President Trump Won’t Be Invited To Celebrity-Studded Hurricane Harvey Telethon

Houston rapper Bun B and Scooter Braun are busy planning the September 12, 2017, celebrity-studded Hurricane Harvey telethon, but President Trump may not get an invite. As devastating flooding has engulfed Texas and the full damage is still too early to assess, people nationwide are standing in solidarity to help their fellow citizens.

The Hurricane Harvey telethon will not be a place to promote political agendas or spread bigotry and hatred. According to Bun B, unless President Trump can find his place alongside other presidents, such as Barack Obama in a show of strength and unity, he won’t be invited to appear.

There will be three simulcasted telethons across the nation including one in Nashville, Tennessee, New York, New York, and Los Angeles, California. Reese Witherspoon and Blake Shelton will host the Nashville telethon, tentatively Michael Strahan and Kelly Rowland will host the New York telethon (this is subject to change) and Jaimie Foxx and Hillary Duff are tentatively scheduled to host the Los Angeles telethon. Organizers are interested in celebrities who were born and/or raised in Houston to participate in the telethon.

Bun B is outspoken about the treatment of blacks in a country that is seemingly on the verge of a race war. With white supremacists rearing its head again, Bun B is one of the most outspoken and vocal rappers on issues of race and division in the nation.

He has repeatedly called upon white Americans to stand up against racism, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he would withhold an invitation to President Trump unless he proudly stands alongside Barack Obama and other presidents.

The news that Bun B will not invite President Trump unless he stands in unity with other presidents is getting a mixed reaction on social media. Some feel that Bun B shouldn’t single out President Trump, while others wholeheartedly agree.

SOURCE: CI

Leonardo DiCaprio Donates $1 Million For Victims Of Hurricane Harvey

Leonardo DiCaprio joined a list of celebrities who have pledged donations to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. He donated the cash via the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to the newly established United Way Harvey Recovery Fund.

The newly created fund that was announced by United Way Worldwide on Wednesday, August 30 ‘will distribute 100 percent of donations for recovery in the affected areas, community by community, in the months and years ahead.’

The $1 million from DiCaprio’s Foundation is the inaugural donation to the fund.

‘We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Leonardo DiCaprio and his foundation,’ United Way Worldwide President and CEO, Brian Gallagher, said in a statement.

‘Responding to Hurricane Harvey requires the best of all of us–and that’s what this gift represents.’

He continued saying that, ‘United Way’s Harvey Recovery Fund will provide much-needed help for the communities along the Gulf Coast where lives have been changed forever.’

Terry Tamminen, CEO of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, also stated, ‘We hope others will step up and support the United Way and other organizations.’

In the past, Leo’s foundation has donated to recovery efforts following the 2004 tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Hurricane Sandy as well.

Hurricane Harvey struck Texas at peak intensity on August 25, and it has caused at least 31 deaths and huge economic losses which are estimated to range from $10 billion to $160 billion.

FEMA director, Brock Long, called Harvey the worst disaster in the whole Texas history.

By Wednesday evening, the disaster has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

SOURCE: CI

Trae Tha Truth Rescues Hurricane Victims

Trae Tha Truth is a hero. The Houston legend was interviewed while on the front lines of the after math of Hurricane Harvey, rescuing victims with the Fire Department who are trapped in their homes in the completely flooded city.

“Words can really explain it,” Trae told the FOX 26 reporter when asked to describe the scene. “I felt helpless yesterday when I had to be rescued so I know that feeling,” He continued. “We got access to a boat, we got the trucks, let get out there.”

He also urged people who have boats to come and help with the rescue effort and to donate clothes and food if they can.

 

Gotta Ride For Our Own…We All We Got…. HOUSTON .. Salute To @edctx_ & @born512sinner For Coming Down To Volunteer Wit Me….🙏🏿🙏🏿💪🏿

A post shared by traeabn (@traeabn) on Aug 28, 2017 at 6:39pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Trae Tha Truth’s name is synonymous with Houston and has worked extensively to improve the community. In 2008, Trae was honored with his own day, Trae Day, on July 22nd.

SOURCE: TBC

Floyd Mayweather Beats Conor McGregor

The first matchup between a professional boxer and a mixed martial arts fighter ended with Floyd Mayweather being victorious.

In the 10th round, Floyd unleashed a flurry of punches against McGregor to the point where the referee had to stop the fight, giving Mayweather a technical knockout. The 40-year-old Mayweather is now 50-0 in his professional boxing career.

