‘The Worst Nemesis’: Tony Todd Was Paid $1,000 Per Bee Sting in Original ‘Candyman’ Film
The original Candyman actor, Tony Todd, is opening up about his hefty payout in exchange for sustaining actual bee stings for the cult classic horror film.
It’s been 30 years since Todd, 67, starred in the original Candyman before returning for two sequels in 1995 and 1999. As the horror flick celebrates its 30th anniversary, Todd recalls the gruesome scene from the 1992 film where Todd’s Candyman kisses Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) with a mouth full of live bees.
“I had a great lawyer at the time and we got paid,” Todd said. “So I didn’t mind it, I’m going like, ‘Bring it on!’ And it only totaled to 27 [stings].”
Todd credits his amazing lawyer, who negotiated a clause in his contract that garnered the screen star $1,000 for every bee sting.
“I had a great lawyer at the time, and we got paid,” he quipped.
He revealed he was stung a total of 27 times, meaning he received an extra $27,000 just for that scene alone.
The bees were also an issue for Madsen, 61, who is extremely allergic to bees, Peoplereports. She recalls there being “paramedics on the set,” just in case, “which didn’t make [her] feel very confident.”
“But the bees that were on me were baby bees, so they can sting, but they said they are less likely to,” the actress shared. “Then you had to sit for a good 20-25 minutes while [the bee wrangler] vacuums them off you.”
The film was reimagined last year by director Nia DaCosta from a screenplay by Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld. It was ahead of the reawakening of Candyman that Todd made a special guest appearance when he first opened up about the $1,000 bee stings.
“Everything that’s worth making has to involve some sort of pain. Once I realized it was an important part of who Candyman was, I embraced it. It was like putting on a beautiful coat.”
Wells Fargo Names Kristy Fercho Head Of Diverse Segments, Representation, and Inclusion
Wells Fargo has named Kristy Fercho, head of its home lending division, as its head of Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion.
Fercho previously served the multinational bank as the head of its home-lending division. In her new role, she will integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into every aspect of the company’s business and deliver marketplace and workplace outcomes.
In a statement, Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf said Fercho will excel in the new position.
“Our work on diversity, equity, and inclusion is a long-term commitment, and we will continue to advance it under Kristy’s leadership,” Scharf said.
“Her deep business experience, including her most recent role as head of our Home Lending business, puts her in a unique position to make our DE&I work even more central to how we operate as a company and to drive positive outcomes for our employees and communities.”
Fercho, a USC and St. Joseph’s University alumnus, has been with Wells Fargo since 2020. She previously spent 15 years with Fannie Mae in various roles and eight years at Pepsico as director of human resources.
The Diverse Segments, Representation and Inclusion head also serves on the board of the Mortgage Bankers Association and is a member of its residential board of governors. Fercho also serves on the boards of the National Urban League and the MBA Open Doors Foundation.
Fercho will succeed Kleber Santos, who was promoted to CEO of Wells Fargo’s Consumer Lending Business in July. Fercho will remain the head of home lending and will fully transition to her new role once a successor is found.
Wells Fargo has been making a push in diversity efforts after being accused of staging fake job interviews for Black and female candidates; civil rights attorneyBen Crump called out the bank for its discriminatory bank practices. Last month, Wells Fargo donated $800,000 to the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. to expand economic empowerment programming for youth and underserved communities and its members.
Cynthia Bailey Reveals The ‘Final Straw’ That Led Her To Divorce Mike Hill
This Real Housewives of Atlanta alum may not be interested in a role as a friend of the cast, but she’s definitely into being a friend of her significant other.
Cynthia Bailey opened up about the “final straw” that led to her divorce from Mike Hill during a recent appearance on Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave‘s Two Ts in a Pod podcast.
“I felt like we weren’t friends anymore,” Bailey, 55, said on Monday’s episode. “I felt like it was just going toward we’re just not going to be friends if we didn’t pump the brakes.”
According to People, Bailey revealed that although she currently transitions between having good days and bad days, the friendship factor was important to her, and neither of the two regret their decision to go their separate ways.
