Sage Steele Complains About ESPN’s Vaccination Mandate, Calling it ‘Sick’ and ‘Scary’
A sports reporter from ESPN has gone on record saying she has gotten the vaccination shot for the coronavirus but only did so because she works “for a company that mandates it.”
ESPN’s Sage Steelestated in a recent interview that it’s not the vaccination she has a problem with; it’s “the mandate is what I really have an issue with.”
According to Yahoo Entertainment, Steele said she got a COVID-19 vaccination before the company’s mandated deadline, but she only did so because she wanted to keep her job. She revealed this information earlier this week on the latest episode of the Uncut With Jay Cutler podcast.
“I got my shot today. I didn’t want to do it, but I work for a company that mandates it, and I had until September 30th to get it done, or I’m out. I respect everyone’s decision, I really do, but to mandate it is sick and it’s scary to me in many ways. But, I have a job. A job that I love, and frankly, a job that I need, but again I love it. I just — I’m not surprised it got to this point, especially with Disney, I mean a global company like that,” she said.
The controversy surrounding the vaccinated versus the unvaccinated has led another ESPN reporter to sit out the upcoming football season. According to NBC News, fellow reporter Allison Williams stated several weeks ago that she wouldn’t be on the sidelines this football season due to her not getting the COVID-19 vaccination.
Another interesting point of conversation from the Steele interview was when Cutler said to Steele that she is “the Candace Owens of ESPN,” which garnered this response from her, “I respect the hell out of Candace Owens. Whether you agree or not, she doesn’t give a crap what you think.”
U.S. Department of Energy Announces New $2.5M Prize to Support Diversity in Innovation
The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) launched its new Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize (IEIP) awarding up to $2.5 million in cash prizes to underrepresented groups in climate technology.
The prize money will go towards helping organizations and groups supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in communities that have been underrepresented in climate and energy technology funding for years.
A recent study found just over 1% of $1 billion in philanthropic funding went to energy-justice focused organizations last year. Additionally, the study revealed information about proper procedures during the request for applications process and inadequate access to funding act as barries preventing underrepresented organizations from being considered for funding opportunities.
To change things, the IEIP will create an inclusive and just innovation ecosystem in climate and energy technologies. The prize money will support underrepresented groups and organizations with ongoing or proposed incubation, acceleration and other community based innovation services. The funds will also help lower barriers of entry for DoE funding opportunities and other forms of assistance for first time applicants.
The $2.5 million in prize money will be split among ten organizations, allowing them to:
Assist organizations with activities that support, build trust and strengthen relationships and partnerships with underrepresented, underserved communities.
Enable and enhance business and technology incubation, acceleration, and other community-based and university-based entrepreneurship and innovation in climate and clean energy technologies.
Enable clean energy and climate research, commercialization, and entrepreneurship programming and capabilities at colleges and universities that serve large populations of students underrepresented in STEM, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), community colleges, and undergraduate institutions.
Foster grassroots innovation related to just and equitable clean energy deployment through activities focusing on community-centric networks and bottom-up solutions for sustainable development, based on the needs of the communities involved
Identify and fund activities that will help traditionally underrepresented groups become aware of, apply into and receive DOE funding, in support of DOE’s Justice40 goals
Support community-serving organizations to develop replicable clean energy transitions based on renewable energy and associated opportunities
The IEIP supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 initiative to put environmental and economic justice at the center of America’s transition to a net-zero economy by 2050.
Interested parties can learn more about DoE’s IEIP and how to get involved here.
For domestic violence awareness month, which is the month of October, four business powerhouses are joining forces to share their stories to highlight this issue that many women and men deal with, often in silence.
On October 16, Ellie Diop, Arnita Johnson-Hall, Koereyelle Dubose, and Tonya Rapley will have a live discussion in Atlanta at The Women Who Thrive: Rebuilding After Abuse event in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be live-streamed on Youtubeto show women worldwide what is possible on the other side of abuse.
This collaborative effort by thriving women in the Black community shows that domestic violence does not have a face. Many people fall into abuse because they don’t know enough about how to identify the early signs. By coming together, the women hope to save women from experiencing abuse and give others the strength to walk away from abusive relationships.
