Content creator IAmZoie is responding to accusations of being inappropriate with minors after a 2018 video resurfaced online. The video has sparked online reactions and several new claims, which Zoie is now addressing.
A resurfaced video shows YouTuber IAmZoie allegedly flirting with minors. The content creator is now apologizing and responding to claims of inappropriate behavior. In a video statement, the 34-year-old acknowledged the 2018 clip and said he takes responsibility for how his actions may have appeared at the time. He denied pursuing or privately contacting the minors shown, claiming the interactions were limited to brief exchanges on the social media platform YouNow that lasted “one to two minutes.”
IAmZoie said the footage popped up before, prompting a Viacom investigation, since he was starring on ‘Wild ’N Out’ at the time. He stated that he turned over his devices and granted Viacom access to his social media accounts, and claims that the investigation found no wrongdoing.
IAmZoie Denies New Allegations Raised By TikTok Couple
The creator said the resurfaced clip gained renewed attention after a TikTok couple referenced allegations involving him. He denied those claims, calling them “completely false.”
According to IAmZoie, the situation began when he reached out to one member of the couple after learning about a domestic violence incident. He said the message was intended to be supportive and quoted it as saying, “I pray God brings you peace, healing, strength and understanding for what you are going through. Have a good day, handsome.”
He said tensions escalated after the partner allegedly asked him to stop liking photos and later accused him of attempting to pursue their boyfriend. He also said the claims intensified after the individual accused him on social media of inappropriate physical contact. However, he strongly denied the allegation.
Zoie Calls Out Misleading TikTok Clips Amid Allegations
Following the resurfaced clip, a wave of additional videos circulated online. IAmZoie alleged that many of the clips include misleading edits and captions taken out of context. He emphasized that his apology applies only to the 2018 clip and maintained that the other circulating videos lack credibility. In his video, he also called on witnesses to come forward and deny the claims spreading online.
The 10-year-old was dragged down a school hallway by two school staffers. A camera captured him being forced into a small, empty room with a single paper-covered window.
The staffers shut the door in his face. Alone, the boy curled into a ball on the floor. When school employees returned more than 10 minutes later, blood from his face smeared the floor.
Maryland state lawmakers were shown this video in 2017 by Leslie Seid Margolis, a lawyer with the advocacy group Disability Rights Maryland. She’d spent 15 years advocating for a ban on the practice known as seclusion, in which children, typically those with disabilities, are involuntarily isolated and confined, often after emotional outbursts.
Even after seeing the video, no legislators were willing to go as far as a ban. Nor were they when Margolis tried again a few years later.
In 2021, however, the federal Justice Department concluded an investigation into a Maryland school district and found more than 7,000 cases of unnecessary restraint and seclusion in a two-and-a-half-year period.
Four months later, Maryland lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting seclusion in the state’s public schools, with nearly unanimous support.
“I can’t really overstate the impact that Justice can have,” said Margolis. “They have this authority that is really helpful to those of us who are on the ground doing this work.”
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Within the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is a small office devoted to educational issues, including seclusion, as well as desegregation and racial harassment. The division intentionally chooses cases with potential for high impact and actively monitors places it has investigated to ensure they’re following through with changes. When the Educational Opportunities Section acts, educators and policymakers take notice.
Now, however, the Trump administration is wielding the power of the Justice Department in new and, some say, extreme ways. Hundreds of career staffers, including most of those who worked on education cases, have resigned. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights also has been decimated, largely through layoffs. The two offices traditionally have worked closely together to enforce civil rights protections for students. The result is a potentially lasting shift in how the nation’s top law enforcement agency handles issues that affect public school students, including millions who have disabilities.
“There are those who would say that this is an aberration, and that when it’s over, things will go back to the way they were,” said Frederick Lawrence, a lecturer at Georgetown Law and former assistant U.S. attorney under President Ronald Reagan. “My experience is that the river only flows in one direction, and things never go back to the way they were.”
The Justice Department’s lawyers historically have worked on a few dozen education cases at once, concentrating on combating sexual harassment, racial discrimination against Black and Latino students, restraint and seclusion, and failure to provide adequate services to English learners.
As the Educational Opportunity Section’s mission shifted, it shrunk in size. In January, before President Donald Trump took office, about 40 lawyers tackled education issues. In the spring, the U.S. Senate confirmed Harmeet Dhillon as leader of the Civil Rights Division. Dhillon founded the conservative Center for American Liberty, which describes itself as “defending civil liberties of Americans left behind by civil rights legacy organizations.”
U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon speaks during a September news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
By June, no more than five of the 40 lawyers were left, according to former employees. Some new staff have been hired or reassigned to the section, but the head count remains well below usual. It’s far from enough to sustain the typical workload, said Shaheena Simons, who was chief of the Educational Opportunities Section until she resigned in April. “There’s just no way the division can function with that level of staffing. It’s just impossible,” said Simons, who took over the section in 2016. “The investigations aren’t going to happen. Remedies aren’t going to be sought.”
Department officials responded to a list of questions from The Hechinger Report about changes to their handling of student civil rights protection with “no comment.”
The Department of Justice, including its educational work, has always been somewhat subject to White House interests, said Neal McCluskey, director of the libertarian Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom. During President Joe Biden’s term, for example, the agency pursued allegations of discrimination against transgender students, reflecting administration priorities.
McCluskey added, though, that the Trump administration is more aggressive in how it is pursuing its goals and is bypassing typical protocols, noting that in many cases “it’s like they’ve already decided the outcome.”
An investigation into allegations of antisemitism at the University of California, Los Angeles, for instance, took just 81 days before the department concluded the school had violated federal law. DOJ investigations typically have taken years, not months, to complete.
Lawrence, who also serves as president of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, said he could not speak to specific investigations, but the UCLA timeline “does suggest a rather accelerated process.”
A federal judge recently ruled that the administration could not use the findings from its UCLA investigation as a reason to fine the university $1.2 billion, which if paid would have unlocked frozen federal research funding. She wrote that the administration was using a playbook “of initiating civil rights investigations of preeminent universities to justify cutting off federal funding.”
As new investigations are opened, older ones remain unresolved, including one of practices in Colorado’s Douglas County Public Schools.
In 2022, Disability Law Colorado submitted a complaint to the Justice Department about the district’s use of seclusion, as well as restraint, where school employees physically restrict a student’s movement.
The following year, three other families sued the school system, alleging racial discrimination against their children. The students were repeatedly called monkeys and the N-word, threatened with lynchings and “made by teachers to argue the benefits of Jim Crow laws,” according to the complaint.
The Department of Justice decided to investigate both issues. Four staffers were assigned to the restraint and seclusion investigation, said Emily Harvey, co-legal director at Disability Law Colorado.
As part of the inquiry, Justice officials visited the district twice. The second time was during the final week of Biden’s presidency.
After that visit, Douglas County didn’t hear anything about the investigation from the Trump administration until a mid-May email. “Good morning,” it read. “We are having some staffing changes.”
The email, which The Hechinger Report obtained through a public records request, said that going forward, the district could contact two staffers on the restraint and seclusion case. The racial harassment case would be reduced to only one employee until another Justice staffer returned from leave in the fall.
One Douglas County parent, who asked her name be withheld because she is afraid of retaliation from the district, said that although she knew the investigation could take a couple of years, the longer it goes without a resolution, the more children could be harmed.
“The justice system is just moving so incredibly slow,” she said.
The parent said she knows of dozens of families who have dealt with restraint and seclusion issues in the district. Her own son, she said, was secluded in kindergarten. “He was scared of the person who put him in there. He kept saying, ‘I can’t go back,’” she said. “I never envisioned, until my son was secluded, a world where the school would not care about my child.”
