After at least 25 women have accused former TV dad Bill Cosby of drugging and sexual assault, co-stars from his iconic sitcom “The Cosby Show” are finally beginning to come forward to support the man whom they spent eight years with on the program.

Phylicia Rashad, 66, is the latest cast member to discuss the allegations. Rashad, who played Cosby’s wife, Clair Huxtable, told Showbiz 411 that she remained mute on the subject until now because she did not want to become “part of the public debate,” but during her interview, she makes it clear that she is on Cosby’s side.

“Forget these women,” Rashad said. “What you’re seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it’s orchestrated. I don’t know why or who’s doing it, but it’s the legacy. And it’s a legacy that is so important to the culture.”

Rashad said she had never experienced any sexual misconduct from Cosby. She said she thinks the slew of allegations is rooted in someone’s desire to keep Cosby off television. He was developing a new show before the accusers surfaced, but afterward, it was immediately scrapped.

“Someone is determined to keep Bill Cosby off TV,” she claimed.  “And it’s worked. All his contracts have been cancelled.”

As for Cosby’s longtime wife, Camille Cosby — who has also defended her husband against the allegations — Rashad says there is no way that she would have allowed the comedian to have behaved inappropriately with so many women throughout the years.

“This is a tough woman, a smart woman,” Rashad said of Camille. “She’s no pushover.”

The veteran actress said she believes Cosby has refrained from defending himself because he is prideful.

“If he spoke now, what do you think the media would do with it?” she asked.

When discussing the future for “The Cosby Show,” Rashad alluded that the scandal surrounding the sitcom’s star is tarnishing its legacy.

“This show represented America to the outside world,” said Rashad. “This was the American family. And now you’re seeing it being destroyed. Why?” Others, however, disagree with Rashad’s position on Cosby, his legacy and that of “The Cosby Show.”

The first cast member from Cosby’s 1980s sitcom to support him was Keshia Knight Pulliam. Pulliam, who played the Huxtables’ youngest daughter, Rudy, appeared on “The Wendy Williams Show” Monday and said that while she does not know whether the accusations against her former television father are true, she still loves him.

“Honestly that’s not the man I know,” she explained. “… None of us were there, there are two sides to a story … it’s a horrible situation no matter however you slice it. But I feel that once the dust settles that people recognize how much he’s given to our society with his work. You can’t take that away.”

Meanwhile, attorney Gloria Allred has revealed that three more women are coming forth with accusations that Cosby drugged and raped them, with one woman stating her assault took place more than 30 years ago, TMZ reported.

Rapper Christopher Roney, whose stage name is Cool C, was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Jan. 8, but a Philadelphia judge granted him a stay of execution, according to NBC10. The Philadelphia-based artist was sentenced to death after being convicted of shooting and killing a police officer in 1996, while he and two other men attempted to rob a bank.

Roney became popular in the mid-1980s, first with his debut single “Juice Crew Dis” in 1987. The diss record gained him enough of a buzz that Atlantic Records signed him. He released two albums, I Gotta Habit and Life in the Ghetto, under the label. He released the song “Glamorous Life,” which gained a considerable amount of popularity and featured singer Jill Scott in the video.

In 1991, Roney joined the hardcore rap group C.E.B., which stood for Countin’ Endless Bank. The group released one album under Ruffhouse Records, Countin’ Endless Bank.  Although the album sales were poor, the single “Get to the Point” reached number five on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart.

On Jan. 2, 1996, around the time that he was developing a new EP, Roney and two other men reportedly attempted to rob a bank. A police officer responded to the bank’s silent alarm, and when she arrived on the scene, Roney shot her in her abdomen, killing her. Roney was arrested on Oct. 30, 1996 and was sentenced to death.

Roney was granted a stay of execution in 2006, and again on Jan. 7, 2015, one day before he was scheduled to die.

The officer Roney was convicted of murdering, Lauretha Vaird, was a 43-year-old single mother of two young boys. She was a former assistant special education teacher. Vaird is the first woman officer to be killed on-duty in Philadelphia.

Although there is footage of the shooting, as well as eyewitnesses, Roney maintains his innocence.

Ben Carson, the African American former pediatric neurosurgeon who many believe is a likely GOP candidate for the 2016 presidential race, is being accused of plagiarism.

