Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN The Twilight Zone reboot from the minds of Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg has garnered praise amongst viewers for its fresh update on Rod Serling’s classic series. As a result, the series will get a second season on the CBS All Access streaming platform. “Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s reimagining of The Twilight Zone is off to an amazing start on CBS All Access, driving the most viewers on its premiere day for an original series to date,” Julie McNamara, EVP Original Content at CBS All Access shared in a press statement. “Jordan, Simon, the creative team and cast have done a phenomenal job translating the series’ legacy of socially conscious storytelling for modern-day audiences. They are master storytellers, and we look forward to bringing fans further into The Twilight Zone with a second season,” the statement continued. That’s huge. Congrats to Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions team and Simon Kinberg’s Genre Films team. — Photo: WENN
Source: Aaron Rapoport / Getty T he timing of life’s peaks and valleys are unique depending on the individual in Black America, but the experiences themselves are synonymous. We all deal with the task of navigating through terrain specifically designed for us, yet not designed in our favor. The socioeconomic makeup of the cities we come from teaches us to be communal and operate in self-interest at the same time. The dynamic of our relationships includes a protective instinct as we care for each other in nuanced ways while playing tug of war over a certain type of respect from our significant others. We treat our close friends like siblings while keeping each other at a metaphorical arm’s length for fear of exposing our weaknesses, thereby giving too much power to anyone. Stepping into our individuality is a fight in and of itself as we reluctantly turn away from the mindsets and habits molded by our predecessors, in favor of new ideologies that fit our perspectives of the world we eventually encounter on our own accord. There’s a powerful duality that we inherit with our brown skin, and John Singleton was a master of explaining it through is directorial lens. The Duality of Black Men At 24, John Singleton put Hollywood on notice and South Central LA on display with Boyz n the Hood —a masterpiece that showcased the spectrum of young Black men versus the generalization of us, pumped through the propaganda machine known as American news. In the film, a gifted young boy named Tre hits the time limit on the safety of his mother’s nurturing embrace, and is transitioned into lessons on manhood through the guidance of his father. It’s a distinct adventure each Black man has to face. Those of us who were unfortunately raised without fathers received our lessons in manhood from the uncles, cousins, coaches, and various other “father figures” within arms reach. Regardless of the teacher, the lesson remains the same. The world doesn’t love you like your mother does, and it never will. When you jump off the porch and into society, you’re public enemy number one, and you’d better learn to be productive despite the burden. You’d better grasp that being a Black man is a job and it’s on you to find a way to carry its responsibilities, even if you get so frustrated that you end up punching the air. For every Tre there’s a Doughboy, a kind heart hardened by his surroundings. The good in him occupies an equal amount of bad. The good is what he wishes consumed him, and the bad is what he depends on for survival. How can you judge him for being balanced? Is it because he doesn’t look inviting? Is it because his charm comes with a hint of mystery? You can’t quite tell what he’ll do if you bring him the wrong energy, can you? Good, we make you feel like you should be on your toes around us because we live like that everyday. Those are instincts we need so we don’t end up like Ricky: robbed of our potential because we got caught slipping. The robbery of our potential doesn’t always end in gunfire. Sometimes it ends in losing that scholarship, or that promotion we had a shot at. If we’re not on point at all times, we’ll end up taking two steps back from the forward step we just took. Worst case scenario, we end up dead, never taking a forward step again. Exchange of Power As Love Language Just two years after releasing Boyz n the Hood , John Singleton gave us Poetic Justice , this time painting a picture of the complex relationship between young Black men and women. The film’s main character Justice lost her boyfriend unexpectedly to violence, leaving her skeptical of opening up again. Lucky, her love interest played by the late Tupac Shakur, had good morals, but didn’t understand how to engage a woman that required more than sweet talking and humorous wit. I can’t speak for women, but as a man I know what it’s like to give love and decide I didn’t want to anymore. Most men are guilty of that. Until a certain age, we don’t think much about how deeply some of our gestures resonate, and how traumatic it must be to impact someone emotionally, to just move on without thinking twice. I’m not sure if we do that because we’re afraid of being