When Harvey, of Disability Law Colorado, first contacted the Department of Justice, she hoped for statewide reform. She wanted to see a ban on seclusion, like Margolis had helped secure in Maryland, and for the state to commit to more accurate tracking of use of restraints. The way Colorado law is written, restraints must be recorded only if they last more than a minute. Douglas County, the second largest in the state with 62,000 students, reported 582 restraints to the Colorado Department of Education in the 2023-24 school year. The number of shorter-term restraints, however, is unknown.
“We believe this is an arbitrary distinction,” Harvey said. “My hope was that the Department of Justice would potentially weigh in on that as a violation” of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Douglas County school administrators said in a statement to The Hechinger Report that their “focus is on taking care of each and every one of our students” and that they take all concerns seriously.
They have worked with the federal government to set up school visits and interviews during their visits, according to emails from January.
Subsequent emails between district and federal officials describe a phone call over the summer and requests for additional documents. Another DOJ employee was included in the messages.
There are signs that the Justice Department is not abandoning restraint and seclusion work, said Guy Stephens, founder of the national advocacy group Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint. A webpage about previous cases that was removed after Trump took office has been restored, and in July, the DOJ announced a settlement with a Michigan district over these issues.
Yet Stephens has concerns. “There are still people very, very dedicated to this work and the mission of this work, but it’s very hard to work in a system that is shifting and reprioritizing,” he said.
Former DOJ employees worry that it might not only be future investigations that are markedly different. The department has historically monitored places where it has reached agreements that demand corrective action, rewriting them if districts or colleges fail to live up to their promises. It also provides support to achieve the new goals. Now, provisions written into past resolutions might be at odds with Trump administration actions, and oversight of some settlements is ending early.
Take, for instance, a DOJ investigation into Vermont’s Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District over allegations of race-based harassment against Black students. Investigators found that the district didn’t have a way to handle harassment or discrimination not targeted at a specific person, according to David Bickford, the school board chairman.
As part of a settlement agreement signed two weeks before Trump was inaugurated, the district agreed to provide staff training on implicit bias. A Trump executive order, however, calls for eliminating federal funding for anyone that discusses such a concept in schools.
Bickford said that the district has complied with everything the settlement called for, including professional development.
The investigation itself, he said, was extremely thorough, and required handing over nearly a thousand pages of documentation. Since then, the district has sent regular reports to the department but has not received any lengthy response or input, Bickford said. He also noted there had been staffing changes in who the district reports to.
Justice officials decided to end supervision of a 2023 settlement early following a racial harassment investigation in another Vermont district, Twin Valley. The original plan was to monitor the district for three years. In October 2024, investigators visited the district to check in. In a letter two months later, officials noted that while Twin Valley had made significant progress, they still had several areas of concern, including how the district investigated complaints, as well as “persistent biased language and behavior on the basis of multiple protected classifications; a pervasive culture of sexism; and lack of consistent and effective adult response to biased language and behavior.”
Even so, the department was pleased overall with its visit, said Bill Bazyk, superintendent of Windham Southwest Supervisory Union, which includes Twin Valley. “But things certainly sped up after the election,” said Bazyk, who started his job after the case had been settled.
Throughout the spring, Bayzk and his staff checked in with the department, and in May the district was told oversight of the settlement would end a year early, as Twin Valley had fully complied with the terms.
“We were doing all the right things,” Bayzk said, noting that the district’s work on diversity and equity is ongoing. “We took the settlement very seriously.”
The investigation began in 2021 after the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont filed a complaint. Legal Director Lia Ernst said it is possible that Twin Valley resolved those lingering problems between December and May, stressing that it’s impossible to know from the outside. But still, she said, there is a larger pattern of ambivalence to the Justice Department’s approach to civil rights complaints.
“It is disappointing to see that one ending early,” she said. “It is my hope that it is ending early because Twin Valley has made so much progress, but it is my fear that it is ending early because DOJ just doesn’t care.”
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Derrick Groves has officially been sentenced after escaping from a New Orleans jail earlier this year. As The Shade Room previously reported, authorities tracked down the 28-year-old and took him back into custody after he spent nearly five months on the run. Groves counted among 10 male inmates who crawled through a hidden hole behind a toilet inside a Louisiana jail.
Derrick Groves Receives Sentencing After Escaping New Orleans Jail
On Friday, December 12, Derrick Groves appeared in a New Orleans courtroom, two months after investigators found hiding out in a home in Atlanta. CBS News reports that he reportedly murdered Jamar Robinson and Byron Jackson at a 2018 Mardi Gras event, leading to his conviction of two counts of second-degree murder. Authorities also found him guilty on two counts of attempted second-degree murder in a separate case. Now, the court has sentenced him to two life terms plus 100 years in prison.
The Hideout That Ended Derrick Groves’ Five-Month Escape
Back in October, Derrick Groves had social media buzzing after footage showed the home he was staying in. The homeowner, Richard McQueen, gave reporters an exclusive look inside the place, which appeared to be destroyed. McQueen later told Fox 8 that he rented the place to a young woman, but he didn’t get much information regarding her background.
Before catching him, authorities offered a $50,000 reward for Derrick. Police tracked a lead on his whereabouts through an anonymous tip program Crimestoppers. They didn’t arrest anyone else at the time, but the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Atlanta Police Depatrment teamed up to take him down.
Here’s What Happened When Groves Escaped From A NOLA Prison
Back in May, Derrick Groves and nine other inmates made headlines when they busted out of a New Orleans prison through a hole behind a toilet. After the crew reportedly climbed a barbed-wire fence and made their escape. At the scene, the inmates left a message on the cell wall with an arrow pointing ot the gap they used to break out, writing, “To Easy Lol.”
Surveillance footage shows New Orleans inmates escaping from jail and running across the highway 👀 pic.twitter.com/PaQFu2xU67
When asked about Kyle hinting at a split from Morgan, Dorit pointed to the fact that Kyle and Morgan always seem to cool things off in their relationship whenever RHOBH is filming.
In May of this year, Kyle called Morgan “beautiful” on social media before filming began in June. And then in October, a month after filming ended, Kyle was seen fangirling at Morgan’s concert.
“I think that that sort of happens when she’s filming,” Dorit, 49, said on the December 11 episode of WWHL about Kyle’s split.
As for the reveal itself, Dorit said that Kyle coming clean about having a partner who didn’t want to be seen publicly was “all she really ever had to say.”
“That’s it. All you ever had to say was that, and nothing else would’ve followed,” she noted.
According to Dorit, who said she had “no idea” where Kyle and the mystery person stand today, she was only sort of surprised that Kyle finally came clean.
“Yes and no,” she explained. “I think that it’s gotten to a point where it’s like… you’re getting too close.”
While it was noted that Kyle had been respecting the wishes of the private person she was dating, Dorit suggested she had a responsibility to her fans.
“She’s a public figure, by the way,” she reminded.
Also speaking of Kyle, Dorit was asked about how she said that she treats her differently from other ladies when they give her the same advice.
“It’s very funny … but Kyle and I had a very special relationship for a very long time, almost a decade, and naturally, I’m going to be more sensitive to the way Kyle treats me,” she reasoned. “And when you have that history, you have an expectation, like to be a good friend. And so when that’s not happening, of course, you’re gonna have a problem.”
“It’s so unfortunate because it’s unnecessarily contentious and more challenging than it needs to be. If you’re not communicating, it’s very difficult to coparent effectively,” she shared.
She was then asked what she admires about Mauricio and wishes PK had more of.
“I think his knowledge and understanding of the show, and being as supportive as Mauricio was,” she replied.
Regarding her castmates, Dorit seemingly shaded Amanda Frances, 40, as the worst-dressed.
“Well, there’s a certain newbie that could use a little help — definitely not [Rachel Zoe],” she said.
Also on the live broadcast, after sharing that Boy George was “firmly in PK’s camp” and “hasn’t even reached out,” Dorit spoke of Rachel, 54, applauding her for having the most game while naming Sutton, 54, as the cast member with the least game, and joking that she talks a lot.
