Tiffany Haddish reflected on her experience in the foster care system and how it has inspired her to use her platform to give back to other foster kids.
“When I was in foster care, I mean, I thought I was going to die there,” the Girls Trip actress told Variety. “I didn’t think I would make it to 18.”
“And when I made it to 18, I was like, ‘OK, I got to really think bigger.’ And I did think bigger, and I’m definitely where I thought I would be. Well, it’s bigger than what I thought.”
Haddish said she now feels the way she had always hoped to feel, which is “secure in my ability to provide for me.”
While the Emmy-winning comedian said her goal is to look on the positive side of her experience, saying it made her strong, there were dark times.
“When I was a kid and I was moving around, all my stuff had to be in trash bags, and moving like that is not good for the self-esteem because it makes you feel like garbage that can easily be transported to here or there,” she said. “You start thinking of yourself as such, as garbage.”
Haddish said this was “the worst feeling in the world personally” and she made a vow to herself in that moment.
“I told myself, ‘If I ever get any power, I’m going to try to make sure kids don’t feel like that,'” she said.
To accomplish this, the “Layla, the Last Black Unicorn” co-author founded the She Ready Foundation, a nonprofit that gives suitcases to foster children and connects them with internship programs.
“She Ready Foundation serves as the voice of foster children suffering in silence,” the group’s website reads.
(WASHINGTON) — A father and son who were among the first of the rioters to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, learned their fate Wednesday afternoon after a bench trial this week on federal charges they tried to block Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory.
Kevin and Hunter Seefried, of Delaware, were both found guilty of five counts: obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
They will be sentenced in September.
On the most serious count, obstructing an official proceeding, they face a maximum of 20 years’ in prison.
They chose to have a bench trial, presided over by U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was appointed by President Donald Trump.
While prosecutors said Kevin and Hunter wanted to break into the Capitol during the joint session of Congress along with the larger pro-Trump mob, their defense attorneys argued the two were not there to disrupt the electoral process.
Kevin carried with him a large Confederate battle flag — which prosecutors called a “symbol of violent opposition” — that he brought from his Delaware home as he breached the complex.
He was captured in photographs that later circulated widely and helped lead to his arrest after, authorities have said, his son talked to someone at work about being at the Capitol.
Prosecutors said Hunter was one of the first people to illegally enter the Capitol after a pro-Trump rally near the White House earlier that day. He was seen in viral videos breaking a window with his hand to enter the building. Hunter faces three additional charges of destruction of government property.
Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman — lauded by many for his efforts to keep the rioters away from Vice President Mike Pence and the evacuating members of Congress — was a key witness at the Seefrieds’ trial, having encountered both of them in the Capitol.
Goodman testified in court on Monday, describing the clashes between the mob and police as like “something out of medieval times” and saying that after he ran into Kevin Seefried inside the Capitol, the latter tried to hit him with the end of his flagpole three or four times.
Kevin was “very angry, screaming,” Goodman testified.
Hunter “was just disobeying commands,” Goodman said.
While Goodman was at the Capitol during the riot, he was hit with bear spray and had objects thrown at him by the crowd, including an apple that struck him in his head, he said.
Goodman, who served during the Iraq War, said: “I’ve never seen something like that before.”
He said that he retreated to a makeshift triage to rinse his face but that the spray “had a pretty bad effect on me.” He threw up several times before heading back outside the Capitol to continue assisting colleagues against the mob.
Later, he returned inside and came face-to-face with Kevin, who was carrying his battle flag. Goodman said that Kevin repeatedly tried to strike him with the end of the flagpole and that he could hear people scream, “Where are they counting the votes?” and, “Where are the members at?”
Goodman called on rioters to “get back” and “get out” as they came closer to him and he felt confined, he testified. He said Kevin told him, “We’re thousands, you’re just one,” adding, “We’re ready for war.”
Goodman told the court that he feared for his safety, especially after noticing a teardrop on tattoo on Kevin’s face, which Goodman felt was synonymous with someone who had previously committed murder.
“I was just outnumbered,” he testified.
The defense worked to undercut Goodman’s testimony, arguing that he may have “innocently misremembered” and that he was focusing on more violent rioters.
Neither of the Seefrieds is accused of assaulting police.
The prosecution, however, said that Goodman was no novice to chaotic environments and the Seefrieds had corroborated his testimony during FBI interviews days after Jan. 6, when Kevin admitted that he motioned toward Goodman with his flag.
Even though the company that controls BTS‘s label, HYBE, countered claims the group is going on hiatus, consider its investors rattled.
The South Korean entertainment company’s stocks took a nosedive on Wednesday after BTS announced their break to work on solo projects. Stocks plunged about 25%, but the market shakeup was widely expected after BTS’ announcement. Apparently, BTS is responsible for making up about 20% of HYBE’s overall stock because of their massive global influence.