vulnerable, or because we’re as emotionally unintelligent as people say. Maybe it’s both, but either way, we’re a bit entitled with how we handle love. As we grow older, we encounter women who have developed a force field around their hearts, weary of repeating the same let downs that come from our fear of vulnerability. That’s where we butt heads. As men, we may have good intentions with the women we forge relationships with, but good intentions aren’t enough. It’s about consistent action, and creating a safe space for a woman to let her guard down. “I’m a Black woman, and I deserve respect.” – Justice, Poetic Justice Lucky and Justice challenged each other in that sense. On one hand, it’s perfectly natural to be protective of your feelings. It’s equally as natural to expect to be taken as you are, even if there’s potential to be better. Black men and women are everything to each other, even when we’re too stubborn to see it. We go through exchanges of power, until deciding to meet in the middle and understand the reasoning behind each other’s flaws. We saw the experience played out just as much in Baby Boy . The story of Jody, a 20-something Black man struggling to take ownership of his transition out of boyhood. He has two children by two different women, one of which he loves, and both of which he expects access to when he feels like it. Yvette, the woman who has his heart, displays the type of patience he doesn’t deserve. She provides for herself, maintains a roof over their son’s head, and still welcomes him with open arms although his presence is inconsistent. He’s quick to name the small things he does for her: buying groceries here and there, installing cable, and putting rims on her car—small gestures that to him say “I’m making sure you’re comfortable”, but they pale in comparison to what Yvette really wants. She wants to know they’re a family, that she can depend on him. Her frustration manifests in locking him out of the apartment. He hits back by refusing to fix her car. Small incidents, both of which are attempts to gain some sort of leverage. In the end they come together the minute Jody realizes that he can’t fight his woman until she bends to his will. He’s got to give as much as he’s hoping to receive, maybe even a little more. That’s the essence of being a provider. “If I’m insecure it’s because you made me this way, all you do is think about yourself.” – Yvette, Baby Boy The Black woman demands that we realize the power in our potential. She knows that her love for us doesn’t require her to settle for half of us. She welcomes being led, as long as we’ve actually got a direction in mind. The irony in that is it takes time to find direction, and maybe we’d like her to know that not having direction yet doesn’t mean we’re not in search of it. Optimism Versus Realism In Higher Learning , Remy and Malik show the juxtaposition of the mindstate most young Black men deal with at educational institutions. Malik is there on scholarship, while Remy is a senior on his way out. Remy is militant, and almost exhausted at the racism he sees daily. Malik is hopeful, a wide-eyed freshman aware that the institution he’s operating within has its own cultural barriers he’s got to work around. In a back and forth with his Black professor, Malik seems to expect a break because they share the same skin color. That is a distinct experience we have as Black people, so artfully showcased by Singleton through character dialogue. At times, we mistake support for a free pass. Racism is a great hindrance to our progress in this country, it’s an indisputable fact. Be that as it may, we still get in our own way at times by believing that when we see each other in spaces where there are few of us, that we shouldn’t hold each other to high standards. We sell each other short looking for the hook-up when it’s more productive to help each other earn what’s for the taking. “ I will continue to give you a difficult time, until you have proven that you deserve otherwise. Those are the rules of the game. Young man you have to rid yourself of the attitude that the world owes you something. You must strip yourself of that attitude, it breeds laziness.” Professor Phipps, Higher Learning Meanwhile, Remy appears almost jaded at having a higher education, because the struggle doesn’t change. What good is a degree, certificate, or any other credential if at the end of the day, it’s our skin that determines how our trajectory? He’s not entirely wrong to carry these thoughts, but it’s dangerous to accept that reality. If we keep a bleak outlook on our potential then we’ll never move forward. We must embrace hope just as we embrace the survival mentality. Both are necessary, but neither is beneficial in excess. There are countless other movies and an iconic music video I can choose from and dissect, but the message is clear: John Singleton knew the value in helping us see ourselves, never shying from the stereotypes others may have run from. Instead, he revealed the beauty in our madness, and the genius in our ignorance. Black people aren’t perfect, nor do we come perfectly packaged. It’s our various dimensions that make us a galaxy worth learning and understanding, for the benefit of our own higher learning.
