As a man who grew up firmly entrenched in hip-hop culture, it’s not exactly easy for me to admit that not only am I out of touch with most of today’s rap music, but I have very little interest in getting acquainted with it. Although most of it may sound like noisy ignorance to me, there are a few young artists that I really enjoy listening to. Out of this large group of new rappers, Kendrick Lamar is my personal favorite, so when I heard that GQ magazine had named him one of 2013′s “Men of the Year,” I was ecstatic that he would be finally receiving the mainstream credit he rightfully deserved.

Unfortunately, instead of GQ publishing a thoughtful, insightful, and eloquent look into the life of a gifted, mysterious, conscientious, and enlightened young man, they ran a piece on how shocked the writer was that Lamar didn’t exhibit stereotypical thug-rapper tendencies. I’m not saying that the writer, a white male, was attempting to frame Lamar in a negative light, but I am saying that if GQ had at least one Black person on their staff who could have edited and reviewed the piece, the troubling parts of it could have been addressed and fixed. The problem is instances like this constantly occur in the media because newsrooms, like many other important industries in North America, simply do not have enough diversity.

After the GQ on Kendrick Lamar experience, #pointergate didn’t really surprise me because I have seen so many instances of institutionalized ignorance in the media that this was just another form of ridiculous overreaching. The charge that Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges was throwing up a gang sign in a photo by pointing at Navell Gordon, a Black male volunteer for Neighborhoods Organizing for Change, is arguably one of the stupidest and most overt examples of racist ideology we’ve seen in decades. As mad as I am about ABC reporter Jay Kolls tweeting that Mayor Hodges was associating with a two-time felon, who was actually a man trying to turn his life around and advocate for young people to get out and vote, I’m far more upset at the fact that this story was allowed to travel through many editorial channels at their network and make it on air. This is the most utterly pointless story of the year, yet it somehow got added to the show’s line up and assigned a segment block by producers and behind-the-scenes “journalists.” But, foolishness like this can reign supreme in an atmosphere where racism reigns, and/or Black people aren’t around to weigh in on, or even summarily discuss, potential story ideas.

But, once again, I wasn’t completely shocked at their claim because this is not as new as we probably wish it were. Before #pointergate, Alessandra Stanley wrote that Shonda Rhimes should consider the title of “angry Black woman” a compliment, while also matter-of-factly stating how classically unattractive Viola Davis is. And before that, FOX News host E.D. Hill referred to Barack Obama giving Michelle Obama a pound as a “terrorist fist-jab.” And before that, there were many more instances of newsroom ignorance that could have easily been squashed throughout the editorial process by the inclusion of more diverse voices. Someone of color who could say, “Remember that idea in which we were going to call Barack dapping his wife a terrorist fist-jab? Yeah, how about we don’t do that because, you know, it’s incredibly stupid and racist and might cost you your job.” Which it ultimately did, as her show was canned by FOX News (of all media outlets), the following week.

Some people may think that the concept of newsroom diversity is bullshit, because we live in a diverse society, with a Black president, that is either post-racial or quickly becoming post-racial. These people believe that this is nothing more than a form of guilt-inducing affirmative action that Black folks are using to weasel their way into jobs they are under-qualified. But to believe that, is to miss the statistical nightmare that newsrooms really present. Just last year, The Atlantic‘s Riva Gold wrote an article about The American Society of News Editors (ASNE) annual report on newsroom diversity, which revealed that 90 percent of newsroom supervisors from participating news organizations were white. Riva’s article also stated, “while non-whites make up roughly 37 percent of the U.S. population, the percentage of minorities in the newsroom has fallen to 12.37 percent from its 13.73 percent high in 2006. According to last year’s 2012 ASNE study, overall newsroom employment at daily newspapers dropped 2.4 percent in 2011, but the picture looked much worse — down 5.7 percent — for minorities.” We are showing up less and less, but stories that involve our communities are being written, produced, and recorded at the same rate.

I do realize there are some people who will read this and say, “What’s the point of getting worked up about newsroom diversity and racism? It’s not even that big of a deal. Let’s just move on.” Well, what those people don’t understand is that the media has the influence to help endanger the lives of minorities by constantly framing us as gangsters, hoodlums, thugs, welfare mothers, and overall scary people. The reason a Trayvon Martin gets shot while packing Skittles is because the news paints Black boys as the main people to fear. While corporations and corrupt politicians steal your livelihoods, erase your pensions, raise your taxes, and outsource your jobs, the media has the ability to frame Blackness as the biggest individual threat to people’s safety and security. Referring to a changed man as a two-time felon is subtly dangerous to him, and all Black people with criminal pasts because it aims to frame his as a gangster threat, as opposed to what he actually is now, a concerned and involved citizen trying to achieve positive change in our community.

Newsroom diversity can end racism in the media by allowing people of color to add their voices to the overall discussion taking place in these organizations. It’s really annoying that we don’t expect a multitude of diverse voices from the people we entrust to communicate the reality of our everyday lives. Yet we expect these news organizations and publications to apologize every time they display extreme levels of insensitivity. If we are collectively serious about making sure we enact real change in how our community is perceived in the media, let’s start demanding that our voices are heard, respected, and included.

