Terry McMillan announces ‘Waiting To Exhale’ will become TV series

Terry McMillian, the author of the groundbreaking 90s book ‘Waiting to Exhale’ that became a top-grossing film, shared the news on social media

Fans of the 1995 movie Waiting to Exhale based on the best-selling Terry McMillan book are rejoicing today after the author announced that the beloved work would now be a TV series.

Read More: Angela Bassett is not to be messed with in first ‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ photos

“So, WAITING TO EXHALE is going to be a TV series,” McMillan posted Thursday. “Produced by Lee Daniels. Attica Locke and Tembi Locke are writing. Anthony Hemingway will direct. I lucked out.”

So, WAITING TO EXHALE is going to be a TV series. Produced by Lee Daniels. Attica Locke and Tembi Locke are writing. Anthony Hemingway will direct. I lucked out.

— Terry McMillan (@MsTerryMcMillan) November 12, 2020

The 1995 movie directed by Forest Whitaker starred Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon and Whitney Houston, and included appearances by Dennis Haysbert, the late dancer/actor Gregory Hines, Wire alum Wendell Pierce, Micheal Beach, and Wesley Snipes. Based on the 1992 book of the same title, it showcased the love lives of four affluent Black women in Phoenix, Arizona and the various scenarios they encountered while looking for, losing, and finding love.

Angela Bassett as Bernadine in ‘Waiting To Exhale’

In the 90s when the book was released the themes were controversial and McMillan was accused of promoting stereotypes of Black women and men. But the book, McMillan’s second novel, was a New York Times bestseller that sold over three million copies and put not just her, but contemporary Black fiction, on the map.

The film grossed over $80M at the box office and its Grammy-winning soundtrack, produced by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds featuring Houston’s hit “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” sold over 12 million copies. It was Houston’s second #1 hit from a soundtrack after The Bodyguard.

Though McMillan didn’t announce any further details, or even what network it will air on, it appears she’s jubilant given the talent that has already signed on to do the series.

Daniels is, of course, an award-winning filmmaker and producer, most recently with Fox’s Empire. Attica Locke is an author and screenwriter who has written four novels in the crime genre and was a writer and producer on Empire, Little Fires Everywhere and When They See Us. Her sister Tembi Locke is a writer and actress who most recently played Dr. Grace Monroe on the Syfy series Eureka. Hemingway directed the feature film Red Tails and has been directing film and TV for over two decades working on shows like True Blood, The Wire and American Crime Story.

Author Terry McMillan speaks onstage at the 2016 ESSENCE Festival Presented By Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 1, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2016 Essence Festival)

None of the main actresses from the original film have made any announcements about their involvement or lack thereof, though it’s possible they may be worked in some way or the series will take up the same themes with a new group of actresses.

According to Cheatsheet, a sequel was in the works at one time with Whitaker slated to direct it. But Houston’s 2012 death stalled the project and McMillan told Sister2Sister magazine in 2015 that she didn’t see it continuing without her.

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“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I really don’t,” she told the publication. “It’s been horrible since Whitney [Houston] passed away for a whole lot of reasons. Fox wanted to basically eliminate that character altogether from the story. How they thought that was going to work, I don’t know.”

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Tennessee man exonerated after serving nearly 15 years in prison

Joseph Webster is reunited with his family after being wrongfully convicted of murder and sent to a Tennessee prison in 2006.

After spending nearly two decades behind bars, a Nashville man is released from prison after a judge ruled he was wrongly convicted.

Read More: Louisiana Supreme Court refuses to review life sentence for Black man imprisoned for stealing clippers

According to Tennessean, Joseph Webster was embraced by his mother who was overwhelmed with emotion after he exited the detention center a free man. His mom, Marie Burns, waited hours for her son, trying not to cry too much. The news outlet detailed she had to be taken across the street after she collapsed during the reuniting event. The 41-year-old was in prison for almost 15 years after being convicted of the 1998 murder of Leroy Owens.

“Lord have mercy,” she shouted, according to the outlet. “I love you. I’m so glad to see you. Oh, it’s been so long, baby. Oh, it’s been so long.”