“The beautiful thing is now that Rachel has joined the group … we go toe to toe … You put us together, and … I feel like I can pass the baton,” she explained.
As for Rachel shading PK and Mauricio’s dating lives as “disgusting,” Dorit said her castmate was probably referring to them being so public and out there, “and not really considerate.”
“I was like, ‘What?’ Because people don’t usually say, ‘Oh, Dorit’s not very friendly.’ I pride myself on being friendly. So I immediately went up to her, because she was backstage, and I was like, I said, ‘Luann, I’m sorry if I gave you this impression,’” she recalled. “She mentioned the same thing about Kyle, which I didn’t understand. I really still don’t comprehend why she thought I was unfriendly because I was friendly with Kyle … where do things stand? I think they’re fine. She basically said that she thinks that I was just focused on Kyle, and so I didn’t mean to be unfriendly. So I let her slide.”
“I’m easier than [Erika Jayne],” she added, giving a nod to Luann calling Erika a “b*tch.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsseason 15 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
On this episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Kyle introduces us to Amanda, a young mother who purchased Kyle’s Bel Air home. Jennifer Tilly hosts a sip and draw event with a little more than the women bargained for. Kyle’s love life continues to be questioned and Dorit realizes just how much a divorce can impact the lives of her children.
Rachel is loving her friendship with Bozoma, despite being total opposites. According to Rachel, Boz is scared of nothing and she is scared of everything. Take for instance, her “paralyzing” life with her ex. Now that Rachel has broken free from Rodger, she feels refreshed and less anxious.
Rachel explains that early on in their separation, Rodger was photographed cozying up to a mystery woman, much like Mauricio. Rachel is in awe of Rodger’s stupidity in not choosing to hide this side of his life from his children, businesses, etc.
When it comes to Kyle’s dating life, Boz and Rachel were surprised to hear that she is not dating. Boz points out that they can be a safe place for Kyle, especially since there is so much speculation about who she is with, but Kyle remains evasive, dodging details and questions like a pro.
Kyle shares that she did not know Mauricio went from renting a high rise to leasing a house. This move really seems to put the nail in the coffin for their marriage; however, Kyle is playing nice and visiting the new crib. She brings Mo some new towels and he addresses his “ho era.”
Kyle makes it very clear that she is single, but admits that she has dated since the separation. Unlike Mo, she chose to keep her dating life out of the public eye and to be more discreet. When it comes to Mo’s choices with PDA, Kyle explains that Dorit feels as though PK was influenced by Mo’s single life. Mo states that Dorit might have a fantasy of what reality is…
Considering the history that Erika and Sutton have had after the last five years, it is shocking to see Erika extend an olive branch to Sutton for a fancy facial. They chat about how Sutton seemed to get along with Dorit and it is likely the connection of divorce.
Erika opens up about Tom and shares that she is heartbroken. She knows he is going to die in prison and Erika is not sure what to do as closure. Erika wishes he would “die before he would get to prison” and wonders if she should even visit him. All of it has weighed heavily on Erika five years later, as she still has civil cases and wonders if she will ever truly get away from it.
Jagger, Dorit’s son, has been having a hard time with the divorce. And so, Dorit’s mother and father have been staying at the house to assist. There is talk of the children going back to Florida with their grandparents for a visit sans Dorit, since Jagger seems to be the best version of himself around Dorit’s dad.
Dorit admits that she is not taking care of herself, but how could she? PK has dumped everything in her lap, including finances (PK apparently does not give Dorit any money), and she is trying to be a mom while navigating this extremely difficult and messy divorce.
Kyle brings her daughter, Alexia, to begin her wedding registry at some fancy shmancy story. Since Kathy is out of town, Kyle has brought in the assistance of Sutton. The wedding is less than eight weeks away and Kyle is beginning to feel the pressure.
Kyle speed-tells us about this girl Amanda who bought her BelAir home. Amanda is ALSO getting married and, shockingly, is ALSO coming to register that very moment. Amanda enters and chats about how her man “chased her down the street in West Hollywood.” Amanda claims her husband manifested her, which is interesting since she is known for manifesting…and also as the “money queen.” I mean, she wrote a book titled Rich as F*ck…
They chit chat and discuss Jennifer Tilly’s upcoming Boho Chic party and attempt to make it seem natural that Amanda will be joining them for that event.
Boz visits with her daughter, Lael, and they discuss dating. Lael seems to approve of Boz’s relationship with Keely. She even goes as far as saying she wants Keely to ask her permission to marry her mother should he want to propose.
It’s time for Jennifer’s sip and draw party. Jennifer admits that she has a big surprise for the ladies upon their arrival. When Rachel arrives, Jennifer shares that she is a “little bit in awe” of her and her coolness, but Rachel seems to fit right in.
Sutton went ahead and invited Amanda, who is way younger than the rest of the group. Kyle introduces Amanda to Dorit and we learn that Amanda has two step-kids (“I’m raising them”) and two other kids.
Jennifer leads the women to the easels and brings out her surprise: naked men. The women are absolutely losing it and Sutton has to put her glasses on to really focus. Amanda does not appreciate Erika shaming her for not drinking and it’s weird since Erika seems cool with Kyle’s lack of boozing.
The drawings turn out terrible and it is clear that we have no artists in the group. Post painting, Jennifer talks to the girls about dating. Kyle is dodging any dating questions, despite all the pictures and rumors. Dorit shares that her “husband is too busy torturing” her and so SHE has yet to go on any date.
Dorit goes on to say that PK is denying the travel for her children’s Florida trip solely to be mean. She then goes on to talk about Jagger, who is asking for HER dad. Sutton is “breathless” watching Dorit crumble and she experiences PTSD because she, too, knows the ugliness of divorce. Dorit’s kids need love and support and to be around family, but PK will only let them go to Florida if they could stay in a hotel with him.
Dorit feels like PK is only doing these things to hurt her and does not appreciate Kyle questioning her thought process. Boz suggests that Dorit make PK be the bearer of bad news and figures the reality is, he would not be able to take on the entire responsibility of the kids.
Kyle feels like Dorit responds differently to her than with the others. But Kyle knows PK personally, whereas the other women have never met him. How, then, can they make a judgment about PK?!
Later, Kyle shares with Erika that she is sick of people asking about her dating life. She has always told people to be honest and claims she is not a liar. She is truly single, right now, but she WAS seeing someone that she cared about very much.
If the person was not afraid of the public scrutiny, maybe they would still be together. Kyle was in a very vulnerable place and she fell hard for this person, but this person wanted nothing to do with the publicity and limelight…which is why Kyle remained so coy about it at the time…
“Since separating from Mo, I was in a relationship. I was at a very vulnerable place in my life and I fell hard for this person,” shared Kyle in her confessional. “You know, I’m in love with somebody, I want to share that. I don’t care, I’m an open person like hat. But that doesn’t mean that the person I’m with feels he same way.”
Kyle added, “All the speculation and the gossip and the talking is what ultimately ended it. I could have weathered the storm but this not for everyone.”
Kyle Richards cries to Erika Jayne over having to keep her past relationship a secret
Erika lets Kyle know that she has been as forthcoming as she could be. Unexpectedly falling in love with someone and not being able to talk about them is very difficult. Erika realizes that the women are not going to get over it until Kyle addresses it for once and for all. Kyle is absolutely in a rock and a hard place…
Roomies, do y’all remember when Tami Roman and her daughter Jazz Anderson disagreed over whether Jazz could invite her girlfriend to her graduation ceremony? Well, Tami’s clarifying her previous comments about the situation after catching plenty of backlash for her stance. On top of that, Jazz stepped in with an update on where she stands with her girlfriend now.
Tami Roman Clarifies Previous Comments About Her Daughter’s Girlfriend
Recently, Tami Roman appeared on the ‘Tamron Hall Show’ and cleared up what she meant. She told Tamron she felt folks twisted her words, when all she wanted to do was protect everybody involved. “I really was coming from a place of trying to protect hearts, the young lady’s, mine and Jazz’s.”
