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Cassie Randolph Slams Breakup Rumors: Colton Underwood and I Are Mostly Good!

Cassie Randolph is getting real about her relationship with Colton Underwood and she would like everyone to know — they’re fine! Last night, the reality star shared a sweet photo along with a novel-lengthed post to Instagram where she opened up about the “scrutiny” she and Colton have faced since their time on the ABC dating show. She also took the chance to slam circulating breakup reports, which she apparently stumbled upon somewhere. Frustrated Cassie cleared the air by letting the world know that she and Colton are “good and happy,” but acknowledged that life after The Bachelor hasn’t been a walk in the park.  …Though one would certainly think so from the looks of their adorable Instagram posts. I guess life isn’t always as good as it looks. “Is our relationship perfect?” Cassie’s post began, “No, it is very normal with its ups and downs and compromises.” “Despite the microscope on our relationship, we are trying to stay focused on what is important and grow in the direction of getting stronger and closer everyday.” “We know that in order for us to work, we need to focus on each other and not the craziness that sometimes surrounds us, and stay grounded,” she wrote. Adding, “We are good!”  Randolph also opened up about her current struggle of trying to find the balance between her newfound stardom, grad school, and her personal life,  “At times the stress has made me question what the heck I am doing and those close to me have also questioned me as they see me burning the candle at both ends and at times more stressed than I should be,” she explained. “Some of the changes haven’t just affected my life, but those close to me too.” But luckily for Cass, it sounds like Colton is patiently supporting her — even if that means there will not be an engagement in their near future . “To be even more transparent,” she continued, “being in such a public relationship comes with its own set of added issues to manage. Our every move together is analyzed and every word is dissected.” “At times it can feel like our relationship status isn’t just a matter of our own happiness, but other people’s happiness too,” she explained.  Unlike most love stories that come out of the Bachelor franchise, Colton and Cassie decided to date instead of rush into a proposal.  A totally smart and practical move!  But Cassie, who can’t help but feel like the entire world is waiting for him to put a ring on it, says they’re still figuring out what their future together might look like. “Not only have we developed a deepening love for one another, but an amazing friendship bond has grown from this too,” she reassured her fans.  “Bottom line, even though our relationship was born out of crazy and unnatural circumstances, our goal is to develop a healthy, NORMAL relationship as much as possible.” And as for their future, well she says it’s TBD. “We’ve found that when we put too much focus on the future, we miss out on the present and enjoying the moment,” she explained.  “We both are learning so much in this and more than anything, we are both right where we want to be…happy…thankful….learning….growing!” Got it! Thank you for that extremely informative update, Cassie! View Slideshow: The Bachelor Season Finale, Part 1: What Did Colton Do?!?

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Cassie Randolph Slams Breakup Rumors: Colton Underwood and I Are Mostly Good!

Despite All Of Her Famous Friends, Taraji P. Henson Doesn’t Want A Bridal Party For Her Spring Wedding

