Source: Bill Pugliano / Getty Nuns Accused Of Embezzling From Catholic School For Gambling A shocking story about two Pennsylvania nuns is going viral. CBS Philadelphia reports that the ladies allegedly took $500,000 from St. James Catholic School to spend on trips and gambling at casinos while telling parents the school was operating on a shoestring budget, officials and parents said. The nuns in question were Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, and Sister Lana Chang, who both had retired earlier this year. CBS reports that they were investigated for being “involved in the personal use of a substantial amount of school funds.” Sister Mary allegedly confessed to authorities immediately. Both ladies have since expressed remorse and the church is not pursuing criminal charges.
At the end of November, actress Jana Kramer welcomed her rainbow baby — her first child following a miscarriage. The mother of two shared a photo of herself in form-fitting clothing, and trolls piled on with hate and body-shaming. Now, Jana is replying with some tough words of her own. “A few things,” Jana writes on Instagram. “Because honestly I’m so frustrated and I need to vent this.” She attached her caption to a cropped mirror selfie of her and her post-baby body, an image that you are about to see. “I wanted to post this photo (showing my stomach),” she says. “Because I wanted to show my journey back to healthy.” “And my goodness,” she continues. “I’m so glad I didn’t which is why this photo is now cropped,” “It’s amazing the comments,” she marvels. “And how rude some people be.” “No I didn’t get a tummy tuck, no I don’t have a personal chef, no I don’t have fortunes so I didn’t train everyday,” she says. She correctly points out that a lot of the standard ways that people lose weight rapidly come through wealth. However, some are blessed with genetics that make them ‘bounce back” from pregnancy a little faster than others. “Yes I had a c section,” she affirms. “Yes I am still in pain and on meds but I do have a high pain tolerance.” “I have had 3 stomach surgeries before this (appendix, gallbladder, and c section),” she notes. “In that photo,” she says. “I had on a belly bandit wrapped tightly, and high waisted pants.” “And wow,” she says. “Here I am defending myself. Why?!!” Jana writes that if she had “posted the photo of my actual stomach in this photo I would have probably been shamed too.” Sadly, she is absolutely right. People are vile. “Why do we women have to compare ourselves to each other and then shame?” she openly wonders. “Our bodies are all beautiful and created differently, they heal different, they react different,” she notes. Jana continues, writing: “they simply look different.” They sure do. “Why do we need to shame someone for not looking a certain way?” she asks. The answer is complicated, but part of the answer comes down to how women are socialized to be filled with undeserved self-loathing. Another important part is that the illusion of anonymity and the ability to instantly reply emboldens some humans to be cruel online. “Or,” Jana continues. “Feel bad about ourselves for looking a certain way?” “Can we be kinder to ourselves,” she asks. “And know that every woman has a different journey but yet we are all beautiful?” “Can we lift someone up,” Jana asks. “But not tear yourself down in the process with comparing?” It is absolutely possible! “Let’s give that a try,” Jana suggests. “I love y’all,” she concludes, adding that she is going to get “back to my baby.” It sounds like she has the right priorities. Jana welcomed her rainbow baby, Jace, into the world on November 29. “Jace. My sweet baby boy,” she wrote at the time. “When I found out Jace meant ‘healing’ I knew right then that was his name.” It’s a great name, especially if you hope that your child will grow up to be a love interest in a Young Adult novel. “He has been every bit of healing since I found out we were being blessed with another baby,” she gushed. “I love you so much baby boy.” “Welcome to the world Jace Joseph Caussin,” she said. “Our hearts are so full.” She concluded: “Thank you to all our friends and family and all of you who have supported Mike and I and our growing family.” View Slideshow: 29 Stars Who Shamed Their Body-Shamers