Ellie Diop
Image credit: Abiel Kelly
Ellie Diop, the event host, is a business coach. She’s the Founder of the Ellievated agency and the woman behind the social media platform “Ellie Talks Money.” She’s a mother of four who used her stimulus check to build a multiple seven-figure business after being laid off from her corporate job.
During an interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Diop shared why she decided to put resources behind this event. “When you’re in an abusive relationship, whether it’s physical, mental, or financial abuse, you begin to question your worth and what you’re capable of. I want women to know that someone’s treatment of you is not a reflection of who you are and what you deserve,” Diop said. “You can still rebuild and become successful even after someone has done everything that they can to tear you down. You have the power to determine what your future looks like,” she added.
Arnita Johnson-Hall Image credit: Marrica Calahan
Arnita Johnson-Hall is a credit expert and the Founder of AMB Credit and Luxurious Credit. She’s a mother of five and the owner of multiple thriving businesses. In a recent Business Insider article, Johnson-Hall alludes to her story as a domestic violence survivor and how the darkest time of her life gave her the strength to change her financial circumstances.
“Sometimes, we don’t share because we feel alone or that no one can relate. I’m blessed to be alive to share my story. I’m hoping that it will save someone and give them strength to overcome,” Johnson-Hall told Black Enterprise.
Koereyelle Dubose
Image credit: Shots By Priiincesss
Koereyelle Dubose is an empowerment powerhouse on a mission to connect women of color to the resources they need to save themselves and live the life of their dreams. She is the Founder of the online trade school, WERK University.
When asked why she decided to be part of the event, here’s what Dubose told Black Enterprise.
“I’m always willing to share my experience because I know that someone else’s life can change just by sharing my story. Sometimes when we go through things, we blame ourselves because we don’t know anyone else who has been in similar situations. So I am open to every opportunity that allows me to share the pain that led to my purpose.”
Tonya Rapley
Image credit: Jordyn Ari
Tonya Rapley is a millennial money expert, best-selling author, and the creator of the award-winning site My Fab Finance. In 2014, Rapley was deemed the “New Face of Wealth Building” by Black Enterprise Magazine. After leaving an abusive relationship and spending years rebuilding her finances, Rapley founded My Fab Finance and has since helped thousands of women improve their finances.
“I think the culture needs to see our faces because they have a stereotype about what a survivor looks like. They also need to see what it can look like on the other side of abuse,” Rapley told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Domestic abuse is such a widespread issue. One-third of all women and 40% of Black women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. These business powerhouses are sending such a powerful message to young girls and women worldwide by uniting to highlight such an important issue.
For more information about domestic violence, whether you are in an abusive relationship or want to help someone who is, visit www.thehotline.org.
Anne-Lyse Wealth is a Writer, Wealth Educator, and Certified Public Accountant. She is the founder of Plutus Awards nominated Dreamoflegacy.com, a platform dedicated to inspiring millennials to build wealth with purpose.
Video Shows Security Guard Kill a Black Man After Complaining About the ‘Volume of the Music’ From his Vehicle
According to Local Memphis ABC 24, the case of the Black man, Alvin Motley Jr., who was fatally shot by a contractual security guard at a Kroger gas station in Memphis, TN., will go to a grand jury.
The deadly incident, which took place Aug. 7, accuses the security guard, Gregory Livingston of killing Motley over what he considered to be loud music emanating from a car Motley was a passenger in. Livingston was arrested and has been charged with second-degree murder.
There was a probable cause hearing to determine if there was enough evidence for the court case to move forward. A video of the incident of the interaction between the two men was shown in court. After viewing the footage, the judge said he saw no evidence that the shooting was justified, and the case would proceed to be presented to a grand jury.
Fox Business reported that 48-year-old Motley was with his girlfriend at a Kroger’s Poplar Avenue fuel station in Memphis on Aug. 7, when he was approached by the 54-year-old Livingston. A witness stated to the police that Livingston and Motley exchanged words over the “volume of the music” coming from Motley’s car.
Motley went back to the vehicle after interacting with the security guard but then walked back to Livingston and suggested that they “talk like men,” the witness said in an affidavit. After that, the witness said that they heard a gunshot and observed Motley “fall to the ground.” When police officers appeared at the scene, Motley was laying “on the pavement, unresponsive near the fuel pump service center with a gunshot wound.”