Buzzfeed asserts that Carson lifted whole passages from other sources without any attribution in his 2012 book America The Beautiful. The alleged plagiarized sources include websites, local papers, press releases, and other books.

Making the situation even more embarrassing, Carson writes about an incident in college when he was caught for plagiarism. He explained in the book that he found a particularly useful passage for his psychology paper “and I included them in my writing. I did not, however, indicate that this was the work of someone else; frankly, I had never even heard of the term plagiarism.” His professor ultimately allowed him to redo the assignment.

“I certainly should have known inherently that what I was doing was wrong. I had done it before without consequences and probably would have continued doing it if I had not been caught,” Carson wrote in the 2012 memoir. “This raises another question: Is ignorance an acceptable excuse for unethical behavior?”

Is it, indeed? The plagiarism in his book is on a much grander scale and may not be as easily forgiven.

The largest offense is the 156 words lifted from SocialismSucks.net, which appeared in the book verbatim. In another passage, 106 words from a 2011 press release from religious freedom group Liberty Institute appeared with only small alterations and no citation. The book also included 23 words from a CBS News article from 2010 that were almost identical in wording.

The other instances of plagiarism that Buzzfeed uncovered weren’t as egregious, but still troubling. Several passages were taken from books by conservative historian Bill Federer, who gave permission for people to use his text freely. Authors are allowed “to duplicate 10,000 words or less, provided acknowledgement is given.”

An Iowa political consultant who worked on two GOP campaigns in 2012 believes that this will nix any hopes for Carson’s presidential run.

“He’s basically toast,” the operative said Wednesday. “Rand Paul can recover from this because he’s in the news and he’s a senator. Carson can’t.”

“And his whole shtick is being a doctor, an academic. How does he explain this away?” the consultant questioned.

Sealey Yates, a spokeswoman for Carson, told Buzzfeed, “If it is determined that additional citations or attribution are required, the appropriate revisions will be made in subsequent printings.” She thanked the outlet “for bringing this matter to our attention.”

Source

A New Jersey police captain is under arrest after allegedly stalking and assaulting a councilman.

Monique Smith, 43, was promoted to police captain on Jan. 6 afternoon and went out to celebrate at a club event that evening, according to authorities.

Police say that around 11 p.m., Smith confronted Newark Councilman John James as he was nearing his home. Smith was reportedly furious and yelling at James, who decided to drive away. Smith allegedly followed James in her car and began ramming his car with hers. James diverted his route and headed to his parents’ house where his father, former Mayor Sharpe James, interceded on his son’s behalf.

Police say that Smith was not on the scene when they arrived, but she was arrested later at her home. She has been charged with stalking, harassment, possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and aggravated assault, according to ABC 7.

Smith may face additional charges, pending a joint investigation by the Newark and Irvington Police Departments. She is currently suspended without pay.

Source

Love them or hate them, selfies are here to stay. The invention of the selfie stick pretty much solidified that. However, it turns out that too many selfies can mean that you have some mental issues.

According to a new study, men who pose for a lot of selfies tend to score higher on measures of narcissism and psychopathy. Men who were more likely to edit their photos before posting scored higher on narcissism and self-objectification, which speaks to those who value their appearance instead of any other positive traits.

The study was conducted at Ohio State University by lead researcher and assistant professor of communication Jesse Fox and graduate student Margaret Rooney.

“It’s not surprising that men who post a lot of selfies and spend more time editing them are more narcissistic, but this is the first time it has actually been confirmed in a study,” said Fox.

“The more interesting finding is that they also score higher on this other anti-social personality trait, psychopathy, and are more prone to self-objectification,” he continued.

According to Ohio State University News, “Narcissism is marked by a belief that you’re smarter, more attractive and better than others, but with some underlying insecurity. Psychopathy involves a lack of empathy and regard for others and a tendency toward impulsive behavior.”

[Image: Shutterstock]

The authors stress that this doesn’t mean that these men are narcissists and psychopaths, but that they have higher than average levels of those traits. All of the participants scored within the normal range of behavior.

The study sample included 800 men between the ages of 18 and 40 who completed an online survey about their photo posting habits on social media. The participants also took standard questionnaires that tested for anti-social behaviors (of which narcissism and psychopathy are included) and self-objectification.

