beyonce husband |
- Beyoncé did it. Ashton and Demi did it. Think Naomi Osaka needs the media? The ball’s in the court of public opinion - Toronto Star
- The Source |Sean Paul Explains Why He'll Never Do a Verzuz, Clarifies Why He Never Performed Baby Boy With Beyonce - The Source Magazine
- US comedian Robin Thede: “No shade to Beyoncé, but Blue Ivy is the funny one!” - NME
- Vacation-Going In Your 20s Vs. 30s - Severna Park Voice
- Isla Fisher interview: Actress talks Sacha Baron Cohen, humour and why Australia will always be home - Marie Claire
- The fabulous US$100 million life of Ivana Trump - South China Morning Post
| Posted: 03 Jun 2021 02:10 PM PDT French Open. Case closed? As the news cycle burned itself out on the Naomi Osaka story this week — a hullabaloo caused when the ace pulled herself out of the tennis tournament amid controversy over her decision to not participate in press conferences there, citing anxiety — there was no shortage of projection happening, particularly on social media. Getting shoehorned into ongoing culture war narratives, the whole thing became not just about the intersection of sports and celebrity, but also the whole pantry of race, feminism, and mental health. Personally, I saw both sides. I know: shocker. Sacre bleu! (Is nuance allowed on social media?) Empathetic to what Osaka is going through, but also cognizant of the fact we were talking about someone who's the world's highest-paid female athlete. (She made $37.4 million U.S. from prizes and endorsements this past year, setting an all-time earnings record for a woman in a single year.) And whose "personal brand" does — fact — flow in part from give-and-take with media. I am sorta partial to what one Twitter friend wrote: "It was a no-win situation. An exception for Naomi would be unfair to the other athletes on the tour. But she needs to preserve her mental health. They enforced their rules, which is their right, and this is her protest, which is hers." That is to say, the sport needs press coverage and media deals to remain lucrative … right? And as much as it is possible to have a larger discussion about press conferences — one writer with the Guardian called them a "lowest common denominator transaction" — I was most fascinated by what the showdown precipitated by Osaka told us about celebrity-media dynamics at large. And how, in the celebrity industrial complex, the power has been shifting for some time. Anne Helen Petersen traced this modern phenomenon in her Buzzfeed essay "How the 2010s Killed the Celebrity Gossip Machine" when she reminded, "it's hard to believe now, but back in 2009, Ashton Kutcher was the most prominent celebrity on Twitter. He was the first to reach 1 million followers and the first … to really understand what he could do with the medium. On vacation in Turks and Caicos with then-wife Demi Moore, he posted a 'twitpic' (lol) of Moore, taken from behind. The next month, he and Moore posted shots — and short video — from backstage at the Oscars. All of this seems so mundane now, but at the time, it was startlingly novel. The pair had spent years being hounded by the paparazzi. Now they were taking it back." Compared to the predominant scene then, when celebrities had found themselves beholden to the swarms of paparazzi, the Roman Colosseum-ness of Perez Hilton, the zenith of TMZ, options were limited working within these constraints. You could now either be like Angelina and Brad, carefully spooning out opportunities for photographers to catch them or you could play along, appearing in the same outfit every time you went outside (thereby driving down the price of a shot) or you could keep a lower profile outside of Hollywood like, say, Rachel McAdams, who remained cooped up in Toronto. The pendulum that started swinging in the next decade — c/o social media — was a neat bookend to what happened to the stars of the 1950s, when the so-called Studio System broke down and those stars were released from their prohibitive contracts, giving them unprecedented leverage. In this latest scenario, though, as Petersen explained, "the celebrities didn't vanquish the paparazzi so much as figure out how to undercut them … celebs simply became their own paparazzi, posting all manner of details and footage of their daily lives … and effectively put real paparazzi out of business." Exhibit A: Beyoncé. In 2011, when the icon performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, she unbuttoned her suit jacket at the end of a song, pivoted slightly and rubbed her belly. It was the publicist-free version of a pregnancy announcement, which then prompted a record-breaking number of tweets per second. After their daughter was born on Jan. 7, she and husband Jay-Z released a public statement announcing the birth of a "healthy 7 lbs" girl named Blue Ivy Carter. And then, nothing: no photos, paparazzi or otherwise, until Feb. 11, when they published five pics to … Tumblr. A tipping point. It was the beginning of a total-control publicity strategy that remains: on social, in Beyoncé-produced documentaries, in Beyoncé-controlled media interviews and shoots. In fact, when I