Additionally, the reality star also admitted that she set the boundary because she didn’t think Jazz’s girlfriend would be around long-term. The idea of her being in photos for such a major moment just didn’t sit right with her.
“You don’t even know if this person is going to be around for the long hall […] And now ten years from now, when you’re looking at your graduation photos and she’s grinning and you upset. You know, we got to live with that.”
From there, Roman doubled down on her “mom knows best” stance adding, “So it really was just about you can’t bring everybody to everything!”
Jazz Anderson Steps In With Update On Status With Her Girlfriend
Well chile, it looks like Tami really did know best after all! After TSR dropped clips from Tami’s interview with Tamron, Jazz Anderson slid right in the comment section with an update. She let everyone know her mom was right, because she and her girlfriend ended up calling it quits.
“BIG FACTS!!! I’m single and me and that woman ain’t together 😅🤣you were right momma! Per usual 🤣🤣🤣” Jazz wrote.
Tami Explains Her Concerns About Jazz’s Girlfriend
Things between Tami and Jazz originally unfolded on Kandi Burruss and Riley Burruss’ podcast, ‘Burruss Banter.’ The mother-daughter duo broke down their whole disagreement about whether Jazz’s girlfriend could pull up to her graduation. Tami kept it real and said she didn’t rock with the idea, but Kandi and Jazz didn’t see any issue at all. The moment Tami said that, social media lit her up for being “controlling” and making unnecessary rules. But Tami stood ten toes down, explaining that she just wanted to be sure Jazz’s girlfriend planned to stick around.
“I got to make sure that person is going to be around before they start sharing special moments with the family. And then now, six months later y’all ain’t together and something done happen that ain’t right. Tami continued, “I don’t want that. I don’t need to be apart of that.”
As news of the 52-year-old Real Housewives of Salt Lake City alum’s lawsuit against a prison warden was shared, and as it was revealed that she would be serving the remainder of her sentence at home, a video hit the web in which she was seen exiting the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas.
In the clip, shared by ABC News, Jen greeted husband Sharrieff “Coach” Shah and their sons, Sharrieff Jr., 31, and Omar, 22, with hugs before getting into a black SUV and driving off just after 1:00 a.m.
After leaving Texas, Jen and her family ventured back to Utah, where she is expected to serve the rest of her sentence at home. Jen also reported to a halfway house for orientation.
“Jen Shah has demonstrated strength, accountability, and resilience throughout this process,” Jen’s attorney, Candace N. Robinson, told PEOPLE, after her release. “Today represents not only a transition, but the beginning of a new chapter for her.”
“We continue to express our sincerest gratitude to the BOP for Jen’s early release,” her manager, Chris Giovanni, added. “Jen Shah remains thankful for the love and prayers from her supporters. Jen is focused on reuniting with her family and friends, while embarking on this new journey of redemption to make everything right.”
According to another report, Jen has accused a FPC Bryan prison warden of keeping her incarcerated “unconstitutionally” in an August 18 lawsuit, alleging that prison officials improperly calculated her release date and demanding she be let out of prison on August 6.
“She has had a spotless disciplinary record,” Jen’s filing explained, per Us Weekly, signaling a March review of her home conducted by officials.
Jen went on to state that she had experienced prejudice and loss of liberty “while being unconstitutionally confined beyond her scheduled release date,” noting that she had completed the Residential Drug Abuse Program on August 5, which earned her a 12-month reduction.
The program included nine months of “highly regimented programming, including daily treatment groups, individual counseling, written assignments, behavioral contracts and strict compliance with program rules.”
After being accused of unconstitutional behavior and of trying to rescind the credit Jen earned, the prison warden requested her case be dismissed, alleging that it had no merit and signaling a release date in August 2026.
Then, on October 3, Jen issued a response, declaring that she was still behind bars due to the prison’s “inconsistent administration of its own policies.”
Of the case, Jen’s attorney told Us Weekly, “Jen successfully completed the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) in August 2025 and, consistent with longstanding BOP policy and practice, should have been released shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Prisons has a well-documented history of failing to release inmates in a timely manner even after they complete qualifying programming that entitles them to earlier release consideration.”
“Jen’s filing was not about avoiding responsibility — it was about ensuring that the BOP followed its own rules and honored the benefits tied to program completion. This is not an isolated issue and continues to affect incarcerated individuals across the country who have done exactly what the system asked of them,” she continued. “At this stage, Jen is now moving forward into the next phase of her sentence, which is pre-release custody, and remains focused on a successful and compliant transition.”
Meanwhile, a rep for the prison told the outlet they “do not comment on pending litigation, matters that are the subject of legal proceedings, or ongoing investigations.”
As for Jen’s house arrest, the rep said she would be released on August 30, 2026, and noted that she cannot make new credit card charges or open a new line of credit unless her probation officer approves, and that she is subject to home searches.
Plus, an order added, “You shall make installment payments toward your restitution in the amount of 15% of your gross income.”
A judge has yet to rule on Jen’s case.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake Cityseason six airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
Tammy Rivera put everything on the table during her sit-down interview with Carlos King. The former ‘Love & Hip Hop ATL’ star broke down her past marriage to Waka Flocka and how she’s feeling in her current relationship with her boo, Kosher Oasis.
Tammy Rivera Breaks Down Her History & Marriage With Waka Flocka
Tammy Rivera chopped it up with Carlos King and kept it real about her marriage with Waka Flocka. She recalled meeting him during a spring break in Miami and how he immediately started doing the most to lock her down. She said the minute he pulled up to her spot in his tour bus that sealed everything. Shortly after, she moved herself and her daughter Charlie to Atlanta. Their love story played out exactly how Waka wanted, and they eventually tied the knot, but unfortunately ended up filing for divorce in 2023.
Tammy told Carlos that even though cheating put a strain on their relationship, other problems pushed them to separate. She admitted that she started losing respect for him and knew it was time for them to go their separate ways.
“I rather lose my husband at this time, than to lose my friend. After a while when you go through so much with a person, you lose respect for them. I didn’t want that to be us. So, I gracefully bowed out,” Tammy explained.
Tammy Gets Real About What Finally Led To Her & Waka’s Divorce
Tammy said Waka eventually cut out the cheating and really tried to make things work, but she never healed. Still, she “chose to stay,” but sticking around only made her resent him. Now, she’s come to terms with their relationship and admitted she thinks their time “just ran its course.”
As for where she and Waka stand now? Tammy said they’re in a good place now. She said they still talk, and when they wrapped up their divorce, they both thanked each other for the memories and the effort they put into their relationship.
From Divorce To New Vibes — Tammy Rivera Speaks On Her Love Life With Kosher Oasis
While talking about closing her chapter with Waka, Tammy got real about starting a new one with her man, Kosher Oasis. The duo first popped out together this summer when Tammy shared a cozy photo of them in the pool. From there, Kosher had the internet melting over his sweet love letter for Tammy’s 39th birthday.
Now, months later, Tammy says she’s standing ten toes behind her man. She told Carlos straight-up that nothing could make her walk away from how happy she is now.
“There is not enough money in the world that could make me leave this man. I could find a richer man, but I cannot find the morals and rich spirit that I have now. There’s [nothing] in this world that would replace what I have now.” Rivera shared.
Then, after someone signaled the size of Gina’s head, another pointed to her pants.
“Well by the look of the size of her head compared to her body.. people have said Ozempic,” the first fan mentioned.
“Her head looks normal, but I think she forgot her pants or something,” the second responded.
As RHOC fans may recall, Gina’s co-star and friend, Emily Simpson, 49, admitted to using Ozempic to lose weight in 2023, insisting that her use of the prescription medication was short-lived.
