Netflix has revealed a tease for the upcoming reboot of ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ titled, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Netflix chose – when else? – Friday the 13th to tweet the first look at the on-screen coven.
Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men),will play half-witch ‘Sabrina Spellman’ in the new series which has been described as “tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist.”
The show’s official social media accounts posted a short video featuring Shipka along with other actors in the show addressing the viewing audience, “Hey witches, welcome to our coven.”
This past Friday night, a woman trying to use a manufacturer’s coupon at her local CVS drugstore found herself the target of racisim as the manager of the store called police accusing the woman of fraud.
According to The Chicago Sun-Times, while making a purchase at the CVS store on North Broadway in Chicago, Illinois, Camilla Hudson presented a manafacturer’s coupon at checkout.
But the manager of the store, identified as Morry Matson, said he’d never seen a coupon like that and proceeded to call the police.
Wait – what? The police? About a coupon?
In a video posted to Facebook by Hudson, Matson can be seen shaking as he describes Hudson as an “African-American” to the police. During the conversation Hudson assures Matson, “Tell them that I will be waiting for them to arrive.”
So, THIS just happened: I had the police called on me for attempting to use a coupon @ the CVS Pharmacy located at 6150 N. Broadway in Chicago! I stopped in to make a purchase using a coupon mailed to me by the product manufacturer, as replacement for problematic/defective product. The manager on duty said that he’d never seen a coupon like the one I had and said that he thought it was fraudulent. When I asked for his name and his title/role within the store, he became agitated and rude. When I pulled out my phone to document what happened and exactly what he’d said to me (AND how he’d said it!) he turned his back and walked away from me. When I followed him and demanded that he answer my question, he ran to the back of the store and slammed a door in my face. Meanwhile, the other manager, who’d been helping me initially, came running back to tell me that I’d better leave the store immediately, because he’d called the police.
Of course, I had ZERO concerns about the police being called. Apparently, they’d hung up on him the first time he called, so he had to call them back a second time, telling the 911 dispatcher that I was harassing them (which I have on video). Three tactical unit officers arrived and, after some conversation and documenting their names, badge numbers, etc., I eventually left the store. Needless to say, this is far from over. Life in these United States. Aargh.
The Sun-Times notes that Matson is currently running for alderman in the 48th Ward of Chicago.
On his campaign website, Matson promises “increased police presence throughout Alderman Matson’s 48th Ward.”
He was a state delegate for President Donald Trump in the 2016 election and is president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Illinois, an LGBTQ conservative group.
Speaking of ‘fraud,’ the website BlockClubChicago took a look into Matson’s own history and found that in 2013 he spearheaded an effort to build a waterfront walkway. But allegations of fraud arose when it was discovered pages and pages of signatures matched Matson’s own handwriting.
Matson eventually admitted he had signed some of the signatures himself.
Hudson said in her post that there were three officers who showed up in response to Matson’s call, and she spoke with them before leaving the store. Chicago Police could not immediately respond to confirm.
CVS issued an apology to Hudson via BlockClubChicago, which read in part:
“We sincerely apologize to Ms. Hudson for her experience in one of our stores,” CVS said in a statement issued to Block Club Chicago. “Our Region Director in Chicago contacted Ms. Hudson as soon as we were made aware of this incident. CVS has begun an investigation and we will take any corrective action that is warranted to prevent it from happening again.
“CVS Pharmacy does not tolerate any practices that discriminate against any customer and we are committed to maintaining a welcoming and diverse environment in our stores,” the statement continued. “We have firm non-discrimination policies in place to help ensure that all customers are treated with respect and dignity. Profiling or any other type of discriminatory behavior is strictly prohibited.”
• Scarlett Johansson has withdrawn from the upcoming film, Rub & Tug, after a backlash about the actress playing a transgender role in the movie. “I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues,” she said.
• There’s going to be a Downton Abbey movie! Squeee! According to the BBC, the “original principal cast” will begin production later this summer, the film’s producers said.
