Showing posts with label Kobe Bryant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kobe Bryant. Show all posts

Friday, February 9, 2024

Remembering #Kobe Bryant: Basketball Legend, Father - Update #116

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

LIFE GOES ON...:

From NBA:  This is video of the unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue.

From NBA:  Mike Trudell writes about the unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue.

From Insider:  Three years after he died, NBA legend and champion and Olympic gold medalist, the late Kobe Bryant, seems to be making more money than ever.

From NBCNews:   In an unanimous verdict, a federal jury awarded the widow of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant $16 million in damages over leaked photographs of the site of the helicopter crash that killed her husband and one of their daughters, Gianna, in 2020.  First responders snapped of bodies at the crash and shared them with members of the public and the jury agreed with Vanessa Bryant that this invaded her privacy and caused her emotional distress.  The jury also awarded co-plaintiff Chris Chester, whose wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Payton also died in the crash, $15 million in damages.

From DeadlineVanessa Bryant plans to donate her proceeds from the judgment she won against L.A. County (16 million) to the nonprofit Mamba and Mambacita Sports foundation, which she founded to give sports education to underserved athletes.

From CBSNewsDeputy Doug Johnson, the Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy who was among the first to arrive at the scene of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Lakers star Kobe Bryant, his teen daughter and seven others, testified Friday, Aug. 12th that he "didn't do anything wrong" when he snapped 25 pictures at the site, some of which contained close-up images of body parts, and sent the pictures to others.

From YahooSportsVanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant's widow, announced on Thursday, March 24th that the Bryant family's partnership with Nike has been renewed, with an agreement to donate "net proceeds" from Kobe's shoes to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and establish a youth basketball center in Southern California.

From NBA:   To celebrate "Kobe Day," here is the "Ultimate Career Mixtape: Kobe Bryant."

6/22/2021 - From Deadline:  Vanessa Bryant has settled the wrongful death lawsuit she launched last year over the helicopter crash that killed her NBA legend husband, Kobe Bryant, and eldest daughter, Gianna, along with seven others in January 2020.

6/7/2021 - From BET:   Natalia Bryant paid tribute to her late father, basketball great Kobe Bryant, during her high school graduation on Friday, June 4th.  Natalia is expected to attend USC beginning in the fall.

 2/15/2021 - From YouTube:  See Vanessa Bryant's "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame" Class of 2021 Enshrinement speech for her late husband, Kobe Bryant.

5/14/2021 - From YahooSports:  Vanessa Bryant shows off portion of Kobe Bryant Hall of Fame exhibit she helped design

5/13/21 - From YahooSports:  New and more shocking information has come out of Vanessa Bryant's lawsuit against L.A. County.  Initially, it was believed that four deputies took and shared anywhere form 25 to 100 grisly photos at the helicopter crash site where Bryant's husband, Kobe, and daughter, Gianna, and six others, including two other children, were killed.  Now, it is believed that at least 18 fire and police department employees took photos of the crash site and that another 66 people may have "relevant" knowledge of the conduct.

4/19/21 - From BET:   Vanessa Bryant shares intimate wedding photos to mark the 20th anniversary (April 18th) of her marriage to the late Kobe Bryant.

3/17/2021 - From YahooSports:   In an Instagram post Wednesday, Vanessa Bryant named four Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies who allegedly took and shared unauthorized graphic photos of the helicopter crash that killed her husband Kobe, daughter Gianna and seven others.  In a lawsuit, they are named as Joey Cruz, Rafael Mejia, Michael Russell, and Raul Versales.

2/27/2021 - From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, wants to publicly release the names of the Los Angeles County deputies who were accused of sharing photos of the crash site where her husband and daughter, Gianna ("Gigi"), and seven other poor souls, including two other minor children.

From NBA:  15 years ago, January 22, 2006, Kobe scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second highest point total by a player in an NBA game (after Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points).

From ClutchPoints:  Shareef O'Neal, son of NBA legend and champion, Shaquille O'Neal, will wear the number 32 when he plays for his father's alma mater, Louisiana State University (LSU).  That number combines the two jersey numbers worn by his mentor, the late Kobe Bryant, 8 and 24.  Shaquille also wore the number 32 when he played for the Orlando Magi.

From BET: Vanessa Bryant is celebrating the Los Angeles Lakers following their victorious finals win snagging the NBA Championship over the Miami Heat on Sunday, Oct. 11th. Paying tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gianna, Vanessa wishes that the father-daughter duo “were here to see this.”

From BET:   A new law has been signed to respect victims of crime scenes and other tragic accidents after photos of the helicopter crash which killed Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and seven others leaked online.

From YahooSports:   LeBron James, currently of the Los Angeles Lakers, expresses his one regret about Kobe Bryant.

From TMZ:  Vanessa Bryant is suing the L.A. County Sheriff and his department, claiming they caused her severe emotional distress ... when deputies allegedly took personal cellphone photos of the bodies of her late husband, NBA legend and champion, Kobe Bryant, and their daughter, Gigi Bryant, at the scene of the helicopter crash that took their lives.  At least eight deputies took photos of bodies at the crash site, and one tried to use it to pick up a woman at a bar.

From YahooSports:  Kobe's widow, Venessa Bryant, criticizes L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva for demanding reward money from LeBron James and for covering up that his deputies were passing around photos from the helicopter crash scene that killed her husband and daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:  Kobe's former teammate, Pau Gasol, and his wife, Catherine McDonell, welcomed a baby girl.  Her middle name is in honor of Kobe's daughter, Gianna.  The baby's name is "Elisabet Gianna Gasol."

From HuffPost:  On what would have been the late Kobe Bryant's 42nd birthday, we get "Thoughtful Quotes About Parenthood From Kobe Bryant."

From BET:  Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa, shares photos of her daughters hanging out with Kobe's former teammate, NBA champion and Olympic medalist, Pau Gasol.

From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy-winning recording artist, Taylor Swift, gifts Kobe Bryant's daughter, Natalia, a cardigan for her new album, "Folklore."

