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Bianca Censori is switching up her style, although some people believe it might be temporary. 

The 30-year-old, who is married to rapper and entrepreneur, Kanye West, stepped out in New York City rocking something the public doesn’t get to see her in often — clothes.

Technically, Censori always has something on when she steps out, but more than half of her body — including areas considered highly intimate — is often exposed. TMZ spotted the couple on June 12, but what caught fans’ attention was Censori wearing an outfit that covered her almost from head to toe.

Bianca Censori steps out fully clothed with Kanye West in NYC. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Censori went for an incognito look while out with her husband as she sported a black leather trench coat and black high-heeled boots. She accessorized the ensemble with black shades and dark brown hair that appeared to be a wig.

It’s unclear if it was by design, but her long, wavy wig looked like a deliberate disguise — with soft waves cascading over her face, almost like she didn’t want to be recognized.

But if she was trying to stay under the radar, it’s a near-impossible task next to her superstar husband — especially since he made no effort to blend in.

But if her goal was to be hidden, it’s difficult to do that at the side of her superstar husband, who didn’t try very hard to be unseen.

West, who’s rarely seen in anything but black, flipped the script — stepping out in a white denim jacket and matching jeans, bold brown shoes, and his trademark black shades that practically demanded attention.

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Yet most fans online are only talking about Censori’s outfit in the comment section of Yahoo’s repost of Parade’s story about the couple’s outing.

One person said, “Glad to see her fully dressed.”

Another sarcastic critic wrote, “How is anyone supposed to recognize her with clothes on?????”

A third said, “Yes she looks like someone who is trying not to be noticed for once with a long coat, boots , long hair wig and sunglasses. It is refreshing to see.”

As for Censori and West last week, the two reportedly were leaving an unspecified event in the Big Apple.

West also made time to show up to court in support of his friend Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs is on trial for a multi-count indictment which includes charges on racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

The Associated Press reports that West arrived at the federal courthouse in Manhattan around noon and only spent about 40 minutes there before leaving. He wasn’t admitted into the courtroom where the actual trial is underway. Instead, he was taken into an overflow room to watch the testimony on a monitor. He left shortly after he realized other people were getting into the room once they noticed he was in there. 

‘How Is Anyone Supposed to Recognize Her’: Bianca Censori Leaves Fans Stunned By Her Covered Up All-Black Look While Out with Kanye West

President Donald Trump is at odds with the U.S. intelligence community and his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, over an assessment of Iran’s nuclear capabilities and its intentions in testimony she gave earlier this year before a Senate committee.

Gabbard told the Senate Intelligence Committee that Iran did have an “unprecedented” level of weapons-grade uranium, but  “is not building a nuclear weapon.”

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard listens during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump convened a Cabinet meeting a day after announcing a 90-day pause on ‘reciprocal’ tariffs, with the exception of China. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty

“I don’t care what she said,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Tuesday on his early return from the Group of 7 Summit in Canada to deal with the escalating fighting between Israel and Iran. “I think they were very close to having one.”

Q: Tulsi Gabbard testified in March that Iran wasn’t building a nuclear weapon.

Trump: I don’t care what she said. They were very close to getting a nuke. pic.twitter.com/8PeFACJoPl

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 17, 2025

The intelligence community “continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003,” Gabbard told lawmakers in March.

Trump keeps repeating that "Iran can't have a nuclear weapon" to desensitize his base about going to war with Iran.

Tulsi Gabbard in March, 2025: "Iran is not building a nuclear weapon." pic.twitter.com/3GCoSicQ9b

— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) June 17, 2025

“In the past year, we’ve seen an erosion of a decades-long taboo in Iran on discussing nuclear weapons in public, likely emboldening nuclear weapons advocates within Iran’s decision-making apparatus,” she said.

And she also acknowledged Tehran’s build-up of nuclear fuel. “Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.”

But American intelligence assessments continue to show that Iran was not pursuing a nuclear weapon and was still years away from being able to launch one, according to a CNN report Tuesday. That is a direct contradiction of Israel’s justification for launching a massive airstrike last week on its longtime nemesis, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contending Tehran was on the verge of having a nuclear weapon.

And last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report indicating concern over Iran’s enrichment efforts, but said there was not enough evidence that Tehran was actively building a bomb.

“The Agency has no credible indications of an ongoing, undeclared structured nuclear programme of the type described above in Iran and notes the statements of the highest officials in Iran that the use of nuclear weapons is incompatible with Islamic Law,” according to the IAEA report.

Netanyahu has defended the attack on Tehran, warning that “if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time.” And in an interview Sunday on Fox News, he said the regime “would achieve a test device and possibly an initial device within months and certainly less than a year.”

“The intel we got and we shared with the United States was absolutely clear, was absolutely clear that they were working in a secret plan to weaponize the uranium,” Netanyahu said when asked about Gabbard’s assessment, according to the New York Post.

“We saw enough uranium, enriched uranium for nine bombs.”

Trump last week indicated support for Israel’s airstrike on Iran, repeatedly expressing frustration that nuclear talks between the U.S and the regime were unsuccessful and issuing an ominous warning on his Truth Social platform after the attack that “it would be much worse than anything they know” unless they made a deal.

And early Tuesday, before leaving the summit in Canada, the president repeatedly insisted “IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON” in several posts on his Truth Social platform. He posted the same statement at least four times, which seems to indicate the President has access to additional information about the regime’s nuclear capabilities.

This escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran is occurring seven years after Trump tore up a nuclear deal reached under the Obama administration, saying at the time it “was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”

And there’s possibly no end in sight to this current conflict. Netanyahu said last week the operation would continue “for as many days as it takes” to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat, CNN reported, but Iran has an extensive and well-protected nuclear operation, so the bombing could stretch on for weeks or even longer.

Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Israel, which is not, is estimated to possess a nuclear weapons stockpile of at least 90 warheads, as The New York Times reported this week.

‘I Don’t Care What She Said’: Trump Discredits His Own National Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard Over Iran’s Nuclear Powers In Latest Viral Rant

Citing his administration’s lack of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, the NAACP announced, for the first time in its 116-year history, it will not be inviting the sitting president to speak at its upcoming national convention in Charlotte.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement that the decision “has nothing to do with political party.”

“Our mission is to advance civil rights, and the current president has made clear that his mission is to eliminate civil rights,” said Johnson. rejecting what he called Trump’s “fascist playbook.”

President and CEO of the NAACP, Derrick Johnson attends the 2023 NAACP Calvin Peete Golf Celebration, A PGD Global Production at The Golf Club of Georgia on October 23, 2023 in Alpharetta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Play Golf Designs Inc., PGD Global)

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields attacked the NAACP in response to the slight, saying the organization “isn’t advancing anything but hate and division, while the President is focused on uniting our country, improving our economy, securing our borders, and establishing peace across the globe.”

Trump never spoke to the NAACP convention during his first term. He declined invitations in 2016-2018 and backed out of an appearance in 2019 after the format was changed from a speech to a question-and-answer session. That same year, convention delegates unanimously passed a vote calling for Trump’s impeachment. Needless to say, the president skipped the 2020 meeting.

MAGA supporters were appalled by the NAACP’s snub.

“Who cares about a communist organization, not one patriot I know,” wrote one angry Trump supporter, posting on X. (Despite the claims of many pro-Trumpers, the NAACP is not and has never been aligned with any communist party.)

Added another, “NAACP doesn’t know what fascism is: In a break with its long history, the NAACP announced that it will not invite Donald Trump to its national convention this year. NAACP President Derrick Johnson’s explanation for making this unprecedented decision was purely political, despite insisting that ‘we’re nonpartisan.’ “

Many others saluted the decision.

“I applaud the NAACP for excluding Trump due to his brutal assault on civil rights in America,” said one critic. “We cannot condone his blatantly racist, sexist, and xenophobic policies that discriminate against immigrants, women, disabled, poor, and LGBTQ people.”

Despite the rebuke, Trump has made inroads with Black voters. In 2024, he won the largest share of Black votes for a Republican since Gerald Ford 49 years ago. Currently, a little more than 20 percent of Black Americans give him a favorable approval rating.

Black men have been especially open-minded about supporting Trump. About a quarter of Black males voted for him in 2024, including nearly 30 percent of Black men under 45 years old,

Still, the civil rights establishment remains in staunch opposition to the president and his policies. The NAACP is currently involved in numerous legal battles against the Trump administration on issues including his attempt to shutter the Department of Education and his threat to withhold federal funding to schools that maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs

“The NAACP Convention has always been a place where people across the country come together to map out our advocacy and mobilization strategies to advance civil rights and democracy for all,” according to the organization’s statement. “Our annual convention is meant to be a safe space for all people — regardless of political ideology — who believe in multiracial democracy and the ideal of building a more perfect union.”

Republicans have traditionally received a more hostile reception from the NAACP. Still, GOP presidents, including George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, often used the forum to defend themselves against charges of racism.

In 1981, Reagan dismissed racial bigotry as fundamentally un-American, saying, “A few isolated groups in the backwater of American life still hold perverted notions of what America is all about.” America, he said, “will not stand for your conduct.”

