Entertainment
The Winter Olympics pale in comparison to the diversity of the Summer Olympics.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a lecture entitled “The Other America” in March 1968, outlining our nation’s schizophrenic dualism. “There are two Americas,” he declared.
American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos showed the same thing six months later, each raising a gloved fist in defense of black power as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played at the Mexico City Olympics. The Summer Games have been a time for us to express our views since 1904, when hurdler George Coleman Poage was first African American win an Olympic medal. And nothing has modified.
Sports contain metaphors for all times and lessons about commitment, sacrifice, winning and overcoming defeat. They are taught in a universal language that each athlete in the world can understand. However, visitors from outer space would have a distorted view of the United States if their observations were based solely on Team USA.
If aliens got Fox News first, they’d think DEI had gone crazy in Paris. But we all know the truth.
In contrast to Whiter Winter Olympics, Summer Olympics are warmer and more welcoming to black athletes, especially in track and field. Ever since Jesse Owens figuratively gave Adolf Hitler the finger by winning 4 gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games, Team USA has been eager to make room for our greatest runners and jumpers.
But we bring flavor and special sauce to many more events nowadays. Gymnastics, Of coursebut additionally swimming, fencejudo, rugby and water polo. The photos of the U.S. team at the Summer Games are bursting with diversity, capturing the colourful, multicultural nature of the country much better than the Winter Games, which took place in the cold and snow.
It’s like noticing the glaring difference in photos from the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. In the former, we’re in every single place, but in the latter, we’re few and much between.
The Summer Olympics don’t discriminate. The entire continent and its diasporas are practically non-existent in other Games. Only six athletes from five countries represented Mother Africa at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Black America didn’t produce a Winter Games medalist until figure skater Debi Thomas (bronze) in 1988; at the 2006 Games, speed skater Shani Davis became the first African-American woman to win a person gold medal.
I even have little question that black and other black athletes could excel in skiing, ice skating and other cold-weather sports. But access barriersincluding the costs, don’t help matters. I believe the cold weather is one other deterrent. A beach vacation as a substitute of a ski trip is the obvious solution for me.
Winter is coming. These words are ominous in Game of Thrones, conveying an astronomical fact and a grave warning. While our difficult months may not include White Walkers, shorter days and cooler temperatures are guaranteed. We will miss the days of summer, which this 12 months include a powerful historical view.
Sports
Donald Trump may ask when Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade became black, but she is 100% ours, as are Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles. When these gymnasts won medals in the women’s freestyle, they formed the first all-black podium in Olympic history. Biles (silver) and Chiles (bronze) went all out, congratulating their Brazilian sister, bowing in respect and admiration for her struggles against poverty and three ACL injuries.
Bile he told people “They showed good sportsmanship and had fun because it was their last competition.” But the presence of three black women on the podium didn’t go unnoticed by the biggest gymnast of all time. “It was representation,” Biles said. “For all the little girls and boys who look like us to believe in themselves that they can do it.”
We see little girls and boys who appear like us throughout the world, coming together at the Summer Olympics to compete with one another and with athletes who look nothing like us.
Nationalities are different and melanin is different, but racing just isn’t interested in racing. Like hoops, swimming, fighting or another competition. American sprinter Noah Lyles said“Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I love the USA, but that’s not the world,” seems like many of us. We root for the red, white and blue, but we even have a soft spot for Team Black, the athletes on our side of the international color line. The athletes on Team Jamaica are reliable, but some members of Team France appear like the people in my supermarket. You would never know a brother or sister was representing Team England unless they opened their mouths.
That is the beauty of the Summer Olympics, the Olympic kaleidoscope.
This is one of the few instances where the two Americas appear as one.
Entertainment
Bishop TD Jakes’ Sunday sermon interrupted by illness scare, viewers believe he had a ‘stroke’
Beloved pastor and spiritual leader Bishop TD Jakes caused quite a scare amongst his faithful and online followers during his televised Sunday service on November 24 from The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas.
The church was filled with worshipers when the 66-year-old preacher suddenly suffered a health emergency while preaching, prompting many to fear he can have suffered a stroke or heart attack.
Sitting all the way down to deliver his message, Jakes began the service by expressing his unwavering passion for service.
“I still love preaching. I’m not uninterested in preaching,” he said, drawing thunderous applause from the congregation. He rubbed his face and admitted, “I miss you.”
Jakes then shared an analogy concerning the power of preaching. Comparing it to visiting patients within the hospital, he thought, “You think you’re giving something, but you get back more than you gave,” his voice was hoarse with emotion as he added, “I love you.”
Jakes’ hand began to shake, but at this point the shaking was not noticeable as he lowered the microphone.