T he legacy of Richard Collins III —a student who tragically lost his life on the University of Maryland’s campus last year—will be kept alive through the creation of scholarships for HBCU students in the Maryland area, the Journal for Blacks in Higher Education reported. An annual $1 million scholarship was launched in honor of Richard Collins III, a Bowie State University student killed in May 2017. It will support ROTC cadets at all four of Maryland's HBCU's. https://t.co/qbOcD6ncMN — WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@wjz) November 29, 2018 Collins—who was a senior at Bowie State University—was the victim of a hate crime, the news outlet writes. While visiting the University of Maryland he was fatally stabbed by a white man. Collins had so much going for him. He was a 2nd Lt. in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and was slated to graduate just days before he lost his life. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently shared that the state would fund a $1 million scholarship—dubbed the 2nd Lt. Richard W. Collins III Leadership with Honor Scholarship—which will be awarded to students who attend historically Black colleges and universities and are a part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Students who attend Coppin State University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, and Bowie State University will be eligible for the scholarship. The families of several individuals who lost their lives to violence have chosen to honor their legacies by helping others further their education. The family of Tamara E. O’Neal —a medical student who was murdered by her boyfriend in Chicago—launched the Tamara E. O’Neal Memorial Fund as an avenue to create scholarships for young, Black medical students. “Tamara was an incredible advocate, particularly for physicians of color or anyone that may have expressed an inkling of doubt, as her disarming nature and warm smile made it easy for even the shyest aspiring doctor to inquire about the amazing job she loved, and in due time lend herself as a resource,” said one of her classmates in a statement . SEE ALSO: Scholarship For Black Medical Students Created In Memory Of Tamara O’Neal ‘A Different World’ Cast Presents HBCU With $100K Scholarship Check [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3839641″ overlay=”true”]
B lack students across the country are continuing to display excellence in the realm of academia. According to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education , three African-American students were selected as 2019 Rhodes Scholars. Senior Anea Moore named one of 32 in the Class of 2019 American Rhodes Scholars. https://t.co/kyebYf78zf pic.twitter.com/RkIUziFurW — Penn (@Penn) November 26, 2018 The students are three of 32 chosen by the Rhodes Trust to be granted graduate scholarships to further their education at the England-based Oxford University, the news outlet writes. They were picked from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants. Amongst the Black students who received the honor are Lia Petrose , a University of Pittsburgh alumna who studied economics and neuroscience and minored in chemistry, University of Pennsylvania senior Anea B. Moore who is studying law and Africana studies, and Austin T. Hughes from the University of Iowa who is currently majoring in theatre arts, creative writing and literature and Japanese linguistics. All three students have used their knowledge to make an impact in their local communities and beyond. Petrose led a research project in Malawi surrounding the economics of health information systems, Moore has explored how race, class, and gentrification are intertwined through her research, and Hughes has received several awards for his creative writing. “This year’s American Rhodes Scholars—independently elected by 16 committees around the country meeting simultaneously—once again reflect the extraordinary diversity that characterizes the United States,” said Elliot F. Gerson , American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, in a statement . “These Scholars plan to study a wide range of fields across the social sciences, biological and medical sciences, physical sciences and mathematics, and the humanities. They are certain to enrich our future.” The Rhodes Trust has come a long way when it comes to the representation of Black scholars. According to the news outlet, the first African-American to receive a scholarship was philosopher Alain LeRoy Locke in 1907. In 2017, 10 Black students were named Rhodes scholars. SEE ALSO: Largest Number Of African-American Students Win Rhodes Scholarships Howard Student Among Record Number Of Blacks To Earn Rhodes Scholarships [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3839641″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Tenzin Sherub / CM Media The energy was high on Thursday night at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. The influential Tokyo clothing brand A Bathing Ape (a.k.a. BAPE) celebrated their 25th anniversary with the BAPE HEADS SHOW starring Kid Cudi , Wiz Khalifa , Big Sean and more. BAPE has a lengthy