In 2006, George W. Bush, fresh off his administration’s lackluster response to Hurricane Katrina, acknowledged the GOP “wrote off the African American vote, and many African Americans wrote off the Republican Party.”

“That history has prevented us from working together when we agree on great goals,” Bush said to applause. “That’s not good for our country … I want to change the relationship.”

Trump last spoke to a predominantly Black audience in August 2024, when he appeared at the convention of the National Association of Black Journalists. It did not go well.

After claiming he was “the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln,” Trump questioned whether his opponent, then Vice President Kamala Harris, was actually Black.

‘Isn’t Advancing Anything But Hate and Division’: White House Hits Back After NAACP Shuts Out Donald Trump from Its National Convention, Breaking a 116-Year Tradition

Will Smith says his parenting style is not for the faint of heart. The box office superstar has been keeping a lid on his personal life but recently opened up about his experience raising his three kids.

He shares children Jaden, 26, and Willow, 24, with wife Jada Pinkett Smith. He also shares a son Trey Smith, 32, with ex-wife Sheree Zampino.

In an episode of the U.K.’s “Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden” radio show, the father of three admitted that he had never had much control of his offspring.

(Photographed: Trey Smith, Willow Smith, Sheree Zampino, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jaden Smith via Will Smith/Instagram.)

“We made a very, very, very terrible mistake with our children and we went with radical honesty. Don’t do it. I’m not advocating for it,” he warned.

“The Pursuit of Happyness” actor explained, “We made a deal from like really young with our kids. The deal was if you tell the truth, you won’t get in trouble. The only way you can get in trouble in this house is if we find out you did something and you don’t tell the truth.”

The unconventional tactic wrecked his peace of mind. “It’s a mistake … It’s terrible … They do whatever they want and they just come tell you. It’s awful. Don’t try it. You want your kids to lie. You definitely — you don’t want to know some of the stuff your kids are thinking and doing,” Will half-jokingly told the hosts. 

On YouTube, a fan commented, “Wow, it’s so brave of Will Smith to openly admit his mistakes raising Jaden and Willow. Parenting is tough, and being honest about it shows real growth. Respect for sharing this!” 

The “Hawthorne” actress spoke about her parenting style in 2012, echoing Will’s sentiments. Pinkett Smith said, “I think that old school style of ‘I’m your parent and I’m greater than you’ doesn’t work. What I establish with my children is a partnership. I’m not necessarily dictating what is happening in their lives.”

Will smith with his children (Trey, Jaden & Willow Smith) pic.twitter.com/nU5fh3rU68

— Dami’ Adenuga (@DAMIADENUGA) October 13, 2023

Still, a second person remarked that Will’s mistakes in life far exceed his thoughts on discipline. The individual critically wrote, “His biggest mistake is letting his wife and children walk all over him and marrying a woman who’s in love with a man that’s deceased.”

Will and Jada have been married for 28 years and separated since 2016. His wife made the latter revelation in 2023 during the promotional tour of her memoir “Worthy.” Jada’s close bond and deep love with the late rapper Tupac Shakur was among the many reflections she wrote about and discussed while promoting the book.

‘We Made a Very Terrible Mistake with Our Children’: Will Smith Admits His and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Approach to Parenting Backfired with Willow and Jaden

A 20-year-old man is facing murder charges for the shooting death of a young U.S. Navy veteran who family members say was killed during a “senseless act of road rage.”

According to local reports, New York City police say Keino Campbell, 27, was found unconscious in a 2012 gray Infiniti around 2 a.m. on June 14 in the Bronx.

Keino Campbell, a 27-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, was fatally shot following an incident that authorities and family members believe was an act of road rage. A 20-year-old man is now facing murder charges in connection with his death. (Photos: GoFundMe)

Authorities say Campbell got into an argument with another driver, and the confrontation escalated when the driver shot the 27-year-old three times in the chest.

Campbell tried to drive away, but lost consciousness and crashed a few blocks away from the shooting scene. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Family members say Campbell proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 2019 to 2022. He dreamed of becoming a pilot one day, but due to issues with his eyesight, he changed course and made plans to go back to school to train in security and electrical engineering.

Campbell’s mother said he was preparing to start a new job when he was fatally shot.

“I would rather my son be alive right now than me because I know he would do such great things in this world if he had a chance,” Campbell’s mother, Suzette Thomas, told the Daily News. “I’m so heartbroken.”

Police arrested 20-year-old Michael Aracena, who now faces murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Campbell’s death.

Family members say investigators told them they believe the suspect demanded money from Campbell, then fatally shot him when he said he didn’t have any.

“They saw this man with a nice vehicle, they thought he had money and this is why this crime really happened,” Thomas said. “My son loved cars and he saved every money he gets.”

They say they’re shocked and devastated that Campbell’s life was taken by such a senseless act of violence. They said he never made trouble and only sought to better his own life and make sure his family was never without.

“My brother helped everyone in the community,” Campbell’s sister, Crystal Thomas, remarked. “He was very respectful. He was a young Black man just trying to make it out. He is not even a confrontational person. He’s a gentle giant.”

The family noted that Campbell’s killing comes after the deaths of two other family members in the last three months — a 36-year-old cousin and a 19-month-old boy who “was born with half a heart.”

Campbell’s family launched an online fundraiser to raise donations for Campbell’s funeral expenses.

“He was a U.S. Navy veteran, a kind and humble young man with a calm spirit, a bright future, and dreams of becoming a husband and father one day,” Campbell’s aunt wrote on the GoFundMe page. “His life was filled with purpose, and his heart was filled with love — for his family, his country, and his vision for the future.

‘They Thought He Had Money’: Family Says ‘Senseless Act of Road Rage’ Claimed the Life of Young U.S. Navy Veteran Gunned Down In New York

Chalk up another cherished American symbol that has quietly vanished under Donald Trump’s watch.

A bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., once prominently displayed in the Oval Office, has been removed under Donald Trump’s presidency amid a broader rollback of civil rights iconography, military tributes, and diversity initiatives across federal agencies.

The decision to move the bust from the Oval, confirmed by a White House official to Black Press USA, came without fanfare or photos. The sculpture was quietly relocated to the president’s private dining room sometime after April, when it was still visible during Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit. No explanation was given for its removal.

A sculpted bust of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., adorns a table for an early preview of the redesigned Oval Office awaiting President Joseph Biden at the White House in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

At the same time, Trump continues to court far-right figures like Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, a vocal critic of Dr. King’s legacy. Kirk, who has called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a “mistake” and questioned the existence of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, has been appointed to the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors and attended high-profile White House events, including the swearing-in of Jeanine Pirro as the interim United States attorney for the District of Columbia last month.

The removal of King’s likeness from the Oval Office, while at the same time welcoming a man who seeks to dismantle his legacy, reflects more than just an office redesign, critics say. Since Trump’s second term began in January, civil advocates have underscored a clear and consistent effort by his administration to erase symbols of racial and social progress — especially those honoring Black and LGBTQ+ Americans.

That same pattern has taken hold across the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who earlier this month ordered the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, a ship named after the gay rights icon, who was assassinated in 1978. Though officials declined to say what the ship would be renamed, one defense source said the announcement was deliberately timed to coincide with Pride Month.

The Milk is part of the John Lewis-class of replenishment oilers, named after civil rights leaders and trailblazing public servants. Now, more than half of those ships — including those honoring Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Lucy Stone, and Medgar Evers — are under review for renaming. Only a few, including the USNS John Lewis, USNS Earl Warren, and USNS Sojourner Truth, remain untouched so far.

Military officials have quietly acknowledged that at least two older ships from the Lewis and Clark class are also being reviewed for potential name changes.

The push to erase these figures coincides with a wider campaign by the Trump administration to dismantle what it deems “woke” programs — particularly those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Within days of his confirmation, Hegseth fired several high-ranking officers, including Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, the second Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s first woman chief of naval operations. He later eliminated DEI-related coursework at service academies and barred consideration of race or gender in admissions.

“Selecting anyone but the best erodes lethality, our warfighting readiness, and undercuts the culture of excellence in our armed forces,” Hegseth said last month.

Meanwhile, the administration’s purge has spilled beyond military leadership into digital archives. In March, the Pentagon deleted a Department of Defense web feature on Jackie Robinson’s Army service — a story that highlighted his stand against military segregation in 1944, years before he broke baseball’s color barrier.

The page reappeared only after public backlash and pressure from Robinson’s family.

“We were surprised to learn that a page on the Department of Defense’s website featuring Jackie Robinson…was taken down,” said David Robinson, his son and a board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. “We take great pride in Jackie Robinson’s service to our country as a soldier and a sports hero.”

When asked why the page was removed, a message had appeared on the site reading the page “might have been moved, renamed, or may be temporarily unavailable.” Embedded in the URL was the term “dei” — a detail first reported by KSBW and ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Pressed for comment, Defense press secretary John Ullyot issued contradictory statements. At first, he praised the department for its “swift compliance” with Trump’s DEI directive. Hours later, a revised statement paid respect to Robinson’s legacy but sidestepped whether the removal was intentional.