LAB

Lincoln Anthony Blades blogs daily on his site ThisIsYourConscience.com, he’s an author of the book “You’re Not A Victim, You’re A Volunteer” and a weekly contributor for UPTOWN Magazine. He can be reached via Twitter @lincolnablades and on Facebook at This Is Your Conscience.

For many celebrities, this weekend was all about “usies.” Whether they were cheesing with fans, loved ones, fellow stars or living legends, there were plenty of group photos to go around. See what your favorites were up to here. 

Nicki Minaj served face with fans in Scotland before the MTV EMAs.

Oprah started the weekend with a little Friday afternoon workout.

Kerry Washington posed with Jessica Alba and Vanessa Bryant at the Baby2Baby Gala.

Tyrese linked up with a few of his fellow Fast & Furious 7 cast members.

Rihanna rocked a bold red lip while snapping selfies over the weekend.

Meagan Good spent some time playing with hubby DeVon Franklin.

Zendaya took a photo with legends Reginald Hudlin, Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.

Joan Smalls spent Sunday treating her tresses to a DIY hair mask.

A full investigation is underway into the tragic Lear jet crash that killed Pastor Myles Munroe and his wife Ruth yesterday. The airplane carried the couple and seven other passengers, and all died on impact. The plane was approaching Grand Bahama International Airport.

The group was headed to the Bahamas to attend a Global Leadership Forum arranged by Munroe. Although he will no longer be in attendance, a statement on his Facebook page says the event will continue as scheduled. “This is what Dr. Munroe would have wanted,” the post says. “Please keep his family and the ministry in prayers.”

Munroe, 60, was the founder of Bahamas Faith Ministries International Fellowship, a pastor, and motivational speaker. Ruth served as his co-senior pastor.

The Andrew J. Young Foundation expressed their condolences for the couple by posting the following statement to its Facebook page: “Ambassador Young expresses his deep sadness over the tragic death of his friends Dr. Myles and Mrs. Ruth Munroe. He offers condolences to the Munroe family and the families of the other souls who lost their lives as a result of this shocking plane crash.”

The cause of the crash remains unknown, but a representative of the Bahamas Air accident investigation and prevention unit has confirmed the incident to ABC News, but has not revealed the names of victims.

The President William M. Wilson of Oral Roberts University, where Munroe was a student said, “His energy and enthusiasm for imparting Spirit Empowered Christianity to new generations was contagious.”

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[Image: Bahamas Press]

White supremacist organization, the Ku Klux Klan has decided to expand their membership by accepting Jews, African Americans,  and those of Hispanic origin. In efforts to “re-brand” the notorious violent group, ‘the new Klan’ has been selected as its new name, but as an ode to tradition, incoming affiliates will still be expected to wear the white robes, masks and conical hats.

Instead of being a representation of hatred, the Rocky Mountain Knights have adopted the ‘a strong America’ as their new slogan. According to the organizer, John Abarr, “White supremacy is the old Klan. This is the new Klan. The KKK is for a strong America.”

Abarr settled on the change after meeting with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and stated,”I thought it was a really good organization, I don’t feel we should be separate.” However, KKKers believe their leader is only looking to advance his political career and is not truly interested in diversifying the group.

Bradly Jenkins, Imperial Wizard of the KKK, said: “That man’s going against everything the bylaws of the constitution of the KKK say. He’s trying to hide behind the KKK to further his political career.”

The Klan is currently classified as a hate group by the anti-semitism organization Anti-Defamation League and the civil rights non-profit Southern Poverty Law Center.  Membership into ‘the new Klan‘ only requires that prospects are over the age of 18 and live in the Pacific Northwest.

The first Klan group was formed in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1865. Presently, there are similar groups scattered throughout the south and recent estimates say there are between 5,000 and 8,000 members.

By Caprece Cotton-Sturdivant

When it comes to halftime shows, college football has them locked. The level of creativity on the gridiron makes me want to dust off the old flute, but I’ll stick to clapping along. Every year university band directors continue to step up their game, combining themes, choreography, and the musical talents of their students to create show-stopping performances. Recently Ohio State University, which is home to one of the premier bands, did an amazing tribute to the television classics.

Here are seven college halftime performances that will have you dancing in the end zone …

[Image: OSUMarchingBand.com]

Ohio State University’s Homage to Classic Rock

University of Southern California and Jason Derulo Perform “Trumpets”

Ohio State University Michael Jackson Halftime Show

Southern University Marching Band Halftime Show

Ohio University Gangnam Style

University of Michigan Marching Band performs “Beyoncé”

Grambling Marching Out of the Stadium

Caprece Cotton-Sturdivant is a writer and mommy, who loves to share comedic tales of what she’s learned so far about being a mom. She resides in New York City with her husband and daughter who are her inspirations. Read more from Cotton-Sturdivant at Mommie Knows Fresh.