After the hearing on Tuesday, Motley’s attorney Ben Crump spoke to reporters.
“They said what this family has been feeling the whole time – that this was not only unnecessary, not only unjustifiable, but it was a heartless killing of a young man who was armed only with a can of beer and a cigarette,” said Crump.
“And it was so shocking when you watch that video that you have to catch a breath and ask yourself, did you see what you just saw? A man with a can of beer taking a puff of a cigarette is shot in cold blood.”
Yesterday, we saw video evidence of the heartless killing of Alvin Motley Jr! Gregory Livingston’s unjustifiable choice to use fatal force because of loud MUSIC was absolutely unnecessary! This case will now move to a grand jury in pursuit of justice for Alvin. pic.twitter.com/QOQIhsvkYp
Mom Who Spent Weeks in Coma Battling COVID, Finally Meets Newborn
It took weeks but a Houston-area mother who had to be placed in a medially-induced coma can now celebrate the birth of her newborn.
Chequile Pettawayspent weeks in a medically-induced coma after she tested positive for COVID-19.
Pettaway was admitted into a Houston hospital on Aug. The next day, she gave birth to her son, Karter. However, just two days after the delivery, doctors put Pettaway into a medically-induced coma to help stabilize her organs as she fought the virus. She remained in the coma for three weeks.
“I never got to hold him,” Pettaway told ABC 13. “It was sad because I never got to bond with my son.”
On Sept. 21, Pettaway had the chance to hold her son. “I started crying happy tears because I missed him,” said Pettaway. “It was a good day that day.”
Pettaway was not vaccinated, and she has since admitted she should have listened to her doctors and been immunized.
“I didn’t want to get vaccinated while pregnant,” said Pettaway. “I didn’t know how that was going to affect him.”
Now, the mother is urging everyone to get the vaccine.
Since her release from the ICU, Pettaway has been going to rehab to relearn how to walk and use her arms.
“My kids are my motivation to get better,” she said.
Pettaway’s sister set up a GoFundMe page for donations to go toward the cost of rehab.
In a statement last month, Dr.Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wrote, “CDC encourages all pregnant people or people who are thinking about becoming pregnant and those breastfeeding to get vaccinated to protect themselves from COVID-19.
“The vaccines are safe and effective,” she maintained, “and it has never been more urgent to increase vaccinations as we face the highly transmissible Delta variant and see severe outcomes from COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant people.”
Ciara and Russell Wilson Debut Picture Book ‘WHY NOT YOU?’ Set for March 2022 Release
Philanthropic celebrity couple, R&B soulstress Ciaraand NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, will have their picture book published in the first quarter of 2022.
Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, will publish WHY NOT YOU? the couple’s picture book, featuring illustrations by Jessica Gibson.
In a written statement, Ciara and Russell Wilson shared their excitement, saying: “As parents to three amazing children, we know how important it is to share the gift of reading with kids at an early age. Through this book, we hope to not only encourage kids worldwide to read but also inspire them to pursue their dreams with a ‘Why Not You’ attitude. We’ve been so grateful to the team at Random House for making this project, a dream of ours, a reality.”
The book is scheduled to be published on March 1, 2022, with an expected first printing of 125,000 copies.
Back in 2014, Ciara and Russell launched their organization, the Why Not You Foundation, to empower youth to live and lead with a “Why Not You” attitude. Their picture book, aptly named after the foundation, is an extension of their larger mission, written to uplift the youngest readers and encourage them to pursue their wildest dreams and believe in themselves.
The Why Not You academy is officially open. The new high school is a partnership between authorized charter public school leaders Garth Reeves and Scott Canfield and the Why Not You Foundation. The charter public school, which is tuition-free, will operate in full accordance with the Washington state charter school law.
Earlier this year, the football player and his wife signed a first-look television and film deal with Amazon Studios. The married couple intends on developing and producing scripted series and original films with Amazon Studios through their production company, Why Not You Productions.
NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Is Considering Running For Governor
New York City Public Advocate announced an exploratory committee for governor Tuesday, in a sign the race is heating up.
Williams said he intends to make a concrete decision in the next month and if he runs, pledged to push an ambitious progressive agenda as he attempted to separate himself from current Governor Kathy Hochul, who took over for Andrew Cuomo after he resigned.