His tone modified as he prayed: “Now, Lord, let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in Your sight. O Lord, my strength, my Redeemer, let them go in peace.”
The pastor’s body trembled much more as he dropped his handkerchief, signaling that something was fallacious to his team and the armor bearers who sprang into motion, rushing to his aid. They might be heard over microphones calling on people to “step back” and “give him some space.”
The camera recording the image moved forwards and backwards, showing people within the pews reaching out to the preacher and praying.
Bishop TD Jakes had a medical emergency during today’s service. I’m unsure if it was a stroke.
Pray for TD Jakes pic.twitter.com/6eUc5X7TwF— Lutomia Goddy (@LutomiaMGodfrey) November 24, 2024
Page six he stated that the live broadcast was interrupted shortly thereafter, however the moment had already sparked widespread concern online.
Social media platforms were soon flooded with reactions, prayers and speculations.
“It looks like a stroke. The same thing happened to me, I sat too long with my legs dangling. I even have a blood clot. That’s exactly what happened,” one person said common.
Someone else he said“I hope it’s not pneumonia.”
Another concerned copycat he wrote“The probate was due to the stress of the allegations.”
Others chimed in with messages of support, including “Prayers for him and his family.”
As hopeful news continues to trickle in, Jakes finds himself at the middle of the storm once more – amid multiple allegations surrounding his involvement with Sean “Diddy” Combs following the arrest and indictment of the Bad Boy Records founder.
Likely a results of the stress of the accusations
— HCH (@Sammy20545318) November 24, 2024
YouTuber Tasha K sent viral video of Jakes throughout the service, although reactions from her followers ranged from concern to disrespect.
“Everyone has been struggling since Diddy went down,” one person joked.
Others said, “He must repent. Rumor has it that he attended Diddy’s parties.
“I hope this wasn’t a skit! It seems strange that this happened right after all the things he said. I even have so many questions,” one person commented, adding, “Was he sick to the purpose that he had to sit down all the way down to preach? He seems exhausted, so should he have preached there? Is this some stunt he’s pulling because he knows he’s (perhaps) about to hit the fan? I hope he’s okay.
Several followers were outraged by the remark and wrote: “You should be ashamed of these comments.”
Jakes and Diddy are closer than many thought. In 2021, they announced “Kingdom Culture with TD Jakes” on Revolt, the network founded by Diddy. The following yr, Bishop was captured on video at Diddy’s 53rd birthday celebration.
While some viewed his latest statements as denials, reps claimed that Jakes only showed as much as Diddy’s party since it was a “respectful order” for the one that hosted your show on the network.
In February 2024, Jakes’ name appeared in one other lawsuit against Combs, this time filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, producer of Diddy’s “The Love Album: Off the Grid.” Jones sought $30 million in damages, claiming he was drugged, sexually harassed and possibly assaulted, and compelled into compromising situations involving prostitutes.
Although Jakes was not a defendant within the lawsuit, Jones accused Diddy of wanting to “use his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes to mitigate the impact on his public image” stemming from the fallout from a previous lawsuit filed by Cassie Ventura, which Diddy settled inside 24 hours of filing application in November 2023.
Since then, the Justice Department has raided Combs’ homes before bringing a series of great charges against him.
Although Jakes has not been accused of any wrongdoing, his relationship with Diddy, which dates back a few years, raises eyebrows.
In response, his team issued a blanket denial. Jordan A. Hora, executive director of public relations and communications for TD Jakes Group, TD Jakes Ministries and The Potter’s House said via statement to The Christian Post: “Recent claims circulating on social media about Bishop TD Jakes are unequivocally false and baseless.”
Jakes himself briefly touched on this topic in his sermon last Christmas, stating, “I will not use this holy day and this holy pulpit to speak of lies when I have the opportunity to preach the truth.”
Now, almost a yr later, that very same pulpit has develop into the positioning of his health scares. Hours after the incident, The Potter’s House released a statement assuring followers that Jakes had received medical attention.
“During today’s service, Bishop TD Jakes experienced a minor health incident and received immediate medical attention following his hour-long message,” the statement read. “Bishop Jakes is stable and under medical care.
“The entire Potter’s House family is grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers and support from the community. Thank you for your understanding and continued prayers.”
Statement from the Potter household in Dallas
November 24, 2024During today’s service, Bishop TD Jakes experienced a minor health incident and received immediate medical attention after his full hour-long message. Bishop Jakes is stable and under medical care… pic.twitter.com/QupVK29mQd
— TD Jakes (@BishopJakes) November 24, 2024
Singer Fred Hammond also reported the news on his Instagram: “The last news I received is that the bishop is doing well and resting!!!”