Other historic web pages have also vanished — including those honoring Navajo Code Talkers, Japanese-American WWII veterans, and Black Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. Charles C. Rogers. Pages about civil rights martyr Medgar Evers were stripped from the Arlington National Cemetery website. Training videos about the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Air Force Service Pilots were eliminated from the Air Force curriculum in January, the very day Hegseth was confirmed.

Critics view this as a calculated dismantling of history.

“This is the establishment of Jim Crow 2.0,” warned Democratic South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn. “What does DEI have to do with Jackie Robinson and Medgar Evers?”

Robinson’s legacy has been a flashpoint before. Trump once included the baseball icon in a proposed National Garden of American Heroes and featured his photo in a 2020 campaign ad. But Robinson’s daughter, Sharon Robinson, objected publicly.

“Jackie Robinson’s family strongly objects to the use of Jackie Robinson’s image in a Donald Trump [ad]. The Trump campaign is in opposition to all that Jackie Robinson stood for and believed in. We’re insulted and demand that his image be removed!”

Despite claims from Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky that these digital removals were “mistakes” by artificial intelligence, many see a pattern too consistent to ignore. “In every case, the only content being erased belongs to Americans who are not white,” said one critic familiar with the Pentagon’s internal review process.

At least 24,000 historical articles were reportedly under review for potential deletion, CNN reported last month.

Taken together — from the quiet removal of MLK’s bust to the erasure of Robinson and Evers, to the renaming of ships honoring civil rights and LGBTQ icons — the Trump administration’s actions reflect a sweeping agenda: one that actively seeks to erase the symbols of America’s long and painful march toward equality.

Reactions on social media were mixed, but those defending Trump’s decision to remove MLK’s bust faced swift and decisive blowback.

“It’s his choice for whatever he wants in the Oval Office,” one user wrote, sparking a flurry of angry responses.

“But it’s not his damn office, It’s The PEOPLE’S OFFICE, he is gone in 3 years, hopefully before then,” someone clapped back in a sentiment echoed by a handful of others.

One commenter took it further, suggesting future Democratic presidents should take a page from Trump’s book and respond in kind.

Another user accused Trump of using the move to stir controversy and shift focus away from his haphazard policies on the economy and immigration.

“When he has a bad week, and he just had a bad one, he does something bigoted to distract the media and rile up his base. We have a 10-year record of this,” he mused.

Others attempted to clarify that the bust wasn’t packed up and shipped out, just relocated within the White House.

“To be clear, he apparently just moved it to another spot in the White House,” one person wrote, before adding, “Still a weird move.”

Still, many weren’t convinced the relocation was innocent. They argued that the decision reflected how little regard Trump had for King’s legacy.

“Of course he did. Can’t have a reminder of actual courage and moral clarity staring at him while he’s busy mumbling about dishwashers and revenge. The bust had too much dignity — clashed with the decor of grievance and spray tan.”

‘Something Bigoted to Distract’: Donald Trump Quietly Removes MLK Bust from Oval Office Amid Broader Scrubbing of Civil Rights Symbols

Dave Chappelle says the devastation of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential win made it difficult to find the laughter behind the scenes at “Saturday Night Live.” The comedian hosted the show four days after the presidential race on Nov. 12.

In a new Variety “Actors on Actors” conversation with Mo Amer, Chappelle recalled the scene that unfolded as he and the crew prepared for the episode.

“Man, when they called Donald Trump the winner, that shut the writers room down,” he said. 

Dave Chappelle and Donald Trump. (Photos by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“You should have seen them… Boy, they was crying like, like, Black people,” Chappelle noted, adding, “And I like Black people, but you know what I mean, they, they, they couldn’t believe that this was happening.” 

During the live “SNL” show, the star of “Chappelle’s Show” launched his monologue by saying, “I didn’t know that Donald Trump was gonna win the election. I did suspect it. Seemed like Hillary [Clinton] was doing well in the polls, and yet, I know the whites. You guys aren’t as full of surprises as you used to be. … America’s done it. We’ve actually elected an internet troll as our president. The whites are furious.”

Chappelle and Amer’s look back at the comedic bit stirred a flood of reactions online. One read, “I remember that cringe opening, after that election where they had Kate playing the Piano very seriously as if there had been a death. For a Comedy show, them going serious to send a message they were not happy, especially when Kate at the end says Hills would have her victory eventually…They meant it too be very serious, but it was SOOO Cringy, it was actually very funny, which for that version of SNL, that was a rarity.”

Chappelle and Chris Rock did a skit about Trump during the show. A conservative commenter inferred that the comedian’s story said a lot more about the liberal-leaning themes at “SNL.”

That individual wrote, “Crying over politics. This is the state of SNL writing, and it explains a lot.” However, a third viewer noted that not much has changed from 2016 to the present day.

“Cried over his latest win too—–in fact still crying,” they said.

To date, Chappelle has hosted the long-running NBC program on Nov. 12, 2016, Nov. 7, 2020, Nov. 12, 2022, and Jan. 18, 2025. He was invited by “SNL” creator and producer Lorne Michaels to host the 2024 post-election show but turned down the offer that October.

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His contemporary Bill Burr stepped in for the Nov. 9 taping. The “Half Baked” actor’s January return marked the “SNL” Season 50 opener, just two days before the Republican was sworn into office. His monologue was 17 minutes, the longest in the series’ history. 

Chappelle told Trump to “remember whether people voted for you or not, they’re all counting on you. Whether they like you or not, they’re all counting on you. The whole world’s counting on you. … Good luck. Please, do better next time. … Do not forget your humanity.” 

‘I Remember That Cringe Opening’: Dave Chappelle Says ‘SNL’ Writers Were Crying ‘Like Black People’ After Trump’s 2016 Win, Stirring Memories of His Controversial Monologue

Despite multiple witnesses telling police that Stephan Long had acted in self-defense when he shot and killed two white assailants who had attacked him during a road rage altercation, Denver prosecutors charged the Black man with two counts of first-degree murder.

Long ended up spending four months in jail and an additional 10 months on house arrest with an ankle monitor before prosecutors dismissed the charges for “insufficient evidence.”

Last week, Long filed a lawsuit against the two Denver police officers who arrested him and labeled him the suspect, as well as the city and county of Denver, who followed through on the prosecution, accusing them of violating his Fourth and 14th Amendment rights, selective prosecution, and unlawful arrest.

Stephan Long spent four months in jail with no bond on first-degree murder charges even though he was defending himself against two white men who attacked him in his car in a road rage altercation. (Photo: facebook.com/kwgnchannel2 and change.org)

The lawsuit claims Long would never have been charged had he been white and the assailants Black, listing an example from a previous unrelated case where a white man chased down a Black boy who had stolen his car and shot him to death, despite being told to back off the chase by a 911 dispatcher.

“This experience has been the most devastating chapter of my life — not just for me, but for my entire family,” Long said in a statement released to local media last week.

“Being wrongfully charged with two counts of first-degree murder changed not just my life but also the ones closest to me, my family. I was jailed and unable to be with my wife and our two young infants, leaving them behind while I fought for the chance to prove my innocence. The emotional and physical toll of that separation is something no innocent person should ever have to endure.”

According to the lawsuit filed on June 12 by Zachary Warren of the Highlands Law Firm in Denver:

Several bystanders were also brought to DPD headquarters for questioning. The bystanders relayed that they witnessed the two men get out of their vehicle and violently assault the Plaintiff in his vehicle. At no point in time did any witness make a statement indicating the Plaintiff was the aggressor; instead, each of the eyewitnesses consistently described a scenario in which the Plaintiff was clearly the victim of a horrifying and ruthless violent assault. 

Despite overwhelming evidence, including the Plaintiff’s testimony and the testimony of several bystanders, the Plaintiff was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Denver and the Individual Defendants should have quickly ascertained, based on the available evidence, that the Plaintiff was acting in self-defense, yet allowed biases about the Plaintiff’s race to improperly influence the decision to continue to pursue two first-degree murder charges. 

Road Rage Incident

The incident took place on June 13, 2023, after Long had signed a lease agreement for an apartment along with his wife and two children. Long, then 25, was driving northbound on I-25 while his wife and two children followed behind in another car. 

Long had been talking to his wife on the phone when the two white brothers, Damon and Blake Lucas, who were 22 and 21, respectively, apparently became annoyed because he had been driving too slowly, pulled up next to him, and yelled at him.

The claim states that Long attempted to exit the interstate but the other car pulled in front of him and came to a stop, pinning his car where he was unable to move.

Blake then hopped out of the car and ran up to the driver’s side of Long’s car, punching him in the face repeatedly through the open window before Long shot him dead.

Damon, who had been driving, then hopped out of the car and ran up to the driver’s side window as Long was trying to drive away, so Long shot him dead as well.

A Denver police officer in an unmarked car heard the shots and followed Long as he drove away, notifying other officers who arrested him a couple of miles away.