Welcome back to Downton! We’re thrilled to announce that #DowntonAbbey is coming to the big screen. Film production begins this summer. pic.twitter.com/3scMUmosic
• Republican Illinois Gov. Rauner is getting flack from conservatives for having the nerve to officiate the same-sex wedding of longtime friends. #srsly
• 80s super group ABBA just finished recording their first new tracks since 1982 and says ‘it was a fantastic experience.’
• From her upcoming album, Sweetener, Ariana Grande releases the female empowered music video for “God Is A Woman”, directed by Grammy Award®-winning director Dave Meyers.
The one-and-only Madonna offers a spoken-word cameo as ‘God’ along the way.
Less than 24 hours after receiving 4 Emmy Award nominations for the much-lauded reboot of Queer Eye, Netflix has announced there will be a third season of the ‘make better’ reality show.
The reality show celebrated Emmy nods in the categories of Structured Reality Program, Casting, Picture Editing and Cinematography. It’s hard to believe its been 14 years since the groundbreaking series was honored with its first Emmy win for Best Reality Show.
A post shared by Queer Eye (@queereye) on Jul 12, 2018 at 9:54am PDT
According to Deadline, production for season three will shift from Atlanta, Georgia to begin in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 16.
All of the ‘Fab Five’ co-hosts – Antoni Porowski (Food & Wine), Bobby Berk (Interior Design), Karamo Brown (Culture), Jonathan Van Ness (Grooming) and Tan France (Fashion) – will be back to help more heroes be their best selves.
The new season is scheduled for 2019, but you can watch all of season 1 and 2 now on Netflix.
Helix Studios porn star Blake Mitchell wants you to know that, yes, it is possible to be lonely with over 200K followers on social media.
In a new video posted to his YouTube channel, Mitchell laments the pressures his career has on his personal life.
First of all, the handsome adult performer finds there are a lot of folks who may appear to have dating potential, but then it turns out his celebrity is what they’re after.
“I have had situations where I have been interested in someone, and we have been hanging out for a while, when they suddenly start asking me for a shout-out, or for me to promote this or that,” he shares.
And even if he finds someone genuine, his porn celebrity comes into play again when out and about on a date.
“I’ve been out to the bars before and people will say things to me that, because I am a sex worker, they think it is acceptable to say to a total stranger: complimenting my… size, or my body, making sexual remarks to me,” says Mitchell. “Besides making me uncomfortable, if I am with someone who I am interested in, this can be a little embarrassing.”
A post shared by Blake Mitchell (@mrblakemitchell) on May 31, 2018 at 10:53am PDT
And then there’s the fact a busy porn career involves lots of travel which can have an impact on relationships.
“My significant other has to sit at home while I make frequent trips across the country,” says the 20-year-old. “While they are left home alone, I am having sex with other people, sometimes several other people.
“And on top of all that, it is all being filmed and uploaded to the internet, where they are very likely to see it. This has made it very hard to find someone who will put up with me filming porn, let alone be happy and supportive about it.”
All that said, Mitchell makes it clear he has no intention of giving up a career he’s passionate about and enjoys. He sums up his thoughts by thanking his fans for their support and positivity.
“I appreciate and am deeply grateful to be in the position that I am, to have so many of you want to follow along and engage in my personal journey. But that doesn’t change the fact that all of that support and positivity, it’s all confined to my cell phone, to a 3×6” piece of plastic, metal, and glass. When I’m laying in bed at night, and I turn my phone off to get ready for bed, I’m alone. At that point, it doesn’t matter if I have 1 million or 100 subscribes, when I turn my phone off for the night, I have none.”
Hundreds of people cheered as a gay couple were flogged more than 80 times in a public square in Indonesia’s Aceh province, where Sharia Law is observed.
A vigilante mob, suspecting the men of homosexual behavior, apprehended the men in a beauty salon earlier this year and handed them over to authorities.
A crowd of about 1,000 people, including tourists from neighboring Malaysia, snapped pictures and shouted “flog them harder” as a hooded figure rained down lashes from a rattan cane on their backs.
The unidentified men were the second gay couple whipped in public this year in Aceh, underscoring the increasing discrimination faced by Indonesia’s small LGBT community.
