Not stopping there, Steyn then went on to compare the experience of Black people in America to Canadians like himself–who he claimed also deserve reparations on the basis that if “[America] hadn’t had the revolution, the whole continent would now be Canada”. As Steyn spoke, comparing the hardships faced by African Americans to Canadians, the host responded by interjecting a “yeah” before laughing along with the guest’s comments. The conversation then went on to specifically address 2020 contender Senator Kamala Harris, who supports the idea of reparations for African Americans. The segment ended with Steyn contending that Harris’s “own experience is entirely apart from the African-American slave experience,” and that she is getting involved in “identity politics,” which Carlson quickly agreed with. Unsurprisingly, once the clip of this conversation surfaced online, it was met with tons of backlash on social media. Two white privileged men discuss reparations. Was this 1867? — Jennifer Hill (@sublimejah) February 22, 2019 Man, that bothers me! Completely ignores the fact that for some people, this is a part of their family history. Not to mention the civil rights movements of the 60s, which wasn't long ago. People grandparents lived it. — Trinity the Cat (@Trinitythecat) February 22, 2019 Couldn't Tucker just wear his hood on air? We wouldn't have to see his “I'm listening face” and it would keep hair and makeup from having to touch him. — Smoking Duck (@ScottyBeHotty) February 22, 2019 This latest controversy from the Fox News host comes after previous comments he’d made that cost him a significant portion of his advertisers. In December, Carlson–who is friends with Donald Trump–said that immigration makes America “dirtier” . The comment was rightfully met with widespread backlash and resulted in more than 20 sponsors pulling their advertisements from the primetime show.
Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com Yacht Week. When you close your eyes, you can feel the wind from the water and smell and taste the ocean on your lips. The sun is warming your melanin skin and you are surrounded by lots of other party goers ready for a good time. You hop from boat to boat, partying, drinking, connecting. The music is blaring, the drinks are flowing, you are surrounded by paradise. While there is fun in Croatia, beauty in Greece, and you can never go wrong with Montenegro, Kelsy Horton realized there was a major miss for people of color: no Yacht Week focused on an African or Black experience. Thus, three years ago, Yacht Week East Africa was born. Talk about sailing for the culture! Source: Alexandra Wontorra / EyeEm / Getty This Yacht Week sets sail in the Seychelles where guests can spend two days on land learning about the Seychelles and experiencing the culture prior to setting sail. There are options for attendees to sight see, go shopping and learn more about the islands. During the actual sailing experience, there are options as well. Guests will be able to go on a tropical rainforest hike, snorkel, fish, bike riding, exploring and more. It’s more than just a boat and water! Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com We caught up with Kelsy Horton, Founder and Host of Yacht Week East Africa , who got candid with us regarding why he started East Africa Yacht Week, things you need to know, and more. Starting a business can be daunting, what placed Horton up for the task? He told Hello Beautiful , “I started Yacht Week East Africa to provide an Afrocentric alternative to the sailing events that take place in Europe and the Americas. I also wanted to showcase the beauty and culture of East Africa, which is under the radar for many people.” Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com In addition to East Africa being under the radar for many people, sailing isn’t something that Black people are culturally involved in on a large basis. Horton has been sailing since he was a child, “My first sail took place when I was a kid in Chicago, on the waters of Lake Michigan,” he shared with Hello Beautiful. How he got from sailing to a kid to running a yacht week was a little more complex. “In 2015, I moved to Tanzania, which sits on the Indian Ocean, and has a strong sailing community. I started sailing with friends for birthday parties, when guests were in town, and other special occassions. It was at this point that sailing became one of my passions.” Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com And passionate he is! Horton is hosting three different trips in 2019. Currently, there is room to register for two more trips occurring in September and October. The first one is August 30th to September 8th, 2019 and the second one is October 11th – October 20th, 2019. Anyone can attend! Horton shared, “We celebrate Black culture and we welcome anyone from any background to join us.” If you are worried that you can’t swim, don’t be. Horton assured, “You don’t need to know how to swim to attend Yacht Week East Africa. Swiming during the event is totally optional.” Just wear a floatie girl and get ready to slay some serious beach photos! Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com If you are someone that has been to other Yacht Weeks and wondering what makes this one different, Horton reveals, “in addition to sailing, beautiful beaches, and partying, our emphasis on culture and cuisine separates us from the rest. Our sailing locations are also off of the beaten path.” So yes, you will have a one of a kind experience with unique photos focused on our culture. While personally, I have never been to East Africa, Horton was able to help me understand what makes this region so special. “East Africa calms your spirit and is good for your soul.” He boldly boasts, “There’s a strong change that East Africa is more beautiful than your favorite vacation spot.” Wow! He also adds that “the people are extremely welcoming and the culture is very accommodating,” which is also a plus for people traveling while Black. Source: Courtesy of East Africa Yacht Week / EastAfricaYachtWeek.com I was looking through images and the company’s Instagram page and I noticed one thing: there were so many Black women in attendance! It made me wonder if Horton was focused on our demographic and behold, he is most definitely catering to Black women. (Come on, Black man!). “There is something that is very appealing about a beautiful woman in her best swimsuit, laid out on a yacht in the middle of the ocean without a care in the world,” he swoons. What makes this trip so attractive to us? Horton explains, “Add a beautiful backdrop like the Seychelles, plus the fact that the event is curated with them in mind, and our Sisters are ready to sign up!” Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com As mentioned, the company has been around for only three years; however, they are already thinking of expansion. Horton is looking closely at routes in other countries as well as land-based events in Tanzania and Kenya. He tells us to “stay tuned!” …and we are. We end our interview with Horton encompassing Yacht Week East Africa, “It is for us, by us, and we sail for the culture.” Source: Courtesy of Yacht Week East Africa / YachtWeekEA.com You can find out more about Yacht Week East Africa on their website, here . Currently, you have until February 28th, 2019 to book for the August/September or October trip. Get on it! DON’T MISS: HELLO WORLD: Everything You Need To Know For A Girl’s Trip To Martinique HELLO WORLD: Bonaire Is The Perfect Island Antidote For Holiday Fatigue HELLO WORLD: Travel Essentials For Your Next Trip Out The Country [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”3022084″ overlay=”true”]
Since Tristan Thompson cheated on Khloe Kardashian for the upteenth time, countless fans have had one question on their minds: When, they wonder, will Lamar Odom rush to Khloe’s side to offer comfort to his ex? A new report tells us how Lamar is really feeling about Khloe’s latest heartbreak. Us Weekly reports that Lamar Odom’s heart goes out to his ex-wife after yet anothe r humiliation by her baby daddy. “Lamar feels really bad about what Khloe is going through,” an inside source reveals. From his perspective, it seems so unfair. The insider explains: “He feels like she doesn’t deserve it.” “And,” the source continues. “She is such a great mother and partner.” “He will always have love for her,” the insider affirms. Lamar and Khloe were married, after all. She even halted their divorce so that she could be his caregiver during his medical crisis a few years ago. But he doesn’t need to return the favor by rushing to her side, because she already has the strongest support system in the world. “He knows how tight-knit her family is,” the source notes. “And,” the insider says. “He knows they’ll help her get through it.” According to the inside source, Lamar has not actually reached out to Khloe just yet. Maybe he’s unsure of what to say. Maybe he’s not sure if she wants to hear from him while she’s deep in her feelings. Or maybe it’s the 12-hour time difference. Lamar has been working in Dubai. However, the source says that Lamar wants to contact Khloe soon. According to the insider, he fully intends to “let her know he is always there for her.” The fallout from Tristan being caught making out with Jordyn Woods has been intense. Jordyn was Kylie’s BFF. She was practically family. But clearly, practically doesn’t cut it with the Kardashians. Kim and Kourtney have both unfollowed Jordyn and Tristan on Instagram, a clear an public shunning. Khloe has only