As news spread of President Obama‘s re-election, so did tons of hilarious (and creative) victory memes and GIFs celebrating the hard-fought win. And we’d be selfish to keep these to ourselves.
Has Nicci Gilbert been axed from the hit reality show that she helped to create?
TheYBF.com reports that Nicci has been asked to leave “R&B Divas” because viewers weren’t feeling her. Supposedly, someone from the executive production team revealed that market research found that 95 percent of viewers polled identified Nicci as their least favorite cast member.
If the rumors are to be believed, producers for “R&B Divas” are holding off on making an official announcement about Nicci’s dismissal until the season 2 cast has been finalized.
That is the simple, yet captivating question that She’s The First, a global girls’ education non-profit organization, is posing. It is a challenge for men and women to examine their own power and strength, and turn that into notable action. And for many disadvantaged young women overseas, who are supported by She’s The First’s educational sponsorship, answering that question could make the difference in their lives.
“The best response that I get from young women who are sponsored by She’s The First is when they state what they will be first to do–their bold, brave statement of how they will break barriers, and do what was impossible a generation before,” said Tammy Tibbetts, the organization’s founder and president.
As an education advocate, Tibbetts is concerned that the education of boys is oftentimes prioritized over girls in developing countries. She has worked with several others to lead the charge to educate girls and young women since 2009, turning frustration into revolution to raise money for their scholarships. And what results is a diverse collection of passionate projects, geared towards encouraging the “phenomenal woman” mentality. However, helping young women is at the heart of this effort, it is a co-ed movement. Men are involved on every level, Tibbetts said.
To date, they have partnered with eight international organizations to liberate 265 girls and counting from inequality, and countless more from feelings of inadequacy. The female volunteers in the U.S. learn how to be “thought leaders” by initiating conversations with the girls in other countries through social media. Each She’s The First student chapter cultivates a Facebook and Twitter presence to connect with their local communities and inspire girls.
Offline, young women and men participating in various high school and college chapters get hands-on leadership experience. The groups do grassroots-style fundraising, including sponsoring study breaks or doing public raffles. They also talk to students about education awareness. Volunteers are encouraged to start city branches after graduating, working with young professionals to make a difference.
Events are also ways to make fierce firsts. Take for instance the First United Nations’ International Day of the Girl, which symbolized how critical girls’ issues are to the world’s overall prosperity. Tibbetts said there was no question that voices matter when students at the Young Women’s Leadership School of Brooklyn received a proclamation from New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn before 32 She’s The First campus chapter leaders across the nation, classmates, and other notable attendees.
“The students felt empowered to be the change that they want to see in the world,” Tibbetts said. “Before the assembly started, Alicia Keys’ “This Girl Is On Fire” song played and they belted out the words of the chorus together. They know they are unstoppable and have the power to make a difference.”
We’re not about to say that cheating is not a big deal. Few things feel worse than finding out that the person you’ve put your faith in hasn’t been faithful to you. But not all infidelity is created equal and there are actually some things that could be considered much worse. A one-time slip up or even a short, ill-timed relationship, while heartbreaking might be possible to get through. Some things, however, are objectively, and always worse than cheating.
There is never an excuse for anyone physically harming anyone else. We teach this principle to kids and it never becomes anything but the absolute truth. Whether it’s punching, shoving, pinching, sexual assault, or anything else that causes pain, abuse is nearly unforgivable. You’re better off sticking with someone who made one booze-filled mistake than someone who takes out their anger with their fists.
Worse than sleeping with someone else is making you feel like it’s your fault. If your partner consistently refuses to take responsibility for any of their actions, you have no responsibility to be with them any longer. Name calling, gaslighting, ignoring you, or any other form of habitual manipulation is a sign that you’re with someone as bad as, if not worse than, a cheater.
A consistent record of not telling the truth might be worse than one big lie. If your partner regularly keeps secrets, is sneaky about phone calls, or plans or more often than not gives you reason to think they’re not telling the truth, they may have something worse to hide than just an affair.
Expectations set the tone for relationships. I’m not just talking about stuff like, “I expect you to call instead of text” or “I hope you don’t expect to see these drawers hit the floor within the next 60 to 90 days” or “I expect you to bring this trash downstairs.” Yes, those may be important, but I’m talking about expectations around other areas of value. For example, you may be an avid churchgoer. You may not expect your significant other to be next to you in the pew every week, but you expect spirituality to be in his values list. More importantly, you expect him to understand that church is a big part of your life and you spend a significant amount of time at church-related activities; so he shouldn’t be throwing a tantrum when you don’t want to stay out late on Saturday night because you want to be well-rested on Sunday morning. You could plug in just about anything that’s important to you here and it’ll have the same effect.