(Image via Daniel A. Horwitz Twitter @Scot_Blog)

A Nashville judge ordered his conviction was to be vacated according to Tennessean, which resulted in the dismissal of the murder charge and his immediate release. The District Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit uncovered new evidence proving Webster’s innocence. The CRU was urged to investigate by attorney Daniel Horwitz. 

“For the District Attorney, for General (Glenn) Funk to create a CRU is a bold and courageous step to take in ensuring that our office engages in self-reflection and self-accountability, which is and should be central to how we view our role in the justice system. When we determined we no longer had confidence in the conviction, we had a moral and ethical obligation to act,” current CRU Director Sunny Eaton said in an interview with the news outlet.

Read More: ‘America’s Got Talent’ contestant, exonerated from prison after 37 years, gets ‘chance of a lifetime’ and praise from Simon Cowell

According to Fox 17, an investigative report witness stories did not add up. The victim was brutally beaten and killed by what one witness described as a man of medium build about 160 pounds Fox 17 reported. Webster was well over the weight description and wore a distinguishing gold grill in his mouth, not mentioned by the witness. The news outlet detailed he was picked out of a lineup by a convicted sex worker and addict, Tammy Nelson, who also did not bring up the gold teeth.

“I mean, there is so much that’s impossible to overlook in this case,” Horwitz said to Fox 17. “That’s why I think this case is the one that ended up being the first conviction ever to be overturned here, all of the new evidence.”

Horwitz release a statement on the release via Twitter:

My statement: pic.twitter.com/rQ89bOphgU

— Daniel A. Horwitz (@Scot_Blog) November 10, 2020

Nelson eventually recanted her testimony multiple times according to the report. Burns claimed her other son Kenny Neal may in fact be responsible for the murder. Shawnna Norman, his girlfriend at the time also alleged Neal bragged about beating Owens to death. Three family members in total claimed Neal confessed and say he refused a lie detector test and a DNA sample.

“Kenny told me he had to chase him down and beat the shit out of him with a brick,” Norman said according to Fox 17.

Webster shared a message to the Owens family upon his release.

“I feel their pain, but I ain’t the one that did it. I hope they find out the person who actually did it,” he said according to Tennessean. “I do feel sympathy for them. I wish them the best on their situation, too.

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Former college football player Titus Davis dies from cancer at 27

The record-holding former Central Michigan University wide receiver died of a rare, kidney cancer

Former NFL player and college football star Titus Davis has died of cancer.

Read More: Al Roker diagnosed with prostate cancer, will undergo surgery

The Detroit Free Press reports that Davis died Wednesday of Renal Medullary Carcinoma, a rare form of kidney cancer. The 27-year-old played college football for the Central Michigan University Chippewas from 2011-2014, setting many athletic records. The team shared the news on their Instagram page, sending condolences to Davis’ family and friends.

View this post on Instagram

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of an incredible member of our Chippewa Football family, Titus Davis. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. #FireUpForever #RIP

A post shared by Central Michigan Football (@cmufootball) on Nov 11, 2020 at 12:44pm PST

Earlier this. year, a GoFundMe set up by family friend Samantha Hall revealed the diagnosis of Renal Medullary Carcinoma, a rare kidney cancer that mainly impacts young men of African descent who carry the sickle cell trait. 

“We are asking for all of the support we can get for Titus during this difficult time. He is the father of two beautiful boys and is so loved by so many. This diagnosis has been very difficult to wrap our heads around but Titus is a fighter and we are confident that God will carry him through this battle, bringing him out stronger than before! If you cannot donate, please help by sharing this page.”

The fundraiser garnered $48,970 for his treatment and he started his first round of chemotherapy in July.

Hall confirmed Davis’ death to the Detroit Free Press.

“Early this morning, he passed away peacefully surrounded by family,” she said.

His younger brother, Corey Davis, is a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans. Sports Illustrated reports he was at practice with the team Wednesday but did not confirm whether or not he would be playing in this weekend’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Davis was the first player in FBS history with eight or more receiving touchdowns in four seasons. He currently holds multiple records at CMU according to the report, including career yards (3,700), career touchdowns (37), single-season touchdowns (13), and single-game touchdowns (four). He is also ranked third in single-game receiving yards for his 208-yard exhibition against Western Michigan in 2012 and is ranked fourth in program history with 204 career catches.