They’re squishy. They’re brightly colored. They’re convenient for adults. They’re extremely enticing to kids. And they’re extremely poisonous. We’re talking about detergent pods, which children often mistake for candy or toys and have landed more than 700 U.S. children in the hospital in two years, according to a research study. The most serious complications children have suffered are coma and seizures.

The study researched more than 17,000 calls placed in the past two years to poison control centers about children consuming the detergent pods. The calls involved children under the age of 6 and most weren’t seriously harmed by ingesting the concentrated liquid laundry soap. However, a 7-month-old baby died last year, according to researchers.

These accidental poisonings highlight the need for manufacturers to revise packaging and labels in an effort to make the detergent pods safer for children. One maker has already changed its packaging, and researchers found that calls to poison control centers dropped slightly after the change was made.

Children often burst the detergent capsules or put them in their mouths. This can result in poisoning, but also burns to the eyes, mouth, and throat. In the study, 144 kids suffered eye injuries, 30 went into comas, and 12 had seizures.

Since poison of young children from household cleaning products is one of the top reasons for calls to poison control centers, it’s imperative that detergent pods and other chemicals are kept out of reach of little hands. It’s also important to post the number to your poison control center prominently in your home and educate your children that cleansers aren’t candy or toys.

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When it comes to the idea of a ‘reformed homosexual,’ there have always been naysayers who do not believe someone can truly alter their sexuality and leave the gay lifestyle behind.  In 2013, ‘Bed Intruder’ sensation Antoine Dodson made the discussion of whether being an ex-gay was possible when he announced he was no longer homosexual and even impregnated a woman. Now the topic has once again resurfaced with the circulation of a recent video from the COGIC Church showing a man testifying before his church that he has been delivered from homosexuality.

The footage shows a flamboyant young man at the Church of God In Christ in Memphis, Tennessee standing in front of the preacher, Superintendent Earl Carter, during an altar call.  When the preacher asks the man whether he feels delivered, he confesses that God has indeed changed his life.

“I’m not gay no more, I am delivered!  I don’t like mens [sic] no more, I like women,” the young man shouted at the congregation.  “I will not date men, I will not carry a purse, I will not put on make-up!”

The preacher addresses those in his flock who may be doubtful of the young man’s testimony.  He tell them that anyone who does not think God can change the man’s sexuality is a nonbeliever.

“Now, either you’re gonna believe this stuff, or you outta stop preaching it.  If you can’t praise God with him, you’re a nonbeliever,” the preacher tells churchgoers, referencing the newly converted heterosexual.  “We don’t just preach condemnation, we preach reconciliation.”

Some of those “nonbelievers” commented on the video, doubting the authenticity of the man’s announcement.   Many called the testimony “fake” and others said that it is impossible for even God to change someone’s sexual orientation.

Dodson may be one man to prove the skeptics wrong.  In a recent interview, Dodson spoke about how after having a baby boy with his girlfriend a year ago, he realizes that he still loves his new lifestyle more than his old one.

When asked whether he ever thought that a ‘straight’ family life may not be what he really wants, he replied,  “At the beginning it was like that.  But with anything, when there’s a change, you always have the memories of the old life.”

“I still hang with my friends,” he said.  “I’m not like ‘Oh, I’m so scared of gay, I don’t want to get gay on me.’ It’s not like that.  I see my friends and I see their lifestyle and I ‘m like, it’s fun, but then I realize I love my family.”

Do you think being converted from homosexuality is possible?

By Karu F. Daniels

Within a month of exiting her longtime stint on the ABC gabfest The View, Sherri Shepherd (@sherriEShepherd) walked right onto the Broadway stage, making her Great White Way debut as the evil stepmother in the Tony Award winning musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. But that’s not it: The newly single mother recently wrapped filming the sequel to the $150 million-plus grossing comedy Ride Along with Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. She also stars in Chris Rock’s latest flick, Top Five. Here the Chicago native opens up about sleeping with other comedians, motherhood, being single again and her ultimate celebrity crush.

The best piece of advice I’ve gotten…

was never let anyone drive your car who couldn’t immediately pay if they damaged it. ‘I’m sorry’ won’t get you to work.

The hardest lesson to learn…

is that I don’t have to take the weight of the world on my shoulders. I can’t take the weight of Christians, African Americans and of women. Being on The View, I would frequently have people who vehemently disagreed with my stance and would take to social media and fire vicious rants at me. I had to learn that I only have to please an audience of one: God.

Social media has allowed me…

to get to know people in a different way. I follow a 90-yearold grandmother who is witty and has the best advice. I found out that Roland Martin truly cares about the plight of the younger generation, yet he is country with a wicked sense of humor. It has inspired me to live my best life through bloggers like @CynthiaOccelli.

Being in the tabloids…

comes with the territory. We as entertainers hire publicists to get us press, but when we’re in the tabs we are ‘irritated.’ For me, silence is the best answer. I’m not trying to prove to the world who I am.

