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Muhammad Ali’s childhood home is up for sale in Kentucky after being converted into a museum

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – The pink house where Muhammad Ali grew up dreaming of boxing stardom – and where tons of of fans gathered to say an emotional farewell as his funeral procession passed a long time later – is up for sale.

A two-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Louisville was transformed into a museum that offered a glimpse into the early life of the boxing champion and humanitarian known all over the world as The Greatest. The house was put up for sale Tuesday together with two neighboring homes – one was converted into a welcome center-gift shop and the opposite was slated to turn out to be a short-term rental.

The owners are asking $1.5 million for the three properties. Finding a buyer willing to maintain Ali’s childhood home as a museum could be “the best possible outcome,” said co-owner George Bochetto.

“It’s part of Americana,” said Bochetto, a Philadelphia lawyer and former Pennsylvania boxing commissioner. “It’s part of our history. And it should be treated and respected as such.”

The museum opened to the general public shortly before Ali’s death in 2016. Bochetto and his then-business partner restored the frame house to what it looked like when Ali – then often called Cassius Clay – lived there together with his parents and younger brother.

“You walk into this house … you go back to 1955 and you’re inside the Clay family home,” Bochetto told The Associated Press in a 2016 interview.

Using old photos, developers recreated furniture, appliances, artworks and even the pink facade of the home from when Ali lived there. The museum showed movies specializing in the story of Ali’s upbringing, fairly than his extensive boxing profession.

“For me, it’s a bigger and more important story,” Bochetto said last week in an interview.

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Ali began his boxing profession after stealing a bicycle. Wanting to report a crime, 12-year-old Ali was introduced to Joe Martin, a police officer who also served as a boxing trainer at a local gym. Ali told Martin that he desired to flog the perpetrator. The thief was never found, nor was the bicycle, but Ali became a regular at Martin’s gym.

Ali lived in this house when he went to the 1960 Olympics. He returned as a gold medal winner, embarking on a profession that made him one of the crucial recognizable figures in the world as a three-time heavyweight boxing champion and globe-trotting humanitarian.

The house became a point of interest all over the world on the day of Ali’s burial, when tons of of individuals lined the road in front of the home as his hearse and funeral procession slowly passed by.

Despite its high-profile debut, the museum ran into financial problems and closed lower than two years after opening. The museum is positioned in Louisville’s West Side, a few miles from downtown, where the Muhammad Ali Center preserves his humanitarian and boxing legacy.

As efforts to reopen the childhood museum have waned, offers to maneuver the 1,200-square-foot (111-square-meter) house to Las Vegas, Philadelphia and even Saudi Arabia have been rejected, Bochetto said.

“I wouldn’t do that because it’s an important piece of Louisville history, Kentucky history, and I think it should stay where it is,” he said.

Las Vegas real estate investor Jared Weiss bought Ali’s childhood home – then neglected and empty – in 2012 for $70,000 with a plan to renovate it. Three years later, Weiss established cooperation with Bochetto, which acquired half of the shares in the project. The two were die-hard Ali fans and spent tons of of hundreds of dollars on the renovation project. They also bought two neighboring houses, financed a documentary film, subsidized museum operations and incurred expenses on all three properties. Weiss has died and his wife is co-owner of the project, Bochetto said.

Bochetto now said he hopes to search out a buyer with the “marketing and operational know-how” to make the museum a success.

“I want to make sure it continues to operate like this and never returns to the place where it was abandoned or destroyed,” he said. “This should never have happened.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Pharrell Williams ‘Irritated’ by Celebrity Political Endorsements

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Pharrell Williams shouldn’t be a fan of celebrity political endorsements. In an interview with Hollywood ReporterThe multi-faceted star shared her more “humanist” view of politics and her opinion on the music and entertainment industry’s involvement in elections.

“I’m more of a humanitarian. I like people who try to help others. I’m not sure I’ll ever vote for the far right. I won’t,” he reportedly said with fun. “But I’m not really into politics. I do like some of the politics; I think education is important. We have a nonprofit called YELLOW (whose mission is equality through education), and then there’s another 501(c)(3) that helps black and brown entrepreneurs called Black Ambition—those are the things I lean into. I’m not an activist, but I believe in action.”

