Entertainment
Barack Obama nearly collides with gunman in apparent security breach, days before Kamala Harris campaign office shot up
One of America’s 20 hottest presidents, Barack Obama, recently dodged a possible security breach in Hollywood while having dinner with his daughters Malia and Sasha, the newest in a series of Secret Service blunders.
The former U.S. president was sitting in the back of his SUV outside Mother Wolf, an upscale Los Angeles restaurant, when a gunman unwittingly approached the vehicle on Saturday, Sept. 21. The person did no harm, but when he had bad intentions, the nation might need mourned a beloved statesman.
The man, a security guard hired for a close-by bar mitzvah party, left the party to ascertain on the presence of federal agents outside, According to TMZ spoke directly with the guard, who requested anonymity.
The man stated that somebody present on the event informed him of what gave the impression to be Secret Service activity outside the venue.
Curious concerning the situation, he went into an alley and saw two men who turned out to be Secret Service agents. Looking in the wrong way, he saw a black SUV with Department of Homeland Security license plates.
Not realizing who was inside, the guard quickly snapped a photograph that TMZ published, assuming it was a vital guest being protected. When he approached the vehicle and looked in the back seat, he was stunned to find a person using a laptop, who turned out to be Obama.
The security guard told the editorial office that he panicked because he was afraid the Secret Service might perceive him as a threat to the previous president because he was armed.
Trying to stay calm, he quickly walked away from the vehicle and into the road, where he greeted federal security officers who, the guard testified, seemed surprised to see him so close.
This situation immediately aroused the suspicions of the guard, who noted a serious lack of security.
He said there was “definitely some negligence on their part as there was no one standing at the back of the SUV or guarding the stairwell.”
Although the Secret Service agents were intimidated by the guard’s presence, they initially took no immediate motion.
However, about half-hour later, the chief asked the security guard to offer his credentials and concealed weapons permit to the Secret Service for verification. Once every thing was checked, the agents allowed him to return to duty. The situation ended without further incident.
Social media was flooded with outrage when the story hit the web, with many individuals noticing“The Secret Service is wobbling again.”
“Ugh, @SecretService better do a MUCH better job of keeping my favorite president @BarackObama SAFE, as well as @KamalaHarris and @MichelleObama — each of whom are very valuable cargo,” wrote one X user he wrote.
Some, nevertheless, noted the irony of the situation in which the previous president was assassinated.
“So this never happened in the last 20 years that the Obamas were in the political spotlight, and now, after 2 (maybe 3) assassination attempts on Trump, it happened? Weird,” wrote one personin the comments to the Daily Mail entry.
“What’s going on at the Secret Service?” one other tweeted, adding: “Listen, as much as I don’t like Trump, all past and present presidents need to be protected. This goes beyond politics. This is a national security threat.”
What’s happening in the Secret Service? Look, as much as I do not like Trump, all past and present presidents should be protected. This goes beyond politics. This is a national security threat.
— Ariel ⁷ (@A_mykabg23) September 25, 2024
The event highlights ongoing concerns about Secret Service protocols, especially in the context of the agency’s recent problems.
The Secret Service has been criticized for its handling of two assassination attempts on one other former president, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The country is especially on high alert as political violence is a key issue. It’s so dangerous for either side that a gunman is on the run after shooting at Kamala Harris’ campaign office in Arizona, days before she’s as a result of arrive in the state to campaign. Many consider instigators like Elon Musk are ratcheting up tensions.
Shots fired at Kamala Harris’ campaign office in Arizona.
There are currently no reports of any injuries as nobody was in the constructing on the time of the shooting. photo:twitter.com/wFwmxE6VRZ
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 25, 2024
CNN reports A Senate committee released a report detailing the agency’s failures to guard Trump in July when a disgruntled Republican jabbed him in the ear with a gun, and the newest security breach involving Obama only intensifies scrutiny.
An anonymous guard in the lobby expressed relief that the situation had not escalated further, but stressed that it was clearly an oversight on the a part of the Secret Service.
“I think they were obviously embarrassed by the situation,” he said.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for the Secret Service. Protecting high-profile figures like Obama, Trump and the vice chairman needs to be their primary mission. Whether these incidents will result in significant changes is an open query, however the agency’s status has undoubtedly been damaged as people have a look at the department with a wink.