heard about Osaka this week, I immediately thought of the ruckus following a September issue of Vogue in 2015 fronted by Beyoncé. It is most remembered for the fact that she did not speak to the magazine for a written feature (something the Chers and the Streisands were certainly expected do in another time). That refusal to do that was a power move if there ever was one — evidence that the glossy needed her more than she needed them. As a New York Times article deconstructed later, the woman some call Queen Bey seemed to stop accepting face-to-face interview requests altogether sometime after spring 2013. An extreme example of the kind of crumbling of gatekeepers we've come to see across the media-sphere: the established food writers who gave way to a cacophony of food bloggers and TikTok performers; the film critics elbowing for space with the likes of the Rotten Tomatoes crowd; the fashion cognoscenti playing in the same sandbox with DIY influencers. While some moved swiftly this week with a "Go Girl" stance re: Osaka — citing the fact that movie stars don't have to go before the press every day they have films out — communications specialist Joe Favorito, who has worked with sports clients, writes that it is not exactly the same thing, as virtually all actors are contractually bound to take part in promotional junkets. Moreover, he says the dynamic with pro athletes is different: "Sports are live, and results change daily. Movies, TV, even concerts, don't have the same day in, day out coverage or changes, especially since, well, TV and film are recorded …" Loading...Loading...Loading...Loading...Loading...Loading... He is, though, sympathetic to the particular toll solo athletes carry: "Unlike team sports where back in the day players could take refuge in a trainer's room or a shower … tennis media sessions have always been an open forum. There is no place to hide, no place to duck a question from a teammate, and frankly the access and the questions, especially to women's tennis players from a global media group, can be brutal and out of line." So where does this go from here? In the court of public opinion, Osaka seemed to be triumphing, with even some of her brand associations, including Nike, sticking up for her. The showdown within tennis, no doubt, continues — but who knows? Perhaps being sort of a standoffish auteur could actually translate into a marketing coup for the athlete. It worked for Beyoncé, after all. Shinan Govani is a Toronto-based freelance contributing columnist covering culture and society. Follow him on Twitter: @shinangovani  |
| Posted: 02 Jun 2021 09:01 AM PDT Sean Paul is one of the most successful crossover Dancehall artists, and he built his empire without participating in clash culture. "But when you look at [me], Shaggy, Koffee, Konshens, Charlie Black, Gyptian, Serani, none of us clashed. And all of us stream amazing numbers. I'm one of the bigger ones so I would beg to differ that clashing actually pushed the whole genre somewhere," the legendary artist responded when asked about his thoughts on Clash Culture being the foundation of dancehall and pushing the genre forward. "I don't really agree. I agree that at this point it holds us back. What it did make us was potent emcees because I had to be ready if anybody would come for me," he added. Advertisement Sean Paul made headlines earlier this year for allegedly claiming that JAY-Z was jealous of his "Baby Boy" collaboration with Beyonce. But the Dutty Rock artist clarified his remarks in an interview with Two Bees TV. "There were incidents that did happen when we were supposed to perform the song that was weird so maybe that started rumors, and they took it and flew with it." He added, "What I was saying was there was the MTV Awards in Europe, the Pro Tools started to skip while we were on stage and millions of people were watching us. It was weird. I never heard of that happening. Pro Tools don't skip, you have to program it." Although Sean Paul didn't get a chance to perform with Beyonce, he didn't blame her husband and sent the couple well wishes. "I think the two of them are talented, extremely focused, and I have no problem with them just to clear it up on your end." Check out the full interview:  |
| US comedian Robin Thede: “No shade to Beyoncé, but Blue Ivy is the funny one!” - NME Posted: 07 May 2021 12:00 AM PDT Robin Thede is working hard to get her name in the history books. Emmy-nominated and with a 15-year career behind her already, the actress, writer and comedian has worked on some of America's most-watched TV series in The Queen Latifah Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! Not to mention comic Mike Epps' short-lived Funny Bidness and Kevin Hart's mockumentary Real Husbands Of Hollywood. Though despite her impressive resumé and classy wit that transcends cultures, Thede has in the past operated behind the scenes, or at least to one side of the star. That is until now, of course. As creator, writer, star and producer of A Black Lady Sketch Show, Thede is finally front and centre in a comedy masterclass with Black women at the helm. Season two is