Fox has some good news for fans of Empire and also for embattled star Jussie Smollet: First, for viewers of this intense drama, the network has decided to renew it for a sixth season. Second, for Smollet itself, the network has decided NOT to bring him back as a regular cast member, meaning he has more time than ever before to orchestrate his next so-called attack . Sorry. Too soon? Executives have seemingly made a choice to pick up Empire for new episodes, yet have also made it clear that Smollett will not be returning. The statement issues by Fox is not as clear as it could be, however, leaving the door slightly open for the actor to one day reprise his role of Jamal. “By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s option for season six, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to ‘Empire,” reads this message from Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Television. The statement comes on the heels of quite a past few months for Smollett. When we last saw his character, Jamal was getting married and seemingly getting sent off with a happy ending to his story. He had been written out of the final two Season 5 episodes following a bizarre, controversial and downright confounding run-in with the Chicago Police Department. As you must know by now, Smollett alleged that he was the victim of a hate crime in late January, claiming that two white men beat him up and screamed racial/anti-gay epithets in his direction. After an investigation, however, police actually arrested Smollett for falsifying a report and making up the entire incident. Just when it seemed as if he would go to jail or go to trial for his role in this very strange “assault,” the charges against Smollett were dropped. And yet… even after they were dropped… the Chicago Mayor and even the prosecutor who chose to drop them made it evident in public statements that they believed Smollett was guilty. The latter simply didn’t think it was worth wasting more city money and resources of his prosecution. Or something. It remains very confusing what happened there. But the bottom line is that Smollett is a free man and that his co-stars recently made it very cleae they want him back on Empire. Consider THIS STATEMENT they wrote in Smollett’s passionate defense. Signed by Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Gabourey Sidibe and others, the letter runs down Smollett’s charitable efforts and includes a section that reads: It is why now, more than ever, we must stand together as a family. A family is there for us in good times and bad. It can cut through the noise and confusion to understand that there is a person in the center of all this who deserves nothing more than to move forward with his life. Due to the negative coverage surrounding Smollett, however, it appears as if producers and higher-ups do not agree. Why is there still a chance he does appear on Season 6? The city of Chicago has filed a civil lawsuit against Smollett . Officials are looking to recoup the $130,000 in expenses that it spent in investigating the actor’s alleged attack, while also trying to get on some sort of legal record that the guy is guilty as sin. Perhaps if Smollett comes out on top in this case, Fox will reconsider his future on Empire. But it seems like a long shot at the moment. Empire’ continues to break barriers with its emotionally powerful storytelling, and it remains a core part of the Fox legacy, said Fox Entertainment’s president of entertainment Michael Thorn. They added on Tuesday evening: We want to thank everyone on the show – Taraji, Terrence and the entire cast, as well as Lee, Danny, Brett, Sanaa, Brian, Francie, Dennis and their teams – all of whom have done a tremendous job this season. We know there are so many more stories to tell, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for Season Six. Will you continue to watch Empire without Smollett?
