WebProNews

Author: Val Powell

  • Peyton Manning Sexual Assualt Allegations Are Mere ‘Sensationalism,’ Says Coach Bruce Arians

    In the wake of a recent New York Daily News story that revived sexual allegations against Peyton Manning, one of his first coaches in the NFL quickly came to his defense.

    During the NFL Scouting Combine held on Wednesday, Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was asked about the nasty allegations claiming that Manning had not only assaulted a former University of Tennessee trainer sexually, but also tried to cover up the offense with the help of his influential family.

    The 63-year-old coach implied that the timing of the story’s release is quite interesting, having exploded right after Peyton Manning and the rest of the Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50. The article, he says is mere “sensationalism,” and explained that people are just nitpicking on typical misguided actions that most people do in their younger years.

    “We all did things in college when we were growing — this was just a bigger story now, I think because of who he is and what he did, not what happened back then,” said Arians. “To me, it’s sensationalism. Somebody trying to get their name out there and use him for a stepping stone. That’s just my personal opinion.”

    Two weeks ago, lawyer and writer Shaun King of the New York Daily News wrote an “exposé” on Peyton Manning, alleging that he “mooned” the face of a female trainer named Dr. Jamie Naughright during his college days at UT in 1996. She filed defamation charges against the quarterback in 2003 but eventually settled the case.

    “”If we’re all going to get nitpicked for what we did in college, we’re all in trouble,” Arians added.

    Aside from being Manning’s position coach at UT, Bruce Arians also served as the quarterback coach for the Indianapolis Colts from 1998 to 2000 when Peyton Manning as just starting out in the NFL.

  • Marcia Clark Discusses The Race Factor In The O.J. Simpson Trial

    All eyes have been on Marcia Clark ever since FX premiered its highly-anticipated mini-series, American Horror Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. The 62-year-old former lead prosecutor in the controversial 1995 murder case has appeared on several TV shows and shared her thoughts on the hit show that relived a lot of painful memories for her.

    Marcia Clark Was Not Too Keen About the O.J. Trial Mini-Series

    In a previous interview with Vogue, just a week before the series premiered, Clark expressed her apprehensions about the show. Remembering the excruciating moments during the course of her trial was not something she looked forward to, and she revealed wishing that the show would eventually fall through.

    “When I first heard they were going to do this, I kept praying that somehow, something would go wrong,” said Marcia Clark. “It’s not entertainment for me. It’s a tragedy.”

    The O.J. Simpson trial, which lasted almost a year, took place during a time when racial tension was at an all-time high. A year before the trial began, Los Angeles police officers accused of savagely beating African-American motorist Rodney King was acquitted, and many Americans were outraged.

    In another interview with Slate, Marcia Clark confirmed that race and gender issues made it virtually impossible for prosecution to convict O.J. Simpson for the murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

    “The racial divide was absolutely crystal clear, and African-American women in particular [were] no fans of mine,” revealed Clark. “The question was what do I do? How do I reach them? And no one had an answer for that…The trial was so out of control, and became so awash in racial epithets and racial slurs, that I think it became impossible to believe anything beyond a reasonable doubt…”

    Aside from race issues, Marcia Clark also had to contend with gender-oriented criticism, mostly centered on her looks, the way she dressed, as well as her domestic affairs.

    Nevertheless, the lawyer-turned-novelist praised the show, especially the layered portrayal of her by actress Sarah Paulson.

  • Kim Richards Caught Lying? Reality Star Faces Jail Time After Wearing High Heels On The Red Carpet

    Kim Richards Caught Lying? Reality Star Faces Jail Time After Wearing High Heels On The Red Carpet

    Kim Richards was recently summoned to court for wearing high heels on the red carpet. The reality star has reportedly not completed any of her required community service due to an alleged foot injury.

    According to TMZ, prosecutors blasted the reality star in court after prosecutors showed evidence, which included photos of her wearing high heels despite her foot injury claims. Richards is set to return to court on June 1 to determine whether she has done any community service or violated her probation. She could be jailed if the court proves that she lied about her foot injury.

    According to Richards’ attorneys, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills member is still suffering from her foot and knee injury that resulted in nerve damage. They said they are planning on scheduling surgery; however, their client’s injury limits her movement.

    A source told ET that Richards only wears heels “on the red carpet or in situations where she only needs to wear them for a few minutes.”

    “She isn’t out there jogging in her high heels. Kim will be prepared with the proper documentation [at the next court hearing],” the source added.

    The reality star was supposed to complete 30 days of community service and attend 52 AA meetings as part of a plea deal for her arrest at the Beverly Hills Hotel, in which she entered a guilty plea to one charge of resisting arrest.

    In July of last year, Kim Richards shared with ET her journey to sobriety. The star had been struggling to stay sober and confessed that it has not been easy for her.

