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*Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is presenting Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez on Sunday, November 18, 2018 at 4:00 pm.

Mexico’s most prestigious folkloric dance company presents a colorful evening of traditional dance and music with sophisticated costumes and powerful and accomplished dancers. Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández is the number one promoter of Mexican dance throughout the world. The Dance Troupe takes a journey into the diverse Mexican cultures – past and present!

In 1952, dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernandez founded the BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO, having embarked at a very early age on a never-ending quest to rescue the dancing traditions of Mexico. This vital search became a basic need to express not only in Mexico, but includes the rest of the world. Her goal was to share the beauty of the Universe in motion through Mexican dances from the pre-Colombian era, the Hispanic Viceroy period, and the popular period of the Revolutionary years.

In 1954, Amalia began to garner recognition as a highly respected cultural representative of Mexico. In her earliest ballets, the audience saw modern dances and dances that travel back in time bringing back to life the lords of heaven and earth,, the jaguars, the gods born of human flesh; and thirty different cultures that blossomed in centuries past. All of these elements together gave Amalia Hernández the inspiration to create the Ballet Folklórico de México. A weekly program on Mexican television sponsored by the government aired the Ballet’s initial performances. Merely a few years into their formation, the company achieved a degree of international success that has been maintained for over fifty years.

Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have since created over forty ballets for upwards of seventy dancers. The music, technical rigor, elaborate costuming and Amalia’s choreography have helped the Ballet and its followers disseminate the zest for rich Mexican tradition and folklore throughout the world. Since 1959, the company has been permanently housed at the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City. The institution has two main artistic companies called The First Company and the Resident Company, both whom alternate tours and performances in Mexico and abroad. The company has currently given over 5,000 performances and both Amalia Hernández and the Ballet Folklórico de México have been distinguished with more than 300 awards recognizing their artistic merits.

Lehman Center is under renovation so concert goers will find the lobbies have been upgraded for ADA compliance with new ramps and carpeting. The interior of the theater has new seating, carpeted aisles, and finished flooring as well. The $15.4 million dollar refurbishment of the Center is expected to be completed by mid-2019 and will include 5,400 square feet of enlarged space with a new main entrance and a redesigned box office, plus new administration offices and restroom facilities on the first and mezzanine floors, and an elevator. The Center seats 2,278 people in the concert hall and is the largest of its kind in the borough. Funding for the project is being provided by the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature, the Bronx delegation of the New York City Council, and the Office of the Bronx Borough President. Additional funding is being raised with a seat naming initiative, which allows community members to make a personal connection with one of New York City’s most important not-for-profit entertainment venues.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO featured on Sunday, November 18th, 2018 at 4:00 pm are $45, $40, $25 | Children 12 & under pay $10 for any seat. Call the Lehman Center Box Office for tickets at 718-960-8833 or via online access at http://www.LehmanCenter.org.

Deardra Shuler has experience in theatre, music, concert promotion, television and publishing. She was affiliated with the Negro Ensemble Company and is a former manager of the children’s theatre,”TADA.” She has produced and promoted concerts in Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, and Radio City Music Hall.
Ms. Shuler is the former Editor and Managing Editor of three New York City minority newspapers. Presently, she is the Entertainment Editor of The Black Star News. As a freelance writer she writes for several New York City newspapers; including the Examiner, Amsterdam News and Eurweb.

Deardra freelances for Afrocentricnews in California. She is the former PR chairman for the FESPACO film festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Africa, and is presently program manager for BlakeRadio.com where she also hosts her own show “Topically Yours.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/people-of-note-ballet-folklorico-de-mexico-de-amalia-hernandez-on-the-lehman-center-stage/

*Another entertainment coupling a/k/a marriage is headed for the scrap heap. Former NBA star and current NBA broadcaster, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and his future ex-wife are splitting.

Gwendolyn Osborne, a former model on “The Price is Right” filed for divorce on Tuesday in Los Angeles, reports The Blast. In court documents, Osborne cites and blames irreconcilable differences for the split.

Osborne is seeking primary legal and physical custody of the couple’s two children: 10-year-old Malloy and 6-year-old London. She is also seeking spousal support.

Smith and Osborne have been married for 12 years. They met at a charity event in 2004. The former Houston Rockets star also has two children with his first wife, Dawn Reavis, and Gwendolyn has a child from a previous relationship.

Smith, a 2x NBA champion, is currently a basketball analyst on “Inside the NBA” on TNT.

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OK, while one door is closing on a relationship/marriage, another might be creaking open again on a former relationship that was beyond toxic. Yes, Blac Chyna says that she is down for a possible reconciliation with ex Rob Kardashian (we can only wonder what he has to say).

In an interview with DailyMailTV on Tuesday, Blac Chyna opened up about her on-again off-again relationship with Rob and being a single mother to their daughter Dream, 22 months, and King Cairo, 5, whom she shares with her and Kylie Jenner’s ex, Tyga.

“Maybe with Rob,” Chyna said in response to being asked about the possibility of reuniting with her ex. “Maybe, but we’ll see.”

“I wouldn’t change nothing with ‘Rob & Chyna’ at all ’cause that was our reality,” she continued. “The good, the bad and whatever else. I feel like a lot of people misconstrue the whole situation. There’s no way I could have a beautiful baby girl as super-smart as Dream. You can look into her face and just tell she was made with love. She’s, like, perfect.”

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Chyna added that she’s in a good place while co-parenting with Rob, whom she dated sporadically throughout 2016. The former stripper explained how Dream is currently obsessed with the color blue — “blue cups, blue plates, shoes and hair bows” — and realized it was because she was copying Kardashian.

All we can say is DON’T DO IT!

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/kenny-the-jet-smith-inside-the-nba-set-for-divorce-blac-chyna-rob-k-re-uniting-video/

*Motown friends and family came together last week in Tarzana (CA), to enjoy the 11th Annual “Friends of Fuller Gordy Strikefest,” one of the most anticipated bowling, concert, dining and philanthropic events of the season.

Entertainment celebrities, business leaders and Motown alumni showed up last Wednesday, November 7, to celebrate the legacy of Fuller Gordy, a Motown Vice-President and older brother of Motown Founder Berry Gordy, who was known throughout the entertainment industry as a caring humanitarian and mentor to many. A successful bowler, Fuller Gordy became the first black bowler, from Michigan, to be inducted into the Professional Bowlers’ Association.