“This is not my first rodeo. I think friendship just has to be there in a marriage,” Bailey said. “Like, love is great, but friendship has to be there. I truly want to be with my best friend.”
“I don’t think either one of us regrets our decision to move forward in the way we have decided to move forward,” she added.
Bravoreported that Bailey and Hill are still on good terms. However, they were already experiencing some issues before they reached the last push toward divorce.
“It’s not final yet. We’re still going through the process, so we’re still technically married. For me, there’s still just a lot of respect stuff on my end that I still feel like he’s my husband.”
Bailey attended BravoCon 2022, which kicked off the day after their divorce announcement, and the reality star shared that the three-day event was a much-needed distraction.
“Honestly, BravoCon helped a lot. I love our fans. I didn’t even think about it for three days because I was too damn tired… Tired and drunk, OK?” she told Tamra and Teddi, also crediting her supporters for lifting her up “in a blaze of glory” that weekend. “So that was a welcome, nice distraction from it all.”
Reportedly, Bailey divorced Hill in October after two years of marriage, but she believes the separation was no mistake.
Lena Horne Makes History By Becoming First Black Woman to Have a Broadway Theater Named After Her
Another first has been added to the career of legendary artist Lena Horne.
Actress Lena Horne as Selina Rogers in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images)
According to Broadway Direct, earlier this week, Horne became the first Black woman to have a theater on Broadway named after her. This iconic renaming took place in New York City on November 1.
The late, great entertainer and civil rights activist Lena Horne became the first Black woman in U.S. history to have a Broadway theater named after her on Tuesday, when NYC’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre on W 47th Street changed its name to the Lena Horne Theatre pic.twitter.com/27ldbdM2rW
Three major theater owners, the Shubert Organization, the Nederlander Organization, and Jujamcyn Theaters made a commitment as a part of Black Theatre United’s New Deal for Broadway. Under that deal, the theaters pledged to name one of their venues after a Black artist. The Nederlander Organization took the lead and gathered a list of names of famous Black performers. They picked the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, which is located at 256 West 47th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.
“We chose Lena Horne because she is such an important part of the fabric of Broadway and of the fabric of Nederlander,” says Christina Selby, Nederlander’s Vice President of Production and Touring in a written statement. “She had very close ties to Jimmy [Nederlander] Sr., because he produced her show at the Nederlander Theatre. This is a family company first and foremost, and we wanted to honor someone who was a part of the family.”
The Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams acknowledged the great artist on his Twitter account.
It’s showtime!
Today we made history in NYC when we unveiled the Lena Horne Theatre, the first Broadway theater named after a Black woman.
Lena personified elegance and grace while also fighting racism and injustice. Her legacy and NYC story live on. pic.twitter.com/77PKFQBctb
Horne starred in many Broadway productions and got her start in 1934 with a play titled, Dance With Your Gods. The legend also made a mark in Hollywood when she was featured in several movies in the 1940s, such as Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky before starring on Broadway again in Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. She was given a Special Tony Award in 1981.
The actress became the first Black woman to be nominated for a Tony Award in 1958. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Jamaica.
Catering Staff of Denzel Washington’s ‘Equalizer 3’ Film Busted for Cocaine In Italy
Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington is currently shooting his upcoming action thriller, The Equalizer 3, on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, but independent caterers were reportedly subject to a drug raid following the sudden death of the head of the film’s catering service.
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, Italian officials used forced entry to enter hotel rooms belonging to TheEqualizer 3 caterers on suspicion that they were in possession of drugs, as reported by Variety.
The surprise raid was prompted by the discovery of several packages of cocaine in the belongings of the deceased head caterer, who died from a heart attack on Monday, Oct. 31.
This inspired further suspicion of illicit substances on the production set.
Il Giornale, an Italian publication, reported that Italian paramilitary police seized 120 grams of cocaine, resulting in two catering staff members being placed on house arrest in the seaside resort of Maiori on alleged drug trafficking charges.
