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Published by OK Magazine mega More than a year has passed since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claimed a senior member of the royal family made racist remarks about the color of son Archie‘s skin — and yet no one has been found guilty of the incident. However, Tom Bower‘s new biography seems to hint that Prince Charles‘ wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, could be the culprit. In Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, it’s claimed that when Harry, 37, first began dating Markle, 40, in 2016, his stepmother, 75, tried to make a joke, saying, “Wouldn’t it be funny if your child had ginger Afro hair?” However, once this excerpt made the rounds on the internet, a source spoke up and defended her, stating, “Camilla is not racist — I can tell you categorically she is not the royal who Harry and Meghan were talking about.” mega Nonetheless, the author’s page-turner also claimed Camilla’s remark was one of the things that pushed the parents-of-two to retreat to California, as Bower wrote, “The Sussexes’ suspicion that the Duchess of Cornwall had made racist comments about [their then-unborn son] Archie had fueled their fearsome denunciation of the entire royal family.” NETFLIX DUMPS MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY — DETAILS Camilla has never had a strong relationship with Harry — though the same can be said of her dynamic with Prince William, 40, as well, as they believe her and Charles’ romance led to the death of their mother, Princess Diana. “She got her claws into my dad and never let go for an instant,” William allegedly told a confidante in 1992. “That’s why my mom died — because she fled to Paris instead of being safe with her family.” mega Additionally, the source said the Duke of Sussex “didn’t take kindly to Camilla. This was the woman who had stepped into his late mother’s shoes and Harry was not about to welcome her as a future stepmother. He was often over-polite and generally cool towards Camilla. And the more he learned about his dad’s affair with her, the more distant he became.” Some believe Harry will take aim at Camilla in his memoir, which is expected to debut later this year. “After the reports she was involved in his parents’ marriage and then stepped into Diana’s shoes as Charles’ wife, I suspect Camilla will be in his sights,” Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell spilled. “So I’d say Harry’s set to reveal any Camilla secrets.” The source who issued the denial spoke to Page Six. For more on the royal family, tune into the new podcast, “The Firm: Blood, Lies and Royal Succession.” Listen below! View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Britney Spears and Sam Asghari were spotted out and about in West Hollywood at the ever-exclusive San Vicente Bungalows. The newlyweds were accompanied by Spears’ agent, Cade Hudson. San Vicente Bungalows is a Hollywood celebrity hotspot owned by Jeff Klein known for its exclusivity and privacy afforded to its A-Lister guests. mega “It was a total showstopper at a place that is accustomed to seeing megastars,” a source spilled of the surprise sighting. “It was weird. … Everyone stopped talking as Britney walked in and through the crowd to her table.” NEWLYWEDS BRITNEY SPEARS & SAM ASGHARI GET RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST HER EX JASON ALEXANDER AFTER HE CRASHES NUPTIALS Also dining at the members-only L.A. club — whose membership can cost roughly $4,200 a year — were political pundit Monica Lewinsky and American Horror Story actress Sarah Paulson, who were said to be seated at a table together. A few tables away from the “Oops, I Did It Again” singer and her husband was basketball legend Stephen Curry who “looked in awe” of the pop star. mega MENDING THE CRACKS? HOW HAS BRITNEY SPEARS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH TEENAGE SONS CHANGED SINCE MOVING TO EX KEVIN FEDERLINE’S NEIGHBORHOOD? Things are continuing to look up for the Princess of Pop. She tied the knot with her hunky hubby in June and quickly moved into a lavish home in the same neighborhood as her ex-husband Kevin Federline, and her teenage sons, Sean Preston, 16, and Jayden, 15. “Now that she lives in the same neighborhood as her sons in Calabasas, they are over her house quite often,” spilled a source on the surprising move. “They dig their mom’s pool and they like having her so accessible. It means a lot to her, and this was one of the main reasons that she chose this place.” “The boys know that her house is their house, and they each have their own bedroom’s there so that they have their own space and feel at home. Britney wanted them to look at her house the same way that they look at their dad’s place.” Page Six was first to break the news of the San Vicente Bungalows sighting. View the full article

Published by AFP Donald Trump and his ex-wingman Mike Pence held dueling rallies in Arizona for an upcoming primary election Washington (AFP) – Donald Trump and his ex-wingman Mike Pence, who went from White House partners to bitter rivals, held dueling rallies Friday in Arizona, where an upcoming Republican primary election offers an early test of their potential 2024 showdown. The convergence of campaign events came a day after a congressional hearing on the US Capitol assault, in which a White House security official said members of Pence’s Secret Service detail feared they would die as rioters stormed the building. Trump, who like Pence is considering running for president in 2024, has savaged his former vice president for what he describes as a failure to block the certification of the 2020 election results and send the process back to the US states. Such a plan had been cooked up by Trump aides who supported his discredited theory that the election was stolen, but Pence ultimately decided that the action would be illegal. During the January 6, 2021 insurrection, Trump tweeted an attack on Pence, saying he “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country.” Administration officials testified at Thursday’s hearing that the social media post poured fuel on the fire and turned rioters against the vice president. In extraordinary revelations at the hearing, a White House national security official who testified under anonymity said “members of the VP detail at this time were starting to fear for their own lives.” Trump’s gathering Friday in the central Arizona town of Prescott Valley was part of a series of “Save America” rallies he has held to boost his favored candidates ahead of Republican primary elections. Earlier in July, he held an event in Alaska to support Kelly Tshibaka, a challenger to the state’s incumbent senator, Lisa Murkowski, who was one of the few Republicans to vote to impeach Trump after the January 6, 2021 insurrection. ‘Yesterday’s grievances’ In Arizona, a state he narrowly lost in 2020, Trump campaigned for Kari