From IGN:  Both the current generation and next-generation versions of the upcoming video game, "NBA 2K21," will have cover art honoring the late professional basketball legend and NBA champion, Kobe Bryant.

From Deadline:   The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner on Friday released its examination reports (autopsy reports) for the nine victims of the January helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

From NBA:  NBA.com writer Kevin Ding says that ESPN's Michael Jordan documentary, "The Last Dance," shows the how far Kobe's connection went.

From YahooSports:  On her 38th birthday, Vanessa Bryant opens a letter her husband, the late Kobe Bryant, penned in January before he died.

From BET:  Happy Birthday, Vanessa - her spectacular life in photos.

From PopCulture:  On what would have been her 14th birthday, Kobe Bryant fans around the world celebrate the life of his daughter, Gianna, who died with him.

From ESPN: (4/17) - Gianna Bryant and the two teammates who died with her: Alyssa Altobelli, and Payton Chester were named honorary selections in the 2020 WNBA draft.

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant has officially been elected to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2020.

From BET:  Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa Bryant posts a picture of herself with two of her daughters and Kobe Bryant's sisters.

From BET:  Vanessa Bryant shares video from Kobe and Wesley King's new book, "The Wizenard Series: Season One."

THE MEMORIAL:

From YahooSports:  In the ongoing scandal of L.A. County deputies sharing graphic photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash site, Sheriff Alex Villanueva says that he ordered eight deputies to delete photos of the crash that they had in their possession. Apparently, this was done last week to keep the matter quiet.

From NBA:  Laughter and tears flow at the memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:  Los Angeles County deputies allegedly leaked graphic photographic images from the Kobe Bryant crash site.

From YahooSports:  Tom Brady tweets emotional statement about Kobe Bryant: "He was the real life superhero our world needs."

From YahooSports:  Major League Baseball super agent, Scott Boras, will grant one of Kobe's final wishes.

From YahooSports:  Hours after eulogizing Gigi and Kobe Bryant, Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu makes NCAA history.

From Deadline:  Kobe Bryant Memorial: BeyoncĂ©, Jimmy Kimmel, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, NBA Legends & Vanessa Bryant Lead Celebration Of Life

From Variety:  Michael Jordan delivers a moving, tearful memorial to his friend, Kobe.

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant's friend, former agent, and current Los Angeles Lakers general manager, Rob Pelinka, talks about the final text he received from Bryant.

From ESPN:  From the Staples Center the "Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant" in a live-stream.

From BET:  The cable network will air the memorial service (#ForKobeAndGigi) live; check your local cable television listings.  The cable net is also live streaming the event, with coverage hosted by Marc Lamont Hill and Jemele Hill.  The link at the beginning of this post will take you to BET's YouTube page.

From THR:  The memorial for Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, (Monday afternoon, Feb. 24th), will feature 35,000 roses and number of performances.

From YahooSports:  The life of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant told through his most iconic images

From NBA:  Boston Celtics legend, Bill Russell, wore a No 24 Kobe Lakers jersey to the the Celtics vs. Lakers game on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 23rd.

From THR:  The 2020 NAACP Image Awards ceremony this past Saturday night (Feb. 22nd) featured a tribute to Kobe and Gianna.

DEVELOPING NEWS/INVESTIGATION:
From YahooSports:  NBA legend, Kobe Bryant (1978-2020), one of the greatest modern professional basketball players, died Sunday morning, January 26, 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, Yahoo Sports confirmed.  Kobe's daughter, Gianna, was also on board as was another player and parent en route to a travel basketball game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

From BET:  Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, has announced that she will change the name of Kobe's "The Mamba Sports Foundation" to "The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation" to honor both Kobe and their later daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:  The Los Angeles Lakers have revealed details about the Feb. 24th memorial service celebrating Kobe and Gianna.

From NBA:  Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, laid to rest in a cemetery near their home.

From YahooSports:  The investigation of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people, has found no signs that the helicopter suffered engine failure.

From YahooSports:  Friday night (Jan. 31st), the Los Angeles Lakers revealed a new Kobe Bryant "KB" logo for the floor of the Staples Center where they play and for their uniforms.

From YahooSports:  Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant, makes her first public statement since the Kobe and their daughter, Gianna, were killed in a helicopter crash, Sun., Jan. 26th.

From YahooSports:  Los Angeles County officials said the Sunday morning helicopter crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also claimed the lives of seven other victims - nine victims in total.

From YahooSports:  L.A. County officials makes it "official" that nine people died in the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The article also names some of the other victims.

From HuffPostAll nine victims have been identified in the Jan. 26, 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.

From YahooSports:   The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has informed news outlets that all nine bodies have been recovered from the helicopter crash site where Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people were killed.

From YahooNews:  Kobe Bryant's wife and Gianna's mother, Vanessa Bryant, with touching Instagram profile photo.

From YahooNews:   Experts now wonder why helicopter pilot in Kobe Bryant crash flew in fog.

From YahooSports:  Helicopter in Kobe Bryant crash lacked key safety feature, a "terrain awareness system."

From People:  Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, attended Catholic mass at Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Angels in Newport Beach and received communion before the taking the helicopter flight in which they would lose their lives.

From YahooLifestyle:  Kobe Bryant's surviving daughters must now grieve a sister: Why sibling loss gets "minimized."

From YahooSports:  Harbor Day School in Corona Del Mar, CA has retired the No. 2 jersey of Kobe Bryant's daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, who died with him in a helicopter crash.

From BET:  Vanessa Bryant leaves heart-breaking tribute to her daughter, Gianna Bryant.

NEWS SITES WITH REGULAR UPDATES:

From LATimes:  This link leads to a live sports blog with updates and new articles on the ongoing story of the death of Kobe Bryant.

From Deadline: The site has a dedicate Kobe Bryant page with links to their news and tributes articles.

From BET:  Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash: Here’s What We Know

NBA NEWS, PLAYERS AND NOTES:

From YahooFinance:  WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that Kobe is the only current or former NBA player to visit her in the seven months she has been commissioner.

From NBA:  An NBA.com video of highlights from Kobe Bryant's years a star high school basketball player.