The study did not include women because the data set that the researchers used did not have comparable data for women. Fox is currently doing follow-up work that suggests that the results will be the same for women.

Fox believes that our personality traits influence how we post online. “We are all concerned with our self-presentation online, but how we do that may reveal something about our personality.”

Veteran 60 Minutes host Steve Kroft has been exposed of having an affair with a New York City lawyer.  Kroft, who has worked on the long-running news program for 26 years and was the first to snag a post-election interview with President Barack Obama, had been sneaking to hotels with Harvard-grad Lisan Goines for three years, until the National Enquirer captured a picture of the two kissing in a cab.

A source told the gossip publication that Kroft, 69, and Goines, 41, first met at a bar in the St. Regis hotel in 2011.  The two, who are both married, struck up a conversation, allegedly prompting Kroft to tell her “I have to see you again.”

The Peabody Award-winning reporter told Goines that he was stuck in a sexless marriage with his wife of over 20 years, Jennet Conant. The two met up again a few weeks later at another hotel.  “There was a lot of kissing and touching, but he couldn’t spend the night because he had to get back to his wife,” said the source.

A week later, the two met up again at a Four Seasons hotel for $700-a-night.  The source said that the lovers stayed together for two days and consummated their relationship on the second night.

The cheaters often met up in New York and Washington D.C. to spend romantic nights together.  The Enquirer source released several graphic text messages that were allegedly exchanged between Kroft and Goines throughout their relationship.

“Working late. Just ordered out. Would rather be eating your pudding,” Kroft allegedly wrote.

“Don’t work too hard this week bc I wanna wear you out afterward,” Goines responded.

“You got it,” he wrote back, according to the Enquirer.

The sexual messages allegedly continued with texts such as Kroft texting Goines, “Miss you and all that goes with it. Especially my favorite tastes and colors … pink and brown.”

The magazine’s source says that the affair fizzled out after Kroft became cheap.

“Of all the times she traveled to meet him in DC, Steve only paid once, and as the affair continued, the affairs went on from luxury to kind of low end,” the source revealed.

“The whole thing soured because she got to the point where it was only about Steve. Lisan never wanted him to leave his wife, and she never contemplated leaving her husband and she told him it was best that it end,” the source said.

After Kroft and Goines discontinued regular visits, the two still met up for drinks from time to time.  After one meeting last month at Essex House’s Southgate Bar & Restaurant, which was just a few blocks from his home on the Upper East Side, the couple took a cab and made out in the back seat.  Enquirer cameras snapped photos of the intimate moment.

After news hit about the affair, Kroft fessed up about his little secret.

“I had an extramarital affair that was a serious lapse of personal judgment and extremely hurtful to my wife and family, and for that I have nothing but regret,” Kroft said in a statement to the Post.

“My wife and I are committed to each other and are working hard to get past this, and consider it a private matter.”

Ironically, Kroft famously confronted then-Arkansas governor Bill Clinton about rumors that he was a womanizer.

An off-duty police officer is facing assault, battery, and using a motor vehicle without authority charges for allegedly assaulting a Hispanic and Black man during an incident while riding in an Uber. Boston cop Michael Doherty used the ride sharing service on Sunday when he instructed the unidentified driver to take him to a specific location.

Upon arrival, Doherty, a 16 year veteran, insisted they arrived at the wrong address, allegedly  yelling, “What? You think I’m stupid, you f*cking sp*c?” After Doherty instructed the driver to continue driving, he then allegedly began assaulting him, forcing the operator out of the vehicle.

The attack continued, as the 40 year old began chasing the driver around the vehicle. The driver flagged down an African American motorist for help. When the man stopped to offer assistance, Doherty reportedly yelled, “What do you want, you f*cking n*gger?” before attacking him too.

A police cruiser approached as Doherty was beating the Uber driver while the black man tried to break it up. Once Doherty saw the flashing lights, he reportedly stopped fighting and quickly removed himself from the scene.

In a statement, Uber said Doherty has been barred from using the service per company policy and “stand ready to assist law enforcement” in the investigation.