Lake, a far-right gubernatorial candidate who supports his false claim that the election was stolen. Lake, a former TV news host, took the stage in the crowded stadium first, declaring that in Arizona, “We will no longer accept corruptness, and I know for a fact we will no longer accept rigged elections.” The former president, leaving the crowd to wait more than two hours, began his speech by focusing on immigration — a major campaign topic in the state which shares a large border with Mexico. But it did not take long before he turned his attention to the 2020 election. “The election was rigged and stolen and now our country is being systematically destroyed because of it!” he shouted, with the crowd roaring in response. Pence made stops in Phoenix and southern Arizona for governor-hopeful Karrin Taylor Robson, a more traditional Republican than Lake who also has the backing of the state’s term-limited governor. With his rivalry with Trump intensifying, Pence has positioned himself as a principled, religious conservative. But he has declined to attack Trump directly. In a 20-minute speech before a seated warehouse crowd on Friday, he lauded policy accomplishments during the “four years of the Trump-Pence administration,” and only took a brief swipe at Lake, criticizing her previous support of Democrats and initial opposition to Trump. “Arizona Republicans don’t need a governor that supported Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton!” he said. Later though, he issued an indirect condemnation of Trump and Lake’s fixation on the 2020 election. “Democrats would love nothing more than for Republicans to take our eye off the ball and focus on days gone by,” he tweeted. “If the Republican Party allows itself to become consumed by yesterday’s grievances, we will lose,” he added. Pence has brushed aside talk of a potential 2024 run, saying his focus is now on the November 2022 midterm elections. “Then in 2023 we’ll look around,” he told the National Review last year. “We’ll go where we’re called.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram Miranda Lambert may be used to being the star of the show, but OK! is putting the spotlight on her handsome hunk, Brendan McLoughlin. The country pop star and the former NYPD officer wed in 2019 after dating for less than three months — and they’ve already been through their fair share of ups and downs. Aside from the good times, including romantic date nights, loved-up red carpet events and lush vacations, the couple has also been through the wringer. MIRANDA LAMBERT ADMITS SHE WASN’T ‘PREPARED’ TO HAVE HER DIVORCE FROM BLAKE SHELTON GO VIRAL, SAYS SHE CAN ‘TELL MY WHOLE TRUTH’ IN HER MUSIC From having to dodge paparazzi while traveling to defending their relationship when rumors spread that their marriage was over, life in the spotlight has proved to be anything but easy. Nevertheless, their love seems to time and time again conquer all. “I just don’t give two sh**s about people’s opinion of me, my marriage, my music or anything else. I just care that I’m being me,” the blonde babe lamented last month. “I want to be open about how happy we are.” “It’s nice to have a partner in that, someone by your side that supports you, loves you and believes in you. He loves me for me,” she gushed. “It’s a really cool thing to have in my life, at this point in my life.” THE OTHER WOMEN! GISELE BÜNDCHEN, ANGELINA JOLIE, LEANN RIMES, MORE STARS WHO REPORTEDLY MET THEIR PARTNERS WHEN THEY WERE STILL WITH SOMEONE ELSE Despite his unconditional love and support, it’s safe to say Lambert is also a fan of her hubby’s dashing good looks. Scroll through the photos below to see Brendan McLoughlin’s sexiest snaps: @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram With a six-pack of beers, the musician’s husband put his six-pack on display. @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram McLoughlin certainly knows how to kick back and relax in style. @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram McLoughlin showed off his impressive arms while hanging by the pool. @brendanjmcloughlin/instagram Good looks and adventurous! Lambert seemed to snag herself the full package. @mirandalambert/instagram The good-looking couple heated up the beach day by stripping down. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Ron DeSantis’ ex-gubernatorial rival Andrew Gillum has turned his passport over to the court as he awaits trial on corruption charges, Radar has learned. According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the former politician surrendered the passport after being hit with a 21-count indictment in federal court. mega In 2018, Gillum ran as the nominee for the Florida Democratic Party in 2019, where he narrowly lost the race to DeSantis. Prosecutors accuse Gillum and his mentor Sharon Lettman-Hicks of wire fraud and conspiracy. In court documents, the government said Gillum and Lettman-Hicks raised money for his campaign between 2016 and 2019. The two allegedly diverted fundraiser money to a company owned by Lettman-Hicks. Prosecutors said the duo paid the money out to Gillum disguised as payroll — despite the money being used for personal expenses. Gillum pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer said after the indictment was unsealed, “The government got it wrong today. The evidence, in this case, is clear and will show that Mr. Gillum is innocent of all charges.” mega Gillum and Lettman-Hicks have been instructed not to speak to each other or have any conversations with witnesses involved with the case. Recently, Lettman-Hicks asked the court for a delay claiming her defense was not properly prepared for trial. Her attorney said, “The case involves voluminous discovery which is ongoing. The government and the defense have been working diligently in the discovery process. A trial is believed to require two weeks.” The judge has yet to rule. The criminal case is the latest in a string of scandals for Gillum. Back in 2020, he had to deal with police after a male escort overdosed in his Miami Beach hotel room. Cops found three bags of drugs that they believed to be crystal meth. When questioned, Gillum admitted he had “too much to drink” but denied using hard drugs. The escort spoke out weeks after the incident claiming he had been friends with Gillum “for a while.” mega After the incident, Gillum entered rehab for alcohol. Months later, the politician later sat down for an interview with his wife R. Jai on The Tamron Hall Show. During the chat, Gillum dropped a bombshell and came out as bisexual. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Deena Beasley (Reuters) – Cases of the viral disease monkeypox in the United States have been identified for the first time in children – a toddler in California and an infant who is not a U.S. resident, health authorities said on Friday. The two cases are unrelated and are likely the result of household transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a statement. The agency said the children are in good health and are being treated. Monkeypox, which causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions, has been spreading largely in men who have sex with men in the recent outbreak, outside the west and central Africa countries where it is endemic. The disease spreads chiefly through close contact. So far this year, there have been more than 14,000 cases of monkeypox in more than 60 countries, and five deaths in Africa. Speaking on a conference call, Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC’s division of high consequence pathogens and pathology, said it is not a surprise that pediatric cases of monkeypox have emerged, but “there is no evidence to date that we are seeing this virus spread outside of” the communities of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. She said 99% of the 2,891 monkeypox cases confirmed in the United States involve men who have sex with men, but there have been a handful of women and transgender men who have become infected. White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha, speaking on the same call, said the government has delivered 300,000 doses of a monkeypox vaccine and is working to expedite the shipment from Denmark of 786,000 more doses. He said there is already enough vaccine on hand to provide a first vaccine dose to more than half of the eligible population in New York City and over 70% of the eligible population in Washington D.C. The fatality rate in previous outbreaks in Africa of the current strain has been around 1%, but so far this outbreak seems to be less lethal in the non-endemic countries. However, a number of patients have reported being hospitalized for severe pain. Jha said the U.S. is still evaluating whether the monkeypox outbreak should be declared a public health emergency. “We’re looking at that, looking at what are the ways in which the response could be enhanced, if any, by declaring a public health emergency.” (Reporting by Deena Beasley; Additional reporting by Eric Beech; editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kate McKinnon doesn’t know if she can watch ‘Saturday Night Live’ anymore. The 38-year-old comedian admitted that the decision to leave the show after a decade was “very, very difficult” and she is unsure if she will be able to watch it now that she is no longer involved. Speaking on ‘Live With Kelly and Ryan’, Kate said: “I thought about it for a very long time, and it was very, very hard. All I ever wanted to do in my whole life was be on ‘Saturday Night Live’. So, I did. I loved it, I had the best decade, and then I was just like, my body was tired, and I felt like it was time. “I don’t know what I will do. I don’t know if I can watch the show yet. It’s just too emo because I miss everyone so much. I mean, it’s my other family. It’s too emo. So, I think I’m just going to tape ‘The Bachelorette’ and watch it.” Kate joined ‘SNL’ in 2012 and was the show’s first openly lesbian cast member. She also had the longest tenure of any female performer on the show. She won two Emmys for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series during her time on ‘SNL’ and is in the running for a third this year. McKinnon left the show at the end of season 47, alongside Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney. Speaking previously about her own departure, Bryant – who also joined the cast in 2012 – said: “If it weren’t for COVID, I probably would have left a few years earlier. But it was such a huge change. When COVID hit, it was so jarring that we were all like, ‘I’m definitely going to come back next year.’ And then I had to shoot ‘Shrill’ for half of last season, and so I missed a lot. And then it was like, ‘Well, now I should go back one more.’ I kept trying to seek one last normal year. This year wasn’t the normal year that I hoped for, but it was closer to that. It was like, ‘OK, it’s really time now.’ And 10 felt like a nice, solid round number.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ivana Trump’s funeral is estimated to have cost at least $152,575 (£127,000.) The amount is nearly 20 times the price of the average farewell ceremony for the typical American – which sits at $7,848 (£6,541.) Ivana was sent off in a $125,000 (£104,000) gold coffin prepared by Frank Campbell’s Funeral Home, renowned as the last stop for “everybody who’s anybody” in New York City. Other expenses are said to have come to around $27,575 (£22,191.) The calculations are based on prices of ceremonies at the Frank Campbell funeral home and observations about Ivana’s goodbye ceremony, which included a display of her Vanity Fair magazine cover. Services from the famous facility can run in the high six figures, the Daily Mail has reported. Its silver-plated copper casket sets people back $70,000 (£58,000) and for between $2,000 (£1,700) and $8,300 mourners can buy custom made gold jewellery containing a lock of their dearly departed’s hair. Frank Campbell’s funeral home was opened 1898 by a young casket maker known as “the PT Barnum of death” for staging elaborate publicity stunts. After John Lennon was assassinated in 1980 the home used a decoy hearse and coffin to ensure a secret run to the crematorium. And for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Campbell’s arranged for the former first lady to be to be embalmed at her Fifth Avenue apartment so paparazzi could not snap pictures of her being carried out in a body bag. Donald Trump’s first wife Ivana, who died aged 73 at her New York home, was buried Wednesday (20.07.22) next to the first hole along a grassy area at her ex-husband’s Bedminster Golf Club following an invite-only funeral service. The mum to three of the ex-president’s children had her rose gold casket lowered into the ground “not too far from the main club house” at the ground, one mourner told the New York Post. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen and Jacqueline Thomsen (Reuters) – A U.S. congressional committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol has sought to build a case that then-President Donald Trump behaved illegally when he tried to overturn his 2020 electoral defeat, but what charges could prosecutors bring against Trump and how might he defend himself? Here are some ideas being floated: OBSTRUCTING AN OFFICIAL PROCEEDING In a March 2 court filing, the committee detailed Trump’s efforts to persuade then-Vice President Mike Pence either to reject slates of electors for Joe Biden, who won the election, or delay a congressional count of those votes. The president’s efforts likely violated a federal law making it illegal to “corruptly” obstruct any official proceeding, or attempt to do so, said David Carter, the California federal judge overseeing the case said in a March 28 written order. At a primetime hearing on Thursday, committee members alleged that Trump watched the violence at the U.S. Capitol unfold live on television and failed to prevent it. Witnesses testified as to Trump’s reluctance to tell the rioters to leave for hours after they breached the building. Jennifer Rodgers, a former federal prosecutor and lecturer at Columbia Law School, said a prosecutor would include that testimony if they were to try Trump on an obstruction charge because it would show his intent at the time. “(Trump) was urged by everyone around him to act, to try to do something to stop it, and he chose not to,” Rodgers said. CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE UNITED STATES In the March 2 filing, the committee said it was likely that Trump and others conspired to defraud the United States, which criminalizes any effort by two or more people to interfere with governmental functions “by deceit, craft or trickery.” In addition to Trump’s efforts to pressure Pence, the committee cited his attempts to convince state election officials, the public and members of Congress that the 2020 election was stolen, even though several of his allies told him there was no evidence of fraud. Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, previously testified that Trump was so enraged by then-Attorney General Bill Barr’s interview with the Associated Press saying there was no evidence of election fraud that Trump threw his lunch at the wall, breaking a porcelain dish and leaving ketchup dripping down the wall. SEDITIOUS CONSPIRACY? Prosecutors have already charged more than a dozen members of the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups who were at the Jan. 6 riot with seditious conspiracy, a rarely used statute that makes it illegal to overthrow the U.S. government by force. To prove Trump committed seditious conspiracy, prosecutors would need to show he conspired with others to use force. Rodgers said a prosecutor could use Trump’s failure to act to bolster such a charge, including testimony that he knew he was the only person who could get the rioters to leave the Capitol. TRUMP’S DEFENSE? Trump has repeatedly denied doing anything illegal in connection with the Jan. 6 events. In a series of posts on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday, Trump attacked the House panel, but maintained his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. “So many lies and misrepresentations by the corrupt and highly partisan Unselect Committee!” he wrote. If the Justice Department were to bring charges, prosecutors’ main challenge would be to prove that Trump acted with corrupt intent, experts said. Trump could argue he sincerely believed that he won the election and that his well-documented efforts to pressure Pence and state election officials were not meant to obstruct Congress or defraud the United States, but to protect the election’s integrity. DOES THIS MEAN TRUMP WILL BE CRIMINALLY CHARGED? No. Neither Carter nor the committee can charge Trump with federal crimes. That decision would have to be made by the Justice Department, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland. The department is conducting its own investigation of the Jan. 6 events. Any decision to indict Trump would have enormous political consequences as the former president weighs another run for the White House in 2024. The department did not respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York and Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Steve Bannon, a key associate of former President Donald Trump and an influential figure on the American right, was convicted on Friday of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee investigating last year’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, a major victory for the Democratic-led panel. A jury found Bannon, 68, guilty of two misdemeanor counts for refusing to provide testimony or documents to the House of Representatives select committee as it scrutinizes the Jan. 6, 2021, rampage by Trump supporters who tried to upend the results of the 2020 presidential election. Each contempt of Congress count is punishable by 30 days to one year behind bars, as well as a fine of $100 to $100,000. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols set a sentencing date of Oct. 21. The verdict by the jury of eight men and four women, after less than three hours of deliberations, marked the first successful prosecution for contempt of Congress since 1974, when a judge found G. Gordon Liddy, a conspirator in the Watergate scandal that prompted President Richard Nixon’s resignation, guilty. Bannon was a key adviser to the Republican Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, then served as his chief White House strategist during 2017 before a falling out between the two that was later patched up. Bannon also has played an instrumental role in right-wing media. His defense team in closing arguments on Friday suggested to jurors that Bannon was a political target and painted the main prosecution witness as a politically motivated Democrat with ties to one of the prosecutors. The prosecution countered that Bannon showed disdain for the authority of Congress and needed to be held accountable for his unlawful defiance. Prosecutor Molly Gaston told jurors the attack represented a “dark day” for America, adding: “There is nothing political about finding out why Jan. 6 happened and making sure it never happens again.” Evan Corcoran, one of Bannon’s attorneys, told jurors, “The question is, ‘Why? Why was Steve Bannon singled out?” The trial featured two days of testimony. Prosecutors questioned only two witnesses. The defense called none. The conviction may strengthen the committee’s position as it seeks to secure testimony and documents from others in Trump’s orbit. Trump last year asked his associates not to cooperate with the committee, accusing it of trying to hurt him politically, and several of them rebuffed the panel. Another former Trump adviser, Peter Navarro, was separately was charged with contempt of Congress in June for refusing to appear for a committee deposition. Navarro’s trial is scheduled for November. The Justice Department opted not to charge two other Trump associates, Mark Meadows and Daniel Scavino, for defying the committee despite a House vote recommending it. Unlike Bannon, Meadows turned over some communications to the committee. The committee could make multiple referrals to the Justice Department seeking criminal charges against Trump himself, according to its vice chair Liz Cheney. SPURNED DEADLINES The main prosecution witness was Kristin Amerling, a top committee staffer who testified that Bannon spurned deadlines to respond to the September 2021 subpoena, sought no extensions and offered an invalid rationale for his defiance – a claim by Trump involving a legal doctrine called executive privilege that can keep certain presidential communications confidential. The Justice Department charged Bannon last November after the Democratic-led House voted the prior