The public advocate already has two big names on his side. Brad Lander, who won the democratic primary for comptroller and Antonio Reynoso, who won the primary for Brooklyn Borough President. The field for governor is still largely unsettled, however it is expected to be a large group. The Democratic Primary for mayor in New York City featured a dozen candidates.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is also considering a run for governor, but she hasn’t made a decision yet as she’s a paramount figure in the criminal and civil investigations into former PresidentDonald Trump and the Trump Organization. If she chooses to run she may have to step down from the investigation.
The New York City Mayor is also said to be considering a run as well, but his eight years in office were so turbulent, it’ll be a surprise if he is a viable candidate.
Hochul has already announced she will run for a full-term and is enjoying a significant advantage as the current governor. Hochul has already made several moves to build her profile in the five boroughs including tapping Brian Benjamin, a progressive Senator from Harlem as her lieutenant governor.
During her short time as governor, she also extended the state’s eviction moratorium and released nearly 190 inmates from Rikers Island.
Williams and Hochul know each other well, as they ran against each other for lieutenant governor in 2018. Williams lost by about 7 percentage points, but as public advocate, he’s gained more exposure and name recognition as he’s called out de Blasio for numerous issues including the situation at Rikers Island.
Despite his popularity in the city, If Williams runs for governor he may struggle with moderates upstate who remain a force in the state’s political scene as the mayoral primary showed. However, he could also use that to show he’s an Albany outsider representing a break with typical politics.
Hair, laid. Makeup, flawless. At 81, Robbie Montgomery looks like she’s been drinking from the fountain of youth and surprised her legions of fans when she popped up on the internet styling and profiling in a photoshoot posted by Mr. Utica on Instagram.
This all makes her laugh and reminisce about days gone by and dreams deferred. Life seems hopeful for Ms. Robbie. Although she still plays an active role in her remaining two restaurants – in St. Louis, Missouri and Jackson, Mississippi – she told BLACK ENTERPRISE she is no longer waiting to pursue her dream of being a solo artist.
She’s had a tough past several years with unthinkable tragedies — including the death of her 21-year-old grandson, Andre Montgomery and the arrest of her son, Tim Norman, in connection with Montgomery’s murder. But Ms. Robbie is not facing her 80s lying down. The octogenarian is standing and singing.
And, telling her story.
BE: How have you been? I saw recent photos of you and said ain’t no way she’s 81!
Ms. Robbie: Life is much better. I’m just taking things one day at a time, working in the restaurant and just trying to get back in my music. My goal is to be the oldest person to get a Grammy. The oldest female because my friend Bobby Rush has gotten one, he’s gotten two, so he took that away.
I got a song out called “Aint My Stuff Good Enough?” It’s on social media so I’m just really excited. I’m still working in the restaurant every day and that’s basically it. I’m just staying prayed up and thanking God every day. And I’m loving it.
BE: Were you impacted by the pandemic?
Ms. Robbie: Yes, my business was we had to close several times. And truthfully we have not been back up to capacity. We are just struggling, holding on and praying we come out alive. And hoping we don’t get sick doing it but trying to take the precautions. Yeah, we’re struggling.
BE: What inspired this music project?
Ms. Robbie: Singing is my first love, chicken is my second. So now at this point in my life I can do what I want to do. I always loved singing. I backgrounded everybody in the world but I never had my own hit song so that was my inspiration. I was like it’s not too late. I’m not too old. And it turned out pretty good so I’m impressed by it.
My girlfriend wrote the song for the Ikettes like 40 years ago and it was a dirty song. We put it out and they banned it. Now today it’s not dirty enough (laughing). You can apply it to sex, but if you’re at your job and you do a great job every time and everyone passes you and you don’t get promoted you want to know “Aint My Stuff Good Enough?” It covers a lot of things. It could be anything. it doesn’t just apply to ‘ain’t my sex good enough.’ But it gets attention so that’ll work for me (laughing).
Robbie Montgomery (Images @MrUtica IG)
BE: What was the drive behind the video?