His former CMU teammate, current Miami Dolphins safety Kavon Frazier tweeted “RIP Titus Davis. Still to this day one of the most talented players I’ve played with.” 

RIP Titus Davis. Still to this day one of the most talented players I’ve played with. 🙏🏾

— Kavon Frazier (@Kay_BlackSimba) November 11, 2020

After his college football career, Davis signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers but was released in 2015. He played on the practice team for both the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. In 2016, the Jets signed him to a reserve contract but he decided to retire later that year. Davis ended his retirement in May 2017 by signing to the Chicago Bears but was waived four months later.

According to the Free Press, Sherrone Moore, the Michigan Wolverines’ tight end coach and former CMU football staffer, spoke about Davis at a press conference.

Read More: Brother of Chadwick Boseman reveals own cancer battle, in remission

“I send out a lot of prayers to his family, friends, and that whole CMU community. That’s a big loss for someone that wasn’t only a great player on the field but an outstanding human being, an outstanding citizen. That was extremely sad news to hear. I’m going to continue to pray for his family.”

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Tlaib says Dems won’t be successful if they silence Black, brown districts

Similar frustrations have been voiced by other progressive Democrats

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) says that centrist Democrats have blamed progressive Democrats for giving conservative lawmakers “slogans and policies to scare voters,” according to Politico.  

This comes after Democrats lost some of their House seats during the election, although they still hold the majority in the House.

Read More: ‘Squad’ member Rashida Tlaib wins primary in Michigan

Tlaib is a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement, has regularly called to defund the police and fervently pushes for policies that help combat climate change.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks during a town hall hosted by the NAACP on September 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. Also pictured is Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). The congresswomen talked about their backgrounds and how they were disruptors who “challenged conventional wisdom and assumptions” about how to get elected, among other topics. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

She says that the accusations from center-left politicians are calls for silencing radical change makers. 

“We’re not going to be successful if we’re silencing districts like mine,” Tlaib said, per Politico. “Me not being able to speak on behalf of many of my neighbors right now, many of which are Black neighbors, means me being silenced. I can’t be silent.”

Let’s be absolutely clear – @RashidaTlaib is right.

There can be no “unity” that is premised on silencing our voices.

There can be no “unity” that demands the people in pain shut up and go away.

We need better than that. We cannot fight racism by cowering from discussing it.

— Common Defense (@commondefense) November 11, 2020

Tlaib says that she is not interested in appearing united if people are not afforded their basic human rights. She is one of a group of progressive Democrats that have circulated a memo about Joe Biden’s presidency, letting center-left lawmakers know that they will not aid and abet any government officials who advocate a lethargic push to end racism and systemic inequality.

“If [voters] can walk past blighted homes and school closures and pollution to vote for Biden-Harris, when they feel like they don’t have anything else, they deserve to be heard,” Tlaib said.

Similar frustrations have been voiced by other progressive Democrats such as House Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

As theGrio previously reported, AOC said she might quit politics because of resistance from centrist Democrats.

“We’re always messaging around bipartisanship and how much we love working with Republicans all the time in a lot of these sensitive areas,” AOC said.  

Read More: AOC might quit politics after Democrats blame progressives for House loss

“We need to have an unapologetic agenda, have an actual alternative and counter-messaging that is distinct from the Republican Party instead of trying to play to notions of civility,” she said.

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John Legend says he, Chrissy ‘hold on to things that bring joy’ after loss of son

Legend shared how he and his wife continue to stay encouraged following their tragic loss earlier this year.

During a new interview, singer John Legend shared that he and wife Chrissy Teigen are grateful for the outpouring of support after the tragic loss of their son.

Read More: John Legend, Chrissy Teigen gave the gift of grief, here’s what they deserve in return

“We’ve heard from so many people who have gone through it too and it’s been encouraging to be getting so much love and support from so many people who have experienced similar things,” Legend said in a recent conversation with Entertainment Tonight.

As theGrio reported, the couple suffered the loss of their son Jack during Teigan’s pregnancy. The model and host, who has always been open about her fertility struggles, revealed the news on Instagram writing a heartfelt post to her friends, followers, family, and fans.