My dream job…

is an uber successful sitcom. I’d love to be a chocolate Melissa McCarthy and the go-to girl for funny. And if all else fails, being a legal secretary wasn’t that bad.

Being single again…

I wonder, ‘Oh Lord, where do I start? How did I get back to this place?’ Now I’m back at all the singles ministries in church. When I got married, I got to sit in church and enjoy all the sermons. Now, [I’m] ushering and teaching Sunday School. Now I’m expected to do clean-up because all the married folks figure I have nothing better to do.

Having a special needs child…

made me more compassionate, more patient. I put him on a track team this year to work on his socialization skills. Jeffrey found me in the sea of parents and screamed “Mommy, I’m scared but I’m going to be brave.” Through tears I saw my baby run. He finished last, but he held his fingers up in the victory sign. He taught me that if I fall, as long as I get back up and finish, I am a winner.

Leaving The View…

was bittersweet, exciting and scary. Seven years I was there and the cast and crew became a family to me. They embraced me when I moved to New York City not knowing anyone. Barbara Walters pushed me past my limits and challenged me. Every single day for about three years, I would go into my dressing room and cry because I felt I did not belong at that table. But her pushing me brought out a confidence where I could sit at that table and say ‘No. Let me finish.’ Barbara came to respect me, and if you ask her she will say, ‘Sherri always did her research, was always prepared and was the co-host who’d grown the most.’

My guiltiest pleasure…

is sitting on my couch on the weekends and watching marathons of reality shows.

I would tell my 21-year-old self…

to say ‘no’ often. A no can be turned into a yes but it’s harder to turn a yes into a no. And if you’re a female comic, don’t sleep with the other comics because it’ll take you at least 10 years to get your reputation back!

The lessons that two divorces have taught me…

are to get a chair, sit down somewhere and take the time to heal. Don’t make decisions out of fear. It’s okay to be alone. And make sure that the pre-nup is airtight, baby!

The biggest misconception about me…

is that I’m judgmental. People got mad at me because I gave such strong opinions on The View but that’s what I got paid to do. If I sat at The View table and didn’t give an opinion I would have been fired. In my personal life, I keep my opinions to myself. I don’t give advice about relationships unless you ask me, and then you’d still be wise to get a second opinion, because really, what do I know?

My philosophy…

is to run toward the very thing you fear because there are so many blessings on the other side. Step out of your comfort zone because only then can you fly. And always floss, brush and gargle… good breath goes a long way!

My celebrity crush…

Idris… Idris… Idris… where the hell is Idris Elba?!

According to a unsettling report released Wednesday, five detectives in the New Orleans Special Victims’ Unit failed to perform a proper investigation of more than 1,000 cases of sex crimes and child abuse, with one detective being cited for stating simple rape should not be considered a crime.

The report examined the detective’s work from January 2011 to December 2013. The report revealed detectives filed follow-up reports on only 179 out of 1,290 sex crime cases. In some cases of potentially sexually abused children and rape victims, the claims went completely without investigation.

One detective stood out from the rest, named “Detective A”, who failed to investigate a case involving a three year old girl brought to an emergency room due to an alleged sexual assault.

He closed the case, without any charges, even though the toddler tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease. “Detective A” also closed the book with minimal or no investigation on two other cases involving children taken to an emergency room with fractured skulls.

Police officials report the detective has been transferred to patrol duty and is under investigation. The supervisor over the unit has also been transferred.

The long-awaited sequel to Adam Mansbach‘s Go the F**k to Sleep is finally here, and You Have to F**king Eat is just as hilarious of a children’s book, that’s not for children, as the original.

The new book takes aim at another frustration of parents — getting a picky eater to eat something nutritious that resembles a normal meal. Explicit, profane, and out-right funny, the audio book is a perfect gift to both new and seasoned parents, who are in dire need of a laugh about this seemingly universal problem.

You Have to F**king Eat is perfectly narrated by Bryan Cranston of “Breaking Bad” fame. Cranston follows in the huge footsteps of Samuel L. Jackson, whose narration of Go the F**k to Sleep has been heard millions of times, contributing to the book’s viral success.

“This is a very funny book and my hope is that listeners will agree that I can swear with just as much panache as Samuel Jackson,” Cranston said in a statement to the Associated Press.

The recording of You Have to F**king Eat is available for free on Audible.

Check out a preview clip  here:

 

It’s evolving. I love anything that is classic and feminine and elegant and, of course, it depends on the event.

Being a lady in red, on the red carpet, is a major statement of style and confidence.

Women who dare to wear feather skirts, often seem to have an affinity for vintage glam. During the 1920s, feathers were major during the flapper era. So, if you want to add a hint of thrill to your closet with a timeless throwback  inspiration, the feather skirt gives that vibe.  But, do note that the look does not work on women who have wide hips.

Gugu’s printed dress from designer Delpozo has a fabulous bohemian garden party feeling. A dress as such is elegant with a subtle relaxed sense of ease.