Despite early indications that it was a clear case of self-defense, the Denver District Attorney’s Office charged Long with two counts of first-degree murder, stating the following in its probable cause statement:

The suspect related that he was driving north on I-25 when a vehicle drives next to him and begins yelling at him. This vehicle pulls in front of him and cuts him off. Soon after, the passenger in the vehicle that cuts off the suspect exits his vehicle and approaches the suspect. 

The male begins grabbing and hitting the suspect through his open driver’s window. The suspect grabs his handgun and shoots the male (victim on northbound I-25 under 6th Ave). The suspect related that the driver of the vehicle that cut him off also exited and approached his driver’s side. 

The suspect drove off and this person held onto his open driver’s window while traveling north on the highway. The suspect then shot this person (victim on 8th Ave exit ramp) who fell off the vehicle. The suspect then drove to the area of W 13th Ave and Meade St where he was contacted and detained by police.

He remained in jail without bond for four months as his family sought help from the Denver Justice Project, a nonprofit organization focused on criminal justice reform.

“If my son were white and two non-white men attacked him, he likely would not be in jail. He may never have even been arrested,” Long’s mother, Stephanie Clifton, told local media in 2023.

And she is probably right, considering how a white man named Jack Reed, with a history of impersonating police, was never arrested or charged for shooting and killing a 12-year-old Black boy named Elias Armstrong on Feb. 5, 2023, after chasing him down in the car Armstrong had allegedly stolen from him.

According to the lawsuit:

Even if Denver and the Individual Defendants needed time to ascertain that Plaintiff acted in self-defense, 14 months is far too long and evidences a racial bias in continued prosecution, particularly given the data compiled and published by the Denver DA’s Office.

Where white individuals like Jack Reed are credited with acting in self-defense despite the available evidence showing otherwise, Black individuals, including the Plaintiff, who are otherwise similarly-situated, are assumed to have committed premeditated murder, even where the available evidence makes clear that such charges are not warranted. 

Charges Dismissed

Denver prosecutors dismissed one charge of first-degree murder against Long in October 2023 and dismissed the second first-degree murder charge in August 2024.

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann issued the following statement to local media, citing that Long had a “valid self-defense claim.”

After a careful and comprehensive review of all the evidence in the case — which included numerous consultations with members of my office — and after applying Colorado law to the evidence, I have concluded that we could not prove Mr. Long’s guilt to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.

The evidence establishes a strong and valid self-defense claim pursuant to Colorado law. As a result, we will ask the court to dismiss the remaining charges against Mr. Long. This was an extremely difficult and heart-wrenching decision but, ultimately, in my opinion, the correct one.

McCann also cited a valid self-defense claim in Reed’s case, but it took her less than 14 days to arrive at the decision instead of 14 months. 

But now that he has filed the lawsuit, it appears the momentum is finally on his side to seek justice.

“This wasn’t just a legal fight, it was a trauma that tore through every corner of our lives,” Long said in his statement to local media.

“We all paid the price of suffering from a system that got it wrong. While I’m beyond blessed and grateful to be home now, nothing will give us back the time we lost or undo the damage that was done to my family.”

‘Suffering from a System That Got It Wrong’: Black Man Jailed on First-Degree Murder Charges for Defending Himself Against White Men Who Assaulted Him During Road Rage Attack Sues

Bill Bellamy and his wife, Kristen Bellamy, celebrated 24 years of marriage on June 16. However, the couple’s special day had some people more focused on Kristen’s ethnicity.

The Black Love Instagram account uploaded a two-photo collage of Bill and Kristen. The top image appears to be taken at the couple’s wedding in 2001, while the bottom was taken more recently in 2024. Last September, Kristen shared an Instagram post to celebrate becoming “empty nesters” after their two adult children moved out of the family home.

Comedian Bill Bellamy celebrated 24 years of marriage with his wife. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

The “Getting Played” star was tagged in the post meant to praise him and his wife’s 24th wedding anniversary on June 16.

“A partnership rooted in grace, laughter, and showing up daily. Let’s send Bill & Kristen some love in the comments!!!” read the caption on Black Love’s Instagram page.

Many social media users enthusiastically wished the Bellamys a happy anniversary and sent their congratulations. One fan wrote, “Bill Bellamy aged well. Happy Anniversary, my dude.”

Some also questioned Kristen’s heritage, especially after Bill publicly embraced a “Black love” message tied to their relationship.

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A post shared by Black Love (@blacklove)

One person wondered, “Is she Black?” while a more friendly responder exclaimed, “She is loved!” Another reply read, “Yes, her daddy is.”

“Is the Black love in the room with us?” someone else mockingly asked. The same person also wrote, “Don’t care what she ‘identifies’ as, she [is] not Black and that’s precisely why he chose her!”

According to several commenters, Kristen is biracial — her father is Black — and she identifies as a Black woman. Despite online claims, her family history has not been made public. Some unsubstantiated sources report that the California native is of European descent.

This was not the first time Bill and Kristen’s romance has faced backlash from critics online. “Bill Bellamy but stop da cap about running from white girls because yo wife is white!!!” wrote one person on X, in response to Bellamy’s take on Shannon Sharpe’s lawsuit from an OnlyFans worker.

Bill Bellamy but stop da cap about running from white girls because yo wife is white!!!

— Goofellaz (@goofellaz) May 1, 2025

The couple previously appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Network show titled “Black Love” in 2020.

“I’m blessed to be a part of it. Me and my wife, we are on there because our thing is about longevity and things that you do to make your relationship last,” Bill said about the “Black Love” series during an interview with Majic ATL that same year.

“I’m pretty private, and when it comes to my kids and my wife, I do certain things, but I’m not like trying to promote and put them on blast. I let my kids live a regular life,” he continued.

Bill and Kristen tied the knot in 2001 at the Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica, California. Their daughter, Bailey Ivory-Rose, was born in 2003, followed by a son, Baron, who was born in 2006.

“I never was the kind of girl that [was] like, ‘Oh, I want to grow up and get married and have a million babies.’ But when I met Bill, he had all the qualities of a partner in a man, that I really started thinking, ‘I want to have kids,’” Kristen admitted in a 2020 episode of “Black Love.”

Bill spoke about his private life in a 2020 article published by Essence magazine. Specifically, the “How to Be a Player” actor shared his thoughts on maintaining a happy marriage in Hollywood.

“I think it’s simple. It’s about communication and connection. You kind of have to work on that because the business itself can take you all over the place, and you can get lost. Do things that keep you connected. I have to make time for my family,” Bill stated.

@blackloveinc

When you meet the man who would make a great father, the desire for kids has room to grow. #blacklovedoc #blackfamilies #billbellamy #kristenbellamy #kidsornokids

♬ original sound – Black Love

Kristen’s racial makeup remains unclear. But during the promotion of Netflix’s “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker” biopic in 2020, Bill discussed the issue of colorism in a separate Essence article.

“Obviously, you are aware of the color issue, but for me, I never let it bother me. I’m like, ‘I’m representing every Nubian brother known to man.’ I’ve always had that intention to represent that Black men can be fly, can be intelligent, can be able to do anything,” Bill said.

‘Is She Black?’: Bill Bellamy’s 24-Year Anniversary Post Derails as Fans Zoom on His Wife

Authorities arrested two New Jersey men who allegedly tried to scam a man out of more than $100,000 by convincing him he needed their help to resolve a bank account hacking.

Egg Harbor Township police arrested 25-year-old Mahir Patel and 21-year-old Davit Chapidze on May 27. Both men were charged with criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, money laundering and conspiracy-related crimes.

Confused man with phone unable to understand fraud message – stock photo. (Getty Images)

According to a police affidavit obtained by NJ.com, Patel and Chapidze first reached out to an “older man” online, telling him his bank account was hacked and that he needed to pay them $50,000 for their help.

After he paid them that amount on May 18, they coaxed him into shelling out another $103,000 for more of their help and arranged to meet the victim on May 27 at a Wawa convenience store in Mays Landing, Hamilton Township, where he could pay them.

The victim contacted Egg Harbor Township Police on May 23 about the upcoming transaction, and authorities decided to monitor the May 27 meeting.

On the day of the meeting, Patel and Chapidze went to a secluded area near the Wawa store where police converged on the suspects.

Investigators questioned both men, who stated they drove two hours from the Middlesex County area to visit Atlantic City.

Hamilton Township is 20 miles inland from the shore city, but neither man ever provided police a reason for stopping in the area.

Authorities have yet to locate the missing $50,000. The victim’s identity also wasn’t released.

“The Egg Harbor Township Police Department reminds the community to stay vigilant against scams specifically targeting older adults,” a press release from the Egg Harbor Police Department reads, per Tapinto Edison. “Criminals often exploit trust and technology to deceive seniors into surrendering money or personal information, frequently posing as tech support, government agencies, or loved ones in distress.”

The FBI reported that older American citizens often fall prey to several types of scams, including tech support scams. Federal officials list several precautions online that people can adopt to protect themselves from scammers.

Two New Jersey Men Convinced Older Man He Needed to Pay Them $150,000 to Resolve Bank Account Hacking, Planned to Rob Him at Wawa Store, Police Say

Donald Trump’s $45 million military birthday parade on June 14 turned into a logistical mess, according to a prominent D.C. event organizer who was on the ground at the event. What was supposed to be a crowning moment for the birthday boy and a grand celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary was a planning disaster, he claims.