“That was a great kickstart for me,” Emily explained on SiriusXM’s Jeff Lewis Live. “I’m just gonna say that for me, it worked amazing because it really just kind of all the bad habits that I had where I was just kind of grazing, not really paying attention to what I was eating, eating late at night, eating my kids’ food, it just, all that stuff just kind of went away. It made me more conscientious of what I was eating, and so that was a really great kickstart for me. I didn’t lose a lot of weight doing it. I maybe lost five to seven pounds or something like that.”
Regarding her decision to go off the drug, Emily revealed, “I didn’t like the way it made me feel lethargic.”
“And it made me just not have a lot of energy, which was hard with three little kids,” she shared.
The Real Housewives of Orange Countyseason 20 will reportedly begin in late winter or early spring of next year.
Tamar Braxton had everyone doing a double-take after sharing new photos that are giving all kinds of vibes. Between the outfit, the energy, and the setting, roomies couldn’t help but stop scrolling. And… the reactions are mixed—some aren’t sure if she’s trying to prove a point or just straight vibin’.
On Saturday, Tamar Braxton hit Instagram with a carousel that had Roomies turning heads and clutching their pearls. The singer-slash-entrepreneur served straight-up bawdy tea, rocking dark blue high-waisted jeans, yellow and black high-top Nikes, and a black sheer cheetah-print bra that had the girls sitting up. And, she accessorized with large hoops, curly hair parted to the side, and a stick of sage in hand, giving full mystical-yet-glam vibes.
But it wasn’t just the outfit that had folks talking. Tamar appears to be chilling in her backyard by the pool, perched atop the Hollywood Hills with sprawling greenery and a panoramic view that screams “money.” Additionally, she shared a seemingly sentimental caption that had a few folks side-eyeing:
“I wake up EVERYDAY in pure bliss in the city I love the most. In our 7 story home in the hills…with a chef from the south who makes me fish and grits after my private spin class.. I walk around with this tea ass body…and truly loved for real ….. there is a TAMAR’s prayer… I’m sooooo THANKFUL I .. say …. Say ya OWN prayer,” wrote Tamar.
The TL Is Conflicted About The Vibes
Fans ran straight to The Shade Room Instagram comments to spill their thoughts, and sis… the reactions were mixed. Some are out here living for Tamar’s glow, saying she looks so good, while others warned to let her have it because you never know what you’re gonna get. Meanwhile, a few Roomies are side-eyeing the whole vibe, questioning if Tamar’s out here trying to convince us of something.
One Instagram user @davidgeedaniels shared, “Let her have this moment. Ain’t no telling what we gonna get in 2 weeks.“
This Instagram user @shaehollywood said, “👏 get it boo ! And she looks amazing“
And, Instagram user @dominiquechinn added, “Tamar looks so good!!! Aging backwards 😍”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @ikickkkthetruth wrote, “A little humility goes a long way, but congrats, Sis!“
While Instagram user @respectfullytea commented, “Who’s she trying to convince? Lol. I love Tamar tho.“
Finally, Instagram user @_.aleeah shared, “imagine looking this good at almost 50yrs old 😍😍”
Tamar Weighs In, Bouncing Back From Tough Times
Tamar herself jumped into the Shade Room comment section to share some seemingly inspirational vibes—admitting that not too long ago, she thought “it was over,” but now she’s in a whole new space in her life:
“Sorry yall ima be BOASTFUL about what God is doing in my life!!! A few months ago I thought it was OVER!! BUT GOD saw fit to remember me He’s soooo good and I’m so grateful cause he didn’t have to do it BUT HE DID,” Tamar commented.
So, what exactly did Tamar go through a few months ago? As previously reported, back in August she went live on TikTok looking glammed up but clearly emotional, opening up about a recent health scare that had her hospitalized. According to a dentist, an alleged sleepwalking episode resulted in Tamar suffering from lost teeth and trauma. Between reading comments and clapping back at shade, Tamar admitted she’d been through a rough time, saying she panicked because she was scared, alone, and in pain. But, fans can’t help but wonder if that’s all she’s healing from.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star took to her social media to debut her new relationship with her lady love Sway on November 28.
“🎉Happiest Birthday @sway_thepro Hope this year continues to bring you everything you want and more! 🥂🍾 Can’t wait to act up saturday!” wrote the 44-yr-old Bravo star.
Porsha Williams and Girlfriend Patrice ‘Sway’ McKinney photos
Porsha’s photo post comes two months after she first confirmed she was dating both a man and a woman. It appears she has since solidified her relationship with Sway, a licensed master barber who also describes herself as an “entrepreneur” who helps people “open a profitable salon suite business.”
RHOA fans have since reacted to Porsha’s post and the responses were mixed.
“Porsha be falling tooooo dang hard,” said one person.
“Girl u be doing anything seriously,” wrote another.
“Do these people ever stop to just be single?? The “pick me” stuff has just gone way too far,” added a commenter.
Others had more positive reactions to the news.
“Happy looks amazing on you — I love to see it. There’s a special kind of freedom that comes from living life on your own terms,” shared a fan.
“Porsha just be out here doing whatever TF she wants and I love that for my girl,” added another person.
Sway herself also commented under Porsha’s post, writing: “Damn babe 😍Sweet af…Thank you again!”
Jim Edmonds‘ wife, Kortnie O’Connor, shared a family photo with Meghan King‘s three kids, nine-year-old daughter Aspen, and seven-year-old twin sons Hayes and Hart, and was met with questions from her followers.
Over a week after the 41-year-old Real Housewives of Orange County alum temporarily lost custody of the children to Jim, 55, Kortnie took to her Instagram page with a pic and statement of gratitude and responded to people wondering about Jim’s other kids, offering support to Meghan, and asking her to join the Bravo series.
“Grateful for us — the love we chose, the peace we protect, and the family we’re growing together. Happy Thanksgiving y’all!” Kortnie wrote in the caption of her family photo with Jim and the kids.
Then, in a second message, she reacted to followers wondering about Jim’s other children, who include Hayley and Lauren, whom he shared with late ex-wife Lee Ann Horton, and Sutton and Landon, whom he shares with second wife Allison Jayne Raski.
“His older children are with their mother and the others have families too! Children at that! If it’s any of your business at all! Seriously get a life or unfollow,” she stated.
Kortnie also responded to a couple of other commenters.
“Beautiful pic. Also hoping their mother is doing okay,” one person said.
“Maybe you can send your warm wishes directly to her page!” Kortnie replied.
Another wrote, “[Please] join Real Housewives so we can get the tea,” prompting Kortnie to say, “Haha! Would NEVER!!!!”
According to a November 27 report from Page Six, Jim and Meghan’s kids spent Thanksgiving with Jim and Kortnie in Tennessee after Meghan temporarily lost custody of them earlier this month. As the outlet noted, Meghan typically has supervised visitation with the children on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but changes were made to the agreement in regard to the holiday.
As RHOC fans will recall, Meghan lost custody of Aspen, Hayes, and Hart after she allegedly gave Ritalin to Hayes, despite him having never been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and requested a school nurse do the same.
Jim and Meghan are due in court on December 9 to determine a more permanent custody arrangement.
Chile… the timeline just got a little more interesting, and Roomies are already grabbing their popcorn. Masika Kalysha and HoodTrophy Bino popped up in a post that has everybody squinting, wondering what exactly is going on between these two. The vibe? Let’s just say it’s giving “something’s brewing” energy.
On Friday, Nov. 28, Masika Kalysha and HoodTrophy Bino embraced each other in a new photo shared on his Instagram Stories. Bino was rocking red basketball shorts,paired with a plain white tee and iced-out jewelry that’s screaming “flex.” Masika looked stunning in a cream-colored, skin-tight dress, rocking jewelry on her wrist, with her left hand resting on Bino’s chest. The pair were snapped in what looked like the hallway of a home, serving major couple vibes. Bino added the text “& I Got her” along with a winking emoji and a green heart. And chile, the internet is already running with all the theories.