“He was always a leader,” said Berry Gordy of Fuller during the evening. “So, if I had one word to describe tonight, it would be gratitude. His granddaughter (Karla) and daughter (Iris) have done such a wonderful job every year. It’s so much fun and everybody has a good time.”

Fuller’s daughter, Iris Gordy, a former Motown vice president and granddaughter, Karla Gordy Bristol, a TV and social media talk show host, founded “Friends of Fuller Gordy Strikefest,” which is the event of the year for an organization dedicated to honoring outstanding young individuals and organizations that inspire, educate and uplift. Their 2018 honoree is the Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant, founded by Lisa Ruffin, which spotlights girls ages 6-12.

One of the attendees was the 2018 Little Miss African American Scholarship Pageant winner Nasreen el Shabazz and her mom, Sheryl Lively, who was happy the pageant and Ruffin received recognition.

“She (Nasreen) had done it four times in a row before she finally won,” said Lively. “We encourage her to follow her dreams and never to give up. It was hard, because it took her four times. She just turned 12 and she was 8 when she started.”

“This kind of event, it teaches you never to give up,” Lively continued. “Life is hard and you’ll have challenges and stuff, but you still have to follow your dreams. This was hard and it was hard for me as a mother to see her hurt, but she gave it everything she could. But if you want something, you have to keep going for it and I’m really proud of her that she didn’t give up.”

Lively is also glad Ruffin and the pageant was getting recognition.

“Oh, my God! She is all for the kids”, said Lively. “She’s done this for 25 years and just when it seemed it was time to fold or give up, she keeps going, The young ladies she’s brought to her pageant, they come back with college degrees.”

“So, I’m just honored to be here with Motown and I’m so happy for Lisa, that she’s getting honored and acknowledged, because she’s so deserving of it.”

As for the 2018 Little Miss African American Pageant winner herself, Nasreen el Shabazz, she said the pageant teaches you to be confident, love you for yourself and to go after your dreams.

“I kept going even after falling short a few times because I just thought, ‘This wasn’t my year. It was another girl’s year, she said. “So if I kept trying, I felt it would eventually be my year – and I kept trying and it was!”

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As for Lisa Ruffin, she could hardly contain her emotion over her organization and her being honored at Strikefest.

“I’m totally overwhelmed. I’m extremely overwhelmed and so thankful,” said Ruffin. “I’m still shocked, actually, because I just did this from my heart and that’s how the organization has been operating for 25 years. So for people of this stature to acknowledge our work, it’s just shocking to me.”

“I want my girls to experience things it may have taken me 30 years to experience”, she said. “I want them to know if they have the confidence and the drive, they can do anything. If I see a girl  has an interest in science or math or dance classes, we try to make that happen. We start at a young age, 6-12, because we feel it’s important to teach them good habits early, rather than wait for them to develop bad habits and correct them. So we want them to get it right the first time – and it seems to be working!

READ THIS: JADA PINKETT SMITH’S MOM REVEALS WHY SHE DIDN’T LIKE HER DAUGHTER’S WHITE BOYFRIEND [WATCH]

Speaking of pageants, Miss Black California of 1971, Kathleen Bradley, was in attendance as well.

“Well, I know Iris and Karla and I went to the first one,” Bradley said. “It’s just a great opportunity for me to come and be able to help lend my celebrity, raise some money and have good times with friends and family for a very worthy cause.”

“It’s a pleasure to be able to honor Fuller Gordy – who was the most wonderful guy and when I was with the singing group The Love Machine in the Seventies, so it’s great to be back with the Motown family now.”

David Kershenbaum, a multi-platinum record producer whose clients included Tracy Chapman and Lauren Taines were also in attendance.

“I like what Iris and Karla are doing,” said Taines. “They’re raising money to fund various educational projects, so I help how I can and what I like is they are raising money for various educational concerns for the kids.”

“I met Karla a couple of months ago and she invited me and I thought it was such a worthwhile cause,” said Kershenbaum.”I love charities and I certainly love education for children.”

“I also grew up with Motown, so it’s particularly dear to my heart,” he added. “I was looking and thinking about how when Motown was at it’s peak, how wonderful the times were – how innocent and easier it was to create something special than it is today..That music was a soundtrack for many people who had a chance to listen.”

One of the bands that contributed to Motown’s heyday was Switch, who performed at Strikefest.

“We’re friends of Iris and Karla and we’ve known of the event for years,” said Greg Williams, one of the group’s founders. “We knew a lot about Fuller, so we understand the event. It’s an annual event in his honor to represent his philanthropy over the years.”

“We signed with Motown in 1978 and were there for five years and sold 8 million records. So we’re part of their history as well, ” said Williams. “This is our family. Our folks.”

Karla Gordy Bristol said she was happy the way the night went.

“The Fuller Gordy Strikefest, which I’ve been doing for 11 years, with my mother – well, this may have been the most exciting night,” said Gordy Bristol. “To see the happy faces throughout the room, and people coming up to me saying, ‘This is amazing!’ … and everybody being warm to each other – I really love that. That lets me know that we’re doing something great – and doing something that must continue.”

Gordy Bristol also feels the event reflects on her family’s legacy.

“It says a lot,” she said. “I think it shows people what the Gordy family is about – that they’re a loving family, a giving family, a caring family and that they’re down to Earth and enjoy people.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/motowns-legacy-rolls-on-with-the-11th-annual-friends-of-fuller-gordy-strikefest/

*Football legend Herschel Walker is calling for CNN to fire Don Lemon after the host laughed hysterically when rapper Kanye West was referred to as “the token negro of the Trump administration” during a segment that aired Tuesday night.

Lemon kicked off his panel discussion by asking if Donald Trump is simply “using Kanye as a prop to win over black voters before the midterms.”

CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers responded by pointing out Ye’s intellect… or lack thereof.

“Anti-intellectualism simply isn’t cool,” Sellers said. “Kanye West is what happens when Negros don’t read.”

In case you missed it, watch the segment via the clip above.

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Sellers’ remark prompted laughter from Lemon, and fellow panelist Tara Setmayer followed up by saying West is “the token negro of the Trump administration.”

Many on the right have slammed the segment – as “racist” — and Herschel, who has openly supported Trump, was quite offended that Kanye’s mental issues were also mocked.