history of combining fashion and music with their very first BAPE HEADS SHOW going down in 1997. The brand created the concert series as a way to show love to their fans and the artists who support them. Over the years, everyone from Kanye West to N.E.R.D. has hit the BAPE stage. The show on Thursday, December 6 was the first show to be held in New York City and it was produced by LTB Entertainment Inc. and CM Media. Lil Yachty opened up the show and he definitely set the tone right with his high energy songs. Fans across the Hulu Theater were out of their seats, rocking to bops like “NBAYOUNGBOAT” and his infectious hit with DRAM “Broccoli.” Pusha T was next in line and he easily pushed through the seven track off his brief, yet undeniable album Daytona. “ Rap album of the year,” he repeated throughout his set. With a recent Best Rap Album Grammy nomination , you can’t call Push a liar. Once Push’s set was done, it was only right that he transitioned by bringing fellow GOOD Music artist Big Sean on the stage for the tracks “Mercy” and the “I Don’t Like” remix. From there, Pusha T left the stage and Big Sean breezed through hits like “Blessings” and “I Don’t Fu** With You.” In between songs, Sean talked about how BAPE helped jump-start his career by booking him for performances and he encouraged people to follow their dreams. After Sean’s inspirational words, it was all about the buzz and the party when Wiz Khalifa came out. Naturally, he encouraged his fans to light up throughout the show as he performed party tracks like “Gin & Drugs.” Then when it came to inspirational songs like “See You Again,” he encouraged his fans to sing along. “Ya sound good,” he said to the crowd as they swayed back and forth. The highlight of the night probably came from the show’s closer Kid Cudi . The 34-year-old hasn’t had an easy time in the spotlight, especially after revealing he suffered from depression back in 2016. But now, after finding joy through the sadness , Cudi was all smiles as he performed to adoring fans at MSG. This was evident when he closed out with the song “Reborn” from his collaborative album with Kanye West Kids See Ghosts. Cudi seemed to be a new man as he jumped into the crowd to sign posters and to show his fans love. All of this was the perfect way to celebrate BAPE’s 25th anniversary and the brand isn’t done celebrating. BAPE released a limited edition BAPE HEADS SHOW t-shirt that’s available at their New York and L.A. store, as well as US.BAPE.COM . A second limited-edition t-shirt is set to drop on Saturday, December 8 at the BAPE store in New York, located at 91 Greene Street.
Here we go again. As you may have heard, Ryan Edwards left rehab last month after completing 90 days of in-patient treatment. Ryan had checked into a treatment center on one prior occasion, and he relapsed within days of returning home. There was reason to believe this time would be different — but now, it looks as though Ryan is not taking his recovery as seriously as he needs to. Take a look: 1. Dark Times It’s been less than two weeks Ryan left rehab after undergoing 90 days of treatment for an addiction to heroin. 2. Off the Wagon Now, it looks as though Ryan is no longer sober. 3. Back At It A fan posted this photo of Ryan and Mackenzie at a restaurant in North Carolina. 4. The Accusation The person who took the photo says Ryan was definitely drinking alcohol during dinner. 5. What’s the Problem? Ryan was not being treated for an alcohol addiction, but rehab counselors generally advise addicts to steer clear of all intoxicating substances. 6. A Repeating Pattern The last time Ryan left treatment, he was spotted drinking alcohol shortly thereafter. View Slideshow
As you may have heard by now, Kevin Hart is a gay-hating loser who will no longer host the 2019 Academy Awards. He had agreed to do so, but then resigned from the post after refusing to apologize for a handful of inappropriate Tweets and jokes from several years ago. But we’re not here to delve into this scandal once again. We’re here to move past Kevin Hart and look forward to February 24, 2019. That’s the date on which the Oscars will air. It’s fast approaching… and there’s suddently a need for a new host. Who should step in for Hart? Our staff has hunkered down and come up with a few ideas. Which of the following candidates do you most endorse? PATTON OSWALT by Tyler Johnson Confession time: I’m a fan of Kevin Hart’s standup (his movies are a different story entirely), and when I first learned that he had been forced to step down from his gig hosting the Oscars, I was prepared to defend him. Then I actually read the remarks that had everyone so pissed off. Hart’s jabs at the LGBT community weren’t jokes; they