    “I love sobriety,” Kim Richards said at the time. “I’ve always loved sobriety, and relapsing was very hard for me. It was not easy. I have to say, don’t take this wrong, but I really wanted to go to treatment because I needed a break from what I was going through at home.”

    Kim Richards Details Her Struggles with Alcoholism

  • Holly Holm Willing To Oblige Cris Cyborg To A ‘Superfight’

    Ever since Holly Holm defeated the heavy favorite Ronda Rousey in UFC 193, all of the big female fighters have expressed their desire to face off with the Albuquerque-born fighter.

    Cristiane “Cris Cyborg” Justino is no different – late last year, she told TMZ that she now has her sights set on Holly Holm. Cyborg had previously been clamoring for a fight with Ronda Rousey, an opportunity that the latter passed up on.

    Cyborg, who is Invicta FC’s reigning 145-pound featherweight champion, claimed that she was open to going down to 135 or 140 pounds just to fight the 29-year-old judoka. Rousey, on the other hand, argued that she should not have to move up to a higher weight class to fight Cyborg.

    While it is no secret that Ronda Rousey has been the poster girl for the UFC during her lengthy reign as champion, the organization is no longer certain if Rousey is ready to face Holly Holm for a rematch at UFC 196.

    But Holly Holm has been vocal about wanting to defend her title soon, as opposed to waiting for Rousey to recover. As a result, her camp and the UFC have agreed to arrange her first title defense match against Miesha Tate at UFC 196 on March 5th.

    UFC fans still look forward to a Rousey-Holm rematch, but Holm’s manager, Lenny Fresquez is not too optimistic that it will ever take place. As a result, he proposed a match between his fighter and Cris Cyborg instead.

    “That’s why I offered the [Cyborg] fight at 140,” said Fresquez to the Los Angeles Times. “We’d take that fight if Ronda needs more time to make up her mind.”

    But since the UFC does not have a 145-pound women’s division, Cris Cyborg will have to pull down her weight to 135 or 140. UFC president Dana White has already refused to create a new division just for Cyborg’s natural weight class, so Cyborg will have to make adjustments if she wants a fight with Holly Holm to happen.

    Holly Holm was also asked to comment on Ronda Rousey’s recent statement that she is “still undefeated” despite her devastating loss to Holm in UFC 193. In the video, Holm gave Rousey the benefit of the doubt and said that “maybe that’s something that’s coming out of her mouth that doesn’t really want to fully take in everything.”

    Holly Holm Reacts to “Still Undefeated” Remark of Rousey

  • Dr. Luke Vindicated: Video Shows Kesha Swearing That He Never Raped Her

    Amid the outpouring of support that Kesha has been receiving from fans and fellow artists alike, Dr. Luke is standing his ground and maintains that there is no truth to the “TiK ToK” singer’s sexual assault allegations against him.

    The embattled music producer, whose real name is Lucasz Gottwald, is currently embroiled in a very public legal battle with Kesha Rose “Kesha” Sebert, who claims that he had abused her “sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally” over the course of ten years.

    Last week, Justice Shirley Kornreich of the New York Supreme Court rejected Kesha’s motion for preliminary injunction that would have permitted her to record music outside her six-album contract with Dr. Luke’s company, Kemosabe Records.

    A tearful Kesha was seen sobbing in the courtroom while the decision was announced. Since then, numerous prominent female celebrities have expressed their support and sympathy for the 28-year-old singer.

    This unfortunate saga got even more interesting when TMZ got hold of a deposition that Kesha had given in 2011 in connection with a lawsuit filed against her and Dr. Luke. In the video, a rather relaxed Kesha can be seen answering questions about the producer. When asked if the drugging and rape allegations were true, she said no.

    At one point in the deposition, the lawyer asked Kesha if she ever engaged in an “intimate relationship” with Dr. Luke.

    “No. I don’t know what my mother told to David, but I know Dr. Luke never made any sexual advances at me,” was Kesha’s clear response.

    While this new revelation might hurt Kesha’s chances at getting future appeals approved by the higher court, Dr. Luke is in no position to rejoice just yet.

    In an effort to eliminate any incriminating evidence that could support Kesha’s sexual assault claims, Dr. Luke deleted a few of his past tweets. One tweet that was posted in 2009 showed a photo of a sleeping Kesha with the caption, “Damn my artists work hard!!!!!!!!”

  • Holly Holm Gives No Sympathy To Ronda Rousey For Wanting To Kill Herself After Losing UFC Fight

    As expected, Holly Holm was expected to weigh in on Ronda Rousey’s recent TV appearance in which she detailed her struggles coping with her devastating loss in UFC 193.