“Went to bed appalled over Don Lemon’s despicable behavior laughing at Tara Setmayer and Bakari Sellers’ awful remarks about Kanye West’s visit with [Trump]! Woke up wondering why CNN doesn’t take all three off the air?” Walker tweeted, adding the hashtag “#Shameful.”

Setmayer fired back at Walker: “Bless your heart… You want to silence me because I expressed a different opinion than yours? Because I called out Kanye for what he is? Uninformed! I’m an actual conservative, who’s worked on policy advancing those principles for 20-plus years. I’ll never be a shill for Trump.”

And then Walker replied…

“No…Tara Setmayer, anyone that is African American with an opinion different than yours, you want to call them out by using the N-word and Don Lemon is laughing? To me that’s bullying and shameful,” he tweeted.

To which she replied…

“Wait…wait..wait…you think what we did was bullying & shameful??! (Which it was not) Yet you support Trump???? Who literally bullies & insults people as POTUS. You must be kidding me. How intellectually dishonest can you be?”

Walker was not the only person who took offense to the CNN segment.

“These reprehensible, racist comments on CNN are typical of the Trump-hating left,” Fox News contributor Deroy Murdock said.

“Black Americans who think for ourselves are mocked and degraded with words we last saw under Jim Crow. If President Trump had no black supporters, they would call his circle ‘lily white,’” he added. “Now, one of America’s most prominent black entertainers praises and visits the president, and he is trivialized as a ‘token’ who ‘doesn’t read.’”

Even Don Jr. slammed CNN for the segment, calling West a “wildly successful businessman,” then he asked, “Why is free thought and expression so dangerous and scary to liberals?”

Turning Point USA’s Candace Owens told Fox News the segment was “not only racist, it was absolutely despicable.”

“I cannot believe it would be allowed on any network, least of all having a host that’s laughing as if it’s funny,” she said.

 Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/herschel-walker-to-cnn-fire-don-lemon-for-racist-kanye-criticism/

*Football legend Herschel Walker is calling for CNN to fire Don Lemon after the host laughed hysterically when rapper Kanye West was referred to as “the token negro of the Trump administration” during a segment that aired Tuesday night.

Lemon kicked off his panel discussion by asking if Donald Trump is simply “using Kanye as a prop to win over black voters before the midterms.”

CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers responded by pointing out Ye’s intellect… or lack thereof.

“Anti-intellectualism simply isn’t cool,” Sellers said. “Kanye West is what happens when Negros don’t read.”

In case you missed it, watch the segment via the clip above.

OTHER NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: Tina Lawson: Beyonce’s Mother Shades Husband Richard in ‘Black Love’ Viral Video [WATCH]

Sellers’ remark prompted laughter from Lemon, and fellow panelist Tara Setmayer followed up by saying West is “the token negro of the Trump administration.”

Many on the right have slammed the segment – as “racist” — and Herschel, who has openly supported Trump, was quite offended that Kanye’s mental issues were also mocked.

“Went to bed appalled over Don Lemon’s despicable behavior laughing at Tara Setmayer and Bakari Sellers’ awful remarks about Kanye West’s visit with [Trump]! Woke up wondering why CNN doesn’t take all three off the air?” Walker tweeted, adding the hashtag “#Shameful.”

Setmayer fired back at Walker: “Bless your heart… You want to silence me because I expressed a different opinion than yours? Because I called out Kanye for what he is? Uninformed! I’m an actual conservative, who’s worked on policy advancing those principles for 20-plus years. I’ll never be a shill for Trump.”

And then Walker replied…

“No…Tara Setmayer, anyone that is African American with an opinion different than yours, you want to call them out by using the N-word and Don Lemon is laughing? To me that’s bullying and shameful,” he tweeted.

To which she replied…

“Wait…wait..wait…you think what we did was bullying & shameful??! (Which it was not) Yet you support Trump???? Who literally bullies & insults people as POTUS. You must be kidding me. How intellectually dishonest can you be?”

Walker was not the only person who took offense to the CNN segment.

“These reprehensible, racist comments on CNN are typical of the Trump-hating left,” Fox News contributor Deroy Murdock said.

“Black Americans who think for ourselves are mocked and degraded with words we last saw under Jim Crow. If President Trump had no black supporters, they would call his circle ‘lily white,’” he added. “Now, one of America’s most prominent black entertainers praises and visits the president, and he is trivialized as a ‘token’ who ‘doesn’t read.’”

Even Don Jr. slammed CNN for the segment, calling West a “wildly successful businessman,” then he asked, “Why is free thought and expression so dangerous and scary to liberals?”

Turning Point USA’s Candace Owens told Fox News the segment was “not only racist, it was absolutely despicable.”

“I cannot believe it would be allowed on any network, least of all having a host that’s laughing as if it’s funny,” she said.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/herschel-walker-to-cnn-fire-don-lemon-for-racist-kanye-criticism/

*We caught up with “Black Love” creators Codie and Tommy Oliver to dish about the all-new resonating episode featuring couples who have persevered through some life-threatening challenges, proving that love has the power to conquer the most insurmountable odds.

Grant and Tamia Hill, and two-time Olympians Jamie Nieto and Shevon Stoddart open up about how learning to live with unexpected led to a more balanced life.

“You say your vows and you don’t always know what’s to come, you just say it,” Codie tells EUR/Electronic Urban Report. “And as Grant (Hill) said, ‘Our vows were tested.’ I think the takeaway that I’ve learned is that anything can happen and you really want to live your life and love your marriage as best you possibly can. Hopefully, some of these stories actually are preparing you for the reality of, it can be okay.

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The filmmakers and real-life couple tell us that while they have not had “an explicit conversation about what we would do” when their own vows are tested by a potentially fatal or chronic illness,” Codie noted: “I think for us, and hopefully for the audience, what has been the most prevailing feeling is the sense of we now have examples of having talked to all of these people as to like, how to get through, and that we can. We have that confidence that we can. I think you pull from the strengths of the people who have been through it and say we can do this.”

Tommy shared that “the closest we’ve come to having this conversation was several years ago,” and he recalls a conversation he had with a man several years ago that reminded him to always stay true to the ‘ in sickness and in health” part of his marital vows.

“We did an interview that has not aired, and we were in Las Vegas and there was a guy whose wife was dealing with cancer… and actually this has come up a couple of times where we’ve heard of guys leaving their wives and we talked about it in the context of, that’s not something that I would ever do,” he explained.