The Comment Section? It Went Off
Roomies didn’t waste a second before dashing to The Shade Room Instagram comment section with their takes. Some fans pointed out that Masika seems to be moving on quickly, while others defended her.
One Instagram user @blafell1 said, “Wa wa WAIT!!!! She need help with them kids 😂😂”
This Instagram user @trillypolk added, “This teaches me that there is always somebody on the side. My method is not in vain 💯💯”
And, Instagram user @hunitdaysofsummer wrote, “She must heal like Wolverine“
But, Instagram user @_.ravyn__ commented, “I wouldn’t want nobody after chrisean had em😭😭”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @aboutshonda shared, “Legally married, physically separated. She was grieving for his death and her daughter whose biological father died.“
While Instagram user @prettyeyedshan said, “They were separated tho. I’m confused as to what she was supposed to do if they weren’t even together.“
Grief, Hints, And A Whole Lot Of Speculation
Folks have been going full-on detective mode ever since HoodTrophy Bino reposted a photo of Masika Kalysha, captioning it “Baby” with a heart-eyes emoji. And, Masika fueled the speculation herself—she shared the pic to her own Story and pinned Bino’s “Loml” comment on an older post, sending fans into full-blown clue-connecting mode.
The timing also has fans talking even more because Masika is still seemingly navigating grief after the tragic death of her estranged husband, Jamar Champ. On October 28, a wrong-way driver caused a crash on the Katy Freeway in Houston that ended Jamar’s life, leaving Masika and her daughters, Khari and Amari, devastated. Masika has opened up about her heartbreak, saying she “never felt pain like this” and sharing that her daughters feel “confused and devastated” as they struggle to process the loss.
Jayda Cheaves Shows How She’s Looking Out With Her “Blessing Bags” This Holiday Season
On Sunday, November 23, Jayda Cheaves took to her Instagram Story to initially share a photo of various items spread out across a floor. In a subsequent post, Cheaves laid out the items, showing an emergency poncho, Hot Hands insole foot warmers, a Winterlace beanie hat, gloves, a pouch, hand sanitizing wipes, a first-aid kit, a comb, pocket tissues, two lip balms, an emergency blanket, and a religious pamphlet.
Take a look at the photos she shared of her “blessing bags” below.
Internet Users Are Applauding Her
Social media users entered TSR’s comment section, applauding Jayda Cheaves for her “blessing bags” for the holiday season.
Instagram user @stylesbynyles_ wrote, “This is what I mean when I ask God to be a blessing to me so I can bless others ❤️🩹”
While Instagram user @dlrvenues added, “Wait I really love this idea!! 💡 The giveback is real”
Instagram user @brookeyslays wrote, “one thing about jayda she never misses an opportunity to give back to the less fortunate❤️❤️”
While Instagram user @afox2577 added, “She seems to be so kind. I love her. God bless her”
Instagram user @bipolarbellebythebay wrote, “I love this!!! She’s got essentials in there so I’m sure they’ll be appreciated.”
While Instagram user @nya2fyaa added, “Jayda is so sweet & thoughtful. Make sense why she’s overly blessed”
Instagram user @queenslive4ever wrote, “If we’re fortunate enough we should also be a blessing to those who are in need. 🥹🙌🏾”
While Instagram user @dominiquechinn added, “This is so thoughtful ❤️”
Instagram user @mzash_vs_mzjuju wrote, “Dope I’m do the same!! We gotta help each other no matter what we going through someone always got it worse”
Before Showing Her “Blessing Bags” For This Holiday Season, Jayda Cheaves Had Internet Users Turnin’ Their Heads
Before showing off her blessing bags for the holiday season, Jayda Cheaves had internet users doin’ a double-take at her recent outfits. As The Shade Room previously reported, earlier this month, Cheaves posted photos of herself wearing a cut-out bodysuit, which showcased her curves. Additionally, she paired it with oversized furry boots and skintone leggings. Ultimately, her outfit left some social media users saying, “She just be wearing anything…”
Then, about a week later, Cheaves showed off her see-through pants for the internet. This left one social media user saying, “When 2026 comes in, can we start wearing clothes again?!?!”
Folks are in full detective mode after rapper HoodTrophy Bino posted a photo of Masika Kalysha on social media. Bino’s upload set the timeline off, especially since Masika’s estranged husband Jamar Champ recently passed away in October after a fatal car crash in Houston.
HoodTrophy Bino’s Pic Of Masika Kalysha Has The Timeline Curious
The internet is asking “What’s Tea?” after HoodTrophy Bino dropped a photo of Masika Kalysha on his Instagram Story on Wednesday, Nov. 26. The pic isn’t new, but his caption definitely stirred the pot since he added, “Baby” along with a heart-eyes emoji.
Masika took it even further when she reposted the pic to her own Story, which sent folks into full speculation mode. But that isn’t even the wild part. Bino also slid into her comment section on one of Masika’s October flicks, writing, “Loml,“ (love of my life) with a green heart and a teary-eyed emoji. And Masika didn’t let it sit the mix either, she pinned his comment right to the top where everyone can see.
Social Media Weighs In On Masika & Bino
After TSR shared HoodTrophy Bino’s post, the comment section went OFF. Some folks were straight-up confused, while others demanded answers since Masika has been openly mourning her husband on social media.
Instagram user @realnicolezavala wrote, “Im soooo confused …..”
Instagram user @iownthesoul wrote, “Huh? Wasn’t she just at her husband’s funeral yesterday chile? 🥴”
While Instagram user @classyyb wrote, “what is really going on here??? I went straight to the comments like wait…I know I ain’t tripping.”
Then Instagram user @theeultimatedrugg wrote, “I was really rooting for her.”
Another Instagram user @facadebabii wrote, “Wasn’t she just acting like Coretta Scott King yesterday😩😩😩”
While another Instagram user @montega.jada wrote, “Wasn’t she just grieving 3 posts ago 😮💨”
Then another instagram user @vayydawn wrote, “This to much playing around for me.”
Finally, Instagram user @quianna28 wrote, “Wait a dam minute….😮”
Masika Opens Up About The Loss Of Her Estranged Husband Jamar Champ
Folks on social media were side-eyeing Bino’s flirty comment for Masika, especially since fans know she recently opened up about her estranged husband Jamar Champ’s passing. On Oct. 28, a wrong-way driver hit Jamar on the Katy Freeway in Houston, crashing into his Cybertruck. The impact caused his Cybertruck to spin and hit the semi-truck and ultimately killing Jamar at the scene. Since then, Masika Kalysha has kept it real about her grief, saying she “never felt pain like this” and “wouldn’t wish it on anyone.” She also shared that her two daughters, Khari and Amari are “devastated and confused” and that “their lives will never be the same.” See her full statement below.
HoodTrophy Bino’s Love Life Heats Up After Chrisean Rock
Bino isn’t in the clear either. He recently hit the market again following his breakup with Chrisean Rock. The duo originally popped out together in August after attending a church service together, and later appeared in several cozy pics together. Rock even shared footage of Bino hanging out with her son, Chrisean Jr. But in October, the pair seemingly decided to part ways. TMZ caught up with Bino, and he doubled down on why he wasn’t getting back with Rock, however he did wish her and her son the best.
As Bronwyn Newport, 40, defended her decision to relay what Whitney, 39, had said to Meredith, 53, and Heather Gay, 51, put in her two cents, Meredith accused Whitney of projecting, and Whitney lashed out at Bronwyn for spinning the narrative.
“Whitney Rose strikes again. It’s nothing new. She’s done this every single year. And usually it’s a projection of her own issues,” Meredith declared during a November 25 interview for Bravo HQ. “So, it’s just kind of a funny comment and pretty dumb, but what do you expect from Whitney?”
According to Whitney, she said what she said about Meredith to Bronwyn “in confidence” and doesn’t appreciate Bronwyn speaking on her behalf.
