Kanye West Calls Music Industry & NBA 'Slave Ships' ... Taylor Swift Roped In Too
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Kanye West is on the attack -- against Universal, Sony and the NBA -- claiming they are enslaving Black people and he's trying to save them ... but somehow, Taylor Swift gets brought into the mix too.
Kanye's latest Twitter diatribe is focused on the music industry and the NBA, which he compares to "modern day slave ships." Ye seems to be encouraging rappers, singers and basketball players to free themselves from their business contracts and instead ... buy land and property, as suggested by his following tweets.
Though Kanye -- AKA "the new Moses" -- started tweeting late Monday night, he's continued Tuesday morning ... and that's where Taylor comes in.
Ye posted a long message from someone -- possibly a lawyer or business partner -- offering advice on how he can move forward in his relationship with Universal and Sony.
The person suggests they could follow in Swift's footsteps and either try to buy his masters or rerecord them ... but makes sure to point out Kanye's would probably be worth a lot more.
It's all moot though ... because Kanye says he's done with "any form of business" with the media giants.
At last check ... Kanye's Twitter rant left off with a comparison of Nike co-founder Phil Knight's net worth to Michael Jordan's, implying that Knight's in unjustly more than 20 times higher than Jordan's.
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Steelers 'Against Racism' Sign For Anthem ... Several Giants Kneel
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The Steelers came up with a unique way to show solidarity and send a message during the national anthem ... with players holding a sign saying, "Steelers Against Racism" before Monday Night Football.
There have been many different approaches throughout the league during the opening weekend ... with some teams electing to stay in the locker rooms while other teams had players kneel, lock arms or show other ways to demonstrate before games.
The Steelers revealed their decision before facing off with the NY Giants on Monday ... holding the long banner, which listed each player's hometowns.
The Giants were also present for the anthem, with roughly one-third of the team electing to kneel.
The social justice demonstrations come after several players -- including Odell Beckham, Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley and more -- called for NFL commish Roger Goodell to admit the league was wrong in silencing players like Colin Kaepernick.
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Prescott Valley, AZ Cops Explain Brutal k-9 Use of Force ... Body Cam Footage Released
Cops in Arizona say they had to sic one of their K-9s on a guy who was allegedly fleeing in a high-speed chase -- and just released body camera footage shows they released a K-9 on him that bit him repeatedly ... despite the fact, he seemed to be compliant at the time.
Prescott Valley Police recently tried explaining what happened after reports of alleged excessive use of force back in May on a suspect -- 28-year-old Alfredo Saldivar ... in which one of their officers released the police dog on him when they appeared to have the guy trapped with guns drawn.
PVPD also released body cam video from at least one officer on the scene, and it seems to show that Saldivar complying with their commands to surrender when another cop, off-camera, released their K-9 partner for some reason.
It's very graphic, but we'll just say this ... the dude is screaming and begging for them to get the dog off. They look to be taking their time ... and even congratulate the K-9 as they approach, saying, "Good boy."
As for why the dog was used at all when it seemed like Saldivar -- whom cops allege was speeding through their town at high rates of speed and initially refusing to pull over -- was doing what he was told ... the department says it appeared he hesitated while standing up and there was concern he would try to flee (again).
Watch for yourself and draw your own conclusions. In any case, cops say he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and eventually arrested on a number of felony charges.
In the meantime, the department says it has launched an internal investigative review of the situation.
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Conor McGregor Pics Show UFC Star Speaking with Police ... Near Yacht in Corsica
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New photos out of Corsica show Conor McGregor speaking with police officers before he was detained and questioned over an alleged attempted sexual assault.
The photo agency says the pics were shot on Friday -- one day before the local prosecutor's office said McGregor "was the subject of a hearing" over the allegation.
McGregor was with his fiancee, their children and Conor's parents at the time cops spoke with him on Friday.
The UFC star was in the area to participate in the Calvi Water Bike Challenge, an event hosted by his friend, Princess Charlene of Monaco.
