Entertainment
Kirk Franklin explains how a near-fight with his mother’s husband led to a decades-long estrangement
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin has long been known for his transparency with fans and his ability to transform life’s challenges into uplifting music.
In 2023, with the discharge of his album Father’s Day, Franklin shared a good more personal look into his life, revealing what it was like to meet his biological father, Rick Hubbard, for the primary time at age 50.
In the accompanying behind-the-scenes featurette, Franklin not only met his father, but additionally reconnected with his estranged son, Kerrion.
This meeting also brought public attention back to one other figure – the artist’s biological mother, Debra, with whom he had broken off contact over 23 years ago.
Debra’s appearance within the film marked the primary time in a long time that she and Franklin had been in contact. But the gospel star has never publicly spoken about why he stopped talking to her.
Franklin finally opened up about his mother in an interview for Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast, recounting how his efforts to help his sister, Swan, caused a rift that has yet to heal.
The Houston-born man said all of it went fallacious when, as a young man trying to get his life together, he tried to help his sister, Swana, and felt his mother put her husband above him and his sister’s needs.
Swana had just been released from prison and was struggling with drug addiction.
“I’m the only one trying to help her,” Franklin recalled. “She needs a lot of help…where is she going to live? What is she going to do?”
Determined to support his sister, the “Revolution” singer began a ministry and “paid these two ladies to just be like mother figures and raise her.”
But despite his best efforts, Franklin quickly realized that he couldn’t handle it on their own and told Newton, “It was more than a 32-year-old boy could handle.”
Overwhelmed, Franklin turned to his family and contacted his biological mother, his aunt Debra, and his other aunt Sandra, hoping they may band together and intervene to support his sister. But once the family gathered, things quickly went from bad to worse.
He described the moment his mother arrived — with a man nobody within the family had ever met.
“She showed up with her new husband,” Franklin said, still stunned by the memory. “Nobody knew who the man was.”
This unexpected addition to the meeting added tension to an already delicate situation.
As the intervention unfolded, Debra’s anger grew, making an already difficult moment even harder.
“My biological mother always had a very short temper,” Franklin explained. “The way she communicated with my sister was not compassionate, it was not healing…it was very difficult to watch.”
Despite the mounting tensions, Franklin tried to concentrate on helping Swan. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when Debra’s latest husband, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.
“You have to call your mom sometime,” he said, addressing Franklin.
Stunned and indignant, Franklin replied, “I said, ‘Sir, I don’t know who you are, but she’s the mother and I’m the child.'”
The situation quickly escalated, with emotions running high, according to Franklin, and the scuffle culminating within the Stella Award winner about to fight his mother’s husband. Franklin described the scene that followed as some of the painful moments of his life.
“My mother did something that broke my heart,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “She grabbed his hand and said, ‘Come on, baby, let’s go,’ and she walked out of the house with her two kids and stood next to that n***a.”
Franklin recounted how his mother selected her latest husband over her own children, showing the influence this still has on him.
“The fact that she took that man by the hand and didn’t say, ‘Honey, stay there; this is between me and my children…’ It broke me.”
This moment proved to be a turning point in Franklin’s life and commenced greater than twenty years of silence between him and his mother.
“I promised myself… that I would never again be in a situation where you could do something like that to me,” he said.
Franklin decided to cut off all contact with his mother until his biological father got here into his life, a completely different man than the one Debra had told him his whole life was his father.
During a 2023 reunion where she saw her son, the 20-time Grammy Award winner, for the primary time, she denied that Hubbard was the daddy of her famous son, despite two DNA tests being conducted to confirm paternity.
Kirk Franklin finds out who his real father is by taking a paternity test (the outcomes were 99.99999%), but his mother still denies that he’s his father photo:twitter.com/HoFurdoydW
— tasza💗 (@kweentash_) September 18, 2023
He told Newton he simply did not have the strength to keep trying.
“After everything I’ve been through… it’s good, it’s good for me,” he said, sounding resigned. “There’s nothing else to do.”
