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#2 Jessica Biel
‘It didn’t need to always be about the body’: Jessica Biel regrets dressy sexy when younger
After starring on 7th Heaven as a teen, Jessica Biel shot to the A-list by shaking off her good girl image — but now has had second thoughts about what she wore.
Jessica Biel has an incredible body, but she regrets showing it off so much when she was young.
The Sinner star revealed to InStyle that she had trouble dressing herself when she first became famous because she was such a tomboy in her youth.
“It took me a minute to get into those types of womanly things, like bags and shoes, but in my early 20s a light bulb went off and I was like, ‘Oh, I get it now,’” Biel, 36, said.
Jessica Biel at her Esquire magazine unveiling as the magazine's 2005 Sexiest Woman Alive in 2005. Picture: AP Photo/John SmockSource:News Limited
“I wish I would’ve explored some different shapes, and not gone so sexy all the time,” she said.
“I think if you look at some of my earlier choices, maybe it didn’t need to always be about the body. I know it’s a vibe that you feel when you’re young, but still that’s what I would’ve done a little differently.”
Jessica Biel and husband Justin Timberlake. Picture: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Jessica Biel regrets posing for her Gear coverSource:Supplied
Nowadays, Biel says she gets advice from husband Justin Timberlake, who has his own clothing line, when she isn’t sure what to wear.
This story first appeared on Fox News and has been republished here with permission.
Jessica Biel says her biggest fashion mistake was going 'so sexy all the time' when she was younger
- Jessica Biel spoke about her fashion evolution and her biggest fashion mistake with actress Ellie Bamber for InStyle.
- "I wish I would've explored some different shapes, and not gone so sexy all the time," Biel told Bamber. "I think if you look at some of my earlier choices, maybe it didn't need to always be about the body."
- The "Sinner" star added, "I know it's a vibe that you feel when you're young, but still that's what I would've done a little differently."
Jessica Biel wishes she didn't go "so sexy all the time" with her past outfit choices, and it shows how much her style has evolved.
The actress spoke about her fashion moments during a conversation with actress Ellie Bamber for InStyle.
When asked if there's anything she wishes she knew about fashion during her early years in the spotlight, Biel said: "I wish I would've explored some different shapes, and not gone so sexy all the time. I think if you look at some of my earlier choices, maybe it didn't need to always be about the body."
Biel went on to say that in retrospect, she would have dressed differently.
The "Sinner" star rose to fame as Mary Camden on the show "7th Heaven" and stepped out on plenty of red carpets as a teenager. Biel's earliest red-carpet outfits included tube tops, cropped tanks, halter tops, and miniskirts.
Here's one example of her late '90s fashion, complete with platform shoes.
Biel has also been rocking the see-through trend for years.
Tank tops were a staple in Biel's wardrobe during the late '90s and early 2000s.
By the mid-2000s, the actress started opting for more dresses, many of which were long and flowing.
Here's Biel at the 2010 premiere of the romantic comedy "Valentine's Day."
"I remember feeling incredible on that day in that dress," she told Bamber.
Nowadays, Biel regularly steps out at award shows and movie premieres with stunning dresses, such as the Ralph & Russo gown she wore to the 2018 Emmys.
"For me, fashion is fun because you can be one thing one moment, and something completely different another moment," Biel told Bamber of her current style. "I just try to find a balance. Some things that are super fashion don't make a lot of sense on the red carpet. My off-duty look is usually just jean on jean with a pair of high-tops."
"I say, 'Justin, does this work? What's wrong with it? And how do I fix it?' He is my best fashion bounce-off," Biel said.
Jessica Biel reconoce sus errores de estilo antes de convertirse en fashion icon
La imagen pública de Jessica Biel ha evolucionado enormemente de sus inicios en la industria interpretativa , dando vida a la hija de un pastor protestante en 'Siete en el paraíso'. El aspecto angelical que se había visto obligada a explorar por exigencias de los productores de la ficción religiosa quedó definitivamente atrás cuando con tan solo 17 años posó en top-less para la revista masculina Gear: todo un escándalo en aquella época y que, sin embargo, es nada en comparación con el comportamiento de las actuales estrellas juveniles.
A partir de ese momento Jessica se convirtió en uno de los nuevos sex-symbols de Hollywood, con un éxito comparable al de Megan Fox, pero su estilo fue puliéndose hasta que ha acabado convirtiéndose en una de las intérpretes más aplaudidas por su elegancia sobre la alfombra roja.