Although menswear inspired trends are major in the womenswear sector, such looks are timeless and easy to pull off. Simply find a menswear inspired tailored shirt, a well-structured pair of pants, a luxe bow or tie and killer heels — the look is fierce.

Elegance is simple, as proved by Gugu in her peach Calvin Klein dress.

This look is everything, without being over the top! Gugu looked stunning in a Lanvin A-line, ankle skimming cocktail dress. Her look was punctuated with a chic pair of heels in the same print.

Within every closet should be a simple shift dress that allows you to go from the office to a special dinner or event after hours.

If a versatile cobalt blue print outfit was among your favorite looks during the warmer months, try layering with knits, boots and blazers for the winter.

Strike a festive mood with nude toned looks for the Holidays with gold accessory accents.

Gugu looks lovely in her floral print dress, and a look as such easily translates to winter. Simply tie in a rustic tone or cream oversize cardigan, knee boots or a sleek bootie, tights and you’re ready to go.

In the event that you aren’t into red dresses (gasp), then try turning up the intensity in a bold fuchsia dress.

Gugu goes subtle rocker chic in a black sheath gown with grommet details. The dress accentuates her curves superbly, which is essential to looking fabulous in a dress with a lot of material.

Barbara Bowman, one of Bill Cosby‘s 13 rape accusers, says she is “grateful” that the masses are ridiculing the legendary comedian about the allegations. Earlier this week, the Twitterverse created brutal memes targeting Cosby after he invited fans to memorialize him using a selection of photos.

“The Cosby meme-ing was a sight to see,” Bownam, 47, told the DailyMail of Monday’s Twitter antics.  “It should be very clear to him now that people loathe rapists, and a large majority had to get their anguish of off their chest, even if it meant laughing at his narcissism, sickness, and foolishness.”

Bowman says she was assaulted by Cosby when she was a teenager. She alleges that Cosby flew her all around the country to see him and took her to the finest hotels. She said one night after drinking a glass of wine he gave her, she blacked out and woke up vomiting and wearing one of Cosby’s T-shirts. Bowman believes he had drugged and raped her.

Although her escapades with Cosby ended when she was 19, she still holds resentment for what he did.

“I’m grateful that the critical masses are now paying attention to, and are taking seriously, the reality and truth about Bill Cosby and his evil deeds,” said Bowman. “He is a monster. He came at me like a monster. My hope is that others who have experienced sexual abuse will not be intimidated into silence by the famous, rich, and powerful. If I can help one victim, then I’ve done my job.”

The #Cosbymeme hashtag seemed to be an innocent way for fans to have fun with the legendary comedian, and the actor’s Twitter page even posted the first one with the caption “Happy Monday,” but the game turned ugly rather fast. Several fans posted photos of Cosby accompanied with messages about his rape allegations.

Several mocking memes later, Cosby’s hashtag tweet was deleted, as well as the meme generator. But the insults didn’t stop there …

Cosby has been accused of drugging and raping 13 women over a period of three decades. He has yet to address the allegations. However, in 2006, he settled a lawsuit from a woman who accused him of drugging and assaulting her while in his Philadelphia home in 2004.

Tell your child a million times not to do something and what happens? They do it. Case in point the, “Do not put a Glow Stick in the microwave” example. Young Jack demonstrates for us the perils of ignoring Dad’s advice.

Read more at Notorious POP

Kevin Washington, former president of the Greater Boston YMCA, is scheduled to take on the job of chief executive of the national YMCA. Washington will be the first African-American to hold the position.

Washington, a South Philadelphia native who grew up attending the Y, was unsure of whether he even wanted to apply for the recreation company’s top position. He reflected on all the progress he had made as the first Black American to lead the Greater Boston Y and knew that even more could be done at his location. Washington had already proved to be a miracle-worker by lowering membership fees and increasing membership by more that 40,000 households in four years, which significantly increased the company’s revenue. He also found funding to build a center for high school kids to earn credit for courses they had failed, which resulted in one local school having 15 additional graduates in 2014.

But Washington knew he could also accomplish a great deal by overseeing the sites across the nation. So, a few days after the deadline, he turned in his application. In September, Washington beat out 100 applicants to win the job as CEO.

Over the years, Washington has made tremendous feats at several locations within the company. He first worked at the Y in his hometown, then Chicago, Hartford, and finally Boston. Washington has never failed to shake things up and take chances, while improving his respective facility for those in need around the community.

Hope Aldrich, a YMCA director, told The Boston Globe that Washington “is somebody who would make a bet and take a step outside what the comfort zone would be for some leaders.”

And Washington plans to take that daring attitude for which he is known all the way to Chicago, when he officially begins his new position in February.

“I don’t think the missions are different,” he said. “We’re talking about strengthening the fabric of community. People in Wisconsin have health issues too, they have youth development issues. Young people, regardless of where they grow up, are at risk.”

Washington says being selected for the job shows that the Y is becoming more committed to diversifying. The number of Black chief executives was seven out of 70 in 2004, but is now up to 10.

