Halsey Slams the Grammys, Claiming Ambiguous ‘Bribes’ Are How Artists Get Nominated

Halsey was one of the many deserving artists who were completely overlooked for a nomination at the Grammys this year, even though her latest album, Manic, was widely praised. What we lose when artists are continually given the message that only a certain kind of music, or a certain kind of artist, can get nominated and win, has been a subject of much discussion this week following the announcement of this year’s nominations.

Outrage over The Weeknd not getting a single nomination for his new album After Hours was further stoked by rumors that his competing performance at the Superbowl might’ve had an impact on his snub. On Saturday, Halsey responded to the situation with The Weeknd, her own snub for Manic, and her thoughts about The Grammys process at large:

“I’ve been thinking and wanted to choose my words carefully because a lot of people have extended sympathy and apology to me since the Grammy nominations. The Grammys are an elusive process. It can often be about behind the scenes private performances, knowing the right people, campaigning through the grapevine, with the right handshakes and “bribes” that can be just ambiguous enough to pass as “not-bribes.” And if you get that far, it’s about committing to exclusive TV performances and making sure you help the Academy make their millions in advertising on the night of the show.

Perhaps sometimes it is (!!) but it’s not always about the music or quality or culture. Just wanted to get that off my chest. @TheWeeknd deserves better, and Manic did too. Perhaps it’s unbecoming of me to say so but I can’t care anymore. While I am THRILLED for my talented friends who were recognized this year, I am hoping for more transparency or reform. But I’m sure this post will blacklist me anyway.”

 SOURCE

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Releases a New Boozy ‘Dwanta Claus’ Holiday Ice Cream Line

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is once again donning the jolly red hat and suit—with a few personalized modifications, of course—to introduce his second collection of holiday ice creams for Salt & Straw. His new, limited-edition Dwanta’s Teremana Spiked Eggnog ice cream—made with the actor’s own tequila—is a sweet, silky, frozen custard mixed with amontillado sherry, nutmeg and a hint of salt.

The special eggnog flavor is available on its own or as part of the Dwanta Claus “Naughty, Nice & Spiked” pint five-pack, which also includes Salt & Straw’s classic Double Fold Vanilla and Chocolate Gooey Brownie, and the return of last year’s “Naughty & Nice” duo, I Saw Mommy Kissing Dwanta Claus (chocolate chip cookie dough and milk chocolate caramel fudge swirled into a decadent whiskey ice cream base) and The Rock’n Around the Christmas Tree (a spruce ice cream filled with gooey frosted brownies, raspberry jam, and red and green glacé cherries).

The 2020 pack, which is available online for $65, will also feature pint labels handwritten by PEOPLE’s former Sexiest Man Alive.

“May your cheat meals be merry, spiked and bright this holiday season!” said Johnson, who is known for documenting his epic cheat-day feasts on Instagram.

Teremana

 SOURCE

Cardi B Makes History at the 2020 American Music Awards

It was a big, history-making night at the American Music Awards for rapper Cardi B.

At the AMAs on Nov. 22, the artist became the first artist in history to win Favorite Song in the Rap/Hip Hop category at the AMAs twice. She first earned the award in 2018 with her hit single “Bodak Yellow,” and returned to the AMAs stage to take home the prize again for her song “WAP” with Megan thee Stallion.

Though she could not be at the show in Los Angeles virtually or in person to accept the award, on Twitter, Cardi shared her appreciation to fans who voted for her and Megan’s track.

“Thank you guys soooo much .Me and Meg really appreciate all the love from fans ,celebs everybody that supported the song,” she wrote. “Also thanks for voting .Ugh if I would have known all this was going down today I would of rescheduled my dentist http://appointment.Im so swollen.”

“I wish I would’ve known that I was going to get an AMAs or something, I wouldn’t have went to the dentist and f—ed with my teeth,” Cardi said with a laugh. “Now I’m all f—ing talking all crazy. But I just wanted to say thank you everybody. I love you so much.”

Though she didn’t make a formal speech this year, in 2018, Cardi thanked her daughter Kulture during her AMAs acceptance speech for “Bodak Yellow.”

“I really want to thank my daughter. And not just because she’s my daughter,” she explained. “When I was pregnant, I was so influenced to be, like, ‘Yo, I got to do this, I got to show people wrong. I got to prove people wrong.’ Because they said I wasn’t going to make it after I had a baby.”