Pese a ello, ella es muy consciente de que tuvo errores imperdonables en su historial que le gustaría poder borrar de la memoria colectiva.
"Desearía haberme atrevido a explorar otras siluetas, y no haberme enfundado lo más sexy que encontraba. Creo que si te fijas en algunas de mis primeras elecciones de vestuario queda claro que no debería haber priorizado siempre el resaltar mi cuerpo", ha reconocido en conversación con la revista InStyle, atribuyendo esos 'crímenes fashionistas' a la inexperiencia de la juventud.
"Soy consciente de que es el estilo que te llama la atención cuando eres joven, pero de cualquier forma, eso es lo que habría hecho de manera diferente".
En su caso, nunca se ha considerado precisamente una experta en materia de moda y atribuye a una mezcla de sentido común y de la sensatez que atribuyen los años su habitual para no aburrir ni escandalizar nunca con su guardarropa en sus apariciones públicas.
"Tardé un poco en interesarme y acostumbrarme a todos esos accesorios típicamente femeninos, como bolsos y zapatos, pero en la primera etapa de mis veintitantos vi la luz y me dije: 'Ahora lo entiendo'", asegura. "Para mí la moda debe ser divertida, porque puedes ser algo muy concreto por unas horas, y en el siguiente evento cambiar radicalmente y proyectar algo radicalmente opuesto. Yo intento encontrar un equilibrio. Algo que puede ser tendencia no tiene por qué funcionar sobre la alfombra roja. Y en la vida real mi uniforme son vaqueros y más vaqueros".
#3 Amanda Seales Twintea Time on Instagram: “#AmandaSeales @amandaseales drops some jewels ? on the #Offset and #Cardi situation… #StraightFaxx ?Say it louder for the people in the…”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtEjHNTAvL-/
I first experienced Amanda Seales live and in action during the early iteration of her game show, Smart Funny & Black at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles. Since then, she has taken the popular game show on a multi-city tour.
Now, Seales is leveling up even higher with more content: HBO’s Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’. Riffing on topics such as utilizing the pep talk before going out (when you really don’t want to) and reminiscing on Barack Obama’s presidential win as a salve to the dumpster fire administration we’re currently experiencing, Seales brings her observational comedy to formulate an interactive experience, with an aura similar to her game show.
Of course, comedians want as many eyes on their project as possible in general, but Seales was frank when it came to who she made her special for: black women.
“Understanding my audience and the fact that we just don’t get a lot of work and content that is specifically for us, specifically black women,” Seales mused, noting she is inspired by “being in a world as an aware black woman.”
Seales also recalled the process of landing this special, noting HBO came to check out a few of her shows.
“You know, anyone who knows me knows I’m just super direct,” she remarked. “And I can kind of play the game to a certain extent, but once I feel like we’re just kind of doing a dance, then I really just get to the bottom line, so eventually it just turned into me saying, ‘Are we doing this or no? Because I’ll just do it myself.’ And I really felt confident with the support I have with my audience to know that if I did it myself, it still would have been a milestone.”
That very show of confidence is when HBO got the message, and per Seales, they have been “very supportive” since hopping onboard with her. Additionally, Seales had a full circle-of-life moment, getting to shoot I Be Knowin’ in the same venue where she did Def Poetry Jam with legendary director and producer Stan Lathan, who is also involved in this special.
Seales ain’t lying when she said this special is for black women, as she ponders on the frustrating phenomenon known as street harassment. Thus, I asked her to tell us the worst pickup line she received recently.
It all began with a text.
“’Googly-eye’ emoji and ‘the man with the hand out’ emoji,” she said. “That was their way of picking me up. This was an actual football player in the National Football League, which is not surprising.”
It ain’t.
Once you watch the special, you’ll quickly find the blackest moment that’ll have you feeling like you were in the audience, experiencing it all, live. Just remember these two things: Lift Every Voice and Sing and double-clap.
“All of the time, I really don’t give a damn about what people think,” Seales noted. “But with this work, it really does matter to me that it speaks to and on behalf of black women, in particular. And I hope that we as a community love it as much as I loved making it for us.”
So, with viral hits such as “You Got The Wrong One, Bitch,” I had to ask, “When is that mixtape coming out?”
Seales told me she actually does have a track listing she sent to her homeboy. “Mark my words, it will happen!” she exclaimed.
Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’ debuts Saturday, January 26 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on HBO.
AMANDA SEALES HBO SPECIAL 'I BE KNOWIN' IS GIVING COMEDY VIEWERS A 'PERSPECTIVE THEY DON'T TYPICALLY HEAR'
Amanda Seales is funny—really funny.
Her growing Instagram followers are already well aware of her charm and humor. It’s there on the social media site where she so candidly shares slices of her life in the most authentic and hilarious of ways (please note her “F**kboys” and “Datin Youngins” Instagram Story highlights).
Her sizzling hot takes—although more geared for the ladies—are relatable, timely and thought-provoking. And while the topic of discussion may be serious on any given day, Seales’s energetic charisma and wit make her perspective on the hard issues women face particularly enjoyable for all to listen to—not to mention, her over-the-top demeanor, notable facial expressions and amusing catchphrases make her one fun woman to watch.
Now everyone will become familiar with the comedian and her antics when her HBO comedy special, I BE KNOWIN, premieres on Saturday.
Seales obviously has a penchant for making people laugh, but she recently told Newsweek her foray into comedy only began about five years ago. She’s no stranger to the stage, though.
Seales got her start in entertainment appearing on Nickelodeon’s My Brother and Me in 1993 before becoming a VJ for MTV2’s Sucker Free Countdown in the early 2000s. She also was one part of the R&B duo, Floetry, and more recently returned to the small screen as Tiffany DuBois, the ultra-sassy friend of Issa (Issa Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) on HBO’s hit series, Insecure. She is also the host of the podcast, Small Doses.
All of those career fronts are essentially what led Seales to where she is today—becoming only the second woman of color to helm an HBO comedy special (Wanda Sykes was the first with her standup show I’ma Be Me in 2009).
Read Newsweek’s interview with Seales below and don’t miss her comedy special, I BE KNOWIN, when it premieres on HBO on Saturday.
Was a career in comedy and entertainment inevitable?
Entertainment, yes. I didn’t necessarily know that it was gonna be comedy, but entertainment, it was just like I’m too much of a ham and I’m too much of a rebel. I could never survive in corporate America. I’d be incarcerated.
How did you end up transitioning into a comedy space?
Basically I just—like around 30—realized that the hip hop space I had been inhabiting, it wasn’t a fit anymore, and I knew there were things I wanted to say and people I wanted to reach, and I wondered how could have a valid voice. I knew I was funny, but I felt like the only way I would really be able to do that in a genuine way if I was a really good standup comedian. So I kinda just put that out into the universe and it came back one day where someone asked me, “Hey you wanna come do standup in our showcase?” and voila! I did standup and that was the tipping point I needed into pursuing standup as a craft and then realizing I wanna do this for real.
Are you nervous about how people will react to your take on hot topics included in the special?
I wouldn’t say nerves. I’m pretty sure who’s gonna be offended and why they’re gonna be offended, and I had a conversation with myself and realized I don’t care. There may be some surprises, but I’ll deal with that as they come. For the most part, though, I’m a very thoughtful person and I would never willingly say something to offend anybody that didn’t need to be offended.
What do you think about people who are so easily triggered by comedy?
I think they need to work on their sense of humor. I think they should not come to comedy shows.
What are you most excited for people to see or hear in the special?
I’m really excited for people to see my standup. I think, for the most part, a lot of people don’t know that I have dedicated the last five years of my life to this. That’s a really short amount of time compared to a lot of standups, but I came into it with 15 years of experience on the stage and on the mic talking about things. I’m excited to share what I feel is a really powerful, thought-out and honest representation of my comedic voice.
Who are your inspirations?
Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, [Jerry] Seinfeld and just the legion of black women comedic actresses of the 90s, from Tisha [Campbell] and Tichina [Arnold], Jasmine Guy. Just the opportunity to grow up watching these women be just hilarious on television has 100 percent affected how I present myself on stage.
How do you get yourself in the zone to go out on stage?
I think I have just the right amount of narcissism to do that [laughs]. It’s not the people that give you nerves, for me, it’s just about making sure what I prepared is what I present and not getting caught up in the joy of the moment and then forgetting a bit. You just wanna go out there and do the routine. The gymnast in me is like, “Go out there and do the routine the way that you performed it so many times and have a blast and show them.” The thing that gets me calm, which I think would get more people amped, is listening to Queen, “We Are the Champions,” live at Wembley Stadium.
