HBO Max developing period drama about launch of Essence Magazine

News of the project follows the announcement that the publication has furloughed staff ‘due to revenue losses.’

The origin of Essence magazine is receiving the small screen treatment from HBO Max.

The network is developing a period drama series that will chronicle the launch of the American publication dedicated to Black women. Essence co-founder Edward Lewis will serve as executive producer alongside Korin Huggins and Monique Nash through their Kronicle Media banner, per Shadow and Act.

Here’s the description of the series:

Set amid the changing social and cultural landscape of post-civil rights era America, the series is inspired by the relationships between the men who founded the iconic women’s magazine, Essence, and the women who were the creative force behind it, as they create something mainstream America has never seen before. The show will tell the story of a Black startup before “startup” was a term and explores universal themes of love, loss and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Read More: Essence Magazine to furlough staff amid pandemic

John Sacchi and Matt Groesch of 5 More Minutes Productions are also executive producing, according to the report.

Essence magazine Dec 2018/Jan 2019 cover

News of the project follows the announcement that Essence Magazine has furloughed staff “due to revenue losses” amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, theGRIO previously reported.

In a press release, Essence noted that the negative impact of COVID-19 led to the cancellation of major events such as the popular Essence Music Festival. 

“Six months into an unprecedented and continuing global pandemic, COVID-19 has had a broader and longer-lasting impact than anyone expected – and Essence Communications, Inc. (“ECI”) has not been immune to it,” the magazine said in an announcement. 

“Nonetheless, our commitment to successfully guiding this iconic brand through these immediate challenges and forward is unwavering. Our team and the community we serve are too important. The culture we reflect and create is too important,” the publication continued. “The platforms we’ve built for the celebration, inspiration and empowerment of Black women and communities are too important. This is why we are making the business decisions we are making today.” 

The publication intends to “pay everyone impacted throughout this week and will cover their medical benefits premiums throughout the furlough,” which is expected to last no longer than six months.

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Official autopsy reveals Dijon Kizzee shot by LA deputies 16 times

The victim died in a hail of police bullets after riding his bike on the wrong side of the street.

The official autopsy of Dijon Kizzee confirms that the 29-year-old was shot 16 times by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies in August, with multiple bullets causing “rapidly life-threatening wounds.” 

The family of Kizzee had previously commissioned an independent autopsy, which declared the victim may have not attempted to aim a gun at police as previously claimed, theGRIO reported. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, the family’s autopsy report also revealed that police were still firing after Kizzee was on the ground and could have survived if given medical attention.

Read More: Independent autopsy finds Dijon Kizzee shot 15 times by LA deputies

“What this shows is he was alive and breathing and writhing in pain when the officers continued to stay away,” said family attorney, Carl Douglas. “When they got a shield first, and they had a shield walking up to the man while he was writhing in pain. All too often, law enforcement officers misinterpret writhing in pain as some sort of act of resistance.”

Newly released autopsy report finds that #DijonKizzee was shot 16 TIMES, four causing "rapidly fatal injuries." It states his death was a homicide, noting the injury occurred by law enforcement! The involved officers must be held accountable NOW. https://t.co/KDPJx6sfbM

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) October 6, 2020

The official autopsy report released last week certified Kizzee’s death as a homicide (by law enforcement) and the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds. The “rapidly fatal injuries include trauma to the heart, lungs, liver and left kidney,” according to the report, per CNN. 

An earlier article on theGrio noted that Kizzee was shot in South LA in Budlong Ave. and 110th in August. He was riding his bike on the wrong side of the street when two deputies from South L.A.  stopped him. Kizzee dropped his bike to run and as one of the deputies caught up to him, there was allegedly a struggle and Kizzee dropped a weapon.

Read More: Rapper FXXXXY dead at 25 from medical procedure complications

Capt. Kent Wegener claimed Kizzee, “bends over, reaches, picks up the gun and is shot as he stands with the gun in hand.”

He added, “You will see that the deputy struggling with Kizzee does not arm himself until Kizzee bends down to pick up the gun he dropped.”

But the Captain’s story differed from witnesses who say deputies did not try to deescalate the situation and that Kizzee was shot with nothing in his hands. The sheriffs office also had conflicting stories.  First they said the shooting happened when the gun hit the ground then later claimed they began shooting because Kizzee “made a motion” for the gun.