were indications of a backward and bigoted worldview, and being a comedian doesn’t give one the freedom to hide behind a clown nose in response to every backlash. That said, it can be tough for comics these days to push the envelope, while not straying too far from the progressive political views the Academy looks for in its hosts. An opening monologue that won’t piss off the crowd or bore everyone to tears is a tricky tightrope walk, and the list of funny folk who can pull it off is a short one: And in my mind, Patton Oswalt is at the very top of that list This is an idea that was first floated by Stephen King and has since caught fire on Twitter. As King points out, Oswalt, is sharply funny, consistently unproblematic, and he knows a thing or two about film. (A bit naive of Steve to think the Academy really cares about that last part, but we see his point.) Perhaps more importantly, Patton is the king of the comedy-tragedy balancing act. After all, this is a guy who addressed the unexpected overdose death of his wife in his standup act without ever coming off as morbid or maudlin. Many Americans rightly feel that 2018 has been a year loaded with tragedy — so what better way to top it off than with the droll and bone-dry comedy of Patton Oswalt? KATE McKINNON by Hilton Hater Kate McKinnon should not host the Oscars to film some kind of quota. Kate McKinnon should host the Oscars because she is downright hilarious. Yes, it would be a very nice change of pace for a woman to step into this role, as Ellen DeGeneres took on the gig in 2014, but prior to that you would need to go back to 2001 for the last time a woman hosted solo. (Anne Hathaway shared the job with James Franco in 2011, but let’s never speak of that experiment ever again.) And, yes, in the #MeToo era, of course, Hollywood would benefit from having some estrogen on stage. But those are merely two periphery reasons why McKinnon is right for the role. Others include: she can sing, she can dance, she is NOT a late-night talk show host, she can do impressions, she’s universally liked — and did we mention that she’s hilarious? Seriously, find us one person who would object to this selection. It ought to either be McKinnon or the gayest celebrity organizers can find. Stay by your phone, Billy Eichner! ELLEN DEGENERES and THE ROCK by Simon Delott Awards shows are tricky, and the Oscars are no exception. They matter, but at the same time, we’ve all seen enough leaked Oscar slips to know that the people voting are the worst people on the planet. However, the show itself is entertaining and audiences love tuning in to watch their favorite stars in the audience. Audiences also love to see — and have opinions about — the host. Now that Kevin Hart’s role as a host has gone the way of the dodo after his “joke” about homophobic child-abuse, we need something better. Ellen and The Rock hail from both sides of the political aisle. That’s right, The Rock is a conservative, if more of a California conservative. He is currently registered as an Independent. They are both deeply charismatic, widely beloved despite political views, and incredibly famous. Full disclosure: I had considered both Ellen and The Rock separately. That was before I saw Chrissy Teigen tweet that they would make an amazing hosting team. So Chrissy deserves the credit for this suggestion. I just enthusiastically support it. You’d have an easier time listing the people who don’t like The Rock or Ellen than the ones who do. ARIANA GRANDE by Emily Trainham Kevin Hart was going to host the Oscars, but now he’s not, because it’s 2018 and homophobia isn’t cool. In trying to think of a suitable replacement for him, we have to think of popular comedians, since those are usually the types who get such a gig. So let’s see, comedians who get a lot of attention … there’s Ellen, of course, but she hosted not too long ago. There’s been a ton of talk about Louis CK and Bill Cosby lately, but, uh, they’re probably not available. Ooh, you know who else has been in the news lately who can be funny from time to time? Pete Davidson! He’s on Saturday Night Live, the kids seem to like him, he might be a fresh new pick for … oh, wait. Ariana Grande. Ariana Grande should be the new host. Sorry, Pete, for making you just a stepping stone to the real answer here, but if the Academy wants someone fresh and exciting and entertaining, Ariana is clearly the answer. She can act, she can sing, she can dance – she’s got it all. She’d bring in a whole new audience, and you know she’d have some killer jokes up her undoubtedly fashionable sleeves. Actually, why wasn’t Ariana Grande the first choice of host? Why isn’t Ariana Grande the first choice for everything? Make it so, Academy.