Aceh is the only region in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, that imposes Islamic law. Public flogging is a common punishment for a range of offenses including gambling, drinking alcohol, and having gay sex or relations outside of marriage.
Officials in Aceh had previously announced an end to the practice that has been described as “medieval torture” but, to date, there has been no change in policy.
Out indie pop artist Parker Matthews is currently “Feelin’ Right” and he wants you to be right there feeling it with him.
The Pittsburgh native has displayed notable versatility with previous singles “Lost With You” and “Hit and Run,” which I wrote about back in May.
For this new release, the soulful singer switches up the beats – this time taking the listener on an intimate, private flirtation.
In this Q&A, the handsome indie artist chats on his new, sexy groove.
The Randy Report: Your last single, “Hit and Run,” was an upbeat, bouncy bop. Your new track, “Feelin’ Right,” sounds like liquid sex. What was the inspiration for the song?
Parker Matthews: For this record, I want to take things a little bit deeper and show you a side of me thats more sexual. The song is about becoming obsessed and almost addicted to the way someone can make you feel when you’re in that moment. It’s when you find that person to get you through the night and keep you feelin’ right.
TRR: What’s your favorite part of the creative process? Writing? Recording? Production?
PM: I really do love it all, but recording is my favorite part by far. I get to be in the booth, in that moment, with just the mic and me.
When I was recording this record, I had all the lights in the studio turned off and some candles lit to really set the tone. When you record material like this, it’s about giving the perfect delivery right up close and personal to that mic. Recording is when you can truly make the song your own.
Writing is a close second though. Lyrics mean the world to me, and when my team and I have writing sessions, I like to go off into a different room, lock myself away, and let the words speak for themselves.
TRR: Who’s currently at the top of your list of ‘dream collaborators?’ And why?
PM: There are so many amazing artists out there right now, and I am always open to collaboration, but in the rap game, I’d be down for a collab with Nicki Minaj because I love her tone.
In the pop world, Jessie J, Ariana, or my hometown girl, Christina Aguilera, all have a such amazing voices. And that’s something I have the ultimate respect for.
**********************
For “Feelin’ Right,” Matthews’ silky smooth, sensual vocals sit right in the pocket for the bulk of the low-key song. The bridge introduces an accelerated heartbeat (you know where this is going) that leads to the climax of the song, leaving just enough time for some post-romantic after-glow.
The entire track oozes a confident sexual vibe that borders on intoxicating without crossing the line into being heavy-handed.
This enthralling follow-up proves he is definitely more than a ‘hit and run.’ We expect to hear much more from Matthews.
You can check out this interview with The Randy Report podcast where the Pittsburgh native shares how his own personal experiences influence his approach to making music.
You can follow Matthews on Instagram here, Facebook here, Spotify here and check out his official website here.
“Feelin’ Right” is currently available on all digital download sites including iTunes.
Trump said in his Sun interview published today that the protests made him feel unwelcome in London. I wonder if realises that was the point…. pic.twitter.com/2V83KiMw9w
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein announced today that 12 Russian intelligence officers have been indicted on new charges stemming from the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The 12 were members of a Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU and are accused of engaging in a sustained effort to hack the computer networks of Democratic organizations and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein detailed the new charges at a midday news conference. Mueller, as has been his practice, did not attend the announcement. Court records show that a grand jury Mueller has been using returned an indictment Friday morning.
The announcement comes days before President Trump is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland. Rosenstein said he briefed Trump earlier this week on the charges.
The 11-count indictment spells out in granular detail a carefully planned and executed attack on the information security of Democrats, implanting hundreds of malware files on Democrats’ computer systems, stealing information, and then laundering the pilfered material through fake personas and others to try to influence voters’ opinions.
According to the indictments, the hacked emails were released under the names DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0
Responding to the news, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta told ABC News, “Donald Trump likes to describe this as a witch hunt. Well, we just found some witches.”
For months, Donald Trump has called the idea of Russian interference in the 2016 a “made-up story.”