Source: PALACE LEE / Splash News Kim Kardashian has taken the phrase “if you got it, flaunt” to another level when it comes to her and Kanye West ‘s pristine Calabasas home. Earlier this week, Kim took to Instagram to give followers a glimpse at her simply lavish pad, and fans were geeked when they saw her basin-less kitchen sink. yo… Kim Kardashian’s sink is kinda cool pic.twitter.com/sivKMcdsUY — Jason Bolaños (@JBinAV) April 18, 2019 I hope one day I become as rich as Kim Kardashian so I can have a bathroom sink just like hers, simply beautiful x — Sam (@samjxckson) April 18, 2019 The unique feature was designed by Kanye himself, and now we know how many Kardashian koins they spent making it. According to Tamara Day , host of HGTV’s Bargain Mansions, Kardashian’s basin-less sink with a sloped countertop and a slit for a drain could cost at least $25,750. Day told PEOPLE , “It’s a tricky balance getting the slope just right without severe angles, so the water stays in one place! Only the best fabricator can accomplish this.” She added that the unique bathroom sink is made of quartz, which she estimates would cost around $15,000 to use on the countertop, the custom slope and the 6-inch mitered edge. While the custom cabinet below the sink likely cost somewhere in the $10,000 range. “As for the faucet, Day believes it could be the Purist Faucet from Kohler, which runs around $700, and comes in several finishes, with black (the one she believes was used in Kardashian’s bathroom) being the most expensive.” View this post on Instagram bathroom goals A post shared by Kim Kardashian Snapchat (@kimkardashiansnap) on Apr 19, 2019 at 9:49am PDT Sheesh, over $30,000 for for a fancy faucet — just let that “sink” in.
Active Shooter Kills Two At UNC At Charlotte Another sad shooting has taken place in America. This time at least two people are dead after an active shooter opened fire at University of North Carolina’s Charlotte campus. NBC affiliate WCNC confirmed the deaths and noted that several others sustained “life-threatening” and “non-life-threatening” injuries after a man opened fire in a classroom. Sources tell them that students were giving a presentation in a classroom when the shooting occurred. The two dead are reportedly two white males, but their ages and names have not yet been released. They add that officials confirmed that the suspect is named Trystan Terrell, a 22-year-old history major at UNCC. U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08) has released a statement on the shooting: “Renee and I are heartbroken to see this violence in our community and at my alma mater,” said Rep. Hudson. “We are grateful for the quick and selfless action of first responders and police. Our thoughts and prayers are with victims, their families, and the entire 49er community. I will continue to monitor the situation and pray for the safety of all on campus.” This story is still developing….
Source: Ruven Afanador / The Hollywood Reporter / Ruven Afanador / The Hollywood Reporter Oprah Winfrey Talks About Backlash Over “Leaving Neverland” And Leaving Acting The Queen of Media Oprah Winfrey is the subject of an in-depth interview for the cover of The Hollywood Reporter’s first-ever Empowerment in Entertainment issue. Winfrey will receive the first-ever Empowerment Award at the accompanying Empowerment in Entertainment gala Tuesday (4/30) afternoon in Los Angeles. We absolutely LOVED this one — especially some gems she dropped about hateration, quitting acting AND “60 Minutes” and the current political climate. Check out some key excerpts via THR below: On advice she gave Gayle King on renewing her CBS News contract: I said, “Get what you want. Get exactly what you want because now’s the time. And if you don’t get what you want, then make the next right move.” Even without me, she was going to do that. But that was my advice, and I actually called up her lawyer, Allen Grubman, and I said, “Allen, she should get what she wants.” And Allen goes, “What the F do you think I’m doing here? I said the same thing to her!” The negotiation was already happening before her R. Kelly interview. On her reaction to the R. Kelly interview: I sent her a text saying, “Jesus looooves you.” But [the R. Kelly interview] could not have been better if I had done that myself. I think every interviewer thinks, “What would you have done in that moment?” And what she did was absolute perfection. On why she recently left 60 Minutes: I’ve removed myself from that. It was not the best format for me … How should I say this? Never a good thing when I have to practice saying my name and have to be told that I have too much emotion in my name…. I think I did seven takes on just my name because it was ‘too emotional.’ I go, ‘Is the too much emotion in the Oprah part or the Winfrey part?’ I was working on pulling myself down and flattening out my personality — which, for me, is actually not such a good thing. We love it. You’ve got to do what feels good and right for you and Oprah sends such a strong message by speaking openly about her decision to leave “60 Minutes” — of course she will have a great platform in the work she’s doing with Apple — so we’ll still get plenty of her journalistic side. Hit the flip for more great quotes.