You may have seen the photos on social media of Trump appearing visibly bored and nearly nodding off during his 79th birthday bash, but that was just the beginning, said political event producer Doug Landry, who has helped orchestrate major events for four presidential campaigns. In a viral thread on X, Landry detailed a setup that was rife with problems.

President Donald Trump prepares to speak after watching as members of the U.S Army participated in the 250th birthday parade of the U.S. Army June 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. The U.S. Army is marking its 250th birthday with a military parade including roughly 6,600 troops, 150 vehicles, and over 50 aircraft. The parade, which coincides with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, is designed to tell the history of the Army. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The June 14 festivities featured a grand military parade through Washington, D.C. About 6,600 troops and 150 military vehicles rolled down the route from the Pentagon to the National Mall, and 50 aircraft, including Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, flew overhead. But visitors apparently had a less-than-stellar time experiencing it.

With a budget of $24 million to $45 million of taxpayer dollars, the government intended to pull out all the stops but clearly forgot a few things.

Getting in: Somehow, 15,000 people were funneled into one ten-foot-wide entrance to access a checkpoint on the National Mall, trapping masses of people on Constitution Avenue, said Landry. Meanwhile, “dozens” of other checkpoints nearby stood completely empty. The crowd was then funneled up a stairway to a bridge that spanned the parade route, causing more bottlenecks and another headache when it was time to leave:

“SURELY this won’t be a problem when the 100,000 people who loaded the event space over the course of four hours all try to leave at once, right? (this is called foreshadowing),” Landry said sarcastically.

Once inside the security zone, “The vibes from the crowd were truly low energy. The whole parade was this: green vehicle after green vehicle. Not many bands. Not much variety. Single file. Lots of space between each thing,” Landry remarked.

Perhaps the vibes were low because some parade-goers had to watch tanks cruise by from behind 8-foot-tall chain link fences that were covered in legal warnings, urging “Restricted Area, Do Not Enter.” Yet, in other parts of the route, anti-Trump protestors managed to plaster posters on lamp posts proclaiming “No Kings Since 1776,” providing some ironic photo opportunities.

Landry noted that many attendees left before Trump’s scheduled speech, after listening to “classic rock instrumental covers” blaring from the festival stage. But in his professional opinion, the empty VIP bleachers were the most egregious planning snafu of all:

“This is the unforgivable crowd sin though. Same as my first post in this thread. These are VIP bleachers on the north side of constitution (closer to the WH than the main crowd) And they are EMPTY. We are talkin’ Trump 1.0 inauguration empty. Someone f**ked up here.”

this is the unforgivable crowd sin though. Same as my first post in this thread. These are VIP bleachers on the north side of constitution (closer to the WH than the main crowd)

And they are EMPTY. We are talkin’ Trump 1.0 inauguration empty.

Someone fucked up here. pic.twitter.com/K2fnmgDjho

— Doug Landry (@dougblandry) June 15, 2025

For the non-VIP crowd, a Jumbotron was set up near the festival stage, displaying a live feed of the parade, but it suffered a malfunction with the screen partially blacked out.

$80 million does not come with a warranty on the jumbotron: pic.twitter.com/CLGgtAfBEh

— Doug Landry (@dougblandry) June 15, 2025

The veteran event organizer also documented overflowing trash cans, giant water dispensers, but no cups to drink from, and even sneaked a shot of a hidden stash of bottled water that he said was not being distributed.

Trump’s birthday corresponds to the official founding of the Army in 1775, and also Flag Day, a commemoration of the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress decided what the official American flag would look like. The president initially wanted to have the military parade in his first term, but the idea was abandoned due to the extreme cost, reported NPR. Having it now, however, seems like an even worse time. With a proposed 8 percent cut in military spending over the next five years — among all the other slashes to the federal government — it’s no wonder the idea was widely slammed.

But as Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll explained during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, the Trump administration saw it as a perfect way to boost military recruitment.

“It would be a massive tragedy to let this moment pass where we can tell this story and inculcate an entire generation of youth into this amazing story that is the United States Army,” he said.

Of course, it’s also a way to boost Trump’s ego, who has put the official attendance at 250,000 — though based on footage of sparse crowds, most estimate attendance at about 100,000. Even Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, called the 250,000 number “exaggerated.”

‘Truly Low Energy’: Political Event Organizer Says Many Attendees Left Trump’s Military Parade Before President’s Speech, Reveals It Was a $45-Million Mess

Hollywood veteran Brad Pitt and his 32-year-old girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, hit the town together in New York City on June 14. 

Photographers captured Pitt, 61, wearing a striped button-up shirt, blue velvet blazer, baggy blue jeans, and black squared-toe shoes while rocking a low haircut.

The Oklahoma-born, Missouri-raised entertainer’s outfit was from Willy Chavarria’s fall 2025 menswear collection. Ramon showed up for the outing in NYC in a white, sleeveless outfit.

People on the internet became fixated on Pitt’s fashion choice. Instagram users offered their thoughts on the Academy Award winner’s choice of clothing for his date night with Ramon.

“F1” actor Brad Pitt steps out in NYC with his younger girlfriend while wearing a polarizing outfit. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for J/P HRO Gala)

“Love his style usually, but that blazer is not right,” expressed a disappointed fan. A second comment read, “Sorry, Brad, but that outfit does you no favors! The hair has to go too!”

“Not a fan of him in that baggy velvet jacket,” someone conveyed. A more-irked observer declared, “That outfit is horrendous. Did he hire [Justin] Bieber’s stylist?”

One commenter on the social media app wrote, “He doesn’t look like Brad.” Additionally, one person stated, “Wow, the clothes, the lack of hair. What’s going on with him right now?”

“What is he wearing??? Looks awful when he can look good. She’s no oil painting either!” a Daily Mail reader exclaimed. Another posted, “Pitt is one ageing mess. And why is he being pap shot on a daily basis looking so cringey?”

Other people suggested Pitt was struggling with his identity and self-confidence after crossing the 50-year mark in his life. For instance, an online observer offered, “This is what a later life crisis looks like.”

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A post shared by Elder Ordonez (@elderordonez1)

However, a critic responded, “Yikes! We can’t even call it a midlife crisis. He is way too old for that! He looks awful and more so ridiculous with that woman. HE IS TRYING SO HARD TO BE SEEN AS YOUNG. You are not [in your] 40s anymore. This is just sad, and you look even older than 60. So please pack it in, Brad! Annie [can] at least say she had him at his best… or maybe Jennifer did lol!”

Pitt and Ramon’s romance started making headlines in November 2022 when they were spotted at a Bono concert in Los Angeles. By December of that year, an anonymous insider told People the pair were “dating and happy.”

The couple reportedly attended several industry events together in 2023 but chose to avoid the photographers outside the venues. Ramon finally made her red carpet debut with Pitt at the premiere for his “Wolfs” movie at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. 

In September 2024, a Pitt associate claimed he began living with the jewelry industry executive in February of that year. The source said, “It started out as a fun and casual relationship, but after moving in together, they realized that they have something special.”

Brad Pitt’s date night look with Ines de Ramon before the 'F1: The Movie' New York premierehttps://t.co/SJh9ziOld4 pic.twitter.com/zVhmNOQutJ

— Red Carpet Fashion Awards (@Fashion_Critic_) June 16, 2025

Rumors of possible marriage plans began to circulate, but a report in April 2025 claimed that the wedding is “on hold” because Ramon refused to sign a prenup agreement, which is apparently a “touchy subject” for them.

Previously, Ramon was married to “The Vampire Diaries” actor Paul Wesley. After three years of marriage, the University of Geneva graduate separated from Wesley in September 2022 before officially divorcing in February 2024.

Pitt has been married twice. The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” actor wed “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston, 56, in July 2000. After announcing their separation in January 2005, Pitt and Aniston finalized their divorce in October of that year.

“This decision is the result of much thoughtful consideration. We happily remain committed and caring friends with great love and admiration for one another. We ask in advance for your kindness and sensitivity in the coming months,” they said in a joint statement.

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A post shared by Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt (@mybrangelina)

Pitt started dating Angelina Jolie, 50, after meeting the Oscar-winning actress while filming the 2004 action movie “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” He was still married to Aniston at the time. Pitt and Jolie eventually tied the knot in August 2014.

The celebrity couple, once collectively known as Brangelina, share six children. In 2016, Jolie filed for divorce following an altercation on a private plane flight. Despite allegations of physical abuse, federal and local investigations ended without any formal charges.

Pitt and Jolie were declared legally single in 2019. A long legal battle between the “By the Sea” co-stars came to an end in December 2024 once their divorce was finalized.

Meanwhile, Pitt leads the upcoming “F1” sports drama alongside Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Javier Bardem. The Joseph Kosinski-directed motion picture is scheduled to debut in North American theaters on June 27.

‘What Is He Wearing?’ Brad Pitt’s Bold Look While Out with Much Younger Girlfriend Has Fans Saying He’s ‘Trying Too Hard’ to Look Young

Is Kanye West’s old wife competing with his new one?

