MAKING ROOM

Hip-Hop Stars Increasingly Vocal About Supporting Gay Rights

By Jacob Wittich

WHILE THE SUPREME COURT WEIGHS THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE In a case that could potentially grant same-sex marriage to US citizens, hip-hop also faces a revolution when it comes to the topic of same-sex relations.

The latest to chime in on this movement is rapper A$AP Rocky, who — despite hip-hop’s history of homophobia — expressed support for the gay community in a recent interview with designer Alexander Wang for Interview.

“It’s 2013, and it’s a shame that, to this day, that topic still gets people all excited,” A$AP said. “It’s crazy. And it makes me upset that this topic even matters when it comes to hip-hop, because it makes it seem like everybody in hip-hop is small-minded or stupid — and that’s not the case. We’ve got people like Jay-Z. We’ve got people like Kanye. We’ve got people like me. We’re all prime examples of people who don’t think like that.”

SCHOOLED IN CONTROL

Ari Emanuel Lobs Legal Letter Over Rock Center Interview

By Elizabeth C.

LEGENDARY HOLLYWOOD SUPER AGENT AND REPUTED BULLY ARI EMANUEL reportedly was peeved by NBC’s Brian Williams’s line of questioning during a Rock Center segment that aired Friday.

The segment, featuring the three Emanuel brothers Rahm, Ari and bioethicist Ezekiel, seemed benign enough with the three highly accomplished siblings jocularly sparring with each other and Williams. The televised tete a tete was to promote Ezekiel’s new book, Brothers Emanuel: A Memoir of an American Family. Williams called them the “Jewish Kennedys.”

It was not their American experiences — but rather their ties to Israel among other topics — that allegedly ticked Ari off, compelling him to shoot off a “legal letter” to NBC complaining about William’s interrogation, according to the New York Post and The Hollywood Reporter.

WTF

Latest Bizarre North Korea Propaganda Show Americans Drinking Cups Of Snow & Living In Tents

By Elizabeth C.

BEWARE BECAUSE THIS COULD BE THE LONGEST 4:31 MINUTES OF YOUR LIFE.

The above video alleged to be the latest propaganda film from the Hermit Kingdom depicts a bleak America, with citizens “drinking coffee made from snow and living in tents and buying guns to kill each other, especially children.”

As maudlin music swells in the background, the video’s narrator drones on depicting life in “modern day America” as a hellish purgatory where the population subsides on handouts from the government and eat birds from the trees. After watching it several times, we can’t help wonder if the DPRK propagandists aren’t trying to lull its own dire citizens satisfied with heated snow and scraps. Maybe we should call Dennis Rodman and get his comment?

Update: As you’re watching, remember this: You’re only being slightly punk’d.

INSPIRING

Michelle Obama On Vogue: FLOTUS With the Mostest

By Elizabeth C.

MICHELLE OBAMA’S EVOLVING STYLE REACHES IT APEX ON THE April cover of Vogue.

Wearing her flattering new haircut and a figure-flattering Reed Krakoff dress, the First Lady exudes confidence and a fresh fashion sense in a photo shot by the high-flying Annie Liebovitz.

And inside, she sounds decidedly un-Sheryl Sandberg like when she unapologetically says family comes first.

‘DREAM ON’?

Hawaii Senates Approves ‘Steven Tyler Act’ Banning Pap Shots In ‘Private Moments’

By Alex Stedman

STEVEN TYLER MAY SOON leave another mark on pop culture beyond playing heavy metal and looking lecherously at American Idol wannabes: In an attempt to protect celebrities from intrusive paparazzi, the Hawaii state Senate passed the “Steven Tyler Act” Tuesday.

The Aerosmith singer asked Sen. Kalani English to support the legislation after paparazzi shot invasive photographs of him and his girlfriend near his beach home in Maui, subsequently “causing family drama” and making readers’ eyes bleed. Twenty-three of Hawaii’s 25 Senate members voted in favor of the bill, which makes it illegal to take photos or videos of people in private moments.

GOOD INTENTIONS; BAD IDEA

Iowan Lawmaker Wants Ban On No-Fault Divorce To Prevent Teen Promiscuity

By Elizabeth C.

“HIS NAME IS GASSMAN. THAT’S BECAUSE HE’S FULL OF HOT AIR.”

That’s MSN commentator “Anthony” remarking on the ridiculously dangerous idea of Iowa state Rep. Ted Gassman to outlaw divorce for parents of small children except in cases when a spouse abandons a family, commits adultery or a crime.

Fearing that divorce makes teenagers more promiscuous, Gassman is sponsoring a bill in the Iowa State House seeking to outlaw no-fault divorce.

FOR THE RECORD

Bradley Manning’s Statement: Soldier Explains Data Dump To WikiLeaks

By Elizabeth C.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE COMPLETE STATEMENT THAT Army Pfc. Bradley Manning read aloud at Thursday’s pretrial hearing held at Fort Meade, Md. The transcript was taken by journalist Alexa O’Brien.

Manning pleaded guilty to 10 charges, not guilty to 12 others including “aiding the enemy,” and awaits a military court-martial in June related to a massive data dump onto the whistleblowing journalism site, WikiLeaks. Manning was arrested in May 2010 after he revealed his actions to convicted hacker Adrian Lamo during online web chats. Lamo, renown for his love of the limelight, notified the FBI. Among the materials Manning shared with WikiLeaks was disturbing footage of a U.S. Apache crew gunning down Iraqi citizens and two Reuters journalists.

LOST LEGACY

Report: Jesse Jackson Jr. Signs Plea Deal With Feds

By Elizabeth C.

CHICAGO’S NBC5 is reporting that disgraced former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. has signed a plea deal that could include jail time for using campaign contributions for personal use. He will be sentenced by an as-yet assigned federal judge.

Jackson resigned from Congress last November just two weeks after being re-elected to Illinois’ 2nd congressional district for his 10th term, and three months ago after mysteriously disappeared from his office on Capitol Hill. After much press speculation, the son of Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson Sr. finally claimed he was being treated for bipolar disorder, depression and “gastrointestinal issues.”

HILARIOUS HOKUM

Pyongyang Propaganda Video Reveals Diabolical Dreams Of Bombing The U.S.

CAN SOPHIE SCHMIDT SHARE HER INSIGHTS ON THIS KNEE SLAPPER?

The delusional despots of Pyongyang have uploaded a bizarre video to YouTube depicting a North Korean man dreaming of bombs setting New York City ablaze as strains of Michael Jackson’s We Are The World play in the background. Background footage comes from the video game Call of Duty.

The propaganda video was uploaded to North Korea’s official channel over the weekend as the country taunts the world with threats of imminent nuclear tests. The production values are so corny that the video is mostly laughable even as it reveals the dark fantasies of the world’s most isolated nation.

YOU’VE BEEN SERVED

25 Years After Hoax, Bill Comes Due For Tawana Brawley

By Elizabeth C.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER SHE CONCOCTED A STORY about being abducted and abused by a group of white men, Tawana Brawley is getting the bill for ruining a prosecutor’s reputation.

The New York Post last month tracked down Brawley, now 40, living under an “assumed name” and working as a licensed nurse in Virginia. Yesterday, she was served with a court order demanding that she settle the $190,000 defamation claim won against her by former Dutchess County, N.Y. prosecutor Steven Pagones.

“For at least 25 years, she has been living a major lie,” Pagones told the Post. “To me, this has always been about responsibility and accountability.”