Kizzee’s death sparked protests in South Los Angeles amid civil unrest over the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump said video footage of the incident contradicts the sheriff’s department’s account of the incident.

The independent autopsy noted that Kizzee bled to death after blood filled his lungs.

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Cuomo orders lockdown for parts of NYC after COVID-19 uptick

Cuomo says gatherings in houses of worship contributed to the spike in cases

Just ahead of the fall flu season, areas of New York City are going to return to lockdown. According to Bloomberg.com, “hotspots” or parts of the city that are seeing a rise in coronavirus cases must close by the end of the week.

Read More: Cuomo calls out Ted Cruz for Trump support: ‘The one who called your wife ugly’

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday the “Cluster Action Initiative,” which will categorize the city by color zones instead of specifying neighborhoods that are seeing an abundance of Covid-19 cases.

“These are geographically circumscribed, relatively small, but that’s why they’re clusters,” said Cuomo. “The trick is to keep them small.” The color clusters will be approximately one mile in diameter in size.

Red will represent the “intense action” area. Local government officials will be provided with maps in order to see how their area is classified.

In red areas, all mass gatherings will be prohibited, churches are only allowed to open at 25% capacity, schools will only be remote and restaurants will be takeout only.

A mother and daughter wait in line to be tested for Covid-19 at a city test site in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Borough Park on October 05, 2020 in New York City. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced plans to close nonessential businesses and schools in nine neighborhoods, including Borough Park, where the rate of positive COVID-19 cases have been higher than three percent in the past seven days. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

In orange areas, churches are allowed up to 25 people, dining will be limited to outdoors only, gatherings of any kind will be reduced to 10 people or less and high-risk businesses like gyms and hair salons are to close.

Yellow areas are the least restricted. In these districts, schools can stay open with mandatory weekly testing, businesses can stay open and there will be minor restaurant restrictions.

Cuomo says the new restrictions are partially due to large gatherings at houses of worship. He added there will be 450 New York City police officers on the ground to enforce the lockdown.

“In New York City, the first rules weren’t enforced,” Cuomo said. “Houses of worship weren’t supposed to have more than 50 people. They’ve had hundreds.”

Read More: Cuomo announces Brooklyn statue to honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg

This decision comes after New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut started seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases. Bloomberg says out of 96,000 tests reported in New York on Monday, 1,393 were positive.

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Kim Kardashian opens up about Kanye West’s COVID-19 battle

‘I had my four babies and no one else in the house to help.’

Kim Kardashian previously called for compassion for husband Kanye West over his battle with bipolar disorder, now she’s opening up about his “scary” experience with COVID-19.

During an interview with GRAZIA the reality TV star revealed that West was diagnosed with the coronavirus mid-March and caring for him proved to be quite challenging.

“Kanye had it way at the beginning, when nobody really knew what was going on,” Kardashian told the publication. “It was so scary and unknown. I had my four babies and no one else in the house to help.” 

The KKW Beauty founder added “changing his sheets with gloves and a face shield was really a scary time.”

Read More: LL Cool J chides Kanye for passing water on Grammy Award: ‘piss in a Yeezy’

“I had to go and change his sheets and help him get out of bed when he wasn’t feeling good. It was a challenge because it was so unknown,” Kardashian explained.

I can’t wait for you guys to watch my conversation with David @Letterman for My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. Premieres October 21st only on @Netflix. @NetflixIsAJoke pic.twitter.com/eb7AYyvHpl

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 6, 2020

Ye told Forbes in July that his symptoms included “chills” and “shaking in bed.” 

He also watched videos “telling me what I’m supposed to do to get over it,” he said.

“I remember someone had told me Drake had the coronavirus and my response was Drake can’t be sicker than me,” West added.

Read More: Charlamagne claims Kanye West owes Big Sean $3M from ‘terrible contract’

Meanwhile, Kardashian believes the pandemic may very well be just what Mother Earth needs right now. 

“I’m the type of person that respects the process, that respects what’s going on in the world,” she said. “Maybe our planet needed a break.”

I’m so honored to be the first ever global cover star of GRAZIA. From the UK to Italy, the Middle East to India, I’m greatful to be able to bring SKIMS to everywoman, everywhere. pic.twitter.com/XV5tlsSogo

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 5, 2020

She also tells Grazia that fans will get to see how her family was impacted by the onset of the coronavirus crisis when the final season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians airs next year.