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Source: Jason LaVeris/ Getty / Getty Actress Taraji P. Henson is excited about saying “I do” to fiancé Kelvin Hayden next year, but she isn’t interested in dealing with all of the stress that comes with planning a wedding, and that includes trying to wrangle together a bridal party. During an interview with The Late Show ‘s Stephen Colbert late last week, the 49-year-old Empire  star shared that she’s letting her wedding planner figure out everything, and to make things as simple and fun as possible, she and Kelvin are opting out of having bridesmaids and groomsmen on their big day. SEE ALSO:  Taraji P. Henson Shows Off Her Natural Twist-Out…And We’re Here For It! “I don’t do samples, don’t send me swatches,” she said about the planning process. “I told my wedding planner, make it pretty, fun, make sure the food is good, and a bomb DJ.” “No bridal party,” she added. “I’m not a bridezilla. Please, I just want to say my vows in front of the people I love, eat good food and have fun [laughs]. That’s it!” Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit Taraji announced her engagement to her former NFL-playing beau in May 2018. And while she won’t have bridesmaids, she told us months after she said yes to Kelvin’s proposal, which famous girlfriends she plans on inviting . They included Mary J. Blige, Regina King, Angie Martinez, and her Hidden Figures  co-stars Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. Other details that have been shared by the star about her big day include that the nuptials will take place on April 4, and she will be wearing a custom Vera Wang gown. Going along with her hands-off way of handling wedding planning, she’s going about the design of her dress the same way. “I trust Vera!” she told Extra at the Emmys on Sunday. “That’s why I had her make the dress — I don’t have to lose sleep. I know she’s going to have me look beautiful.” Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news.  ( Terms and conditions ). [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1793392″ overlay=”true”] This story was originally published on MadameNoire.com .  ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Basketball Star Andre Emmett Shot & Killed Man Drowns While Proposing To His Girlfriend Underwater [VIDEO] D.L. Hughley’s Daughter Ryan Gets Married! [WEDDING PHOTOS] Follow @TheRSMS

Despite All Of Her Famous Friends, Taraji P. Henson Doesn’t Want A Bridal Party For Her Spring Wedding

Tori Spelling Bikini of the Day

Tori Spelling has taught us a valuable lesson and that is that if you’re ugly as fuck, you’ll still be able to get cast on at least one TV show, but only if your dad is Aaron Spelling, the king of fucking TV, responsible for producing so many huge fucking TV shows, that he basically owned the fucking TV industry and throwing his ugly daughter in the mix, to allow her to live her dream of being a celebrity, was pretty fucking easy since there couldn’t be any pushback cuz he owned the whole fucking thing and the people around him wouldn’t risk pissing him off or getting fired by charming in… So now, she’s out in a bikini, in her 50s, mom of a bunch of kids, looking fucking gross…but who cares, she’s Tori Spelling is bathing suit pics that no one asked for….now Fuck off. TO SEE THE REST OF THE PICS CLICK HERE JOIN THE NEWSLETTER YOU ASSHOLES! The post Tori Spelling Bikini of the Day appeared first on DrunkenStepFather.com .

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Tori Spelling Bikini of the Day

BOSSIP Exclusives: NBC Is Courting A Hit With Memphis Based Series”Bluff City Law”