Putting these expectations out there early saves you trouble later. It eliminates surprises. It may even eliminate the person from your dating pool, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This leads me to my next point:
A few days ago on a site I shall not name, I came across one of those opportunistic relationship articles that attempts to cash in (pageviews) on women’s insecurities. We’ve seen a ton of these come out over the last couple years. It had a title like “Girl, Don’t Mess This Up: 5 Ways to Keep Him Interested.” I hate these titles because they give recklessly bad advice before you even read the article. This one in particular led me to the mini rant below:
Sometimes you need to let that [dude] walk. If you’re spending more time trying to appeal to someone than they spend trying to appeal to you, you’re losing. I don’t care how attractive you find him, how many items (or spots) he hits on your 20-foot papyrus scroll, or how majestic you find his scepter. If he isn’t calling you back or meeting the initial expectations you set, let that [dude] walk. If you don’t, he’ll gladly waste your time while pursuing other options.
For the raw and the reckless, this is an issue that I need not speak on. But for those with a clean mind, I think we’ve all been in relationships (or situations) where we let it go on one hour, day, week, month, or year too long. This happens to some of us because we’re delusional optimists. For others, we’re content to have consistency even if it means consistent headaches. Some of us are scared to end relationships because of the heartbreak we think we’ll cause. Whatever the case, you should trust your instincts — particularly if you’ve had multiple conversations about the issue(s) plaguing your relationship. The sooner you end something that’s clearly not working, the sooner you’ll be able to find something (and someone) that does.
I can’t harp enough on the importance of communication in relationships — especially on problems or areas of concern. You probably have a friend you go to when you have relationship troubles. We all have someone, usually of the opposite sex, that helps us work through whatever is on our mind. It’s important to have a friend like that. He or she can save us from saying or doing something really stupid. But there comes a point where we need to check ourselves; a point where we realize we’re defaulting to outside counsel before having any important or constructive conversation with our significant other. In the early stages of a relationship, this isn’t a big deal. But what happens when you’re engaged? What happens when you get married? Should you even be getting to that point if you can’t think or act without relationship counsel? Don’t answer that.
We all make mistakes in dating and relationships. That’s part of the learning process. That’s where we get our wisdom and awesomeness. I’m not saying to avoid the mistakes above, but know them when you see them. Self awareness is always key.
Slim Jackson is a Harlem-based writer and the Executive Editor for Single Black Male, a website providing the urban male perspective on topics men find interesting and questions women want answered. Follow Slim on Twitter at @slimjackson, and check him out at www.therealslimjackson.com.
Tired of frequenting the same bar for happy hour? In need of a better brunch option in your neighborhood? Then check out the latest openings in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles after the jump. For weekly updates in what’s going on in your city, sign up for UPTOWN Happenings to get info about restaurants, bars, shops and events delivered straight to your email.
Election night was interesting on major news networks, including ABC News with Diane Sawyer. The typically reserved hard news journalist strayed away from her style and caused a stir.
While the numbers were coming in at around 10 p.m. ET, she decided to call a state before it became official.
“OK,” Sawyer said at one point, “I wanna – can we have our music, because this is another big one here? Minnesota, we’re ready to project Minnesota, rrright now. … Well, tonight we know that President Barack has won Minnesota,” she rambled on, stumbling over the president’s name.
These days, Chris Brown isn’t the only person getting cozy with Rihanna. It’s clear the girl loves supermodels– and lots of them.
In a new photo spread for the December issue of V Magazine, the 24-year-old beauty got kinky with the legendary Kate Moss in more ways that one. The collaboration, shot by photographer Mario Testino, was reportedly a dream for the veteran model who is huge fan of music’s golden child.
If Moss wasn’t enough, Rihanna recently wrapped up her appearance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show along with Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars. While the brand’s famous angels strutted the catwalk in their sexy lingerie, the Unapologeticsinger held her own by performing her hit single “Diamonds,” as well as a new track titled “Phresh Off The Runway.”
How appropriate.
The show airs Dec. 4 on CBS.
Check out more photos of both “affairs” after the jump!