That’s what people seem to think after Kim Kardashian went topless in a set of grainy footage of her posing in a NYC hotel room.

While it’s not new for the “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” star to bring out her sexy side when a camera is in the room, her ex-husband’s current wife Bianca Censori might have surpass Kardashian at showing skin in public and in content, after viewing her June 14 uploads on Instagram.

Kim Kardashian called out for ‘copying’ Bianca Censori’s sex appeal.(Photos: @kimkadashian/Instagram; Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images)

Kardashian’s racy posts showed the mom of four wearing a busty black leather barely there bikini top with crosses on each cup. She paired it with black shorts and a thick silver chain with multiple crosses on it.

The reality star turned up the sex appeal as she posed on a bed and in front of it with the focus on her glistening necklace. The camera also caught multiple snapshots of her chest with close-ups.

But what shocked many was the topless photos of Kardashian shared within the 14 slide carousel. Kardashian went completely topless as she posed on her stomach, giving observers a view of her back, upper hip and, in some images, her black knee-high boots. 

“2am nyc time,” she captioned the collage, which was followed by a video montage of the grainy images and others. The person behind the lens is named Indiana, whom Kardashian has worked with several times before. Based on his past work, the artist’s final product often carries a vintage, VHS-style aesthetic paired with a sultry theme, featuring models dressed and posed seductively. 

However, Daily Mail readers were not shy about their thoughts on why Kardashian decided to do this type of shoot in the first place, assuming it has to do with Kanye’s current wife.

One person said, “She’s jealous of Bianca getting all the attention and trying to be like her, be sexy, and copying her.”

Kim Kardashian shares racy new photos online. (Photos: @kimkadashian/Instagram)

Another wrote, “I’m beginning to think she’s jealous of Censori.”

Censori, who recently made headlines after appearing in New York with West for Diddy’s trial, has established a pattern of dressing quite provocatively since she married West in 2022. They married a month after he finalized his divorce from Kim and since then, Censori’s been photographed in public very wearing revealing sheer clothing on multiple continents.

Even at this year’s Grammys, Kanye’s wife made a rep carpet appearance wearing a black floor-length coat that she removed to reveal a see-through dress with nothing underneath it. The “College Dropout” rapper stood beside her proudly, while many online hoped her antics would get them banned from attending in the future.

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A post shared by Vaall Var Gar (@vaallvargarmakeup)

As for Kardashian, she’s no stranger to pushing the limits — regularly posting seductive photos in curve-hugging outfits. This isn’t her first time posing topless either, and she’s bared her backside more than once for the camera.

A third person commented, “She looks very pretty but these pictures are getting old. We’ve all seen 30,000 of them.”

Flashing back to the moment the world first learned why she was famous, one person commented, “Getting the rayJ tape vibe. That strange line where her derriere meets her back, like it got squeezed into a wall.”

Ray J claimed on IG Live that Kris Jenner made him and Kim Kardashian shoot three sex tapes so that she could choose the best one:

“She watched and said ‘We're gonna go with the first one cause it's better, it gives my daughter a better look.’” pic.twitter.com/6XVcD8hSaK

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 11, 2022

Another noted, “Reverting to her usual form, what an embarrassment.”

All in all, Kardashian is probably going to strive to look as beautiful and sexy as she can her whole life.

She told Allure in 2022, “I really, genuinely care about looking good. I probably care more than 90 percent of the people on this planet. It’s not easy when you’re a mom and you’re exhausted at the end of the day or you’re in school, and I’m all of the above. I do my beauty treatments usually late at night. After everyone’s in bed, I’m doing laser treatments.”

‘She’s Jealous of Bianca’: Outrage Erupts After Kim Kardashian Goes Topless In New Photos, Fans Say She’s Eyeing for Kanye West’s Attention

Judging by the numbers, the Black-led boycott of Target over its elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion policies was a rousing success – “the most effective boycott for black people in 70 years since the Montgomery Bus Boycott,” according to the man who initiated it, Atlanta-based pastor Jamal Bryant.

Target’s stock dropped from $145 to $93 a share while its valuation declined by $12 billion since the boycott was announced in February. There’s been a nearly 8 percent dip in foot traffic. Online spending is down nearly 10 percent.

Those numbers indicate both the effectiveness of the boycott and the Black community’s brand loyalty to Target, or “Tar-jay” as it was affectionately known.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Pastor Jamal Bryant speaks on a Black Star Week panel on June 16, 2025. (Photo: ABS)

“We had so invited Target to the cookout that we gave them hood credentials,” said Bryant, speaking Monday at Atlanta’s Thompson Hotel during Black Star Week, sponsored by Atlanta Black Star.

But even as the boycott continues, Bryant bluntly confessed he is “embarrassed at our victory.”

For one, the charismatic senior pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist in DeKalb County never got a meeting with Target’s leadership.

“(They) were told not to meet with me,” he said. “And so we’re doing it all as outside agitators with no inside game.”

Bryant was also frustrated that, “for the very first time in the history of the movement, in boycotting a white business, we redirected their community to another white business.”

“So we’re cheering for Costco,” he said. “So, in 70 years of the civil rights movement, we still don’t have one franchise that is Black. We should be so much further than that.”

Bryant noted that even in Atlanta, or “Black Mecca,” as it’s also known, “I can’t take you to a Black department store, but I’d take you to get wings. I’m taking you to get hair bundles. I’m taking you to get waist trainers.”

“We have confused settlements with victory,” he added.

The biggest frustration is that, despite the boycott’s impact, Target, which employs more than 400,000 people, has not reversed its decision in January to effectively eliminate its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Following the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, the Minneapolis-based retailer announced a new strategy, “Belonging at the Bullseye,” which established programs to help Black employees move up in the company while enhancing the experience for Black shoppers at its nearly 2,000 stores nationwide.

But that program was scrapped when Target joined rival Walmart and many other prominent American brands in bowing to pressure from the president and conservative activists to end DEI.

Bryant said the movement has to “enlarge the conversation, not just about the Black churches or the civil rights organizations but calling in … accountability.”

Too much emphasis is placed on leadership, he continued. Instead, he said, “we got to put all of these factions in a room and say this is the game plan, not singularly, but collectively.”

“So we’ve got a shift from who got the mic to say who has the plan,” Bryant said. “The system understands the power of organizing.”

Social media strategies also need to be reworked, said the 54-year-old pastor, who contends the media overestimates the power of “influencers.”

“We ‘doing it for the ‘gram’ and doing it for the likes of trying to be viral,” he said. “We don’t know how to make money in that space because we want to co-host BET.”

The Targett boycott, meanwhile, rolls on. Other organizations across the nation have joined the movement, with some calling for a “permanent boycott” of the store.

CEO Brian Cornell recently acknowledged the “reaction to the updates we shared on belonging in January” as one of “several additional headwinds” faced by the company in the quarter, adding that the company would be “moving with urgency to navigate through this period of volatility.”

‘Can’t Take You to a Black Department Store’: Pastor Jamal Bryant Says He’s ‘Embarrassed’ By the Success of the Target Boycott; Says Company Leaders Refused to Meet with Him

Further blurring what was once assumed to be an uncrossable line, President Donald Trump is once again monetizing the Oval Office, this time with a new service, Trump Mobile, that includes a cellphone plan and a $499 smartphone that will be available in September.

“We’re going to do it better, do it safer, we’re going to have more functionality, we’re going to have more features,” said Eric Trump, son of the president and titular head of the family business.

The new service, Trump Mobile, will offer a $47.45-per-month plan that includes unlimited talk, text and data, as well as roadside assistance and a “Telehealth and Pharmacy Benefit,” according to its website. Both the name — “The 47 Plan” — and its monthly price are references to Trump, America’s 45th and 47th president and a screenshot on the website of the upcoming phone boldly flashes his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”

One critic, Republicans Against Trump, called it a “new grift” from the Trump family.

Doing all this whilst dad is president…unbelievable corruption

— TuckFrump (@tuckfrump4ever6) June 16, 2025

Sneakers, perfume, watches and Bibles are among the products that Trump and his businesses have introduced since his foray into politics. Like the others, the jump into telecommunications involves little more than a licensing agreement, such as the $40 million Amazon paid for the license of a documentary on first lady Melania Trump, who, according to The Wall Street Journal, will get 70 percent of the cut.

“Trump Mobile, its products and services are not designed, developed, manufactured, distributed or sold by The Trump Organization or any of their respective affiliates or principals,” the company’s website states. The service is set to launch as an MVNO using the networks of all three major U.S. carriers, T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, Variety reports.

Despite concerns about the use of licensing deals and other merchandise branded with the Trump name, the president and his family continue to chase profits, expanding their business at little risk, financially or politically. Critics are left with little recourse but to complain.

“The grift never ends: From the crime family that proudly gave us Trump Steaks, Trump Vodka, Trump Daddy Diapers, and Trump Colostomy Bags… Ladies and gentlemen, the Trump crime family proudly introduces Trump Mobile,” wrote Bill Madden, one of the most prolific anti-Trump account holders.