Source: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images / Getty We LOVE “Bluff City Law” And You Will Too The EMMY’s are done but many of your favorite shows are returning this week with new episodes. But there’s also a fresh crop of new shows — some of which we’ve already previewed and can put you on notice to plan to watch (or set your DVR’s) now. In August BOSSIP’s Senior Content Director Janeé Bolden traveled to Memphis to interview the cast of NBC’s new series “Bluff City Law,” which premieres TONIGHT on NBC at 10/9 c. Set in Memphis, TN, the series follows Jimmy Smits as Elijah Strait, a successful lawyer known for crusading for victims of civil and human rights violations as well as other injustices. Things get really interesting for Strait after his philanthropist wife passes away, bringing him closer to his estranged daughter Sydney, played by Caitlin McGee. Sydney has been making big bank representing corporations since leaving her father’s firm years ago, but her mother’s death brings them together and when he asks her to rejoin the firm, she agrees. The show has a feel good element, both because Straits firm is known for fighting the good fight for the downtrodden and doing their part to stick it to corporate greedmongers. In addition to Smits and McGee the ensemble cast includes “Hamilton” star Michael Luwoye, Jayne Atkinson, Stony Blyden, Barry Sloane and newcomer MaameYaa Boafo (a delightful actress who we are sure will charm TV watchers as much as she did this BOSSIP journalist). We also have to mention Josh Kelly, who plays Sydney’s ex-husband Robbie, a police officer who proves particularly helpful in the pilot episode. We sense a love triangle brewing between Robbie, Sydney and her new coworker, Jake Reilly (played by Sloane). Check out a little featurette about the family dynamic between Elijah and Sydney below: We asked Smits about the estrangement and how the show will follow their struggle to find common footing. “No matter what area you’re in, people who are very successful in whatever chosen field, they are often seen a certain way by their children,” Smits told BOSSIP. “They know the flaws. What we talked about was Sydney was probably with the firm at one time and he was very hard on her, that kind of thing , that plus what little she knew about the relationship thing with the mother, we have that rebellion thing that happens and she’s decided to go polar opposite to what the family built and the way she was brought up to be very inclusive and this area of the law that she is very cutthroat, totally different thing. In the pilot they talk about being able to use both of their strengths.” If you can’t already tell, the stories hit a very human chord, with some of the cases pulled from actual lawsuits that are currently being fought. The case Sydney fights in the premiere episode definitely mirrors the Monsantos Roundup lawsuit, but Caitlin McGee told BOSSIP that she took the series’ “Change The World” tagline to heart and made sure show writers were aware of the issues she feels most strongly about. “Yeah, I told the writers and said it in interviews before,” McGee told BOSSIP. “The things that I’m most passionate about – my cousin is trans and she hasn’t had the easiest time of it – I am the “B” in the LGBTQ community, it’s very important for me to represents every single walk of life and specifically Black Lives Matter. There’s a lot of things that I need to see that have already been addressed by our writers, either in coming episodes or in the current episodes. So not just holding big companies accountable, which is incredibly important writing about that in a negative form so that it’s not just a headline that we click on and then forget about. The first time that I saw the actual man who was behind the Monsanto case, when I saw the lesions on his face, that’s gonna stick with me for the rest of my life, that’s going to make me care about the case even more, so if our show gets to do that and represent the people that are just part of the headline, as a real human person and that sticks to someone, then that is beyond anything I care about as an actress because we’re lacking empathy in this world at the moment and I wish we had a little more of it.” McGee wasn’t the only one to bring her personal concerns into the writers room, MaameYaa Boafo told BOSSIP how show writers and producers also made her feel welcome when she came to them regarding Episode 5 of the series. “There is an episode that I had one scene in, and based on what the topic was, I asked to sit down with the producers and explain why it was important for my character to be in the courtroom when this case is happening and they added me in it,” Boafo told BOSSIP. “I don’t say much, but I’m so excited because it’s all about the action and I’m really appreciative that the writers and producers can sit down with someone like me, who is the newbie out of all of us and take what I have to say into consideration. They make me feel that at this point now that they’ve given this part to me, that I know this person, that I know Brianna better than everyone. I know they do this for all of us. It’s wonderful to feel heard and I’m only going to pull that card when I feel that it’s important for Brianna’s presence, or voice or opinion or point of view to be a part of what that case brings.” Hit the flip for more from our interview

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BOSSIP Exclusives: NBC Is Courting A Hit With Memphis Based Series”Bluff City Law”

Hi Hater: Ben Carson Is Still Out Here Trashing Trans Rights And Putting The Dud In HUD