unfollowed Jordyn — she continues to follow Tristan even though she dumped his cheating ass. Kendall, who has always stood out in her family, unfollowed Tristan but continues to follow Jordyn. (Good) Kylie, who is the closest to this situation aside from Khloe herself, has yet to take action in terms of Instagram followers. We can only imagine how emotionally devastated Jordyn is feeling right now. Wait, we don’t have to imagine — an inside source spoke on that, too. “Jordyn is living in hell right now,” an insider told Us Weekly . After the scandal and the fallout, the source said, “she feels terrible and her world has been rocked.” “Jordyn feels lost and isolated right now,” the insider continues. Without her BFF Kylie, the source says, “she feels like she has no one to confide in.” Jordyn wasn’t just Kylie’s bestie. She was like a second mom to one-year-old baby Stormi. Like Travis Scott, Jordyn was with Kylie for every step of her pregnancy. She was even there when Kylie learned she was pregnant. Now Jordyn has lost that part of her life — and she has also lost her home. She had been living with Kylie, but Kylie evicted her this week. Perhaps a phone call from Lamar Odom will help to cool Khloe’s partially misdirected outrage at Jordyn. Kylie and Jordyn’s lives shouldn’t be turned upside down because Khloe waited 10 months to give Tristan the boot. View Slideshow: Jordyn Woods & Tristan Thompson Hooked Up For a MONTH Before Getting Caught?!
Since Tristan Thompson cheated on Khloe Kardashian for the upteenth time, countless fans have had one question on their minds: When, they wonder, will Lamar Odom rush to Khloe’s side to offer comfort to his ex? A new report tells us how Lamar is really feeling about Khloe’s latest heartbreak. Us Weekly reports that Lamar Odom’s heart goes out to his ex-wife after yet anothe r humiliation by her baby daddy. “Lamar feels really bad about what Khloe is going through,” an inside source reveals. From his perspective, it seems so unfair. The insider explains: “He feels like she doesn’t deserve it.” “And,” the source continues. “She is such a great mother and partner.” “He will always have love for her,” the insider affirms. Lamar and Khloe were married, after all. She even halted their divorce so that she could be his caregiver during his medical crisis a few years ago. But he doesn’t need to return the favor by rushing to her side, because she already has the strongest support system in the world. “He knows how tight-knit her family is,” the source notes. “And,” the insider says. “He knows they’ll help her get through it.” According to the inside source, Lamar has not actually reached out to Khloe just yet. Maybe he’s unsure of what to say. Maybe he’s not sure if she wants to hear from him while she’s deep in her feelings. Or maybe it’s the 12-hour time difference. Lamar has been working in Dubai. However, the source says that Lamar wants to contact Khloe soon. According to the insider, he fully intends to “let her know he is always there for her.” The fallout from Tristan being caught making out with Jordyn Woods has been intense. Jordyn was Kylie’s BFF. She was practically family. But clearly, practically doesn’t cut it with the Kardashians. Kim and Kourtney have both unfollowed Jordyn and Tristan on Instagram, a clear an public shunning. Khloe has only unfollowed Jordyn — she continues to follow Tristan even though she dumped his cheating ass. Kendall, who has always stood out in her family, unfollowed Tristan but continues to follow Jordyn. (Good) Kylie, who is the closest to this situation aside from Khloe herself, has yet to take action in terms of Instagram followers. We can only imagine how emotionally devastated Jordyn is feeling right now. Wait, we don’t have to imagine — an inside source spoke on that, too. “Jordyn is living in hell right now,” an insider told Us Weekly . After the scandal and the fallout, the source said, “she feels terrible and her world has been rocked.” “Jordyn feels lost and isolated right now,” the insider continues. Without her BFF Kylie, the source says, “she feels like she has no one to confide in.” Jordyn wasn’t just Kylie’s bestie. She was like a second mom to one-year-old baby Stormi. Like Travis Scott, Jordyn was with Kylie for every step of her pregnancy. She was even there when Kylie learned she was pregnant. Now Jordyn has lost that part of her life — and she has also lost her home. She had been living with Kylie, but Kylie evicted her this week. Perhaps a phone call from Lamar Odom will help to cool Khloe’s partially misdirected outrage at Jordyn. Kylie and Jordyn’s lives shouldn’t be turned upside down because Khloe waited 10 months to give Tristan the boot. View Slideshow: Jordyn Woods & Tristan Thompson Hooked Up For a MONTH Before Getting Caught?!