“We are committed to each other through thick and thin. Like (Sterling K. Brown) said (in the finale episode, airing next week), you don’t really expect things to get that bad, but sometimes they do. Sometimes there are some things that you have absolutely no control over. And for me, no matter what it is, I will be there for my wife. I will do whatever I can to make sure I’m supporting her through any and everything.”

Has exploring black love through the couples featured on the series been transformative for Codie and Tommy?

Mrs. Oliver admits “there’s no way to go through this and do these interviews — we’ve done like, a hundred now — and to come through the ones that end up on air that we end up watching 20-times over, and not learn something. And Tony has made the point that just because we get all these amazing experiences and advice doesn’t mean that they are suddenly committed to muscle memory and now we’re the best spouses ever. Definitely does not mean that. But, we can’t go through it without hearing something, and oftentimes something different and it’s sitting with us for a while. ‘Should I change how I’m operating?  Should I communicate with him differently?’

Continuing, she added: “Actually, one of the things that stands out to me is when Shevon, the former Olympian, who’s married to Jamie Nieto, who became paralyzed after an accident, they’re talking about how she pivoted her life and career to be local and available to be with him and take care of him and go through this with him. She could’ve continued to be an Olympian and she pivoted and has become a singer. She said some people are scared and say ‘I can’t do that. I can’t change my life ‘cause this thing happened to us or to you.’ And that can put a strain on things. But when you’re committed, you have to do that,” she explained.

“That is a lesson that has stood out to me ever since she said it because it applies so much more to just health issues. The last thing we want is to have to change your whole life because your spouse is sick or hurt. But there’s so much we go through on a day-to-day basis where if we realize ‘I can change what I’m doing to strengthen our relationship and whatever the issue is this is going on.’ So I would say that’s the current thing that’s been sitting with me for a while. We certainly can’t go through a hundred interviews and not learn something.”

“In Sickness and In Health” airs Saturday, October 13 at 10pm ET/PT on OWN and check back soon for PART ll of our conversation with Tommy & Cody.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/black-love-creators-codie-and-tommy-oliver-on-being-committed-to-each-other-in-sickness-and-in-health-eur-exclusive/

*Even though he committed suicide in his prison cell, former New England Patriots tight end and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez is still making news. The latest is that he was “sexually molested as a young boy,” according to an investigative report from The Boston Globe revealed, via their Gladiator podcast.

The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team — which conducted interviews with family, friends, former teammates and obtained recordings of nearly 300 phone calls Hernandez made from prison — released the first part of its six-part series on Hernandez on Saturday.

The story covers a lot of ground, including Hernandez’s childhood and home life, drug use and his sexuality.

Check out part one of the podcast above and the background story below

What: Gladiator podcast by Wondery Launches

Who: Wondery Media and the Boston Globe

When: Monday, October 15, 2018

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Gladiator, a new podcast produced by tastemakers Wondery and the highly acclaimed Boston Globe Spotlight Team, launches today. The investigative six-part series will chronicle the saga of Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots player convicted of murder, who later committed suicide in his prison cell. The podcast is currently ranked number one on Apple.

The Globe’s celebrated Spotlight Team—including longtime investigative sports reporter Robert Hohler (Chief Narrator), Beth Healy, Andrew Ryan, Sacha Pfeiffer and Patricia Wen—will each lead at least one episode. The Spotlight Team will present Hernandez’s story to listeners in a broader context, including the factors that led a man to throw away a $40 million contract by committing murder.

The Spotlight team examines the incidents that turned Hernandez’s life into a cautionary tale:

• The bombshell in Episode 2 about Hernandez’s secret sexual relationship with his high school teammate
• The effects of the constant abuse and upheaval in the Hernandez house on Hernandez’s behavior?
• How a brain badly damaged by football could have contributed to Hernandez’s violent behavior?
• The lack of action by coaches and team personnel that contributed to Hernandez’s spiral

To coincide with the launch of the podcast, the Spotlight Team is publishing a six-part investigative series both digitally and in print. The podcast is currently ranked number one on Apple.

If you’re wondering about Wondery, it is the network of hit podcasts such as Dirty John, Business Wars, American History Tellers and Dr. Death.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/aaron-hernandez-was-sexually-molested-as-a-child-reveals-new-podcast-listen/

*The interim CEO and president of USA Gymnastics has resigned four days into her job after she was slammed by Olympic champion Simone Biles for an anti-Colin Kaepernick/Nike post.

Mary Bono, a former GOP congresswoman from California, was criticized by Biles after she tweeted, and then deleted, a photo of herself drawing over a Nike logo on her golf shoes. She didn’t name Kaepernick but petty White folks have been posting such actions on social media in protest against the new Nike ad campaign featuring the former NFL quarterback.

The move represents yet more embarrassing headlines for the organization, which is still dealing with the aftermath of the Larry Nassar abuse scandal. Bono was also criticized by Olympic champion Aly Raisman for her connections to a law firm that she said helped “cover up” Nassar’s abuse.

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Geoffrey Owens Shares ‘Surprising’ Supportive Message He Received from Son After Being Job-Shamed [WATCHBiles, who is sponsored by Nike, responded Saturday to Bono via Twitter: “*mouth drop* don’t worry, it’s not like we needed a smarter usa gymnastics president or any sponsors or anything.”

Bono apologized but soon after she announced her resignation.

“It is with profound regret, coupled with a deep love for the sport of gymnastics and respect for those who aspire to be great gymnasts, that I today tendered my resignation as the Interim CEO of USA Gymnastics,” said Bono in a statement. “My withdrawal comes in the wake of personal attacks that, left undefended, would have made my leading USAG a liability for the organization.”

In her resignation statement, Bono said she reacted strongly to Nike’s “sacrificing everything” slogan, as it reminded her of her late brother, a member of the military.

“It was an emotional reaction to the sponsor’s use of that phrase that caused me to tweet, and I regret that at the time I did not better clarify things,” she wrote, adding that Kaepernick “exercised his First Amendment right to kneel, I exercised mine.”

USA Gymnastics’ former team doctor Larry Nassar is serving up to 175 years in prison for multiple sex crimes against athletes, including Biles and Raisman.

 Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/new-usa-gymnastics-president-quits-four-days-into-job-after-simone-biles-criticism/

*After video circulated of a Black student getting escorted out of class, the University of Texas at San Antonio opened an investigation that has resulted in the white professor who called the police being relieved of her duties for the rest of the semester.