Big Hit Music, a subsidiary company of HYBE that is responsible for BTS’ group activities, attempted to extinguish concerns expressed by fans and investors that BTS members are permanently turning the page on their collaborative efforts and beginning a new journey to pursue solo projects.
“The group will remain active as a team while taking individual journeys to further achieve personal growth,” the entertainment company told ABC News.
HYBE also issued a statement Wednesday, saying, “BTS are not taking a hiatus. Members will be focusing more on solo projects at this time.”
Meanwhile, military enrollment is looming for the septet as South Korea mandates all able-bodied men serve in the military for about two years. K-pop stars can defer military service until they turn 30. The oldest member of BTS, Jin, is due to enlist in December, which also could affect HYBE’s stocks.
As previously reported, the singers told fans on Tuesday they’re going on haitus. The Grammy nominees cited exhaustion and a loss of direction as reasons for the break.
J-Hope assured fans the hiatus would be good for the group, saying it will allow them to “become stronger” and “start our second chapter.”
Big Hit has since announced J-Hope is working on a solo album while other members are working on “collaborations with other artists.”
(NEW YORK) — Average monthly car payments hit a record high in May while the cost of new vehicles continues to rise, according to industry insiders.
A report from Moody’s Analytics found that typical monthly car payments hit a record high of $712 in May. Kelley Blue Book data found that new vehicle prices averaged $47,148 in May, the second highest on record.
Vehicle affordability worsened again because of higher interest rates and increased car prices, according to a recent Cox Automotive & Moody’s Analytics vehicle affordability index report. The report said “the estimated typical monthly payment increased 1.7% to $712,” which is a new record high for monthly payments.
It would cost 41.3 weeks of median income to buy a new vehicle, which is a jump of 19% from May of 2021, according to the report.
Brian Moody, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book, told ABC News that a low supply of cars and high demand from buyers means consumers “are going to be paying more” than the MSRP. Data from Kelley Blue Book suggests non-luxury car buyers paid on average $1,030 more than the sticker price.
For luxury cars, where experts say there is a lot of demand, buyers are paying an average of $65,379 for a new vehicle, about $1,071 above sticker price, according to Kelley Blue Book data.
But Moody said customers can still get good deals on less sought-after brands like Mazda, Hyundai and Buick.
And prices could even drop later this year, he noted.
“Although prices are up for May, it’s only 1%, and so that indicates … we may be headed toward a place where the prices will start to decrease,” Moody said.
Jerry Seinfeld‘s love of breakfast food was literally always on display in every episode of Seinfeld, but he’s taking it a step further by making his feature film directorial debut about … Pop-Tarts.
Specifically, Seinfeld has tapped fellow stand-up comic actors Amy Schumer and Jim Gaffigan, along with Melissa McCarthy, Hugh Grant, Christian Slater and more, for the Netflix film Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story.
Calling it “a tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen,” Unfrosted will also star Seinfeld himself, along withAnchorman 2‘s James Marsden; Reno 911 and Balls of Fury writer and star Thomas Lennon; The New Girl‘s Max Greenfield; former Saturday Night Live cast member Bobby Moynihan; and 30 Rock veteran Jack McBrayer.
The streamer teases, “Michigan, 1963. Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever.”
Stephen Maturen/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.) — A renowned American Indigenous restaurant took home one of the top honors at the prestigious James Beard Awards this week.
The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Owamni was named best new restaurant of 2022 at the awards ceremony, which was held in Chicago on Monday night.
The event is sometimes referred to as the Oscars of the food world.
“Our ancestors are proud tonight because we’re doing something different. We’re putting health on the table, we’re putting culture on the table, and we’re putting our stories on the table,” chef and restaurant owner Sean Sherman said during his acceptance speech. “And we hope that one day we can find Native American restaurants in every single city.”
The chef, who previously won a James Beard award for best American cookbook with “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen,” first opened the Minnesota hotspot in summer 2021 with co-owner Dana Thompson, to mass acclaim.
“People of color everywhere have been affected by colonialism,” Sherman said Monday, adding that they had endured “centuries” of racism. “This is showing that we can get through that, that we’re still here. Our people are here.”
Owamni’s menu celebrates “the true flavors of North America” using decolonized ingredients such as bison and wild rice purchased from Indigenous food producers locally and nationally.
“We have removed colonial ingredients such as wheat flour, cane sugar and dairy. We are proud to present a decolonized dining experience,” the restaurant states on its website.
The awards ceremony, which recognizes talent around the culinary and food media industries, resumed in person this year following a two year hiatus amid the pandemic, during which the organization said it “underwent a full audit of its policies and procedures” to address and remove bias.
Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, which runs the event, said this year was “a momentous turning point” after “major changes were made to better align the Awards with the Foundation’s mission and values to ensure we are a force for good in our country’s food culture, and more representative of the communities we serve.”
“In the spirit of Gather for Good, this weekend was a true celebration of our industry, as we recognize outstanding leaders making our country’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for all,” she added, referencing the theme of the night.
Luke Combs is a country music superstar, but he’s not above changing a dirty diaper.
The hitmaker is days away from welcoming his first child, a boy, with his wife Nicole, and he’s fully prepared to be on diaper duty as a way to return the favor to his wife for staying strong through the pregnancy.
“I’m assuming that I will probably end up doing a lot of that,” he affirms to the Tennesseanabout diaper changing. “She had to grow him for nine months, so I figure I can at least do something at this point. You don’t really do anything for nine months and you didn’t do anything after that, it’s kind of like a deadbeat at that point. So I figure I’ll be changing my fair share of diapers after tonight for sure.”
The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year confirms that CMA Fest was his last show as a “not dad” and that the baby should be arriving any day, potentially as soon as Father’s Day this Sunday. “That’d be cool,” he says if the baby were to arrive on Father’s Day.
Luke and Nicole announced in January that they’re expecting a baby boy. Their friends and family threw them a baby shower in Nashville earlier this month.
Dolly Parton’s famous for her generous spirit, especially when it comes to protecting children, and she made another huge contribution this week in support of kids facing illness.
The country superstar has donated $1 million to pediatric infectious disease research at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Her donation will support the fight against diseases such as COVID-19 as well as prevent and understand antibiotic resistance and diagnose and treat infections in children who are fighting cancer.
“I love children,” Dolly says in a statement. “No child should ever have to suffer, and I’m willing to do my part to try and keep as many of them as I can as healthy and safe as possible.”
In 2020, Dolly donated $1 million to VUMC to help develop the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. She has also made major contributions to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Pediatric Cancer Program.
Dolly’s donations in support of children’s causes also extend to education: She established her Imagination Library as a way to promote literacy, gifting a free book each month to children under five years old.
Taylor Swift kept her new song “Carolina” period correct for the upcoming film Where the Crawdads Sing.
Director Olivia Newman joined Reese Witherspoon for a roundtable discussing the upcoming film andrevealed Taylor made the song authentic to the early ’50s, which is when the first half of Where the Crawdads Sing is set.
Witherspoon, who produced the film, revealed she “freaked out” when she found out the Grammy winner tailor made “Carolina” especially for the movie — without telling anyone.
“She read this book and loved it so much, and then she heard we were making a movie [while] she was making her folklore album and then she wrote a song with that whole folklore team, which was so haunting, and magical and beautiful,” Witherspoon continued to gush. “I was blown away.”
Added Newman, “She had gone and written this song out of just pure inspiration and sort of said, ‘I don’t know if you’ll like it, but here it is!'” The director added Taylor “wrote this gorgeous letter to us explaining how they chose instruments that were only available before 1953 and she recorded it in one take the way they recorded songs at the time.”
Newman also admitted, “The first time I listened to it, I just started bawling and I said, ‘I don’t know what’s happening to me right now.’ I mean, I love singing along to Taylor Swift songs but I never cry like this.”
Newman, who is also a fan of the book and its earthshaking ending, said Taylor perfectly captured the “very specific feeling” readers experience upon finishing the last chapter. “We wanted to leave audiences with that same sort of emotional feeling and her song just leans right into that,” she said.
Where the Crawdads Sing arrives in theaters July 15.
Comedian and Oscar-nominated actress Mo’Nique has “amicably” settled a 2017 lawsuit against Netflix, in which she claimed she was given a “low-ball” offer for a comedy special and then retaliated against when she cried foul.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, both parties agreed to drop any legal action in exchange for an undisclosed settlement.
At the time, Mo’Nique leveled claims of race and sex discrimination against the streaming service, claiming the $500,000 she was offered by the streamer paled in comparison to the multimillion deals Netflix gave Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer and others.
For her part, Mo’Nique said at the time she couldn’t accept the deal, knowing that her name would be used as a way to tamp down the requested price tag for other Black female comics, like Tiffany Haddish and others.
“When Mo’Nique, one of the most well-known black female comedians in America, faced that anachronistic attitude, she knew it was time to challenge the status quo,” said her attorney, Michael W. Parks, in a statement at the time.
Netflix had denied the Precious Oscar nominee’s discrimination accusations.
However, The Hollywood Reporter notes a federal judge overseeing the case agreed with Mo’Nique’s assertions, calling it “plausible” that her name and her salary — had she agreed to it — could be used “in dealing with talent in the entertainment industry.”