“We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before,” Teigen wrote. “We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions. It just wasn’t enough.”

The couple have two children, Luna, 4 and Miles, 2, who Legend said has kept them in positive spirits despite their grief.

“Whenever we go through personal challenges — and I think challenges as a nation — I think we have to hold on to what makes us optimistic. What makes us hopeful, hold onto the things that bring us joy,” he said to ET. “And in my family, as we’ve gone through a tough year, we hold onto the fact that we have two beautiful kids that we love and are such a beautiful reflection of who we are and what we value.”

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I make pancakes every Sunday. Regardless of this pic, Miles really enjoyed them.

A post shared by John Legend (@johnlegend) on Aug 2, 2020 at 4:38pm PDT

The Glory singer also shared his reaction to the 2020 presidential election. Throughout the campaign season, the 11-time Grammy award winner showed support his for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris while criticizing Black celebrities who aligned their politics with President Donald Trump.

Legend dubbed the rappers who support Trump a new hip-hop supergroup called The Sunken Place, theGrio reported, after artists such as Ice Cube became entangled with Republican politics.

“Now, some people see the meanness, the bullying, the selfishness of Donald Trump and they mistake it for strength, a kind of twisted masculinity,” he said during a performance at a Democratic campaign event.

Legend applauded the state of Georgia and the work of politicians such as Stacey Abrams to sustain democracy.

“I felt like Georgia played a key role in getting us there and I wanted to sing them a song to thank them for the true, beautiful work of democracy that was encouraged by people like Stacey Abrams and other people who went out there and registered hundreds of thousands of people to vote,” Legend said to ET.

“That took a lot of work and it took a lot of optimism and it took a lot of faith in democracy. Faith in the people that if we put in the work to get them involved, that they would go out there and make their voices heard. And they did and it’s such a powerful story.”

Read More: John Legend dedicates BBMAs performance to Chrissy Teigen following miscarriage

The multihyphenate talent also talked about his Netflix project Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. The film features original songs by Legend, Usher and Kiana Ledé, and stars Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, and rising actress Madalen Mills. it hits the streamer on Dec. 11.

Legend is hopeful that the representation in the movie will inspire families who tune in, citing his own children as examples.

“With having kids who are Black and brown, growing up in a world where there’s not a lot of content that shows a positive vision of who they are and what they look like, it’s really powerful that we have this film for our young people that can be on the perennial Christmas canon that show the possibilities that we have as Black and brown people,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “I think it’s pretty beautiful and we’re excited that Get Lifted, our film company, is able to be a part of that.”

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Rapper Mo3 shot dead in Dallas, bystander wounded: report

Rapper Mo3 is presumed dead after a shooting on a Dallas freeway

Dallas rapper Mo3 was reportedly gunned down in broad daylight in a drive-by shooting and died from his injuries on Wednesday.

Mo3, born Melvin Noble, was shot by an unidentified suspect who chased the rapper on foot on I-35E, according to sources close to the investigation, CBS 11 News reported. Mo3, who collaborated with Boosie Badazz on the hit “Errybody (Remix),” was 28 years old.

(Credit: Mo3 Instagram)

Police said that Mo3 was riding northbound on I-35E before noon when a suspect got out of his vehicle with a gun and approached Noble’s car. Noble then got out of the vehicle and ran onto the freeway. The suspect pursued him, then shot him multiple times. Officials confirmed that Noble, who has not yet been publicly confirmed as the victim, was shot at least once and possibly in the back of the head.  

Read More: Indiana grand jury decides no charges in fatal shooting of Sean Reed

Another man who was sitting in his car was also hit by gunfire and transported to the hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police are investigating the murder and will not publicly confirm the victim was Noble until his next of kin has been notified.

#Update The latest details from @DallasPD on today’s shooting in I-35 @KRLD .
Listen Live as we get more information. https://t.co/70XZHqhgs9 pic.twitter.com/iQuvKEJTxD

— Kristin Diaz (@KristinDiazTv) November 11, 2020

There has been graphic video circulating on social media of a wounded man laying on his back on the highway. However, it is not yet known if the person in the footage is Noble or the bystander.