Is that how you prep every time? With Queen?
Yes, when I’m doing something of this nature. I don’t have to listen to it when I’m just like doing a show at a comedy club or whatever, but basically, anytime I’m about to do some major s**t, Queen, “We Are the Champions.” It takes you to another place. When you hear it before you go on stage, you’re like, “Oh, I really am the champion.”
What is the most challenging aspect as a woman of color in comedy or even a broader sense as a woman color in entertainment?
Just having to walk people through dealing with a black woman’s voice, because there’s so few examples for them—and this is in various places that I’ve worked—marketing companies, dealing with writers, PR agents, etcetera etcetera, just having to be knowledgeable in so many different spaces on how to be presented in an authentic way because there’s no consistent blueprint that they can look at. It’s not easy. Sometimes I’m like, “Damn, I don’t wanna be on that call.” But I have to be on that call because the people on that call don’t really know what they’re doing. And a lot of the reasons why is because there just haven’t been a lot of black women presented and there aren’t a lot of black women on the other side of the phone to even necessarily understand without you breaking it down in a PowerPoint presentation what needs to happen to be presented properly.
If I can have anything to do with it. I think change is an open-ended word. I think it could get somewhat easier in certain spaces. But I think the biggest thing is about willingness to change.
Why should people watch I BE KNOWIN?
They should watch this special, one, because it’s a perspective they may not typically get to hear from. Two, because HBO rarely puts out specials like this, so if they put it out you know it’s gonna be good. And three, because it’s funny.
#4 Bru McCoy
Bru McCoy's stay at Southern California appears to be coming to an end quickly.
The five-star wide receiver recruit has put his name in the NCAA transfer portal after starting classes with the Trojans earlier this month, according to multiple reports.
McCoy was heralded as one of the key components of USC's recruiting class that had been below the team's usual standards after a 5-7 season.
The Trojans brought in Kliff Kingsbury to run their offense, and McCoy was seen as a perfect fit to playing in a system that accentuates passing. But shortly after McCoy signed, Kingsbury left to coach the Arizona Cardinals.
Now McCoy may also be departing.
An early enrollee, the California native would be required to sit out the 2019 season if he transfers unless he receives a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately.
Texas was one of the finalists in McCoy's recruitment and speculation has centered on a possible move to the Longhorns.
Why Bru McCoy should be allowed to transfer out of USC without penalty despite enrolling early
Danny Kanell and Raja Bell break down the latest news involving the NCAA transfer portal
College football has seemingly been taken over by transfer portal talk this offseason. Players like Kelly Bryant, Tate Martell and Jalen Hurts have driven up interest by entering into the portal before landing at new schools for next season. USC's Bru McCoy, however, is taking it to the next level. The five-star wide receiver has made waves by hitting the transfer portal, despite never having played a snap as an early enrollee from the 2019 recruiting class.
It's not hard to figure out why, of course. Kliff Kingsbury had a remarkably brief stint with USC as the team's offensive coordinator before taking the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job. It's obviously not a situation a player wants to find himself in, so McCoy is trying to nip it in the bud. McCoy was one of the few wins USC had in recruiting this season. The next step, of course, is to potentially transfer and then seek out a waiver from the NCAA so he wouldn't have to miss a year. That last part is up in the air, but the NCAA has been a bit more malleable as far as waivers go.
On Friday's "Off the Bench," Danny Kanell and Raja Bell talk about McCoy's potential transfer and what it could mean that players are transferring so early. They talk about how the portal has impacted college football, and they add that we shouldn't expect McCoy's transfer to be the end of it.
Listen and Subscribe to Off The Bench with Kanell & Bell: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn
#5 Jamal Adams Goal: 290 Followers ? on Instagram: “@presidentmal HATES the Patriots! and their mascot…?? #ProBowl #NFLProBowl – Follow @adamsterritory for more ? #doubletap”
Injury report: Pat Patriot sought medical help after Jamal Adams’ slam
Pat the Patriot, the mascot of the New England Patriots, points on the field during the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 22, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Hard-hitting Jets safety might have gone a little overboard on the Patriots mascot.
Adams said it was all in good fun when he tackled the mascot at the NFL Pro Bowl skills challenge on Wednesday, but the person in the costume was reportedly sent to the hospital after the incident, according to ESPN.