Source: Ron Sachs/CNP/AdMedia / SplashNews / Splash News Ben Carson Denies Referring To Transgender Women As “Big Hairy Men” After SF Comments Go Public Once upon a time, Dr. Ben Carson was hailed as a medical genius but ever since it was discovered his politics are anything but progressive and his regard for his own race is questionable at best he keeps on making shaky moves — the latest of which was documented by the Washington Post. According to WaPo reports, while visiting HUD’s San Francisco office this week Carson expressed concern about “big, hairy men” trying to gain access to women’s homeless shelters during an internal meeting. Three people present told the WaPo they interpreted Carson’s remarks as an attack on transgender women. Carson’s comments visibly shocked the 50 or so staffers in attendance at the Tuesday meeting, and at least one woman walked out in protest, witnesses to the comments said. Two of the agency staffers said that Carson also lamented that society no longer seemed to know the difference between men and women. SMH. Seriously. WTF. This is coming from the Housing and Urban Development SECRETARY. We’re talking about a group of people who are often subjected to worse housing discrimination than ANYONE. Often subjected to being shunned by their own families. Often in more need of housing than most other groups of people. And the highest government official in the department tasked with making sure AMERICANS in need of shelter talks about them. LIKE This? Another government official told the WaPo that Carson has repeatedly mocked transgender people in internal meetings in Washington. “His overall tone is dismissive and joking about these people,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s disrespectful of the people we are trying to serve.” Of course once the reports hit the media a HUD senior official released a statement that said: “The Secretary does not use derogatory language to refer to transgendered individuals. Any reporting to the contrary is false.” The official, who asked not to be named because he wasn’t present at the meetings in SF or Washington, said Carson was referring to men who pretend to be women to gain access to battered women’s shelters — and not singling out transgender women as “big, hairy men.” Who would you believe though? The officials at the meetings or the one who wasn’t? According to the three officials at the meeting in San Francisco, Carson prefaced his remarks about transgender people by saying he believed in fairness and equality, but not “special rights” for any class of people. Carson said that “transgender people should get the same rights as everyone else, but they don’t get to change things for everybody else,” according to one staffer who took notes during the meeting. There have already been calls for Carson’s resignation. U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat from Virginia called the remarks “revolting,” according to The Hill . “These comments only affirm that his recent efforts to erase the Equal Access Rule are rooted in ignorance, not sound policy. By allowing shelters to discriminate against transgender Americans, the Secretary is putting lives in danger,” she said. We agree. PLEASE American people make it stop.

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Hi Hater: Ben Carson Is Still Out Here Trashing Trans Rights And Putting The Dud In HUD

Billionaire Robert F. Smith To Eliminate Student Loan Debt For Parents Of Morehouse Graduates

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B lack billionaire Robert F. Smith has been dedicated to helping Morehouse College students overcome their financial obstacles. In May, he made a monumental announcement during the school’s commencement ceremony; sharing that he would eliminate the student loan debt for the entire 2019 graduating class. Smith is taking his philanthropic efforts a step further. According to Business Insider , he has vowed to pay off the student loan debt for the parents of those graduates. The billionaire who promised to pay off student loans for an entire graduating class just pledged to pay off their parents' educational loans, too https://t.co/hvZhXQ8tpy — Business Insider (@businessinsider) September 20, 2019 The gift is being donated to the Morehouse Student Success Program. Through the initiative, 400 Morehouse students and their parents and guardians will have their debt paid off in an effort to bring them closer to financial freedom and provide a solid foundation for building wealth. The donation that the Vista Equity Partners founder made in May was reported to be worth $34 million. “With the Student Success Program in place, there is a model for all colleges and universities, starting with Morehouse and HBCUs, to receive gifts from alumni and other supporters that can offset the burden of student loans and give students the freedom to pursue their dreams, the capital to invest in the economic growth of their families and the time that they can give back meaningfully to strengthening their communities,” Smith told the news outlet. President of Morehouse College David A. Thomas says that Smith’s gift will be transformative in the lives of Morehouse alumni and their families. “It is our hope that our graduates will use their newfound financial freedom to pursue their career goals, to lead and serve the community, and to remember the spirit of the gift given to them by paying it forward to support the education of future classes of Morehouse Men,” he said in a statement. As part of the program, Morehouse will conduct a research study exploring the impact that the elimination of debt has had on the trajectory of their lives. The initiative will also provide current students with financial literacy resources and scholarships. Programs like the Morehouse Student Success initiative are needed. Student loan debt has continued to rise within our country and has disproportionately impacted students who attend historically Black colleges and universities. According to the United Negro College Fund , one in four HBCU students borrows at least $40,000 to attend college. SEE ALSO: Billionaire Robert F. Smith Pledges To Eliminate Student Loan Debt For Morehouse’s Class Of 2019 Morehouse Receives $1.5M Gift From Black Billionaire Robert F. Smith [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3039818″ overlay=”true”]