Noble’s death comes a year after he claimed on Instagram to have been shot in the head TMZ also reported that the rapper was arrested in 2017 following a shooting at a nightclub in Dallas-Fort Worth where one person died.

Earlier this year, he shared with Flaunt the message of hope he wanted to convey to his fans.

Read More: Boosie defends Zaya Wade comments during Mike Tyson interview

“The Black community and the Hispanic community, we deal with a lot of poverty and struggle,” Mo3 said. “I’m giving a message, I’m giving hope. Me, I’ve been a rapper, but you could do whatever you want. You ain’t limited to one thing. I preach that. Whether it’s my story or the next person’s story, they’re going to feel me.”

Boosie Badazz seemingly reacted to the death of his collaborator on Twitter with a demand that people “stop calling me n texting me.”

Stop calling me n texting me ‼️FUCK YOU HOES ,NIGGASn FAKE ASS FAMILY ALL YALL CAN SUCK MY DICK ‼️ALL YALL GOT A MOTIVE FUCKING WOTH ME ANYWAY 🤷🏽‍♂️ Suckadick

— Boosie BadAzz (@BOOSIEOFFICIAL) November 11, 2020

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‘Real Housewives’ star Mary Cosby explains why she married her step-grandfather

‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ will premiere on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo

Mary Cosby turned a lot of heads when it was revealed that she’s married to her step-grandfather, Robert Cosby, Sr. But Mary doesn’t have any problems with telling her story.

Read More: Check out Porsha Williams protesting in ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ season 13 trailer

People released a sneak peek video of the first episode of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and in it, Cosby reveals that it was her grandmother’s wish for her to marry her then step-grandfather. So much so that she made the marriage a condition of the inheritance her granddaughter claimed.

Robert founded the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church with Mary’s grandmother, Dr. Rosemary Redmon Cosby, according to Refinery29. Redmond died of heart failure in 1997 at the age of 65, and a messy battle for her multi-million dollar estate ensued. Per Refinery 29, her daughter, Rosalind Cazares, was awarded $1 million after she accused her then-45-year-old stepfather of involvement in Redmon Cosby’s death.

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A post shared by 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘔. 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘣𝘺 (@mary_m_cosby) on Nov 5, 2020 at 4:37pm PST

Ultimately Mary did wed her step-grandfather and inherit her grandmother’s estate. The couple has a teenage son and they’ve been married for over two decades. Mary now runs the church, which has several different branches in Utah and Indiana, with her husband. 

She says she ignores trolls and critics of her marriage, believing people will eventually move past the scandal.

I see Mary Cosby is on a block spree on instagram..

— Slide (@SidewithSlide) November 11, 2020

Read More: NeNe Leakes announces she’s leaving ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’

“I am the first lady of our church,” Mary said. “It was inherited through my grandmother. I don’t like to be called a pastor because that’s like, an old lady.”

Mary says that the unusual arrangement has brought nothing but blessings to her life.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘔. 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘣𝘺 (@mary_m_cosby) on Feb 19, 2020 at 8:43am PST

“They’ll get over it,” she says in the video. “Just digest it.”

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City will air on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo.

Watch the trailer below:

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20 percent of recovered COVID-19 patients diagnosed with mental illness within 3 months

COVID-19 could be linked to dementia, insomnia and anxiety according to a study

COVID-19 has greater side effects than we once thought.

A recent study revealed that folks who have been diagnosed with the virus and recovered later suffered from mental health issues. The findings were made in a study published Monday by The Lancet Psychiatry Journal.

Read More: Dr. Marcella Nunez Smith to co-chair Biden coronavirus task force

“Survivors of COVID-19 appear to be at increased risk of psychiatric sequelae, and a psychiatric diagnosis might be an independent risk factor for COVID-19. Although preliminary, our findings have implications for clinical services, and prospective cohort studies are warranted.”