The Jets safety said he was told about a hospitalization, and that he’s in some hot water with the league because of it. A Patriots spokesman, however, contradicted that account by telling the radio station WEEI that the person in the costume did not have to go to a hospital but needed on-site medical attention and was shaken up by the hit.
“I didn’t hit him that hard, man. All jokes aside, I didn’t hit him that hard. I don’t know what’s really going on, but they did tell me he’s in the hospital,” Adams told ESPN. “My intention was never to hurt him. It was all about just a joke but I definitely want to check on him and make sure everything is good.”
The mascot, nicknamed Pat Patriot, rolled over on his stomach after taking the hit from Adams. The official Twitter account for Pat Patriot retweeted video of the incident on Wednesday, seeming to make light of it with the caption, “hate us cause they ain’t us.”
Pat Patriot✔@PatPatriot
Hate us cause they ain't us
SportsCenter✔@SportsCenter
.@TheAdamsEra really decleated the Patriots mascot at #ProBowl practice
Then, on Thursday, the official account sent out pictures of Pat Patriot with the caption, “#StillHere and having some fun at the #ProBowl.”
Pat Patriot✔@PatPatriot
#StillHere and having some fun at the #ProBowl
Adams also tried to quell the controversy via Twitter on Thursday.
“C’mon! Don’t make nothin into something! Life’s too short!” he wrote.
Jamal Adams✔@TheAdamsEra
Skip! We’re having fun out here, giving the fans a show. Learn to live a little! Don’t make me bring Shannon out there to teach you a lesson!
Skip Bayless✔@RealSkipBayless
Hey, @TheAdamsEra: No confusion here. I've long been a Cowboy fan. No fan of the Patriots or Belichick. But have long admired Brady as a clutch performer and leader. And I've always respected YOU till you ran over the Patriot mascot. YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT, JAMAL Come on, man.
Patriots Say Mascot Not Hospitalized After Jamal Adams Tackle
JANUARY 25, 2019
Gregory Payan/Associated Press
A New England Patriots team spokesperson said the individual inside the team mascot at the 2019 Pro Bowl was not hospitalized after receiving treatment Wednesday following a hit from New York Jets safety Jamal Adams.
"He was not hospitalized. He did seek medical treatment from the on-site medic. It was a painful attack," the spokesperson said Friday, per Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal.
ESPN✔@espn
Fans at #ProBowl practice were booing the Patriots' mascot all day.
This is the moment @TheAdamsEra became The People's Champ
"He [the mascot] was running around and everybody was booing him, so I said, 'You know what? Let me go tackle him.' I didn't hit him that hard, man. All jokes aside, I didn't hit him that hard. I don't know what's really going on, but they did tell me he's in the hospital. My intention was never to hurt him. It was all about just a joke but I definitely want to check on him and make sure everything is good. At the end of the day we were out here just having fun and it wasn't nothing intentionally to try to hurt the guy."
Dianna Russini✔@diannaESPN
Since most of us saw Jamal Adams’s video of him tackling the Patriot mascot...he’s been getting heat for it… Does he regret it?
There has been no indication of whether or not Adams will face league discipline or legal action as a result of the tackle.
The second-year safety earned his first Pro Bowl selection after racking up 115 total tackles, 12 passes defended, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception in 2018.
For now, he's still scheduled to take part in the league's All-Star Game, which kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
#6 Kim Porter • Sean Combs • Lil’ Kim • Pneumonia
Kim Porter, 47, died from pneumonia, Los Angeles coroner says
Actress Kim Porter attends the premiere screening of Amazon Original Special 'An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has To Win' at Pacific Theatres at The Grove in Los Angeles, California on October 10, 2016.Emma McIntyre / Getty Images file
Kim Porter — a former girlfriend of Sean "Diddy" Combs and mother of three children with him — died in her sleep from lung infection, Los Angeles authorities said Friday.
The 47-year-old actress and model was found unresponsive in her bed on Nov. 15, and investigators have determined that her death was not foul play.
"It was later determined Porter died from lobar pneumonia," according to a statement by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. "The manner of death was certified as natural."
Porter had complained of a sore throat on Nov. 7 and it developed into a fever of 102 degrees by Nov. 12, according to the coroner. She tested negative for influenza and strep and was treated with antibiotics, vitamins and the painkiller Toradol in that final week, authorities said.