The White House issued a statement following the announced indictments which notably does not condemn Russia for interfering in our election:
“As Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said today:
• “There is no allegation in this indictment that Americans knew that they were corresponding with Russians.
• There is no allegation in this indictment that any American citizen committed a crime.
• There is no allegation that the conspiracy changed the vote count or affected any election result.”
Today’s charges include no allegations of knowing involvement by anyone on the campaign and no allegation that the alleged hacking affected the election result. This is consistent with what we have been saying all along.”
Donald Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, took to Twitter in an attempt to mislead the American public once again.
He tweeted, “The indictments Rod Rosenstein announced are good news for all Americans. The Russians are nailed. No Americans are involved. Time for Mueller to end this pursuit of the President and say President Trump is completely innocent.”
That is not what the Deputy Attorney General said today. Rosenstein stated that no Americans were being indicted today. Please note the very specific use of the phrase “in this indictment” over and over in Rosenstein’s announcement. He didn’t say all Americans are innocent.
You can watch Rosenstein’s announcement below.
John Podesta responds to new indictments of 12 Russian nationals for alleged effort to hack DNC, Hillary Clinton’s campaign:
With new indictments of 12 Russian military officers over 2016 election hacking and infiltration efforts, a flashback to our 2017 Lie of the Year: @realdonaldTrump saying Russian election interference is a “made-up story.” https://t.co/QpeD9Tx5rypic.twitter.com/I4wL5OyTDx
The indictments Rod Rosenstein announced are good news for all Americans. The Russians are nailed. No Americans are involved. Time for Mueller to end this pursuit of the President and say President Trump is completely innocent.
Rep. Joe Kennedy III (L) and Sen. Edward Markey (R)
For decades, criminals have used the fear of being hit on by gay men or discovering a potential sex partner is transgender as ‘gay panic’ or ‘trans panic’ as a legal defense in court to justify violent attacks on LGBTs often to the point of murder.
But now, two Massachusetts lawmakers have introduced legislation that would put a stop to the defense across the country.
The Washington Bladereports the Gay & Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act, introduced by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-Mass.) in the U.S. House and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in the U.S. Senate, would ban the use of anti-LGBT panic defense from being cited as a legal defense in federal court.
“Gay and trans panic legal defenses reflect an irrational fear and bigotry toward the LGBTQ community and corrode the legitimacy of federal prosecutions,” said Sen. Markey. “These defenses must be prohibited to ensure that all Americans are treated with dignity and humanity in our justice system.”
The Massachusetts senator adds that sexual orientation or gender identity “cannot ever excuse violence, and our courtrooms should not be used as chambers of hate.”
Kennedy told the Blade an admission of committing a violent crime against someone because they’re LGBT “is not a defense, it is a hate crime.”
“Legal loopholes written into our laws that seek to justify violent attacks against our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender neighbors should never have existed in the first place,” he added.
Earlier this year, a Texas man was given a lighter sentence thanks to using ‘gay panic’ defense after stabbing his neighbor who he claimed attempted to kiss him.
James Miller, 69, admitted to stabbing Daniel Spencer, 32. Miller said he rejected a kiss from Spencer when the two met at Spencer’s home in 2015, prompting Spencer to become violent and to charge at Miller with a glass. Miller said he then stabbed Spencer in self-defense.
Reports surfaced Miller invoked “gay panic” defense in his claim, although according to an NBC News report Miller’s attorney denied that and said his client acted purely in self-defense.
The sentence for Miller was for criminally negligent homicide, which carries a lighter sentence than murder or manslaughter. A jury recommended Miller receive 10 years probation, but a judge added six months jail time, 100 hours of community service and $11,000 in restitution to Spencer’s family.
The American Bar Association unanimously approved a resolution in 2013 denouncing the practice and calling for an end to the use anti-LGBT panic defense in court.
Currently, three states – California, Illinois, and Rhode Island have banned the use of gay and trans panic defense.
Photo credit: Rep. Joe Kennedy (Ted Eytan/Flickr – CC license) Sen. Edward Markey (public domain)