currently following the show's raucous first outing (which earned three Emmy nods), so we caught up with Thede to get her take on fame, social distancing, Beyoncé's kids – and winning a bucket load of awards. On A Black Lady Sketch ShowAdvertisement "It's always been a dream of mine [to have my own sketch show]. Sketch comedy, for me, is the ultimate freedom. You get to play all these different characters, but only have to live in them for a day at a time. I don't know if I could play the male characters for a whole season on television though, because the beards are too itchy. My favourite new character is called Messica. She's really fun for me because, as somebody who grew up like a social outcast, I can relate. I get to exercise some childhood demons." On Beyoncé's kids"We have a lot of celebrities on the show. They come and play for a day and do these silly characters. [I really want to work with] Beyoncé – I say it every season. Well, really Blue Ivy, because she's the funny one. No shade to Beyoncé, who I love, but Blue Ivy is so funny. Unfortunately, we couldn't have any kids on this season because of COVID. I would ask her if, you know, there's a next season. Hopefully, we get one."  On the Emmy Awards"I love the Emmys. [The fact that] A Black Lady Sketch Show got three Emmys nominations in our first season for six episodes that aired a year ago is insane to me. I am so honoured that we were recognised in that way. And, you know, this year we're airing right before the Emmy voting starts [in June]. So I think that'll be better for voters to [remember us]. I believe that this season – although season one was fantastic – is even better. I'm hoping that we continue to get that love [from the Emmys]." On social distancing"I think it's absolutely necessary. Things are starting to open up and people are getting vaccinated, so hopefully it's gonna get better. But last year, we desperately needed to do it. We were five days from shooting when we got shut down on March 13. We had all of our guest stars booked, all of our cast and then we got shut down. So we spent that time in between learning how to make a show during COVID and how to keep the actors safe when we didn't even know you could get COVID from touching cardboard. So much love and work went into [making season two] and I would hope that people appreciate that. We wanted to create this Black lady joy more than ever because people really need to laugh again."  On making historyAdvertisement "I've been doing this for 20 years. I was the first Black woman to be a head writer on a late-night show on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, and then I created my own late-night show [The Rundown with Robin Thede] as one of four Black women ever to do so. Now being the first Black woman to create this sketch show for American television is a big deal and I don't take that lightly. I want to always be able to create space for people like me, who can continue to create their projects on their own and have their voices heard." On her favourite British comedies"I love it! I grew up watching Benny Hill, Monty Python, Little Britain and Tracy Ullman. I loved all things British. I mean, Ab Fab, hello? British comedies were really informative in my upbringing but I didn't see a lot of Black people in them – although Three Non-Blondes was the only kind of A Black Lady Sketch Show that ever existed. British comedy is so layered and so iconic, but it could be more diverse, just as American comedy could be as well." 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' season two airs Mondays weekly on NOW  |
| Vacation-Going In Your 20s Vs. 30s - Severna Park Voice Posted: 02 Jun 2021 10:02 AM PDT By Lauren Burke Meyer Frist vacation in two years. Second vacation in four years. The math doesn't seem right, but with a pandemic and starting a family, it sadly adds up. In May, my husband, mother-in-law, 2-year-old daughter and 7-month-old daughter drove to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. At some point during the combined 24 hours round trip, I began mentally comparing traveling in my 20s to 30s. Adding two little ones to the picture sure makes for a big adjustment for every aspect of vacation. Oh, how I long for the days of one packed suitcase and purse for a trip. Preparing for a family trip took one giant, never-ending packing list and borrowing my father-in-law's car. Portable crib, two highchairs, bath seat, umbrella, enough beach toys for a family of 10, five backpacks, and clothes for all types of weather were packed in every available spot. Anyone watching us unpack would wonder, "Are they moving in here?" In my 20s, a long drive might require, at most, two quick pit stops. On the drive to Hilton Head, our first pit stop took over an hour, and we were only two hours into the drive. Another stop, we were at a Burger King for so long, I had to use the bathroom twice myself, plus a bonus trip helping my toddler. One blowout diaper later and toddler tears over a chocolate milk spill followed with two wardrobe changes, and my husband summed the stop up perfectly, saying, "A little piece of me died