But by Nov. 14, Porter reported that her temperature was back down to a normal 96 degrees.
She even had a deep-tissue massage and watched movies with her family that night before going to bed at 11:30 p.m., the coroner said.
Porter's god-daughter found her in bed at 8:30 a.m. the next day but assumed she was asleep. It wasn't until 11:30 a.m. when housemates realized she wasn't moving and called 911, the coroner said.
Porter had traveled to Africa in 2018 but had been back home for a month before falling ill.
"She did not have any health complaints at the time she returned from her trip," according to the report.
Porter and the Grammy-winning rapper and producer Combs have three children, a 20-year-old son and twin 11-year-old daughters.
#7 Beth Ostrosky Stern • Howard Stern • The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Beth Stern Sets the Record Straight on Howard Stern Split Rumors on 'Ellen'!
Beth Stern stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing on Friday (January 25), and dispels the rumors of marriage trouble after a comment her hubby Howard made on The Howard Stern Show.
“I’m setting the record straight right here,” the Kitten Bowl VI host told Ellen. “I love my Howard! He’s a great guy.”
“The other day, someone comes up to me and they say, ‘I’m so sorry about what’s going on with you and Howard. I hope you make it,’” Beth explained. “And I had no idea what was going on. What happened was, that morning, I said to Howard, ‘You gotta stop walking around so grumpy this week. I mean, you’re really just Debbie Downer the past few days. Shape up. Come on. We love our life.’”
“And so he went on the air that morning and said, ‘Oh, my wife thinks that I’m so depressed. I hope she still loves me.’ That’s what I think he said because I don’t listen to the show,” Beth continued. “So next thing I know, you get these Goggle alerts. ‘Howard and Beth Stern Breaking Up,’ ‘Marital Problems,’ there’s the picture of us with that lightning bolt in between our heads. And I don’t know what’s going on! And then apparently, he spoke about us on the air. This was just last week. And then it just spread like wildfire!”
Beth Stern Reveals The Truth Behind Howard Stern Split Rumours
Beth, 46, appears on Friday’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”, and she tells the talk-show host that the rumours are 100-per-cent untrue.
The host of Hallmark Channel’s “Kitten Bowl VI” insists: “The other day, someone comes up to me and they say, ‘I’m so sorry about what’s going on with you and Howard. I hope you make it.’ And I had no idea what was going on.”
Beth continues, “And so he went on the air that morning and said, ‘Oh, my wife thinks that I’m so depressed. I hope she still loves me.’ That’s what I think he said because I don’t listen to the show.
“So next thing I know, you get these Google alerts. ‘Howard and Beth Stern Breaking Up,’ ‘Marital Problems,’ there’s the picture of us with that lightning bolt in between our heads. And I don’t know what’s going on! And then apparently, he spoke about us on the air. This was just last week. And then it just spread like wildfire!”
RELATED: Ellen DeGeneres Enlists ‘Tidying Up’ Star Marie Kondo To Help Organize Writer’s Office
Beth adds that the pair, who tied the knot back in 2008, have had “20 years of marital bliss.”
She insists, “I’m setting the record straight right here. I love my Howard.”
#8 Endless • Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean's 'Endless' Album Is Coming To Streaming Services: Exclusive
The album was expected to be made available as early as today (Jan. 25), according to two people familiar with the matter, but others say it has been delayed and will be made available soon. It's also unclear why the album will be released now, two and a half years later. A rep for Def Jam declined to comment, while reps for Ocean could not be reached.
Released after weeks of inspired anticipation and speculation -- what was Frank building in there?, fans wondered after black-and-white footage appeared on Ocean’s website showing the reclusive artist handling woodworking tools in a nondescript warehouse -- Endless was an Apple exclusive that contained the first official new music from Ocean since 2012’s Channel Orange. It was also his final release on Def Jam.
Endless is 45 minutes of spare, compelling experimentation from the idiosyncratic star -- some songs last less than a minute; he raps, sings, incorporates electronic music from famed German photographer and producer Wolfgang Tillmans. Sampha and Jazmine Sullivan, among others, contribute their voices. It was a challenging project, not at all what fans of more straight-forward pop ballads like “Thinkin Bout You” and “Bad Religion” had anticipated. And it was a fake-out.
Blond, Ocean’s proper sophomore album, appeared a day later, on his own label, Boys Don’t Cry, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 the following week. At the time, sources told Billboard that the release of Endless had fulfilled Ocean’s Def Jam deal, technically clearing the way for him to release Blond independently.