month to hold him in contempt. Bannon separately was charged in 2020 with defrauding donors to a private fund-raising effort to boost Trump’s project to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Trump pardoned Bannon before that case went to trial. A pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol and attacked police with batons, sledgehammers, flag poles, Taser devices, chemical irritants, metal pipes, rocks, metal guard rails and other weapons in a failed effort to block congressional certification of his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. The committee has said Bannon spoke with Trump at least twice on the day before the attack and attended a planning meeting at a Washington hotel. It played a clip of Bannon saying on his right-wing podcast the day before the attack that “all hell is going to break loose tomorrow.” The judge limited the scope of the case Bannon’s team could present to jurors, moves one of his lawyers said “badly stymied” the defense. Bannon was barred from arguing that he believed his communications with Trump were subject to executive privilege and was prohibited from arguing he relied on legal advice from an attorney in refusing to comply. Bannon’s defense argued that he believed the subpoena deadlines were flexible and subject to negotiation between his attorney and the committee. In an 11th-hour reversal with the trial looming, Bannon this month announced a willingness to testify in a public hearing before the committee, an offer that prosecutors said did not change the fact he had already broken the law. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Will Dunham) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lizzo has praised Harry Styles as a “great person” who “really cares about how you feel”. Lizzo, 34, became close to the 28-year-old singer after he covered her song ‘Juice’ in the BBC Live Lounge and she revealed that Harry put her at ease as soon as they met, despite her social anxiety. Speaking on the ‘Spout’ podcast, she said: “He did ‘Juice’ in his Live Lounge and I was like, oh my gosh, there’s a mutual respect here. There was a show that we were going to do together and it was like, okay, we got to go to Miami to do this show. Let’s split a jet. “For our first time meeting…we were talking for a long time. He’s a great person, a great listener, a really good listener and really cares about how you feel, and very funny. “That’s an interesting way to meet somebody for the first time for people with social anxiety. Not the ideal way. But Harry can make even the most socially anxious person feel very comfortable.” Lizzo also spoke about her friendship with Selena Gomez, 30, but insisted they are not working on new music together. She said: “I don’t know why people just assume every time the two famous musicians talk to each other on the Internet that they’re about to drop a song. What if we just want to be friends? Why you in my business? “I mean, she’s incredible. I have been a fan of hers for such a long time.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English David Harbour dropped 75lb for ‘Stranger Things’ season four. The 47-year-old actor – who is married to British pop star Lily Allen – is set to give fans a detailed insight into the huge transformation he underwent for his part of Hopper in the buzz-worthy Netflix sci-fi series with an Instagram Live with his personal trainer, David Higgins, this evening (22.07.22). And he’s revealed he embarked on a “difficult and exciting ride” to go from 270lb to 190lb. Showing off the impressive transformation from episode three to four, he wrote on Instagram: “Many of you have asked about Hopper’s physical transformation from season 3 to season 4. My trainer @davidhigginslondon worked with me for 8months to make the transformation, and then another year to keep it through the pandemic. All told it was a difficult and exciting ride, changing diet and exercise plans (or lack thereof). We are gonna do an Instagram live tomorrow Friday at 4pm UK time, which is 11am eastern I believe. Wanna answer questions you may have with @davidhigginslondon and tell you what I learned.” David has had to put weight on to play Santa in an upcoming festive flick, and while he admits it’s not healthy for his body and he won’t be able to do it for much longer, but he enjoys living in different versions of his skin. He continued: “Second pic is me and David the week we began, my resistances and fury flaring. And pic three is the shoot day, the black x’s are for cgi scarring because of problems with the practical effect. All told I lost over 75lbs. 265-270 in season 3 and all the way down to 190 when we shot. Recently ballooned up again to play jolly ole st. Nick in a flick I can’t wait for you to see this holiday season, so I am struggling to fight back down towards a good weight for wherever hopper ends up in season 5. All this up and down is not good for the body, and I’ll have to give it up soon, but it is such a fun part of the job to live in a different version of your skin for a while. Come join us tmrw for the live and bring qs (sic)” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Saucy Santana says that his style was mostly influenced by women. The 28-year-old star – who started his career as a makeup artist before becoming a rapper – explained that while he “never wanted” to be a girl himself, he wanted to “dress feminine” and would make his cousin into his own “personal” version of superstar Nicki Minaj. He said: “Girls were my main [style and beauty] inspiration growing up. My girl cousin, Deirdre, and I grew up like brother and sister. Deirdre was my personal Nicki Minaj. I would make her get the Chinese bangs with the black hair that had pink streaks. She had to get her nails painted pink and black, too. She would wear six-inch Jeffrey Campbell heels. “I didn’t never want to be a girl, but I always wanted to dress feminine. Gucci Mane was my favorite rapper in high school. He influenced a lot of things that I started doing after that time.” The ‘Here We Go’ hitmaker – who achieved prominence as a rapper when his videos went viral on TikTok back in 2020 – also explained that he is not a huge fan of color when it comes to his looks and would “never” paint his nails bright yellow in case it makes him look “tacky.” Saucy – whose real name is Rashad Michael Harris – told Allure: “I love to look chocolate. [My current nail style] is only because it’s springtime, I’m not a big color person. I would never do full yellow nails — I always incorporate nude. I don’t want to look tacky!” View the full article