Cartoonists across the world have flooded the internet with powerful drawings in defiance of the armed terrorists who attempted to silence the satirical French newspaper, Charlie Hebdo. Charlie Hebdo is best known for its controversial images which regularly satirised Islam, amongst other religions. The newspaper’s latest tweet featured a cartoon of Abu Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State.

Cherif Kouachi, his brother Said Kouachi, and another terrorist stormed into the office of the Paris-based magazine on Wednesday, killing 12 people and injuring 11. Among the victims were 10 journalists and at least four cartoonists. French President Francois Hollande called the attack “barbaric” and said it would do little to hamper the freedom of the press.

With the hashtag #jesuischarlie, meaning “I am Charlie” in French, sketchers shared their own mournful but defiant illustrations to advocate for free press, denounce violence and mourn their slain peers from the French publication.

By RL Oppenheimer

By David Brown

Federal regulators have fined Honda North America in two $35-million lawsuits for failing to disclose more than 1,700 death and injury, as well as warranty claims, as required under federal law.

The $70 million in fines is the largest amount ever levied by federal regulators, as it’s the maximum amount the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is allowed to assess for safety reporting violations.

One of the $35-million fines was for the lack of reports during an 11-year period under the Early Warning Reporting (EWR) requirements. The other was for failing to report data under warranty or customer service claims as required under federal law.

Honda willingly took responsibility for the mass miscommunication, citing data entry and computer programming as the culprit. The Japanese automaker has agreed to pay the hefty fines, in addition to a consent order requiring future safeguards.

Honda admitted it learned of the omissions in 2011, but waited three years to take action.

Source

Less than 24 hours after the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo magazine’s headquarters in France, another innocent citizen has been shot down.  The victim was 27-year-old rookie Officer Clarissa Jean-Philippe.

At around 8 a.m. Thursday, Jean-Philippe, a black woman from Martinique, responded to a traffic accident that occurred in the south of Paris.  A man who is believed to have been the driver of one of the damaged vehicles shot the young police officer.

“There was an officer in front of a white car and a man running away who shot,” said Ahmed Sassi, who viewed the incident from his nearby home.

Officers said that emergency workers attempted to revive her, but her condition was described to be “very bad,” and she died.

The gunman, who was reportedly toting a M5 rifle, was approached by two men on the street, one of whom was a street sweeper.  The gunman shot him in the face, leaving him in critical condition.

Law enforcement say they are unsure whether this incident is related to Wednesday’s assassination of 12 people, but witnesses say the gunman appeared to be of North African descent.  He was also seen wearing what appeared to be a bullet-proof vest, but was not wearing a mask.

The morning prior, masked gunmen entered the northern Paris office of the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, with AK-47s while shouting “Allahu akbar!” and “Prophet has been avenged!” The armed men shot and killed nine employees, one visitor, and two police officers.  The magazine was notorious for its funny – or disrespectful depending on who’s judging – depictions of Muslims, including drawing the image of the Prophet Muhammad, which is strictly forbidden in the Muslim faith.  This is believed to be the motivation for why the gunmen targeted the publication.

Three French-Algerian Muslims are said to be the culprits of the shooting.  One man, 18-year-old Hamyd Mourad, turned himself into police after he was publicly said to be the shooters’ getaway driver.  The actual gunmen, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, are currently on the run.

Cherif, 32, and Said, 34, reportedly have a history of belonging to terrorist groups, such as the Armed Islamic Army.

Jean-Philippe was a trainee police officer who is said to have “dreamed of serving her country,” Paris Match reported. Her killer is still at-large, and law enforcement is currently on a manhunt for the Kouachi brothers.

Plus-sized ladies who were looking forward to purchasing Target‘s Lilly Pulitzer collection in stores are now quite disappointed. The retailer confirmed via Twitter that larger sizes in the line will only be available for purchase via the internet.

When Fashionista.com published a statement by a Target representative revealing that the vibrant resort clothing of Lilly Pulitzer would be available in sizes larger than the store’s standard 16, women rejoiced on social media. Target shoppers were especially surprised by the news because the department store is notorious for neglecting the needs of plus-sized women.

“It’s really important for us that we can provide stylish apparel for everybody, and we felt like this collection was the right time to do it,” Stacia Andersen, Target’s senior vice president of apparel and accessories, told the website.