While Cardi couldn’t make the show, her “WAP” partner Megan did. The “Savage” rapper, who was nominated for four additional awards, put on a show-stopping performance of her new song “Body” at the event.

MON NOV 23, 2020 | POSTED IN: AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS | SOURCE

If You Must Travel Over Thanksgiving, Here Is How to Minimize Your COVID-19 Risk

Here in the U.S., coronavirus cases are rising significantly, at rates not seen previously in the pandemic. “The more cases at your destination, the more likely you are to get infected during travel and spread the virus to others when you return,” the CDC cautions.

Airports, train stations and rest stops are places where people are at risk of being exposed to the virus and it can be difficult to stay six feet away from others, as health experts strongly recommend. At airports, for example, travelers must wait in security lines and gather at gates before boarding their planes.

Once on a plane, where you sit matters. “There’s actually research on this, believe it or not: You want to sit at the window,” Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco, said during a recent campus town hall. “And you want to sit as far away from the toilets as much as possible, which would minimize how often you’re near passengers walking past you … You want to be as far away from that action as possible.”

Rutherford also recommended choosing airlines that are not selling the middle seats in rows to increase distancing between passengers. “I think that’s important,” he said.

“Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes,” the CDC says. “However, social distancing is difficult on crowded flights, and sitting within six feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of getting COVID-19.”

If you find yourself needing to take a taxi or rideshare, the CDC recommends to avoid riding with unmasked drivers or passengers; avoid touching surfaces; don’t accept free water bottles; sit as far as possible from the driver; and ask the driver to improve ventilation by opening the windows or setting the air ventilation system on non-recirculation mode, the agency said.

Bay Area health officials took an even stronger stance about car travel, saying in a statement: “Don’t share vehicles with people you don’t live with. Vehicles are small enclosed spaces where COVID-19 can spread easily between people.

“If you must share a vehicle, try to ride with the same people each time, make sure everyone wears a face covering and open the windows to maximize outdoor air circulation as much as you can,” Bay Area health officials said in a joint statement.

Those taking public transit should avoid touching surfaces, travel during non-peak hours and stay at least six feet from other travelers whenever possible. “Stay out of crowded spaces when possible, especially at transit stations and stops,” the CDC says.

Rutherford also suggested that college students not return home for the holidays this winter. But if that’s not possible, he suggested having them get tested before they depart and tested again at home with about three days between tests.

“One single test is not going to do it. You got to get tested twice,” Rutherford said.

A single negative test is not proof that someone is not infected. If a person is tested shortly after becoming infected and before the virus has reproduced enough copies of itself, a test could fail to detect the virus and produce a false negative result.

At the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, campus officials voiced dismay at students swarming the football field to celebrate an upset victory over Clemson University. The university is now mandating that students get tested for the virus before returning home at the end of the semester and are threatening to tie up the students’ registration for the next semester if they don’t get tested before leaving the campus near South Bend, Ind.

“You may not leave the South Bend area until you receive the results of your exit test,” the campus said.

“Obviously, the preference is for people not to be flying home for the holidays — for students or for others — at this point in time,” said Ferrer, the L.A. County director of public health.

She said that some colleges are recommending that if students do return home for Thanksgiving, they stay home for the rest of the year and finish up the rest of the semester remotely online “so that you’re not really exposing lots more people when you come back … to finish out the semester.”

The L.A. County recommendation to quarantine for 14 days when returning from travel means staying at home as much as possible, and not leaving to go to the grocery store or to restaurants. Instead, people in quarantine should order food to be delivered, Ferrer said.

During quarantine, you can go out for a walk by yourself, said Ferrer, as long as you don’t come in contact with other people. “We don’t want you go to restaurants and sitting and eating outside. And we don’t want you going into retail establishments, either, when we’ve asked you to quarantine.”

“The tighter you can restrict your activities over those 14 days, the better off we all are,” Ferrer said.

Similarly, health officials in the Bay Area strongly recommend self-quarantining for 14 days after returning to the region if a traveler’s activities put them at higher risk for infection. That can include traveling on planes and other public transit where face masks were not worn at all times by everyone or being within six feet of people outside your nuclear family if anyone was not wearing a mask.

MON NOV 23, 2020 | POSTED IN: THANKSGIVING | SOURCE

Tyler Perry Presents Free Thanksgiving Food to Thousands in Atlanta

Thousands of families lined up for hours in Atlanta on Saturday for a chance to get a free Thanksgiving food and gift card from media mogul Tyler Perry on Sunday morning.

