Author: troypittman13

Ari Lennox Arrested in Amsterdam Airport

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“I’m being arrested in Amsterdam for reacting to a woman racially profiling me”

– Ari Lennox

R&B singer Ari Lennox was reportedly arrested in an Amsterdam airport on Monday, November 27th for allegedly “disturbing public order”. She accused the airline staff of racially profiling and discriminating against her, posting about the incident on Twitter. The Dutch military police at the Schiphol airport stated that Lennox was taken into custody because of her “aggressive behavior” towards an airline official. There is also speculation that Lennox was drunk in public. It was unclear how long Lennox would remain in custody as Dutch police investigated claims of threats made by the singer during the altercation. But Dutch police are currently investigating this incident to properly address the press and public. Lennox is best known for her debut single “Shea Butter Baby”(2019) and is currently signed to Dreamville Records. This isn’t the first time Black artists have faced racial profiling in European countries, regardless of their fame and status.

A similar incident occurred in 2019 when American rapper and record producer A$AP Rocky was arrested in Sweden. He was charged with assault that caused bodily harm in Stockholm, Sweden in early July 2019. This arrest followed a fight that was captured on video, with A$AP stating that he acted in self-defense. His entourage had been followed by a group of men who were harassing them on the street. The video shows A$AP Rocky explaining the situation and clearly stating that his group wanted to avoid conflict with the instigators. They were followed for blocks while still recording, asking the men to leave them alone. After Rocky and his entourage were physically assaulted, the situation escalated causing bodily harm to some of the men.

Despite A$AP’s claims for self-defense, the Swedish prosecutor reviewing the case stated that a crime had been committed on his part. Though there were many witnesses to speak on behalf of A$AP and his entourage, an assault that results in bodily harm in Sweden carries a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case caught the attention of American celebrities such as Kim Kardashian West, Kanye West, Donald Trump, etc. Another aspect to consider is that white-American rapper G-Eazy was arrested in Sweden for possession of drugs and narcotics. He didn’t get nearly the same public backlash, and after this incident, he received a $10,000 fine. He was released a day and a half later after being in Sweden police custody. Could it be that American celebrities of different races visiting foreign countries, face greater consequences because of skin color?

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Petition Surpasses 60,000 Signatures for Ban of James Corden in ‘Wicked’ Movie

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James Corden is known for many things, but what’s most memorable is his outgoing television personality. The Late Late Show with James Corden airs weeknights from 12:37am/11:37 pm c. According to CBS, the Late Late Show is the “ultimate late night party”. With a mix of celebrity guests, performances, comedy segments and games, Corden’s sure to keep you entertained. He’s also known for his popular carpool segment that features him driving in downtown LA with celebrities. He sings a variety of songs with his guests as they talk about their career accomplishments and upcoming business their fans should look out for.

Corden is also seen in Disney’s ‘Into The Woods’ (2014) alongside actors like Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, and Johnny Depp. The film got a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and generated $212.90 million in gross revenue. Corden played the Baker in this film who wishes to break a spell given to his family by a witch. Corden is also featured in ‘Cats’ directed by Tom Hooper. ‘Cats’ was a star studded with actors like Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Idris Elba, Jason Derulo, etc. Although the star filled cast grew the films anticipation for its debut, the film received horrible reviews. It earned a 20% on rotten tomatoes and 2.7 on IMDb, making people scratch their heads at how this could be. Critics believed the film to be a disaster because of its overuse of CGI and wandering script. Many fans believed it to be straight up “bizarre” and “creepy”, despite its musical/fantasy approach. James Corden can also be found in Amazon Prime Video’s Cinderella and The Prom on Netflix. But James Corden has not been a fan favorite as it pertains to Broadway musicals.

 On November 16th, 2020 Ariana Grande was chosen to sing ‘The Wizard And I’ for the 15th Anniversary of Wicked. Grande is best known for her singing, songwriting, and acting abilities. Her recent albums like Positions, Dangerous Woman, and Sweetener can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, and iHeart radio. Cynthia Erivo best known for her acting, singing, and songwriting abilities were nominated for various awards: Golden Globes, Daytime Emmy Award, Primetime Emmy Award, Grammy, etc. She can be seen in ‘Harriet’ (2019), ‘Widows’ (2018), Boss Baby: Back In Business (2018), etc. With Corden having close ties with the Broadway community, this appeared to be surprising to some of his fans. This stems from his bad history with musical adaptations and a decrease in his popularity. Musical critics believe Corden isn’t talented enough to handle any role in Wicked. And fans began this petition to encourage directors and producers to not include Corden in this timeless musical. But enough negativity. James Corden still hosts The Late Late Show on CBS at 12:35 am and still receives good reviews from loyal watchers. His YouTube channel for The Late Late Show has maintained a whopping 27.1 million subscribers since the last episode/segment featured on the channel.