Outside of creating a more diverse organization, Washington plans to create a major diabetes campaign and expand an academic program that involved 1,000 students last summer to reach an astounding 1 million kids.

After Washington really gets his feet wet, he hopes the Y will be viewed as more than just “gym and swim” facilities.

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Have you ever contemplated undergoing breast augmentation, but weren’t sure you would be totally satisfied with the final outcome? Thanks to plastic surgeon Norman Rowe you may not have to wonder much longer.

Rowe is busy perfecting his newest invention, Vacation Breasts. An upgrade from his InstaBreasts which allowed women to enlarge their chest for 24 hours, his latest project will increase breasts to a desired size that will last for up to three weeks, he told ABC News.

“Twenty four hours is great, but it’s still just 24 hours,” said Rowe.

The New York-based doctor said the purpose of the procedure is to allow women who are considering a boob job to “see what the weight will actually feel like and what it will be like to live with the new breasts.”  He also expects women will use Vacation Breasts for, of course, vacations.

The procedure will involve injecting a saline solution and a well-known additive into patients, according to Rowe. Although those are the only ingredients the surgeon is revealing right now, he also said that he is currently discussing his idea with the FDA.

[Image: Shutterstock]

The surgery is expected to carry the same dangers as other cosmetic injections.  “With this procedure, there is the risk of hitting a blood vessel with the injection (forming a hematoma) as well as a risk of infection, and the long-term risks, while they appear low, are unknown at this time. There are also cost issues,” said ABC News Senior Medical Contributor Jennifer Ashton.

The temporary breast augmentation is expected to cost less than Rowe’s InstaBreasts procedure, for which he charges about $2,500.

Rowe added that Vacation Breasts won’t only be popular among women. Boyfriends and husband are also expected to try it out.

“Men might want to use it for pec[toral] or calf implants,” said Rowe.

Vacation Breasts are slated to hit the cosmetic market in 2016.

This week in celeb quotes, Kevin Hart is “not the father” of his fiancee’s rumored unborn baby, Rihanna reveals her favorite moment of White House visit, and Golden Brooks does not want an unemployed man! Plus, Cynthia Bailey suggests a certain RHOA co-star should change her wig and makeup game. And Azealia Banks said what?! AND I QUOTE…

“People on the Internet need to stop, OK? Eniko is not pregnant and if she is, it ain’t by me!”

Kevin Hart clearing up rumors that his fiancée Eniko Parrish is with child, via Hip Hollywood.

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“You get married so you can do whatever it is you want. My ex-husband and I definitely made our children the old-fashioned way; they are not products of the immaculate conception. That was my husband. We had a lot of fun. He was my husband in a proper sense. No wifey fake sh*t. I think the world has gotten really desperate to be so invasive in people’s lives. There should be some limitations and hopefully laws barring people from doing this stuff.”

Tameka Raymond responding to allegations of a sex tape involving ex-husband Usher, via Madame Noire.

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“Honey, I don’t want your man. It’s laughable. I really don’t. First of all, I like men who work.”

Golden Brooks addressing Paula Jai Parker’s accusation that she was flirting with Parker’s husband, on the latest episode of TV One’s “Hollywood Divas.”

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“What I say in the book is, ‘A BJ a day keeps the divorce attorney away’ and I say that because I feel like men are profoundly simplistic, which is the reason I wanted to call my book what I used as the title of chapter three, which is, ‘Stomach Full, Penis Empty: A Woman’s Guide to a Happy Marriage.’ Keeping him fed and drained, you have no problem.”

Niecy Nash sharing that oral sex and food has kept her marriage afloat, in an interview with Playboy.

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“My thing is this — if I’m so irrelevant and you don’t want to be my storyline (or should I say me be yours), why spend so much energy talking about me? That energy could have been put to better use looking for a decent wig and a more flattering makeup direction.”

Cynthia Bailey snapping back at former BFF NeNe Leakes for trashing her on WWHL, via her Bravo TV blog.

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“But more than that, the art is not good. These songs are not good. It’s like, ‘Oh my God, you’re doing this black woman impression, is that what the f–k you think of me, b—h? I need to meet the black woman that you’re imitating because I’ve never met any black woman who acts that bizarre.’ It’s crazy that this becomes mainstream culture. All of America is celebrating s–t like that. It’s so weird.”

Azealia Banks calling out all so-called “white soul singers and rappers” over cultural appropriation, in an exclusive with Pitchfork. 

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“My President is Black!” 

Rihanna revealing her favorite moment during a recent visit to The White House, via TMZ.

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Weeks before the release of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. biopic Selma opens in theaters, a hate-filled letter written by the FBI to the civil rights leader has been made public. In 1964, MLK Jr. received a single paged anonymous letter that threatened to reveal King’s true character to persuade him to commit suicide. In the letter’s passages, King is called “a complete fraud and a great liability,” an “evil, abnormal beast,” and threatened to expose his marital infidelities. Years later it was revealed that the letter was written by FBI agent William Sullivan.