Biology instructor Anita Moss sparked outrage Monday after she called the police on a Black female student who had allegedly rested her feet on a chair. Moss had repeatedly asked students to take their feet off chairs in what was described as a “pet peeve” of the professor, according to a report by interim dean Howard Grimes published Wednesday, per nydailynews.com.

“So this happened today in class, a girl had her feet up and the professor called the police after calling our class uncivil,” student Apurva Rawal tweeted along with video of the incident.

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The student at the center of the controversy, with the Twitter handle @FavoritePaigeee, wrote on Monday:  “Upon entering class I was told I needed to leave or would be escorted out by officers, I never disobeyed the student code of conduct. Not once. A police report is being filed atm, this is just the beginning. Thanks for your support!”

According to the report, Moss was so incensed by the ongoing problem of student disobedience that she attempted to send “FavoritePaigeee” an email on Sunday telling her not to show up for class until they could discuss the situation, but the message was mistakenly sent to another student in the class, according to Grimes.

When the student showed up for class on Monday, Moss told her to leave after showing her the email. 

Grimes writes in the report that the student said: “this class is very important to me and attending this class is part of my grade and I do not want to miss the lecture as we have a test coming on Wednesday.”

When Moss threatened to call the police, the student said, “do what you need to do.” She was then hauled away by three officers.

“I did not believe she was calling them [police] but, sure enough, they came a few minutes after she had stopped talking on the phone,” a student in the class told ABC News. “They escorted [her] out and once the police had left out of the classroom, a lot of students started telling [the lecturer] she had done wrong, she was being disruptive of class time and she had taken matters out of control.”

The school determined that Moss “failed to manage her classroom effectively.” She will be allowed to return to her classroom in the spring if she meets certain requirements.

Meanwhile, the student at the center of the classroom incident issued the following statement:

The last couple of days have brought a whirlwind of emotions. The support I have received, especially from my classmates, has been very encouraging for me.

I have served in many leadership roles on campus through student organizations, on-campus employment, and as a UTSA mentor to local high school students in underprivileged areas. I am passionate about UTSA and its sense of community.

Throughout these investigations, I have been repeatedly asked whether I believe the incident on Monday was based on racism. My answer is no. However, the investigations confirmed that my professor has struggled with misidentifying me with other students.

My professor apologized to me today for her classroom reaction, and I apologized to her if my behavior appeared to be disruptive, unprofessional, or uncivil as a student. I am eager to move forward and put this behind me.

I have expressed interest in being a participant in discussions on how students from underrepresented groups are treated inside and outside the classroom.

I would like to thank the UTSA faculty and staff for the efficiency with which this matter was handled. To the UTSA students who provided witness accounts in the university’s investigations and to those who communicated their support: Thank you so much.

Moving forward, I would ask the public and the news media to respect my privacy so I may continue my studies without distraction.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/white-lecturer-has-utsa-student-escorted-out-of-class-by-police-for-having-feet-propped-up/

*This should be pretty interesting. We’re talking about a duel of between two extremely opinonated journalists and talk show hosts. So, be sure to tune in as Roland S. Martin hosts ‘The Great Debate‘ VS. sports journalist and host of “Speak For Yourself” on Fox Sports FS1, Jason Whitlock. The two top journalists will debate topics such as Colin Kaepernick, Lebron James, Black Lives Matter, and more on #RolandMartinUnfiltered LIVE from Los Angeles today, Thursday, October 18 at 3:00PM PST/6:00PM EST.

#RolandMartinUnfiltered garnered an impressive 8.2 Million organic views in it’s first month of streaming. The fully independent news source addresses many of the top stories today that are largely ignored by mainstream media. The show, which airs live daily at 6:00 pm EST, covers a wide range of topics that are important to people of color including voter suppression, HBCUs, the increasing wealth gap in America, and it will continue to do so in an unapologetic and unfiltered way.

Martin expressed his dedication to the new venture by sharing, “I am more than excited about the launch of #RolandMartinUnfiltered and what we’ve been able to do in our first month. For a show that has no major media backing, that has grown organically and is all powered by the people, this proves our audience is craving for news and issues that speaks to their concerns. The marketplace is seriously devoid of the type of show we are producing on a daily basis, and we are committed to building this to an even bigger presence.”

#RolandMartinUnfiltered is a fully digital experience that streams live daily on Facebook, YouTube, Periscope and Instagram TV, and is available on-demand on a multitude of digital platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, Google Chromecast and more. The daily digital show is “powered by the people” and incorporates real-time interactions and commentary from viewers.

The digital show format features in-depth discussions and one-on-one interviews with authors, artists, athletes, entertainment personalities, and other top names in education, public policy, and academia. In addition, #RolandMartinUnfiltered hits the road and streams live events across the country, such as speeches, summits, conferences, town halls, and staple entertainment events.

Martin, who has nearly 2 million social media followers, has always been a pioneer in the digital space. The founding editor of Tom Joyner’s BlackAmericaWeb.com, he launched the first Black news source audio podcast in 2005 and the first Black news video podcast in 2006. He has also launched and written for a variety of other Black and mainstream media websites in his career.

Known for being a ‘tenacious truth seeker’ and ‘relentless journalist,’ Martin hosted TV One Cable Network’s NewsOneNow for four years, where he made history for the first daily morning show to focus on news, politics and current events explicitly from an African American perspective. From 2009 to 2013, he hosted the award-winning TV One Sunday morning news show, Washington Watch. Many of his devoted fans have expressed the importance of having Martin’s candid commentary and representation of people of color back on the air.

For more information, please visit RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And stay connected with Martin via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Periscope (@rolandsmartin).

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/roland-s-martins-great-debate-vs-jason-whitlock-today-thursday-october-18/

This weekend (tonight and Saturday night), Snoop Dogg‘s autobiographical stage production “Redemption of a Dogg” will be in SoCal and if you plan on going, beware that Tamar Braxton, who co-stars, might start trippin’. Yes, we know, there’s nothing new about Tamar trippin’. But here’s the deal. She did just that this past Sunday night when the play stopped in D.C. and caused serious problems for all involved.

OK, now that we have your attention, you’re wondering what happened? Well, theJasmineBrand is reporting that Braxton allegedly refused to go on stage for the show’s second act due her food not being able to get past security.

The story goes that according to a source, a friend of Braxton was attempting to deliver the food, but never made it due to security not allowing the friend backstage. The source also details how the combustible singer became hysterical and refused to take the stage to finish out the show.