The veteran rapper and his father, jazz musician Olu Dara, have teamed up with GAP for the brand’s winter campaign “Love Comes In Every Shade.” In the heartwarming ad, the handsome duo represent “Fatherly love” as Nas embraces his old man. The campaign also features Michael J. Fox, Jack Huston, Rufus Wainwright, and Francis Ford Coppola.
“Me & Pops for The Gap. #LifeisGood,” he tweeted on Wednesday.
And life is good. Nas is currently traveling the country with Lauryn Hill for the “Life Is Good/Black Rage” tour which kicked off on Oct. 6.
Check out Gap’s official campaign commerical below!
B. Scott definitely hit his stride in 2012. After cultivating thousands of YouTube subscribers through his loveable and honest videos, the self-proclaimed (and well-deserved) “Multimedia Maven” is staring success right in the eyes.
Back in May, EBONY.com tapped the radio/television personality to pen a weekly column entitled “Ask B. Scott” where the leader of the “love muffins” answers readers’ questions on beauty, relationships, dating, work and more.
“Throughout my career, my love muffins have always asked me for advice and my thoughts on certain topics so I saw it as a great opportunity to connect with them on a personal level,” he recently told Kimberly Scott of POSHGLAM.com.
“My ‘Ask B. Scott’ column started years ago with Honey magazine and I was pleased when EBONY reached out to me earlier this year and wanted to continue.”
Scott goes on to discuss being bullied as a child, finding comfort in being himself and his exciting new project for the new year.
Checkout the latest happenings around the music world…
VH1 has handpicked a new bunch of talented female artists for their popular franchise VH1 Divas and this year, it’s all about heart-pumping dance music. The network announced Thursday that Ciara, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland and Jordin Sparks will pay homage to the “greatest divas of dance music” with performances dedicated to the late Whitney Houston, Donna Summer and more. The vibrant Adam Lambert will serve as this year’s host; additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks. VH1 Divas will take place Sunday, Dec. 16 at 9/8c.
Ironically, Kelly Rowland is turning up the heat on her new single “Ice” featuring Lil Wayne. The Destiny’s Child alum is gearing up to release the visual for the sexy song and it’s going to be a hot one. “The whole feeling of ice is very sensual. How hot and cold ice can be is very sexy. [...] It’s gonna be so magical.” “Ice” is the first single off Rowland’s upcoming album Year of the Woman. Catch a sneak peek below!
After the shame and ridicule of “How Your Pussy Works,” Brian McKnight says he is back in the studio to make some real music. The album, tentatively titled Words, will bring the 43-year-old singer back to what he describes as a creative space. “I kinda went back to that period between ’88 and ’94 where I felt like I was the most creative, without being hindered by powers that be,” McKnight told Billboard. “I was no longer going to try to hinder myself to what I thought was going to be on the radio. I went back and listened to the first three albums I made and tried to figure out what was special about them, why people keep going back to them. I think it was because I didn’t know what I was doing. I had no idea if they were going to play it on the radio or anything. All I did was write songs, so that’s what I got back to.” The album is slated for 2013.
And finally: There are only a few artists that can pull Andre 3000 out of hiding. Rapper T.I.recently unearthed the details behind getting together with the Outkast phenom for a track they’ve been circling around since 2006. (Yes, 2006.) The collaboration called “Sorry” will appear on T.I.’s eighth studio album Trouble Man, in stores Dec. 18.
Even though Romney’s loss has washed away fears that PBS funding could be cut, it seems that Big Bird still has some worries down on Sesame Street. The show has announced a very special hurricane-themed episode, which airs on Friday, and it’ll lend some awareness to disaster relief. Never too early to teach kids how to help out, I’d say.
After spending just a short amount of time with Ava DuVernay and Omari Hardwick, it was evident to see that the two have quite the chemistry. It’s a given, considering the duo’s work history. DuVernay made history at the Sundance Film Festival this year by becoming the first African-American woman to win the festival’s Best Director Award for her new film Middle of Nowhere, starring Hardwick, newbie Emayatzy Corinealdi and David Oyelowo. Not too shabby considering it was only her second feature film.