Close sources told Deadline that the men were arrested after a “private gathering” during the country’s All Saints’ religious and public holiday. They were celebrating a day off, as did Italy’s government offices, schools, and many private businesses.
Another employee of the catering company had his driver’s license confiscated after police found him in possession of a small amount of cocaine.
In addition to the hotel, police searched an area of the Maiori’s port, where the film’s production was set up.
Sony Pictures is partnering with Italy’s Eagle Pictures for the film, with local production house Garbo Produzioni handling the physical production, per Variety. Currently in its fourth week of shooting, The Equalizer 3 is taking advantage of Italy’s generous production incentives through Garbo.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, The Equalizer 3 reunites Washington and Dakota Fanning nearly 20 years after they starred together in 2004’s Man On Fire. Italian actress Gaia Scodellaro also stars.
JPMorgan Chase Prepares to Roll Out App That Automates Payments for Renters and Landlords
JPMorgan Chase is piloting a digital platform called Story for property owners and managers that automates the invoicing and receipt of rent payments.
Story is an all-in-one property management digital solution for renters, managers, and property owners. Not only does the platform allow tenants to pay landlords digitally and directly, but it also allows property managers to throw decades-old software such as Intuit QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel away, according to Sam Yen, chief innovation officer for JPMorgan Chase.
“The vast majority of rent payments are still done through checks,” Yen said, according to CNBC.
“If you talk to residents to this day, they often say ‘The only reason I have a checkbook still is to pay my rent.’ So there are lots of opportunities to provide efficiencies there.”
The COVID-19 pandemic boosted digital payments. Today, digital payment apps, including Apple Pay, Zelle, and Cash App, are used by millions for everything like shopping, dining, paying friends back, and parents giving money to their children.
However, paper checks still rule the landscape when it comes to paying rent. More than 12 million property owners across the U.S. manage smaller portfolios with fewer than 100 units, and as a result, the majority of Americans still pay their rent the same way they did 20 years ago.
Story will “give property owners [and managers] much more visibility across their entire portfolio to see exactly what’s been paid and what hasn’t been paid,” Yen added.
The app is expected to roll out in full force in 2023, and landlords and tenants are not required to be JPMorgan Chase customers to use the app. Story will also offer valuable data and analytics for property owners and managers, including setting rent levels, screening potential tenants, and more.
Yen added that Story would allow renters to automate monthly rent payments, receive notifications from their landlords, and view past payments and lease agreements.
Story is a part of JPMorgan Chase’s move to go beyond home loans to eventually capture “a significant portion” of the $500 million in annual rent payments, according to commercial banking CEO Doug Petno.
The bank has also committed to advancing wealth building in Black communities and increasing the supply of climate-resilient housing for Black and Latino communities.
Pregnant Chicago Woman Allegedly Stabbed Baby’s Father To Death Over Using the Microwave
A pregnant Chicago woman claimed to be defending herself from her violent boyfriend.
Keshia Golden was arrested on October 23 and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Calvin Sidney, during an argument following her baby shower, over who would get to use the microwave to heat food.
According to The Chicago Sun-Times, the fight happened Sunday morning around 3 a.m. after the couple and other relatives returned to her Austin apartment, following the celebration on Saturday night.
Reportedly, prosecutors said the argument escalated over the use of the microwave. Officials stated that 33-year-old Golden, eight months pregnant, knocked a plate out of the hands of Sidney, 29, who shoved her into the counter in retaliation. Sidney’s uncle attempted to separate the two before Sidney went to one of the bedrooms, where Golden allegedly followed with a knife and stabbed him in the leg.
According to prosecutors, Golden dropped the knife and exited the apartment.
“She didn’t mean to kill anyone,” said Golden’s mother, Tarsha Ellis. “She’s broke up about it. She didn’t know you could kill someone by stabbing them in the leg. She just wanted him to leave because he was acting out, and she was worried about hurting the baby. And he wouldn’t go.”
The New York Postreported that Sidney allegedly suffered from a wound to his femoral artery and died at Mount Sinai Hospital. Unaware of her boyfriend’s death, Golden returned to her apartment, where she was arrested.