at exit 173." Throw in the gas shortage a few days prior to our return trip, and yes, there were several stops. Sometimes when I'm having trouble falling asleep, I picture the best summer of my life, when I lived in Ocean City. In my free time, I'd often go to the beach alone. I'd grab a tiny blue beach chair, towel, sunscreen, book and water, then say, "Ready!" I'd go for hour-long walks by the water's edge and listen to whatever recent songs Beyoncé, Rihanna or Justin Timberlake had just released. At lunchtime, I'd drive to Wawa. I can almost taste my chicken salad sandwich, Doritos, sour watermelons and Dr. Pepper that I'd devour. Going to the beach looks different a decade later. Walks include either a baby in a carrier on my chest or a toddler in my arms. Lord help us with the number of bags we need even for a few hours at the beach. Plus, getting everyone sun-screened and dressed is nothing short of an Olympic sport. Meals look different too. We brought bagels to the beach one morning. My toddler couldn't get playing soon enough in the sand, which resulted in my bagel having an extra seasoning besides salt. Sand. My bagel was covered in sand. The perfect metaphor for the day because it wasn't long before my daughters and I were also covered in sand too. Despite the chaos, I'm still pinching myself that I was able to take a vacation after all the craziness from the pandemic. However, I'm only human and am already daydreaming about my next kid-free trip and praying it's sooner rather than later. Lauren Burke Meyer is a Severna Park native who was inspired to write Lauren's Law as a humorous play on the well-known Murphy's Law adage: "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."  |
| Posted: 02 Jun 2021 05:30 PM PDT  This month sees the 45-year-old flex her comedy muscle once more in Blithe Spirit, a film adaptation of the classic 1941 Noël Coward play. It's a fizzy farce set in 1930s Britain, all slapstick, screwball fun with a side of the supernatural. Fisher plays Ruth, housewife of screenwriter Charles Condomine (Dan Stevens), who accidentally summons his ex-wife, Elvira (Leslie Mann), back from the dead – and hilarity ensues. "It was so nice to read a script where the language was rich, layered and witty, especially given the fact we all communicate in emoticons these days," says Fisher. Being cast alongside "our greatest living actress", Dame Judi Dench – who plays an eccentric clairvoyant – was also a major drawcard. Fisher deadpans that Dench is actually a big fan of Home and Away and took on the project to work with her, then erupts into giggles. "I had to film two really big scenes with her and I kept saying to myself, 'Fisher, don't you forget your lines!'" she remembers. "And it was almost like she picked up on that energy, and she made a really funny dirty joke that put me right at ease. She's got the most fantastic sense of humour. From that moment on I just relaxed and it was a masterclass, watching Dame Judi Dench perform." While the film is largely loyal to the original, Fisher points out that it's had a subtle feminist rewrite. "With a 1941 text and two women fighting over a man, some 2020 updates were needed," she says. "There's a twist to ensure that the women are empowered and have a bigger impact on the outcome – they're not just victims of circumstance." Shot in London in mid-2019, the movie's sumptuous glamour and easy escapism couldn't come at a better time. This time last year, Fisher was locked down with her family in Los Angeles. She's quick to note that she doesn't want to complain about her position, though being holed up at home with three young children had its challenges. "Homeschooling," she muses. "Let's just say I found grade four long division very hard!"  The fact that her husband was away for 70 days filming Borat Subsequent Moviefilm put double the pressure on Fisher's mathematical nous. Baron Cohen revived his controversial character for the political mockumentary, reportedly rushing to get it made and released before the 2020 US election. "It was hard for me [while he was away], but Sacha was very kind in not sharing what he intended to shoot each day," Fisher says of her husband's outrageous pranks, designed to expose prejudice in modern America. "He'd wait until he was back home safely and then say, 'Oh, I was at a pro-gun rally, everyone was carrying guns.' I'm so grateful I didn't know before, so I didn't have to worry." Later, footage emerged of Baron Cohen leading a racist singalong at that event, then racing into a getaway car in a bulletproof vest after armed protesters realised his identity. But the dangerous endeavour proved worth it – some speculate that the film helped topple Trump, and it picked up two Golden Globe awards. The couple first met at a showbiz party in Sydney in 2002. Baron Cohen told The New York Times that they bonded over "taking the mick" out of other, pretentious guests. They married in a tiny ceremony in Paris in 2010 – after Fisher converted to Judaism – and next year they'll celebrate 20 years together, a lifetime by Hollywood standards. Is there a secret to their lasting relationship? "I wish I had an answer. I'm very lucky to have met him," Fisher says, suddenly bashful. "I definitely think humour helps." Fisher is famously guarded about her personal life, and before this interview she politely requests that we don't name her children. "I think all parents are trying to protect their kids, especially in the social media age," she explains. "I want our children to have a normal childhood – being able to play outside without pressure or scrutiny. All kids have the right to just be kids, and I would never sell a film or magazine by speaking about [mine]. Motherhood is actually my favourite topic – but I keep it private."  