CHARLEROI, BELGIUM – NOVEMBER 05: A man is tested for Covid-19 in the basement of the University Hospital of Charleroi on November 5, 2020 in Charleroi, Belgium. On October 28, the Charleroi University Hospital opened a space for critical Covid-19 patients as well as an underground drive-in testing centre. The facility was set up in four days by ISPPC technical teams, in the staff parking lot of the Marie Curie Hospital. For the first time in two months, the number of people hospitalized for Coronavirus in Belgium has dropped slightly, from 7,487 to 7,405. (Photo by Jean-Christophe Guillaume/Getty Images)

The study surveyed a whopping 62,354 patients who contracted the virus between January 20 and August 1. They found 20% of those people within 14 to 90 days of testing positive for the virus were later diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder such as dementia, insomnia, or anxiety.

“People have been worried that COVID-19 survivors will be at greater risk of mental health problems, and our findings … show this to be likely,” one of the study’s authors, Paul Harrison, told Today. “[Health] services need to be ready to provide care, especially since our results are likely to be underestimates.”

There are currently 10.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of today, per The New York Times.

Read More: Biden announces coronavirus advisory board to help fight pandemic

The report also says those who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder within the last year leading up to pandemic are 65 % more likely to contract the virus.  

“As COVID-19 sample sizes and survival times increase, it will be possible to refine these findings and to identify rarer and delayed psychiatric presentations,” per the study. “Prospective cohort studies and inclusive case registers will be valuable to complement electronic health record analyses. It will also be important to explore additional risk factors for contracting COVID-19, and for developing psychiatric disorders thereafter, as some elements might prove to be modifiable.”

The study also mentioned that a smaller Korean study found links between COVID-19 and schizophrenia only.

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YG’s ‘F— Donald Trump’ lands at No. 1 on iTunes following Biden victory

The late Nipsey Hussle, who also appears on the song, would be proud.

President Donald Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Joe Biden after his victory in the 2020 election but that didn’t stop Americans from celebrating with a little bop know as “FDT.”

Read More: The Game releases animated tribute to Nipsey Hussle, Kobe Bryant

On the day of the election, Los Angeles rapper YG’s 2016 tune “FDT,” featuring Nipsey Hussle began to pick up steam. By Nov.7, the day the election was decided in Biden’s favor, a bunch of politically-themed songs saw digital sales gains.

On Nov. 7, ‘FDT’ was downloaded 3,000 times according to Billboard. “FDT” which stands for f— Donald Trump, opens up with the simplistic yet catchy lines, “F— Donald Trump, F— Donald Trump.” The song saw a 740% gain over its sales count on Nov. 6.

Chart Data tweeted on Saturday the song had become # 1 on US iTunes.

.@YG and Nipsey Hussle's "FDT" has reached #1 on US iTunes.

— chart data (@chartdata) November 7, 2020

In 2016, when the song was first released, YG told Rolling Stone he immediately began getting calls about it.

“The Secret Service started calling in about the song when it got released,” YG told the publication. “The song didn’t release through Def Jam; we just leaked it. So then, weeks passed. I’m turning in my album and the song was. … It’s goin’ crazy. I saw that and I’m like, ‘Damn. I need to put this on the album.’ We had to censor damn near a big part of the song. But I did it because the record was important. I’m like, ‘Man, this shit got to be on the album. F— it.’”

Nipsey Hussle (L) and YG perform onstage at Live! Red! Ready! Pre-Show, sponsored by Nissan, at the 2018 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for BET)

Read More: Georgia Senate runoffs outcome could make or break Biden administration

YG’s hit isn’t the only song seeing a major boost. Mary J. Blige’s “Work That,” saw an increase in downloads after Vice President-elect Kamala Harris walked out to it during her victory speech. “Work That” saw an increase of 2,000 downloads on Nov. 7. Whitney Houston’s version of Steve Winwood‘s hit “Higher Love,” also saw an increase of 1,011% after Harris and Biden exited to the song after their victory speeches.

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Following Trump, GOP congressional candidates refuse to concede

A handful of GOP candidates follow suit with President Trump and continue their fight after losing their races.

Across the country, Republican candidates refuse to concede although the elections have been called against them, following suit with President Donald Trump‘s claims of cheating and fraud.

Read More: Lindsey Graham: Trump shouldn’t concede or else US will ‘never’ elect GOP president

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Errol Webber, a Republican candidate running for Congress in California against Rep. Karen Bass, lost by more than 72 percentage points. However, the 33-year-old claimed he will not concede. He took to social media, another move from Trump’s playbook, to demand all votes be tallied.