From Variety:  At a 2020 NBA All-Star Game brunch President Barack Obama speaks about the loss of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and the seven other victims of the helicopter crash.

From SI:  Dr. Dre's 2020 NBA All-Star Game video tribute to Kobe Bryant is... something else...

From ESPN:  Kawhi Leonard wins the first "Kobe Bryant MVP Award" an the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, Sun., Feb. 16th, 2020.

From NBA:  On Sat., Feb. 15th, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the MVP Award for the NBA All-Star Game has been permanently named for Kobe Bryant.

From YahooSports:  Tonight's 2020 NBA All-Star Game featured tributes to Kobe Bryant.

From NBA:  This is NBA.com's Kobe Bryant tribute page.

From BostonGlobe:  Boston Celtic Gordon Hayward talks about his secret workouts with Kobe.

From NBA:  The best of Kobe on the "NBA on TNT"

From NBA:  A NBA.com video obituary for Kobe Bryant

From NBA:  Kobe Bryant honored throughout the league.

From NBA:  Los Angeles Clippers star, Paul George, narrates a tribute to Kobe, Gianna, and the other victims in the helicopter crash.

From NBA:  Three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry on Kobe's passing.

From NBA:  Inside "Mamba Forever," the emotional tribute essay from Howard Beck of "Bleacher Report."

From ESPN:  The NBA has postponed the Tues., Jan. 28th between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers, in response to the death of Laker legend, Kobe Bryant.

From NBA:  NBA commissioner Adam Silver's statement on passing of Kobe Bryant

From NBA:  This link goes to a page of video highlights from Kobe's NBA career and also includes and also a photo essay by NBA/Lakers photographer, Andrew Bernstein, on his favorite Kobe photos.

From NBA:   NBA players, coaches, legends and other personalities on Bryant's passing.


TRIBUTES/HISTORY/GENERAL:

From PopCulture:  A young great white shark has been named for Kobe Bryant.

From BET:  A father reveals how Kobe Bryant made his son's dream come through Make-a-Wish Iowa.  The boy, who eventually died of cancer at 13, was buried in the the jersey Kobe game him.

From PopCulture:  "The Big Bang Theory" actress Kaley Cuoco says the death of Kobe Bryant left her feeling "gutted."

From BET:  Jay-Z reveals one of the last things Kobe told him.

From YahooEntertainment:  An oral history of Kobe and Glen Keane's Oscar-winning animated short, "Dear Basketball."

From Deadline:  Author Paulo Coelho, who had been working on a children's book with Kobe Bryant, wants to delete the unfinished draft and discontinue work on the book.

From YahooSports:  NBA superstar LeBron James reveals his new ""Mamba 4 Life" tatoo honoring former Laker Kobe Bryant.

From YahooSports:  NBA superstar LeBron James, of the Los Angeles Lakers, was surprised at the joy Kobe Bryant found in his family life in his post-NBA career.

From Variety:  At a Super Bowl Week concert in Miami, recent Grammy winner Lizzo is joined on stage by actor-singer Harry Styles and also offers a tribute to Kobe, Gianna and the other victims of the helicopter crash that killed them Sun., Jan. 26th.

From YahooSports:  Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe's one-time teammate, will donate the proceeds from his big Super Bowl LIV party to the families of the nine victims in the crash that killed Kobe.

From THR:  Talk show hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon tear-up on the first episodes of their respective shows since the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people.

From YahooSports:  "Mamba Mentality," Kobe Bryant's motto, looms over Super Bowl week.

From THR:  Renowned animation filmmaker and legendary Disney animator, Glen Keane, shared an Oscar win with Kobe Bryant for the animated short film, "Dear Kobe."  In a column for "The Hollywood Reporter," he writes about his first meeting with Bryant.

From YahooSports:  Allen Iverson, one ne of Kobe Bryant's greatest rivals, speaks about being "devastated and heartbroken" over his death and offers a story.

From YahooSports:  Los Angeles united in grief for the loss of its adopted son, Kobe Bryant.

From YahooEntertainment:  In a rare interview, Los Angeles Lakers super-fan, Jack Nicholson, releases a statement about Kobe Bryant.

From BET:  Remembering Kobe Bryant's relationship with his daughter, Gianna, who also died in the helicopter crash that killed her father.

From BET:  Shareef O'Neal, the son of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, shares a message that Kobe sent to him the morning Kobe died.

From MarketWatch:  This viral video shows how Kobe Bryant mirrored his idol, NBA legend, Michael Jordan.

From YahooSports:  Pro golfing legend, Tiger Woods, speaks on the passing of his friend, Kobe Bryant.

From YahooSports:  Upon hearing of Kobe Bryant's death, NBA star, Kyrie Irving, reportedly left Madison Square Garden before his team, the Brooklyn Nets, took on the New York Knicks.  Irving and Bryant were close, and Irving saw Bryant as a mentor.

From YahooSports:  President Trump and former President Obama take to Twitter after the shocking news of the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash.

From YahooEntertainment:  The 2020 Grammy Awards are being held at Staples Center tonight (Sun., Jan. 26th).  The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers also play there, and today, they lost one of their all-time players, Kobe Bryant.  Even with the Grammys, fans are gathering at the Staples Center to celebrate Kobe's life.

From Deadline:  Fellow Los Angeles Lakers legends:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal offer tributes and condolences to their fallen Laker, Kobe Bryant.

From ESPN - In Europe, Kobe Bryant remembered for his "Italian qualities."

From IMDb:  The site remembers Kobe Bryant in a gallery of 58 photos.

Amazon has a Kobe Bryant shopping page.

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

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Friday, October 16, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from October 11th to 17th, 2020 - Update #16

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS

CRIME - From YahooEntertainment:   An arrest has been made in the shooting death of actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd who was shot several times in the back on October 3rd in Atlanta.

STAR TREK - From THR:  CBS All-Access greenlights a fourth season of its flagship "Star Trek" TV series, "Star Trek: Discovery."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Showtime will revive its Emmy-winning serial killer drama, "Dexter" (2006-13) as a limited series.  Emmy-nominated actor, Michael C. Hall, will return as the title character, "Dexter Morgan," the forensic tech who moonlights as a serial killer.