McGregor reportedly withdrew from the event in the wake of the police incident.
Here's what we know ... a person filed a complaint against McGregor on Thursday, Sept. 10 -- accusing him of "attempted sexual assault and sexual exhibition," according to prosecutors.
A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office later issued a statement saying McGregor was "arrested and placed in custody by the judicial authorities."
"He was released on Saturday."
Reps for McGregor insist NO CHARGES have been filed against Conor at this point -- and he adamantly denies the allegations against him.
Officials have not released details about the allegations -- but France 3 Corse (local TV network) is reporting McGregor "exhibited his private parts to [a young woman] without her consent as she made her way into the bar restroom" on Sept. 6.
McGregor's manager, Audie Attar, issued a statement to MMA Fighting, saying, "I am irate and putting out a warning loud and clear: Conor McGregor is not and will not be a target for those seeking to score a headline or a payday," suggesting the whole thing is a shameless attempt at a payday.
John Wall NBA Star Flashes Gang Signs On Video ... Apologizes
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Washington Wizards superstar John Wall was captured on video this month throwing up a series of gang sign hand gestures ... and on Sunday, the 30-year-old apologized over it all.
"I made a mistake, something I regret," the point guard said. "I will continue to work hard to be better on the court and more importantly off the court."
The video appeared to be shot at a recent party ... and the footage showed a shirtless Wall with some pals giving the middle finger and flashing a series of gang signs.
John Wall in NYC LIVING LIFE pic.twitter.com/210i6Zs9YT
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2BIog) September 13, 2020 @2Cool2BIog
At one point, Wall and another man on camera brought out what appeared to be a stack of money as well as a red bandana. Men on the video could be heard saying "f**k n***a" too.
Wall added in his statement, "I want to apologize to my family, my teammates and all of those that have always supported me."
This ain't the first time Wall has made headlines for public gang signs ... he's famously thrown them up after highlight plays in a couple NBA games before.
In honor of the gang sign John Wall appearance, let's bring back this gem. 🔥pic.twitter.com/qEjATSQlAa
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) September 13, 2020 @TheHoopCentral
Wall -- a 5-time All-Star -- did not play last season due to an Achilles injury. He also missed a majority of the previous two seasons battling injuries as well.
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Oracle Reportedly Wins TikTok Bid in U.S. ... App May Now Get Trump Reprieve
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Microsoft is pulling the plug on any potential plans to take over TikTok's operations here in the States -- but a new player has reportedly emerged to take the spoils ... Oracle.
The Wall Street Journal says the Bay Area-based tech company -- which sells database software technology and computer cloud systems -- has struck a deal with TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to control U.S. operations ... this after Microsoft said it was out.
Microsoft announced Sunday they'd ended convos with ByteDance, basically saying BD didn't wanna make a deal ... despite what they said was a good offer.
Microsoft writes, "ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft." They added, "We are confident our proposal would have been good for TikTok’s users, while protecting national security interests."
Microsoft statement on TikTok:https://t.co/HioNmVlDpk
— Microsoft (@Microsoft) September 13, 2020 @Microsoft
Apparently, Microsoft was asking for too much control for BD's taste ... it says under the command of President Trump, who's threatening to ban the app entirely in the U.S. if a deal isn't made ... it would've needed to make significant changes to make sure TikTok would be safe for American users, as it pertains to privacy, security, etc.
The real reason ByteDance reportedly didn't budge is that they weren't willing to sell away their underlying coding, which is the secret to their algorithm (aka what shows up on your TikTok feed, when and why). BD has reportedly indicated THAT isn't for sale.
Of course, that's a huge part of why Trump and co. either want to get rid of the app or control the technology. They allege it's feeding certain content to American users, lifting data from them at the same time and funneling it all back to the Chinese government.
The last remaining known American bidder was Oracle -- and, obviously, they got the coveted prize in the end. What remains unclear is if Oracle is looking to make the same sweeping security changes Microsoft was committed to ... especially if what they're saying about the coding is true. If not, it's almost like a meaningless sale ... or so it would seem.