“This is a victory for plus size women …” Marcy Cruz of Plus Model Magazine wrote online.

But the excitement fizzled when one Twitter user, FatGirl_fashion, asked Target via Twitter where the clothing would be available.

“The question is, is [plus] size going to be sold in every store carrying the line or select store[s] of the standard online only,” FatGirl_fashion tweeted.

Target tweeted back, “The plus sized collection will be available online only.”

Prospective shoppers didn’t take too kindly to Target’s response. One disappointed, curvacious woman, Sarah Conley, tweeted, “‘They’re really saying we only want 40 [per cent] of customers to be seen in store.”

Another critic, grownandcurvywoman, wrote, “It’s like Target is dating a fat girl but won’t take her out in public.. that’s how I feel right now.”

Some women are even threatening to take their business elsewhere. Fashionista commenter Farrah Estrella wrote a lengthy explanation on why Target’s decision to leave clothing for voluptuous women off their racks is a big mistake:

“If Target doesn’t want our money that’s ok, not all plus size women shop online. Personally I like the store experience, trying things on for fit and quality. It is very simple really ‘The same clothes they make on a size 2, they just need to make them in a size 24′ and place them behind the XL, so 2x and 3x right on the same rack, no need to re-invent the wheel. We (plus size women) are not aliens, we are just bigger. The fact that they didn’t even mention it on the press release makes me think that they expected some type of backlash because why hide the fact.”

New year, new vibe but same shade! This week in celeb quotes, Vivica A. Fox calls Kenya Moore everything but a child of God, Marlon Wayans wins “Cleveland Show” case and Taraji P. Henson reads 50 cent over “Empire” vs “Power” comparisons. Plus, Iggy Azalea blames her criticism on the fact she has a vagina. And Drake said what?! AND I QUOTE…

“#ToxicTrick showed up late cause she was getting drug on #RHOA reunion by @Porsha4real #IJS #Twirlonthat Lol!!”

Vivica A. Fox lashing out at fellow “Celebrity Apprentice” contestant Kenya Moore in an ongoing dispute over a stolen cell phone, via Twitter.

“I am grateful that the judge upheld our constitutional rights of free speech. It’s the first amendment and probably the most important for a comedian. This is also a stride toward protecting public figures from often bogus claims and lawsuits. I am grateful now if you’ll excuse me I’m gonna go watch reruns of the Cleveland show.”

Marlon Wayans celebrating his win in the “Cleveland Show” Instagram bullying case, via TMZ.

Source

“If anything, I thought he was trying to get a jab at him. You know, he’s jealous of Terrence, his looks, Terrence is light-skinned, he’s dark-skinned, you know, come on people.”

Taraji P. Henson addressing the beef between her and 50 Cent over comparisons between “Empire” and “Power”, via The Wrap.

Source

“That’s a possibility. But that doesn’t make me a groomzilla! That just makes me a man that loves fashion.”

Kevin Hart explaining why purchasing an expensive tuxedo will not make him a ‘groomzilla’ for upcoming wedding, via ETOnline.com

Source

“What the f*ck impression is that? Who is that? That was like some Omarion, Chris Brown together shit. That’s not me, man.”

Drake confronting a comedian for insulting him during a recent comedy club visit, via Instagram.

“Well, they don’t say that stuff about Macklemore. So, yes, I think it has 100,000 percent to do with the fact that I have a vagina.”

Iggy Azalea revealing that her gender is why she is being criticized so harshly for performing black music, via Vanity Fair.

Source

“How much money does clearblue pay celebs to instagram their piss sticks this seems lucrative”

Chrissy Teigen throwing shade at Tamera Mowry’s recent announcement of baby #2, via Twitter.

Looks like fame came with a price for two members of the controversial reality show “Sorority Sisters.”

Even though petitions, boycotts, and social media backlash failed to stop the airing of the VH1 reality show, it didn’t stop Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated from taking its own action.

The organization, founded in 1908, has suspended cast members April R. McRae and Rwanda Hammond for more than two years, as a result of their catty behavior. The sorority believes their antics are detrimental to their organization, damaging the spirit of their legacy.