The agency will now need to answer tough questions, including why Obama’s security wasn’t tighter during what must have been a routine visit.
The former president has not publicly commented on the security breach, however the Secret Service issued a press release saying, “The Secret Service cannot provide details about our security measures and methods, but we can confirm that at no time were any Secret Service personnel in the vehicle while the individual was walking down the aisle.”
Adding, “These claims are false. The photo in question was taken during departure, not during the alleged incident.”
According to reports from TMZ, they managed to consult with a witness who confirmed the guard’s version of events.
Entertainment
Daughter of Trump supporter Hulk Hogan distances herself from family years later following racist tirade from her dad who called her then-black boyfriend the N-word
Hulk Hogan and his daughter Brooke have never had any problems in public.
The former “Hogan Knows Best” singer and reality star remained by her father’s side even after making a career-ruining sex tape that captured her father cheating on her mother, Linda Hogan, and in addition included a racist tirade a few black man Brooke was dating at the time time.
However, it looks like the “Brooke Knows Best” star has had enough and now decides that overall, it is best for her to maintain a ways between her and her family.
Her Instagram name is MizzHogan. However, she is currently known on the Internet under the surname Oleksy, the surname of her husband, former NHL player Steven Oleksy, and she or he doesn’t follow anyone from her family on web sites, including her father, mother and brother Nick Hogan. Instagram. But her father follows her brother.
While neither party has publicly revealed any details, there appears to have been something of a rift between Brooke and her family when many individuals noticed she was absent from her father’s wedding to his third wife, Sky Daily, in September 2023.
Immediately after the wedding, she wrote a message to followers on her website: “As many of you realize, I value my privacy, but unfortunately many media are guessing why I didn’t attend my father’s third wedding. Rather than leave it to speculation, I made a decision it could be higher to wrap all of it up here.
Brooke admitted that “the dynamics of the family unit constantly change over the years.”
“That being said, my family has experienced A LOT of change,” she continued. “With all of this happening in the public eye, I had to learn how to best cope with the changes that were coming, which was difficult to say the least.”
“In my own journey towards healing and happiness, I have chosen to create some distance between myself and my family and focus on the people and things that heal my heart and are consistent with my personal beliefs, goals and values,” she concluded, before finally wishing her dad “healthily”.
Hogan is suing Gawker Media LLC for releasing a 2012 sex tape that appears to feature him and the wife of radio host Bubba the Love Sponge. In the same video, Hogan used the N-word in reference to his daughter Brooke’s then-black boyfriend while admitting he was a “racist.”
“I don’t know if Brooke fucked a black man’s son,” Hulk said in a report published by Radar on the Internet in 2012. “I mean, I haven’t got double standards. I mean, I’m a racist to some extent, motherfucking n-rs. But in terms of nice people and shit and whatever.
He allegedly continued, “I mean, I’d moderately she was going to fuck some n***a than if she was going to marry a 6-foot n***a value 100 million dollars! Like a basketball player! I assume we’re all a bit racist. The fucking king of n—r.
Renewed interest in Hulk and Brooke’s relationship he resurfaced because of Wrestling Inc’s report on the father and daughter, which fans reacted to in the comments of the article.
One person said: “For her to really distance herself from him, maybe more was said and not on the video. Why would you be so strong to defend him only to distance yourself later? It seems there’s more to it. What’s even sadder is that if you say something that’s outside of your personal norm, you’re screwed. People will never just give up. As long as people remember it, it’s always there. Hogan said some stupid things about it and people may not have forgotten by the time this article came out, but now they’re reminded of it again.”
The person continued: “I ponder how much dirt the people writing these articles have and the way they might feel if the public was continually reminded of this?
Coming to Brooke’s defense, a second person added: “Looks like Brooke is getting old. She just decided to live her life and check out to achieve success. Easy to say. Well, she would not have develop into famous if it weren’t for her father. Of course, good point. But most individuals are on this position. Especially when he’s younger, he tries various things. How it’s. He seems to generally enjoy being out of the highlight. Good for her.
A 3rd added: “I hope they will heal the rift that exists between them. “I wouldn’t want to be separated from my son or daughter when they become adults.”
During 2015 sit down on “Entertainment Tonight,” Brooke defended the former skilled wrestler, assuring viewers that her father “wasn’t a racist.”