In the post-fight interview, Mayweather announced that this will be his last fight. McGregor stated that he felt the referee stopped the fight too early, and he should have been allowed to keep fighting.

Mayweather walked away roughly $100 million from the fight, while McGregor earned an estimated $30 million. Mayweather’s lifetime earnings are roughly $1 billion.

SOURCE: VLADTV

DMX Voluntarily Checks Into Rehab Program

DMX is entering an inpatient rehab program, a court filing indicates. The rapper, whose birth name is Earl Simmons, tested positive for cocaine and pot several times while out on bail for his federal tax fraud case.

Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff ordered him to home confinement following the failed drug tests.
Shortly thereafter, DMX asked Rakoff for approval to travel for work.

Rakoff decided Friday that DMX could travel to Atlanta for a gig — as long as he was with a sober coach at all times.
DMX’s Atlanta job fell through, however, he decided to enter an inpatient substance-abuse program, according to his lawyer, Murray Richman. “This is a voluntary move on his part,” Richman told the Daily News.

Rakoff signed off on DMX entering the program in an order issued Tuesday.

The court filing indicates that pretrial services — which supervises DMX while he’s out on bail — has approved the plan, and that prosecutors haven’t opposed it.

SOURCE: WWF

Morgan Freeman To Receive SAG Life Achievement Award

Morgan Freeman will be the 54th recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award for his career achievement and humanitarian accomplishments. The award, which will be presented at the 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 21, 2018, is SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor.

“I am thrilled to announce Morgan Freeman as this year’s recipient of the SAG Life Achievement Award. Some actors spend their entire careers waiting for the perfect role. Morgan showed us that true perfection is what a performer brings to the part,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “He is innovative, fearless and completely unbound by expectations. As a chauffeur, convicted murderer, boxing gym attendant, pimp or president, Morgan fully realized every character, baring their souls and showcasing their humanity. It has been a privilege to see his genius at work.”

Freeman, who began acting at age 12, has appeared in nearly 100 films, which together have earned over $4.5 billion at the box office. His credits include “Million Dollar Baby,” which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar; “Unforgiven”, and “The Shawshank Redemption,” for which he received Best Actor nominations for a SAG Award, Oscar and a Golden Globe. Other credits include “Street Smart,” his 1987 breakthrough role, “Invictus,” “The Dark Knight,” “The Bucket List,” “Glory,” “Lean on Me,” “Se7en,” “Amistad,” “Bruce Almighty,” and “Along Came a Spider.” He most recently starred in Warner Bros.’ Going In Style, Paramount Pictures’ Ben-Hur, Summit Entertainment’s “Now You See Me 2” and Focus Features’ “London Has Fallen.” Freeman’s upcoming films include Broad Green Pictures’ “Villa Capri” and Disney’s “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.”

With one of the world’s most recognizable voices, Freeman was the voice of two Oscar-winning documentaries: “The March of the Penguins” and “The Long Way Home.”

Freeman first became nationally known in 1971 when he starred in the Children’s Television Workshop’s “The Electric Company,” for which he created characters including the iconic Easy Reader. He is currently an executive producer of “Madam Secretary” for CBS, and hosts and is an executive producer for the Science Channel series “Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman,” which recently completed its seventh season. He also hosted the event series “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” on the National Geographic Channel, and will next host “The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman,” which premieres October 11 on the National Geographic Channel.

His philanthropic work includes support for Artists for a New South Africa and the Campaign for Female Education – organizations working to create hope and better lives for thousands of people. In 1973, he co-founded the Frank Silvera Writers’ Workshop, now in its 37th season, which supports and nurtures promising African American playwrights to ensure those voices can be heard.

SOURCE: WWF

Trey Songz Takes Plea Deal

It looks like Trey Songz – AKA Tremaine Neverson – got himself into some trouble, and this time it’s not anything to do with Halle Berry! E! News confirmed today the 32-year-old R & B singer, pleaded guilty to not one but two misdemeanor charges of disturbing the public.

And what did he do exactly? Apparently, his arrest occurred because he wouldn’t get off the stage at the Joe Louis Arena on the 28th of December 2016.

When Songz was performing with other artists including, Young M.A., as well as Lil’ Yachty, organizers told him his time on the stage was coming to a close, so he freaked out.

Sources from the Detroit Police Department claim the singer became aggressive and visibly aggravated.

He grabbed microphones as well as monitors from the stage and started chucking them off into the crowd.