Trouble in paradise! Well at least for all the Teen Mom OG fans who are not happy with Cory Wharton’s new relationship status . The reality star confirmed early this week that he is back with his ex-girlfriend and former season 1 Ex On The Beach lover Taylor Selfridge. Meaning Cory is moving on from his baby mama, Cheyenne Floyd . And viewers are shook. Cory and Taylor dated briefly after the show wrapped. And it’s not like everyone hates her…but no one loves her. Fans who were hoping that Cory and Cheyenne would reunite expressed their frustration while Cory was on “baecation” with Taylor in Mexico. He responded to the hate in a series of Instagram live videos: “Cheyenne’s a great person, a fabulous mother, and I’ll always have some love for Cheyenne but I’m not IN love with Cheyenne,” Cory said during one of the videos according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup . “I have to do what I have to do and Taylor is the person who makes me happy. I’m sorry to disappoint some of y’all…if Y’all really want to see me happy, you’ll support me no matter what.” Before Taylor’s appearance on MTV’s Ex On The Beach , you may remember Taylor from Season 5 of Are You The One? – infamously known as the girl who took home the $1 million prize. Taylor also appeared on season 6 of Are You The One? as the ex-girlfriend of contestant Joe Torgeson. Her terrible reputation developed when she began terrorizing every one of Joe’s potential perfect matches, she was also outed for appearing on the past season while still in a relationship with Joe. Defeating the whole purpose of the show — which is to find “true” love. She’s also known for spitting on another one of Cory’s exes, Alicia Lavida, during an episode of Ex On The Beach . Cory admits that his new GF is “the most hated person on MTV, but she handles that s**t.” He then discussed his main focus, which is on his adorable daughter, Ryder. “Why are y’all so mad? Listen, at the end of the day, Cheyenne’s gonna be with who she wants to be with, I’m going to be with who I want to be with,” he shared on social media. “We’re still going to do the co-parenting thing with Ryder, so that’s that.” Cory told fans that Cheyenne is also in a new relationship and he’s “glad she’s happy.” “I give you the right to judge me off of TV…but at the end of the day, I’m not a dummy,” he continued. “I wish Cheyenne and her man all the happiness in the world. I am so happy she is happy.” “The worst feeling in the world was when I was talking to Taylor and Cheyenne wasn’t really talking to anyone. I didn’t enjoy that. She’s with someone new and she’s happy.” Cory added that Taylor and Cheyenne are not friends, but they are “civil.” And he also noted that Taylor is the one woman he has taken around Ryder. Cheyenne later addressed the drama herself. “Everybody can calm down,” she said. “Cory is still Ryder’s dad. Cory and I are friends, we don’t hate each other, we date other people, it’s OK.” “If you’re happy that’s all that matters,” she concluded. Cory, of course, didn’t miss his chance to tease the next season of Teen Mom OG promising his followers “we’ve got some s**t coming.” TMOG loyals are hoping all of this nonsense will stop and that Cheyenne and Cory will just get together already ! And create more attractive babies. View Slideshow: Cory Wharton Unveils New Girlfriend, Gets Slammed by Teen Mom Fans
Trouble in paradise! Well at least for all the Teen Mom OG fans who are not happy with Cory Wharton’s new relationship status . The reality star confirmed early this week that he is back with his ex-girlfriend and former season 1 Ex On The Beach lover Taylor Selfridge. Meaning Cory is moving on from his baby mama, Cheyenne Floyd . And viewers are shook. Cory and Taylor dated briefly after the show wrapped. And it’s not like everyone hates her…but no one loves her. Fans who were hoping that Cory and Cheyenne would reunite expressed their frustration while Cory was on “baecation” with Taylor in Mexico. He responded to the hate in a series of Instagram live videos: “Cheyenne’s a great person, a fabulous mother, and I’ll always have some love for Cheyenne but I’m not IN love with Cheyenne,” Cory said during one of the videos according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup . “I have to do what I have to do and Taylor is the person who makes me happy. I’m sorry to disappoint some of y’all…if Y’all really want