He also shared a gem with viewers: “At some point, you have to save what’s still together. … You can’t give them everything just to have them break up,” emphasizing the difficult balance between love and self-care.
Franklin’s fans expressed their deepest sympathy for the singer who brought much joy to their lives through his music.
One YouTube viewer he commented“Man, I can feel the pain in his voice! Kirk still hurts deeply about this,” while one other said, “Every time I hear about his upbringing, I feel so much sadness for the little boy inside him. At this point, he’s beyond caring. The little boy inside him is forever destroyed.”
Another shared, “Kirk, it’s her loss. Go ahead and just pray for her,” and one more said, “She’s talking about the wall that many of us have put up. My god, that’s me with my relationship with my father.”
Dozens of individuals shared similar stories of how their moms had hurt them of their lives.
The dramatic experience of losing his mother again and regaining his father also influenced Franklin’s approach to parenting.
Kirk Franklin wishes his dad a Happy Father’s Day for the primary time. ❤️✍🏾: #TSRStaffBD photo:twitter.com/BzGhez3dcx
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) June 16, 2024
He has made it a priority to rebuild his relationship with his eldest son, Kerrion, whom he had when he was a teenager and homeless. The two had a very public falling out in 2021. Their strained relationship made headlines when Kerrion released a recording of Franklin cursing at him during an argument that they had on the phone.
Kirk Franklin’s son leaks video of his father cursing him. 🤷🏽♀️ I believe Kirk just said what he saw. | 🆆🅴🆄🅽🅱🅾🆃🅷🅴🆁🅴🅳 | #kirkfranklin X #kerrionfranklin #it doesn’t hassle us photo:twitter.com/M1jI8Sc6Gb
— ᗯEᑌᑎᗷOTᕼEᖇEᗪ (@weunbothered1) March 14, 2021
However, while working on the Father’s Day project, the 2 began to take steps toward rebuilding the father-son bond.
The “My Life, My Love, My All” singer can be the daddy of Caziah Rashad Franklin, his youngest son with wife Tammy. Caziah recently got married, and his father published photos from the marriage and wrote a long post concerning the couple’s love.
The post on this joyous occasion may be seen as a sign that he’s breaking the cycle of dysfunction that began with his separation from his mother.
Fans online have also been showing their support for Franklin, who has buried his longtime musical collaborator, Shaun Martin August 17 in Dallas, Texas. Martin, a multiple Grammy Award winner who he suffered He suffered a stroke over a 12 months ago and died on the age of 45.
Entertainment
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s surprise date for ‘Moana 2’ Hawaii premiere steals the show
Professional wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, 52, stars in the latest film “Moana 2.”
He attended the animated sequel’s world premiere on November 21 in Oahu, Hawaii, along along with his 76-year-old mother, Mataniufeagaimaleata “Ata” Johnson.
Disney’s verified Instagram account posted a video of The Rock and Ata during the premiere. They danced together alongside the Polynesian dance group Nonosina.
“I all the time say that if you’ve a great mother, you’ve a likelihood to turn out to be a great, caring person. This weekend, let’s all give our moms great gratitude and make them glad,” The Rock stated about Ata in a ceremonial speech Instagram post in June 2022
More Instagram users were excited to see the Hollywood entertainer lovingly interacting along with his mother during the “Moana 2” event.
One person in the Disney comment section on Instagram sent“I like it very much! “I can’t wait to take my children and my Samoan husband to see it.”
A second commenter wrote: “I absolutely love the way he loves his mom. You can see the love they’ve for one another. This bond is so strong that not only do they show you what love is, but once you see it, you may feel it.
Another mother shared her own child’s response to the clip, writing: “My daughter talks about this all the time! Can’t wait!”
As for Moana’s possible future plans, someone suggested, “They need to make a live-action movie ASAP.”
Other members of The Rock’s family joined him in Hawaii. His wife, Lauren Hashian, and their two children also saw the musical adventure film for the first time.
In addition to the former WWE champion being a part of the solid of “Moana 2,” Johnson’s daughters, 9-year-old Jasmine and 6-year-old Tiana, also participated in the film.