    The former champ had not spoken much about her defeat in public until last week, when she appeared as a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. After talking about her Swimsuit Illustrated cover, DeGeneres asked Rousey about the thoughts that were running through her mind immediately after getting knocked out by Holly Holm.

    The 29-year-old judoka voice cracked and broke down in tears as she detailed feelings of dejection while she was at the hospital after the fight.

    She also revealed thoughts of suicide following her defeat because she felt like she was “nothing.”

    “I was, like, what am I anymore if I’m not this? And I was literally sitting there and, like, thinking about killing myself in that exact second and, like, I’m nothing,” said Rousey to DeGeneres.

    Naturally, people wanted to hear what Holly Holm had to say about Rousey’s emotional confession. During a media event held on Monday in Los Angeles, the 34-year-old champ carefully chose her words as she addressed the issue.

    “I don’t ever take anything like that lightly,” said Holm about Rousey’s suicidal comments. “It’s a serious subject. I’ve never been in that position, so I’m probably the worst person to give advice for that.”

    At the same time, Holm also avoided coming off as being condescending or patronizing, which would have probably

    Holly Holm Addresses Ronda Rousey’s Recent “Suicide” Comments

    “I definitely don’t want to sit here and say, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ because I know for me, I (have) a competitive mind, and I’m confident that Ronda is the same, that you don’t really want sympathy from the one that created this,” added Holm, who is due to fight Miesha Tate UFC 196 on March 5 at Las Vegas, Nevada.

  • Kalamazoo Shootings Hero, Tiana Carruthers, Expected To Survive Gunshot Wounds After Saving Group Of Children

    Kalamazoo Shootings Hero, Tiana Carruthers, Expected To Survive Gunshot Wounds After Saving Group Of Children

    Tiana Carruthers, the first victim in the Kalamazoo mass shootings, bravely tried to protect a group of kids from a gunman on Saturday evening, before being shot several times.

    Carruthers, 25, was reportedly at a playground near her Richland Township apartment complex with a group of children, including her daughter, when an Uber driver approached them. The man, who was identified as Jason Dalton, asked if they had seen a girl named Mazie. Carruthers immediately sensed that something was wrong and told the kids to run toward the house.

    According to Kalamazoo County Sheriff Rick Fuller, Carruthers stayed behind and the gunman opened fire. Carruthers reportedly sustained three gunshot wounds in the legs and arms, but doctors are expecting her to survive after undergoing multiple surgeries.

    Police authorities and emergency staff found the first Kalamazoo shooting victim wounded and lying near an apartment section when they arrived at the crime scene, Fuller said. The children made it to the house just as Dalton started to open fire.

    Ten spent shell casings were recovered at the scene, police said. The suspect was believed to have fired at least 30 rounds as he carried out his shooting spree in three different crime scenes using a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Dalton was picking fares on the night of the shooting where he killed six people and severely injured two others, including Carruthers.

    Dalton, 45, killed a man named Richard Smith and his son Tyler, 17 at around 10 p.m.

    He also fatally shot Dorothy Brown, 74; Barbara Hawthorne, 68; Mary Joe Nye, 62; and Mary Lou Nye, 60, who were at Cracker Barrel at the time. Another victim named Abigail Kopf, 14, was also shot at the restaurant and is currently in critical condition.

    Dalton was arrested on Sunday morning after Carruthers identified him out of a lineup. He was arraigned on multiple murder charges in connection with the Kalamazoo shooting.

  • Vanessa Hudgens Visits Her Daddy’s Gravesite With Mama G

    Vanessa Hudgens Visits Her Daddy’s Gravesite With Mama G

    Almost a month after her father passed away from stage IV cancer, former Disney star Vanessa Hudgens and her mother, Gina visited his grave on Monday.

    “Visiting pops with mama g,” Hudgens wrote on her Instagram alongside a photo of her and her mom smiling.

    The actress showed immense courage when she continued with her show after her father passed away. Her late father, Greg died on January 30, just a day before the actress delivered her outstanding performance as Rizzo on Fox’s Grease: Live! Hudgens received tons of praise especially for her rendition of “There are Worse Things I Could Do.”

    Watch Vanessa Hudgens Sing ‘There are Worse Things I Could Do’

    Moments before her show stopping performance, Vanessa Hudgens took to Twitter to dedicate the show to her father, as well as to thank people for showing support during their loss. “I am so sad to say that last night my daddy, Greg passed away from stage 4 cancer. Thank you to everyone who kept him in your prayers… Tonight I do the show in his honor,” she tweeted.

    Last week, Hudgens posted a photo of her father and wrote, “Rest in peace, daddy.”

    Meanwhile, she has been cast as the lead role on NBC’s upcoming comedy series, Powerless.