Published by DPA Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens offers a great view of the Upper Eastside. Dörte Nohrden/dpa Alicia Keys sang about New York City as a “concrete jungle,” and in fact the skyline of the metropolis of 8.8 million people between the Hudson River and Rockaway Beach appears to be nothing but wall-to-wall skyscrapers. But the “Big Apple” is more than glass, asphalt and concrete: 14% of its area consists of greenery. There is of course Manhattan’s famous Central Park, but that’s just one of numerous green spaces, both large and small, that show a lesser-known side of the city. Admiring the skyline from a hammock Just an 80-minute ferry ride from Manhattan’s southern tip lies an oft-overlooked oasis: Governor’s Island. Those visiting the 70-hectare, car-free island in New York harbour are rewarded with a panoramic view of the skyline and the Statue of Liberty. In the park area Hammock Groves you can literally hang around in one of the hammocks set up among the trees. There’s a “Teaching Garden,” particularly suitable for children, while the “Friends of Governors” offer free 1-hour walking tours of the island. You can also rent bicycles. Take a break in Astoria Just the trip alone to the Socrates Sculpture Park is a pleasure. Those who hop aboard a ferry at Pier 11 (Station Wall Street) on the southern tip of Manhattan will experience the best way to reach the city’s largest borough, Queens. The 48-minute mini-cruise passes under four bridges, including the historic Brooklyn Bridge and the Queensboro Bridge, providing views of the city from both sides of the East River. Once arrived at the pier in Astoria, it is only a short walk to Socrates Sculpture Park. It is scarcely imaginable today that this spot on the banks of the river was nothing more than a trash dump until the late 1980s. It is thanks to a committed neighbourhood and artists’ community that the park was created, one that at the same time is a highly-regarded open air museum. The summer programme includes art and gardening projects but also free activities such as yoga courses and meditation, and even canoe tours which start out at the nearby Hallett’s Cove Beach. Through it all, visitors enjoy the panoramic views stretching from Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Concrete Plant Park: Pick your own herbs and fruits It’s a surreal spot filled with contrasts: The Concrete Plant Park on the Bronx River is New York’s first public “Foodway.” In this communal garden between the river and the Amtrak rails, anyone is free to harvest the herbs and fruits growing there. “Up to the end of the 1980s this was still a huge concrete plant,” project coordinator Nathan Hunter notes, pointing to the remaining giant rust-red cement silos. “Then the plant was shut down and the deserted place became a sad spot with a trash heap and drug-dealing.” Finally, following protests by local residents, in 2009 the park authority NYC Parks created Concrete Plant Park. Getting there: The Number 6 subway line to Whitlock Avenue station Wave Hill: Spectacular views across the Hudson The view from the pergola in Wave Hill in the north-western corner of the Bronx can only be described as spectacular. From the highest point in the park, the view to the west takes in further gardening areas, the glittering Hudson River and beyond to the New Jersey shore with its tree-covered basalt stone cliffs called “The Palisades.” Wave Hill is the best proof of the variety presented by a downright green Bronx. The nearby Van Cortlandt Park as well as Pelham Bay Park in the eastern part of the borough are among New York City’s largest parks. Getting to Wave Hill: Take the “Hudson Line” of the Metro-North Railroad from Grand Central Station. The half-hour ride offers views of the Harlem River and Hudson River. Get off at Riverdale station, from which it’s only a short walk up the hill. Governors Island offers spectacular views of Manhattan’s skyline. Dörte Nohrden/dpa The terrace café of Wave Hill House in Wave Hill Park in the Bronx is the perfect place for a break. Dörte Nohrden/dpa The giant rust-red cement silos in Concrete Plant Park are a relic of the site’s former use. Dörte Nohrden/dpa The “Teaching Garden” on Governors Island. Dörte Nohrden/dpa View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to TV. The ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ actress has joined the cast of the upcoming ‘Teen Wolf’ spinoff ‘Wolf Pack’ and announced the news in a surprise appearance at San Diego Comic-Con this week. Entertainment Weekly reports that Gellar, 45, will play arson investigator Kristin Ramsey, who is on the hunt for the teenage arsonist responsible for starting a deadly wildfire in Los Angeles. The wildfires lead to the reawakening of a supernatural predator. Teen Wolf creator Jeff Davis said: “Everyone knows that ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ was a huge influence on ‘Teen Wolf’. So I always thought it would be amazing if we could bring Sarah Michelle Gellar back to a horror show.” Sarah Michelle – who will also serve as executive producer on the show – said: “Everything these guys have been saying about family and the atmosphere of Jeff’s shows is really true. I hope you guys come join us!” ‘Wolf Pack’ will also star Armani Jackson as Everett, Bella Shepard as Blake, Chloe Rose Robertson as Luna, and Tyler Lawrence Gray as Harlan. It is based on the book series by Edo van Belkom, and follows four young teenagers who find themselves united by the bite of a werewolf. Meanwhile, Sarah Michelle recently shared about her “tough” battle with COVID-19, with her symptoms made worse by her long history of asthma and lung issues. She wrote on Instagram: “I realise I’ve been really quiet on here, after two and a half years COVID finally got me. “Thankfully I’m vaccinated and boosted. “But to those out there that say ‘it’s just a cold’… maybe for some lucky people it is. But for this (relatively) young fit person, who has struggled with asthma and lung issues her entire life, that is not my experience. “Even with therapeutics and all my protocols it’s been tough. I know I’m on the road to recovery, but it’s certainly not been an easy road.” View the full article

Published by DPA New research has underlined the benefits of getting boostered against Covid-19, as it improves protection levels against new Omicron subvariants. Hannah A Bullock/Azaibi Tamin/CDC/dpa Seattle (tca/dpa) — While Omicron subvariants have evolved to evade antibody responses from the primary Covid-19 vaccine series, a new laboratory study led by researchers in the US suggests boosters may offer some protection against serious disease. An international research team analysed plasma samples from people who had been infected with Covid-19 before vaccines were available, from those who had completed only a primary vaccine series, and from others who had been boosted with currently available vaccines. Led by the lab of David Veesler, associate professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the research team assessed seven of the world’s primary vaccines as well as immunity acquired through previous infection. The team consisted of infectious disease research physicians and scientists from UW Medicine, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, and