The suspension start date is listed as Dec. 26, 2014 and will end on July 15, 2016, according to the AKA website. The suspension includes the prohibition of wearing any sorority paraphernalia. They are also not allowed to attend official sorority events.

McRae and Hammond are members of the Chi Tau Omega and Lambda Epsilon Omega chapters respectively.

Do you think the other sororities represented on “Sorority Sisters” will follow suit?

Source

Maybe making jokes of the many accusations against him of drugging and raping women across the country isn’t the best way to go if he’s trying to clear his name. Guess Bill Cosby didn’t get that memo, as he warned a woman in the audience, during his show in Canada Thursday night, to be careful drinking around him.

A woman got up from one of the front rows and walked past the stage when Cosby, 77, asked where she was going. When she answered she was going to the lobby to grab a drink Cosby responded: “You have to be careful about drinking around me.” The crowd replied with a loud applause.

But not everyone thought the joke was funny. A few minutes later a heckler yelled at Cosby, calling him a rapist.

Cosby stood up as the crowd started to boo the man and asked them not to respond. “No, no, stop,” he said, waving his hands. The heckler was removed from the theater by a police officer while one member of the audience yelled, “We love you,” to Cosby.

The legendary comedian is scheduled to appear at the Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton on Friday and a number of shows throughout the U.S. over the next few months, including two shows in Denver on Jan. 17.

On Thursday, President Obama teased an offer of two free years of community college for American workers, part of the White House’s effort to make community college as universal as high school is today. The cost-free college years would be offered to working Americans who maintain good grades.

The America’s College Promise program would be available to traditional and non-traditional college students and would support those seeking the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, or even just job training.

“Put simply, what I’d like to do is to see the first two years of community college free for everyone who’s willing to work for it,” Obama said in a video filmed Wednesday aboard Air Force One.

According to the White House, the new proposal estimated it would save the average community-college student $3,800 annually, benefiting as many as 9 million students if fully realized. But don’t get too hopeful, yet. The program would require action from a Republican-dominated Congress.

A Maryland truck driver has been charged with attempted murder for intentionally hitting two Prince George’s County police cruisers with his dump truck Wednesday morning. According to the report, the cruisers were empty at the time of the attack by driver Gene Thomas Brandon Jr. at the Woodmore Town Center around 11:35 a.m. Wednesday.

The video of the incident showed the truck plowing into the cruisers, dragging them for some distance. Bystanders who appeared to have been next to the vehicle ran away.

Officials said that the officers were outside talking when Brandon, who suffers from mental illness, yelled at them. The officers said they told him to keep going because he was blocking traffic. Brandon left, but turned around in the parking lot before “barreling directly” toward the officers, according to police. Brandon allegedly told authorities he had not been taking his medication.

By Isoul Harris

Ava DuVernay’s name was first etched into history at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, when the former film and television publicist received the Best Director Award for Middle of Nowhere, making her the first black woman to do so. She is also the first black woman to receive a Golden Globe nod for Best Director for Selma, the story of the bloody struggle for African American voting rights in this country. The film is also first in presenting a surprisingly stripped down view of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr., his family, his band of brotherly leaders and the fearless activists who fought against the apartheid that was the Jim Crow south.

We spoke with DuVernay recently regarding the connections between Selma and Ferguson, depicting MLK as a man and not a myth and the momentous time she is enjoying right now.

Although contractually the film must credit screenwriter Paul Webb, you are said to have completed a thorough rewrite of the original script. Is this true?

I had to do a few tweaks [laughs]. I added Coretta, the four little girls opening and the group of brothers and sisters (supporting leaders) around him. It was less for me about President Lyndon Johnson, which is what the script [focused on] when I got on board. I switched the perspective bringing in the black church. I wanted to imbue [King] with a sense of being a man and not just a statue or a myth. I wanted people to see that he was just a regular brother that did extraordinary things.

Another film project has the rights to the King speeches. So you wrote each speech delivered by Dr. King in the film. You did a remarkable job of capturing his very unique voice and tone.

It is really a compliment that people cannot tell that they are not [his words] in the film. I was an English Literature and African-American Studies double major at UCLA. When you sit down and try to deconstruct King, it really comes in handy when breaking down his rhythm, tonality, cadence and patterns. He had a few tricks that he used. So, finally, my degrees are coming in handy. My mom was always asking, ‘What are you studying?’