“I will NOT concede. Every LEGAL vote needs to be counted!” he wrote.

I’m going to the Los Angeles County Registrar's Office in Norwalk today to audit the vote counting procedures.

I will NOT concede.

Every LEGAL vote needs to be counted!

— Errol Webber (@ErrolWebber) November 9, 2020

Like Webber, House candidate Kimberly Klacik of Baltimore also refuses to accept the results which label her the losing party. Klacik, a Republican, lost her race against Rep. Kweisi Mfume by over 40 points according to the Post. The Trump supporter also took to Twitter and wanted an investigation. According to the report, she falsely claimed to have beaten her opponent.

“I beat my opponent on day of & in-person early voting, along with absentee. However, 97k mail-in ballots were found in his favor?” she wrote on Twitter, quoting a post where Trump himself made claims of a stolen election.

Agreed. I beat my opponent on day of & in-person early voting, along with absentee.

However, 97k mail in ballots were found in his favor? Luckily, we raised enough money to investigate. https://t.co/s4berP6VRm

— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) November 8, 2020

Klacik had previously lost a special election against Mfume in April after the death of Rep. Elijah E. Cummings who previously held the Baltimore-area seat. Her profile was boosted after President Trump shared one of her campaign videos according to the Post.

Read More: GOP Penn. senator: No evidence to support Trump vote-fraud claims

John James, a Republican Senate candidate seeking office in Michigan joins Klacik and Webber in aligning with Trump in refusing to concede. James faced off against Democrat Sen. Gary Peters. According to the Washington Post, the race which started out to close to call on election day had Peters winning by the end of the night. He maintained this lead through Tuesday by 1.5 percent, or about 87,000 votes.

Although he accepted the results, the Republican hopeful shared “deep concerns that millions of Michiganders may have been disenfranchised by a dishonest few who cheat,” according to the news outlet. His lawyer sent a letter to election officials in Detroit claiming they had issues with the vote count. The Post reported James’ advisers also made claims and spread conspiracy theories about the vote.

Trump has not budged from his refusal to concede to President-elect Joe Biden. Not only are his actions being mirrored by GOP candidates across the country, but he also received support from party leaders. theGrio reported South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham believes POTUS should continue to contest the results of the 2020 election.

“If Republicans don’t challenge and change the U.S. election system, there will never be another Republican president elected again,” Graham said last week on Fox News.

According to theGrio Biden said Tuesday the refusal by Trump to admit defeat is embarrassing. The President-elect also said he does not plan on taking legal action to force the Trump administration out saying there is no need. He asserted the Trump administration’s actions will not hinder his plan to assume power on Jan. 20.

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Pennsylvania postal worker admits his claim of ballot tampering wasn’t true

Richard Hopkins’s claim that he was instructed to backdate ballots mailed after Election Day was cited by Republicans as evidence of voter fraud

A postal worker in Pennsylvania, whose claim of ballot tampering was touted by Republicans as evidence of voter fraud, now admits it was all a lie.

Richard Hopkins said that he was instructed by a postmaster in Erie, Pa., to backdate ballots mailed after Election Day. His claim was cited by GOP officials as the most credible evidence of voter fraud, including Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham who wrote a letter to the Justice Department calling for a federal investigation, reports the Washington Post.

Read More: After judge’s order, Postal Service sweep finds only 13 ballots

(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Attorney General William Barr later authorized federal prosecutors to launch probes into allegations of voting irregularities and fraud. Barr’s decision was widely slammed by Democrats and department officials incensed that Barr had gone against a long-standing policy that the federal government should not investigate claims of voter fraud until after the election results are in and certified.

On Monday, Hopkins, 32, recanted his claim in an affidavit after speaking with investigators from the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General, according to the Post. In response to the revelation, Democrats serving on the House Oversight Committee tweeted the “whistleblower completely RECANTED.”

BREAKING NEWS: Erie, Pa. #USPS whistleblower completely RECANTED his allegations of a supervisor tampering with mail-in ballots after being questioned by investigators, according to IG.