SNL Return of Kieran Culkin (30 Years)

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Surprisingly, most people don’t know that Kieran Culkin, is the brother of the famous child star Macaulay Culkin. The Culkin brothers (Macaulay, Kieran, and Rory) are famous for their acting careers dating back to the 1990s. The most famous of the three happens to be Macaulay, overwhelmingly for his performance in Home Alone and Richie Rich. But this post is for Kieran, so let’s stick to the script. Kieran recalled his debut On Saturday Night Live in 1991, broadcasted on NBC. For this recent show SNL dug deep into their archives showing the first night he appeared on the show. In one of Kieran’s most memorable skits, his brother Macaulay plays the child version of Rob Schnieders Richard Laymer. This was a popular recurring character on SNL that annoyed his coworkers by giving them strange nicknames. Kieran happened to be the victim of this name-calling for the skit, but he was a good sport and enjoyed the opportunity to act with his brother.

Kieran is best known for his roles in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and HBO’s Succession, to name a few. On Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Kieran plays Scott’s gay roommate whom he met in college. His character is witty and sarcastic but is also a prominent source of Scott’s wisdom. On HBO’s ‘Succession’ Kieran plays, Roman Roy. This character exudes an entitled attitude along with the cockiness he gets from his father that ultimately keeps him from advancing in his company. On his SNL opening monologue, he jokes about fans and critics stating that his snotty character on ‘Succession’ “suits him”. He announced the birth of his 2nd child, recently born in August, and acknowledged his wife’s support of his acting career. Before jumping into his segments, he reminds the audience that he appeared on the show 30 years at just 9 years old. He also reminisced when he was hoisted into the air by Kevin Nealon, another SNL cast member.

“It’s crazy. It’s absolutely insane. It’s been a dream of mine and it’s just surreal”

– Kieran Culkin

“Everyone says like, you know ‘Just try to capture moments or something because it just moves so fast. And I like can’t even do that because there’s so much work to be done”

– Kieran Culkin

Kieran threw a great show and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the sketches. He says since the start of season 3 of ‘Succession’ on October 17th, the show has maintained a loyal audience.

Does Music Artists Personal Life Connect to Our Consumption of Their Music?

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Recent comments by singer Katy Perry, about singer Adele and her new project 30 (debut November 19th) sparked a popular topic in the music industry. Perry’s comments stated “Adele drops new music when everyone is vulnerable and sensitive” typically during the Autumn seasons. She says it in a joking tone, indicating that she is excited to hear this new music. But acknowledges a tactic that labels and music artists use to generate the most traffic to their projects. Adele being a highly anticipated artist, understands her influence on the music industry and her fans. She releases heartfelt ballads that are praised but often associated with love and sorrow. Katy Perry being more of an upbeat pop artist, she joked that other artists release music when they know the world is about to be “sad”.

Other artists like Drake have been associated with promoting his music by thriving on his fan’s highs and lows. Since debuting his first studio project Comeback Season  Drake was associated with jokes like “don’t drake and drive” or “Drake is so sensitive and lonely, always longing for a woman”. His Toronto sound became a staple in the music industry because of his reminiscent lyrics and personal life. This age of celebrities shares so much of their lives with their fans. Drake’s been romantically associated with women such as Serena Williams, Rihanna, Jorja Smith, Jennifer Lopez, etc. Drake acknowledges his failed romances, childhood traumas, and feuds in his music. His fan’s connection and opinion towards his romantic relationships, somehow correspond with his album/streaming success. A pattern shown in Drake’s release dates shows that he thrives on his fan’s highs and lows: releasing music strategically in the colder seasons and summertime.

Perry emphasized in her comment that Adele’s songs alone don’t keep the fans anticipated. It’s the fact that Adele releases her music during the colder seasons, when there is a rise in seasonal depression. Another artist associated with his industry strategy is the singer Kehlani. In a recent interview with Power 105.1 The Breakfast Club radio show, she expressed her appreciation for fans that support her music. She then described a common theme in reaction to her music, saying “my fans love when I’m heart-broken”. Implying that she releases more “fire” music when she’s dealing with emotional trauma. Now that her fans hear more “self love and happy songs”, they still admire it, but it gives them a different feel.