You, as the director and writer, and David Oyelowo, who expertly portrays King, inject so much life into this man who to many is just a mythical figure in history.

Thank you. David brought the writing to life and it’s the spirit of King and not an impersonation and not a mimic. We were both doing approximations of King and I thought if I could just get under his ideas and really get through his intentions, we would be doing okay.

How do you personally see MLK?

He was a brother from Atlanta whose father and grandfather were preachers. He didn’t want to be a preacher. He moved to Boston and fell in love with this fine, older sister. He moves from Atlanta to Montgomery, Alabama with Coretta because he wants to get away from his father. He wants to be his own man. He’s handsome and speaks well and the local leaders [have him] talk about the bus boycott and Mrs. Rosa Parks. He then gets swept up in history.

Above all, this film aggressively stresses the importance of the right to vote and how without it you are basically invisible and insignificant in the eyes of the law.

Yes, the Selma voting rights campaign was able to change the nation and move the needle in a concrete way. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was put into place to protect the voting rights of citizens that previously did not have it. In the film, you see what that cost us: not being able to sit on juries to decide the fate of people who were doing violence to the black body, but you can’t be involved in justice because you cannot be on the jury because you are not registered to vote. I hope that people begin to hold dear the right.

With the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court in 2013 and the recent countrywide protests for Mike Brown and Eric Garner, Selma could not be timelier.

Yes. What was top of mind for me while making the film was the Voting Rights Act. I thought it would be a big topic of conversation as we presented the film, you know, the dismantling of the very act that we are chronicling in the creation of in the film. The violence to that act is hard to put back together. What was effective about the civil rights movement was they had a clear strategy, clear intention, clear tactics, and they were not non-violent for the sake of being peaceful. There was nuance, intellect and it was radical. Hopefully, people will understand that and apply it to what is going on today.

This is a wonderful time for you, Ava. Are you completely present in it?

I know it is a really beautiful moment right now for women filmmakers and filmmakers of color and I am happen to be here in this national movement. It’s vibrant, robust and with so much energy. There are so many people pressing for change. I feel like I am right here inside of it.

Gospel legend Andrae Crouch died yesterday, January 8, 2015, at LA’s Northridge Hospital Medical Center. The San Francisco born singer was 72. He’d been hospitalized and under observation after suffering a heart attack on Saturday.

The musical heavy weights who relied on Crouch’s singing, songwriting and arranging skills included Elton John, Quincy Jones, The Commodores, Diana Ross and Ringo Starr. Crouch’s musical catalog included giving Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror and Madonna’s Like a Prayer a gospel feel.

He is credited with giving gospel music a modern twist, and often fused R&B and jazz into his pieces. Stevie Wonder, El DeBarge, Chaka Khan, Sheila E. and Take 6 have all appeared on Crouch albums over the years, including his most recent, The Journey, from 2011. Crouch won seven Grammy’s over his storied career.  Here we remember some of our favorite Andrae Crouch songs.

Andraé Crouch sings Livin’ This Kind Of Life live In Los Angeles.

Soon and Very Soon, a Sunday morning staple in many households.

Crouch tells the story of how his ‘bootleg preacher’ father – and God – led him to music, before launching into Through It All.

It Won’t Be Long

Let The Church Say Amen feat. Marvin Winans

Come Home

Say So – performed on the Arsenio Hall Show

My Tribute f. All Star Choir including Bebe Winans, Larry Norman, Fred Hammond, Wayne Watson, Patti Austin, Twila Paris, Kim Boyce, Tramaine Hawkins, Bobby Jones

Take Me Back

-By Colby Carrington

Going under the knife for cosmetic purposes is the norm in Hollywood, but now, the practice has become more frequent among everyday people.  Plastic surgery is a gamble, though.  Some procedures leave clients with subtle, but satisfying differences in appearance, whether it be slightly plumper lips, a larger cup size or two in the chest area, or a little face lift. But other procedures end in a horrifying disaster.  Here are some photos of shockingly botched plastic surgery results.