    The half-hour office comedy produced by Warner Bros. is set in the DC comics universe. The story centers on the ordinary lives of ordinary employees at an insurance company in a world where superheroes and villains exist. Vanessa Hudgens will play Emily Locke, an insurance claims adjuster who finds pleasure in helping people through her job, but she must also deal with troublesome superheroes in her city.

    The pilot is written and produced by Ben Queen with Michael Patrick Jann as director and executive producer.

    Vanessa Hudgens is best known for her role in the musical series High School Musical.

  • Brittany Fogarty Explains Why She Was Banned From Big Ang’s Memorial

    Brittany Fogarty Explains Why She Was Banned From Big Ang’s Memorial

    Brittany Fogarty is devastated and with good reason – she had been banned from attending the funeral of Angela “Big Ang” Raiola.

    Big Ang, who was a breakout star from Mob Wives and went on to star in her own show, passed away in the wee hours of February 18 after battling Stage IV lung and brain cancer. She was 55 years old.

    Fogarty and Raiola apparently had a rather close mother-and-daughter-type relationship. The 25-year-old reality show newbie joined the cast of Mob Wives on its 6th and final season last year, and she and Raiola were said to have hit it off immediately.

    According to Us Weekly, Brittany Fogarty was on her way to see Big Ang when she received a call advising her not to attend the memorial service.

    “I was called on Saturday, by a mutual friend, and told not to attend the services because of something my father did,” said Fogarty. “I was in my car heading over and pulled over and started hysterically crying.”

    The animosity towards Fogarty can be traced back to more than two decades ago, when her parents, Andrea Giovino and John Fogarty, revealed the identities of fellow mobsters in order to strike a deal with federal authorities and avoid jail time. The government relocated the entire Fogarty family from Staten Island, New York to Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

    Brittany Fogarty Talks About Her Family’s Mob Ties and Being Close to Big Ang

    Despite her family history, Brittany Fogarty insists that Big Ang accepted her for who she was and never judged her. She also believes that Big Ang would not have turned her away at the memorial service.

    “Ang never judged me for the actions of my father. The fact that he cooperated with police never influenced her opinion of me, and I loved her for that…,” Fogarty said.

    She posted a lovely photo of herself with Big Ang on her Instagram page, accompanied by a touching message.

    “You will be forever missed and never forgotten. Thank you for always being there for me, I will forever cherish all of the memories and laughs we have shared together and all that you have taught me. Love you.”

  • David Bowie’s ‘Blackstar’ Inspires New Instagram Mini-Series, Premieres This Week

    A David Bowie Instagram mini-series inspired by his latest album Blackstar will be released this week.

    Just months before his death, Bowie gave InstaMiniSeries access to Blackstar before its release on January 8, so they could produce UNBOUND: A InstaMiniSeries. Unbound will give a visual interpretation of Bowie’s final album, and it aims to take the audience “on a journey of evocative images inspired by the moods suggested in the album’s music, lyrics, and artwork,” a press release said. The channel also uploaded a preview clip of the 16-episode series.

    Check Out the Blackstar-Inspired Mini-Series Approved by David Bowie

    UNBOUND Teaser (2016) from Lawrence Peryer on Vimeo.

    The first episode will premiere on February 25 at 8 p.m. on @instaminiseries and new episodes will air every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. UNBOUND: A InstaMiniSeries will feature Six Feet Under star Patricia Clarkson and the founder of Rookie Magazine, Tavi Gevinson.

    UNBOUND wrapped up in December 2015, but it is unclear whether David Bowie saw the final result before his passing on January 10. However, a statement on his website acknowledged InstaMiniSeries as “an exciting new platform to explore interpretation of and storytelling within his music.”

    “In light of recent events, this project has taken on new significance for all of us — cast and crew. We are very happy to be bringing a new creative work to David’s fans worldwide at a time when a focus on his music and art is much-needed,”co-producer Lawrence Peryer said, honoring the late rock icon.

    “David Bowie was a trailblazer, not just in the world of music, but in the art of storytelling. Whether through lyrics, melodies, film, theater or mythical persona he never fails to transcend WHAT WAS and set the tone – and the bar – for what CAN BE. As storytellers and music lovers, who better for us to be inspired by than David Bowie,” writer and producer of UNBOUND: A InstaMiniSeries, Carolynn Cecilia reportedly told Rolling Stone.

  • St. Louis Woman Stabs Brother For Criticizing Nicki Minaj, Sentenced To Seven Years Jail Time

    A woman who stabbed her brother to death after he allegedly criticized “Anaconda” hit maker Nicki Minaj is facing seven years imprisonment after her sentence was read on Monday.

    The accused, Angela Hallmon, now 55, reportedly stabbed her brother, Edward Hallmon on December 21, 2013 at their home in the 5300 block of Northland Avenue after a heated discussion over Nicki Minaj. Both Angela and Edward were drunk at the time of the incident, and Edward apparently made remarks about Minaj, which angered the suspect.