“I cannot believe that she did that because she actually spun what I said,” she clarified. “I didn’t say, ‘I think Meredith has a substance issue.’ I said, ‘Meredith’s behavior was so erratic and crazy.’ And Bronwyn asked me what I thought caused it.”
Recalling their discussion, Whitney suggested that Meredith may have “mixed” something, as it’s “very common for people to take a sleeping pill on a plane and then drink wine.”
“For Bronwyn to then go behind my back and run to Meredith and spin the narrative, that was infuriating … I lost a lot of trust in Bronwyn,” she concluded.
As for Bronwyn, she stood by her decision to tell Meredith what Whitney said.
“I wouldn’t wanna have been blindsided by someone saying that about me behind my back,” she reasoned. “I feel like that’s a life-changing accusation.”
Because Bronwyn felt that she didn’t “do a good enough job” standing up for Meredith during her conversation with Whitney, she believed giving her a heads-up was the next best thing.
“If everybody thinks that’s sneaky or behind the back, then I guess I’m sneaky or behind the back,” she admitted. “I wish Meredith had valued more that I tried to give her that heads up. I was really trying to be a friend to Meredith in that moment. I didn’t know I was gonna get thrown under the bus.”
“There was a better way to handle it,” she continued. “I took the medium road. I didn’t take the one that was gonna get me in trouble with everyone. I took the road that was gonna get me in trouble with one person. It’s tricky. It’s tricky with these women.”
Also speaking to Bravo HQ, Heather called out Bronwyn for failing to take accountability for her role in the claims against Meredith.
“Bronwyn’s the one that said it too, and brought it up, so the fact that she’s passing the baton to Whitney is interesting,” she stated. “I think they did have a conversation about it. I wasn’t privy to it, and I think it’s a little bit ridiculous to bring up substance abuse at a drunken wine lunch.”
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake Cityseason 6 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
You may not be too familiar with LA County Assessor Jeffrey Prang. You’ve probably never heard of the office of the LA County Assessor, or you might only have a vague notion of what it does.
But with a career in city politics spanning nearly thirty years, he’s among the longest-serving openly gay elected officials in the United States, and for his work serving the people of Los Angeles and championing the rights of the city’s LGBTQ people, the Stonewall Democratic Club is honoring him at their 50th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Night Nov 15 at Beaches Tropicana in West Hollywood.
Prang moved to Los Angeles from his native Michigan after college in 1991, specifically seeking an opportunity to serve in politics as an openly gay man. In 1997, he was elected to the West Hollywood City Council, where he served for 18 years, including four stints as mayor.
“I was active in politics, but in Michigan at the time I left, you couldn’t really be out and involved in politics… My life was so compartmentalized. I had my straight friends, my gay friends, my political friends, and I couldn’t really mix and match those things,” he says.
“One of the things that was really impactful was as you drove down Santa Monica Boulevard and saw those rainbow flags placed there by the government in the median island. That really said, this is a place where you can be yourself. You don’t have to be afraid.”
One thing that’s changed over Prang’s time in office is West Hollywood’s uniqueness as a place of safety for the queer community.
“It used to be, you could only be out and gay and politically involved if you were from Silver Lake or from West Hollywood. The thought of being able to do that in Downey or Monterey Park or Pomona was foreign. But now we have LGBTQ centers, gay pride celebrations, and LGBT elected officials in all those jurisdictions, something that we wouldn’t have thought possible 40 years ago,” he says.
Prang’s jump to county politics is emblematic of that shift. In 2014, amid a scandal that brought down the previous county assessor, Prang threw his name in contention for the job, having worked in the assessor’s office already for the previous two years. He beat out eleven contenders in the election, won reelection in 2018 and 2022, and is seeking a fourth term next year.
To put those victories in perspective, at the time of his first election, Prang represented more people than any other openly gay elected official in the world.
Beyond his office, Prang has lent his experience with ballot box success to helping get more LGBT people elected through his work with the Stonewall Democrats and with a new organization he co-founded last year called the LA County LGBTQ Elected Officials Association (LACLEO).
LACLEO counts more than fifty members, including officials from all parts of the county, municipal and state legislators, and members of school boards, water boards, and city clerks.
“I assembled this group to collectively use our elected strength and influence to help impact policy in Sacramento and in Washington, DC, to take advantage of these elected leaders who have a bigger voice in government than the average person, and to train them and educate them to be better advocates on behalf of the issues that are important for us,” Prang says.
“I do believe as a senior high-level official I need to play a role and have an important voice in supporting our community,” he says.
Ok, but what is the LA County assessor, anyway?
“Nobody knows what the assessor is. 99% of people think I’m the guy who collects taxes,” Prang says.
The assessor makes sure that all properties in the county are properly recorded and fairly assessed so that taxes can be levied correctly. It’s a wonky job, but one that has a big impact on how the city raises money for programs.
And that wonkiness suits Prang just fine. While the job may seem unglamorous, he gleefully boasts about his work overhauling the office’s technology to improve customer service and efficiency, which he says is proving to be a role model for other county offices.
“I inherited this 1970s-era mainframe green screen DOS-based legacy system. And believe it or not, that’s the standard technology for most large government agencies. That’s why the DMV sucks. That’s why the tax collection system sucks. But I spent $130 million over almost 10 years to rebuild our system to a digitized cloud-based system,” Prang says.
“I think the fact that my program was so successful did give some impetus to the board funding the tax collector and the auditor-controller to update their system, which is 40 years behind where they need to be.”
More tangible impacts for everyday Angelenos include his outreach to promote tax savings programs for homeowners, seniors, and nonprofits, and a new college training program that gives students a pipeline to good jobs in the county.
As attacks on the queer community intensify from the federal government, Prang says the Stonewall Democrats are an important locus of organization and resistance, and he encourages anyone to get involved.
“It is still an important and relevant organization that provides opportunities for LGBTQ people to get involved, to have an impact on our government and our civic life. If you just wanna come and volunteer and donate your time, it provides that, if you really want to do more and have a bigger voice and move into areas of leadership, it provides an opportunity for that as well,” he says.
La La Anthony & Carmelo Pop Out To Support Kiyan Anthony As He Drops Buckets For Syracuse University
According to RSFN, Syracuse University faced off against the Houston Cougars on Monday, November 25, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Furthermore, Carmelo Anthony and La La were in attendance as Syracuse ultimately took its first loss of the season. Despite this, Karmelo Anthony had a stand-out night as a freshman on the team.
Per the outlet, Kiyan ended the game with “10 points, one rebound, and one assist in 24 minutes.” Additionally, the 18-year-old even dropped a bucket that brought his parents to their feet. To note, the outlet reports that Kiyan is averaging “14.8 points, three rebounds, and 1.8 assists on an impressive 54.8% shooting” so far this season.
Not enough people are talking about Kiyan Anthony this season
In the first half against Houston:
12 minutes 9 points 3/7 FG 2 steals 1 assist
Averaging 14.8 on 54.8 FG% and 38.5 3FG% on 3.3 3PA through four games
Social media users slid into TSR’s comment section, applauding Kiyan Anthony dropping buckets with Carmelo and La La in attendance.
Instagram user @thesekidsauntie wrote, “This is what healthy coparenting anf putting your child first looks like… i know it warms his heart to look over and see BOTH parents sitting together supporting him! 😍”
While Instagram user @coopcancook added, “Supportive parents matter so much! ❤️”
Instagram user @miamarvelous wrote, “Letting him grow up in NYC was that best decision his parents coulda made ✅✅ that boy LIKE THAT”
While Instagram user @mai_tai_kai added, “I really love seeing them together. Maybe things can work out . ❤️”
Instagram user @truly.rare wrote, “All the people saying they should get back together is literally the problem with the world 😂. Self-esteem be in hell, this man had a baby on her lmao, wtf. She is exactly where tf she should be, right next to him, looking fine af, and cheering on their child. Thats it. Wish them both well.”
