Entertainment
MyKayla Skinner Accused of ‘Weaponizing White Tears’ in Call for Simone Biles to Call Off Fans’ ‘Cyberbullying’ Against Her Over Her Past Suspicious Remarks
Retired gymnast Mykayla Skinner Harmer says the backlash over her critical comments about her peers has turn out to be unbearable. And in an unexpected turn of events, she’s now asking her former teammate Simone Biles to intervene.
In an August 6 Instagram post asking for a break from online criticism, Skinner wrote, “Things have really gotten out of hand lately,” adding that she and her family and friends have been enduring “cyberbullying,” including “disgusting” threats of physical violence and death.
“Enough is enough… I take 100% responsibility for the poor wording of what I wanted to say,” she said. Biles and her U.S. teammates Jordan Chiles, Sunni Lee, Hezly Rivera and Jade Carey are coming off a winning streak on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Columbus, Ohio, native became the nation’s most decorated Olympic gymnast, adding 4 medals — three gold and one silver — to her collection, bringing her total to 11.
When the collective won top honors for their floor routines last week, Biles marked the milestone with a carousel of photos of them celebrating. She captioned the post, “no talent, lazy, Olympic champions,” a veiled response to Skinner that fans picked up on.
Skinner’s feet, so to speak, were put to the test after a now-deleted YouTube video she posted in June went viral, in which she said, “Aside from Simone, I feel like the talent and depth isn’t what it used to be. Just notice a lot of girls don’t work as hard anymore. … Girls just don’t have the work ethic.”
The young mother last competed on the Games in 2021, when she filled in for Biles, who was unable to compete in several events because she suffers from what has been variously described as a disorienting condition referred to as “twisties.”
Skinner won her only medal – a silver – after a powerful horse show jumping.
Following her July 6 apology to X, her admission of the fallout from her remarks included reiterating that she had publicly apologized to each of the ladies, noting that Biles was the one gymnast to respond — and gracefully — and reiterating in the post that she had not intended to discredit the gymnasts together with her remarks.
For anyone wondering, here’s MyKayla Skinner’s explanation for calling the US gymnastics team untalented and lazy 😳👀 photo:twitter.com/NDXIYqJvSQ
— Sophie Rain’s Thread 🔥❤️ (@SophieRainForum) July 31, 2024
Still, Skinner claimed that Biles sparked a firestorm of criticism together with her celebratory post last week. Even now, Skinner is taking responsibility for putting an end to the “hateful comments” directed at Biles. Amid the wave of criticism of Skinner last week, Biles revealed that Skinner had blocked her on social media. She was also not tagged by Skinner in the post.
“To Simone, I am asking you directly and publicly to put an end to this. Please ask your followers to stop. You have been an incredible advocate for mental health awareness, and so many people need your help right now,” Skinner said in her plea.
She continued: “We have been hurt and attacked in a way that you certainly did not intend. Your performance, the team’s performance and the Olympics in general should be a time where we support each other and lift up our country.”
Her comments were limited, leaving room only for supporters to voice their opinions. They wrote things like, “As someone who promotes how important mental health is, I was sad to see yours wasn’t taken into consideration.”
But elsewhere online, supporters of the highest Olympic athlete were quick to criticize Skinner for what many saw as an attempt to embarrass Biles and force her to defend herself.
“It is also unacceptable that she uses Simone’s mental health issues and arguments to make her feel guilty when her own comments could also affect the mental health of the rest of Team USA.” He posed one person in X
Another person wrote: “@mykaylaskinner started with Simone and now she’s on Instagram trying to weaponize White Tears, asking Simone to make people leave her alone like it’s her responsibility.”
@mykaylaskinner she is actually a top shelf Karen. She antagonizes people publicly but as an alternative of apologizing after being proven to be SO evil, she chooses to play the victim and further antagonize Simone Biles. Bitch, just turn off your social media and disappear into even greater obscurity
— Mayor_McAwesome (@Mayor_McAwesome) August 6, 2024
Someone else thought this response was deserved and he wrote“YOU SAID WHAT YOU SAID, you just didn’t think a pretty blonde would get back at you for trying to dunk on a non-white girl. You deserve EVERYTHING YOU GET, and Simone doesn’t have to save you. I don’t want anything, DON’T START ANYTHING.”
Biles has previously been open about her mental health, admitting she was hesitant to seek therapy after withdrawing from several events on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Biles and her teammates have already finished their competition, but they’ll remain in Paris for the closing ceremony on Aug. 11. At 27, the gymnastics superstar is the oldest person to compete on the mat this 12 months. She has not announced any plans to retire.
You really want to stop asking athletes what happens next after they win an Olympic medal.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 4, 2024
Entertainment
An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit
Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”
She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.
Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.
On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”
One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.
Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.
Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, cropped a photograph of him in a jumpsuit and then set Instagram on fire with her look.https://t.co/n7YNGctQFE pic.twitter.com/DNKP2i9o9C
— Sean Joseph (@sjoseph_sports) December 2, 2024
When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.
Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”
Lauren Sanchez 2003 vs. Lauren Sanchez 2024
Nothing to see here, people, move on#LaurenSanchez pic.twitter.com/mgr4vj6mFq
— Occam was right (@OccamWasRight) November 21, 2024
Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”
Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.
Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.
Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.
Entertainment
Apart from the song with singer-songwriter India Shawn – Andscape
India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.
“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”
Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.
Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.
Name:
India Shawn
Hometown:
Los Angeles
Artistic soundscape
Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric
The oldest musical memory
Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.
Influences
For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.
Creative process
Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”
Challenges and development
As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”
Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.
Current project
“There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”
Entertainment
ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence
With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.
Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.
From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.
In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.
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