On Friday, Golden was ordered held on $2 million bail, with an upcoming appearance before a judge that her appointed attorney revealed would be scheduled less than two weeks before her due date.
“To not only force Keshia to give birth in jail but then to immediately take her child away after birth is cruel to the mother and the baby,” Golden’s public defender, Julie Koehler, told The Sun-Times.
“This heartless decision is contrary to Illinois law. All the evidence shows Keshia acted in self-defense. The only person she’s ever shown any violence toward was the man that was beating her.”
Officials revealed that five other accounts of domestic violence reportedly took place between the couple, four incidents in which Golden accused Sidney of allegedly choking, punching, slapping, or pushing her.
“It was just toxic with those two,” Ellis said. “But they loved each other. If he could raise up right now, they wouldn’t have no case because he would never want charges against her.”
Karen S. Carter Named President of Packaging and Specialty Plastics at Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) announces Karen S. Carter, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Inclusion Officer for Dow, has been named President of Packaging and Specialty Plastics (P&SP).
She succeedsDiego Donoso who will retire in the first quarter of 2023. The transition will begin immediately.
Carter has more than 25 years of experience with Dow. Before assuming her current responsibilities, she held the role of North America commercial vice president for P&SP. While serving in that role, Carter was a member of the global business leadership team and was responsible for the overall profit and loss of P&SP’s North America region.
Carter has held a variety of global business positions throughout her career, including global business director and global marketing director for P&SP, and has also held roles within Building and Construction, Polyethylene, Engineering Thermoplastics, Fabricated Products and Information Technology Equipment, and Consumer Electronics.
Her leadership extends to several external organizations as well, including serving as chair of the Business Leaders Committee on the State of Michigan’s Black Leadership Advisory Council, as well as chair of the Catalyst Board of Advisors.
“As CHRO and the Company’s first Chief Inclusion Officer, Karen’s leadership has meaningfully impacted the way we address both workplace skills and competencies, to enable the transformation of our culture and develop the next generation of Dow leaders,” said Jim Fitterling, Dow Chairman and CEO.
“This is a pivotal time for Dow’s P&SP franchise.”
“We are accelerating our commitment to address plastic waste and meet customers’ increasing demands for more sustainable and circular products. Karen is a proven leader who will further advance the implementation of our ‘Decarbonize and Grow’ strategy, build important collaborations, and enable a new industrial ecosystem to grow.”
Donoso was named president of P&SP in 2012. His journey with Dow began more than 30 years ago, when, after graduating with a degree in business administration from Babson College in Boston, he joined Dow as a trainee in the commercial area in São Paulo, Brazil. Over the next 20 years, Donoso served in numerous marketing and commercial leadership positions for Dow’s resins and plastics franchise in both Latin America and Europe. In 2010, Donoso was appointed President of Dow Japan and Korea based in Tokyo, Japan, and in 2012, transferred to Dow’s corporate headquarters in Midland, Michigan and was promoted to President of P&SP later that year.
Throughout his career, Donoso has been a strong proponent of diversity, equity and inclusion, serving as an executive sponsor of Dow’s employee resource groups (ERG) including the Women’s Innovative Network and most recently for the Middle East, North Africa ERG. Donoso currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sadara joint venture with Saudi Aramco, Board of Directors for Circulate Capital, and is Chairman of the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Operating Committee.
“Diego has truly left his mark on Dow,” said Fitterling.
“Through his leadership of the P&SP segment over these past 10 years the business has exceeded customers’ expectations on innovation, performance, and sustainability. Beyond that – Diego has been a trusted advisor, mentor, and champion to many people across Dow and has helped develop the next generation of Dow leaders.”
Ye Pays Settlement To Former Employee Who Overheard Him Glorify and Obsess Over Nazis and Hitler
Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, has reportedly paid an undisclosed settlement to a former employee who claimed he used antisemitic language during business meetings, according to documents obtained by NBC News.
The news outlet reported that the settlement, as well as multiple employee accounts, indicate that the disgraced rap and fashion mogul praised Nazis and mass murderer Adolf Hitler “in more instances than previously known to the public” over the past five years.