to see me happy, you’ll support me no matter what.” Before Taylor’s appearance on MTV’s Ex On The Beach , you may remember Taylor from Season 5 of Are You The One? – infamously known as the girl who took home the $1 million prize. Taylor also appeared on season 6 of Are You The One? as the ex-girlfriend of contestant Joe Torgeson. Her terrible reputation developed when she began terrorizing every one of Joe’s potential perfect matches, she was also outed for appearing on the past season while still in a relationship with Joe. Defeating the whole purpose of the show — which is to find “true” love. She’s also known for spitting on another one of Cory’s exes, Alicia Lavida, during an episode of Ex On The Beach . Cory admits that his new GF is “the most hated person on MTV, but she handles that s**t.” He then discussed his main focus, which is on his adorable daughter, Ryder. “Why are y’all so mad? Listen, at the end of the day, Cheyenne’s gonna be with who she wants to be with, I’m going to be with who I want to be with,” he shared on social media. “We’re still going to do the co-parenting thing with Ryder, so that’s that.” Cory told fans that Cheyenne is also in a new relationship and he’s “glad she’s happy.” “I give you the right to judge me off of TV…but at the end of the day, I’m not a dummy,” he continued. “I wish Cheyenne and her man all the happiness in the world. I am so happy she is happy.” “The worst feeling in the world was when I was talking to Taylor and Cheyenne wasn’t really talking to anyone. I didn’t enjoy that. She’s with someone new and she’s happy.” Cory added that Taylor and Cheyenne are not friends, but they are “civil.” And he also noted that Taylor is the one woman he has taken around Ryder. Cheyenne later addressed the drama herself. “Everybody can calm down,” she said. “Cory is still Ryder’s dad. Cory and I are friends, we don’t hate each other, we date other people, it’s OK.” “If you’re happy that’s all that matters,” she concluded. Cory, of course, didn’t miss his chance to tease the next season of Teen Mom OG promising his followers “we’ve got some s**t coming.” TMOG loyals are hoping all of this nonsense will stop and that Cheyenne and Cory will just get together already ! And create more attractive babies. View Slideshow: Cory Wharton Unveils New Girlfriend, Gets Slammed by Teen Mom Fans
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Lena Waithe’s New Comedy Pilot Picked Up By Showtime According to reports from Deadline , Showtime has given a pilot order to How To Make Love To A Black Woman (Who May Be Working Through Some Sh*t), a comedy series from The Chi creator and executive producer Lena Waithe along with the series’ writer Cathy Kisakye. The upcoming half-hour series stems from Waithe’s first-look deal with the premium cable network, the same place her series The Chi is heading to for a second season. She is going to executive produce the project along with Rishi Rajani, and Kisakye, who will write the pilot. “Working with Lena is the gift that keeps on giving,” said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks. “We signed our first-look deal with her so that she could bring authentic and talented new voices to Showtime. Cathy’s comedy is raw, relevant, surprising, sexy and fun, and we are very excited about making it.” How To Make Love to a Black Woman was created by Casallina “Cathy” Kisakye, and will be “a collection of multi-part episodes which will include a new characters in an authentic world, telling stories about connection and rejection that explore our most harrowing – and harrowingly comic – sexual secrets.” Lena Waithe had great things to say about the upcoming series, as well. She gushed, “Cathy’s script is haunting, funny, and extremely vulnerable – it’s the kind of script that doesn’t come around very often. I’m honored that Cathy trusts me with such a special project. I can’t wait for the world to see it.” Kisakye also commented on the nature of the project, saying, “With How To Make Love , I’m thrilled to tell stories about the women I know, who are complicated, passionate, resilient and relatable.” This isn’t these two creatives’ first time working together, either. Kisakye served as a writer on both seasons of Waithe’s series The Chi , which premiered in 2018 with the biggest launch for a Showtime drama series in two years. Are you excited for this new series to come out?!
Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino is clearly not a workaholic, so his prison update does not come as a huge surprise. Rather it just assures us that Mike hasn’t lost too much touch with reality and is successfully maintaining his lazy lifestyle from behind bars. According to InTouch Weekly , a strangely named blogger Larry Noodles says Mike is a “total slacker.” Larry used to be an inmate at the New York prison where Mike is currently chilling confined. “It doesn’t sound like he’s doing any work,” the blogger has heard from other sources. “Because he has money he’s able to pay people to do things for him, such as laundry which you can pay someone to do $20-$30 a week, or clean his bunk area.” The Sitch began his 8-month prison sentence for tax fraud on January 15 and it sounds like he’s already got the system figured out. He seems to have a “pretty comfortable set up going during his stay,” says Larry’s sources. “They treat a wealthy guy differently. Nobody takes care of a short-term guy without money – they want something out of it.” You know, in case they wanna swing by the jail Starbucks for an afternoon tea. “They’re not going to talk to you unless you have the money,” the blogger confirmed. “You can help someone and then have friends/relatives put money into someone’s commissary deposit.” However, most inmates appear to be resentful of The Situation’s wealth. “I know this because they wouldn’t be talking about him to the outside,” Larry says. “People who talk about other inmates to outsiders are known as “rats” and you don’t really do that unless you don’t like someone. It travels back to the prison and you can get yourself in trouble.” Yikes. So what does the former reality star do to waste his wretched days away behind bars? Evidently, he spends it watching TV and working out. “He had to have made friends to use the gym because every hour is claimed by groups of guys since it’s small,” shared the blogger. Also adding that “the first month is the roughest. Some new guys get into trouble because it’s an adjustment phase.” InTouch reported that the star also hired a fellow inmate to be his personal chef . “Mike has befriended an inmate who happens to be a really good cook,” said Federal Prison Consultant Dan Wise. “He gives the man cash for commissary, and has him buy food for him almost daily.” Laundry, gym use AND personal meals? Doesn’t sound like a bad “situation” to me. View Slideshow: Mike Sorrentino in Prison: Star’s Sad Farewell to Freedom, New Life Behind Bars, Conjugal Visit “Situation” Revealed [UPDATED]
The drama went into overdrive on Thursday’s Grey’s Anatomy. The hospital was inundated with a string of drug overdoses after a group mixed meth and opioids. One of the patients was Betty/Britney. Amelia was aghast because she was trying to get the teen clean, but was failing miserably. This all occurred while Owen and Amelia were gearing up to say goodbye to the teenager and her son, Leo after her mother and father returned. “I hope you play soccer,” Owen told Leo. “I hope you love your life,” Amelia added. “I’m always gonna be rooting for you,” Owen later said to the youngster as Betty’s parents showed up to collect him. That’s when news of Grey Sloan being hammered with the patients popped up. When Betty woke up, she told her boyfriend that she had to make a big escape because she couldn’t risk Omelia seeing her there. However, she lost consciousness, and her life was on the line. Yikes. Betty’s boyfriend told Link that Betty worried that nobody would love her after her multitude of mistakes. Betty had aortic dissection, and Amelia’s face dropped the moment she laid eyes on the youngster. Bailey had to lay down the law because Betty’s parents were at the hospital, leading Amelia to question her future. “Where would you go,” she asked Link, “if you just gave it all up? When it all seems hopeless, what’s your secret fantasy escape hatch?” Link said Barbados was his top pick. Teddy scrubbed in to help save Betty’s life, and her reasoning was fantastic. “Amelia may never see that little girl open her eyes again,” Teddy said. “Let me be the surgeon to tell her that we lost her.” Betty was mostly touch and go, but she was saved at the eleventh hour. However, Linus died, and Link struggled to process it and confided in Amelia who agreed with him. “He was a good kid,” Amelia said. “I have to call his parents.” Elsewhere on