What happens when Conan O’Brien, Kevin Hart, and Ice Cube go on a RIDE ALONG? Medical cannabis is bought. Popeye’s fried chicken is eaten. Oh, and a CONAN on TBS staffer gets to the butt of all the jokes. Take a look at this Weekday Distraction.
RIDE ALONG 2 hits theaters January 15th.
By Isoul Harris
Since my very first visit in 1997, as a student at Oxford University, Paris has remained my favorite city in the world. Beautiful, historic and sexy, the City of Lights is like no other metropolis on the planet.
As an ambassador for American Express Platinum, I recently returned to my beloved city. Actually, I was there exactly two weeks before the recent tragedy, which made the news reports more than headlines: I have a still fresh, personal connection with Paris.
Never been to Paris? Or has it been awhile and you are unsure of the best hotels, restaurants, etc.? As an American Express Platinum Card Member, you can take advantage of Platinum Travel Services and the exclusive Platinum Card Concierge: both will have you covered on all accounts. I worked with the travel services representative to find an excellent Delta/Air France round trip fare into Charles De Gaulle. And the Platinum Concierge helped me choose a few great restaurants.
Isoul Harris in the Third Arrondissement
In stark contrast to the first time I traveled to Paris, as a broke graduate school student staying in cheap hostels, I reached out to the Platinum Travel Services to help find great luxury stays. We decided on the gorgeous, five-star Four Seasons George V and also the barely year-old, also five-star, contemporary luxury The Peninsula Paris.
The gorgeous lobby of the Four Season George V
Located just a few steps off the Champs-Elysees, the Four Seasons George V is the epitome of old-world, Parisian luxury. With 18th century-inspired décor and charm, this is the hotel for those who want to experience elegantly appointed rooms and suites, as well as an up close and personal glance at super-chic Parisians and stylish globetrotters drinking at the bar or enjoying high tea or a delicious meal in Le Galerie.
The Platinum Concierge recommended I experience dinner at Le Cinq, the hotel’s new, two Michelin-starred restaurant. And I am certainly glad that I listened. With an exquisite dining room, peppered in greys and gold, with white tablecloths, china and silver and servers intent on making your experience singular, dinner at Le Cinq is an over the top experience I would recommend to all.
The Peninsula Paris at night
The Peninsula Paris, in the same neighborhood as the Four Seasons George V, opened in 2014 and with its uber-contemporary, art gallery-esque space and modern rooms (think soft greys and creams accented with lacquered gloss), has quickly become one of the city’s most popular and highly-acclaimed hotels.
The Beautiful Peninsula Paris
The beautiful restaurants are also major attractions—including The Lobby (French + international cuisine), LiLi (Cantonese) and the stunning L’oiseau Blanc with its unbelievable views of many of Paris’s most iconic monuments. The Lobby Terrace was also excellent for Sunday brunch. But, I must admit, nothing topped my in room dining breakfast experience. Expertly set up by the servers by the terrace window, I enjoyed each bite of the deliciously prepared meal while I also savored my remaining moments in my favorite city.
Having breakfast Parisian-style
As someone who knows the city well, and loves it even more, I urge travelers interested in visiting the city to move forward with their plans.
Don’t allow extremists to win.
Paris will always be the City of Lights and nothing or no one will ever extinguish them.
“We named our beautiful baby boy Ace because I wanted something unique. When he becomes school age, hopefully he won’t have to worry about another person in the class having his name.
More than that, Ace represents the number one and that of the highest quality and our baby Ace is definitely that! His middle name Wells was Todd’s mother’s last name. Using her last name as his middle name was our way of honoring her memory.”
— Kandi Burruss explains why she and husband Todd Tucker named their newborn son Ace Wells Tucker. Ace was born yesterday morning and weighed 7 lbs., 6 oz. This is the first son for Kandi and Todd. Kandi has a daughter named Riley, and Todd is father to a daughter named Kaela.
By Zaire Jacobs
Actor Michael Jai White—star of both Tyler Perry’s hit film Why Did I Get Married? and sitcom For Better or For Worse, jumped the broom with Gillian Waters in 2015. White, known for making history in 1997 as the first African American to portray a comic book superhero in a major motion picture in Spawn, wed his longtime fiancée and actress Waters (Jackie Brown, Bamboozled) in Thailand. The over-the-top ceremony featured fireworks, an elephant parade, belly dancers, drones and an elaborate dinner reception—all at the lavish estate of friend and producer Michael Selby. The bride—donning a 10-carat engagement ring—and groom exchanged vows among their children, family and close friends. The two honeymooned in the Krabi Province on the Indian Ocean. What’s next? The attractive duo will star together in the action film Never Back Down 3, directed by White, in the spring of 2016.