“I do not support what he said. But he’s my dad. I really like him,” she said in the video. “When you’re angry, when you’re at the worst point in your life and you’re angry at someone, you just choose words that don’t fit the situation just to air out your shorts and that’s all. Because I looked at the transcripts and thought, “Yeah, he’s pissed.” But it’s not him. He’s not a racist.”
Brooke continued, “I feel sorry for the dad, but I also feel sorry for the African-American fans and stuff because they do not know that he didn’t mean it. He takes responsibility for it and knows that he thinks, “I fucked up.” These are the consequences of what is going on.
But this wasn’t her father’s first racist tirade or his first utterance of something that shocked the world. Hogan’s biopic was cut short days after he threatened Vice President Kamala Harris in August at an event in Ohio promoting his “Real American Beer” brand.
Hulk Hogan got drunk at Thirsty Cowboys in Medina, Ohio and asked the crowd, “Is Kamala Harris a chameleon? Is she Indian?” He also asked the audience in the event that they wanted him to punch Kamala Harris.
(🎥 @TMZ ) pic.twitter.com/QTBv1zUlR3
— Art of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) August 20, 2024
“Do you want me to hit someone? Do you want me to punch Kamala Harris? I said, “Do you want me to punch Kamala Harris?” Hogan said to the large audience before mentioning one of his signature wrestling moves. “Do you want me to let go of Kamala’s leg?”
The longtime Donald Trump supporter continued to mock her heritage with hand gestures and mispronounced Harris’ name.
Entertainment
Boyz II Men brings their untold story to the big screen – Essence
Denise Truscello/Getty Images
Boyz II Men, the Philadelphia-born vocal group that defined an era with wealthy harmonies and timeless ballads like “End of the Road” and “On Bended Knee,” are finally ready to tell their story on their own terms. The 4-time Grammy Award winner is working on a biographical film that can chronicle their thirty-yr profession, a journey stuffed with chart success, brotherhood and the behind-the-scenes struggles that shaped their music.
He announced the project for the first time can be produced in association with Compelling Pictures and Primary Wave and executive produced by Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men. Compelling Pictures also releases an in-depth documentary about the group’s unparalleled dominance in the Nineties and 2000s and its continued relevance today.
“We have been waiting to find the right partners who understand our story and are willing to tell the story,” Nathan Morris shared in a press release. “Denis and Jeff at Compelling Pictures understood us from day one.”
Denis O’Sullivan () and Jeff Kalligheri (), who will produce the biopic, are in preliminary talks with screenwriters and directors to speed up the implementation of the project. The film, containing a wealthy catalog of Boyz II Men’s hits, shows the group’s path from their debut album (1991) to their current status as music icons.
“I grew up a huge Boyz II Men fan and have spent the last few years getting to know and become friends with the boys, and it’s a huge honor to help bring their unique and untold story to the big screen,” said O’Sullivan and Kalligheri. “We are thrilled to showcase the brotherhood and camaraderie, as well as the challenges and conflict, the humor and heartbreak, that accompanied the unparalleled success that Nate, Shawn, Wanya and Mike worked so hard to achieve. We think audiences everywhere will want to sing along to a sexy, fun, aspirational and uplifting celebration of friendship and artistic partnership that has stood the test of time.”
The film’s production team consists of heavyweights. O’Sullivan and Kalligheri were joined by Larry Mestel of Primary Wave, Joe Mulvihill of The Mulvi Group and Jeremy M. Rosen of Roxwell Films. Mulvihill, who has managed the group for greater than 20 years, added: “Having been with them for over 22 years, I have seen the ups and downs and all the deep emotional turmoil among people. I think people will be pleasantly surprised when they see something behind the curtain.”
More than thirty years after their debut, they continue to be the best-selling R&B group of all time, with over 60 million albums sold worldwide. The group recently celebrated one other milestone by headlining a sold-out, three-night run at the Hollywood Bowl – a triumphant return to the venue where they once performed as openers early in their profession. Thanks to hits comparable to “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” and the record-breaking collaboration with Mariah Carey “One Sweet Day”, the group can be remembered by fans for a very long time.
“Boyz II Men are one of the most influential bands of their generation. They are one of the few who transcend genre and format,” Mestel said.