He later wrote: “Latest news. Bishop was in a position to rise up and walk to the wheelchair. And when he was near his chair (pulpit), he walked as much as the microphone and said, ‘I’ll see you next week.’
Queen Latifah was also one among many individuals to reply, writing, “God bless you Pastor Jakes! God actually heals. I already know that your assistance is on the way in which. I thank God upfront for all the things that is occurring in your behalf. Amen.”
As Bishop Jakes recovers, the church community and his hundreds of thousands of supporters unite behind him in prayer, hoping that their beloved leader will soon return to the pulpit where he inspired so many.
Entertainment
Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ fiancée reacted harshly to marriage plans days after ‘low cost and classless’ selfie shocks fans
Journalist Lauren Sánchez resides proof that life after 50 may be filled with surprises and billionaire weddings.
The former “Good Day LA” host and current fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos stopped by “Today with Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie” to talk to the hosts about some pretty essential topics, like awarding $110 million to 40 scholarship recipients to fight homelessness and her upcoming space adventure with an all-female crew.
But naturally, the conversation turned to what everyone really wants to know: When will she walk down the aisle with the third-richest man on this planet?
When asked concerning the alleged winter wedding, Sánchez initially acted shy. “So you asked?” – she said with a sly smile, looking around as her face turned pink. Her nervousness made Hoda and Savannah burst out laughing.
Trying to change the situation, Sánchez began talking about her busy schedule, but eventually let her excitement get the higher of her.
“You, as far as the book tour goes, we’ve been talking about the book tour and, you know, getting grantees… takes up a lot of my time and then the holidays… That’s what I’m getting to,” she said previously, adding, “I’m very excited thinking about the dress.”
She even admitted that despite her billionaire fiancé, she is just like several other bride.
“I have to admit, I have Pinterest. I’m just like any other bride. So I have a Pinterest board,” she said. Then, reflecting on where she is now, Sánchez added: “I never thought that at the age of 54… I would become a writer, that I would get married. I mean, life is just beginning. When I was 20, I thought, “Oh my God, life ends at 50.” Let me tell you, that’s not the case, ladies. It’s not over yet. It just keeps getting better.”
While the helicopter pilot’s luck is clear, the web stays skeptical. Daily Mail readers weren’t ashamed participatory their opinions.
“There seemed to be something off about her reaction about the wedding. This is not the man of her dreams. It was hard for her to say it and she said it twice,” wrote one commenter. Another joked: “This is the bank account of her dreams.”
Some have speculated concerning the delay in wedding planning. “She is not interested in wedding issues because he has no plans to ever marry her,” one commenter suggested, while one other said: “Lawyers on either side are still negotiating and arguing concerning the terms of the marriage, details about how much money. ought to be allocated to her cosmetic surgery fund. Some are asking for thousands and thousands, others for billions.
However, it doesn’t appear that this murmuring has reached Sánchez in any respect.
In November, she gave Vogue a sneak peek at her wedding plans, or lack thereof.
“We are still thinking about getting married. What will it be? Will it be big? Will it be abroad? We don’t know yet. We’ve only been engaged for five months!” she said, hinting at a possible destination wedding.
Despite all of the talk, Lauren resides her best life. She recently posted a horny photo of herself wearing a skimpy black minidress, knee-high boots and a red trench coat, accessorized with a diamond necklace with the letter “B” on it – likely a nod to her man’s name, Bezos. But even her fashion selections have drawn criticism. Some said her appearance was tacky, while others accused her of trying too hard to flaunt her wealth and status.
Either way, the young lady who sat behind the category because she had dyslexia will now turn out to be one among the richest women on this planet, so she is going to have the last laugh. Rumors say that the marriage will happen later this yr.
Say what you would like about Sánchez, but she’s clearly benefiting from her middle-aged glow.
Whether the marriage is a small, intimate affair or a billionaire’s blunder, one thing is definite: she doesn’t let anything – or anyone – dim her shine. After all, as she says: “Life keeps getting better.”
Entertainment
‘Wicked’ star Cynthia Erivo gets pushed aside for Ariana Grande in British newspapers despite being British
Everywhere you switch you can find some promotion for the highly anticipated film “Wicked” starring two of its leading castmates, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.
However, fans on social media have noticed something strange: the British press – in fact, just some elements of it – as a substitute of highlighting Erivo – a homegrown talent and the lead in the film – appear to put Ariana Grande at the middle of their coverage.
The irony here is nearly too palpable. “Wicked” tells the story of Elphaba, who was rejected and overshadowed by Glinda due to her green skin. Replace green with black and the real-world similarities turn into inconceivable to disregard.