Ms. Robbie: Actually in the video I had to keep in mind that I’m 81 so I couldn’t have my hooters or my tooters hanging out so I just stayed true to my age and got some young people to show their hooters and it was just a real life situation – a man cheating on a woman or vice versa that was the story and that’s how we tried to show it in the video. That this lady’s doing everything she can to please this guy and he’s still going out cheating so that was the moral of that story. Ain’t my stuff good enough – why ain’t you home with me?
BE: Are you seeing anyone right now Ms. Robbie?
Ms. Robbie: No, but I’m looking (laughing). I’m not turning up rocks but I’m looking. You never get too old to stop looking.
BE: Are you working on additional songs? Is it going to be a full album?
Ms. Robbie: We got over 500,000 views on it. I’m working on my second song now. It’s called “Feel Like Cheating.” (laughing) I’m staying in my bracket. People my age know what I’m talking about (laughing). So I’m working on that and then another video. I’m just going to see how far I can go with it. It is what I love so I’m just going to do it.
BE: You got your start as an Ikette background singer for Ike and Tina Turner. What was that like?
Ms. Robbie: It was a job. We got up every day, rehearsed, went to work, thought about what we were going to wear that night. It was a 24-hour job. We were consumed with music. Being an Ikette, we rehearsed all day, went in the studio, it was just a job getting on the bus traveling to the next city. Doing a gig and then getting back on the bus and going to the next city. So it was never the partying that people think entertainers do. It was basically a job; a different type of job.
BE: Did you get along with Tina Turner and Ike Turner? Did you form friendships with them?
Ms. Robbie: We got along well – 40 of us sleeping on the bus, eating together, we all got along together well. There were no issues. I got along with Tina very well. She was like a sister to me.
BE: Do you still stay in touch with Tina?
Ms. Robbie: No, she’s not well plus she’s in Switzerland. The young lady who use to keep us connected she passed last year so we don’t really have the connection that we use to. But I mean if I need to get in touch with her, I know how.
BE: Tell me some of the other people who you’ve backgrounded for?
Ms. Robbie: I backgrounded for everybody. That was a separate entity by itself when you went to LA. There was a group that did nothing but background singing and I was a part of them. Sometimes you didn’t even know the artist. I did the Stones, I did Nancy Sinatra, I did Barbra Streisand, just everybody you could basically think of I have at one time been on their record.
BE: You’ve been through a lot of heartache over the past five years.
Ms. Robbie: All of my life.
BE: How did you survive your grandson Andre’s death in 2016 and ultimately your son, Tim Norman, being charged in connection with that death? What’s keeping you going?
Ms. Robbie: My faith. I’m believing this is going to turn out right. I’m praying. The whole world is praying for my family. We’re just getting up every day, going day by day. It’s not a good position to be in but God put this on me and I’m handling it and I know He’s not going to let me down. So my family is dealing with all of these issues.
After this there will be something else – did you pay the light bill, then the gas bill is due. So life is like that and whatever it deals you, you just have to deal with it. It’s nothing I would reach in a barrel and pull out. I’m just doing the best that I can. And staying prayed up.
BE: Well I’m certainly praying for you.
Ms. Robbie: Thank you. We need all the prayer we can get.
BE: Where do things stand with the case? Is it still ongoing? Are they still investigating?
Ms. Robbie: Everything is at a standstill. I really don’t know a lot about it that’s why I don’t talk about it. We’re just waiting. Everything is kind of at a standstill because of COVID. So the courts are behind. But we’re just waiting and praying for a miracle. After all, everyone has to realize he (Tim Norman) hasn’t been found guilty. That’s what he’s accused of so we don’t know what happened.
That’s my son. I mean it’s like a marriage – ‘til death do us part. I can’t give him back. When kids get in trouble, they’re still your kids. No matter what happens, I’m still his mom and he’s got support and I’m praying my child gets out of this because like I say he hasn’t been found guilty but the world beat him up.
This could happen to you. It happened to me. It could happen to anybody’s family.
BE: Absolutely
Ms. Robbie: We just have to go right on living. You don’t die when things happen. You just have to deal with it and what it takes.
Robbie Montgomery (Images @MrUtica IG)
BE: How is he holding up?
Ms. Robbie: He’s holding up. I mean he has no choice. I mean he’s ready to come home. Things are slow in the courts so I have to encourage him that this is a part of it. This is a part of the process. And we’re all going through it but as a family, we’re sticking together.