In any case, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Trump gave everyone a deadline of Sept. 20 to announce a deal, and a few weeks after that to make the sale actually happen before he threatened to boot TikTok from app stores permanently.
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Naomi Osaka Wins U.S. Open Women's Final ... Mentions Social Justice
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Naomi Osaka just won her second U.S. Open title in 2 years -- and as part of her victory speech, she made sure to continue bringing awareness to social justice to the very end.
The tennis superstar defeated Victoria Azarenka Saturday over the course of three sets -- 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 -- and walked away a champion once more ... securing her second U.S. Open women's championship title in 2 years, and her third Grand Slam win in three.
Game. Set. Championship.
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2020 @espn
Naomi Osaka secures her 2nd #USOpen title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Yjnl1U1gUO
She was clearly overwhelmed by the victory, 'cause she ended up lying down on the court afterward ... and stared straight up to the sky as the crowd cheered her on. Afterward, she was all smiles holding her trophy -- kinda the opposite reaction from when she defeated Serena Williams in 2018.
Anyway, this year has been incredibly noteworthy for Naomi ... not to mention her boyfriend, Cordae, who's been her rock through the entire tournament. Both of them have been very outspoken on racial justice, often wearing clothing with messages supporting BLM.
Saturday proved no different ... Cordae was in the stands and had a shirt on that read "Defund the Police." Prior to her finals match this weekend, Naomi herself was wearing a mask featuring the name of 12-year-old Tamir Rice ... who was gunned down by a cop for playing with a toy gun in Cleveland back in 2014.
Naomi also made sure to make her message clear about the 7 masks she rocked during the U.S. Open -- which blared the names of victims of police brutality. She said she just wants to get more people talking about the issue ... and yes, she certainly achieved that.
.@naomiosaka made her voice heard on her way to her second #USOpen title ✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/68KGRr4UVS
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2020 @usopen
Several family members of those people she was amplifying recently thanked her for not forgetting their loved ones ... and shared their gratitude remotely as she went along in the tourney.
Mission accomplished. Congrats!
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Danuel House Booted from NBA Bubble Over Unauthorized Guest in Hotel Room
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Danuel House ... is being sent home.
The Houston Rockets player has officially been kicked out of the NBA bubble environment in Orlando, Florida after league officials say he broke COVID protocol by having an unauthorized guest in his hotel room.
House reportedly invited a female COVID tester to his room on Sept. 8th -- despite the fact she is not allowed to hang with players when she's off the clock.
Players are only allowed to have authorized guests in their hotel room -- people who have been approved by the league.
The NBA investigated the allegations and while they didn't identify the unauthorized guest by name, the league clearly states House broke the rules.
"The NBA has concluded its investigation of a recent violation of campus health and safety protocols."
"The findings are that: Houston Rockets forward Danuel House had a guest in his hotel room over multiple hours on September 8 who was not authorized to be on campus."
The league says there was "no evidence" that other players or staff had contact with the guest or were involved in this incident.
"Mr. House is leaving the NBA campus and will not participate with the Rockets team in additional games this season."
It's a big blow to the Rockets -- the team is down 3-1 in their playoff series with the Lakers and House has been a significant contributor on the court ... averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds per game in the playoffs.
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George Floyd Case Ex-Cops Greeted by Angry Crowd After Leaving Court Hearing
10:44 AM PT -- Lane, Kueng and their lawyers walked out of the courthouse together after the hearing and they were greeted by an angry crowd. It was so raucous, you could hear the group even before the ex-cops walked out the door. As for the hearing itself ... there were a handful of motions, including trying the officers separately. The judge has not made a ruling yet.
Defendants officers Kueng & Lane (rookie cops of the Minneapolis PD) surrounded by protesters, police escort & their attorneys leaving the Hennepin County Family Justin Center. #GeorgeFloyd #Minneapolis #HennepinCounty pic.twitter.com/t6DqfXptJD
— Brandon Bryant (@brandonbryantTV) September 11, 2020 @brandonbryantTV
The 4 accused ex-cops involved in George Floyd's death appeared in court ... triggering hundreds to take the streets outside the courthouse to protest.
Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and Alexander Kueng arrived in court Friday in Hennepin County, Minnesota for a hearing covering a number of things ... including motions about change of venue to jury sequestering. Floyd's family also attended the hearing.
Thao, Lane and Kueng appeared to have entered the courtroom undetected ... as hundreds marched outside the Hennepin County Family Justice Center.
Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on George's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, has been in custody since his arrest in May. Thao, Lane and Kueng all posted bail. That trio has been charged with aiding and abetting murder. Chauvin's been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, as well as an additional count of second-degree murder.
As we reported ... new body cam footage was released back in August showing Thao's point of view. He was the one who was doing crowd control during George's arrest. The new video showed that as Chauvin pressed his knee on George's neck, Thao had walked to the curb where a handful of onlookers could immediately tell George was in life-threatening distress.
The new angle also showed the crowd's worry increase with every minute that passed. It had been painfully obvious to them a man was dying, and they got more and more agitated as the clock ticked through the 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
The Minnesota Attorney General has said he would seek a harsh sentence for Chauvin.
Originally Published -- 7:59 AM PT
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Rudy Giuliani Rips 'Disrespectful' Houston Texans ... 'Stay In Locker Room Forever'
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Rudy Giuliani is FURIOUS at the Houston Texans for staying in their locker room for the national anthem before Thursday's game ... saying, "Maybe they should stay in the locker room forever."
"Maybe that's where they belong."
The former NYC mayor was at the 9/11 Memorial on the 19th anniversary of 9/11 when we asked him about the drama before the NFL season opener ... and Rudy didn't hold back.
"I think [the Houston Texans] should kiss the ground of the stadium that they're in America. Where the hell would they make that kinda money?!"
Rudy claims roughly "a third" of the players are from another country -- and should "thank God they're in America. Nobody else in this world has an immigration problem but America so people should stop doing hateful things about America."
Rudy says if players want to go down on a knee, "they should kiss the ground and say 'Thank you God that we're in the United States of America' because there's no place else we'd make this kinda money for playing a game."
Guiliani also said the players should have more humility -- because they're not the "real heroes" in this country.
"The real heroes aren't them. The real heroes are the men and women who ran into that building to save people."
Rudy also went after the Black Lives Matter movement -- saying it "hates police."
"They hate police and they call for the killing for the kinds of people who ran into this building and save them."
He concluded with the age-old "love it or leave it" battle cry.
"If [the Houston Texans] can't put their hand on their heart when the flag goes by, maybe you should live somewhere else."
Of course, pro athletes for years have said the kneeling demonstration is not meant to be a shot at the flag or the military ... but rather to put a spotlight on social injustice and police brutality.
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NFL's Richard Sherman I'm Against Boycotting Games It Won't End Social Injustice
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"I don't see how missing a football game is going to keep police from killing black people."
NFL superstar Richard Sherman says boycotting games is NOT the answer to ending social injustice ... with the 49ers DB saying straight-up, people need to find a different solution.
"People are putting too much onus on saying, 'Hey, sports, stop our problems!'" Sherman said. "And, it's like, 'Hey, this can only go so far.'"
As we previously reported ... teams all across the MLB and NBA boycotted games last month in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting -- and some thought Sherman might bring the same demonstration to the NFL.
But, when Richard spoke about the prospects of that with media members Thursday ... he said, frankly, he just doesn't see the point in it.
"If you told me that boycotting a National Football League game would stop police brutality and stop the injustices that people of color deal with, then I would be all for it," Sherm said.
"If we miss 10 games, does that stop the problem?" Sherman added. "Does that solve it? Does that get something done? Do we make those kinds of shots? Do we make those kinds of calls? I don't think we do."
Sherman says he doesn't have a solution at the moment ... but adds it's extremely important that people continue to search for and eradicate the "root of the problem."