READ: JADA PINKETT-SMITH RECALLS BEING CALLED A N*GG*R B*TCH BY WHITE POLICE OFFICERS

Meanwhile, the regularly scheduled 15 minute intermission was extended to over an hour to deal with the situation, says the source”

“This isn’t my first rodeo as it pertains to live theater, but I’ve never, ever seen anyone quit over something like this and disappoint their fans this way. She was completely hysterical and totally out of control. She kept screaming, She’s not here for this. Then saying, ‘I’m so sick of this s**t.’ Then she said, ‘you can do this damn show without her,’ again, addressing herself in the third person.”

So, that meant that Braxton’s character, Angel, had to be played by one of the show’s dancers, and “American Idol” finalist LaToya London ended up singing Braxton’s songs off stage. At that point there needed to be an excuse for the audience, so the show’s creator and director, Je’Caryous Johnson, told the paying customers that Braxton could make the final curtain call because she was experiencing an emergency.

The report goes on to say that neither Braxton nor Snoop have publicly spoken about the issue, but Tamar did promote the show’s tonight’s show at the Microsoft Theater on Instagram:

Oh yeah, one last thing. The report made mention of this one important, critical fact: prior to the delivery, security was unaware the food was supposed to be delivered.

Oops.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/tamar-trips-out-and-doesnt-finish-snoop-dogg-play-because-food-wasnt-delivered-during-intermission-report/

*Former LA Lakers/NBA superstar player Kobe Bryant just got a taste of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements when on Wednesday, he was booted from being a judge at the “Animation Is Film Festival.”

The action to remove Bryant came because of an online petition that demanded that he be removed due to a 2003 rape allegation.

The Change.org petition posted last week urged festival officials to remove Bryant from the jury, according to Variety, a festival sponsor. The petition claimed that keeping him on would set a “precedent” of leniency for sexual criminals and “undermine the visibility and respect” that victims deserve.

Dang, that’s pretty rough language when you consider he was never convicted. In any event, according to Eric Beckman, the CEO of GKIDS, the company that organized the “Animation Is Film Festival,” Bryant would be removed from the jury after discussions were held with festival stakeholders.

“We are a young organization and it is important to keep our collective energies focused on the films, the participating filmmakers, and our festival attendees,” Beckman said in a statement.

Bryant, 40, was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Colorado in 2003. A year after the accusation, prosecutors dropped the charges because the woman did not want to go ahead with a trial. Bryant said the sex was consensual.

It was just earlier this year in March that Bryant won an Academy Award in for his part in making the animated short, “Dear Basketball,” and faced similar scrutiny during the night’s ceremony, which centered on a “Time’s Up” anti-harassment theme.

“This decision further motivates me and my commitment to building a studio that focuses on diversity and inclusion in storytelling for the animation industry.”

The former basketballer and founder of animation company Granity Studios, released a statement saying he was honored to be invited and remains “focused on changing the world in positive ways.”

“I was honored to have been originally invited by Animation is Film to serve on the 2018 Jury, and am disappointed to no longer serve in that capacity,” Bryant’s statement said. “This decision further motivates me and my commitment to building a studio that focuses on diversity and inclusion in storytelling for the animation industry.”

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/kobe-bryant-2003-rape-allegation-leads-film-festival-to-drop-him-as-judge/

*The year’s best movie and a must see, “Green Book,” debunks white supremacists’ theory of superiority—in more ways than one. An average intelligent person would know that nothing could come of whites staying in the same hotel, eating at the same restaurant, or using the same bathroom as a black man. Yet, this depraved concept by many pseudo intelligent, wealthy whites existed as late as the 1960s.

“Green Book” tells an important story of race relations in America, but just as important is the relationship between Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and his chauffer, Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen). When Tony ends up behind bars, Don tells him, “You can never win with violence.” Ironically, one of Mortensen’s best films is “A History of Violence.”

When bouncer Tony from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class pianist, who lives at Carnegie Hall, on a concert tour through the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were safe for blacks. Confronted with racism, and the dangers of Jim Crow laws, they set aside their differences and form a lifetime bond.

Directed by Peter Farrelly, “Green Book” also stars Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco, Dimiter D. Marinov, and Don Stark.

‘Widows’

“Widows” is a familiar heist story but this time around women are in the driver’s seat. In the hands of director Steve McQueen, not only is the female centric concept different but the casting, particularly with Viola Davis as the desperate grieving wife left to clean up husband Harry Rawlins’ (Liam Neeson) mess. And kudos go the McQueen for the scene that show their son stopped by cops.

The story of “Widows” is set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities, take fate into their own hands, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Michelle Rodriguez, Colin Farrell, Cynthia Erivo,  Robert Duvall, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Kaluuya, Carrie Coon, and Brian Tyree also star.

‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grendelwald’

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grendelwald” (“FB”), directed by David Yates, picks up where “Fantastic Beasts” left off. The powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne).

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander to help. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

“FB” continues to amaze with its spectacular special effects and character engagements. A favorite “beast” is Nagini (Claudia Kim). One of the creepiest onscreen transformations is James Earl Jones in “Conan The Barbarian.” Kim comes close to that.

J.K. Rowlands has always been inclusive with casting and “FB” is no exception. Members of the black cast include Zoe Kravitz, Carmen Ejogo, Cornell John, Claudius Peters, William Nadylam, Jessica Williams, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Hugh Quarshie, Johanna Thea, and Thea Lamb.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/weekend-watch-green-book-debunks-theory-of-white-supremacists/

*“Warriors of Liberty City” is an eye-opening 6-part documentary that explores Liberty City, a crime-ridden neighborhood in Miami, Florida that is arguably the NFL’s most successful football factory.

Produced by LeBron James, the STARZ series follows a season with the Liberty City Warriors, a youth football program founded by an unlikely mentor: Luther Campbell (2 Live Crew), better known as “Uncle Luke.”

Now in its 29th year, the Liberty City Warriors Optimist Club is a youth organization that sponsors sports teams, dance, cheerleading, tutoring and academic support.

“What we do in our program, we take football and use it as a tool to lure the kids into the program but it’s really more about education,” Campbell tells EUR/Electronic Urban Report. “Because the first thing we do is tell the mom to come in and fill out an application for your kid to play. Two things in that application are very important: Do you have a voter’s registration card? If you check “No” we’re going to give you an application so you can go vote. And the next thing is, we need your kid’s last report card. We take his last report card and break the numbers down. After we break the numbers down, if he’s not over a 2.0 GPA, he automatically gets thrown into tutoring. We don’t turn them away.”