The former employee is among numerous staffers who signed nondisclosure agreements after they overheard him making these controversial remarks.
However, Ye denied the individual’s allegations in the settlement.
Six people who have worked with the Donda rapper told NBC News that he also repeatedly mentioned anti-Jewish conspiracy theories in the workplace. These instances date back to at least 2018, well before Ye’s swift cancellation from major companies and brands.
Jewish conceptual artist Ryder Ripps, who worked with Ye between 2014 and 2018, is one of those people who confirmed the allegations. At the time, he didn’t find Ye’s comments “dangerous.”
“This is dangerous and disgusting and actually violent,” Ripps said.
“With this pattern that’s happening and with the doubling and tripling down of all this, it’s pretty obvious that this is some kind of disgusting, hate-filled, strange Nazi obsession,” he added.
BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that a business executive who used to work for Ye said the 45-year-old designer created a hostile work environment, due in part to his “obsession” with Hitler.
In addition, four inside sources echoed that Ye wanted to name his 2018 album Hitler but he decided to name it Ye.
The executive left his role and reached a settlement, which appears to be a separate case from the documents reviewed by NBC News.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ye apologized “for the pain that I’ve caused” following a string of antisemitic remarks on social media and in interviews.
Days later, he went onto echo his previous discourse in an interview with MIT research scientist Lex Fridman, a Soviet-Union-born Jewish host.
“Fifty percent today of … Black people’s deaths today is abortion…. It’s not racism; that’s too wide of a term. It’s genocide and population control that Black people are in today in America, that is promoted by the music and the media that Black people make, that Jewish record labels get paid off of,” Ye said, per The Los Angeles Times.
Exelon CEO Announces Retirement at End of Year; Board Names Calvin Butler To Succeed As CEO
Chief Executive Officer Chris Crane has announced that he will retire from his position as CEO and as a director of the Exelon Board effective Friday, Dec. 30, 2022.
The Exelon Board has elected Calvin G. Butler Jr., currently president and chief operating officer (COO), to the role of president and chief executive officer as of Dec. 31, 2022. Butler also will join Exelon’s Board of Directors.
The company recently promoted Butler and expanded his responsibilities as a step in the company’s leadership succession plans. Crane accelerated his retirement plans to focus on his health after learning in recent days that he will require treatment for significant spinal and hip issues. He will work with Butler through the end of the year on the transition process.
Crane has been the company’s CEO and a member of the Board of Directors since 2012.
During his tenure, Exelon has been an industry leader in improving the reliability and resilience of the grid, as well as combatting climate change through clean energy generation, safety and operational improvements and customer service. Crane established within Exelon and the industry a focus on workforce development in underserved communities, with particular attention on STEM careers for young women and job training and placement for work-ready adults. He is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, signing the White House Equal Pay Pledge and supporting DACA. He drove diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the company, and leaves in place a talented, experienced and highly diverse senior leadership team. Most recently, he led the separation of Exelon and Constellation, unlocking significant value for both companies’ shareholders.
Crane joined Exelon (then ComEd) in 1998 and was named chief nuclear officer in 2004. Crane assumed responsibility for Exelon’s fossil, hydro and renewables facilities, in addition to the nuclear fleet, in 2007. He oversaw a broad range of generation and business development initiatives, including new nuclear development, nuclear operating services, development of the nation’s largest urban solar project, innovative decommissioning strategies and asset optimization. Crane was named president of Exelon Generation in 2008, with added responsibility for the Power Team, Exelon’s former wholesale power trading and competitive retail organization.
“We are grateful to Chris for his leadership of Exelon and the industry,” said John F. Young, chair of the Exelon Board of Directors.
“From building the world’s leading nuclear operating fleet and advocating for the nuclear facilities that provide a significant portion of the nation’s clean energy to building the leading pure transmission and distribution company that Exelon is today, Chris’ focus has been on ensuring a cleaner and brighter future for our customers and communities. On behalf of the Exelon Board, we are grateful for Chris’ more than two decades of service to Exelon. We will support Chris and Calvin during this transition period and look forward to working with Calvin as he begins his role as the new president and chief executive officer of Exelon.”