research institutes in California, Argentina, Italy, Pakistan and Switzerland. The vaccines included in the study were Moderna, Pfizer, Novavax, Jannsen, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Sputnik V. The Omicron variant has several sublineages, including BA.5, which is predicted to soon dominate globally and is likely to become the most immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variant to date, UW said in a news release about the study. As reinfections and breakthrough cases rise, public health officials around the world are recommending boosters several months after the initial vaccine series. Veesler and his team measured and compared the benefits of vaccine boosters on the plasma-neutralizing activity against the original coronavirus as well as against the Omicron subvariants. The study, published in July in Science, found a marked improvement in Omicron-neutralizing activity in the plasma of boosted individuals. The authors said this highlights the importance of vaccine boosters in improving antibody responses against Omicron strains, including BA.5. “Vaccine boosters may provide sufficient protection against Omicron-induced severe disease,” the authors wrote in the study’s summary. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Rafe Spall says “it’s really easy to not grope people”. The 39-year-old actor has hit out at those who blast the MeToo movement and said that men should take more responsibility for their actions. He told inews.co.uk: “Since this sort of reckoning that men have had, we get those men going, ‘Oh, so am I not allowed to talk to a woman any more? Am I not allowed to chat?’ “It’s like, you know very well what you’re allowed to do, and what you’re not allowed to do. Like, it’s really easy to not grope anyone. “I’m never in my mind going, oh, just don’t do it! Never. It’s really easy to not grope people. It’s really easy to not make women feel uncomfortable. It’s really easy.” And Rafe says poor behaviour is “received, learned and taught” and it is important for people to actively prevent it. He explained: “I think that’s innate and toxic masculinity is a corruption of that. That’s not inherent. That’s received, learned and taught. So I think you’ve got to go out of your way [to counteract that]. I mean, obviously, culture has done a pretty good job of making unacceptable behaviour acceptable, or de rigueur. But being decent is pretty easy.” Spall has two sons and a daughter with his wife, former ‘Hollyoaks’ actress Elize du Toit and he admitted raising them right is “a lot of pressure”. He said: “My sons’ idea of what a man is will be defined by me in many ways. Also, my daughter’s idea of what it is you should expect from men will in some way be influenced by me. So it’s a lot of pressure.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Malcolm McDowell says fans are still obsessed with ‘A Clockwork Orange’ 50 years on from the film’s release. The 79-year-old star played Alex DeLarge in Stanley Kubrick’s cult dystopian crime movie and explained that fans are still recreating his character’s look on both sides of the Atlantic. Speaking to the Metro newspaper, Malcolm recalled: “Once I was driving around under the Hammersmith flyover and I passed the Tube station and out came four boys in the white boiler suits with the bowlers and codpieces and I’m driving past… and I put the window down and looked out but of course they were oblivious. “I thought, ‘Holy God! How amazing!’ I was hooting with laughter.” The star continued: “But I see it all the time now. On Halloween now, in America, people dress like that. And they always come up to me like it was a new thing. “They say, ‘You won’t believe this…’ And I say, ‘You dressed like me on Halloween?’ And they say, ‘Yeah! How did you know?'” Malcolm stars in the new film ‘She Will’ as a filmmaker with an abusive past and feels that the project resonates following the MeToo movement. He said: “It is because I don’t think we realise quite how the victims are affected through the decades, how they cope if they never get over it. “This film makes that very precise statement – they’re always suffering in some way. And maybe the main character, Veronica, is not able to get past it. But something traumatic obviously happened.” The movie features flashbacks of Malcolm as a young man and the actor felt it made the picture more authentic. He explained: “It gave it an authentic ring. And I am playing a man who has been in the public eye somewhat. It’s interesting, because it really made me think – the script and the film – about abuse in a different way.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English John Cleese says cancel culture has led to the “death of creativity”. The 82-year-old comedy legend has come out in support of ‘Harry Potter’ author J.K. Rowling after she faced the wrath of cancel culture when she was accused of transphobia. And the BAFTA winner has also mocked modern comedies for lacking creativity due to writers being fearful of insulting anyone. During the FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas, the ‘Monty Python’ star told Fox News Digital: “There’s always been limitations on what they’re allowed to say. “I think it’s particularly worrying at the moment because you can only create in an atmosphere of freedom, where you’re not checking everything you say critically before you move on. What you have to be able to do is to build without knowing where you’re going because you’ve never been there before. That’s what creativity is — you have to be allowed to build. And a lot of comedians now are sitting there and when they think of something, they say something like, ‘Can I get away with it? I don’t think so. So and so got into trouble, and he said that, oh, she said that.’ You see what I mean? And that’s the death of creativity.” He went on: “You can do the creation and then criticise it, but you can’t do them at the same time. So if you’re worried about offending people and constantly thinking of that, you are not going to be very creative. So I think it has a disastrous effect.” The ‘Shrek the Third’ star insists it all comes down to the audience and what’s appropriate. He added: “My audience is much older, and they’re simply not interested in most of the woke attitudes. I mean, they just think that you should try and be kind to people and that’s no need to complicate it, you know? “If you go to a Republican convention and tell anti-Democrat jokes, you’ll get a very good response. If you tell anti-Republican jokes, you won’t. So you’ve got to fit your material to some extent to your audience. And that’s part of it … If you go to see your granny and to have tea with her, you don’t start telling her sex jokes. Now that’s not because it’s illegal, it’s just bad manners.” Cleese says taboo subjects, such as sex, always get the biggest laughs. He explained: “So I think you would think what the audience is and then