Now, with Universal servicing Endless to DSPs, a much larger audience will be able to unpack the release in a digestible, track-by-track format. (On Apple Music, you can only hear the project as part of the video, and it’s impossible to easily skip from song to song.)
Ocean and Def Jam endured a rocky end to their relationship, with an Associated Press report characterizing it as like a “bad marriage,” adding that, ultimately, Ocean “didn’t want to be on a label. He wanted to do his own thing.”
But more broadly, the back-to-back releases of Endless on Def Jam and Blondindependently on Boys Don’t Cry label had a wide-ranging effect. After the release of Blond -- which, like Endless, was an Apple exclusive -- sources told Billboard that Universal Music boss Lucian Grainge issued an edict banning one-platform exclusive releases company-wide on a global basis, a strategy that at the time was common in the streaming arms race. (Only Spotify, which stood strongly against exclusives, did not engage.) By the end of 2016, the practice had largely died out completely across the music industry.
When the two albums were released, Blond quickly shot to No. 1 on the charts, but Endless was ineligible to chart, as it was both not for sale and its tracks not individually available for sales or streaming, meaning that no data was available to drive it onto the charts. And without an industry-accepted album-equivalent ratio for a streaming visual album, there was no way to include it on the Billboard 200, for example.
In November 2017, Ocean sold Endless on vinyl, CD, DVD, and VHS through his website, which gave some patient consumers the opportunity to hear the project as an album, outside of the video stream. (Before that, a middling MP3 rip circulated among diehards -- it turned out some songs were mislabeled, among other errors.) Still, it didn’t appear on any Billboard charts.
Frank Ocean's "Endless" Album Will Soon Be Available On Apple Music
It's about time!
A good chunk of the video featured Frank building a staircase and installation artist Tom Sachs, who was heavily involved in the production of the video, explained to Pitchfork how the task was a "testament to the reality that things made by hand take time."
"We’re living in an age of non-handmade things. Frank’s music, which is very personal and literally has his voice, in the same way that all musicians have their voice, it simply takes time," he explained. "And when you see the video, you see him building a stairway to heaven in real time. The 40-minute version is edited, but there’s something like a 140-hour version [...] That's the art piece."
The project was expected to be on Apple Music as of today (January 25th) but has been pushed back for unknown reasons. We're ready when you are, Frank!
#9 Jaap Stam Classic Football on Instagram: “مهربون مثل ياپ استام ? . #jaapstam #stam #kamyab_stam”
Manchester United great Jaap Stam reveals he couldn't do what Peter Schmeichel did
Jaap Stam is one of Man Utd's greatest-ever centre-backs - and he could have returned to the city a few years after he left
Jaap Stam has revealed he turned down the opportunity to join Manchester City because of his ties to United.
The former Netherlands international was one of the best centre-backs in the world during his three-year spell at Old Trafford between 1998 and 2001.
Stam was sold to Lazio just two years after United's historic treble success of 1999, a decision that Sir Alex Ferguson would go on to say was one of the biggest regrets of his 26 years in charge of the Reds.
And the centre-back has now revealed he had the chance to return to England not long after leaving Old Trafford.
"[Kevin] Keegan once phoned me, I think it was in the winter time, I don't know if it was my first or second season [at Lazio]," Stam told Sky Sports. "City wanted to buy me and I couldn't really go there.
"I was tempted but I couldn't really... no, no, no. He phoned me, and I like Kevin Keegan as a person but I couldn't make that step to City, no.
Ex-Man Utd star Stam: Keegan wanted me to join Man City
Former Manchester United star Jaap Stam has revealed he rejected the opportunity to join Manchester City.
United made the Dutchman the world's most expensive defender in 1998 before joining Lazio three years later.
And Stam says former City boss Kevin Keegan attempted to buy him during his time with the Serie A giants.
"Keegan once phoned me," Stam told Sky Sports News' Transfer Talkpodcast. "I think it was in the winter time, City wanted to buy me.
"[The call lasted] about 20 minutes. He explained his thoughts and what he wanted to do, that he knew me from United and what I've done.
"They were very interested if the opportunity was there to bring me back to Manchester.
"I couldn't really go there. I was tempted, but no, I couldn't. He phoned me, and I like him as a person, I knew him, but I couldn't make the step to City."
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