THREAD:

— Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) November 10, 2020

Despite Hopkins’s decision to recant his claim of ballot tampering, it’s not yet clear why he signed a false affidavit claiming it happened in the first place. However, a GoFundMe page set up for Hopkins raised more than $136,000. Donors and Trump supporters hailed him as a patriot.

“Your donations are going to help me in the case I am wrongfully terminated from my job or I am forced into resigning due to ostrizization [sic] by my co-workers,” the page said. “It will help me get a new start in a place I feel safe and help me with child support until I am able to get settled and get a job.”

When the allegations were first made, Rob Weisenbach, the Erie postmaster, called Hopkins’s allegations “100% false.” He also said that Hopkins had been recently disciplined multiple times. “The Erie Post Office did not back date any ballots,” Weisenbach insisted.

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CBS announces half of all contestants on future reality shows will be people of color

The channel, that has been criticized in the past for its lack of minority representation is now committing to diversity

In a move that is sure to please millions of viewers, while potentially alienating others, on Monday, CBS Studios announced that moving forward it will be diversifying its unscripted shows, with an aim to make all future casts at least 50% Black, indigenous and/or people of color (BIPOC).

Read More: Chloe x Halle to perform, Tiffany Haddish to present at ‘People’s Choice Awards’

According to Deadline, this move comes after a fan petition was launched urging CBS to include greater diversity and inclusivity in their content and also after several contestants on its hugely popular show Survivor spoke out about the lack of diversity in the show’s lineup.  

Entertainment Weekly reports that over the summer, Survivor contestants including Sean Rector (Season 4), and Jolanda Jones (Season 10), formed a group called The Black Survivor Alliance which they say was created with the intention of “bringing light to our collective experience with implicit bias and racism on and off the show.”

Rector, who appeared on Survivor: Marquesas 19 years ago, told Entertainment Weekly that reality TV shows often promoted racial stereotypes and that Survivor largely ignored its Black castmembers and those of color even when they were successful. He cited the example of Marquesas winner Vecepia Towery Robinson and Earl Cole, neither of whom have been called back to the show during subsequent seasons highlighting previous winners.

Survivor winner Vecepia Towery poses after winning the “Survivor Marquesas” $1 million dollar first prize finals May 20, 2002 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images)

Towery Robinson is the only Black female winner of the show. Jeremy Collins and Wendell Holland, both Black men, have won since. (In all fairness there are 18 other contestants over the years who haven’t been invited back for varying reasons, per Cheat Sheet).

“If you recall most of those early reality shows like The Real World, Road Rules and even Survivor and Big Brother, Black contestants, especially Black men, were always made to look stereotypically combative, lazy, ignorant, unaware, aggressive etc….” Rector said.

“These are historically coded and loaded descriptions and depictions that have had deep repercussions on how we are viewed in society. My insights and criticisms are not necessarily collective knocks on my castmates, because I don’t believe anyone was being blatantly racist or prejudiced,  but implicit bias and tribalism does exist in society, and especially in a game where you socially bond with people who share similar values and sometimes similar aesthetics.”

The alliance had several meetings with CBS executives and host/executive producer Jeff Probst about making the franchise more inclusive. Since then, the network has agreed to create programming with the NAACP and this new pledge means that future casts of hit shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and Love Island will be visibly more diverse starting with the 2021 – 2022 season. 

.@CBS’ slate of reality shows is set to become more diverse after the network introduced a series of representation targets https://t.co/aWcKD99OTe

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) November 9, 2020

“The reality TV genre is an area that’s especially underrepresented and needs to be more inclusive across development, casting, production and all phases of storytelling,” George Cheeks, president and chief executive officer for the CBS Entertainment Group said in a statement.

READ MORE: Beyoncé partners with Peloton on HBCU initiative

“As we strive to improve all of these creative aspects, the commitments announced today are important first steps in sourcing new voices to create content and further expanding the diversity in our unscripted programming, as well as on our Network.”

The pledge from network executives to be more intentional about diversity will carry on behind the scenes as well, with CBS allocating a minimum of 25% of its annual unscripted development budget to projects created or co-created by BIPOC producers. 

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