To name one more artist whose name is associated with heartbreak, strategic release dates, and close connection to fans is Summer Walker. Without getting too deep into her personal life, Summer Walker is an R&B singer who debuted her first EP in 2019 and first album the same year. Walker has been associated with her now ex-boyfriend, producer London on da Track. This up and down relationship led to him producing her first studio album, along with causing a great amount of heartbreak for the two of them. Because Walker uses social networking sites to connect with her fans, they got a front-row seat to the madness. Since their break-up, Walker announced her new album to be released November 5th, not produced by London. Her fans are excited for her music because they thrive on her heartbreak songs that just so happen to be released when “everyone is most vulnerable” like Perry says. Is it true heartbreak and seasonal depression bring album sales? 

76ers Suspend Ben Simmons After Being Being Thrown Out of Practice

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Ben Simmons (Benjamin David Simmons) is an Australian professional basketball player for the NBA, who was drafted in 2017 by the 76ers. He is 6’10 with long arms and legs that were promising to the league. He was the first drafted pick in the NBA that year, making him one of the most sought after players in the organization. Shortly after his arrival to the league, 76er fans and NBA enthusiasts were not impressed by his performance. Besides a few spottings with his recent girlfriend, Kendall Jenner (2018), Ben Simmons was pretty quiet towards the press. He signed a 5-year $177,243,360 contract with the 76ers included with an annual average of $33 million dollars.

Philadelphia can be a tough crowd as it pertains to music, sports, entertainment, etc. But one thing they don’t play about, is their sports. Simmons has been criticized for “not showing up” or “getting cold feet” after starting his career in the NBA. He was passing the ball more than he was taking shots. He shoots 60% from the free-throw line, since the postseason. Since his addition to the 76ers his point average remained relatively 15-17 points per game, with around 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Which doesn’t mean he’s a horrible player. But definitely confuses 76ers fans and teammates who believed him to show why he was the #1 pick in the NBA draft (2017)).

After the last few years of pre-season practices, games, and post season politics, Simmons has publicly stated he no longer wants to play for the 76ers. On Monday, October 18th Simmons was thrown out of practice and later suspended. According to 76ers representatives and teammates Simmons “doesn’t want to play– or even practice– with the Philadelphia 76ers anymore”. Coach Doc Rivers was signed and hired as the 76ers head coach in 2020, hoping to salvage their legacy.

After season games, players spoke with the tabloids expressing their frustration with Ben Simmons performance. 76ers player Joel Embiid reportedly says “he has not spoken to Ben Simmons since he returned to the team”. Saying “it is not my job to babysit anyone on the team”. There were also videos capturing the team’s dynamic during practice. The video shows Simmons on the outside of the huddle, and later leaving to go back to the locker rooms, while his teammates disperse onto the court smiling and laughing. This type of behavior isn’t ideal for a great team dynamic on and off the court. Simmons expressed “If Philly doesn’t want me, I’ll play somewhere else”. And has actively been negotiating different trade deals, outside of his 76ers 5-year contract. (2021) Simmons will not play in the season opener game for the 76ers, and officials are waiting to see what direct impact this will have on the NBA.

‘Why Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson Is Accused of Being a Culture Vulture’

On By troypittman13In Consumer behavior, Journalism, Music, Music, Social Issue(s), Social Media, Streaming, Twitter, YouTubeLeave a comment
Let’s dive right into this topic of “culture vultures” and why certain celebrities are getting called out for being one. Today’s person of focus is Jesy Nelson, a member of the British girl group Little Mix. Jesy and her group members ( Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Ann Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall) were discovered on the popular competition show The X Factor in 2011. Their music style is primarily pop, R&B, mainstream dance-pop, with occasional influences of Latin and electronic music. Little Mix’s rise to fame is due to their musical theme of female empowerment, body positivity, and LGBTQ+ rights. And because the members of the group represent different ethnicities, their audience can identify with and appreciate them this way.

In December 2020, Jesy left the group in pursuit of her solo career. Since then she’s been pushing her career as a solo artist. Unfortunately, people are paying much more attention to recent allegations rather than her music. The discussion of her “culture vulture” behavior has been a continuous one as ‘Little Mix’s style evolved. Jesy’s white British identity gives insight to why people were upset at her use of “artistic expression”.

On occasion Jesy is seen wearing grills on her teeth, oversized clothing, colorful wigs, etc. Not to mention, there is a clear difference in skin tone compared to when Nelson first joined ‘Little Mix’ to now.

Recently, rapper Nicki Minaj collaborated on a song with Jesy called ‘Boyz’.  In this music video Jesy is seen wearing oversized jewelry, hair accessories, hair scarves, oversized clothes and timberland boots. Which is typically associated with Black culture. Black artists and black people created this style of fashion and are almost never credited for it.