As hundreds of men and girls rally to support Vice President Kamala Harris within the 2024 presidential election, Williams revealed his mixed feelings about celebrities publicly endorsing political candidates. When asked if he would allow any party to make use of his music of their campaigns, as Beyoncé did with Harris, Williams said no, adding that he sometimes “gets irritated” by celebrities getting involved in politics.

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“Sometimes I get annoyed when I see celebrities trying to tell you (who to vote for). There are celebrities I respect who have their own opinions, but not all of them. I’m one of those people (who says, ‘What the hell? Shut up. Nobody asked you,'” he explained. “When people come out and start thinking they’re righteous, they roll up their sleeves and go around with a sign saying, ‘Shut up!'”

In recent years, celebrity endorsements have turn into a key a part of each parties’ political campaigns. While Williams apparently has no plans to endorse anyone this election cycle, he publicly endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. Similarly, he sent former President Trump a letter demanding that he stop using his song “Happy” at one in all his rallies.

“Politics is not my field of expertise,” he said, at a Clinton rally in 2016“But I am a human being. I am a human being with a family, a human being who shares this Earth with other people. These elections are simply too important. I could not sit on the sidelines and just remain silent.”

Social media users were quick to criticize the Louis Vuitton menswear creative director for his seemingly contradictory comments.

“I respectfully disagree, Pharrell. The voices of the informed can educate,” one user wrote on X.

“That’s a privileged approach, lol,” said one other as well as.

Regardless of your opinion on celebrity political endorsements, Williams’ statement reminds us how vital it’s to do your research and fully understand the ballot before casting your vote.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Jennifer Lopez allegedly wants ‘revenge’ on Ben Affleck, revealing how he ‘let her down’ in the bedroom amid embarrassing divorce

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Soon-to-be-four-time divorcee Jennifer Lopez is reportedly gearing up to disclose unflattering details about her relationship with Ben Affleck following their recent split.

According to a brand new report, Lopez, 55, who has previously praised their passionate sex life in her music, is now considering changing her praise and should be preparing to release a song that paints a very different picture.

jlo-ben-affleck revenge
Sources claim that singer Jennifer Lopez wants to embarrass her soon-to-be ex-husband Ben Affleck with songs about his poor bedroom performance. (Photos: @jlo/(Instagram; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

As tensions between them intensify following their breakup, a more essential side of their time together begins to come back to light.

Lopez, who once bragged about watching the “Good Will Hunting” actor have sex in the bedroom while singing sensual lyrics in “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” appears to be changing his tune on Affleck’s abilities in the bedroom.

“When things were going well between them, J.Lo put Ben and his bedroom skills on a pedestal,” the insider said. revealed to In Touch, “but she’s taken off her rose-tinted glasses and is telling people he was actually a pretty selfish and basic lover.”

This marks a major change from Lopez’s previous tributes to Affleck, in which she appeared to idolize him each personally and physically.

Her latest album, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, released in February, was intended to have a good time their renewed romance.

Lopez’s ninth studio album featured a companion film that showcased their relationship in a vibrant light. While she produced the project herself, In Touch’s alleged source claims that Affleck played a major role behind the scenes, likely controlling the narrative greater than people realize.

Just two months after the project’s premiere, the couple announced their end of collaboration and have remained separated ever since.

However, Lopez’s tone has reportedly modified drastically. She not praises Affleck’s talent but as a substitute expresses frustrations about their personal lives, especially his mediocre performance in the bedroom, a brand new report claims.

“She’s so pissed she wrote all those sexy lyrics about him,” an alleged insider told In Touch, claiming Lopez is considering writing one other song that exposes Affleck’s flaws.

The person said at the time: “She says she’s now ready to write a breakup song that hits where it hurts most and makes up to him for all the ways he let her down, including in the bedroom.”

Adding that Lopez uses writing as an outlet for her emotions and that her team is fully supportive of the idea, the anonymous spokesperson said, “She’s very emotional and angry right now, and part of the way she deals with her emotions is by keeping a journal and writing. Her team is encouraging her to channel that into songwriting.”

Lopez’s longtime manager Benny Medina and her team are reportedly urging her to pursue the project, though some speculate they’ve been working behind the scenes to break Affleck’s image since their marriage began to unravel.

This alleged manipulation is not any stranger to those that have previously been involved with Lopez’s life.

Her first husband, Ojani Noa, recently spoke to the Daily Mail about the similar treatment he experienced during his marriage to the star.