RELATED: Marriages & Carriages: 2016 Celebrity Weddings & Babies
[Photography: Michael Selby]
The Whispers‘ manager has confirmed that Nicholas Caldwell died Jan. 5th at his home in Stockton, Calif. The 71 year old’s wife found him.
Although a cause of death hasn’t been announced, the manager told TMZ that Caldwell had heart problems and had a pacemaker installed last year.
RELATED: Gone But Not Forgotten: Celebrity Deaths Of 2015
In 1963, Caldewll was a founding member of The Whispers, whose had hits like “Rock Steady”; “And The Beat Goes On”; and “It Just Gets Better With Time.” He had taken a hiatus from the group in order to improve his health. Caldwell had hoped to return to the stage with the other three members.
I used to be a fan of E!’s Fashion Police, but then comedian Joan Rivers died and the show was so desperate for laughs after that, co-host Giuliana Rancic made a rather offensive comment about Zendaya Coleman in the name of comedy. As a result of Rancic’s off-color remark, Fashion Police lost another co-host I enjoyed watching — Kelly Osbourne — and I knew I was done with the show. I mean, haven’t the internet and social media made shows about fashion at awards shows obsolete? Not quite, says E!, which is bringing polar opposites into the new season.
It’s already been widely reported that comedian Margaret Cho landed a co-host gig, but now Fashion Police will have some peach flavor. NeNe Leakes will be a special co-host of the fashion critics show. She has been an on and off guest on the show since 2013 and most recently co-hosted the 2015 Emmys special.
Leakes and Cho will join hosts Melissa Rivers, Rancic, and Brad Goreski on the panel for the Golden Globes special on Jan. 11th. I’m sure I’ll tune into Fashion Police sometime next week just to see how NeNe does, but then Rancic will annoy me again and I’ll tune out.
Isabelle Armstrong’s head designer has created wedding gowns for superstars such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Sharon Stone. One look at this dress and you know why. The Jessica, from the Spring 2016 collection, is a corded lace drop waist ball gown, with silk organza and a tulle petal skirt, layered over galaxy tulle. A showstopper. Period. $6,180. IsabelleArmstrongNY.com
Designer Octavius Marsion and his husband Jamal Sims, were married in front of the world during the historical, mass same-sex wedding on the 2014 Grammy Awards telecast, officiated by Queen Latifah. They were sporting tuxedos of their own making. “That momentous day embodied the simple but powerful idea of equality,” says Marsion, a former banker. “GROOM strives to bring equality to the men’s formalwear marketplace.” The couple are quite busy: Marsion runs an eponymous solo line worn by celebs such as Chris Brown and Tamar Braxton; while Sims is an in-demand choreographer/dancer for artists like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. But, right now, the two multitaskers are focused on bringing their well-heeled taste to the masses.
GROOM offers custom tuxedos, suits, dress shoes, neckwear, and, of course, the right accessories. It’s also a lifestyle experience: the duo’s Los Angeles-based boutique is more speakeasy than atelier, with amenities such as tailors, barbers, manicurists, shoe shine service, and (most importantly) complimentary whiskey, champagne and cigars. “Gentlemen need resources like the ladies have,” says Marsion. “Men need somewhere they can escape the norm, have fun, seek advice, and find the right look and fit. We couldn’t find it, so we created it.” GROOMOfficial.com
Faith Evans is working on her seventh studio album, The King and I, and has invited Snoop Dogg to rap on an homage to her late husband The Notorious B.I.G.
The duo linked up in the studio Wednesday, but haven’t revealed what song they created.
This isn’t the first time Faith and Snoop have collaborated. Five years ago, they released “Way You Move.”
The King and I will be a duets album featuring Faith and Biggie Smalls.
A Thai cosmetics brand has apologized for and pulled an advertisement for a skin lightening cream that compared a pale model to one wearing blackface, whose message is white skin “makes you win.”
The 50-second, Seoul Secret “Snowz” spot features 35-year-old actress Cris Horwang, who credits her success on her pale skin.
The New York Daily News describes the Snowz ad:
“If I stop taking care of myself, everything I have worked for, the whiteness I have invested in, may be lost,” [Horwang] says.
Horwang’s face starts turning black in stark contrast to a light-skinned model next to her.