Billionaire Robert F. Smith To Eliminate Student Loan Debt For Parents Of Morehouse Graduates

The Met To Present Its First Opera Composed By A Black Musician

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F or the first time in its 136-year history, New York’s Metropolitan Opera will host an opera created by a Black composer, The Hill reported. The Met to stage its first opera by a black composer https://t.co/NijtLp8Dqo pic.twitter.com/ggb4I0W8br — The Hill (@thehill) September 20, 2019 As part of its upcoming programming the opera house will feature Fire Shut Up in My Bones ; a piece created by Grammy-winning jazz musician Terence Blanchard . Blanchard’s project was inspired by a memoir penned by journalist Charles M. Blow . The book captures Blow’s coming-of-age journey as a Black man in America. It details the traumatic experiences that he endured as a child and explores topics like racism, poverty, sexuality and spirituality. “There is a level of you never really know yourself until you write about yourself. You also don’t fully know the people around you until you have to examine them. I had always been angry about my father’s alcoholism. I felt sympathy after writing the book, because I had to explore it in a way that I hadn’t thought about it before,” Blow told The St. Louis American . “One thing I’ve learned as a journalist is that if you tell your own story, then it belongs to you. If somebody finds something out about you and they tell it, it belongs to them.” The opera made its debut in June at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Blanchard is beyond excited to bring it to New York City and make history. “I wish my father was alive,” he told the New York Times. “He was an avid opera fanatic.” For decades Blanchard has composed the musical scores for several pivotal films. The Louisiana native—who launched his career with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra—has worked on the music for Spike Lee films including Mo’ Better Blues , Do the Right Thing , Malcolm X , BlacKkKlansman , Inside Man , When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts and others. He’s garnered many awards for his work including six Grammys. Fire Shut Up in My Bones is slated to premiere at the Metropolitan Opera house during its 2021-22 season. SEE ALSO: ‘Bolden’ Movie Review: ‘Beautiful Story About A Forgotten Pioneer Of Jazz Music’ Pharrell Williams Launches Music Education Program In Partnership With Verizon [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3887442″ overlay=”true”]

The Met To Present Its First Opera Composed By A Black Musician

See Ya In Court: Vallejo Residents File Lawsuit Against “Out Of Control” Police Department For Civil Rights Violations

Source: MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images / Getty Vallejo Police Department Sued By Residents For Civil Rights Violations Vallejo residents are sick and tired of being on the receiving end of racism, brutality, and police violence by local authorities and they’re going to court seeking justice. According to The Guardian, the people of Vallejo have filed a lawsuit against the city for numerous civil rights violations in the wake of the 55-shot killing of a sleeping Willie McCoy earlier this year. Delon Thurston, a massage therapist, is one of those suing. She says she was driving home from work last October when a Vallejo police officer pulled her over for allegedly making “an abrupt left turn” and then along with another officer “dragged” her out of her car and threatened her with a Taser. The officers then forcibly searched her body, touching her breasts and genitals, she alleges “I honestly felt like it was a Sandra Bland moment,” Thurston said, referring to the 28-year-old black woman who died of apparent suicide in a Texas jail cell after being arrested during a traffic stop in 2015. “I didn’t know what was going to happen to me and I had to breathe all the way through it and be antagonized all the way to the station and I never got read my rights as they were pushing my face to the cement.” Another *alleged* victim of police misconduct, Deyana Jenkins, claims she was pulled over at gunpoint for no reason and shocked with a taser before being arrested or read her rights. Adrian Burrell had his head slammed against a wooden post after he refused to stop recording officers holding his cousin at gunpoint. This is the type of s#!t that makes us hate and fear the police. We can only hope that these lawsuits yield results that hold cops accountable.

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See Ya In Court: Vallejo Residents File Lawsuit Against “Out Of Control” Police Department For Civil Rights Violations

Amy Roloff: EEEK! Look at My Engagement Ring!