According to a financial disclosure form released by the Office of Government Ethics, Trump reported that in 2024 he had earned more than $8 from million in various licensing agreements, including $3 million from his “Save America’ coffee table book, $5.3 million from Trump sneakers, fragrances and watches and a tidy $1.3 million from his line of Bibles.

But as Don Fox, former acting director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, recently told PBS, the president is exempt from federal conflicts of interest laws and standards. And the president’s wife and children are considered private citizens, shielding them from such conflicts, Fox said.

“So they certainly would not run afoul of any federal ethics laws or regulations,” he said. “However, it does reek of hypocrisy, doesn’t it? If we think about throughout the last campaign, how often did we hear about the Biden family, and particularly Hunter Biden, profiting off of the fact that his father was president of the United States?”

“We don’t hear any of that now,” Fox added.

As for the new mobile line, the “47 Plan” appears to be more expensive than similar plans from established carriers, according CBNBC. For instance, Visible, Verizon’s budget-friendly line, sells an unlimited talk, text, data and hotspot plan for $25 per month, while Mint Mobile’s 12-month unlimited plan costs $30 monthly.

The Trump Mobile site said its plan offers the “same coverage as the 3 nationwide phone service carriers” and that it supports a U.S.-based customer service call center, though it wouldn’t say where it will be located exactly, citing security concerns.

Further insulating himself and his cronies, Trump has cut the Justice Department’s Office of Public Integrity in half. That office, said Fox, is charged with going after federal employees “who do break the law, and particularly in terms of enriching themselves.”

“But Public Integrity is the last line of defense, and so that’s why the public should be concerned about this,” he said.

‘Unbelievable Corruption’: Donald Trump Accused of Money Grab After Trump Mobile Announcement As Family Buisness Dips Into Smartphone Industry

Father Time is catching up with Bill Clinton. The 42nd president of the United States is not the same spry politician who occupied the Oval Office for two terms — he left the White House in 2001, three years after being impeached in 1998 — and his signature salt and pepper hair is now wiry and white. 

Although his charisma and politically charged mind remain sharp, some people cannot help but question whether his health is on the decline. A video of Bill, 78, appearing to struggle with maintaining his gait has raised questions. 

Bill Clinton’s frail appearance while struggling to walk in new video raises concern. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)

The Democratic figure was recorded as he exited a black Sprinter van in Manhattan with his wife, Hillary Clinton, 77, in early June. Cameras caught Bill grabbing ahold of a building awning to steady himself as he stepped up from the curb onto the sidewalk.

At first, his footing seemed unstable upon the cracked ground, but no one rushed to his aid. Bill’s steps seemed slow as he unhurriedly maneuvered through his security personnel to shake hands and greet people who lined the walkway to see him. 

Online, though, all social media users could see was the stark difference in his movements from years past. An X user wrote, “Bill can hardly walk.”

A response read, “I noticed that too! He looks like he’s almost very slightly shaking at some points too. Early stage Parkinson’s?” 

A third commenter stated, “I thought that was Joe for a sec.” Joe Biden, 78, was the subject of speculation over his perceived cognitive decline and public stumbles when he attempted to pursue reelection during the 2024 presidential race. He ultimately bowed out and has since revealed a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Bill’s gravest ailment is heart disease. He underwent a quadruple bypass surgery in 2004 and in 2010 he had stents placed in a clogged artery. The same day the alarming video was recorded in NYC, he appeared on “The View” to promote his and author James Patterson’s new book, “The First Gentleman.”

The former president did not experience any missteps, but much like the video revealed, his movements were much slower. On the contrary, Hillary did not appear to lose the pep in her step. The former U.S. Secretary of State pivoted with ease as she looked around at fans and quickly walked over to sign autographs.

“Bill looks good,” said one person in response to Bill’s appearance on “The View.” Another replied, “Does not look terrible but a bit old and frail.”

Bill can hardly walk.
pic.twitter.com/5BQkrvpzLs

— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) June 11, 2025

But still some users were not convinced.
  
“He’s clearly struggling, looking frail and unsteady, but what’s truly surprising is how much more vibrant Hillary seems by comparison…she really is someone who is arrogant, detached, and lacking the compassion,” an X reaction read.

The Clintons have been married since 1975 and together since 1971. They are parents to daughter Chelsea Clinton. Bill is the first president to be born in the Baby Boomer generation and the youngest to serve two full terms.

‘Looking Frail and Unsteady’: Video of Bill Clinton ‘Struggling’ to Walk During NYC Outing with Wife Hillary Raises Concern About His Appearance

A racist letter targeting Huntsville City Councilwoman Michelle Watkins has drawn widespread condemnation from city officials and civil rights leaders, who are calling for accountability and denouncing the act as an assault on basic human dignity.

Watkins, the first Black woman elected to represent North Huntsville’s District 1, posted a photo of the letter to social media on June 13. The note, handwritten with glaring grammatical errors, appeared penned by a second grader and contained a single sentence laced with racial slurs and insults about her appearance.

Michelle Lanier Watkins received a hateful letter after being elected a Huntsville councilmember. (Photos: Facebook/Michelle Lanier Watkins)

The envelope, postmarked June 9, was addressed to “Michelle Watkins” on the sixth floor of Huntsville’s City Council office at Fountain Circle, but the letter itself did not refer to her by name and included no return address.

“Dear,
Please to try not acting like a dumb [n-word] in front of the camera! Fix your nappy head!” the letter states before signing off with, “Thanks, Tennessee Valley.”

Watkins responded on social media with a pointed caption: “Is my hair nappy? I received this today through the mail at the City of Huntsville.”

Mayor Tommy Battle released a statement shortly afterward condemning the letter and standing in solidarity with Watkins.

“I saw the malicious attack on Council Member Michelle Watkins, and it makes me mad,” Battle said. “I condemn and detest this kind of attack. Our community is much better than what that message reflects. The City denounces this incident in the strongest terms. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”

The Huntsville-Madison County NAACP Branch #5034 also issued a forceful statement, calling the letter a hate-filled act and a reminder of the ongoing threat of racism.

“The Huntsville-Madison County NAACP Branch unequivocally condemns the vile and racist letter recently sent to Councilwoman Michelle Watkins,” the group said. “This act of hatred is not only a personal attack on a dedicated public servant, but also an assault on the values of equity, justice, and dignity that we, as a society, must uphold.”

“We stand in full solidarity with Councilwoman Watkins and affirm her right to serve her community free from threats, intimidation, and racism in any form. No one—especially an elected official working to uplift and represent her constituents—should be subjected to such hateful rhetoric.”

The organization also called on authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable, while urging community members to speak out against hate and work toward a more inclusive society.

“This incident is a stark reminder that racism remains a persistent threat in our communities, and it must be confronted with courage and unity,” the NAACP’s statement continued. “The Huntsville-Madison County NAACP Branch remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting civil rights and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of race, can live and lead without fear.”

As of now, the sender of the letter has not been identified.

‘Fix Your Nappy Head’: Alabama Officials Outraged Over Racist Letter Sent to Huntsville’s First Black Councilwoman

An Arkansas deputy was fired after a video surfaced online showing him pretending to point a loaded gun at someone while yelling the N-word while he was off-duty.

Sheriff Nick Gault with the Yell County Sheriff’s Department released a statement on Facebook that one of their deputy sheriffs was seen on a video “engaging in reckless and dangerous actions with what appears to be a loaded firearm” while using “obscene and racist language.”

Jaxon Arndt was fired from the Yell County Sheriff’s Department after posting a video pretending to shot a target. (Photo: YouTube screenshot/KARK 4)

The department did not name the deputy or release the video with the statement.

KLRT Reporter Neal Zeringue identified the now-fired cop as Jaxon Arndt, who was a new hire at the sheriff’s department. Arndt reportedly graduated from a law enforcement training academy in April 2025 following a 13-week-long program.

According to KARK and Zeringue, the video that circulated online showed Arndt in the passenger seat of a truck, pointing a handgun at the floor between his feet and telling an imaginary person, “Get ready for ole police academy training. Get down you f—in n—r! Stop resisting.”

The sheriff’s office said that once they learned about the video and its contents, they took immediate action and terminated the deputy.

“We strive to provide an effective and community-driven service to Yell County residents,” Gault wrote. “Behaviors such as these are not acceptable and will not be tolerated from those in our employ. Actions of this nature are entirely counterproductive to the public trust and support we hold dear.”

Gault stated that the office will also enroll its deputies in mandatory training covering racial discrimination and appropriate social media behaviors.

“We hope to continue to provide the best law enforcement service possible to our communities, far from the actions exhibited in this video,” Gault stated.

Yell County is located in western Arkansas, roughly 100 miles west of Little Rock.

‘Stop Resisting!’: Arkansas Deputy Joins Unemployment Line After Video Surfaces of Him Pretending to Point Gun at Someone While Yelling the N-word

Many around the world are still mourning the loss of television personality Ananda Lewis, who passed away on June 11, 2025. She was 52 years old. She is survived by her son and her older sister, the latter of whom is now speaking out about her final days.