‘Boyz’ ft. Nicki Minaj is an adaptation of P. Diddy’s ‘Bad Boy For Life’ single in 2001.

– Jesy Nelson Ft Nicki Minaj

But what doesn’t sit right with a few Little Mix members and fans is the slow changing of skin color, to seem more “exotic” looking. These aspects about the music industry are problematic because artist of color who identify and showcase their identity aren’t embraced the same way. They are dismissed as “over the top”, “ghetto”, or ignored as a whole. While artist like Jesy are embraced and celebrated for it.

Hoop earrings, exotic looking nails, Timberland boots, and colorful wigs go deeper than video shoots. There’s a historical pattern of Black people and people of color being robbed of their culture, while other races are able to capitalize from it. Nicki Minaj openly defended Jesy against ‘Little Mix’ member Leigh-Anne Pinnock for accusing Jesy of “Blackfishing”. Which surprised many fans as this is a tactic white artists use to appeal to the “urban” audience. Leigh-Anne Pinnock, who identifies as African-Caribbean, expressed her frustration over her experience with Jesy in the group. She witnessed different variations of her culture appropriating behavior and in opposition of this, she spoke out publicly.

NBA Star Kyrie Irving is Anti-Vaccine?

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The seven-time All Star and Brooklyn Net’s player, Kyrie Irving recently announced views about hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccinations. Irving serves as the Vice President of the players union and has blocked efforts made to impose a vaccine mandate.

Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia on March 23, 1992. He started his NBA career becoming a basketball star at St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After gaining attention for his athletic ability he committed to Duke University in 2009 working towards the opportunity to play professionally. He played for Duke University as a Blue Devil, and was drafted by the NBA to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011. Since then, Irving played for various teams in the NBA also playing alongside Hall of Famer’s. What wasn’t praised so much, was his recent announcement to remain unvaccinated. This decision sparked public backlash due to opposing efforts encouraging the public to get vaccinated. As confirmed this past week, the NBA will be withholding salaries from players who are currently unable to play because of their unvaccinated status. Meaning, Kyrie Irving could potentially miss out on half of his $34 million contract for the Brooklyn Nets home games.

We’ve entered the conversation of personal choice, COVID-19 culture, and “cancel culture“. As everyday people grew to adjust the new normal: wearing masks, using extra hand-sanitizer, or staying 6-feet a part, vaccine’s grew more probable. Private and public institutions began to mandate requirements for vaccine cards or proof of negative COVID-19 test results. Similar to the reaction of other pandemics such as the Swine flu and Ebola, people were hesitant about receiving the vaccine. Culturally, religiously, and politically there are many reasons people oppose to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. With the trust that “everyday” citizens have for high profile people, like basketball stars, Kyrie Irving is in the hot seat.

” I would just appeal to him, get vaccinated. Your fans want to see you. We all want you back. Your teammates want you back”

– De Blasio

Recently, YouTube made an effort to remove “anti-vaccine” content from their platform, as many people were mislead or misinformed by some channels. This was an effort to encourage Americans to receive both doses of the vaccines, to lower the casualty rates resulted from this virus. Because Irving has been an active figure for social justice in the NBA, fans were outraged by his punishment to bench Brooklyn Nets games for exercising his personal choice. Is Irving’s decision to remain unvaccinated sending the “wrong messages” to fans? Should the NBA be able to withhold pay from players who refuse to get vaccinated? Does Irving’s example of exercising his personal choice encourage others to do more research on vaccines? How will this impact the NBA? How will this impact American citizens in the workplace? Is this an invasion of the First Amendment?

China’s ban on kids playing online games for only three hours per week

On By troypittman13In Content Restriction, Uncategorized, Video GameLeave a comment
Since August 31st, 2021 Hong Kong/Beijing China announced the new ban for online gaming in reference to children 18 and under. On weekdays the children will limit their play to just three hours. This new ban went into affect this past Monday and was announced by China’s National Press and Publication Administration. The restrictions were specific as ‘people under 18 will be allowed to play video games one hour a day between 8pm and 9pm, mostly on weekends or nationally celebrated holidays’.

This is a huge blow to the gaming industry in China that rely on loyal players and subscribers. But is this an attempt to regulate children’s exposure to “specific types of video games?”. On the other hand, is this an attempt to regulate children’s media exposure as a whole in China? In 2021 there over 110 million minors playing video games in China. It’s expected that this number will decline due to the reduction in time they’re allowed to play, which will also influence money spent by these players under 18. https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/31/tech/china-ban-video-games-minor-intl-hnk/index.html

In 2019, there were limits restricting play to 90 minutes a week for children. Authorities state that these new restrictions were created to attempt to prevent young people from becoming addicted to video/online games. They also stated that placing these specific restrictions will protect the healthy growth of minors in China. In reaction to this, investors such as NetEase (NTES) declined 3.4% during trading hours in New York Monday the 27th.