you might shock them a little bit because that’s fun. And also, as I point out on stage, if you get into areas that are a little bit taboo, you actually get the biggest laughs, which is why sexual humour is often greeted with huge laughs when it’s not particularly funny. It’s to do with anxiety and the release of anxiety when people relax or laugh with spare energy that comes from the fact that they just laughed at something they’ve been anxious about before.” The former ‘Fawlty Towers’ star added how comedy films are all about making big bucks these days, rather than providing the biggest laughs. He said: “What I feel now is that very few people understand how to plot the comedy, so the comedies in America are really aimed at young men because they’re the ones who go to the cinema on Friday night, which means that the box office looks good. “And it’s all done ultimately to money because we now have studios that are more interested in money than in making great movies and in the old days, they wanted to make great movies too.” Cleese added how 1988’s ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ is one of the last flicks in the genre he enjoyed. It’s not the first time the writer has spoken out about cancel culture. He previously criticised the removal of an episode of his classic 1970s sitcom ‘Fawlty Towers’ from streaming service UKTV due to a racial slur. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kim Novak has turned to painting to cope with grief. The 89-year-old actress is still mourning the loss of her husband of 44 years, Robert Malloy, in 2020 but Kim feels closer to her late spouse when she is painting. She told Closer US: “I find my art is very prolific since my husband passed. I have a sense of him looking over my shoulder and watching me with that little smile on his face. “Painting a picture of him felt like we could still communicate in a warm and intimate way. It made me feel less lonely. “You have to be patient. Don’t be afraid to let those emotions out and then let go.” While dealing with her grief has been difficult, Kim also admitted the practicalities of being a widow, such as being solely responsible for her business affairs, have also been an adjustment. She said: “I learned how little I knew and did not fully appreciate just how hard my husband had to work. I never had to deal with business before, but now I have to do it all. Sometimes it’s hard to keep from feeling sorry for myself.” But the ‘Vertigo’ actress is grateful for the time she had with her second husband Robert. She said: “I had been married once before [to her ‘Moll Flanders’ co-star Richard Johnson] but it just didn’t suit me being married to an actor. “My love of animals and Bob’s love of animals that bonded us. Bob also had a wonderful sense of humour.” View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — A far northwest suburban bakery has received a stream of harassment after selling tickets to a family-friendly drag show scheduled at the shop on Saturday, while protesters and counterprotesters plan to rally outside during the show, according to the owner and police. Corinna Sac, owner of UpRising Bakery and Cafe in Lake in the Hills, Illinois, planned what she said is a fun and child-friendly event, replete with costumes, dancing, breakfast food and a celestial theme. Sac, a baker, opened the shop with the goal of creating a space for everyone, she said. The space holds live music,… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Mega Agency All products featured on OK! Magazine are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, OK! Magazine may earn an affiliate commission. Actor Brad Pittreturned to his 1999 Fight Club roots this week when he wore a skirt to the Bullet Train premiere in Berlin. Even though this isn’t the first time the Oscar winner wore what is seen as womenswear, he is amongst a group of men in popular culture challenging the intersection between gender and clothing. Back in 1999, Pitt was a Rolling Stone cover star, and after starring in Fight Club, a film that explores themes of masculinity, the handsome hunk wore several miniskirts, hoop earrings and gloves. His choice of wearing a skirt on the red carpet isn’t a surprise to fans, but it’s a statement that aligns with the fashion principles of Harry Styles, Jaden Smith and more. Why Are Skirts So Controversial? Clothing being seen as a tool for making a political statement isn’t new to history. Most images of Civil Rights leaders and the overall movement include reverends, teachers and more wearing their Sunday best. It is rare to find images of Civil Rights activists in casual clothing such as denim. At the time, denim was seen as the workwear for the sharecropper. Due to its association with both poverty and the rural worker, James Brown never wore it and didn’t allow his band to sport it. However, understanding that denim was the workwear of the working class, Martin Luther King Jr. wore denim and a work shirt when he was arrested in Birmingham, Ala. Wearing workwear instead of a suit was a conscious decision to show his allyship with the rural Black southerner. The images that were taken of Dr. King prior to being arrested were highly publicized and continue to be analyzed in classrooms all over the country. His arrest in Alabama was not only King making a statement, but shortly after his arrest, he wrote A Letter From a Birmingham Jail. With the current political climate surrounding both women and LGBTQ rights, there has been an increase in cis-men wearing what has been considered women’s clothing. When Styles’ December Vogue cover was released, the musician was met with both praise and backlash for wearing a dress. But it was clear to many fans that the former One Direction member was making it known that his identity isn’t defined by what he wears. For Kid Cudi, his decision to wear dresses and skirts was his way of not only paying homage to rock icon Kurt Cobain, who also wore dresses, but it’s another form of self-expression. In an interview with GQVirgil Abloh, who designed Cudi’s dress for an SNL performance last year, told the publication, “For me, it represents personal empowerment despite any social norm, it vehemently represents confidence. It’s Cudi knocking on your television screen saying, ‘Hey! Be yourself.'” As politicized as the male skirt has become, similar garments are still common amongst men in various cultures. But, in today’s climate, it looks as though the skirt is becoming the norm for menswear, and ultimately, the clothing binary we have associated with it will become obsolete. Keep scrolling to shop for male skirts! Amazon SHOP NOW AITFINEISM’s retails for $39.99 at amazon.com. Amazon SHOP NOW NGTEVOO’s Skirt retails for $21.58 at amazon.com. Amazon SHOP NOW Kangma’s Pleated Skirt retails for $22.27 at amazon.com. Incerunmen SHOP NOW Incerunmen’s Pleated Wide-leg Loose Skirt Pants retail for $39.89 at incerunmen.com. View the full article