The original full text of the letter, previously released in edited form, was made public this wee Wednesday- almost 50 years after the anonymous letter was opened by King’s wife Coretta Scott King, just days before he was set to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The disturbing letter, written under the guise of a civil rights supporter with a myriad of misspellings, gave King a deadline of 34 days before he would be exposed to the public as a “abnormal moral imbecile.”

“King, look into your heart. You know you are a complete fraud and a great liability to all of us Negroes,” it reads. “There is only one thing left for you to do,” the writer warns in the final paragraph. “You know what it is.”

Furthermore the letter specifically names a lover, which has since been blacked out, and additionally threatens of the existence of audio tapes of his infidelity. King’s call for equal rights for all Americans became a “national security measure,” according to the first Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover. The civil rights leaders and his supporters often were at odds with the FBI for their non-violent protests and marches.

The Selma to Montgomery marches in particular troubled the White House. The upcoming MLK biopic directed by Ava Duvernay and starring David Oyelowo recalls the Selma marches that led to the Civil Rights voting act by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, a highlight of the American Civil Rights Movement. The release of the FBI letter is a significant reminder the importance of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King and the work that continues each day across America.

Selma opens in limited release on December 25 with the full release coming on January 9. The wide release is also just a few days before MLK Day, which falls on January 19, 2015.

Watch the trailer below:

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery after an October 19 altercation in a Las Vegas nightclub.

According to the Clark County District Attorney’s office filing on Wednesday, Griffin, 25, “willfully and unlawfully used force or violence” against Daniel Schuman. Griffin allegedly squeezed Schuman’s hand and shoulder and slapped him in the face. According to reports at the time of the incident, Griffin was angry by the camera flashes in his face and grabbed Schuman’s phone. The incident occurred during the Clippers training camp, when the team was visiting Las Vegas for a preseason game. Teammates DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul were with Griffin at the club that night, but were not involved in the alleged incident.

“I’m really not allowed to speak on that,” Griffin said before practice Thursday. “But I’m very confident in the situation, so once I can [speak on it], I will.” He added that he wishes his team didn’t have this distraction.

According to police, the maximum penalty if convicted is six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Court records obtained Wednesday show the 6’10” baller is due for arraignment in Las Vegas on Dec. 8.

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Want to get pregnant, but don’t want to visit a sperm bank or spend thousands of dollars? New online services allow donors to make their sperm available by having sex — for free. Donors connect with women on the Internet who want to become mothers “the natural way” at no cost to the would-be moms.

ABC News’ “20/20″ tackled the new unconventional way of family planning and spoke with one sperm donor, who calls himself “Joe.” This man has fathered more than 30 children. Joe, who wants his identity concealed because his wife is unaware of his extracurricular activities, has authored a book about his experiences entitled, Get Pregnant for Free on the Internet with a Private Sperm Donor.

[Image: Shutterstock]

When Joe is not working as an Internet entrepreneur, he travels around the country, having sex with strangers and impregnating them. After seven years, Joe said he has slept with over 100 women.

When asked how many children he expected to father over his lifetime, Joe’s answer was surprising.

“The World Health Organization said I can get up to 2,500, but I don’t think that will happen in my lifetime. The other donors I know who have a lot [of children] are up there around the 100 range. I’m standing on the shoulders of giants.”

But is Joe a serial cheater under the guise of doing something good?

Catch the full story on “20/20″ on ABC today, November 14, at 10 p.m. EST.

There are now two competing narratives gradually emerging in fresh questions over the performance of the Black vote on November 4th. Ultimately, neither explanation is very promising about the direction of the Black electorate as we gear up for yet another big election cycle in 2016.

One narrative suggests that national Black voter turnout was a little flat that day compared to the 2012 presidential election and relatively less in some states (where exit polling is available) compared to 2012 and 2010. Keep in mind that the heavily cited “exit polling” – merely an anonymous sample of voters that Election Day pollsters survey as they walk out of precincts – is not available in every state that holds an election, for reasons ranging from it’s expensive to some states not considered coveted “battlegrounds.” And if you’re comparing 2014 to 2010 (the last midterm election), you’ll find that some states this year didn’t have an election back then or vice-versa.

The other narrative contends that Black voter turnout was, indeed, higher, especially compared to 2010.  Black pollster and Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher tweeted that “it’s a mixed bag … in fact, up from 2010 significantly in battle states, & whites made up smaller %. Black turnout was in fact better in battlegrounds than it probably had a right to be-losses wasn’t because Black vote didn’t improve over 10.” Congressional Black Caucus chair Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) was a bit more emphatic in a statement: “Democrats did not lose control of the Senate because African Americans did not vote. Actually, as supported by preliminary exit poll data, the complete opposite is the case. African Americans increased as a proportion of the electorate in 2014 over 2010. African Americans voted heavily for Senate Democrats, and by doing so remained loyal to both the president and the Democratic Party and its values. So, don’t blame us!”