This may also impact the industry of eSports in China. Its the international gaming competition (Olympics) for online video gamers. If minors are limited to the amount of hours they are allowed to play, the momentum for this event could die down, impacting China’s economy. On the other hand, they are paying close attention to the potential behavior changes for children/adolescents after exposure to these games. Attempting to get ahead of the “problem” they see for their citizens. Will Chinese kids find a way around this restriction? And play video games as normal? What does the enforcement of these new restrictions look like?

” There are over 110 million minors that play video games in China today, and we expect the new limits to lead to a decline in the number of players…”

– Danial Ahmad

‘Black Lives Matter Protest Outside of Fashion’s Biggest Night’

On By troypittman13In Censorship, Diversity, LGBTQ+, Social Issue(s)Leave a comment
‘ All the pretty dresses made the news, but… what about this?”

The theme of this year’s Met Gala was ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’ as it honored the 75th anniversary of the Costume Institute Metropolitan Museum. This high profile event is held in New York City as it is often the kick-off city for fashion week. Here major fashion brands are showcased and are worn by celebrities (Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Russell Westbrook, etc) and highly favored people in the media. The growth of social networks has enabled us viewers to get a virtual seat at the Met Gala. The theme gives designers and celebrities the opportunity to show their creativity and their interpretation of the theme. Many were praised on this special night of September 13th. Dresses addressing the tax issues of the rich and LGBTQ history were some of the biggest highlights of the night.

What didn’t generate the same momentum of attention were the peaceful #BlackLivesMatter protests occurring just outside of reach of the rich and famous. The crowd of protestors were heard chanting the names of those who lost their lives from police brutality. Names as known as ‘George Floyd’ and locally known like ‘Mike Rosado’, a Bronx man who recently died at the hands of the police.

Peaceful protestors arrested by NYPD just feet away from Met Gala 2021.

Media sources say protestors chose this years Met Gala to protest because of the many eyes that would be there. It was an attempt to get the attention of those in power. While being physically carried away protestors chant the reasons for their protest. They were also heard saying their names, ages, and social media handles for by-standards to help keep them safe.

The ‘Little Mermaid’ Starring Halle Bailey Finally Has It’s Release Date

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“A process that took almost three years from my first audition to my final day on set”

– Halle Bailey

It’s been two years since the world first learned that Halle Bailey, from the sister duo Chloe x Halle, would be portraying this generation’s role of Disney’s Ariel. This live action remake of The Little Mermaid finally has a release date, after it’s uproar of both negative and celebratory reactions to it’s announcement. This highly anticipated live-action film revealed it’s release date to be May 6 2023. So we won’t be seeing the underwater world of Atlantica just yet.

Prior to this exciting new role, Halle was most known for singing alongside her sister Chloe. The duo were discovered in 2013 after uploading a cover to Beyonce’s “Pretty Hurts”. Reaching 8 million views, Beyonce signed them to her label Parkwood Entertainment. Halle is also famously known for her role as Sky on Freeform’s show Grown–ish. Bailey has also performed live for various Award Shows and music platforms, such as Tiny Desk, and the MTV VMA’s .

Alongside Bailey as the protagonist Ariel, is Melissa McCarthy playing Ursula. Playing this film’s Prince Eric is British actor Jonah Hauer-King, and the voice acting of Flounder & Sebastian will be played by Jacob Tremblay and Daveed Diggs.

Although this announcement put smiles on the faces of many Disney fans, it also inspired some nasty online backlash. Historically, The Little Mermaid is a story about a mythical mermaid with bright red hair, lighter skin, and a mermaid tail. Within the last few years Disney’s launch of Disney+ made it inevitable for fans to see live-action remakes of their favorite classics. The online backlash featured many white Disney fans stating that the mythical character Ariel should stay white for the re-make.

Social networking platforms did what they do best, falling into the uproar of this announcement. Outraged fans created unattractive and beastly edits (similar to black-face) of what they believe Ariel will look like if Disney follows through with Halle Bailey playing her. Bailey was criticized for her locs and her skin tone, and fans went as far as recording themselves burning away Disney merchandise if she’s casted.

Well, jokes on them! Halle Bailey will be the new The Little Mermaid which will debut in May 2023. Get your popcorn & lets get lost in the sea!

I don’t pay attention to the negativity.

– Halle Bailey