Crane completed highly successful mergers with Constellation Energy in 2012 and with Pepco Holdings in 2016 to create the nation’s largest energy company by customer count. Exelon’s utilities serve more than 10 million customers today. As CEO, Crane positioned Exelon’s utilities to consistently perform in the top quartile for service reliability and customer satisfaction over the last five years. In its most recent quarter, for example, all Exelon operating companies were in the top quartile for outage duration, a key element of reliability.
Crane is former chair and serves on the board of the Edison Electric Institute. He is a member of the board of directors of AEGIS Insurance Services, and former chair of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the Nuclear Energy Institute, the nation’s nuclear industry trade association. He is immediate past chair of the board of the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, and a member of the boards of Get in Chicago and the Economic Club of Washington, DC.
“I’ve spent my entire career in the energy industry and for the last 10 years, I’ve had the privilege of being Exelon’s CEO, working alongside our thousands of employees who are powering a cleaner and brighter future for our customers and communities. The work we do is absolutely vital for the people we serve and the future of our planet,” said Crane.
“I truly regret that health challenges are requiring me to step away, but I have great faith in Calvin and his leadership abilities, as well as the rest of the team.”
“Calvin is a man of unquestionable integrity, a talented leader and dedicated to our purpose, our values and ensuring that the benefits of clean energy are shared equitably across all of the communities we serve. While I won’t be at the helm after this year, as Exelon leads the transformation of the energy industry, I know the company and our people are in excellent hands, and I will enjoy watching Exelon’s continued success.”
Prior to being promoted to president and COO in October 2022, Butler had served as senior executive vice president and COO since February 2022. He previously served as Exelon Utilities CEO, with oversight of Exelon’s six electric and gas delivery companies, since 2019.
“Leading Exelon is a privilege and responsibility that I take very seriously,” said Butler.
“Chris is a tremendous leader, mentor and friend. As our world has been undergoing significant change, so too has the energy industry, and Chris has been at the forefront of that evolution. At Exelon, we are uniquely positioned to lead the nation and our industry to a clean energy future that is safe, reliable, affordable and equitable for all.”
“I appreciate the Board’s confidence in me and will do everything I can to serve our customers and communities, keep our employees safe and move the energy industry forward.”
Butler joined the company in 2008, is a 14-year veteran of Exelon and has more than 28 years of leadership experience in the utilities industry and in regulatory, legislative and public affairs. Prior to becoming CEO of Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) in March 2014, Butler served as BGE’s senior vice president for Regulatory and External Affairs. In addition, he has held various leadership positions at ComEd, including as senior vice president of Corporate Affairs and vice president of Governmental and Legislative Affairs. Before joining Exelon in 2008, he held senior leadership roles in external affairs as well as in manufacturing with the print, digital and supply chain solutions company R.R. Donnelley. Butler spent his early career with Central Illinois Light Company (CILCORP, Inc.), where he worked in government affairs, legal and strategy.
He has been recognized by several organizations for his leadership and community commitment. In 2017, he was named among BLACK ENTERPRISE MAGAZINE’s “300 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America,” and “Industrialist of the Year” by the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The Daily Record named Butler one of Maryland’s “Most Admired CEOs” and one of its top 35 “Influential Marylanders,” while Baltimore Magazine named him as one of its “Top Ten Baltimoreans.”
Butler serves as chair of each Exelon operating company board — BGE, ComEd, PECO and PHI. He is the vice chair of the Institute of International Education (IIE) and also serves on the board of M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE: MTB), the board of RLI Corp. (NYSE: RLI) and the boards of several prominent Baltimore-based organizations, including the Baltimore Community Foundation, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Greater Baltimore Committee, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Caves Valley Golf Club, and on the Board of his undergraduate alma mater, Bradley University. Butler also serves on the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University; a Juris Doctor degree from Washington University School of Law; and an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Morgan State University. He is an active member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