“It was the sweetest and funniest day! So exciting that Munchkins voiced characters in MOANA 2!! MOANA-BE!” Hassian wrote on Instagram.
Hashian added: “This film has truly always been the most important thing to them, and now they have an even more special bond.”
She also uploaded a behind-the-scenes video of Jasmine and Tiana recording dialogue for “Moana 2” at Walt Disney Animation Studios.
The Rock was born into wrestling on either side of his family. Ata Johnson (née Fitisemanu Maivia) is the adopted daughter of former Polynesian Pro Wrestling owner “High Chief” Peter Maivia.
Former WWF World Tag Team Champion Rocky Johnson is The Rock’s father. Rocky was one in every of the first black champions in WWF/WWE history.
Dwayne inducted his history-making father and legendary grandfather into the WWE Hall of Fame as a part of the 2008 class.
Due to his grandfather Maivia, The Rock has loose family ties to the famous Anoaʻi family, which incorporates WWE Superstars akin to Rikishi, Yokozuna, and Roman Reigns.
The Rock’s eldest daughter with ex-wife Dana Garcia, 23-year-old Simone “Ava” Johnson, currently works for WWE as the on-screen general manager of the NXT brand.
Ata gave birth to The Rock on May 2, 1972. The Seven Bucks Production founder’s childhood and teenage years were dramatized in the short-lived comedy series “Young Rock” on NBC, airing for three seasons from 2021 to 2023.
Three actors portrayed The Rock at different stages of his life – Adrian Groulx (10 to 14 years old), Bradley Constant (15 to 17 years old) and Uli Latukefu (18 to 26 years old).
Stacey Leilua played Ata on “Young Rock,” which ran for three seasons from 2021 to 2023. Joseph Lee Anderson played Rocky Johnson.
After conquering the pro wrestling world, The Rock turned to Hollywood to guide blockbusters akin to “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and the “Fast and Furious” franchise.
In the original “Moana,” a TKO executive voiced Maui, a shape-shifting demigod. “Moana” premiered in 2016 and grossed over $643 million worldwide.
“The character of Maui, which I was fortunate enough to bring to life, was inspired by my grandfather and he is buried here. Damn, this is… something special,” The Rock said, in keeping with ABC7NY.
“Moana 2” will hit U.S. theaters on November 27. The voice solid also includes Auli’i Cravalho, Temuera Morrison and Nicole Scherzinger.
Entertainment
Wendy Williams’ predictions about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s relationship resurface after reality star reveals family drama
Wendy Williams has at all times been unrivaled in the case of predicting celebrity drama.
She once famously shouted out Sean “Diddy” Combs, hinting that something fishy was occurring behind the scenes. So when he was arrested in September 2024, many individuals immediately noticed that this media specialist had been ahead of the curve for years.
It seems that Wendy could have also seen the tip of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s marriage long before it happened.
AND restored clip The June 13, 2013 episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” went viral on TikTok, with fans calling Wendy an “oracle” for predicting Kim and Kanye’s eventual split.
In the video, also available on YouTube, Wendy casually shares her thoughts on their relationship while viewers applaud her for being right.
“What do you think about Kim and Kanye?” – asked Ellen DeGeneres throughout the segment.
Wendy replied, “I mean, I’m pleased for her. She wanted a baby. “I said (please don’t laugh and don’t encourage me), but I said she would be a single mom and he would have a lot of problems.”
Fans immediately understood what gave the impression of a prophecy.
“Wendy said so,” one person wrote within the comments.
Another joked: “Wendy can tell you a joke but she’ll never lie,” while another person declared: “Wendy was an oracle.”
“Wendy tried not to say what was on her mind,” one other fan added.
On YouTube, one viewer excellent“He’s right about Kim and Kanye and this is what’s happening before our eyes.”
Wendy had an undeniable talent for reading celebrities and spilling their “tea,” and her tackle Kardashian and West was no exception.