Cars stretched for miles in multiple directions Sunday, as thousands of families waited outside Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta for Thanksgiving food and gift cards.

The drive-up event — held at the film and TV impresario’s Tyler Perry Studios and dubbed #TPSGiving — promised to feed 5,000 families between 8 a.m. and noon.

Many people arrived in line Saturday afternoon to ensure they received the much-needed holiday assistance after organizers warned resources were limited.

“Although we wish that we could feed everyone in need, we will close the line at the 5,000th family,” the event description read.”

Jeanette Walton told FOX 5 Atlanta why she arrived at 3 p.m. Saturday – 15 hours in advance.

“I’ve been blessed in where my job has allowed me to work from home, but still I’ve had other family members that have lost jobs and had to move in,” Walton explained. “That’s really why I’m here because when you have to take on the burden of others, you find yourself in need yourself.”

It’s not the first high-profile act of generosity from Perry this year.People were asked to wear their masks when communicating with volunteers, and TPS limited each car to two families.

The actor and filmmaker gave $21,000 in tips to servers at one of his favorite restaurants struggling during the pandemic, Fox13 TV said.

Perry bought groceries for high-risk and senior shoppers at dozens of supermarkets, the Atlanta Journal-Consitution reported.

MON NOV 23, 2020 | POSTED IN: CELEBRITY HOLIDAY | SOURCE

How to Say No to Anything That Makes You Uncomfortable This Holiday Season

Believe it or not, the holidays are upon us. In any other year, that would mean an onslaught of parties, gift exchanges, dinners, and more. But like most other things right now, this season is going to look pretty different.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have laid out guidelines for holiday festivities that recommend against traveling for Thanksgiving and getting together with people outside of your household. “Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu,” reads the CDC’s website.

If you’re heading into the season knowing you and some (or all) of your loved ones have different perspectives on the pandemic, uncomfortable situations may arise. For help tackling these tough conversations, look no further than this insight provided by Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based civility expert Steven Petrow and Los Angeles-based marriage and family therapist Maisha Gainer.

Set Clear Boundaries Ahead of Time

Before the holiday season really kicks into high gear, Petrow suggests giving a good think to which activities and behaviors feel right to you. “Have a conversation with yourself or with your partner or spouse as you’re heading into the holidays. What are you comfortable with?” Petrow says. “Set rules ahead of time that establish your comfort level.”

Knowing your household’s agreed-upon boundaries will help when it comes time to express them to someone else. Petrow, for instance, says he recently received an invite to an event in a movie theater—a situation he knows he’s not at ease with right now. “I said, ‘Thank you very much for inviting me, but right now I’m not comfortable participating in that type of thing. I hope you understand,’” he explains.

Don’t Put off Discussions About Holiday Plans

Whether it’s telling your family that you won’t be traveling home for the season or communicating that you’re not okay with people traveling to you, it’s better to have the chat(s) sooner rather than later. According to Petrow, this helps loved ones set expectations about what this year’s celebrations will look like.

“You start to come up with alternative plans also,” he says. “I think there’ll be a lot of people who will not be traveling to see family and who then might otherwise wind up at home or alone, and nobody wants that for anybody these holidays.”

Petrow, who has out-of-state family himself, recognizes that these are going to be “really painful conversations.” In his case, he plans to “allow for the feelings that are going to come up, because everybody is going to be challenged by how different these holidays look.”

Find That Compromise

If you feel weary about what your crew has planned, Gainer recommends trying to ID an alternative that everyone feels good about.

Can everyone still gather together on Zoom for cooking, dinner, games, and a movie? Or, if you’re all in the same area, can every household make a different recipe and do contactless delivery to get it to everyone else, then gather on Zoom?

While a virtual celebration is of course not the same, “nothing has been the same this year,” Gainer says. “I would just ensure that the conversation is from a place of safety for all parties.”

When You Turn Down an Invite, Be Clear About Why

Saying no to someone’s event can be a potentially awkward situation, and you don’t want to hurt your relationship with the host. When you tell someone you won’t be attending their holiday soiree, Petrow says it’s important to be clear that the COVID-19 crisis is the reason. Let the host know your ‘no’ RSVP is about safety, not because you don’t want to go.

To reinforce the idea that your absence is about health and safety, make sure you take the time to give a call or send a text to those loved ones you won’t see in person throughout the season. “Now more than ever we need to reach out, we need to be connected, we need to tell people that we care for them. And so make those efforts,” Petrow says. “Be really clear about your feelings and why family or friends matter to you, because we’re all a little bit lost and those kinds of connections matter, and they matter especially during the holidays.”