“(Her people) wanted her to look good for everything that was coming out — the movie, the album, and they didn’t want any bad publicity,” Noa claimed. “They made it sound like I didn’t want to be with her, and it was the opposite.”

There’s no word on whether Lopez plans to officially channel her frustrations with Affleck into recent music. She’s currently promoting her latest film, “Unstoppable,” a project she co-produced with Affleck and his longtime friend Matt Damon. Lopez recently attended the Toronto International Film Festival to advertise the film, although Affleck was noticeably absent.

Despite their split, the duo have remained in touch, reportedly raising their combined family together. Lopez and Affleck were recently spotted at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where they met up with their children — Affleck’s daughter Seraphina, 15, son Samuel, 12, and Lopez’s twins, Emme and Max, 16 — for a family chat.

Art often imitates life, and Lopez’s story suggests she could use this tumultuous time to fuel her creativity. Whether it’s a chart-topping song or successful movie, the fallout from this breakup could encourage her next big hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Fans slam Oprah Winfrey’s ‘shady’ move to hide her secrets after blocking upcoming documentary on her life

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Oprah Winfrey has officially halted production on her online documentary, but fans want to know why.

The billionaire actress and former talk show host reportedly spent “a fortune” to make sure the docuseries never saw the sunshine of day after she fell out with Oscar-winning filmmaker and director Kevin Macdonald over the biopic project.

oprah winfrey documentary
Oprah Winfrey faces criticism after paying a “fortune” to block a documentary about her life. (Photo: MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

According to Page SixA rep for the 70-year-old media mogul confirmed she paid to shelve the documentary after her content take care of Apple expired in September 2022.

“As her Apple TV+ deal was coming to an end, Ms. Winfrey purchased the rights to her docuseries and has since decided to put the documentary on hold,” Oprah’s spokesperson told Page Six.

Additionally, one other source said, “Kevin made a video, but Oprah didn’t like it and refused to make changes, so Oprah gave Apple her fee back.”

While speculation suggested McDonald refused to comply with Winfrey’s requests to edit, the TV personality’s team denied the claims, with Oprah’s camp insisting to Page Six that “it just wasn’t the right time to do the documentary.”

It comes amid speculation that Winfrey spent “millions” on the rights to the documentary. However, Team Oprah dismissed the concept the deal was price seven figures.

Deadline Originally announced as an Oprah Winfrey documentary for Apple TV+ in January 2021, MacDonald teamed up with Emmy-nominated producer Lisa Erspamer to create the now-cancelled biopic, which was to be presented in two parts.

They previously worked together on the documentary “Whitney,” which premiered in U.S. theaters in July 2018.

Internet users reacted to the news that the documentary had been frozen, with many wondering whether Winfrey was fearful that some damaging information was about to be released.

“Well isn’t that suspicious!” one person wrote within the Page Six comments section. Another person asked, “What is she afraid of or hiding?”

Similar footage appeared on the X program. For example, in response to an article concerning the cancellation of the documentary, an individual identifying himself as a Donald Trump supporter he tweeted“What is Oprah hiding?”

Another X account published“Oprah Winfrey spent a fortune to prevent a documentary from being released, that sounds credible… money tells the truth… not the truth.”

Winfrey was a goal of conservatives throughout the 2024 presidential campaign. The Tennessee State University graduate endorsed Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, drawing the ire of Donald Trump’s MAGA legion.

After making a surprise appearance on the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Winfrey faced backlash from Trump supporters over allegations of abuse related to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa.

Winfrey apologized to the parents of scholars who accused a Leadership Academy worker of molestation in 2007. Tiny Makopo, a dormitory supervisor at the college, he was acquitted of 14 charges related to allegations of abuse.

Winfrey’s announcement that she would hold a virtual “Unite for America” ​​rally in support of Harris also sparked outrage from the appropriate.

Critics have relentlessly hounded the “Beloved” star over her alleged “disappearance of girls” allegations, despite no evidence to support the disappearance of any Leadership Academy students.

Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi. After graduating from college and dealing in journalism, she became a household name, hosting the favored program “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from September 1986 to May 2011.

The so-called “Queen of All Media” has built an empire price $3 billion. Winfrey earned an Oscar nomination for her role within the 1985 film “The Color Purple.” She can be a two-time Emmy winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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