Elphaba Erivo, the emotional heart of the story, is once more overshadowed – this time by a blonde and white star on newspaper covers. Fans saw it as a textbook example of racial prejudice, turning what must have been a celebration of British talent into an uncomfortable reminder of persistent inequality.
Many fans find it painfully ironic that Erivo’s country is reluctant to spotlight her while supporting Grande, who, let’s face it, is not even starring.
“Cynthia Eviro has never appeared on the cover of this newspaper. She literally plays the MAIN character Elphaba and it’s so easy to find a picture of both of them. I hate what the white media is doing in the UK” – one among the X users he tweeted together with a viral video featuring the front few pages of The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail. All three newspapers are News Corp. publications, owned by the identical conservative-leaning media conglomerate that has subsidiaries resembling Fox News in the United States.
The racism in the British media is obvious as they’d relatively prioritize an American than a Native in a lead role. Despite, #Mean stands out as an exceptional, emotional and epic classic.
FULL VIDEO REVIEW: https://t.co/KXnP4XuNQI pic.twitter.com/ZIXKlLSxPj
— Dre. (@Stilldreacts) November 20, 2024
One newspaper only highlighted Grande’s appearance on the London premiere, but not Erivo, who was also present.
Another person sent“Cynthia Erivo is the HEAD lady, she is also British. Do you know how racist the British media is by cutting out THEIR OWN HOME LADY from photos to focus on a White American woman?! SMDH.”
Third comment To read“The British press does not show Cynthia erivo on the covers of newspapers… the aggression is not so micro.”
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande on the premiere of the movie “Wicked” in London. pic.twitter.com/ONQaN3zxv6
— Movie updates (@FilmUpdates) November 18, 2024
The irony of this lack of respect is that Erivo may be very happy with her British identity.
A couple of years ago, quite a few tweets got here to light in which she appeared to make disparaging comments about black Americans and emphasize her Nigerian and English heritage. In one tweet from 2013, she was called out for saying that she used the “ghetto America” style when writing words in an African-American language.
The backlash was swift, with critics questioning her for insulting black Americans when her biggest roles were playing characters from the United States.
“Well, there’s something like this. Cynthia Ervio desires to play famous black Americans while disrespecting black Americans. That’s my problem,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Well, there it’s. Cynthia Ervio desires to play famous black Americans while disrespecting black Americans. It’s my business. https://t.co/H2lSYBPJa7 pic.twitter.com/Yv1ReZl3hT
— T̷h̷e̷ ̷M̷i̷s̷t̷r̷e̷s̷s̷ ̷O̷f̷ ̷C̷h̷a̷o̷s̷ (@M3GAN_E_KNOWLES) November 16, 2024
For a story about difficult norms and supporting marginalized people, “Wicked”‘s media premiere struck a sour note with some fans.
Many people in America focused not on the story, but on the small size of each stars. People say that each Erivo and Grande look extremely slim, which has sparked discussion that each are competing to be smaller than the opposite.
Another controversy arose when the Nigerian-British woman complained a couple of fan-made poster posted online that appeared to cover her face but clearly featured Grande. The original artwork shows her face prominently.
“This is the wildest and most offensive thing I have ever seen, comparable to the terrible artificial intelligence of our fight… Our poster is a tribute, not an imitation. Editing my face and hiding my eyes means erasing me. This is just deeply painful,” she wrote on Twitter.
Cynthia Erivo reacted to viral ‘WICKED’ poster changes:
“This is the wildest and most offensive thing I have ever seen, comparable to the terrible artificial intelligence of our fight… Our poster is a tribute, not an imitation. Editing my face and hiding my eyes means erasing me. It’s just deeply painful.” pic.twitter.com/y3P1Qh379S
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 16, 2024
For her, it was a matter of erasure. Fans consider the identical erasure is going on in the media in her home country.
“Cynthia Erivo is an award-winning triple threat, TALENT on at least two continents” – one fan he argued before declaring: “The British press is rubbish.”
The United Nations Working Group on People of African Descent conducted a study in 2012 which found that the UK has an issue with the mistreatment of black people in the press and in on a regular basis life.
This is clearly visible in the British media’s treatment of former Duchess Meghan Markle, throwing mud at her in various headlines and, in one case, promoting that she is just not black.
While the ‘Harriet’ star is poised to deliver a shocking performance because the misunderstood Elphaba, the British press’s deal with the favored former Nickelodeon star and pop princess looks as if a missed opportunity for self-celebration.
Like Elphaba herself, Erivo can have the last word and prove that regardless of who’s on the quilt, it is the underdog’s story that counts.
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