    What Edward said about Nicki Minaj that provoked Angela remains unclear. She stabbed her brother in the chest with a knife, putting him in grave condition.

    Police records stated that Angela hid the weapon, and onlookers claimed she had cleaned up her brother’s blood from the crime scene. The woman was immediately arrested at the scene.

    She was initially charged with first-degree domestic assault, evidence tampering, and two counts of armed criminal action afterwards. However, prosecutors in July 2015 upgraded the charges to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and two counts of evidence tampering after her brother, who had been in a state of coma since the incident, died on March 8. And because the amount of time between the stabbing and his death is less than 18 months, his death was counted as a homicide.

    On Monday, the avid fan of Nicki Minaj pleaded guilty to a “reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter, armed criminal action, and evidence tampering as part of a plea agreement,” according to stltoday.com.

    “Based on the defendant’s lack of criminal history and the facts of the case, the state and defense believe this is an appropriate disposition,” Assistant Circuit Attorney Angie E. Danis reportedly indicated in the said plea agreement.

  • Cam Newton Used As A Bad Example For NY Yankees Media Training

    Cam Newton earned a lot of criticism for his less-than-engaging post-game press conference after the Carolina Panthers lost Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos earlier this month.

    Apart from the backlash that he received for his “unprofessional” attitude, the New York Yankees is using him as an example of the wrong way of dealing with the media.


    It is spring training for most American League teams, and players are not just developed physically and mentally for the games, but also educated on the proper way to address reporters. For the Yankees, the latter is more important than some people think as they constantly face the ruthless New York media.

    Part of the media training module includes bringing in guest speakers and showing videos that depict the right and wrong ways of acting around the media.

    In this year’s Yankees spring training, which was held in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, pitchers and catchers were shown video footage of two Super Bowl post-game interviews: Russell Wilson and Cam Newton. The former is being used as a good example of media handling while Cam Newton is the bad example.

    According to ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand, “”During the Yankees’ media training, the Super Bowl is being used to portray the right and wrong way to act. Part of a video shown to pitchers and catchers compares how Cam Newton handled his Super Bowl loss to the way Russell Wilson dealt with his defeat the previous year.”

    Wilson and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks lost a tight game to the New England Patriots last year in Super Bowl 49. During Seattle’s final play in the closing minutes of the game, Wilson threw a game-ending interception courtesy of Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, sealing New England’s 28-24 victory.

    Despite the painful loss, Wilson faced the media and willingly entertained questions from reporters. He took full responsibility for their defeat and praised their opponents.

    Russell Wilson Stayed All Throughout his Post-Game Interview

    On the other hand, Cam Newton spent about three minutes in his post-game interview, giving one-liner answers and pouting, before abruptly walking out in the middle of a question.

    Cam Newton Was Not Happy to be Interviewed

    “I’ve been on record to say I’m a sore loser,” said Cam Newton the following day. “Who likes to lose? You show me a good loser and I’m going to show you a loser.”

  • Angela Raiola, ‘Mob Wives’ Star, Mourned By Hundreds In Brooklyn

    Friends and relatives of Mob Wives star Angela Raiola — or “Big Ang” — attended her funeral at St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn, New York on Monday. Raiola died of Stage 4 brain and lung cancer.

    More than 200 people, including fans of the reality star, said their goodbyes at a funeral mass at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Dyker Heights at 9:30 a.m. after which she was to be buried at a cemetery on Staten Island. Her ex-husband, Neil Murphy, reportedly came to her funeral, as well as her brothers Stephen and Louis Raiola and son Anthony D’Onofrio.

    She died at a mere 55 years of age on Thursday at a Brooklyn hospital after her yearlong battle with cancer. Angela Raiola was initially diagnosed last March with throat and lung cancer. As a result, the star underwent two medical procedures to treat the disease. She was believed to have been cancer-free until her doctors found she had Stage 4 brain and lung cancer in December.

    “I thought I was cancer-free, I was going to have a big celebration…” Raiola said in her last interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz on The Dr. Oz Show, on February 16. The upcoming episodes of Mob Wives will cover her fight with cancer.

    Appearing on The Dr. Oz Show last month, she revealed that she gets her strength from her loving family. “I look at my kids and my grandchildren and I know how much they need me,” the grandmother of six tearfully said.

    Angela Raiola Breaks Down on ‘The Dr. Oz Show’

    Raiola rose to fame on Mob Wives and later on starred on her own spinoff series Big Ang.

    Her representative announced via Twitter that fans who wished to honor her memory could make donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

    Angela Raiola is remembered by her friends and neighbors as “incredibly kind,” and several other celebrities also paid tribute by sharing stories of her generosity.