TONY AWARDS - From Deadline:  This is a list of nominations for the 2020 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Amazon has given the greenlight to a young adult TV series based on the hit 1997 horror film, "I Know What You Did Last Summer."

SPORTS - From CNN:  The Los Angeles Lakers win the National Basketball Association Championship for the year 2019-2020 - four games to two against the Miami Heat.  It is the Lakers record-tying 17th NBA Championship.

From YouTube:  Los Angeles Lakers claim 17th NBA title in YouTube mini-movie. 

From YouTube:  President Barack Obama shouts out Lakers for title win and for social justice.

From YahooSports:  Lakers championship was a real coup for controlling owner, Jeanie Buss

From TheGuardian:  Los Angeles Lakers champion and legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says, Amid uncertainty and upheaval, LeBron shows us what an American should be.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The winner of the 10/9 to 10/11/2020 weekend box office is "War with Granpa" which has an estimated take of 3.6 million dollars.

PIXAR - From YahooEntertainment:  "Soul" creators go inside Pixar's first African-American-led film: 'Animation is not an industry where there's been a great deal of Black representation'

OSCARS - From Variety:   This Oscar Season Could Be for the Young and the Newcomers

OBITS:

From YahooSports:  ESPN reporter, Vaughn McClure, has died at the age of 48, Thursday, October 15, 2020.  McClure reported on the NFL's Atlanta Falcons for ESPN.

From Deadline:  American actress, Conchata Ferrell, has died at the age of 77, Monday, October 12, 2020.  She is best known for appearing in all 12 seasons of the CBS sitcom, "Two and a Half Men" (2003-2012).  She was a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, earning two of the nomations for her work on "Two and a Half Men."

From Deadline:  American television film editor, Donald Douglas, has died at the age of 87, Saturday, October 3, 2020.  Douglas began his career editing episodes of animated television series for Hanna-Barbera Productions, including "The Yogi Bear Show" (1961) and "The Flintstones" (1960).  He received two Emmy nominations, one for his editing work on the 1984 CBS miniseries, "George Washington" and another for his work on the CBS television series, "Murder, She Wrote."

From ESPN:  Baseball Hall of Fame player, Joe Morgan, has died at the age of 77, Sunday, October 11, 2020.  Considered one of the greatest second baseman of all-time (if not the greatest), Morgan won two World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds (1975 and 1976), and Morgan was named the "National League Most Valuable Player" both years.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.

COVID-19:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remember when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlanticThe Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/30 - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") reveals that he had a bout with COVID-19.

7/31 - From YahooEntertainment:  Writer and actress, Lena Dunham, creator of HBO's "Girls, reveals that she contracted COVID-19 and the symptoms she experiences and still experience.

7/30 - From YahooGMA:  In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/2 - From TheDailyBeast:  In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.

8/6 - From YahooNews:  Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.

8/8 - From YahooNYT:  The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.

8/8 - From YahooNBC:  They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.

8/9 - From YahooNews:  The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

9/19 - From WashPost:  U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 200,000

9/23 - From CNBC:  Mark Cuban, who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank," suggests that every household in American get a $1000 check every two weeks for the next two months.

9/28 - From Deadline:  John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker reports that over 1 million people have died of COVID-19 worldwide.

10/2 - From YahooNews:  President Donald and the First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19.

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From TheGuardian:  Yusef Salaam, one of the "Central Park Five," says in an interview, "Trump would have had me hanging from a tree in Central Park."

From NPR:  Prosecutors' plea deal required drug suspect to name Breonna Taylor a "co-defendant."

From ChicagoSunTimes:  Rev. Jesse Jackson: America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty.

From APNews:  No one will be held accountable for the killing of Louisville African-American resident, Breonna Taylor.

From Channel4:  Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016

From GuardianUK:  California is going to consider paying reparations to the descendants of African slaves after adopting a landmark law to study and to develop proposals around the issue.

From TheRoot:   What to Do When Your Country Turns Into a Dumpster Fire

From Vox:  It's True: 1 in 1,000 Black Americans Have Died in the Covid-19 Pandemic

From CBS:  Breonna Taylor's boyfriend certain cops didn't identify themselves


Monday, June 29, 2020

Winners at The "BET Awards" 2020 Announced

Lizzo, Chris Brown, Migos, DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael B. Jordan, Issa Rae, and "Queen & Slim" Take Top Honors at the “BET Awards” 2020

THE “BET AWARDS” 2020 OPENED WITH A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC ENEMY’S “FIGHT THE POWER” FEATURING CHUCK D, FLAVOR FLAV, NAS, BLACK THOUGHT, RAPSODY, QUESTLOVE, JAHI AND YG

BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER HONORED WITH HUMANITARIAN AWARD

GLOBAL SUPERSTAR LIL WAYNE HONORED THE MEMORY OF NBA LEGEND KOBE BRYANT WITH A MOVING TRIBUTE

ROCK AND ROLL HALL-OF-FAMER LITTLE RICHARD REMEMBERED WITH TRIBUTE FROM MULTI-TALENTED ACTOR/COMEDIAN WAYNE BRADY

ALICIA KEYS, CHLOE X HALLE, DABABY, D SMOKE, JENNIFER HUDSON, JOHN LEGEND, JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS, KANE BROWN, LIL WAYNE, LONR., MASEGO, MEGAN THEE STALLION, RODDY RICCH,  SIR, SUMMER WALKER, USHER, WAYNE BRADY AND MORE DELIVERED EXTRAORDINARY, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PERFORMANCES

#BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET honored an incredible and inspiring lineup of artists, entertainers, cultural icons and humanitarians across more than 20 categories at The “BET AWARDS” 2020. The show, hosted by actress and comedian Amanda Seales, aired live at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and made its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020. 2020 marks both the 20th anniversary of the awards and BET’s 40th anniversary. This year’s show highlighted the absolute best in entertainment, social justice and culture with moving performances and appearances by some of the biggest names across television, film, and music; spreading an important message of hope and change.