“He [Hardwick] is the only actor that I’ve worked with twice,” says DuVernay. Hardwick, who has starred in films like Kick-Ass, For Colored Girls, Miracle at St. Annaand Sparkle, met DuVernay two years ago when he was cast in her feature debut I Will Follow. Since then, the two have shared a beautifully rare working relationship and friendship. “Working with Ava, you just smile all day. It’s like those best moments with your brothers or your sisters,” says Hardwick.
by Ernest Hardy | Photography by Zen Sekizawa Ava DuVernay is sitting in a closed-off section of the Andaz West Hollywood hotel, waiting for her star Omari Hardwick to show up. DuVernay, who made history at the Sundance Film Festival this year by being the first African-American woman to win the festival’s Best Director Award (for her new film Middle of Nowhere), is starting to joke with her producer about “actor time.” But as the clock ticks, the jokes become strained. Texts and e-mails are sent, and phone calls are made. Finally, an hour and some change after the scheduled start time, Hardwick shows up.
“I was sick,” he says apologetically as he enters the room. “I really was.” And it appears to be true. Hardwick, who radiates old-school masculinity and matinee idol charisma, has looks that are perhaps even more potent in person than in photographs and his films (Kick-Ass, For Colored Girls, Miracle at St. Anna, Sparkle, DuVernay’s feature debut I Will Follow), but today he appears slightly drawn and fatigued.
“I think I got food poisoning yesterday,” he explains, taking a seat beside DuVernay.
“You do look sick,” she says, touching the sides of his face, a note of concern in her voice. “You actually look thinner.”
The two have noticeable chemistry, and a familial vibe that lends itself to good-natured ribbing and a mutual protectiveness. They clasp hands to make a point, and they laugh heartily at each other’s jokes.
“He is the only actor that I’ve worked with twice,” she says of the Savannah, Ga.-born Hardwick, while settling into her chair. “We do have a kind of shorthand that was created on our first film,” she says of the actor, whom she first saw on the defunct TV series Dark Blue. “He had an openness that you don’t see in a lot of black actors, now. They have to be hyper-masculine and you almost never see the vulnerability. In this film, he gave me what I wanted in every single take.”
“Ava and I both have a relationship with God,” continues Hardwick. “She was anointed for this. When I meet somebody like that, it’s a flattering thing—[it’s amazing] to say that you got to work with someone who you feel was equally anointed to do the work they’re doing.”
And that work is sublime. The foundations of her two narrative feature films (she also directed the hip-hop documentary This Is the Life) are the Compton, Calif., native’s emotionally nuanced, psychologically insightful scripts.
The stories are centered on women grappling with loss (the death of a loved one; a husband in prison) and its myriad, twisting consequences. The curveballs thrown their way as they navigate their way through assorted levels of pain and the wisdom they acquire by the films’ end are also marbled with subtle but powerful observations on gender, sexuality, and class. They’re poetic, lyrical, often drily funny—true to black life in a way that modern American film (even those by black writers and directors) rarely is.
“Working with Ava, you just smile all day. It’s like those best moments with your brothers or your sisters, those moments when you’re not mad at them or critical of who they’ve become or who they are. You’re just like, I like you right now, and I hope I like you for the rest of my life like this. That’s how you feel when you get material that you can sink your teeth into.”
DuVernay admits that her time as a spin doctor informs her directing. “My comfort with actors comes from being a publicist and years of standing next to an actor and knowing that what they do is not who they really are,” she says. “I saw bad behavior, but I knew it was fear. And a lot of times when actors and directors clash, from both sides that’s what it is— fear.” She also relishes being able to hire whomever she wants. “These are just amazing people to be around, and that is the key,” she adds.
“Ava kind of downplays the power of what she is presenting to us. We say yes because we see that this is different, this is gonna be very special. Ava took shots on us, man,” nods Hardwick. “We’re the dark horses. She lays bets on us and then the whole town ends up paying attention.”
DuVernay is motivated by the potential that she sees in this new world we inhabit. “Everything we knew to be, is no more,”she says. “Certainly before 2008, [some] things just were not possible. [Obama’s election] let us know that all things are possible, truly. Coming out of the Bush era, which was very constrained, there was a feeling of a new freedom that was seized.”
“We’re all in this together. That’s how we campaigned, and that’s who we are. Thank you. -bo”
Shortly after news broke of his re-election, President Obama sent out this small tweet to his more than 23 million followers that expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support. Emotions spilled over on Wednesday when the POTUS visited his campaign headquarters in Chicago to thank workers for their hard work and dedication.
“Because what you guys have done means that the work that I’m doing is important. I’m really proud of that. I’m really proud of all of you,” Obama said as he wiped away tears. The video, posted on the campaign’s YouTube channel, has already brought in more than one million views.