  • Kesha Rose Sebert Gets Celebrity Support For Legal Battle With Dr. Luke

    Kesha Rose Sebert – or Ke$ha to most of us – broke into sobs and tears last Friday as she listened to New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich deny an injunction that would have allowed her to record music outside her producer, Dr. Luke’s company, Kemosabe Records until the legal matters between the two parties are decided.

    Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, has worked with Kesha ever since he discovered her when she was 17 years old. A former lead guitarist of Saturday Night Live, Dr. Luke produced many of Kesha’s biggest hits including “Timber” and both of her albums.

    Ten years after being signed to Dr. Luke’s label, Kesha Rose Sebert filed a complaint against the producer for “sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abusing” her in order to “destroy her self-confidence, self-image, and self-worth.” In doing so, she says, Dr. Luke would be able to “maintain complete control over her life and career.”

    The lawsuit also claims that Dr. Luke threatened to ruin her and her family’s lives if she ever told anyone of the abuse.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Luke insists that there is no truth to any of Kesha’s allegations and that the lawsuit is just a ploy by the new management to tarnish his reputation in order to break the 28-year-old singer’s exclusive contract with his company.

    Since news of Kesha’s defeat broke out, fans have been expressing their support for her through social media. Many of the female artists who spoke out on Twitter shared Kesha’s pain with the hashtag “freekesha.”

    One of the most outspoken of the lot was Demi Lovato, who posted a lengthy message on Instagram about the cavalier attitude of the legal system towards women’s abuse and equality. She also called on “self-proclaimed feminists” to speak out and do something to address these issues.

    Lady Gaga also sent her love to Kesha Rose Sebert, telling her that she is “in awe” of her bravery. Janelle Monae, Ariana Grande, Lorde, and Fiona Apple also expressed their disappointment in the decision. Taylor Swift’s rep also confirmed a check for $250,000 to help cover Kesha’s legal costs.

    Dr. Luke has criticized Kesha and her supporters for giving him a “trial by Twitter” and posted multiple tweets that advised his detractors to be more discerning of the facts and thanked his family and friends for supporting him throughout the debacle.

  • Erin Andrews Lawsuit Over Leaked Nude Photos Gets Underway

    Jury selection for a stalking lawsuit filed by Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews against a Nashville Marriott hotel began on Monday, and the court proceedings will resume on Tuesday with opening statements from her legal representatives, The Tennessean reported.

    Andrews is reportedly seeking $75 million in damages in a lawsuit that accuses the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University for their negligence in security. According to the lawsuit filed in Davidson County Circuit Court, a man named Michael David Barrett reserved a room next to hers and rigged her room’s peepholes with a camera and recorded videos of Andrews as she changed her clothes.

    The reporter, who was working for ESPN in 2008, was in Nashville to cover a Vanderbilt football match, according to court documents. Barrett allegedly uploaded the videos on the Internet. He pleaded guilty in 2009 to stalking and shooting the nude videos and reportedly faced 30 months imprisonment the following year.

    Erin Andrews originally named Marriott International as a defendant, but a judge dismissed the hotel company as a defendant just last month. Her lawsuit lists Barrett, Windsor Capital Group, the hotel’s parent company, and Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University. She accuses the hotel of “negligence, infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy” according to The Tennessean.

    During jury selection on the first day of the civil trial for the stalking lawsuit, members of the press were allegedly kept out of the courtroom due to Judge Hamilton Gayden’s interpretation of Rule 30, which is related to media access. They were later permitted to enter the courtroom for the last part of jury selection after an attorney for The Tennessean and Channel 4 intervened.

    The trial for Erin Andrews’ negligence lawsuit against the hotel is expected to last about 10 days

  • Camille Cosby Finally Testifies Under Oath

    After multiple attempts at evading the witness stand and requesting the court to delay her deposition, Camille Cosby has finally been sworn in to answer questions about her husband, Bill Cosby.

    On Monday afternoon, the loyal wife of the fallen comedian gave two and a half hours’ worth of testimony over the course of a deposition that lasted seven hours at the heavily guarded Springfield Marriot in Massachusetts.

    The deposition, which comes out of the defamation case instigated by seven women that Bill Cosby had allegedly assaulted sexually, will have a continuation in March 14 for the second portion.

    According to the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, Camille Cosby did not invoke the Fifth Amendment, although her counsels used the marital disqualification rule at least a dozen times to avoid answering certain questions. They also had to contact the judge twice to consult on the nature and scope of some of the questions that Camille Cosby refused to answer.

    In a last ditch effort to prevent Camille Cosby from appearing in court, her lawyers filed an emergency appeal late Saturday night to have her deposition pushed back with the argument that her public testimony would create “an unnecessary media circus and personal security threat that serves no purpose other than to harass and embarrass her.” However, the motion was rejected on Sunday night.