Lewis was an entertainment icon and known for her on-screen work at BET and MTV in the 1990s. She hosted popular TV shows such as “Teen Summit” and “Total Request Live.”

In 2020, the former VJ announced she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast in 2018. The cancer later progressed to Stage 4.

Former television host Ananda Lewis has passed away at 52. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Lewis openly talked about choosing not to have the tumor removed from her body, opting out of getting a double mastectomy, full chemotherapy, or radiation. Instead, she focused on making changes to her lifestyle, such as dieting, limiting stress, energy work, and prayer.

Dr. Lakshmi Emory, Ananda’s older sister, spoke to “Entertainment Tonight” about the NAACP Image Award winner’s career and her final days.

“I think she had done everything she wanted to do,” Emory told “ET” correspondent Kevin Frazier when asked why Lewis chose to leave the spotlight of the entertainment business years ago.

Emory added, “She was just very careful about what she chose to do, I think in her later years, because she understood that time is precious energy and she wanted to put her time and energy into those things that were most important to her.” 

Ananda’s sister said she was still involved in activism and also counseled other patients with cancer while undergoing both alternative and conventional treatments.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ananda Lewis (@imanandalewis)

“I want to clarify because people are saying she chose not to get treatment, and that’s not true. She did have treatment, and she survived for over six years,” Emory explained.

Emory, a physician who practices in the Chicago area, continued, “She told me of her diagnosis, which was at that point Stage 3 in January of 2019. And from that point on, she was under a form of treatment. So either a more holistic treatment or traditional treatment, and towards the end she did embrace traditional treatment and took traditional medications under an oncologist’s care.”

She admitted it was “extremely difficult” to see Lewis go the alternative route instead of fully embracing science-based medical therapies. Both Emory and their mother are cancer survivors who went through traditional medical treatment.

“At some point, I had to really come to the understanding that this was her choice. This was her body, and this is how she wanted to proceed, and she was very successful in extending her life,” the sister said about Ananda’s medical decisions.

Lewis had already expressed regret in October 2020 about refusing mammograms before her diagnosis. Throughout her six-year cancer battle, Ananda’s opinions about how to heal her body evolved. Since then, she has been sharing her experience with the world, reflecting on the missteps she made by overlooking her body’s early warning signs.

“At the time, I was also not doing mammograms, which was a huge mistake because my mom had breast cancer and I knew my chances of experiencing it were higher because there was not a genetic link that we found so far, but certainly a genetic history,” Lewis shared in an interview with Atlanta Black Star in 2023. “So I should have been doing it.”

She discovered the lump shortly after finishing breastfeeding her son, but at the time, she didn’t recognize the potential link between her diagnosis and her family’s medical history.

“I found out by feeling my breasts,” Lewis stated. “I encourage women to do that monthly exam in the shower. And for me, it was soaping up my hands and still breathing and feeling around on our breasts. We have to know our bodies to know when something changes. That’s vital.”

In an October 2024 interview with CNN, the mother of one son admitted having second thoughts about not having the tumor removed.

CNN correspondent Sara Sidner, who was also diagnosed with breast cancer, but opted for a double mastectomy, chemo, and radiation, spoke about Lewis’ passing on-air.

Fellow CNN journalist Stephanie Elam joined Sidner for the conversation about their mutual longtime friend, sharing a text message she had received from her “bestie” Lewis before she lost her life.

“This is part of the text she sent me: ‘You know my feelings on this. We all go. These bodies are on loan and must be returned. We come in love and choose to leave it with love as well,’” Elam read.

“She was at peace with this decision,” Elam said. “She was calm about it. She wanted to go after breast cancer the way she did it, and I love my girl, but she was hard-headed.” 

MTV VJ Ananda Lewis voiced a generation and built a strong community of music lovers. As we mourn her untimely passing, we know the light she brought to the industry will live on – as seen by her many joyous interactions with artists, tastemakers, and audiences everywhere. pic.twitter.com/b8Roe5XK5c

— MTV (@MTV) June 13, 2025

Lewis addressed her changing viewpoints about treatment in a January 2025 essay published by Essence.

“I don’t want the story to be that because I said no to the conventional path I was initially offered, that’s why I ended up at Stage 4. That’s not true,” she wrote. “Sometimes, people end up here whether they do conventional or not.”

“I don’t want to spend one more minute than I have to suffering unnecessarily,” she continued. “That, for me, is not the quality of life I’m interested in. When it’s time for me to go, I want to be able to look back on my life and say, I did that exactly how I wanted to.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that Lewis died while in hospice care at her Los Angeles home, surrounded by family. The San Diego native is survived by a 14-year-old son named Langston, who graduated from middle school on the day of her death.

‘Time Is Precious’: Ananda Lewis’ Sister Says Lewis Didn’t Reject Traditional Treatment While Promoting Alternative Options After Losing Their Mother to the Same Disease

A 12-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department has filed a formal complaint accusing the city of racial discrimination.

Bariq Fluellen, who has served since 2013 and wears his hair in locs as part of his cultural and religious identity as a Black man and Rastafarian, alleges that the department’s grooming policy unfairly targets Black firefighters and has led to harassment, threats, and a hostile work environment

The complaint was filed Wednesday with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC). Brought by the Public Interest Law Center, the action claims the department’s policy violates the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act by prohibiting protective and culturally significant hairstyles without any legitimate safety justification.

Bariq Fluellen claims he was discriminated against at his firehouse in Philadelphia. (Photos: The Public Interest Law Center)

“This is about more than hair, it is about dignity and the right to exist in a public institution without being targeted for one’s identity,” said Olivia Mania, attorney and Penn Carey Law Catalyst Fellow at the Public Interest Law Center. “We are proud to support Mr. Fluellen’s fight for fairness and accountability.”

The fire department’s grooming standards prohibit hair from extending below the shirt collar or exceeding two inches in bulk on the top and 1.5 inches on the sides. Though these guidelines are written as safety requirements—particularly for proper fitting of the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) — Fluellen says he has passed every respirator fit test since joining the department, including the most recent one in 2025.

“This policy, by PFD’s own admission, serves no legitimate safety purpose. We cannot allow it to be used as a tool of racial discrimination,” said Mimi McKenzie, legal director of the Public Interest Law Center. “When an employee meets every performance and safety standard but is still targeted because of their hair, it is clear the policy is not about safety—it is about exclusion and control.”

In his complaint, Fluellen recounts years of derogatory remarks and threats from co-workers and supervisors. He says fellow firefighters mocked him with nicknames like “Rapunzel” and “Hairy,” booed him at the firehouse, and claimed he was “too busy putting his hair in a bun” to respond to calls. During an exam for promotion to lieutenant,  Fluellen claims he was told, “Part of the exam is appearance, and they’ll definitely give you a zero,” suggesting that Fluellen’s hair length posed a safety concern.

On one occasion, Fluellen says the captain at his Ladder 8, Engine 19 station in Germantown threatened to “cut his hair while he slept.” He says that same supervisor frequently berated him in front of colleagues about his hair, at one point stating, “It’s a foot long in the back … do I have to get a ruler out?” and warning, “I’ll give you a month and then you’ll have to cut your hair.”

Fluellen says white firefighters — both women and men — have worn their hair loose or in long ponytails at fire scenes without consequence, while he has faced near-daily threats of disciplinary action.

“My hair is a reflection of my authentic self — as a Black man, as a firefighter, and as someone who’s proud of my culture,” Fluellen said. “Being told that I don’t belong or that I’m unsafe simply because of how I wear my hair is deeply painful. I’ve earned my place in this department, and I shouldn’t have to choose between my profession and my identity.”

Despite receiving consistently positive performance reviews, Fluellen said the persistent harassment has taken a toll on his mental health and sense of safety. He describes experiencing insomnia, nightmares, and emotional distress — particularly given the trust firefighters must place in one another on the job.

He also recounted a conversation this spring with a deputy chief’s aide about the department’s forthcoming new uniform policy, set to take effect July 1. “So what will you do with your hair, now? We’re going to take it from you,” the aide allegedly said.

In April 2022, Fluellen reported the harassment to the department’s human resources director, who allegedly advised him not to cut his hair. But according to the complaint, no further action was taken to stop the ongoing abuse.

The PHRC defines racial discrimination to include policies that disproportionately impact traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective styles like locs, braids, twists, and Afros. Fluellen’s legal team argues that pinning or fastening his hair, as he has done, satisfies both departmental safety requirements and professional standards.

The Philadelphia Fire Department declined to comment on the matter. Attempts to reach representatives at Fluellen’s station were unsuccessful.

The complaint seeks to halt enforcement of the current grooming policy, implement reforms to allow for cultural and protective hairstyles, and award compensatory damages for the pain, suffering, and professional harm Fluellen says he has endured.

“This is about creating space for people to be who they are without fear of punishment,” said McKenzie. “No one should have to sacrifice their identity to serve their community.”

‘It Is About Dignity’: Black Philadelphia Firefighter’s Supervisor Threatened to Cut Off His Locs ‘While He Slept,’ Discrimination Complaint Says