this wild episode: – Meredith was happy, and for good reason: She performed the hospital’s longest surgery and aced it with flying colors. – Levi and Nico had breakfast, but Nico decided to work through it. But there was no argument, it brought them closer together. The only issue was that Link did not want Levi in the O.R. because he was not ready. – Jackson wanted Maggie to go camping with him, but Maggie said no because she had to stay at the hospital because of Betty’s arrival. What did you think of the latest episode? Hit the comments. Grey’s Anatomy continues Thursdays on ABC. View Slideshow: Grey’s Anatomy Spoilers: It’s About to Go DOWN in Season 15
Last month, Empire star Jussie Smollett reported to police that he had been the victim of a brutal hate crime. Now, Jussie has been arrested after police say that he concocted the whole thing and paid off two brothers to help stage the attack. His castmates are pissed — and some of them don’t ever want to work with him again. TMZ reports that several of Jussie Smollett’s castmates on Empire want him written off the show. Not eventually — right now. According to TMZ ‘s sources, a number of members of the cast feel that he betrayed everyone’s trust. They are also concerned that he may have done irreparable harm to the reputation of the show. Sources say that the stars are “f–king furious” and that if Jussie isn’t fired, he should quit in disgrace. Everyone had his back after the reports that he suffered a horrific hate crime. In the aftermath of police saying that Jussie staged it all, people are understandably angry and embarrassed. (If what police say is true, Jussie didn’t even bother to cover his tracks very well — paying his assailants by check, of all things) Even so, TMZ is sure to note that not everyone is on the same page. Some on the show simply cannot fathom Jussie staging such a heinous crime, or understand what his motive might be. They believe his claim that he is innocent. Disagreements over how to handle this very complicated, very emotionally charged situation. Even if the scandal doesn’t cause the show to take a hit in ratings, it sounds like the culture on the set is tense. TMZ also reports that, on Thursday, Jussie arrived on set and apologized to everyone. At the same time, however, he has doubled down on his insistence that he is innocent. “I’m sorry I’ve put you all through this and not answered any calls,” Jussie told his castmates. “I wanted to say I’m sorry and, you know me, I would never do this to any of you,” he insisted. “You are my family,” he affirmed. “I swear to God, I did not do this.” Jussie was surrounded by family at the time of that statement on the set. He had to leave the set because he had obviously been crying, but returned to resume filming. It is also reported that he changed his phone number because he was receiving so many furious messages from cast members. The only coworkers who have it now are the people who believe and support him. We guess that Jussie doesn’t need to keep his old number. At his bail hearing, Jussie was instructed to have no contact with the Osundairo brothers. We have to ask: How does one lower the reputation of a TV series that stars accused domestic abuser Terrence Howard? (For the record, he admitted to at least one incident during a 2015 interview) Does the bar get any lower than that for a TV series? That’s a complicated moral question. But the recent news about Jussie has made things complicated for many people. Hate crimes against LGBTQ+ Americans happen all too often — they’re just usually not inflicted upon celebrities. People of color make up over 60% of the victims of these attacks. If Jussie faked his own attack, that hoax will be used by political opportunists as a weapon against real survivors of real hate crimes. This week’s actual hate crime news was about a member of the Coast Guard. The man was an avowed white nationalist. He was trained in combat and was stockpiling weapons. He had made a hit list for journalists and Democratic politicians whom he intended to kill in a massive attack that he was planning. That man was an existential threat to America. Instead, the news cycle has been dominated in part by Jussie Smollett. How much harder will it be for future victims to get a fair shake when filing reports, let alone sharing their story with the world? View Slideshow: Jussie Smollett: This is How He Staged His Assault