“If anything, it’ll be really interesting to see what all of us were doing during the pandemic. We were so scared and cautious and we shared every moment of that,” Kardashian said. “Having to be with four kids and not have their friends or their routines and no help. It was a very different side of us that I don’t think anyone’s really seen.”

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Congress Unveils Its Plan to Curb Big Tech's Power

A report by a House subcommittee takes aim at Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google.

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Large, Hollywood-style ‘Trump’ sign erected in Los Angeles

The sign, almost 10 feet tall, was seen along the 405 freeway

A large sign appeared along the 405 freeway in Sepulveda Pass in California on Tuesday. The sign said ‘Trump’ in bold white letters similar to the ones on the Hollywood sign and stood about 10 feet tall, according to Kron4 news.

Read More: Record-breaking California wildfires surpass 4 million acres

But it had to come down. Work crews demolished the sign which faced northbound lanes near Getty Center Drive. Police say it was becoming a traffic hazard as motorists began to slow down to take pictures of it. According to California Highway Patrol’s incident log, the sign, discovered at 6:41 a.m., was a “traffic hazard.”

It was also located in a dry area making it susceptible to forest fires that are currently plaguing parts of the state. That particular area is known for destructive bush fires like last year’s Getty fire or the 2017 Skirball Fire.

A Trump sign was erected on the hillside along the 405 Freeway near the Sepulveda Pass. It’s unclear who put it there 📹: Sky5 pic.twitter.com/ac71WxbYW2

— KTLA (@KTLA) October 6, 2020

Earlier this year, a smaller fire disrupted the hillsides of Sepulveda Pass. Unfortunately, wildfires like the ones in the past are continuing to escalate and according to the Associated Press, one fire, August Complex, has now burned 1 million acres.

“If that’s not proof point, testament, to climate change, then I don’t know what is,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom, per the Associated Press. The fires, in total, have burned through 4 million acres, double in comparison to previous years. Many speculate they are happening due to man-made climate change, which is why the sign posed a risk of further accelerating any fires that might break out.

The letters were found on private property but it is unclear who owns the property or who put the sign up.

Read More: California governor signs first-ever law requiring diversity on corporate board

It’s also currently unknown any point the sign was trying to make just four weeks away from the general election. News reporters say they were surprised by the sign’s placement on the California highway above Hollywood, considering it is typically a Democratic, liberal area.

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Tamar Braxton says she’s ready to ‘pour some pain’ into her music following suicide attempt

The embattled singer says she’s going to use her turbulent personal life as inspiration for her new music

Tamar Braxton has undoubtedly had a difficult few months, but now the singer has come forward to assure her supporters that she plans to start pouring all that pain into her music.

READ MORE: Rihanna issues apology after using sacred Muslim verses during fashion show

Friday, the singer posted a selfie of herself smiling, along with the caption, “I’m ready to pour some pain into my music…” 

It has now been almost three months since Braxton was hospitalized after being found unresponsive in her Los Angeles hotel room after what she would later confirm was a suicide attempt.

View this post on Instagram

I’m ready to pour some pain into my music…

A post shared by Tamar Braxton (@tamarbraxton) on Oct 2, 2020 at 2:55pm PDT

It has been alleged by both the singer and her now former boyfriend David Adefeso that the unflattering portrayal of her in WE tv’s six-episode series Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life!, is what pushed her over the brink. The show is said to give an unflinching look at her struggles with motherhood, love, and her career as she records a new album.

“I wrote a letter over 2 months ago asking to be freed from what I believed was excessive and unfair,” Braxton explained on Instagram back in July. “I explained in personal detail the demise I was experiencing. My cry for help went totally ignored. However, the demands persisted. It was my spirit, and my soul that was tainted the most. There are a few things I count on most to be, a good mother, a good daughter, a good partner, a good sister, and a good person. Who I was, begun to mean little to nothing, because it would only be how I was portrayed on television that would matter. It was witnessing the slow death of the woman I became, that discouraged my will to fight. I felt like I was no longer living, I was existing for the purpose of a corporations gain and ratings, and that killed me.”

As a result of the ongoing discord, it’s been reported that Get Ya Life! will be the final collaboration between Braxton and WeTV, who have collaborated since 2011 on reality shows Braxton Family Values and Tamar & Vince.