Brazilian television show host and model Andressa Urach was no stranger to cosmetic surgeries, so the 27-year-old was shocked when the fillers hydrogel and PMMA that she injected to make her butt bigger caused her muscles to rot. Urach, who won runner-up in the Miss Bum Bum Brazilian butt contest, endured procedures attempting to drain the fillers, and was once told that her leg would have to be amputated.

U.K. make-up artist Jordan James Parke, 23,  was such a huge Kim Kardashian fan that he spend over $150,000 on 50 cosmetic procedures to resemble the reality star, including Botox, lip injections, eyebrow tattoos, cheek fillers, and laser hair removal. Some may think his look is a little extra, but to that, he says “Do they think I’m going for the natural look? If I was, I’d ask for my money back.”

When 31-year-old U.K. restaurant manager Laura Damiani underwent a breast augmentation, she had no idea that just two weeks later, she would develop necrosis, which caused her nipples to rot. She was forced to have her nipples removed, causing strain on her self-esteem and her relationship with her boyfriend. “A year and a half down the line, I still feel really ugly,” Damiani revealed.

Charming Bridget Jone’s Diary actress Renee Zellweger arrived at ELLE’s 21st annual Women In Hollywood Awards in October 2014 looking completely unrecognizable. Surgeons who spoke to Daily Mail said the 45-year-old actress may have had an upper eye lift and Botox, but all that Zellweger has said about her appearance is, “I’m glad folks think I look different. I’m living a different, happy, more fulfilling life, and I’m thrilled that perhaps it shows.”

Former “Teen Mom” star Farrah Abraham has publicly documented having breast implant surgery and lip injections, but one picture she posted on Twitter showed the former porn star with a largely inflated upper lip. Plastic surgeon Terry Dubrow of the E! reality show “Botched” says he will try to help the troubled young mother fix her lip issue.

Kendrick Lamar’s Billboard cover story was released Friday morning, and it was welcomed with a myriad of criticism from readers who were disappointed by his comments on Ferguson.

While the interview discussed an array of topics including the process he has when recording his highly anticipated sophomore project, to his thoughts on Iggy Azalea, one comment stood out more than anything. When Kendrick was asked about his feelings on Mike Brown and what’s happening in Ferguson, he had this to say,

“I wish somebody would look in our neighborhood knowing that it’s already a situation, mentally, where it’s f***ed up,” K. Dot said. “What happened to [Michael Brown] should’ve never happened. Never. But when we don’t have respect for ourselves, how do we expect them to respect us? It starts from within. Don’t start with just a rally, don’t start from looting — it starts from within.”

Femcee Azealia Banks who is known for being vocal on social media was the first to express her thoughts on Kendrick’s words.

“When we don’t respect ourselves how can we expect them to respect us” dumbest shit I’ve ever heard a black man say.

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) January 9, 2015

Lol do you know about the generational effects of poverty, racism and discrimination? — AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) January 9, 2015

There are things in society that benefit a select few of us. fine…. But don’t put down the rest by saying they don’t respect themselves

— AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) January 9, 2015

HOW DARE YOU open ur face to a white publication and tell them that we don’t respect ourselves…. Speak for your fucking self. — AZEALIA BANKS (@AZEALIABANKS) January 9, 2015

Her full message reads,

“When we don’t respect ourselves how can we expect them to respect us” dumbest s*** I’ve ever heard a black man say. Lol do you know about the generational effects of poverty, racism and discrimination? There are things in society that benefit a select few of us. fine…. But don’t put down the rest by saying they don’t respect themselves. HOW DARE YOU open ur face to a white publication and tell them that we don’t respect ourselves…. Speak for your f***ing self. I really pray for the minds of the urban youth, I really do because I was once on the side of feeling like I wasn’t owed anything… Once on the side of feeling like black people ain’t s*** because that’s what America and my social studies textbooks taught me. Becoming an adult and doing my own research has REALLY opened up my f***ing eyes, and I get upset to know that….. There are still young black kids in our public schools being indoctrinated with the same s*** they pumped into my head. And f*** all this s*** about erasing racial barriers and getting along… Why does white America think blacks even wanna be here?! I really just want my f***ing reparations, and want you guys to stop killing my sons and telling my daughters they’re ugly. You can hate me and call my n****er all you want, because chances are I probably think you are a cracker too.”

What do you think of Azealia’s tweets? Do you agree with the outspoken raptress?