“The new kids will replace me, will make me a faded star,” she says, looking down at her darkened skin in dismay before eyeing the pale girl beside her.
That’s when Horwang sings praises for the Snowz beauty cream containing a glutathione compound from kiwi seeds that helps you “not return to black.” The compound is known as an anti-oxident — but has been shown to lighten skin in large doses.
In the video, as Horwang’s skin lightens, a tagline appears: “White makes you win.”
Other translations render it, “Just being white, you will win.”
The video went viral as critics blasted it for being racist.
“I’m perfectly fine being dark-skinned and now you’re saying I’ve lost? Hello? What?” posted member 1575141 on the popular Thai forum Pantip.com.
The brand offered an apology on its Facebook page today.
‘(We) would like to apologize for the mistake and claim full responsibility for this incident. Our company did not have any intention to convey discriminatory or racist messages.
“What we intended to convey was that self-improvement in terms of personality, appearance, skills, and professionality (sic) is crucial.”
So self-improvement means lightening your skin? Yeah, no thanks.
Natalie Cole‘s family released a statement Thursday to the Associated Press on the late singer’s cause of death. Cole died of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, which led to heart failure.
In the statement, the family says Cole was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension after receiving a kidney transplant in 2009. This rare lung disease causes shortness of breath, dizziness, and chest pain. Cole’s past drug abuse and Hepatitis C caused her to need a new kidney.
At first, Cole responded to treatment, but eventually succumbed to the disease, said her family in the statement:
“[Cole] responded well to pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific agents over many years, during which she performed many concerts world-wide, but eventually succumbed to intractable right heart failure, an outcome that unfortunately commonly occurs in this progressive disorder.”
Cole died Dec. 31st at the age of 65.
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us! Wanderlust has kindled us to compile a curated list of the most amazing U.S. destinations to visit. This list will have you packing a bag and making reservations. For those living in the U.S. you can reach these destinations by plane, train or automobile no passport needed. So, let’s go places. We will see you on the road less traveled.
Hawaii: Best Island, Maui
The moment you land in the Aloha state you will know why it is considered one of the best places to visit in the world. It simply is a paradise on earth. The tropical wonderland is filled with cascading waterfalls, picturesque mountain peaks and the most glorious beaches anywhere.
Hawaii is made up of numerous small islands and eight major islands. These islands include Hawaii (the Big Island), Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau and Kahoolawe. Maui is the second largest of the islands and is an outdoor or nature adventurers dream. The majestic beauty of Maui simply can’t be beat. I will tell you that I am a vacationer that likes to do things. Sitting by the pool is great for like an hour and then I want to go and explore. Maui offers those that simply want to rest and recharge the ability to be energized by the scenic and serene surroundings and for those that want to adventure it’s an explorers dream. You can hike what is possibly the world’s largest dormant volcano at Maui’s Haleakala National Park or swim and snorkel the crystal clear waters.
Maui is our top island pick in Hawaii but a trip to the Aloha state can include some island hopping. Each of my visits to Hawaii was during the Pro Bowl time at the end of January held in Honolulu. Island hopping and adding events like the Pro Bowl is yet another layer to what would be the vacation of a lifetime in Hawaii.
New Orleans
New Orleans is a culturally rich city that should be on everyone’s bucket list. The Big Easy is known for its distinctive cuisine and the soulful sounds that you will hear pouring from the distinctive architecture that is found in the French Quarter and beyond. The birthplace of jazz is a good place to Laissez les bons temps rouler (Let the good times roll)! You will find revelers in New Orleans year round but the biggest event of the year is Mardi Gras which is an over the top party filled with masks, music and cocktail creations unique to the city. While New Orleans is a great place to party it is actually a great place for families as well. Attractions in the Crescent City include the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the St. Louis Cathedral facing Jackson Square, taking a paddle-wheel steamboat ride down the storied Mississippi and more.
Orlando: Disney
Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is simply one of the most magical places on earth. It is true that Disney is a celebration of childhood but it’s so much more. There is an unending amount of things to do for people of all ages. Quite frankly, it’s one of my favorite places to go without the kids! If your opportunity to vacation the world is limited, Disney makes for an excellent choice. In Epcot’s World Showcase they have 11 different countries represented. You will walk away feeling like you have visited distant lands around the world with each stop that will allow you to experience the cuisine and culture of each locale.