The “BET AWARDS,” which has become synonymous with powerful artistry and social commentary, continues to spotlight and celebrate the artists and creators of tomorrow, making the ceremony one of the most news-provoking and talked-about broadcasts year after year.

This year’s awards used an array of innovative techniques, including stunning and dynamic artist-generated performances and packages, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the important and inspirational messages of Black Lives Matter and the urgent need for racial equality. The ceremony was an extraordinary celebration of black culture, love, joy, and pride, setting a new bar for awards shows produced during the ongoing pandemic.

The “BET AWARDS” 2020 Show Highlights Include:

  • Chuck D, Nas, Black Thought, Rapsody, Flavor Flav, Questlove, Jahi, YG opened the show with an amazing performance of their song “Fight the Power.”
  • Anderson .Paak and Jay Rock followed, delivering a powerful and emotional rendition of the newly released song “Lockdown.” The song, which debuted this past Juneteenth, paints a detailed picture of the recent Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the tragic killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
  • Megan Thee Stallion performed her new single “Girls In the Hood” along with her hit song “Savage.” The remix of the song featuring BeyoncĂ© became Megan’s highest-charting song, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
  • Lil Wayne and Wayne Brady delivered emotional tributes to Kobe Bryant and Little Richard respectively. Brady sang renditions of Little Richard’s popular songs including “Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti.”
  • DaBaby and Roddy Ricch brought the house down during their performance of hit song “Rockstar,” which spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was released as the second single of DaBaby’s third studio album “Blame It On Baby.”
  • R&B sweetheart Summer Walker and pop icon Usher sang their hearts out while performing multiple songs including “Session 32" "Come Thru" / "You Make Me Wanna.”
  • Jonathan McReynolds and Kane Brown took us all to church during their renditions of popular gospel songs "People" and "Worldwide Beautiful."
  • Legendary gospel titans Kierra and Karen Clark Sheard of the iconic Clark Sisters delivered a power-packed rendition of the new song “Something Has to Break” from Kierra’s newly released sixth album “Kierra,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums.
  • Introduced by former First Lady Michelle Obama, BeyoncĂ© Knowles-Carter accepted the Humanitarian Award for her years of her philanthropic service. Her heartfelt speech urged viewers to continue to fight against systemic racism by voting.

In addition to all of these must-see moments, the complete list of winners for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 can be found below:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
LIZZO

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
CHRIS BROWN

BEST GROUP
MIGOS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - “NO GUIDANCE”

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
MEGAN THEE STALLION

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - “HIGHER”

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
KIRK FRANKLIN - “JUST FOR ME”

BEST ACTRESS
ISSA RAE

BEST ACTOR
MICHAEL B. JORDAN

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
MARSAI MARTIN

BEST MOVIE
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
LEBRON JAMES

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL (RODDY RICCH)

BET HER AWARD
BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN “BROWN SKIN GIRL”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

Internationally, the show simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9 pm BST, France on June 30th at 8:45 pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9 pm KST.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”:
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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Sunday, March 1, 2020

Vanessa Bryant's Attorney Speaks on Brewing Crash Site Photo Scandal

STATEMENT FROM GARY C. ROBB, LEGAL COUNSEL ON BEHALF OF HIS CLIENT, VANESSA BRYANT, RELATIVE TO THE ALLEGED PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF CERTAIN HELICOPTER CRASH SITE PHOTOS

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE) Statement From Gary C. Robb, Legal Counsel on Behalf of His Client, Vanessa Bryant:

Our client, Vanessa Bryant, is absolutely devastated by allegations that deputies from the Lost Hills Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department publicly disseminated photos from the helicopter crash site.

Mrs. Bryant personally went to the Sheriff’s office on January 26th and requested that the area be designated a no-fly zone and protected from photographers. This was of critical importance to her as she desired to protect the dignity of all the victims, and their families. At that time, Sheriff Alex Villanueva assured us all measures would be put in place to protect the families’ privacy, and it is our understanding that he has worked hard to honor those requests.

First responders should be trustworthy. It is inexcusable and deplorable that some deputies from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s substation, other surrounding substations and LACoFD would allegedly breach their duty. This is an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect, and of the privacy rights of the victims and their families. We are demanding that those responsible for these alleged actions face the harshest possible discipline, and that their identities be brought to light, to ensure that the photos are not further disseminated. We are requesting an Internal Affairs investigation of these alleged incidents.

Mrs. Bryant is grateful to the individual who filed an online complaint exposing these acts of injustice, and for the choice to protect human dignity.

We ask that anyone else who has information as to the facts underlying these alleged grievous and shameful incidents contact our office at 816–474-8080 or email via www.robbrobb.com

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Friday, January 31, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 26th to 31st, 2020 - Update #31

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TRAILERS - From YouTube:  The trailer for "F9: The Fast Saga" debuts.  The film is due May 22, 2020.

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MUSIC - From BET:  Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs calls out the Grammys, and former label mate, Ma$e calls out Diddy!

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SCANDAL - From THR:  Jessica Mann is the second key accuser to claim that Harvey Weinstein raped her during Weinstein's New York rape trial.  Earlier this week, Miriam Haley testified to the same.

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FESTIVALS - From Deadline:  At Sundance, the buzzy "Bad Hair," from Justin Simien ("Dear White People) is nearing an 8 million dollar worldwide rights deal with Hulu.

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AWARDS - From Deadline:  The Casting Society of America is another group that also hands out awards for movies, the "Artios Awards."  The 35th edition of those awards handed about trophies to "Once Upon a Time... in America" and "Jojo Rabbit," among others.

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KOBE - From Deadline:  "Grey's Anatomy" actress, Ellen Pompeo, has said that the "TMZ" television series should be cancelled for breaking the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash story and for other abusive behavior.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-winning director Ron Howard will direct "The Fixer" for Paramount Pictures.  The film dramatizes the real-life story of a plot to assassinate Cuban revolutionary, Fidel Castro.

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MOVIES - From Newsarama:  Universal Pictures has released seven character posters for the upcoming film "F9: The Fast Saga," the ninth film in the "Fast & Furious" franchise.