Belcher, Fudge and others aren’t completely wrong. The problem is that the foundations are a bit shaky. This is why Fudge made sure to say “as a proportion of the electorate.”

Since last Tuesday, all we’ve been looking at are exit poll numbers – and, those aren’t complete. Exit polling only shows proportions of an estimated electorate.  It’s not like exit pollsters are counting every ballot.  And, as we all know, election night calls are typically based on projections since everyone lives in the age of instant gratification.  No one wants to stay up all night waiting on the edge of their seat for ballot tallies – that would take too long. Folks have jobs to go to the next morning, kids to take to school.  Which is why elections should be held on weekends (right, stupid?) … but, we digress …

A more accurate tabulation counts what Elections Project director and University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald prefers as “Total Ballots Counted.”  Translated, that’s literally the total number of every vote cast. So far, we don’t have that total number for 2014. What we do have, for now, is “a second-best numerator is Highest Office, which in a presidential election year is the total votes for all presidential candidates including write-ins (where reported), and in a non-presidential election may be the vote for the highest turnout statewide office (typically governor) or if no statewide election was held, the sum of the congressional elections,” writes McDonald.

And what we do know is that this 2014 midterm election had much lower turnout (36.4%) than in the 2010 midterm (40.9%).  Regardless of voter share or proportion, you’re going to find low turnout all across the demographic board.

That applies to Black voters, as well, especially when you calculate Total Ballots Counted.  In 2010, Total Ballots counted stood at 90,912,015. With African Americans estimated at 11% of 2010 voter share, Total Black Ballots were 10,000,321.

That’s actually higher than 2014 – as far as we can tell now. Exit data show that Blacks were 12% of the voting population and, according to the Elections Project, we see 82,660,835 votes cast.

That means only 9,919,300 Black votes were counted last Tuesday, a 0.8% drop from 2010.

Looking at key states like Ohio and Illinois, there was no real spike in Black voter turnout in places where Democrats could have used it.  Proportionally, Black voter share was up by 1% in Ohio, but down by 4% in Illinois.  And even though it was up in Ohio, in terms of Total Black Ballots counted, only 504,000 Blacks voted in 2014 versus 593,404 in 2010.

Only in Kentucky and Louisiana did we see any significant increase in Total Black Ballots counted. This probably didn’t do much for Democrats in Kentucky since 8% of Black voters went for incumbent Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

To be fair, 2014 was higher than Total Black Ballots counted in the 2006 midterm.  At that time, 8,576,913 Black ballots were cast out of a total nationwide 85,769,132.

But, when Black voter performance is assessed in these past three midterms against the presidential election, it doesn’t look good. In 2012 there were 16,938,006 Total Black Ballots counted – which means that there was a 41% drop in Black voter turnout between then and 2014.  And despite all the talk about historic Black voter participation outpacing White voter participation in 2012, there was actually a 1.7% drop in Total Black Ballots counted between the 2008 presidential election and in 2012.

And on a grander scale, we know there are an estimated 51 million citizens not registered to vote in the United States – which is about 16% of the entire population. If we go by proportions that could mean an estimated 6,630,000 African Americans (13% of that population) are still not registered. That number increases once you add the number of ex-felons (a disproportionately Black population) being barred from voting.

As prominent Democratic Party affiliates responsible for strategic advisement on the black vote, many African American strategists and elected officials need to put some kind of happy spin on the situation after campaigns in critical states invested heavily in Black voter turnout. Everyone knew Democrats would sustain heavy damage at the polls that Tuesday, but many held out hope that a last minute push from loyal Black voters would turn the tide against an expected heavy turnout from very White Republican voters. Early voting numbers from places like Georgia, Maryland and North Carolina looked really good for Democrats – but, later analysis would find that many of these ballots were cast by folks who were going to vote anyway. From the perspective of Democratic officials who dropped a cool $60 million on a failed national ‘Bannock Street’ project, enormous resources were put into Black voter turnout ground operations. So, Black politicos are justifiably worried that less than vigorous Black voter performance in 2014 will give the Democratic Party an excuse to ignore Black political and policy needs. That’s a valid concern as White Democrats are already crafting a pitch for White working class voters.

The bottom line is that proportional Black voter share or representation on the voting pie chart is nothing to be proud of. Black voter turnout, like turnout everywhere, is down. There is a trend and it doesn’t look good. A depressed electorate continues to actively unplug itself from the political process after years of recession, unemployment and bad economic recovery, all compounded by a lack of recourse on issues ranging from poverty to police brutality. Adding insult to injury is a sophisticated and rigged system of voting restrictions enacted in multiple states. Getting to the polls is becoming much more difficult than an errand run. Many people are tuning out and looking to justify their disengagement. Rather than spin their way out of a difficult conversation, Black elected officials, strategists and advocates need to figure out why and act fast on reversing it.

CHARLES D. ELLISON is a veteran political strategist and Chief Political Correspondent to Uptown Magazine. He is a frequent contributor to The Root and Washington Correspondent to the Philadelphia Tribune. He can be reached via Twitter @charlesdellison.