The couple began dating in 2012, quickly becoming one in all Hollywood’s most famous couples. They welcomed their first child, North, in 2013 and tied the knot in 2014 in a lavish Italian wedding. After the marriage, they’d three more children: Saint, Chicago and Psalm.
9. In April 2012, West began dating reality star Kim Kardashian, with whom he was already longtime friends. West and Kardashian became engaged in October 2013 and married in May 2014 at Fort di Belvedere in Florence.
He had 4 children together with her – North West,… pic.twitter.com/282nefsiwQ— 𝐏𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐞 🧸✰ (@ThePadrepr) October 9, 2024
In early 2021, Kimye’s relationship fell apart and the influential billionaire filed for divorce after months of speculation about Kanye’s mental problems and public outbursts. The divorce was finalized in late 2022, with the mother awarded primary custody of the youngsters.
Kardashian recently opened up about her experiences with single parenthood on an episode of iHeart’s “What The Winkler?” of November 12. podcast together with her best friend Zoe Winkler, daughter of actor Henry Winkler.
After the comment, it gave the impression of Wendy’s prediction had come true in an uncanny way.
The reality star’s ex-husband and father of kids has been in Asia for months together with his recent wife Bianca Censori, leaving her to lift the youngsters alone. The last public sighting of the youngsters with the “Vultures” rapper was almost two months ago.
During the podcast, Winkler called Kardashian’s situation “crazy.”
As the “Kardashian” star explained why she avoids talking about this topic publicly“These conversations tend to be judgmental,” she said, adding that “I’m basically raising four kids on my own.”
West spends many of the 12 months traveling around Asia together with his second wife, Bianca Censori. Therefore, on a regular basis child-related responsibilities fall on Kim, but she noted that she has great support in the shape of her siblings and mother.
“But sometimes in the middle of the night,” she continued, “when everyone’s sleeping in your bed and kicking you and crying and waking you up — it’s not something I talk about a lot because I feel like there’s always a lot of judgment, otherwise people always they’ll immediately say, “Oh, but you have the means to have nannies and have help.” And I think that no matter what help I get, I’m basically raising four kids on my own.”
The mom also addressed the concept that she had the “resources” to have a military of nannies.
For her, doing many things on her own gives her “bonding time” together with her children. She said. “This is really important to me. (…) Taking them to school every day is just what I have to do, no matter what.”
Kardashian even compared her morning routine to a pit stop in a race. “Brush your teeth, brush your teeth, brush your teeth, OK, get dressed, get dressed, do your hair,” she described.
Regardless of Williams’ previous predictions about what sort of mother Kim could be, several social media users wondered why she did not have the identical revelation when it got here to the turmoil that ended her 22-year marriage.
One person he said“Interesting! But she didn’t see her own marriage fall apart? while another said: “She didn’t expect her marriage to collapse like this!”
The former media activist married Kevin Hunter on November 30, 1999, and filed for divorce in 2019, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce got here after Williams discovered Hunter had welcomed a toddler together with his lover Sharina Hudson. Their divorce was not finalized until 2020.
Hunter received monthly child support checks in the quantity of $250,000 until “The Wendy Williams Show” resulted in June 2022. Due to suspicions about Wendy’s health, she was placed under guardianship. However, her ex-husband, with whom she shares 24-year-old Kevin Hunter Jr., now claims she “falsely concealed” $48 million in reference to their divorce.
During the interview, Kardashian even touched on discipline, mentioning how her son Saint once posted an anti-Kamala Harris message on Instagram and promoted his Fortnite account to hundreds of thousands of followers right after the presidential election.
“It’s like if your child said a bad word or something that made you feel humiliated…” Kim said.
Kanye West’s son Saint West posted this on YouTube Shorts about Kamala Harris 😭 pic.twitter.com/a23TFrzMZw
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) October 29, 2024
She added: “When Saint took my phone and posted… my publicist texted me, ‘This is what you’re posting on Election Day?’ And I said, “It’s a baby.” He has no idea.
The reality star said that despite all of the pressure she feels about being a single mom, she loves every moment of being a mom.