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Miami University Students We All Have COVID, Let's Party!!! Cops Bust Shindig
College kids really are feeling COVID invincible ... as one absolutely shocked police officer discovered at a house party thrown by a bunch of guys who know they have the virus!!!
The Oxford Police Department says it cited 6 men who were at the daytime rager at Miami (OH) University ... one of whom admitted, on camera, he's supposed to be in quarantine. Apparently, they haven't covered that word in class yet.
As you can see in this body cam footage, the officer was blown away at the student's admission not only he had COVID, but so did everyone else living in his house. Let's just say the kid was struggling to get the point of quarantine.
Cops say 6 of the partygoers were hit with $500 fines for the gathering -- which included people from outside their house.
What’s happening at Texas Tech. Side note, I do not know this girl but she was brave enough to post this for others to see! If you are selfish like this with no regards for others safety, fuck off! pic.twitter.com/8K3G85Zkxk
— taylor smith (@tayylorcsmith) September 5, 2020 @tayylorcsmith
As we told you ... Texas Tech is dealing with a similar situation where a young woman who allegedly attends the school flippantly admitted she had the virus as she partied next to lots of other students.
Miami University says more than 1,000 students have tested positive for COVID-19, including 55 cases Monday, but the school is still on schedule to start in-person classes Sept. 21.
The officer in the video says it best ... they're struggling to keep their town open, and students like these aren't helping matters.
Ahh, school daze.
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'Big Brother' Houseguests Mock Autistic Ian
12:39 PM PT -- Nicole's comments are hitting her where it hurts ... her wallet. Olay skin care says it will no longer work with her because the brand has zero tolerance for bullying and doesn't support her behavior.
Olay and Nicole worked together in the past, but the brand says they no longer have a business relationship and have no plans for one in the future.
A bunch of 'Big Brother' houseguests don't like being under the same roof as Ian Terry ... simply because he's autistic.
Ian's been pretty outspoken this season about being on the autism spectrum, but now his fellow houseguests, Christmas Abbott, Dani Briones, Nicole Franzel and Memphis Garrett, were caught on the live feeds yukking it up about Ian. They openly, and cruelly, mocked his self-soothing technique -- rocking back and forth during conversations --- and said it turns them off.
Dani was caught on the live feeds saying she can't even look at Ian sometimes because his constant movement stresses her out ... and Nicole agrees.
Christmas and Memphis join in the bullying and make things worse ... Memphis describes Ian as the "red rum" of the house, a reference to "The Shining."
The group shares a big ole laugh when Memphis claims he might have nightmares of Ian standing over his bed, rocking back and forth.
Unfortunately, this kind of bullying has become par for the course on 'Big Brother' -- which has dealt with multiple racist and misogynist issues over the years.
Folks online and BB alum aren't letting these houseguests off the hook, though ... calling them out for their "Mean Girls" like mocking of Ian.
Originally published -- 8:47 AM PT
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NBA's Danuel House Jr. Investigated Over Woman in Hotel Room ... Denies Wrongdoing
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The NBA has launched an investigation into Houston Rockets forward Danuel House -- after he allegedly violated Bubble protocol by allowing a woman into his hotel room.
The twist ... the woman in question is a COVID tester who's cleared to be inside the bubble, but apparently she's not allowed to hang with players in their rooms when she's off the clock.
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the league is trying to figure out exactly what happened ... though so far, House has reportedly denied any wrongdoing.
House -- an important role player for H-Town -- missed Game 3 against the Lakers on Tuesday due to "personal reasons."
Now, there's a question if the investigation played a role in his absence.
If House is forced to undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine over the incident, he would miss the remainder of the playoff series against the Lakers, which is a big deal.
The Lakers are up 2-1 in the best of 7 series. Game 4 is set for Thursday.
House is averaging 11.4 points and nearly 6 rebounds per game during the playoffs ... he's an important member of the Rockets.