An insider said to E! News the Detroit Police attempted to de-escalate the situation but the singer continued to snap out.

Because of his actions, he was summarily arrested then taken into custody for the destruction of property and resisting arrest.

He stood in front of the court the following morning and was released on a bond of $25,000.

Lucky for Trey, he was given the option of pleading guilty and avoiding several convictions.

Trey took part in a plea deal, where the charges of resisting and obstructing justice, as well as aggravated assault were alleviated.

Unfortunately, for the singer, he was sentenced to 18 months of probation. If that isn’t bad enough, Songz has to take classes for anger management and will submit to screenings for substance abuse as well as pay restitution for his crimes. Hopefully, Trey learned from his mistakes and won’t do it again. However, we can’t help but wonder what is his side of the story?

SOURCE: CI

Trump Fires Steve Bannon

President Donald Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon has been fired, two White House officials told CNN Friday.

 

A source told CNN that Bannon was given the option to resign but was forced out. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed Bannon’s departure but did not say whether he was fired or resigned.

“White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve’s last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best,” Sanders said in a statement.

The President has privately stewed over Bannon in recent days, including Thursday night from his golf course in New Jersey. He was furious with his chief strategist after he was quoted in an interview with the American Prospect contradicting him on North Korea and asserting that he was able to make personnel changes at the State Department.

Bannon’s exit comes just seven months after Trump took office and three weeks after retired Gen. John Kelly took over as chief of staff, looking to instill order in a chaotic White House beset by internal divisions, staff infighting and a storm of controversies.

Bannon’s exit meant one of the White House’s most controversial staffers, the man generally perceived as the driving force behind Trump’s “nationalist” ideology, would no longer be at the center of the Trump universe.

SOURCE: CNN

Heyer’s Mom “not talking” to Trump

Mother of Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer revealed on Friday morning she is “not talking” to President Trump after he criticized “two sides” for the violent protests that broke out in Virginia last Saturday.

Thirty-two-year-old Heyer was killed last Saturday when a car plowed into a group of counterprotesters opposing the “Unite the Right” rally. Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, strayed from directly speaking to Trump’s rhetoric in response to Saturday’s events during her memorial service on Wednesday, but did not hold back during a Friday morning appearance on “Good Morning America.”

“I’m not talking to the President now,” Bro said on Friday. “I’m sorry. After what he said about my child, and it’s not that I saw somebody else’s tweets about him. I saw an actual clip of him at a press conference equating the protesters like Ms. (Heather) Heyer with the KKK and the white supremacists.”

Trump tweeted about Heyer on the day of her memorial service, referring to her as a “truly special young woman.”

“Memorial service today for beautiful and incredible Heather Heyer, a truly special young woman,” Trump tweeted. “She will be long remembered by all!”

Trump opened himself up to criticism when he repeated his “both sides” response to Charlottesville during a Tuesday press conference — a statement that was met with rebuke from Democrats and Republicans alike. While he tweeted about Heyer on Wednesday, the president was criticized for not directly calling the family — but Bro revealed there has been attempted and successful engagement between her and the White House.

“At first I just missed his calls. The call — the first call looked like actually came during the funeral. I didn’t even see that message,” Bro said. “There were three more frantic messages from press secretaries throughout the day and I didn’t know why that would have been on Wednesday, and I was home recovering from the exhaustion of the funeral and, so I thought well, I’ll get to him later and then I had more meetings to establish her foundation, so I hadn’t really watched the news until last night.”

James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio has been charged with second-degree murder in the case of Heyer’s death.

SOURCE: AOL

Baltimore Takes Down Confederate Statues Overnight

Four monuments tied to the Confederacy and American slavery were taken down in Baltimore very early Wednesday morning after the City Council voted for their immediate removal on Monday. From CNN:

By early Wednesday, video posted on social media showed cranes slowly lowering some of the monuments from their perches. Mayor Catherine Pugh told WBAL that some of the monuments will be sent to Confederate cemeteries.

The removals come as cities and states are considering taking down Confederate monuments following the clashes at Saturday’s rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left one anti-racism protester dead.

According to Baltimore’s WBAL, the four monuments removed were a statue of Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney, who wrote the majority opinion in Dred Scott; a monument to Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson; a monument to Confederate soldiers and sailors; and a Confederate women’s monument.

The New York Times reports that small crowds were present to celebrate the removals and that Black Lives Matter was spray painted on the pedestal of the Lee-Jackson monument.