From ScreenRant:  The trailer for "F9" is due for release online Friday, Jan. 30th, 2020.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Wes Anderson's next film, "French Dispatch" will be released July 24th, 2020 by Searchlight Pictures.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  Newly minted U.S. citizen, John Oliver, talks about the return of his Emmy-winning TV series, "Last Week Tonight."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  It's "pilot season" for the broadcast networks and they are facing stiff salary competition for top talent because of the streaming giants.

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GRAMMYS - From CNN:  At Sunday's (Jan. 26th) 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony, First Lady Michelle Obama won the Grammy Award for "Best Spoken World Album."  Her husband, President Barack Obama, has previously won the award twice.

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FILM FESTIVAL - From Deadline:  The 2020 / 70th Berlin Film Festival (Feb. 20th to March 1st, 2020) has announced its competitive film lineup which will include 18 films.  Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Iron will serve as the president of the international jury which will hand out the Golden and Silver Bear awards.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  "True Detective" creator, Nic Pizzolatto, reunited with one of the series' biggest stars, Matthew McConaughey, for the series, "Redeemer," for FX.

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MOVIES - From THR: Priyanka Chopra joins "The Matrix 4."

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OSCARS/KOBE - From THR:  The late basketball great, Kobe Bryant, killed in a helicopter crash Sun., Jan. 26th, will be remembered at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony on Sun., Feb. 9th.

From THR:  The late Kobe Bryant, an Oscar winner himself, was remembered at Monday's (Jan. 27th) Oscar nominees luncheon.

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TELEVISION - From THR:  CBS gives a pilot pick-up order to a reboot its old TV series, "The Equalizer" (1985-1989), with Oscar-nominated actress Queen Latifah in the lead.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Sony Pictures has removed its "Masters of the Universe" reboot film from its release schedule.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 1/24 to 1/26/2020 weekend box office is "Bad Boys for Life" with an estimated take of 34 million dollars.  It is a repeat winner having topped its debut weekend last week.

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GRAMMYS - From Deadline:  The site is updating the winners list at 2020 / 62nd annual Grammy Awards.  UPDATE:  Billie Eilish sweeps the marquee cateogries: "Album of the Year," "Song of the Year," "Record of the Year," and "Best New Artist."

From YahooEntertainment:  Here is a complete list of winners at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards.

From YahooEntertainmentBillie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, set or tied numerous records at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards last night (Sun., Jan. 26th).  Eilish becomes only the second artist to win the coveted "big four" awards: "Album of the Year," "Song of the Year," "Record of the Year," and "Best New Artist." The first person to do it was Christopher Cross, 39 years ago.  The article in this link also talks about the Grammys ceremony's "highs and lows."

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AWARDS - From DeadlineSam Mendes wins the "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Film" award at the 2020 / 72nd Directors Guild Awards for his film "1917."  This is the second major guild win for "1917" after winning the top prize at the Producers Guild Awards.

From Deadline:  Netflix's "Klaus" wins "Best Animated Feature" at the 2020/ 47th Annie Awards, one of the seven awards the film won.  Netflix's entries won 19 Annies at the ceremonies, which were held last night (Sat., Jan. 25th).

From Deadline:  Cinematographer Roger Deakins wins the top prize, the "Theatrical Release" trophy, for his work on the film, "1917," at the 34th annual ASC Awards, which are given by the American Society of Cinematographers.

From DeadlineGreta Gerwig took home top film honors Saturday night (Jan. 25th) at the 32nd annual USC Libraries Scripter Awards for "Little Women," her adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott novel.  In the TV category, the Scripter went to Phoebe Waller-Bridge for the first episode of her English TV series "Fleabag," which is streamed on Amazon Prime and is based on her one-woman play.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The cast is set for Tyler Perry's Nickelodeon series, "Tyler Perry's Young Dylan."  Carl Anthony Payne II of the 1990's series, "Martin," is one of the stars.

OBITS:

From THR:  NBA player and legend and member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, has died at the age of 41, Sunday, January 26, 2020.  Bryant was a five-time NBA champion; two-time NBA Finals MVP; league MVP in 2008; 18-time NBA All-Star; fourth-leading scorer in NBA history; and he was a two-time Olympic gold medal winner with the USA Basketball team (2008, 2012).  Kobe played his entire career for only one team, the Lakers.  Kobe wore two numbers in his career, and both No. 8 and No. 24 have been retired by the Lakers.

From Deadline:  American television network executive, Fred Silverman, has died at the age of 82, Thursday, January 30, 2020.  He was an executive at CBS, ABC, and NBC.  During his time at these networks, he was responsible for TV series like "All in the Family" and "MASH" at CBS; "Happy Days" and the miniseries, "Roots" at ABC; and "Hill Street Blues" and the miniseries, "Shogun" at NBC.

From Deadline:  Theater and television actress, Marsha Kramer, has died at the age of 74, Friday, January 24, 2020.  Over a forty year career, Kramer appeared in numerous TV series, including a recent stint on ABC's long-running sitcom, "Modern Family."


Thursday, January 9, 2020

Celebrities Celebrate New Film, "Just Mercy"


Celebrities, Sports Teams, Athletes, Churches and Major Corporations Champion “Just Mercy,” the Acclaimed Film About Real-Life Hero Bryan Stevenson, Starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading up to the Friday, January 10th, 2020 nationwide release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Just Mercy,” a growing list of luminaries, sports teams, faith leaders and global corporations have come out in support of the film through theatre buyouts. The film, which opened in limited release on Christmas Day, has struck a chord with critics and moviegoers, earning an exceedingly rare A+ CinemaScore in addition to being Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 99% Audience Score. “Just Mercy” has also won seven Audience Awards at film festivals across the country, including the Mill Valley, Chicago, Virginia, New Orleans, Twin Cities and Heartland Film Festivals.

People are inspired by the story of a true hero for our time, attorney Bryan Stevenson, a Black man who courageously took on powerful forces in Alabama to save the life of an innocent Black man on death row. Bryan has since become an indomitable force for change, both in his community and across the nation, tirelessly fighting for justice for people trapped in a system where the cards are often stacked against them.