As the production ramps up, fans can expect a soulful and celebratory take a look at the group’s meteoric rise and the bond that united them. As O’Sullivan and Kalligheri joked, it is a story stuffed with “doom-doom-doom-da-da” moments which are each excruciating and uplifting.
From daytime to sold-out arena nights, Boyz II Men’s journey to the big screen can be an eventful one.
Entertainment
Penny Hardaway, Dennis Rodman’s sons, are carving their own path in the NBA G League – Andscape
WASHINGTON — When Jayden Hardaway and DJ Rodman walk into the press room at the Washington Wizards practice arena, there are each subtle and obvious signs that they are the sons of Nineties NBA greats Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and Dennis Rodman.
Apart from having for much longer hair, Jayden Hardaway is a spitting image of his dad. From his face to his muscular construct (he’s 6’1″ while his father is 6’8″) to the skinny, triangular goatee that his dad used to rock as a member of the Orlando Magic, it’s like stepping out of a time machine back in 1994, when I’m him.
If you saw DJ Rodman walking down the street, you would not immediately associate him with “The Worm’s” son because he has a lighter complexion and favors his mother. But a look at his black painted nails shows his origins.
While the NBA is stuffed with the sons of former players – the Golden State Warriors had five such players on their roster last season – it’s rare for star sons to be at the level of Penny Hardaway, and Dennis Rodman got to that time suddenly. On October 26, the Capital City Go-Go, the Wizards’ G League affiliate, accepted them into the second round of the developmental league draft.
Making an NBA roster could also be an extended shot, but they’re counting on the intangibles they learned during their long college careers to someday make the essential roster. But as they start their skilled basketball careers, Hardaway and Rodman need to forge paths that do not depend on their famous names.
“We appreciate the love and we know the ‘expectations’ that await us, but we will know what we need to do every night to be the best we can be, and there is no point in comparing us to our fathers,” Hardaway said during Capital City Go-Go 6’s media day November.
“They were a rare breed. We will be the best.”
After a stellar profession at the University of Memphis, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 1992, Penny Hardaway was drafted third overall in 1993 by the Golden State Warriors and traded to the Orlando Magic. Over the next three seasons, the dynamic defender landed two successful blows on Shaquille O’Neal, which resulted in a visit to the 1995 NBA Finals. Hardaway’s athleticism, handles and Magic Johnson style gameplay made him one among the hottest athletes of that era, as illustrated by, amongst others, Nike’s signature line of sneakers and a series of commercials featuring a puppet bearing his likeness, voiced by actor Chris Rock. Knee injuries interrupted his profession and Hardaway retired in 2007. In 2018, he was hired as a coach at his alma mater, where he still trains today.
After a highschool profession that included winning the 2017 state championship, Jayden Hardaway joined his father in Memphis. He redshirted his freshman season in 2018–19 and played sparingly over the next five seasons, averaging 11.7 minutes and three.3 points in 132 games (26 starts).
Regardless of his playing time, Penny Hardaway treated her son like a five-star recruit.
“He was pushing me like I was our best player,” Jayden Hardaway said. “He would be tougher on me than everyone else on the team, just to try and prepare me for every moment.”
Go-Go coach Cody Toppert was an assistant at Memphis during Jayden Hardaway’s three seasons with the team. He describes the younger Hardaway as a standout, especially on the team, who helped keep order in the locker room. Being a coach’s son and Penny Hardaway’s son never discouraged Jayden Hardaway, and he remained humble, which is why Toppert wanted him drafted.
“He’s proud of it, so he doesn’t run away from it, he embraces it, but at the same time he doesn’t let it affect what he does and who he is,” Toppert said. “It has its own distinct identity.”
Penny Hardaway was an actual star before she left college. Dennis Rodman took a distinct path. He played one season at Cooke County Junior College in Dallas after which attended the NAIA program at Southeastern Oklahoma State University for 3 seasons. Both were removed from Division I basketball. Regardless, Rodman developed a fame as a masterful rebounder, which led to the Detroit Pistons acquiring him in the second round of the 1986 draft. As a member of the “Bad Boys” alongside Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Chuck Daly, Rodman developed right into a defensive juggernaut who wasn’t afraid to get dusty on the court. Before he joined Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1995, he was a tattooed, dyed-haired weirdo who dated models and was as famous for his antics as his play.