Jussie and Jurnee Smollett aren’t the only ones in the famous family showing folks how to live the good life. Just in time for the holidays, brother/sister duo Jake and Jazz Smollett are inviting cameras to follow them for the first time for their exclusive “LIVING BY DESIGN HOLIDAY SPECIAL”, in which they recreate down home recipes and make kicked up cocktails with celebrity guest. On the first episode, grammy-nominated singer Ledisi stops by, and Jazz shares amazing concepts for setting a table, as well as create DIY serving trays and other entertaining ideas from scratch. Catch the “LIVING BY DESIGN HOLIDAY SPECIAL” with Jake and Jazz Smollett this Sunday, December 9, on TV One at 7pm EST. Tell them we sent you.
DING! DING! DING! The gloves came off on Jersey Shore: Family Vacation this week — but not between Ronnie Jen Harley for a change. Instead, some loser/jerk/douchebag at a club insulted Deena, which brought the cast together in retribution against this loser/jerk/douchebag . Where did things go from where? How ugly and/or violent did it get? And do we have an update on Jen and Ronnie??? Scroll down to find out! 1. Keeping Things Chill Deena Cortese was pregnant and back in town early in this episode. As a result, the ladies decided to do a low-key, “classy” wine night. What could go wrong from there, right? 2. No, He Didn’t Mean Phat Together, they drank, they ate “17 pounds of cheese. And they laughed. And they had a fun time overall. However, on their way out of the restaurant, some dude in white linen pants slammed as Deena fat. 3. Take It Away, JWOWW! “Oh, hell no!” Jenni told the camera. “You can come after me all day, but the moment you talk about my friends, game over. I will annihilate you.” 4. What the Eff is Wrong with You?!? JWOWW then charged at the dude and asked him: “Were you just making fun of a pregnant girl?!” Without missing a beat, he replied, “I was. I did. I called her fat.” 5. And Then It… Was… On! BOOM! “You’re a piece of shit! You’re a f-cking bitch, bro!” she yelled in the loser’s face. White Linen Pants Man called Jenni a bitch and suggested she should go party with him. 6. Wanna Get Whooped?!? “You wanna get whooped by a f-ckin bitch?! This is what’s wrong with America. Piece of shits like you going after pregnant girls,” Jenni added before the girls managed to pull her away. “He’s lucky that I’m full of brie and have Louboutins on.” HA! View Slideshow
Source: Jason Miller / Getty Tristan Thompson Gets Fined $15,000 For Inappropriate Gesture Tristan Thompson is going through it with the folks of the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers player ended up being fined $15,000 for “making an inappropriate gesture toward a spectator,” after flipping off a fan in the crowd, the league announced on Thursday. The incident occurred at the end of the December 3 game, when the Cavs played against the Brooklyn Nets on their home turf at the Barclays Center. In the video footage obtained by TMZ , Thompson is seen quickly giving the middle finger to members of the crowd after the Brooklyn Nets missed a final three-point shot while trying to secure a buzzer-beating win. His team won with a 99-97 victory, while Thompson celebrated with the $15K fine. Tristan just can’t catch a break lately, especially on the court. Just last month, his almost-sister-in-law Kendall Jenner had a front-row seat to a heated exchange between Thompson and her rumored boyfriend Ben Simmons. She was also seen boo-ing the ball player and laughing about it afterward during the same game, following the two and their altercation. Luckily for the ballers, there were no hard feelings on Thompson’s part. After the game, Tristan retweeted a clip of their argument writing, “Ben Simmons is my bro.” It’s good that T could make nice with Ben Simmons, but it’s not likely he’s as happy with the NBA after having to cough up thousands of dollars.