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Continuing, he added: “Now this kid is in tutoring. He’s getting educated because he wants to be there and able to play. Nine times out of ten, he’ll get the academic requirements and then he’ll get hooked on the academic part of it because he knows it coincides together. Our program goes year-round. I started it because I was a kid playing organized football on Miami Beach but the bad thing about it was that was the only place we could play organized sports. We had to be off Miami Beach at 6:00pm because, at the time, if you were black on Miami Beach after 6:00 you go to jail. This is what I’m experiencing as a kid. So that’s what made me start the program.”

The Liberty City neighborhood of Miami is primarily African-American and largely lower-income and boasts a number of notable football players including Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Willis McGahee and Devonta Freeman.

“Everybody looks at the success stories of the players who came out of there, you know the guys who played in the Super Bowl like Chad Johnson. But my favorite success story is a little, undersized kid, smaller than everybody that didn’t grow too tall, single parent household — difficult situation,” said Luke. “He comes in and gets the tutoring. He then gets hooked on education. He then goes to college. He ends up in college not through football, on academics. Leaves college to come back home and becomes a lawyer and then from a lawyer he becomes a defense attorney, from a defense attorney, through the program, he gets elected to become a Commissioner and Chairman of the Board. And as Chairman of the Board, the first thing he does is build a $6.5 million facility with classrooms that the program never had. You can’t even write that up! That’s the beautiful part about it. Those are the stories we have from the program, other than just football.

*Porsha Williams’ fiance/baby daddy has been slapped with a lawsuit for selling subpar items at his weave and extensions company, Queen Virgin Remy Hair.

RadarOnline.com reports that Dennis McKinley has been accused by Kimberly Garlick of “selling faulty merchandise” in the amount of $400 and “refusing to mediate” in June 2014. McKinley filed a motion to dismiss the civil suit later that year.

“Plaintiff Kimberly Garlick improperly filed an action against Defendant,” the court papers read. “Defendant denies all of Plaintiff’s allegations. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant sold faulty merchandise and refused to mediate.”

He claimed that Garlick “falsely indicated that she has an account with Defendant.”

“There is no legitimate basis under the facts of this case to substantiate a claim upon which relief may be granted,” he continued. “Defendant has never sold any merchandise to Plaintiff nor has had any dealings with Plaintiff, and therefore is an improperly named party to the lawsuit.”

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In September 2014, the Plaintiff asked for the case to be dismissed with prejudice.

In October, McKinley hit ex-girlfriend Shanise Thomason with a lawsuit for “trademark infringement, conversion and other wrongful acts” in regards to Queen Virgin Remy.

He claimed Thomason had no “ownership rights or interests in Queen Virgin Remy,” but that didn’t stop her from allegedly stealing $5,900 worth of merchandise from a retail store in Georgia on February 9, 2015, the report states. 

“Defendant Thomason entered the Queen Virgin Remy retail store in Columbus and unlawfully took Queen Virgin Remy hair products from the store without paying,” the May 8, 2015 complaint read. “Thomason entered into the Columbus store with a large black trash bag. She walked behind the front counter of the store and opened the door to the store’s stock room. She removed hair products inventory from storage bins and placed them into the black trash bag and left the store with the black trash bag filled with Queen Virgin Remy hair products.”

The ex-couple agreed upon a confidential settlement in 2018.

Meanwhile, Williams, 37, announced her pregnancy with McKinley in September. They are expecting a baby girl.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/porsha-williams-fiance-accused-of-selling-faulty-merchandise-at-hair-company/

*Following Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul’s intense knuckle drill Saturday night at the Staples Center late in the 4th quarter, the New York Post offers some insight into the duo’s history that may have led to the explosion.

“Lot of history between them,” a source told ESPN of Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul after the melee over the weekend.

Here’s how the NY Post breaks it down:

The feud goes as far back as the 2008 Olympics, when Paul, Jason Kidd and Deron Williams were the point guards chosen to lead the “Redeem Team,” and Rondo was left off the roster. That snubbing may have stuck with Rondo, who then played with Team USA in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, only to leave the team after a DNP when it became clear he was not going to get a slot.

If Rondo had any Olympic jealousy of Paul, he tried to play up any jealousy Paul, regarded as the better pro and a future Hall of Famer, may have had of him. In a 2009 on-court skirmish that broke out after a game between Paul’s Hornets and Rondo’s Celtics, the Boston point guard tried to emphasize what he had, and what Paul lacked.

“I’ve got a ring, and you’re never gonna win one,” Rondo told Paul, according to Adrian Wojnarowski, then of Yahoo.

The two tried to fight repeatedly that November night, with Paul having to be held back from the Celtics locker room, where he wanted to confront Rondo.

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Their long-simmering hostility came to a head Saturday.

As a result of the melee, CBS News reported that Ingram, Rondo and Paul were suspended without pay, with Paul taking the heaviest financial hit. Ingram was suspended four games, Rondo will sit out three games and Paul two games.

Meanwhile, the significant others of Chris and Rajon were also involved in a physical confrontation in the stands as their hubby’s feuded on the court.

via NY Post:

There was disagreement in the reports of how serious the fracas in the stands was. The Los Angeles Sentinel reported that Rondo’s girlfriend pushed Paul’s wife, Jada, who was sitting next to Savannah James, LeBron’s wife. The Athletic said that a member of Rondo’s family “confronted” Jada. The Houston Chronicle said someone made “inappropriate” comments to Jada.

Meanwhile, according to Complex:

NBA analyst Shams Charania reported that someone from Rondo’s family went after Chris Paul’s wife, Jada, in a confrontation. The family member said some inappropriate comments to her after the fight, which pissed off Paul even more. 

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/rajon-rondo-chris-pauls-history-of-beef-that-led-to-explosion/

*”Widows” is the rare Hollywood production that subverts your expectations in a positive way – while still leaving you feeling slightly unsatisfied when it ends.

The premise is refreshing. Turning the “men avenging a falling female loved one” on its head, “Widows” has its protagonists losing the men in their lived to a botched robbery and then trying to survive and thrive.

However, in the hands of director Steve McQueen, don’t expect a typical action/revenge picture. If anything, the film is a slow burn, with McQueen prioritizing putting the meat of characterization onto his characters’ bones rather than guns in their hands.