READ MORE: Trina Braxton on Tamar, David allegation video: ‘It was unnecessary’

Although she once praised Adefeso for his support, last month the businessman filed for a restraining order against the entertainer over a domestic dispute and they have since gone their separate ways.

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Phylicia Rashad, Forest Whitaker star in trailer for Netflix movie ‘Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey’

Anika Noni Rose, Keegan-Michael Key, and Madalen Mills are part of the all-star cast of the Netflix holiday flick

Now that fall has officially arrived, it’s already time to start thinking about the holidays and Netflix has dropped the trailer for their seasonal offering, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey.

Read More: Barack & Michelle Obama bringing ‘Ada Twist, Scientist’ series to Netflix

The musical features an all-star cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Madalen Mills, Keegan-Michael Key, Sharon Rose, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Ricky Martin, Kieron Dyer, Justin Cornwell, Lisa Davina Phillip, and Hugh Bonneville and looks like it might be the next great Christmas classic.

The film features new music from Usher, Kiana Ledé, and John Legend among others, and based on the teaser, it’s full of some pretty dramatic moments.

Check out the official synopsis:

A musical adventure and a visual spectacle for the ages, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a wholly fresh and spirited family holiday event. Set in the gloriously vibrant town of Cobbleton, the film follows legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker) whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder. But when his trusted apprentice (Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter (newcomer Madalen Mills) — and a long-forgotten invention — to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within.

From the imagination of writer-director David E. Talbert and featuring original songs by John Legend, Philip Lawrence, Davy Nathan, and “This Day” performed by Usher and Kiana Ledé, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey reminds us of the strength of family and the power of possibility.

Read More: Phylicia Rashad finally joins social media thanks to sister Debbie Allen

Rashad has been popping up all over our screens lately. She’s also starring alongside Mamoudou Athie in the new film Black Box, out today. The terrifying thriller is executive produced by Insecure star Jay Ellis and is part of the new Welcome to the Blumhouse, a program of eight unsettling, genre movies hitting Amazon this month.

Jingle Jangle premiers globally November 13 on Netflix.

Check out the teaser:

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VP Pence’s team refuses to allow plexiglass during debate

The vice president has reportedly attended two events where people have tested COVID-positive.

The Pence campaign has requested that no plexiglass dividers be placed around the VP at Wednesday night’s vice-presidential debate. 

On Tuesday, Mike Pence’s team called the protection unnecessary after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that dividers would be used as a safety measure amid COVID-19 concerns.

Pence and Senator Kamala Harris will face off while sitting more than 12 feet apart. The vice president will be allowed to participate without a plexiglass surrounding him, despite the his campaign previously being on board with the precautions.

“If the Trump administration’s war on masks has now become a war on safety shields, that tells you everything you need to know about why their COVID response is a failure,” Harris spokesperson Sabrina Singh told DailyMail.com.  

Read More: Trump valet, aide, test positive for coronavirus: report

Singh noted that Harris “will be at the debate, respecting the protections that the Cleveland Clinic has put in place to promote safety for all concerned.”

“If she wants it, she’s more than welcome to surround herself with plexiglass if that makes her feel more comfortable,” Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, told The Washington Post about Sen. Harris. 

“We don’t think it’s needed,” said Short. “There’s no science to support it. The tables are 12 feet apart and each participant is tested. It’s important for the American people that the debate go forward, and if she’s more comfortable with plexiglass then that’s fine.”

Three days after the first Trump-Biden debate in Cleveland last week, the president tested positive for COVID-19. Following a brief hospitalization,Trump was released Monday and wasted no time making clear that he intends to take part in the next debate, tweeting, “I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15 in Miami. It will be great!”

Read More: Trump’s top aide Stephen Miller tests positive for COVID-19

Pence has reportedly attended two events where people have tested COVID-positive, but he himself has, so far, not contracted the potentially deadly contagion.  

I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020

CDC Director Robert R. Redfield explained that “from a public health standpoint, it is safe for the Vice President to participate in the upcoming Vice-Presidential debate.” 

Meanwhile, theGRIO previously reported, Stephen Miller, President Trump’s senior adviser and speechwriter, tested positive for the coronavirus Tuesday.

A senior administration official said Miller had previously tested negative as White House officials have tried to contain an outbreak on the complex that has infected Trump, the first lady and more than a dozen other aides and associates.