Obama and his family headed back to Washington, D.C. Wednesday afternoon.
Riding the success of their popular WEtv reality series Braxton Family Values, the sister circle that includes Toni, Tamar, Traci, Trina, Towanda and their mother Evelyn are reportedly pitching a daytime talk show to executives in Los Angeles. The Huffington Poststates:
“‘Toni, Traci, Towanda and Trina are all in LA right now, pitching a talk show,’ one Los Angeles TV executive tells me. ‘Think ‘The View’ but with a lot of sass! There will be the Braxton sisters’ version of ‘Hot Topics,’ called ‘Spill the T,’ plus gossip, relationships, fashion, makeover segments and celebrity guests. They have even gotten their mom to do an ‘Ask Mommy’ advice segment. A fun, fun show.
[...] Toni is totally into it, as is the rest of the family,’ one family friend tells me. ‘They have somehow managed to secure Rob Dauber, a veteran of ‘The Rosie Show,’ ‘Oprah’ and ‘The Wendy Williams Show,’ to be executive producer and make them the next daytime hit. Plus, you know they are going to have one hell of a theme song!”
If given the green light, the Braxtons would go toe-to-toe with, ironically, the ladies of The View, Steve Harvey, Queen Latifah and other daytime personalities for the top spot.
When she stepped onto that stage in Chicago on election night, my breath caught. She was tall to the point of stretching, effortlessly poised and graceful beyond reproach. The metaphor is often overused, but she was gazelle-like.
I’m speaking, of course, about 14-year-old first daughter Malia Obama, the teenager who has inherited not only the physical gifts of her famous parents but also the expectations that come with their very existence.
“Sasha and Malia, before our very eyes, you’re growing up to be two strong, smart, beautiful young women, just like your mom,” President Obama said in his victory speech.
Like teen gymnast Gabrielle Douglas before her, Malia on Tuesday seemed to truly enter the national stage representing a new generation of young women — and black women — who seem unburdened by the stereotypes that have weighed down their predecessors. It wasn’t long ago that Michelle Obama, whose national approval rating is about 66 percent, had to bat down worn-out labels like militant, unpatriotic and, of course, angry. But Malia (and her sister, Sasha) seem somewhat exempt from that when it comes to their national perception.
The 2012 Soul Train Awards made its stop in Las Vegas Thursday night (Nov. 8) to spread love, peace and…well…you know the rest. In its 25th year, the musical event brought out the best and brightest to Planet Hollywood’s PH Live in celebration of artists’ accomplishments.
The stage lit up with electrifying performances from Keyshia Cole, Miguel, 2 Chainz, John Legend and Fantasia. Newbies Elle Varner, Marcus Canty and Leah LaBelle also wowed the crowd while R&B acts Ne-Yo and TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank) held it down for the fellas. To close, Stevie Wonder headed a special all-star finale as a photo of President Obama was displayed in the background.
Usher led all artists with five nominations in categories such as Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Best Dance Performance (“Scream”) and Album of the Year (Looking For Myself). Trey Songz, Estelle, Santigold, Frank Ocean, Beyonce and more followed with nominations in various categories.
So who were the big winners of the night? Find out when the 2012 Soul Train Awards hosted by Cedric the Entertainer air Sunday, Nov. 25 at 9 p.m. EST on BET and Centric.
As Republicans search for reasons why they came up short in Tuesday’s elections, anonymous Mitt Romney advisers have described what it was like to be with the former governor as he came to terms with his loss.
Another unnamed senior adviser explained that as returns came in and battleground states went into President Barack Obama’s Electoral College column, they felt their paths to potential victory narrowing. CBS reports that the campaign was unprepared for this in part because it had ignored polling that showed the races favoring Obama. Instead, it turned to its own internal “unskewed” polls, which it believed more accurately reflected the situation on the ground. They didn’t.
Mama always said “stay humble,” but what’s a win without a little bit of gloating?
WATCH THE THRONE
THE RESULTS ARE IN…
GOT ‘EM
TOUGH BREAK
…MY NAME IS BARRY
TRUMP, HAVE A SEAT
WAIT FOR IT…
WELL, ARE YOU? 
WORD TO 2 CHAINZ
HAPPY DANCE
HA!
(CC: CLINT EASTWOOD)
FOUR MORE YEARS
OH, YOU DIDN’T KNOW…
SHOOK ONES (see next slide…)
NO WORRIES