Release Your Guilt Around the Situation

It’s natural to not want to let down the people in your life, but Gainer reminds us that it’s okay to turn down an invitation. “We take on this guilt of not wanting to say no, not wanting to disappoint someone, but you also have to think about yourself,” she says. “This year has been a lot of, ‘Well, does this work for me? Looking internally, how do I feel?’” Remember: You’re doing the best you can right now.

MON NOV 23, 2020 | POSTED IN: HOLIDAYS | SOURCE

Family Finds Creative Way to Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely

EUGENE, Ore. — As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges Americans to avoid Thanksgiving travel and to keep gatherings small, many are getting creative with their plans to celebrate safely.

Bebe Morris is one of nine family members who live in the Eugene-Springfield area, making up four households.

“Usually, for Thanksgiving, we meet at my daughter’s house,” Morris said. “Everybody brings something or chooses from the menu.”

However, they decided Thanksgiving will look different for their family this year due to the pandemic.

“I made up the traditional menu and talked to all the kids, so they thought it sounded like a good idea,” Morris said.

Here is what they’ve decided: Everyone makes their selections ahead of time, noting what they would like to eat and also what they would like to prepare.

“When I got all that information, I made a master sheet so everybody would know,” Morris said. “What they’re supposed to do is put the portions into some sort of a container, either family style or individual, depending on what they see.”

Then, on Thanksgiving Day at 11:45 a.m., the families will meet at a large parking lot.

“We’re parking all of our cars six feet away from everyone and popping the tailgate,” Morris said. “Two people at a time will go to each vehicle and take out the things that have their name on it. Then, they’ll all go home to eat it.”

It doesn’t end there. Later in the afternoon, everyone will get back together virtually to talk, catch up and even play a few games.

“It won’t be a whole lot different, because I’ll be working just as hard on Thursday morning than I would if I was taking them somewhere or someone was coming here,” Morris said. “At least, we’re getting to do something.”

Her grandson Jason Fenley shared his thoughts.

“On a typical year, we have a big family get-together, obviously lunch, dinner and whatnot for Thanksgiving,” Fenley said. “This is going to be much different.”

He said his grandmother is eager to cook and provide for their family. His message to all is clear.

“Make sure you are safe with COVID-19,” Fenley said. “Enjoy the holiday, even if it’s going to be a lot different.”

The love and community isn’t limited to those blood-related. A few friends will also be joining in.

Jason Johnson has been friends with Fenley for around 11 years. He said he’s viewed as part of the family and shared that this year will still be special, even with a bit of a twist.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the food and trying everybody’s food,” Johnson said. “I get to make a fruit salad, so I’ll be contributing that.”

Johnson also urged community members to keep something in mind this season.

“The people we love — we need to protect them,” Johnson said. “I think coming up with creative ways of spending time together, sharing food together and looking forward to the future when we can all actually meet again is important.”

“I just feel good that we could come up with anything that would work without exposing a whole bunch of other people,” Morris said.

They said this type of Thanksgiving experience can also work out well for Christmas or any other celebration.

“We have to do things, sacrifice and do whatever we need to do to get this thing under control,” Morris said.

MON NOV 23, 2020 | POSTED IN: THANKSGIVING | SOURCE

UPDATE: The CDC Is Urging Americans to Stay Home for Thanksgiving

The Centers for Disease Control wants Americans to stay home this Thanksgiving amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The CDC just held their first press briefing in months, recommending against traveling for the holiday and keeping celebrations to just members of the immediate household, meaning anyone who’s lived with them already for at least 14 days prior to the holiday.

“The tragedy that could happen is one of your family members, from coming together in a family gathering, could wind up hospitalized and severely ill and could die. We don’t want to see that happen. This year we’re asking people to be as safe as possible,” said the CDC’s Dr. Henry Walke.

They added that they are “alarmed” about the rise in new infections, which have gone up 77 percent. Nearly 80,000 Americans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

“Amid this critical phase, the CDC is recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving period,” he went on to say.

They also asked people to consider the case and hospitalization rates in their area, if they will be with high-risk family members and if they have been around people outside of their household.

“If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes,’ you should consider making other plans, such as hosting a virtual gathering or delaying your travel. It’s important to talk with the people you live with and your family and friends about the risks of traveling.”