Disney is a foodie’s dream offering everything from five-stars to Mickey Bars in every price range. Breathtaking golf courses are featured on Disney properties along with spas that will make you never want to go home! Thrill seekers will get a joy out of rides that are fit for the big kid in all of us like “Soarin” that will have you flying through the clouds and feeling the wind on your face. You will end the magic of every day at Disney with an opportunity to see a parade or “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth”. This spectacular presentation is centered around the World Showcase Lagoon where fireworks, lasers and dancing fountains combine in a choreographed display performed to an inspirational musical score.
Las Vegas
You know what they say “What happens here, stays here!” Well, the truth is that isn’t true about Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays with you as as a great memory. You will pack in a load of memories in a short time in Sin City. While the Nevada hot spot is known to be a place for high-rollers to getaway you can indulge in all that Vegas has to offer without rolling the dice. A sure bet to fun is simply to partake in the luxury spas, high-end shopping, fine dining and shows the city has to offer. It is a trip of its own just to walk through unique hotels lining the strip where you can see the Bellagio Fountains, the light beam at the Luxor Hotel, the majesty of Caesar’s Palace, The Venetian, The Stratosphere, The Mirage, The Wynn, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and more. Other points of interest in Las Vegas are the Red Rock National Canyon Conservatory, the Hoover Dam and the Freemont Street Experience.
Washington DC
Travel is definitely the best teacher. Washington, D.C. makes our list of one of the best places to visit in the U.S. as you just can’t beat seeing the history that you read about in school books alive in front of you and you can’t beat the feeling that you are a part of history as you tour national landmarks. What better selfie can you get than one in front of the White House! Scratch that. What better selfie can you get than one inside the White House? After a 40 year ban, President Obama has allowed cameras into the White House and selfie’s are permitted.
The National Mall, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument are other must see landmarks while in D.C. Visiting D.C. will be a history making personal trip when you add in going sailing in Annapolis, a visit to the National Zoological Park, shopping in Georgetown and a visit to the U Street corridor. The birthplace of Duke Ellington, U Street was once a center of African-American culture as place where Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong were regulars. It is now a great place to enjoy bars, restaurants and boutiques.
This post is sponsored by Toyota.
Before news broke of David Bowie‘s death on Sunday, Jan. 10th, supermodel Iman hinted on Instagram at her deep grief in losing her husband.
Bowie passed away two days after his 69th birthday after an 18-month battle with cancer. “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer,” reads the official statement posted on Facebook. “While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
While many of Iman’s recent Instagram posts feature Bowie, especially reposts wishing him a happy birthday on Jan. 8th, his wife of 24 years hints at the devastation in losing her partner in two Instagram posts.
The first photo, posted Saturday, reads: “Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
The second, posted yesterday, reads: “The struggle is real, but so is God.”
Bowie and Iman married in 1992 and have been together for more than two decades. They have a 15-year-old daughter together named Alexandria Zahra Jones.
Bowie seemingly experienced love at first sight for Iman. He admitted to “naming the children the first night we met.”
It took Iman getting to know the man behind the David Bowie persona to fall in love. “Definitely I didn’t want to get into a relationship with somebody like him. But as I always said: I fell in love with David Jones,” she told The Guardian. “I did not fall in love with David Bowie. Bowie is just a persona. He’s a singer, an entertainer. David Jones is a man I met.”
Taraji P. Henson really embraced her Cookie Lyon character at the 2016 Golden Globes, Sunday, Jan. 10th.
When her name was called for Best Actress in a TV Series for Empire, the actress grabbed a handful of cookies and passed them out to her co-stars and other Hollywood elites, like Lady Gaga and Leonardo DiCaprio, before making her way to the stage.
Taraji wasn’t phased by the 29-second countdown even though her cookie passing delayed her arrival to the stage. “‘Please wrap up’? I’ve been waiting 20 years for this,” she said, holding her trophy high in the air. “You gon’ wait.”
Watch Taraji’s full acceptance speech below:
RELATED: Denzel Washington Receives Highest Honor At Golden Globes
The 2016 Golden Globes may have been the big event in Los Angeles this weekend, but celebrities like Solange, Nia Long, and Tracee Ellis Ross made memories in New Orleans and New York.
Solange was excited to return home to New Orleans after a holiday in Havana, Cuba.
Taraji P. Henson had a busy weekend. She hosted BET’s Celebration of Gospel 2016 at the Orpheum Theatre in L.A. on Saturday. She caught co-star Jussie Smollett sleeping. And, she won the Best Actress in a TV Series Golden Globe.