While Instagram user @dnaybisme added, “These videos make me so proud. I’m tearing up 🥲”
Instagram user @whowaynereal wrote, “Bro been balling and ain’t did no complaining, he thankful and blessed to be playing, love that about him frfr 🙌❤️🔥😂”
While Instagram user @daniel_pugh04 added, “They really have the best basketball son out of everyone.”
Instagram user @rare_gem0525 wrote, “They don’t need to be back together just because they are co-parenting. Lol”
While Instagram user @taj.be.like added, “I just can’t believe Kiyan is in college. I feel like we really watched him grow up.”
Instagram user @bigpoppashan wrote, “That boy a star!”
While Instagram user @its_phillllthy added, “He balling so hard he finna mend the relationship lol 🔥”
Hours Before La La Anthony & Carmelo Popped Out To Support Kiyan Anthony, He Celebrated Another Milestone
Monday, November 24, didn’t just mark La La and Carmelo Anthony popping out to see Kiyan Anthony drop buckets. It also marked Kiyan revealing that he signed an NIL with the Jordan brand. Per RSFN, Carmelo also had a deal with the brand. So Kiyan’s addition appears to signal “the continuation of a family tradition.”
In a comment to a post about the Real Housewives of Orange County reunion, which accused Gretchen, 47, of being a supporter of President Trump, 79, declared that she was “not a victim,” and pointed out that there was no proof of Tamra, 58, leaking stories to bloggers, Slade, 52, went on a rant against Tamra and signaled her past behavior.
“The reason Andy supported Gretchen is that there is overwhelming evidence against Tamra and her little network of accounts, seems like you may be included in that network. Tamra has been caught in possession of screenshots of fake posts that have been altered by putting Gretchen’s name on it,” Slade began, as seen in a screenshot shared by Real Housewives Zone on Instagram.
According to Slade, Gretchen has stood up for the LGBTQ+ community “her entire life,” and not just once it became normal — or because she had children come out.
“She supported this community long before anyone on this cast did including [Heather Dubrow],” he wrote.
He then took aim at Tamra’s past use of a potential gay slur and “liking” of her son Ryan Vieth‘s “anti trans rant,” saying she only “back peddled when she got caught.”
While the RHOC finale and reunion left more questions than answers for some, Slade teased a report that has been viewed by not only Andy, 57, but also Bravo.
“The report is clear and the truth will come out. The report was done by a very well known company that does government research. Andy and the network have seen it all,” he declared. “None of this would have ever been an issue this season but it was orchestrated by Tamra, the embellished lie about Gretchen being drugged by Tamra orchestrated by Tamra. She is the one who brought it all up.”
Also in his rant, Slade said Tamra was “the obvious cancer infecting the authenticity of the show.”
“For gods sake she got caught lying about autism. She swore on the life of her children she didn’t do it. How gross is [that] the podcasts are all coming [forward] with proof she did,” he added.
In separate posts shared via screenshots by the Real OG of the NYC on X, Slade featured an article Reality Blurb shared in a January 2019 post, titled, “RHOC Star Tamra Judge’s Son Ryan Vieth Goes On Transphobic Rant Amid Transgender Controversy and She ‘Likes’ His Post, Does She Support His Views?”
In the since-deleted post, Ryan had said, “LET’S BE F**KING REAL, THE WORLD IS F**KED. COMPLETELY F**KED,“ with a screenshot of a news article, which was titled, “Britain’s first transgender family reveals son, 5, is also transitioning.”
Ryan also included a comment from someone who said, “The only thing that kid should be transitioning into is being a 6-year-old. Anything else is abusive brainwashing.”
In another post, Slade included a link to a video Zack Peter shared on X in which he claimed that Tamra had “absolutely been leaking things for months.”
“I’ve known the info she’s been leaking about the show since July, when she was trying to prevent people from interviewing Gretchen. On a personal note, I like [Tamra], I like [Teddi Mellencamp], I like [Scheana Shay], I like Gretchen. But I’m always going to call out BS when I see it,” Zack stated.
Here’s the truth about RHOC — yes, Tamra’s absolutely been leaking things for months. I’ve known the info she’s been leaking about the show since July, when she was trying to prevent people from interviewing Gretchen. On a personal note, I like Tamara, I like Teddi, I like… pic.twitter.com/YsL3Ln0Ox7
Jimmy Cliff, the reggae pioneer and actor who preached joy, defiance and resilience, has died at age 81 from health complications, per the Associated Press. He’s known for for hits like, ‘Many Rivers to Cross,’ ‘You Can Get it If You Really Want’ and ‘Vietnam.’ Cliff also starred in the landmark movie ‘The Harder They Come.’
Jimmy Cliff Passes Away After Suffering A Seizure & Pneumonia
Jimmy Cliff’s wife, Latifa Chambers, confirmed his death on Monday (November 24). Latifa and Cliff’s two children also posted a message on the reggae star’s social media sites. The statement revealed that he died from a “seizure followed by pneumonia.” Additional information was not immediately available.
“To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career,” the announcement reads in part. “He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”
Reggae Singer Remembered For Ground Breaking ‘The Harder They Come’ Movie
Jimmy Cliff was a native Jamaican with a gift for catchphrases and topical lyrics. He joined Kingston’s emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included future stars like Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh. By the early 1970s, he had accepted director Perry Henzell’s offer to star in a film about an aspiring reggae musician, Ivanhoe ‘Ivan’ Martin. Ivanhoe turns to crime when his career stalls. Henzell named the movie ‘The Harder They Come’ after suggesting the title as a possible song for Cliff.
“Ivanhoe was a real-life character for Jamaicans,” Cliff told Variety in 2022 amid the film’s 50th anniversary. “When I was a little boy, I used to hear about him as being a bad man. A real bad man. No one in Jamaica, at that time, had guns. But he had guns and shot a policeman, so he was someone to be feared. However, being a hero was the manner in which Perry wanted to make his name — an anti-hero in the way that Hollywood turns its bad guys into heroes.”
If you didn’t know, ‘The Harder They Come’ was delayed for some two years because of sometime-y funding. Still, it was the first major commercial release to come out of Jamaica. The film sold few tickets in its initial run. Now, it stands as a cultural touchstone. Its soundtrack alone is named as one of the greatest ever, but also a turning point in reggae’s worldwide rise.
What Else To Know About Jimmy’s Career
Jimmy Cliff’s career reportedly peaked with ‘The Harder They Come.’ However, after a break in the late 1970s, he worked steadily for decades—from session work with the Rolling Stones to collabs with Wyclef Jean, Sting and Annie Lennox among others.
Meanwhile, his early music lived on. The Sandinistas in Nicaragua used ‘You Can Get it If You Really Want’ as a campaign theme and Bruce Springsteen helped expand Cliff’s U.S. audience with his live cover of the reggae star’s ‘Trapped.’ Others performing his songs included John Lennon, Cher and UB40.
Additionally, Jimmy Cliff earned seven Grammy nominations and won twice for best reggae album. His first win was in 1986 for ‘Cliff Hanger’ and in 2012 for the well-named ‘Rebirth,’ which many called his best work in years. His other albums included the Grammy-nominated ‘The Power and the Glory,’ ‘Humanitarian’ and the 2022 release ‘Refugees.’ Also, he performed on Steve Van Zandt’s protest anthem, ‘Sun City,’ and acted in the Robin Williams comedy ‘Club Paradise,’ for which he contributed a handful of songs to the soundtrack. He sang with Elvis Costello on the rocker ‘Seven Day Weekend.’
Jimmy Cliff’s other honors included induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Jamaica’s Order of Merit. In 2019, the Jamaican government renamed Montego Bay’s popular “hip strip” roadway Jimmy Cliff Boulevard. Two years later, Jamaican officials presented Cliff with an official passport in recognition of his status as a Reggae Ambassador.