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Netflix on YouTube

Deaf U | Deaf Elite | Official Clip | Netflix
What does it mean to be among the Deaf elite? The cast of Deaf U lay it all out. SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/29qBUt7 About Netflix: Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 193 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. Deaf U | Deaf Elite | Official Clip | Netflix https://youtube.com/Netflix In this reality series, a tight-knit group of Deaf and hard of hearing students share their stories and explore life at Gallaudet University.

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Trump valet, aide, test positive for coronavirus: report

A COVID-19 outbreak in the White House spreads to more people

A member of the U.S. military assigned to support President Donald Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus. As of today, more than 11 members of Trump’s White House and household staff have tested positive, including his valet, who is active duty military, per CNN.

Read More: Donald Trump upset with Meadows for COVID-19 comments

Trump was recently diagnosed with the virus spending only three days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center despite doctors saying he may not be 100% recovered. When the President was back at The White House he could be seen taking off his mask off and wavering to supporters with White House staff close by.

Despite his positive test, Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News last week he doesn’t think he is the one passing the virus to staff, Insider reported.

“It’s very hard when you’re with soldiers when you’re with airmen when you’re with the Marines, and the police officers,” the president said to Hannity before he knew he’d tested positive. “When they come over to you, it’s very hard to say, ‘Stay back. Stay back.’ You know, it’s a tough kind of situation. It’s a terrible thing.”

He goes on to say, ”It is very, very hard when you are with people from the military or from law enforcement and they come over to you, they want to hug you, and they want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them.”

But a White House source told Axios, “It’s insane that he would return to the White House and jeopardize his staff’s health when we are still learning of new cases among senior staff. This place is a cesspool.”

Read More: Ivanka Trump likely received ‘consulting fees’ to reduce Donald’s taxes

Aside from his personal aides, Coast Guard aide Jayna McCarron was also infected with the virus, according to information provided to Bloomberg White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs.

NEWS: One of the president's military aides, Coast Guard aide Jayna McCarron, has coronavirus, sources tell me. And so does one of the president's valets, who is also active duty military, and traveled with the president last week.

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) October 6, 2020

McCarron is apart of a team that keeps the U.S. nuclear arsenal protected, according to Bloomberg.

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Phylicia Rashad says she can’t understand why people avoid the ‘Cosby Show’

In a new interview, Rashad shares her feelings about the scandal that led her former co-star to lose his freedom

This week, Phylicia Rashad had a message for all the The Cosby Show fans torn about watching the sitcom since Bill Cosby’s fall from grace.

During a new cover story for Bustle, the 72-year-old actress who etched her way into our hearts while playing the role of Clair Huxtable, was asked to share her thoughts about viewers who are no longer comfortable watching the beloved show since Cosby’s convictions for sexual assault.

READ MORE: Daniel Cameron blasts Megan Thee Stallion as ‘disgusting’ for calling him out during ‘SNL’ performance

“I don’t know why anybody would feel that way,” she said. “I just don’t accept what somebody says because they say it, and they say it in a loud voice. The internet has given a lot of anonymous people a very loud voice. And this, too, has happened before.”

The iconic actress who graduated from Howard University and mentored the late Chadwick Boseman while teaching there, then went on to cite the false allegations that were once made against author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. According to Rashad, Hurston’s neighbor accused her of molesting their 10-year-old son.

Phylicia Rashad in 2009. (Getty Images)

he case was eventually thrown out because the writer was out of the country when the crime was allegedly committed. But Rashad points out that the scandal that ensued prior to her vindication drove Hurston to consider suicide and caused irreparable damage to her reputation and career.

“Her books were taken off the shelf,” the actress explained. “And so I know what I know, and I just stay with what I know.”

“And it will happen in time, that this will come around another way, as it often does. And then people say, ‘Oh,’” she said, seemingly in defense of Cosby, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018.

The Bustle interview notes that Rashad has expressed public support for Cosby in the past but when pressed further, she says to the reporter, “There are some things I leave alone.”