BE: How many locations does Sweetie Pies currently have open? How did you manage to keep it open with the pandemic, your grandson’s death, the case with your son – through it all, how were you able to keep it together?
Ms. Robbie: Being the owner of a business is not an easy thing. You sleep that business. You eat that business. You go to sleep thinking about how you can improve that business. What it’s going to take to please your customers. After awhile, when you are stretched out so far, it becomes too much.
So we decided we would close a lot of them and just try and give our love and our attention to the ones we have open and right now we have two – one in St. Louis and one in Jackson, Mississippi. So those are the ones we are trying to keep surviving because of COVID. Things have slowed down. But we’re holding on and praying this will be our last with COVID.
We are short on staff but being in business you got to keep it open. People don’t really understand. Being an owner, you can’t open and you’re understaffed because they’re gonna talk about the service. So if you’re open, they’re gonna say, ‘Oh it wasn’t this because they didn’t have this.’ So you don’t really know what to do. You just have to make a judgement and call what’s best for your business. Every day we are looking for chefs, servers, but nobody wants to work.
It’s hard. You can’t sell apples if they’re buying oranges. It’s just one of those things. But we’re trying to hold on.
Miss Robbie (Facebook D Gaines Utica)
BE: As a Black, female business owner you were ahead of your time and you’ve kept Sweetie Pie’s running for over 30 years. What would you attribute to your business acumen?
Ms. Robbie: I had a restaurant once before but I was singing so when I stopped singing, I decided to go into the restaurant business and give it my all.
The last time you know, it was a side job. I wanted to open a restaurant because my travels when I was entertaining, everything was segregated and it wasn’t. So when I got the opportunity in California, I did spicy hot wings when they weren’t popular. I did it. But I was in Pomona and everyone I knew was in Los Angeles so I didn’t want to be there. So I would go open and then go back to Los Angeles, so I didn’t give it my all.
But when I stopped singing, I was like I’m going to make this work and I opened Sweetie Pie’s. It wasn’t easy because still people didn’t have a lot of Black restaurants but I felt if it was something that you loved and you wanted it to work, you make it work. I don’t care if it’s a lemonade stand.
During that time I decided to do soul food. I mean nobody encouraged me. Everybody was down on soul food – they were like girl you better open a salad bar, but thank God I didn’t. Everybody was down on greasy chicken and this was my dream. I wanted to follow my dream. And that’s what I did. And thank God it worked!
After that came the opportunity (to expand), then it got to be too many (locations). I can’t be there … and I want mine to be the best. I want people to come from all around and enjoy my food and know I put my whole heart in it because it’s a great feeling when you walk out there and they say “I love the food. The food is delicious.” If you can’t do that in any business, then you’re barking up the wrong tree. You’ve got to give it all you’ve got. Make sure that it works. You’re the key to this. Make sure the dream is your thing.
I did the Wings and Things in Pomona. I did those spicy hot wings before they were even popular. Here in St. Louis we had the spicy wings. I took that to California way before then. But like I said I wasn’t that dedicated to it at first, but it was working because nobody had had the hot wings during that time.
BE: Who taught you to cook?
Ms. Robbie: My mom was an excellent cook. She had nine kids so she knew how to cook and she was a stay home mom. She was from Mississippi, not that people from other places don’t cook but the Southern people, they seem to be able to make menus, recipes out of nothing. They cook to taste and that’s what I did.
I followed my mom’s footsteps and traveling around the world, tasting all of these different chef’s recipes, stuff like that and then adding my own little touch. Came up with these things that I thought were excellent.
BE: What happened to Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s on OWN? Are you through with that or are you working on reviving it?
Ms. Robbie: Well not reviving it. We had like a 7-year contract and we did 100-plus episodes. We got two NAACP Image awards. I think it ran its course. And at the end of the contract, that was it. So I don’t know what’s in store for the future. I’m open to whatever because I didn’t know I was going to get that.
That happened in my 70s. So you never know in your life what’s going to come for you. You have to be open to receive it.
BE: Are you still in touch with Oprah?
Ms. Robbie: I never was. I mean it was a business thing and we’d see each other when things came up. We were working people so I was part of her show. She’s very cordial. She’s very nice but it wasn’t like I spoke to her every day.