Stars from the worlds of sports, acting, fashion and music, as well as sports teams, key faith leaders and churches, and multinational corporations, have been motivated to buy out entire theatres and offer free admission, in hopes of making this powerful story accessible to as many people as possible. Some of those on the growing list of those doing theatre buyouts include:

    Kobe Bryant
    Kanye and Kim Kardashian West
    John Legend
    Common
    Lena Waithe
    Garrett Temple from the Brooklyn Nets
    Devin McCourty, New England Patriots Defensive Back #32
    Jason McCourty, New England Patriots Cornerback #30
    Microsoft
    Coach
    Facebook
    Goldhouse
    JPMorgan Chase
    Prudential Financial
    Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group
    Eastdil Secured
    The Margaret and Daniel Loeb Foundation & Third Point LLC
    The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
    Chris & Crystal Sacca
    Michael & Lydia Kives
    Sheryl Leach
    William McMorrow, Chairman and CEO of Kennedy Wilson
    just keep livin foundation
    Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
    Pastor Jamal Bryant and New Birth Church, Atlanta
    Dr. Irishea Hilliard and New Light Church, Houston
    Bishop Dale Bronner and Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, Atlanta

Sports teams including:
        From the NBA: Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings

        From the NFL: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons


About “Just Mercy”:
Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” the “Creed” films, “Fruitvale Station”) and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx (“Ray,” “Baby Driver,” “Django: Unchained”) and Brie Larson (“Room,” “Short Term 12,” “Captain Marvel”) star in “Just Mercy.” Award-winning filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (“The Glass Castle,” “Short Term 12”) directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote, based on Bryan Stevenson’s bestselling memoir.

The main cast also includes Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Karan Kendrick. The film was produced by two-time Oscar nominee Gil Netter (“Life of Pi,” “The Blind Side”), Asher Goldstein (“Short Term 12”) and Michael B. Jordan. Bryan Stevenson, Mike Drake, Niija Kuykendall, Gabriel Hammond, Daniel Hammond, Scott Budnick, Jeff Skoll and Charles D. King served as executive producers. Cretton co-wrote the screenplay with Andrew Lanham, based on Stevenson’s book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, which has spent more than 180 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers List and counting.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in Association with Endeavor Content/One Community/Participant Media/Macro, a Gil Netter Production, an Outlier Society Production, “Just Mercy.” Distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film has been rated PG-13 for thematic content, including some racial epithets. www.JustMercyFilm.com

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Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from December 22nd to 31st, 2019 - Update #26

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

REVIEW - From Patreon:  My review of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

STAR TREK - From ThePlaylist:  Actor Simon Pegg, who plays Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, is not sure if he and the other cast of the current Star Trek film franchise will be in director Noah Hawley's planned "Star Trek 4" film project.

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SPORTS - From NBA:  National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar, LeBron James, currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, has been named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Decade.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  President Barack Obama names his favorite films and TV shows of 2019.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/27 to 12/29/2019 weekend box office is "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" with an estimated take of 72 million dollars.

From Variety:  It's official's Universal Pictures' film adaptation of the famous Broadway musical, "Cats," is a flop.  Directed by Oscar-winner Tom Hooper, the film may rack up 100 million dollars in theatrical losses.

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SCANDAL - From Variety:  A New York court finds that rape is a "hate crime."  This ruling concerns a lawsuit against Oscar-winning filmmaker, Paul Haggis, brought by a woman who claims that Haggis raped her in his apartment in New York in 2013.

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POLITICS - From RSN:  Robert Reich on "How American Oligarchy Works."  First essay: billionaire Paul Singer’s Elliott Management hedge fund

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STREAMING - From LaurenceFuller:  Actor, writer, and producer Laurence Fuller is sharing his new short film, "Echoes of You."

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SCANDAL - From Deadline:  One of the men who accused Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey of sexual misconduct has died by suicide.  Ari Behn was an author and the ex-husband of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and reportedly took his life Christmas Day.

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STREAMING - From Variety:  The Rio de Janeiro headquarters of the Brazilian comedy troupe, "Porta dos Fundos," was hit by a Molotov cocktail.  Porta dos Fundo created "The First Temptation of Christ," a comedy Christmas special that suggests that Jesus Christ is gay.  Netflix has been streaming the special, although there has been a petition to have it removed.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  The site has a page where you can read movie scripts, including titles like "Knives Out" and "Honey Boy."

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Gal Gadot and her husband, Jaron Varsano, are producing a film adaptation of the 2014 Hebrew novel, "Borderlife."  The novel has been banned from school reading lists by the Israeli government because it depicts an Israeli-Palestinian.

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SCANDAL - From THR:   NBC Sports has indefinitely suspended its NHL (National Hockey League) analyst, Jeremy Roenick, for making inappropriate (but damn funny) comments about NBC colleagues.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Kobe Bryant is hosting a screening of director Destin Daniel Cretton's critically acclaimed death row drama, "Just Mercy," in Los Angeles on January 6, 2020.  The film stars Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, and Jamie Foxx.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Stephen King's debut novel, "Carrie" (1974), is the subject of another adaptation, this time as a TV miniseries for FX.

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BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 12/20 to 12/22/2019 weekend box office is "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" with an estimated gross of 175.5 million dollars.

From Variety:  "The Rise of Skywalker" tops the international box office in its debut with an estimated take of 198 million dollars.From Patreon:  My review of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."

From Variety:  At the Chinese box office, "The Rise of Skywalker" is beaten by Chinese martial arts, historical, action movie, "Ip Man 4: The Finale."

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  After the film adaptation of the legendary musical, "Cats," debuted, Universal Pictures sent out a "new version" of the film with "improved visual effects."

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MOVIES - From Boston:  A look at 10 New England towns that are perfect settings for Christmas movies.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman died at the age of 88, Thursday, December 26, 2019.  A two-time Tony Award winner, Herman was the composer and lyricist "Hello, Dolly!" and "Mame," and the composer for "La Cage aux Folles."