If you are still set on gathering with others, the CDC advises wearing a secure mask, staying six feet away from other people, holding the meal outdoors and having each household bring their own utensils, and even their own foods and drinks.

Alternative ideas include holding the meal virtually, dropping off foods at homes, and shopping online instead of heading out for Black Friday.

 SOURCE

4 Zodiac Signs Most Likely to Text Their Ex on Thanksgiving

For some people, reaching out to an ex on Thanksgiving sounds as appealing as removing giblets from a turkey — it’s tricky, it’s messy, and they’d much rather watch someone else do it. Other people see Turkey Day as the perfect opportunity to hit up their former boo. After eating five different types of potatoes and drinking a glass (or two) of wine, reaching out to a former partner can seem little a fun after-dinner activity. If you’re one of the signs most likely to text their ex on Thanksgiving, then you’ll likely be paying more attention to your phone than the football game after the table is cleared.

Not every zodiac sign texts their ex for the same reason. While some may hit that person up for a booty call, others may be looking to clear the air. There are even zodiac signs who will reach out to an ex simply to wish them a happy holiday, because that’s just the kind of people they are. Aries and Capricorns would sooner pour hot gravy down their pants than text an ex-lover (and probs don’t even have their ex’s number saved in their contacts anymore), but for these four zodiac signs, texting an old SO over Thanksgiving is basically inevitable.

Gemini (May 21—June 20)

Geminis tend to be a bit impulsive, so they won’t hesitate to shoot a message to an old flame over the holiday. The twins of the zodiac are all about communication, after all, and if they feel like hitting up an ex, they won’t let any potential awkwardness stop them. Whether they reach out to their former partner to vent, apologize, reconcile, or simply say hi, there’s a good chance their ex will hear from them on Turkey Day.

Leo (July 23—Aug. 22)

Leos are the stars of their own personal soap operas, and if Thanksgiving dinner starts to feel a little dull, those born under this sign will find a way to spice things up. Though they probably won’t be looking to reconcile, Leos may contact an ex if only to see whether that ex will text them back. If they do hear back, they’re sure to love the attention. And if they don’t get a text back? Leos will love lamenting about it to all their friends.

Libra (Sept. 23—Oct. 22)

Libras are peacemakers, and they hate the feeling of being on bad terms with anyone — even if that person is an ex. There’s no day like Turkey Day to make amends, and if a Libra thinks there’s any bad blood between them and an old partner, they’re sure to reach out, if only to wish them a happy Thanksgiving. Of course, Libras are hopeless romantics, so if that former SO is interested in getting back together, a Libra likely won’t be opposed.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22—Dec. 21)

Like Geminis, Sagittarians are impulsive, and if they text an ex, it’s likely for one reason and one reason only: to hook up. Sags tend to be emotionally detached, so for them, sex with an ex is always a no-strings-attached situation. Those born under the sign of the archer also happen to be genuinely kind individuals, so texting former partners is never a big deal, as they’re likely still besties with all of their exes.

For these zodiac signs, apple pie tastes best when it’s paired with a text to an ex (though personally, I’d prefer a scoop of ice cream). You do you, friends.

 SOURCE

Missy Elliott Pays for a Stranger’s Dream Wedding Dress After Seeing Emotional Story on Twitter

Missy Elliott is making dreams come true this holiday season.

Earlier this week, a bride to be shared a photo of the wedding gown she wanted — a $1,300 off-the-shoulder dress from David’s Bridal — with concerns that she wouldn’t be able to afford it, and the rapper, 49, took notice.

“Im getting Married in March &trying to move into our own place,” the woman (whose name is Ireanna Bradshaw) tweeted alongside a photo of the dress and sweet snaps of her and her future husband. “Excited but overwhelmed. I have been saving money; but its still a struggle. I found my dream dress and I want to get it so bad but between saving for the move- i dnt think it will be possible…..”

“Early Congratulations. May God Bless you both with an Unbreakable Union and full of Love & Happiness,” Elliott replied. In a second tweet, she shared that she had paid for the dress in full: “Your Dress is paid for now. I don’t know you but I saw you said the dress of your dreams & figured I would help when I saw you post ya cash app. May Blessings pour on your Beautiful Wedding Day with your Future husband.”

Seemingly shocked by the random act of kindness, the bride to be responded, “Omg thank you so much…..im literally speechless. This is so sweet.”

She continued: “You can come if you want. I’d love to have you.”