View this post on Instagram

“This is a golden moment, honey, for us to come to-gether and stop the madness.” At the link in bio, @phyliciarashad on Black motherhood & the legacy of 'The Cosby Show,’ written by @rebeljunemarie. . . . Photographer: @emilysoto Stylist: @tiffanyreid Hair: @gabriellecorney Makeup: @karendupiche Manicure: @makinaill VP Of Fashion: @tiffanyreid VP Of Creative: @karen.hibbert Bookings: @specialprojectsmedia

A post shared by Bustle (@bustle) on Oct 5, 2020 at 6:13am PDT

But as we previously reported, social media will no longer be one of those things. Last month, Rashad’s fans got an unexpected treat when the notoriously private actress finally joined social media at the insistence of her equally iconic sister Debbie Allen.

“Hi. I’m Phylicia Rashad. And at the behest of my sister, Ms. Debbie Allen, I am joining the ranks of those who actively communicate through social media,” she said in her announcement video.

“I told my sister, ‘Debbie, there are so many Twitter, Facebook, Instagram accounts with my name already on them. Why should I do this?’ She said, ‘Yeah, Lish but they’re not the real you,” she continued.

The Tony-award winning actress said she’s looking forward to interacting with fans.

READ MORE: Rihanna issues apology after using sacred Muslim verses during fashion show

“So, this is the real me talking to the real you and I’m looking forward to posting about things that matter, well at least that matter to me. Things that bring me happiness and joy, things that spark my curiosity, things that inspire creativity, things that are challenging. Now, I may not post every day, most assuredly I won’t. But I want you to know this is the real Phylicia Rashad and I’m here,” she said.

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Trump’s top aide Stephen Miller tests positive for COVID-19

Miller serves as the president’s senior adviser and speechwriter.

Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and speechwriter, tested positive for the coronavirus Tuesday.

A senior administration official said Miller had previously tested negative as White House officials have tried to contain an outbreak on the complex that has infected Trump, the first lady and more than a dozen other aides and associates.

Read More: Stephen Miller is Trump’s white supremacist policy adviser

White House senio­r advis­er Steph­en Mille­r. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker-Pool/Getty Images)

Miller is an architect of the president’s “America First” foreign policy and restrictive immigration measures.

His wife, Katie Miller, who serves as communications director to Vice President Mike Pence, previously had the virus and tested negative after the last time she saw him. Katie Miller had been in Salt Lake City with Pence, where he is preparing to debate Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, but she left as soon as she found out about her husband’s diagnosis.

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Donald Trump Jr. wants ‘intervention’ in father’s COVID-19 behavior: report

The family reportedly has different opinions on Trump’s actions since he was diagnosed with COVID-19

Donald Trump, Jr. is reportedly concerned that his father is “acting crazy” since his coronavirus diagnosis and believes the commander-in-chief may need an intervention. Vanity Fair is reporting that Trump, Jr. was concerned after seeing his father riding around Walter Reed National Military Medical Center doing what might be described as a “victory lap” on Sunday night.

Read More: Trump halts COVID-19 relief talks until after election

Trump was taken to Walter Reed after experiencing some symptoms, including a drop in blood oxygen that often signals the most serious COVID-19 cases. He was released on Monday, striding across the White House lawn and giving a thumbs up to reporters, then saluting military officers from the White House balcony for several minutes.

Donald Trump Jr. pre-records his address to the Republican National Convention at the Mellon Auditorium on August 24, 2020 in Washington, DC. The novel coronavirus pandemic has forced the Republican Party to move away from an in-person convention to a televised format, similar to the Democratic Party’s convention a week earlier. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

While the Vanity Fair report says that Trump, Jr. had a hard time convincing his brother Eric, sister Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner to say anything critical to the president, who they say assured him he was “doing great” it seems they all agree Trump needs to cut down on his serial tweeting.

“They’re all worried. They’ve tried to get him to stop tweeting,” a source told the outlet. When Trump tweeted that the coronavirus was no worse than the flu, the social media site stepped in to help them get their wish, hiding the tweet behind a warning that said it had been flagged for “spreading misleading and potentially harmful information.” Facebook deleted the post, according to multiple reports.

“We remove incorrect information about the severity of Covid-19, and have now removed this post,” Andy Stone, policy communications manager at Facebook said, according to reports.

Trump is resting at the White House and though well enough to be on Twitter, there have been conflicting reports about how he’s actually doing.

If Trump is hiding anything about the current state of his health, he’d join a long line of U.S. presidents who did the same. Two of the most prominent examples are Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the nation’s 32nd president, who hid that he was unable to walk without help throughout his time in office.