From THR:  The television producer Lee Mendelson has died at the age of 86, Wednesday, December 25, 2019.  Mendelson produced more than 60 animated TV specials featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the "Peanuts" gang, winning six Emmy Awards.  For the legendary "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965), Mendelson wrote the lyrics for the song, "Christmastime is Here."  Mendelson died at Christmas day.

From Variety:  Former actress Sue Lyon has died at the age of 73, Thursday, December 26, 2019.  Her career ran from 1959 to 1980, but Lyon was best known for playing the title character in Stanley Kubrick's 1962 film, "Lolita," based on Vladimir Nabokov's novel of the same title.

From Deadline:  Radio talk show host and "shock jock" Don Imus has died at the age of 79, Friday, December 27, 2019.  Over a nearly 50-year period, Imus interviewed a number of important figures in American politics.  Imus' peak period ended in 2007 when CBS Radio and MSNBC fired him after he made derogatory and racist comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team - calling them "nappy headed ho's."

From Variety:  The songwriter Allee Willis has died at the age of 72, Tuesday, December 24, 2019.  A member of the "Songwriters Hall of Fame," she is best known for writing songs for "Earth, Wind & Fire" like "September" and "Boogie Wonderland."  She also co-wrote the theme song, "I'll Be There for You," for the NBC series, "Friends," and the song score for the Broadway production of "The Color Purple."  Willis was also a two-time Grammy Awards winner.

From Variety:  ESPN reporter Ed Aschoff has died at the age of 34, Tuesday, December 24, 2019, after a battle with pneumonia.  Aschoff joined ESPN in 2011, where he covered college sports.

TRAILERS:

From SlashFilm:  Here is the first official trailer for Christopher Nolan's next mind-bending film, "Tenet," with a breakdown of the contents of the trailer by the article's writer.  "Tenet" opens July 17, 2020.

From EW:  Marvel Studios releases the first official teaser trailer and a poster for its next feature film, "Black Widow," which is set for release, May 1, 2020.

From THR:  The first official trailer for the next James Bond movie, "No Time to Die," makes it debut.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 1st to 10th, 2018 - Update #24

Support Leroy on Patreon:

MOVIES - From Variety:  Chris McKay, the director of "The LEGO Batman Movie," is attached to the live-action film version of classic animated TV franchise, "Jonny Quest."

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STAR TREK - From Deadline:  Michelle Yeoh is in talks to reprise her role in "Star Trek Discovery," Captain Emperor Georgiou, for another "Star Trek" spinoff for the streaming service, CBS All Access.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Al Pacino and Meadow Williams will headline "Axis Sally," based on the true story of a woman who becomes the unwitting voice of Nazi propaganda against American troops during WWII.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  David Simon's ("The Wire") planned miniseries adaptation of Philip Roth's novel, "The Plot Against America," lands at HBO.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  John Boyega ("Star Wars") and Letitia Wright ("Black Panther") to star in Mark Cahill's sci-fi film, "Hold Back the Stars," which is based on Katie Khan's novel.

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STREAMING - From Deadline:  Netflix adds to its animation slate with five new anime series, including one based on "Pacific Rim."

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TELEVISION - From IndieWire:  Cary Fukanaga and David Lowery are reportedly developing a TV series based on Joe Dante's 1985 film, "Explorers."

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ANIMATION - From ThePlaylist:  DreamWorks Animation has hired Chris Meledandri ("Despicable Me") to reboot its "Shrek" franchise.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Andrew Lincoln will appear in multiple "The Walking Dead" movies for AMC.  Lincoln, who plays lead character, Rick Grimes, exited the long-running "The Walking Dead" TV series in the episode originally broadcast Nov. 4th, 2018.

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TELEVISION - From BleedingCool:  You can enjoy, "Me, Cheetah," the Tarzan drama from the BBC starring John Malkovich and Julian Sands.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  The film adaptation of the former HBO TV series, "Deadwood," has begun production.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 11/2 to 11/4/2018 weekend box office is "Bohemian Rhapsody" with an estimated take of $50 million.

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MOVIES - From IndieWire:  Director Fede Alvarez says the sequel to his hit film "Don't Breathe" will happen before the sequel to his (awful) hit film, the 2013 "Evil Dead" reboot.

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COMICS-FILM - From WeGotThisCovered:  For its worth, early test screenings of the "Hellboy" reboot, which is due in theaters April 12, 2019, are yielding poor responses.

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CELEBRITY - From Variety:  J.J. Abrams seeing a mega-deal with one film studio.

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Ana Navarro joins ABC's talk show, "The View" as a co-host.

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AVATAR - From TheWrap:  The titles for the four "Avatar" sequels have been leaked.

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MOVIES - From IndieWire:  Producers Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and Quincy Jones are working on a remake of their 1985 film, "The Color Purple," which was adapted from Alice Walker's fan-fucking-tastic novel of the same name.

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SPORTS - From Variety:  Granity, Kobe Bryant's studio, announces a slate of sports-theme projects across multiple platforms.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  NBA Champion and MVP Stephen "Steph" Curry and Oscar-winner Viola Davis join the documentary "Emanuel," as executive producers.  The doc will chronicles the 2015 massacre of African-American church members by a white supremacist.  Julius Tennon is also an executive producer.

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AWARDS - From Newsarama:  The "22nd Hollywood Film Awards" has given the "Hollywood Film Award" to Marvel's blockbuster, "Black Panther," and the "Hollywood Animation Award" to "Incredibles 2."

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MOVIES - From EW:  Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are apparently saying that "Bad Boys 3" is officially a go.  The original "Bad Boys" debuted in 1995, with the sequel, "Bad Boys 2," hitting theaters in 2003.

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MOVIES - From Deadline:  Ridley Scott has begun developing "Gladiator 2."  This would be the sequel to Scott's 2000 film, "Gladiator," which won the "Best Picture" Oscar for the year 2000.

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MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:  Legendary special visual effects and make-up artist, Rick Baker, talks about working on Michael Jackson's music video, "Thriller," on its 35th anniversary.  He also talks about his other career highlights.

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MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  A list of great movie projects never made, including a film adaptation of the "The Heart of Darkness," by Orson Welles.