BE: Did she reach out to you after your grandson’s death and with all that’s been going on in your life. Did Oprah ever reach out to you?
Ms. Robbie: I’d rather not answer that.
BE: Do you physically work out of the Jackson restaurant now or are you doing more of the behind the scenes?
Ms. Robbie: I physically work. St. Louis, I made macaroni and cheese on Sunday and cornbread. And in Jackson, I physically work every day.
I don’t want them to scrape me off of the floor. I just want to do me for a while and not to have to get up every day and go to work. It’s been a long time. But I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
BE: Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Ms. Robbie: I just want to thank everybody for all the support and take Ms. Robbie to the Grammy’s. I’m trying to be the oldest female there. Ya’ll can do it so look out for me.
Dawn Onley is a freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Will and Jada Pinkett Smith Buy Massive $11.3M Mansion Amid Revealing Open Marriage Details
Fresh off revealing that they shared an open marriage, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are showing no signs of slowing down.
The couple recently purchased an $11.3 million mansion in Hidden Hills, California, that has for a 10,400-square-foot, according to New York post.
The gated community is home to many celebrities, including Drake, Lil Wayne and Kylie Jenner.
The move comes after a fire damaged the couple’s $42 million Calabasas mansion, which they are now renovating.
It also comes as Will is promoting his “brutally honest” book , “Will: A Memoir” that is set to be released thisNovember.
Smith, 53, recently made headlines in his November GQ cover story, when he admitted to that he hadextramarital affairs as part of he and Jada’s agreement to have an open relationship.
(Image: Facebook/WillSmith)
Prior to Will’s admission, Jada revealed the couple, who married in 1997, secretly separated when she had what she referred to as an entanglement with singer August Alsina.
“Jada never believed in conventional marriage … Jada had family members that had an unconventional relationship. So she grew up in a way that was very different than how I grew up,” Will Smith said, “There were significant endless discussions about, ‘What is relational perfection?’” he continued. “And for the large part of our relationship, monogamy was what we chose, not thinking of monogamy as the only relational perfection.”
(Realtor.com)
The couple’s new home has six bedrooms, each having an en suite with their own bathrooms. The master bedroom comes with a fireplace, an all-stone bath, a built-in coffee bar and refrigerator, and two walk-in closets, including a center island and resting area with a Toto Washlet, according to the listing. The house also has a sports court for tennis and basketball.
The couple has at least eight other homes across the United States, including another Hidden Hills property, occupied by their son, Jaden Smith.
The Metropolitan Opera’s Return to Stage Marks First Time the Performance Featured a Black Composer
Earlier this week, history was made at The Metropolitan Opera.
The opera returned after a nearly two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, featuring Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” which made it the first work by a Black composer in the history of The Metropolitan Opera.
According to The Associated Press, the audience of about 4,000 in the Metropolitan Opera witnessed the first stage work in the famed venue, located at Lincoln Center in New York City, since March 2020. The performance also marked the first by a Black composer in the history of the Metropolitan Opera that started back in 1883.
Another first for the presentation was the live simulcast that took place in Harlem at the Marcus Garvey Park located between 120-124th street and Fifth Avenue.
The Metropolitan Opera previously announced that a free, live simulcast of the Opening Night performance of Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” would take place at the historic Harlem park on Monday, September 27 at 6:30 pm ET.
It was also announced that the same performance would also be seen on multiple screens located in the heart of Manhattan at Times Square, which follows a tradition that has taken place for 15 seasons. There were approximately 1,700 seats that were available for the showing at Marcus Garvey Park, while 2,000 seats were available in Times Square.
For Blanchard, the 59-year-old jazz trumpeter and composer from Louisiana, this story of child molestation in segregated northern Louisiana of the 1970s premiered in 2019 at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.
It was then brought to the Met as part of a co-production that will go on the road to the Lyric Opera of Chicago in March and Los Angeles Opera in a future season. There is a planned Oct. 23 matinee from the Met, which will be the last of eight performances that will be broadcast to movie theaters around the world.
This is Blanchard’s second opera after 2013′s “Champion,” about boxer Emile Griffith.
Image credit: Marrica Calahan