Dennis “DJ” Rodman Jr., whose sister, Trinity Rodman, plays for the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Games, played at Washington State from 2019-2023 , averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in his final season. After the 2022-2023 season, Rodman transferred to USC, where he joined a squad headlined by No. 1 highschool prospects Isaiah Collier and Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. The Trojans were ranked twenty first in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, and the program became a media circus as a result of the younger James’ presence.
“We were probably one of the most sought-after teams in college basketball,” Rodman said.
In July 2023, James suffered a cardiac arrest during a USC practice and didn’t play his first game until December of that season. After starting 4-1, USC lost 4 of its next six games before ending the season with a 15-18 record, capped by a 70-49 loss to Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament.
Despite all the challenges, Rodman, who averaged eight points and five rebounds in his only season with the Trojans, tried to stay calm and positive despite the losses in his effort to maintain the team together.
“I’ll be angry the night I lose, but I’ll come back the next day with a smile on my face because you can’t live in the past, and you can’t live in other people’s expectations,” Rodman said.
For this reason, Toppert wanted to decide on Hardaway and Rodman. They are well-rounded athletes who understand the elements that result in team success, not individual success, which is one among the goals of the G League.
Rodman is an brisk, selfless defender who prides himself on doing extra things – rebounding, diving for loose balls, etc. – that contribute to the team’s wins.
“Actually, being out of breath gives me a lot of joy,” he said.
He learned this mentality by watching his father’s old Finals games against the Pistons and Bulls on the long-running NBA telecast (Dennis Rodman last played in the NBA in 2000, a 12 months before DJ Rodman was born).
“He had no problem guarding the best guy,” DJ Rodman said. “I plan on having the same mentality when it comes to being a player on the field.”
Hardaway also prides himself on his defensive skills, calling himself a “3 and D” player who may knock down shots (he shot 31.7% from 3 at Memphis, though he converted 46% in 2021-22). As he said, its best advantage is versatility.
“If I actually have to play, like if someone is hot and I actually have to be certain that they find shots, I can try this. Or if I would like to establish the floor and prepare to knock it down, I can try this. When it involves taking up the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best player, I’m up for any challenge,” Hardaway said.
Go-Go in the capital
Hardaway, 25, and Rodman, 23, come to the team with maturity and an understanding of their roles at this level of competition, in comparison with a consummate teenager who expects to begin in the G League and be drafted immediately.
“I think we’re very realistic about who we can be and who we will be for the team in the future and for this team today,” Rodman said.
However, their relationships with their fathers differ. Hardaway grew up along with his father, attending games during the final years of his dad’s profession. And eventually he followed his father to Memphis for five years. The two have an excellent relationship that goes beyond the court.
“That’s a big difference between a dad and a coach,” Jayden Hardaway said. “Me and dad are super cool, me and coach used to fight sometimes.”
It’s not the same with DJ Rodman. As he wrote in his memoirs, Dennis Rodman was abandoned by his father when he was 6 years old. “I have not seen my father in over 30 years, so what could I miss? I have a look at it this manner: some man brought me into this world. That does not imply I actually have a father. In the past, Trinity Rodman has said that growing up, her father was rarely in her and her brother’s lives, although she has rekindled some relationships in recent years.
DJ Rodman said he “doesn’t necessarily talk to him as much as everyone thinks,” but that does not imply he’s running away from who he’s. His mother told him to never feel like he needed to live as much as his father, but somewhat to forge his own path.
“Just because I’m around him doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and party every night, I’m going to be a bother, it doesn’t mean I’m going to do everything that everyone thinks I will,” Rodman said, adding that he prefers to remain in home along with his girlfriend and playing video games.
Hardaway and Rodman’s success won’t be immediate. Hardaway appeared in just two of the team’s first six games for a complete of 4 minutes (zero points). Rodman appeared in 4 games, averaging just 3.5 points. But it’s about the slow technique of becoming higher players and teammates in order that someday they will suit up for an NBA team. And after they do, it is going to be due to their names somewhat than their fathers’ famous names.
“We will not be naive to the fact that our fathers are who they are,” Rodman said. “We will do our best to be different and forge our own path, although of course we will always have that cloud over our heads.”
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