Tamron Hall wore Alexander McQueen to cover the 2016 Golden Globes red carpet. And also remembered to thank her glam squad.
Jamie Foxx‘s daughter Corinne Foxx served as Miss Golden Globe. Of course dad helped his princess prepare for the big night.
Uzo Aduba was caught “daydreaming” the morning of the Golden Globes.
Laverne Cox stunned at the Golden Globes in a white Elizabeth Kennedy gown. Then, she hit up the after-party in a Mark Zunino gown.
Kevin Hart gave Ken Jeong someone to lean on at the Globes, and cracked a joke or two backstage.
A lot went into getting Jennifer Lopez ready for the Globes.
Tracee Ellis Ross reached into her own closet for a playful look for ABC’s Winter TCA Tour.
Nia Long had Sunday brunch at Minton’s with her “NYC girls.” She was in town for ABC’s Winter TCA Tour. She’s starring in Uncle Buck with Mike Epps.
Viola Davis prepared for the Golden Globes with help from her glam squad and quality time with her daughter Genesis Tennon.
We’re giving 5 lucky readers the chance to take home a DVD copy of Lucky Girl. The romantic comedy stars Grammy Award-winner LeToya Luckett, Malik Yoba and Columbus Short. Lucky Girl is available now on DVD and Digital HD from Entertainment One, but you can enter below to win a FREE copy!
To enter:
Enter by Thursday, January 14, 2015 at 11:59pm EST for your chance to win! We’ll announce the winners via random drawing on Friday, January 15 at 12pm EST.
Jay Z and Beyoncé‘s daughter Blue Ivy Carter turned 4 on Jan. 7th. Two days later the parents threw her a fairy-themed birthday party. But is one party enough to mark the milestone of turning 4 when you’re music royalty? No, says Jay and Bey.
The fairy-themed bash was held at a private residence in the Los Angeles/Hollywood area. Fewer than 50 people, including Parents magazine cover mom Kelly Rowland and Gwyneth Paltrow‘s ex-husband and Coldplay rocker Chris Martin, attended the fête, reports E! News.
The celebrity news outlet describes the festivities:
“The party featured a big birthday cake, ice cream, lots of more food and balloons, plus an entertainer who made balloon animals. There were also areas for kids to play with Barbies, Play-Doh and LEGOs, the source said. While the children played away, Bey and Jay spent much time laughing and acting affectionate towards one another.”
It’s unknown whether Rowland’s son Titan, 1, and Martin’s children Apple, 11, and Moses, 9, attended Blue Ivy’s party.
But at least one celebrity child attended Blue’s second birthday party at Duff’s Cakemix in West Hollywood on Sunday. Chris Ivery and Ellen Pompeo’s daughter Stella Luna, 6, was invited and attended one of the hottest parties for the celebrity tot set, reports Mail Online. Cakemix “is the first DIY dessert design studio where the customer is the artist,” according to the website.
“A single name can define an artist who is a peer and equal of all the legends. And if ‘Washington’ doesn’t ring out loud enough, then let that first name carry all the weight: That name is ‘Denzel,'” Tom Hanks said as he presented his friend and former co-star Denzel Washington with the Cecil B. DeMille Award, which honors extraordinary contributions to entertainment, at the 2016 Golden Globe Awards last night.
Washington took the stage and accepted his award surrounded by his wife Pauletta Washington and three of his four children, including Ballers star John David Washington.
Washington was honored for his exceptional performances in films like Malcolm X, The Book of Eli, Remember the Titans, and Philadelphia, which he starred in with Hanks. He’s the third Black actor to receive the prestigious DeMille Award.
Pauletta’s pride in her husband’s achievements was obvious as she beamed during his acceptance speech. Check it out below.
RELATED: Taraji P. Henson Distributed Cookies Before Accepting Golden Globe
[Image: Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images]
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When a gown and mile-long train just won’t do.
“A forest represents the ultimate setting for a fairy tale,” says designer Jessica Brown of the worldwide-retailer Ivy & Aster, whose latest bridal collection was inspired by the greenness found in the middle of Manhattan and forestry worldwide. The pieces, such as the Sierra Chantilly Lace Jumpsuit with an open back capelet ($2,200) pictured here, are for the fashion-forward bride not afraid of bucking tradition (we see you Solange). Edgy brides may not wish for whimsy, but they still desire romance. “Even if a wedding is in the middle of a busy city, bringing elements of the outside in creates a sense of being lost in a forest,” says Brown, “evoking a romantic vision on your wedding day.”