And famously, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the nation’s 35th president, suffered from a number of debilitating ailments including Addison’s disease and chronic back pain, that the public never knew about during his years in the White House.

Read More: WH will not trace contacts for ‘super spreader’ court nomination event

Trump tweeted this morning that he will be in Miami for the next presidential debate with Democratic candidate Joe Biden on Oct. 15, despite the possibility, medical experts say, that he could still be at risk of spreading the coronavirus.

I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15th in Miami. It will be great!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020

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St. Louis couple indicted for waving guns at BLM protesters

Mark and Patricia McCloskey say they were exercising their Second Amendment right and were protected by Missouri’s castle doctrine law.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A grand jury on Tuesday indicted the St. Louis couple who displayed guns while hundreds of racial injustice protesters marched on their private street.

Al Watkins, an attorney for the couple, confirmed to The Associated Press the indictments against Mark McCloskey, 63, and Patricia McCloskey, 61. A spokeswoman for Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner declined comment.

The McCloskeys, who are both attorneys, have become folk heroes among some conservatives. They argue that they were simply exercising their Second Amendment right to bear arms, and were protected by Missouri’s castle doctrine law that allows the use of deadly force against intruders. The case has caught the attention of President Donald Trump, and Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has said he will pardon the couple if they are convicted.

Read More: St. Louis circuit attorney charges couple for pulling guns at protesters

Mark McCloskey addresses the press alongside his wife Patricia on Tuesday outside the Carnahan Courthouse, in St. Louis, Mo. | Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP

The McCloskeys also were featured speakers on the first night of the Republican National Convention. They’ve accused the “leftist” Democratic St. Louis leadership for their plight.

Gardner, a Democrat, charged the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon. She said the display of guns risked bloodshed at what she called an otherwise peaceful protest.

Watkins said that in addition to the weapons charge, the grand jury indictment includes a tampering with evidence charge. It wasn’t clear what led to that additional count, he said.

The McCloskeys contend the protest was hardly peaceful. They say protesters came onto the private street after knocking over an iron gate and ignoring a “No Trespassing” sign, and said they felt threatened.

Watkins said accusations against the McCloskeys are “effectively demonstrating the highest degree of ineptitude and inappropriate behavior” from Gardner’s office.

Read More: Michigan couple arrested, charged after pointing gun at Black family

The incident happened June 28 as protesters were walking toward the home of Mayor Lyda Krewson, a few blocks away. They suddenly decided to veer onto the McCloskeys’ street, prompting the confrontation that was caught on cellphone video. It showed Mark McCloskey in front of the $1.15 million home armed with an AR-15 rifle and Patricia McCloskey with a semiautomatic handgun.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey (Screenshot from viral video)

A police probable cause statement said protesters feared “being injured due to Patricia McCloskey’s finger being on the trigger, coupled with her excited demeanor.”

Nine people involved in the protest were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, but the city counselor’s office later dropped the charges. The city counselor’s office handles lesser crimes and is not affiliated with the circuit attorney’s office.

Mark McCloskey, after a brief court hearing earlier Tuesday, expressed anger that he and his wife faced criminal charges while those who trespassed onto his property did not.

“Every single human being that was in front of my house was a criminal trespasser,” McCloskey said. “They broke down our gate. They trespassed on our property. Not a single one of those people is now charged with anything. We’re charged with felonies that could cost us four years of our lives and our law licenses.”

The June protest in St. Louis was among hundreds nationwide in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

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A Common Plant Virus Is an Unlikely Ally in the War on Cancer

Researchers have seen promising results by injecting dog and mouse tumors with the cowpea mosaic virus. Now they’re aiming for a human trial.

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Covid Kid Reporters: Back-to-School Edition

Seven young journalists weigh in on remote learning, face-mask fatigue, and the many joys of goldfish ownership.

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How to Start Streaming on Twitch

You don't need a ton of equipment to stream your own gaming sessions, or to meet more people who play the games you love.

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Silicon Valley Opens Its Wallet for Joe Biden

A WIRED analysis finds roughly 95 percent of contributions by employees of six big tech firms have gone to Trump's Democratic challenger.

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A Poker Pro Accused of Cheating Wants $330M in Damages

Mike Postle claims he was the victim of an elaborate online campaign to tar him as a fraud—and he's suing a dozen defendants.

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