Fisher's own childhood was filled with stories and adventure. Born in Oman, in the Middle East, to Scottish parents (her dad was a United Nations banker and her mum was a novelist), she moved to Perth at age six and quickly started honing her humour. "I was short with big ears and had an English accent," she recalls. "I went to a different school every year from elementary through middle and I had to learn to be funny to make friends." Growing up with two brothers and two step-brothers prepared her for the rejection she'd inevitably face in her career. "As an actor you're told you're not sporty enough to play a superhero, or you're not tall enough to play a siren," she says. "Whatever the excuse they gave me, my brothers had already prepared me by pointing out my failings during adolescence! I had a thicker skin when I got into show business and that may have helped with the longevity of my career." Despite now moving in A-list circles – she counts Courteney Cox as a close friend and once rented Jennifer Aniston's LA home – Fisher insists she doesn't feel, nor succumb to, typical Hollywood beauty pressures. "I think it's because I often work in comedy where there's more space for me to be [different]. But I'm also very good at tuning out those voices if I don't agree with them." The place where she can truly tune out and switch off is on the white sand beaches of her homeland, where she has temporarily relocated with her family. "I feel like I can be myself in Australia," she says. "I love the people. I love the colours and the sights and the taste and the smells. And there's something about being home which is just … it feels very magical. I miss it so much when I'm away and I have a very Australian sensibility. Whenever I meet another Aussie, I always think, 'Oh my gosh, we're twins!'" Today, Australia has been dubbed Aussiewood, swarming with stars who've made the move Down Under to work on film and TV productions. So how does Fisher think the big-name celebrities will find us Aussie bogans? "Hollywood actors just feel so lucky to be in Australia right now," she says, laughing. "Americans always comment on how hard-working Aussie crews are. The government and people handled COVID brilliantly, and Australia is reaping the benefits of that now."  Politics is untrodden territory for Fisher, often prodded to share her opinions given her husband's strong stance. "I've always been outspoken personally, but I've steered away from politics publicly. I don't know that anyone wants to hear me talk about it," she says. That said, certain events in 2020 left her with no choice but to use her platform and her voice, and she regularly took to Instagram to campaign for democracy. "It's something that we all need to be as proactive as possible about right now," she says emphatically. "It was clearly the spread of online conspiracy theories that led to the storming of Capitol Hill. And people like Mark Zuckerberg are making money off lies that cost lives, and these social media companies should be creating jobs that save lives. No account on social media should incite violence, or spread hate or false information. I think these companies can afford to hire moderators to prevent misinformation being spread, and to save lives." The usually sunny star admits that the issue gets her fired up, but that she tempers her fury by striving to live life with her glass half full. "I'm always surprised that I'm employed, married and have my family – everything else feels like a bonus," says Fisher. "Now, I'm optimistic about the future. That the vaccine will mean I can see my parents [overseas] and that we can all hug each other again. Until then, I just want to concentrate on keeping positive." For her, that means soaking up time with her family (her "number-one priority"), watching hilarious women-led comedy ("You have to see Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar with Kristen Wiig – it's the funniest movie, you won't regret it!") and, whenever the moment calls, kicking off her shoes and tapping into her inner clown. Blithe Spirit is screening on Amazon Prime now.  |
| The fabulous US$100 million life of Ivana Trump - South China Morning Post Posted: 07 May 2021 12:00 AM PDT [unable to retrieve full-text content]The fabulous US$100 million life of Ivana Trump South China Morning Post  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from "beyonce husband" - Google News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
0 Yorumlar