According to Haynes, several other NBA teams are keeping a close on eye on the House investigation to see how it all plays out.
Several hoopers have broken the bubble rules since hitting the campus in July ... including Sacramento Kings player Richaun Holmes, who left the perimeter to pick up chicken wings.
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Connecticut State Capitol Overrun With Protesters ... After H.S. Football Cancelation
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Hundreds flocked to the state capitol building in Connecticut on Wednesday seriously pissed off over the cancelation of H.S. football ... and the scene was WILD!!
Just days after the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference announced it was unsafe to play football amid the coronavirus pandemic this fall ... nearly 1,000 players, coaches and parents overran the government building to try to get the ruling reversed.
Check out video from the protest ... it's pretty intense -- with everyone screaming "Let us play!" in unison while holding signs, flags and even football helmets.
Incredible turnout by Connecticut high school football players, parents and coaches PROTESTING the states decision to cancel the 2020 season. They’re asking @GovNedLamont to #LetUsPlay #letusplayCT pic.twitter.com/0JMpVj6nFS
— Dave Briggs (@davebriggstv) September 10, 2020 @davebriggstv
Some of the players that were interviewed on the scene voiced their displeasure with not being able to play this season ... with one telling WFSB, "I'm really mad about it."
Seems Gov. Ned Lamont is willing to at least listen to arguments for an overturning of the decision ... he said after the protest he's organizing a meeting with local officials to hear both sides.
I'm calling for a meeting between @CTDPH and @ciacsports to be held on Friday regarding ways to safely hold school sports. We have an obligation to all of our students, faculty, staff, and administrators to keep them safe, and I expect that goal to be the focus of the discussion. pic.twitter.com/une30SlshO
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) September 10, 2020 @GovNedLamont
That summit will take place on Friday, Lamont said ... before he added, "I want to see football being played and I also want to see it being played safely."
Connecticut has been far from the top of coronavirus hot spot locations in the U.S. ... but it has had a reported 53,871 cases since the start of the pandemic, with over 4,000 deaths.
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NeNe Leakes Not Planning to Sue Bravo ... Despite Apparent Bad Blood
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Rumors of a looming discrimination lawsuit against Bravo has absolutely nothing to do with NeNe Leakes whatsoever ... TMZ has learned.
A source close to the reality star tells us ... NeNe is in no way ramping up to file suit or any type of legal action against Bravo at this time, nor is she "teaming up" with other women of color who might be considering such a move. Any notion to the contrary simply isn't true.
We're told NeNe is focused on herself and her own career right now -- specifically, fleshing out her newly announced show with E!, "Glamsquad Showdown," while also trying to work through negotiations with Bravo on potentially coming back for another season of 'RHOA.'
We're also told that NeNe is seeking a larger role in the NBCUniversal TV-sphere, and that those talks take a while. So no, she ain't biting the hand that feeds in the meantime.
Change starts at the top! Fire the face of Bravo. #fireandycohen
— MrsBrooks (@MrsBrooks324) June 10, 2020 @MrsBrooks324
As for why folks might've thought something was brewing with NeNe in the first place ... well, that might have to do with her own words and a whole lot of innuendo. NeNe herself has alluded to mistreatment during her tenure there, both explicitly and implicitly.
She recently hopped on her YouTube channel to air some grievances about how she felt some of the showrunners and execs were treating her differently than some of the other ladies come reunion time. Not only that, but she also fueled intrigue when she dropped some suggestive comments about the 'Vaderpump' racism scandal from a few months back.
On top of that, former 'RHOA costars of hers, like Eva Marcille, have also been throwing NeNe's name around when mentioning this supposed lawsuit that's coming down the pike.
She recently did just that while talking on Rickey Smiley's morning show ... and while she didn't exactly connect the dots, one could assume NeNe was in on the suit by the way she was talking.
Fact is, there is no connection ... period. Seems like NeNe still has plans with Bravo on the horizon that she very much wants to keep intact.
A Bravo spokesperson said they were not aware of any lawsuit.