In short, don’t expect a female “Expendables” movie going into “Widows”.

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*Migos rappers Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff have filed a lawsuit against their former business partner for refusing to pay royalties from a clothing line they worked on.

According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the trio signed a deal in 2015 with Yung Rich Nation for work on a line of clothing, jewelry, and other apparel. Migos were to be paid a percentage from the sales but they accuse YRN of failing to properly pay up and refusing to provide accounting receipts. 

The group says YRN has produced Migos-related clothes without their permission, such as “Culture” — the name of two of their albums, and “Bad and Boujee,” the name of their hit record.

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Migos is suing for an injunction prohibiting the company from continuing to profit off their brand and for unspecified damages, the report states. 

And here’s more from The Blast:

Yung Rich Nation actually sued Migos over the same deal earlier this year. YRN claimed Quavo, Offset and Takeoff were supposed to wear the clothes in six music videos a year, participate in four photo shoots and make at least six appearances in stores.

The company claimed instead of following through on their deal, Migos went and entered into a separate deal with Universal Music Group to sell band apparel and ceased to work on the planned line with them.

YRN sued Migos seeking unspecified damages.

In related news, Migos and Sean Kingston have been hit with a lawsuit by a limo driver who claims he was injured after being caught up in a brawl between the hip-hop stars.

Michael Gradney has sued over the incident that went down February 21, 2017, in Las Vegas. He claims that while standing outside the limo, a fight broke out between Kingston, Migos and two other males and he was knocked down in the melee and “severely injured.”

According to The Blast report:

Gradney claims the Migos then ordered him to get back in the car and drive them away. He says throughout the ordeal, he “feared for his life.”

The driver is suing for assault and battery, and seeking unspecified damages for the alleged permanent physical and psychological injuries he suffered, the report states.

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/11/migos-sue-ex-business-partner-over-clothing-line-group-hit-with-lawsuit-by-limo-driver-injured-in-sean-kingston-fight/

*This is not the kind of story that will bring to mind that oldie but goodie by Shep and the Limelites called “Daddy’s Home.” Nope, we’re talking about the release former NFL player Rae Carruth, who was released from prison earlier today after serving 18 years for ordering the slaying of his pregnant girlfriend.

“I’m excited about just being out of here,” he told Charlotte’s WSOC-TV by phone a few days before his release from the Sampson Correctional Institution in North Carolina. “I’m nervous just about how I’ll be received by the public. I still have to work. I still have to live. I have to exist out there and it just seems like there is so much hate and negativity toward me.”

Carruth, a former first-round draft pick for the Carolina Panthers completed his sentence of 18 to 24 years, however he did not speak to reporters as he left the prison.

Carruth, now 44, was found guilty of orchestrating a plot to kill Cherica Adams to avoid paying child support. Adams was shot four times on Nov. 16, 1999 while driving her car in Charlotte, but managed to make a 911 call that pointed the finger at the NFL player.

Adams, eight months pregnant, died less than a month after the shooting. The child she was carrying was delivered (a boy who was named Chancellor), but suffers from permanent brain damage and cerebral palsy.

RELATED NEWS: RAE CARRUTH, FORMER NFL STAR TURNED KILLER, TELLS MOTHER OF WOMAN HE HAD KILLED, ‘SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR DAUGHTER’

Carruth has said he wants to have a relationship with Chancellor, who remains in the custody of his grandmother, Saundra Adams, had said she would be there when Carruth got out of prison, but she was not present on Monday.

Carruth, a wide-receiver, was drafted by the Panthers in 1997. Then Panthers center Frank Garcia said players were stunned when they heard the news of about his possible involvement in the murder.

“It would be like finding out the guy sitting in the cubicle next to you at work was arrested for murder,” Garcia said. “You just don’t always know people as well as you think you do.”

Some players testified at the trial, and others would spend time in the players’ lounge watching it on Court TV.

“That is one time where you were actually hiding from the cameras,” Garcia said. “You just wanted to stay low and not be involved. All along you’re asking yourself, ‘Did I miss any signs? How is somebody capable of this?’”

Carruth worked as a barber while behind bars, making about $1 per hour, according to North Carolina Department of Public Safety spokesman Jerry Higgins. He had signed a $3.7 million contract with the Panthers after being drafted.

Carruth also told WBTV (Charlotte, NC) in a recent interview he’s “excited” to get out of prison but nervous about how he’ll be received by the public, acknowledging there is “so much hate and negativity toward me.”

Hmmm, we wonder why. Maybe it’s the … cone head?

Source: https://www.eurweb.com/2018/10/ex-nfler-rae-carruth-released-from-prison-18-years-after-ordering-hit-on-pregnant-girlfriend/

Dungey oversaw ABC Entertainment since February 2016 and had been with the company since 2004 when she joined ABC Studios as vice president of drama development. With her at the helm, shows like “American Idol,” “Roseanne” and “The Good Doctor,” moved the network from fourth place among 18- to 49-year-olds to a three-way tie for second last season, according to Adweek.

While ABC quickly canceled “Roseanne,” it’s No. 1 show, in May after its star, Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet, Dungey told Adweek that in looking back on the debacle: “I don’t know that there’s anything we could have done differently.”

She added:

“I still am glad we made the show and brought this group of people together, because I’m hopeful that [Barr-free spinoff] ‘The Conners’ is going to continue this legacy in a new and different way,” she said at the time.

TRENDING: TAMAR TRIPS OUT AND DOESN’T FINISH SNOOP DOGG PLAY BECAUSE HER FOOD WASN’T DELIVERED DURING INTERMISSION: REPORT

OK, but what’s up with Dungey leaving her position? So far no one’s talking. But could it have something to do with her decision to can Roseanne Barr? Hmm, maybe, but we just don’t know at this point.

Meanwhile, Dungey is holding her head high because of what she achieved on her watch.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the team and I have accomplished over the years and all the meaningful and impactful programming we’ve developed,” Dungey, who will stay on in a transition period, said in a statement. “This job has been the highlight of my career. While I’ve loved every moment, and knew I could call ABC home for many years to come, I’m excited to tackle new challenges.”

Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger in a statement: “I’m grateful to Channing for her significant contributions and unwavering dedication to the success of ABC over the past 14 years. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to work with and mentor Channing; her curiosity, passion and creativity will ensure she is successful in whatever path she chooses going forward.”