90 Day Fiance thrives on drama, which is why Ashley Martson and Jay Smith's divorce is impossible to ignore. Fans may not be surprised to hear that Jay cheated yet again, but that doesn't make it any less hurtful. Ashley has hinted that there's much more to this story than fans know, promising that America will be shocked when they learn what happened. But cheating was definitely part of it, and she even mentions it in her divorce filing. What's more, Ashley has called out Jay's alleged mistress on social media. That's not to say that she's just seething about Jay's betrayal. In fact, Ashley is already moving on with a brand new man. 1. It is SO over! Ashley Martson and Jay Smith have split, are divorcing, and likely won’t even be in the same country for much longer. 2. The story of Ashley and Jay starts off so sweetly Ashley was in Jamaica for a friend’s wedding when she spotted Jay in a nightclub. 3. The thirst was instant and real She recalls seeing him there, dancing, towering over others. Being a hot number herself, the two clicked pretty quickly, and ended up deciding to marry. 4. They even held a wedding ceremony in Jamaica The ceremony was non-binding, and was for the benefit of Jay’s family who wouldn’t be able to attend their wedding in the U.S. 5. Even before the wedding … Ashley was warned that Jay may have cheated on her — possibly with two or more women. Ashley dismissed it at the time. She loved Jay, and she figured that she could overlook it if he cheated while he was in Jamaica. Surely, when he came to America and they were together, he’d no longer feel the need to stray, right? 6. They married in Vegas Unfortunately, Jay for some reason downloaded Tinder, an app for dating and hookups and not much else, and started chatting up girls on it. View Slideshow
Source: Robin L Marshall / Contributor / Getty Peabo Bryson Hospitalized We’re sending thoughts and prayers a legendary singer’s way after a heart attack. Peabo Bryson remains hospitalized in stable condition after having what’s being called a “mild” heart attack. A rep for Peabo told TMZ that the Grammy winner was at his home in Georgia early Saturday morning when he suffered the attack. His rep says he’s currently responsive and both his medical team and family are optimistic that he’ll make a speedy recovery. “At this time, privacy is requested; however, the thoughts and prayers of friends and fans are welcomed and appreciated,” Peabo’s rep told TMZ. Thoughts and prayers for the man who gave us “A Whole New World”—you got it, Peabo! Get well soon.
According to Jenni Farley, she cannot stop smiling over the presence of Zack Carpinello in her life. The Jersey Shore veteran and her 24-year old lover seem quite content with each other at the moment. Conversely, Farley has made it clear once again that she REALLY is displeased with estranged husband Roger Mathews right about now. Following an Easter Sunday in which Farley and Mathews put their differences aside in order to spend time as a family with their two young kids, something appears to have gone awry. For a reason Jenni tried to make clear in a scathing Tweet yesterday, she now has yet another reason to think Mathews is a very bad parent and role model. In her Instagram Story message, posted late on Sunday, the MTV personality best known as JWoww said that her son and daughter wouldn’t be spending the weekend with their dad because he wanted to “rage.” She later deleted the note, but nothing ever dies on the Internet. “When you find out on Wednesday your kids will be with someone other than their father over the weekend because he wants to rage during HIS time because it’s been planned ‘for months,'” Farley wrote along with rolling eyes emojis. “Yeahhhh ok. Loving all your ‘dad posts,'” she added, mocking Mathews for how often he claims to be a dedicated and loving father and concluding: “Please keep over posting…really shows how ‘involved you are.'” It certainly is true that during the crux of their VERY ugly exchanges late last year and earlier this year, Mathews often claimed that Farley was ignoring their kids in order to film Jersey Shore. After his estranged wife obtained a restraining order against him several months ago, Mathews went on an all-time Instagram rant . He trashed Farley as a fake and phony sand vowed that the “truth” would come out and that all he cares about in life is being a responsible parent. It hasn’t really been made clear exactly what Mathews was referring to at the time, but a sad truth has seemingly come out about him since this argument: He admitted in an open letter to having been abusive with Farley, as documented below: View Slideshow: Roger Mathews Pens