Amy Roloff no longer needs to contain her excitement. The secret is out. The celebration can begin! And so can the beautiful ring flaunting… On Friday evening, hours after Amy and Chris Marek confirmed their engagement , the Little People, Big World posted her own announcement on Instagram — along with a brand new photo. Of her smiling face. And her gorgeous, shiny piece of bling. :Guess what! I wanted to share with you- I’m engaged!” wrote a very excited Amy, adding on her official account: “I was so surprised when Chris asked me to marry him. I said YES. I couldn’t be happier and so looking forward to this new part of our life journey together. “I’m blessed. Love you Chris. I love us.” Amy and Chris have been dating for nearly three years. The long-time reality star was previously married to Matt Roloff, with whom she still works and often interacts, for about 27 years welcoming four amazing kids into the world together. Said Amy to People Magazine prior to sharing the huge engagement news on social media herself: I’m excited, I’m so surprised, I’m thrilled! I never in a million years thought I’d be getting married again, but I also hoped for it! Now that it’s happening, I couldn’t be happier or more excited. Amy turned 55 on September 17 and Chris proposed a day later, as a belated and very special birthday gift. Rarely one to speak to the media, he also got a few words in with People, telling the publication yesterday: “I was very nervous! It had to be a heart shaped diamond because I knew that’s what Amy wanted.” There had been speculation for months about these two getting engaged, partly because they have been together for so long and partly because they just seem so happy together. Rarely do a few days go by without Amy posting some image online of her and Marek smiling up a storm together. Just about a month ago, we heard rumors of Roloff pushing Marek to propose , but it doesn’t sound like there was any real pressure placed on him here. He simply found the woman of his dreams and figured it was about time to pop the question. This news merely adds to what ought to be a VERY exciting next several months for this famous family: Tori Roloff is expecting a girl in November. Audrey Roloff is expecting a boy in January. And now a wedding will take place at some point in the near future as well. No public word yet from any other Roloff on this engagement, but allow us to jump in and simply say  the following: CONGRATULATIONS! View Slideshow: Little People, Big World: The Roloffs’ Shocking Scandals… Exposed! [Updated]

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Amy Roloff: EEEK! Look at My Engagement Ring!

Andrew Glennon: Of COURSE I Didn’t Manipulate Amber Portwood!

For the past decade, we've watched Amber Portwood on MTV. Honestly, she really hasn't changed that much. She said ridiculously awful things to the people in her life then, and we've heard her do the same now — if anything, she's gotten worse. But somehow, someway, there are several Teen Mom fans who feel the need to defend Amber in the wake of her domestic violence arrest. And Andrew Glennon is not having it. 1. The Arrest Before July 5th, a lot of people thought that Amber’s relationship with Andrew was going OK. But then she got arrested for chasing him with a machete, and then people didn’t think that anymore. 2. So Crazy You’ve probably heard this story a billion times right now, but just in case you haven’t here we go — according to Andrew, Amber got upset because road work prevented them from getting to a fireworks display the evening before, and she went on a rampage for hours and hours. 3. Wow She beat him with a shoe — she admitted to that part, and police have photos of the bruises and scratches on his neck — and threatened to kill herself. She even allegedly took a handful of pills, but threw them back up when Andrew threatened to call 911. 4. Amber, No But things got even worse later, when she got so angry that she grabbed a machete she kept by her bed (we later learned that the machete is just one of the many, many weapons she keeps in her bedroom) and chased Andrew, who was holding baby James, into another room. Andrew held the door closed with his foot while he texted 911 to let them know that he felt his life and his son’s life were in danger. 5. Thank Goodness Amber was arrested and ultimately charged with three felonies — two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. 6. Yay, Andrew Andrew also filed for custody of James. As of now, he’s got it, with Amber only having supervised visitation occasionally. View Slideshow

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Andrew Glennon: Of COURSE I Didn’t Manipulate Amber Portwood!