    The seven women fighting the Cosbys in court are among 50 who have accused the comedian of sexual misconduct. Bill Cosby has filed a countersuit for the defamation charges in December and has denied committing any of the allegations.

    Despite the controversy and overwhelming number of accusations, Camille Cosby has been steadfast in her support of her husband. She called him “a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father, and friend.”

    “He is the man you thought you knew,” Camille Cosby added.

  • Peter Liang Manslaughter Conviction Draws 15,000 Protesters In NYC

    Peter Liang, the Chinese-American NYPD officer who shot an unarmed African-American man in November 2014, was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter on February 11. The decision has since sparked a widespread outrage among members of the Asian-American communities in New York City and other parts of the United States.

    Nearly 15,000 people showed up and rallied at Cadman Plaza Park in downtown Brooklyn, holding up protest signs and chanting “No scapegoat!” and “No justice, no peace!” among others.

    His supporters maintain that Peter Liang did not intend to kill the victim, Akai Gurley, when he shot his gun into a dark stairwell and the bullet ricocheted before hitting Gurley. According to Liang’s testimony, he and his partner were on patrol in a Brooklyn housing project when he accidentally fired his gun after being startled by a noise.

    At one point during the rally, Peter’s mother, Fenny Liang took the microphone and offered her condolences to Gurley’s family. Other attendees, however, were more vocal and assertive in their protest.

    The rally was organized by the Coalition of Asian-Americans for Civil Rights or CAACR. Apart from New York, protest gatherings among Asian-American communities in other American cities were also held. In Philadelphia, about 2,000 protesters showed up in Center City on Saturday.

    Supporters of Peter Liang insist that he is being used as a “scapegoat” of recent anti-police politics and that his conviction is merely an attempt at pacifying the public regarding police brutality. Attendees were urged to sign a petition that will hopefully convince the New York Supreme Court to grant Liang’s case an appeal.

    Meanwhile, a counter protest was also held by the Black Lives Matters movement in New York. Several African-Americans expressed their approval of the jury’s decision and claimed that Peter Liang was not a “scapegoat.”

    Peter Liang now faces five to fifteen years in prison.

  • Michael Jackson Becomes The Latest Victim Of Donald Trump Insult, And Jermaine Jackson Is Mad As Hell About It

    Even the late pop star Michael Jackson was not safe from Donald Trump’s strange and random remarks. The GOP frontrunner made some rather awkward comments about the “real story” of the King of Pop’s emotional downward spiral, which his brother Jermaine did not appreciate.

    During the second installment of CNN Republican Town Hall on Thursday night, Anderson Cooper served as the master of ceremonies and GOP presidentiables Jeb Bush, John Kasich, and Donald Trump attended. Each of the candidates was given 30 minutes to explain their views to the audience as well as take questions from them.

    One of the issues that Trump discussed during his turn was his controversial Twitter feud with Pope Francis about building walls and ISIS attacking the Vatican. In typical Trump fashion, he downplayed the argument and claimed that the pontiff might have been “given false information” and misinterpreted his earlier remarks about building an impenetrable wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to keep illegal immigrants from getting in. He then praised the Pope for being “a great guy with a great personality and lots of energy.”

    Cooper then asked Trump about his musical influences, which he responded to by enumerating a few rock musicians. He then mentions Michael Jackson whom he called “a very good friend” of his and once lived at one of the Trump Towers with then-wife Lisa Marie Presley. He also claimed to know the “real story” of Michael Jackson and went on to elaborate that he was “an unbelievably talented guy” who lost his confidence due to “bad, bad surgery.”

    Donald Trump Talks About Michael Jackson During the GOP Town Hall

    Michael’s older brother Jermaine did not take kindly to Trump’s comments and spoke out on Friday through Twitter.

    “Friends’ don’t pay tribute by peddling b.s. theories about Michael’s ‘loss in confidence’. This fool Trump needs to sit down,” said Jermaine in one his posts.

    Jermaine added that it wasn’t his botched surgeries that affected Michael Jackson but rather the “pressures, injustice and vitriol of external circumstances.”

  • Lucy Liu Honored As 2016 Artist Of The Year By Harvard

    Actress Lucy Liu received recognition for her humanitarian work last Saturday, during the Harvard Foundation’s annual diversity celebration called Cultural Rhythms.

    So honored! @harvfoun

    A photo posted by Lucy Liu (@lucyliu) on

    The event, which was held at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater in Cambridge, featured other on-campus student organizations, which gave regional performances of their respective cultures.