Letter to Jenni Farley, Admits to Abuse In this case, JWoww’s post apears to be in response to Roger’s Instagram video, posted Saturday, showing him on a “rare dad night out.” “Had this night planned for a few months now,” Mathews wrote along with the video, adding: “Kids are enjoying a sleepover with my best friends kids @fitmom_meg and Dads going to see @louiedevito tonight with some 20 year friends @jamiemalloy35 @dannycars13 @maximillian143 @aimeedanger @chrissyjules. “Rare dad night out. Leeeeeeets goo.” We can totally understand Farley’s frustration here. Her kids and two and three years old, seemingly pretty young to have a sleepover. It also seems a bit odd for Mathews to celebrate a “rare” night out, considering he doesn’t have primary custody of these children. Farley filed for divorce from the 43-year-old truck driver in September of 2018 after a three-year marriage, full of ups and down. The reality star has since moved on with Carpinello, whom Mathews seemingly approves of, having been asked for his opinion by Us Weekly a few days back. “He seems like a terrific guy and they seem to really be happy, and I’m very happy for them,” Mathews told this tabloid shortly after it revealed her new man is the 24-year-old professional wrestler from New York. Mathews added at the time that Carpinello is a “good friend of her little brother” and that they’ve been dating for “a few months.” We’re very glad to hear it. And we hope, for the sake of their kids, that Jenni and Roger can find an amicable co-parenting solution in the near future. View Slideshow: JWoww Files For Restraining Order Against Husband; Roger Mathews Slams “Hate-Filled” Wife
Source: Moses Robinson / Getty P rayers up for Grammy winner Peabo Bryson. The 68-year-old reportedly had a heart attack on Saturday. SEE ALSO: Some No Name, Pitchy R&B Singer Disrespected Keith Sweat And Gets Demolished On Twitter Bryson “was at his home in Georgia early Saturday morning when he suffered the mild heart attack,” TMZ reported. “We’re told Peabo’s currently responsive and both his medical team and family are optimistic he’ll make a speedy recovery.” A rep also said, “Double Grammy / Double Oscar Award-winning balladeer, Peabo Bryson, suffered a mild heart attack at his home in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 27, 2019. He is currently listed in stable condition and is awake and responsive. Both his medical team and family are optimistic for a speedy recovery. At this time, privacy is requested; however, the thoughts and prayers of friends and fans are welcomed and appreciated.” The news came after reports that movie director John Singleton was in grave health following a stroke he suffered last week. Bryson is known for songs like 1992’s “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle, which won a Grammy and an Academy Award. His 1991 duet with Celine Dion, titled “Beauty and the Beast,” also won an Oscar and a Golden Globe award. The Washington Post reported in 2014 that there is a huge risk of a heart attack for black men over 40, “American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed a striking increase in risk for black men between ages 40 and 79. The study found that, in the period 2011 to 2014, 65 percent of them were at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years — compared with 54 percent for that age group during the period 1999 to 2002. Meanwhile, the study found that the comparable risk for white men rose from 44 to 48 percent in that period.” According to Your Heart Health , “Black Americans are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke than White Americans.B lack women (49%) and Black men (44%) have higher rates of heart disease.” According to Mayo Clinic, there are several lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease: • Quit or don’t start smoking • Exercise 30 to 60 minutes a day on most days of the week, or 60 to 90 minutes if you need to lose weight • Maintain a healthy weight • Eat a diet that’s low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt • Take prescribed medications appropriately • Manage other conditions that are risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. For more information from Mayo Clinic about women’s heart health, visit www.mayoclinic.org . We hope Peabo Bryson gets better soon. SEE ALSO: All The Ways Cops Are Still Trying To Cover Up LaQuan McDonald’s Execution Outrageous! Figurines Of White Cherub Crushing Head Of Black Angel Removed From Dollar Store Meet Jogger Joe, The Man Who Took Racist Cue From BBQ Becky In Tossing Homeless Man’s Clothes [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3838917″ overlay=”true”]