While Wendy didn’t predict how the Kardashian-West kids would end up, she did nail it when it got here to their parents: Kanye’s lack of reliability and Kim’s deep desire to be a mom.
Reflecting on Wendy’s predictions, fans enjoyed her spot-on insight into Kim and Kanye’s dynamic. As one fan wrote, and many individuals said, “I miss her so much.”
Entertainment
Lindsay Lohan looks unrecognizable as fans are shocked by her ‘latest face’ in photos
Former ’90s Disney star Lindsay Lohan is popping heads with her radiant latest look only a 12 months and a half after welcoming her son Luai.
Once known for her rebellious Hollywood antics, the previous child star has undergone a striking transformation that has left fans in awe.
According to reports, she didn’t undergo any cosmetic surgery to attain this latest look, which is as a result of her lifestyle change and wonderful composition.
Lohan who he didn’t like his freckles in his youth, he now wears them as an indication of self-confidence. However, relating to red carpet appearances, her latest makeup style makes people think that she underwent cosmetic surgery to remove them.
After that, the conversation began appeared this week on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
The 38-year-old’s radiant appearance marks a pointy departure from her childhood days and shows a girl who has embraced maturity and motherhood with grace and sweetness.
One fan said: “This is a really nice flare and BACK.”
Another added: “I want what she did to her face. It looks AMAZING.”
Even when Extra TV caught up with her on the New York premiere of her latest Netflix holiday movie “Our Little Secret,” people were there out of breath.
Wearing a surprising black dress with a sheer bottom, Lohan had her blonde hair tousled around her shoulders. She walked the red carpet with her husband Bader Shammas and was later met by co-stars Kristin Chenoweth and Ian Harding, as well as her mother Dina and brothers Dakota and Michael Jr.
In elementary school, I wrote a paper about how Lindsay Lohan was my idol
Seeing him turn his life around makes me very joyful and truthfully, he still lives as much as his idol’s standards👏🏼👏🏼
Photos taken today in 2024 in comparison with 20 years ago in 2004. She fought so hard, she got here out of… pic.twitter.com/l8GRZDVrJC
— Erica Levin (@bankof_amERICA) November 19, 2024
People in the comments were very enthusiastic about her appearance.
“I do not even recognize her, she’s modified a lot. She looks healthy and joyful,” one person said.
“Wow, some work has been done on her face; however, it also looks healthy,” one other person said.
A 3rd wrote: “I love her new face.”
Lohan was also accused of using Botox as several people continued to indicate the difference in her appearance in recent months.
“Correct!! Looks great but completely different,” one person said.
Others said: “Lindsay is back on top! You look amazing @lindsaylohan,” and added: “I’m so joyful for her. All adults, married and with children. I hope she is so joyful.
Lohan and Bader Shammas have been married since April 2022. Friends of the actress, who has taken a step back from the highlight in recent years, credit her transition to a healthier lifestyle, According to to the Daily Mail.
She reportedly incorporates Pilates exercises, regular workouts and other “natural beauty routines” into her routine.
In addition to lifestyle changes, the “Parent Trap” star dedicates herself to skincare, facials and high-quality makeup to focus on her natural features. The combination of self-care and discipline left fans amazed, with many commenting on her youthful and refined appearance.
An insider allegedly told the web site: “Lindsay didn’t outsource any work. She owes her appearance to a healthy lifestyle. He doesn’t take drugs, eats thoroughly and likes to cleanse.
“She constantly undergoes facials and other natural beauty treatments,” the person said.
“He also does pilates and exercises. He is in better shape than ever,” the praise continued.
This transformation is greater than skin-deep for Lohan, whose journey has been a testament to non-public growth and self-acceptance.
Over the years, Lohan has evolved from a star she closely follows party ways devoted mother and wife.
The “Mean Girl” star’s transformation is an inspiring reminder that individuals can grow up and understand what is going on on. Her journey from a troubled Hollywood past to a glittering, confident present highlights the positive impact of prioritizing health, well-being and self-love.
For fans, her latest look shouldn’t be only external beauty, but in addition a mirrored image of a girl who has found balance and success in her life.
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