    Harvard University’s Dean of Admissions, William R. Fitzsimmons went on stage to present the 2016 Artist of the Year Award to Lucy Liu. In the introduction, Fitzsimmons enumerated the Kill Bill star’s various accomplishments, which include being a director, producer, visual artist, and philanthropist.

    Lucy Liu is Honored During Harvard’s ‘Cultural Rhythms’ Event

    The 47-year-old actress was born in Queens, New York to immigrant parents who hailed from Beijing and Shanghai. She attended the Stuyvesant High School, which is one of the top high schools in the country, with an admissions rate lower than Harvard. She went on to earn a degree in Asian languages and cultures from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

    She is most well-known for her acting work in both television and film. Her breakthrough role was Ling Woo, the cold and vicious Chinese-American lawyer in the Fox comedy-drama Ally McBeal. She was also cast as one of the three lead characters in the film Charlie’s Angels alongside Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore. In 2003, she appeared O-Ren Ishii in Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 martial parts film Kill Bill.

    Lucy Liu Played the Deadly O-Ren Ishii on ‘Kill Bill’

    However, Lucy Liu is also an accomplished visual artist who creates collages, paintings, and photography. She honed her artistic skills by attending the New York Studio School for drawing, painting, and sculpture for two years.

    Her humanitarian work first became publicly known when she was chosen as the spokeswoman for a fundraiser organized by Lee Jeans to support breast cancer education and research. In 2004, Lucy Liu was selected as an ambassador for the United States Fund for UNICEF. Over the years, she has traveled to various countries to help sick and impoverished children and has involved herself in film projects that showcase human rights violations in other parts of the world.

  • Danica Patrick Pretends To Be A Lyft Driver For A Day, Surprises Fans

    Danica Patrick Pretends To Be A Lyft Driver For A Day, Surprises Fans

    NASCAR star Danica Patrick became an ordinary Lyft car driver for a day and surprised her riders with her mad driving sills.

    Wearing a grey knitted cap, black leather jacket and a pair of shades, Danica Patrick was able to conceal her real identity. Those passengers she picked up in Charlotte, North Carolina experienced an exciting ride with the pro racer.

    Danica Patrick entertained her passengers with a few moves on the street and even tried to get other drivers to race her, but of course she was still very careful considering she was driving on the streets of North Carolina and not on the circuit.

    “I try and get in, like, 500 miles on Sundays, and I try and do it in, like, under four hours,” Patrick said to one unsuspecting passenger when she tried to give clues as to her real identity. In the video, she repeatedly said she loved making “left turns.”

    However, her passengers were totally unaware that they got a ride from a NASCAR star. One guy described Danica Patrick as “awesome” when the she asked of his opinion about “the girl who races.” Another rider said his favorite race car driver was Danica Patrick and he had no idea he was with the very person.

    When she revealed her identity, the passengers were all surprised. They all took selfies with the star before parting. Everybody seemed to have enjoyed their once-in-lifetime joy ride.

    Watch Danica Patrick Take These Unsuspecting Passengers for a Joy Ride

    On Sunday, Danica Patrick will be driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, her new team, with new crew chief, Billy Scott and sponsor, Nature’s Bakery. The racer is keeping her hopes up that the changes will bring her first Sprint Cup victory in five years on the track this year.

    Lyft had previously enlisted Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and NFL star Jerry Rice as Lyft drivers.

  • Michael Jordan And Steph Curry Get Mentioned By Kanye West In Controversial Tweet

    Rapper Kanye West has made another controversial Twitter post this Sunday in which he compared himself to two NBA stars: Michael Jordan and Steph Curry.

    Kanye West is known for his crazy Twitter rants especially when his latest album The Life of Pablo came out. Just earlier this week, he tweeted to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, asking the social media exec to invest $1 billion into his music because he is the “greatest living artist.” This time around, he mentioned legendary Bulls star Michael Jordan and Golden State phenom Steph Curry in his latest post.

    He called himself the “Michael Jordan and Steph Curry of music” before adding that he is “the best of two generations.”

    Jordan has yet to comment on the said tweet but Curry had mixed feelings about it. He found it amusing that West would consider him “best” in his field and at the same time weird to be mentioned with Jordan.

    “I’ve seen a lot of his crazy kind of outlandish tweets in the past, especially in the past month, and then when I saw my name cross through his fingertips that was pretty funny and ‘honoring’ at the same time and also very weird, putting me in the same conversation as Michael … and Kanye,” the Golden State Warriors player told the reporters.

    He went on to say that he found one interesting meme of him and Jordan in their jersey with West’s face on both players and said it was his favorite meme to date.

    “Someone did a graphic of me in my jersey and Jordan, they dubbed him guarding me, and Kanye’s face was on both of us. That’s my favorite meme of all time — or so far to-date. I’m gonna have to get that blown up on my wall or something,” Curry said laughing.