theroot--2020-10-22--Tamar Braxton Accuses WE TV of Using Her Pain to Drive Ratings With New Braxton Family Values Traile

Tamar Braxton Accuses WE TV of Using Her Pain to Drive Ratings With New Braxton Family Values Trailer

Tamar Braxton slammed WE TV , the network that broadcasts her family ’ s reality TV show Braxton Family Values , after it aired a teaser trailer featuring reactions to Tamar ’ s suicide attempt in July .
The cable network released the promotional video on Wednesday , ahead of the premiere of the show ’ s seventh season .
The trailer shows sister Toni Braxton rushing out of a recording studio when she gets the call about Tamar ’ s suicide attempt .
The clip is followed by a shot of mom Evelyn Braxton , explaining to cameras how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with sisters Towanda , Trina and Toni sharing their reactions .
In an Instagram post that has since been edited , Tamar criticized the “ disgusting ” trailer for exploiting her pain .
“ Fuck @ wetv and whomever else participating for using my pain for their pleasure and ratings , ” she said , according to multiple outlets .
She promised to discuss the situation more fully on the Tamron Hall Show , on which she ’ s scheduled to appear next week .
“ At some point this abuse HAS to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and P.s .
IM NOT FILMING FOR THIS SEASON !
THEY ARE DOING THIS WHILE IM NOT ON THE SHOW !
!
!
!
” Tamar—who also starred in the WE series , Tamar Braxton : Get Ya Life !
—cut ties with the network earlier this year .
As Page Six reports , weeks before overdosing on prescription medication , she sent a letter to network executives accusing them of “ destroying a great Black family ” and making her “ suicidal.
” She doubled down on her accusations after being found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement posted to Instagram , Tamar confirmed she had attempted to take her own life .
“ Over the past 11 years there were promises made to protect and portray my story , with the authenticity and honesty I gave , ” Tamar wrote .
“ I was betrayed , taken advantage of , overworked , and underpaid .
I wrote a letter over two months ago asking to be freed from what I believed was excessive and unfair .
I explained in personal detail the demise I was experiencing.
” WE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by saying they were in the process of ending “ all future work ” with the singer and TV personality .
“ As she focuses on her health and recovery at what is clearly a difficult and personal time , we will work with her representatives to honor her request to end all future work for the network , ” the network said in a statement .
“ We wish her nothing but the best.
” The network aired Tamar ’ s Get Ya Life !
docuseries this past September .
The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Nov. 5 .

Anne Branigin on The Grapevine, shared by Anne Branigin to The Root

Tamar Braxton slammed WE TV, the network that broadcasts her family’s reality TV show Braxton Family Values, after it aired a teaser trailer featuring reactions to Tamar’s suicide attempt in July.
The cable network released the promotional video on Wednesday, ahead of the premiere of the show’s seventh season. The trailer shows sister Toni Braxton rushing out of a recording studio when she gets the call about Tamar’s suicide attempt.
Advertisement
The clip is followed by a shot of mom Evelyn Braxton, explaining to cameras how she learned about the suicide attempt, with sisters Towanda, Trina and Toni sharing their reactions.
“It seemed like a dream, a bad dream,” Toni said.
In an Instagram post that has since been edited, Tamar criticized the “disgusting” trailer for exploiting her pain.
Advertisement Advertisement
“Fuck @wetv and whomever else participating for using my pain for their pleasure and ratings,” she said, according to multiple outlets. She promised to discuss the situation more fully on the Tamron Hall Show, on which she’s scheduled to appear next week.
“At some point this abuse HAS to STOP,” Tamar continued. “and P.s. IM NOT FILMING FOR THIS SEASON! THEY ARE DOING THIS WHILE IM NOT ON THE SHOW!!!!”
Advertisement
Tamar—who also starred in the WE series, Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life!—cut ties with the network earlier this year. As Page Six reports, weeks before overdosing on prescription medication, she sent a letter to network executives accusing them of “destroying a great Black family” and making her “suicidal.”
She doubled down on her accusations after being found unresponsive in her hotel room. In a statement posted to Instagram, Tamar confirmed she had attempted to take her own life.
Advertisement
“Over the past 11 years there were promises made to protect and portray my story, with the authenticity and honesty I gave,” Tamar wrote. “I was betrayed, taken advantage of, overworked, and underpaid. I wrote a letter over two months ago asking to be freed from what I believed was excessive and unfair. I explained in personal detail the demise I was experiencing.”
WE responded to Tamar’s public allegations by saying they were in the process of ending “all future work” with the singer and TV personality.
Advertisement
“As she focuses on her health and recovery at what is clearly a difficult and personal time, we will work with her representatives to honor her request to end all future work for the network,” the network said in a statement. “We wish her nothing but the best.”
The network aired Tamar’s Get Ya Life! docuseries this past September. The new season of Braxton Family Values will premiere on Nov. 5.


theroot--2020-10-22--Judge Dismisses 3rd-Degree Murder Charge Against Derek Chauvin. All Other Charges Remain

A Hennepin County judge has dismissed a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin , one of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the May 25 death of George Floyd .
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , the ruling made by District Judge Peter Cahill was dated for Wednesday and announced publicly on Thursday .
The good news is that Chauvin—who was released on $ 1 million bond earlier this month—will still face second-degree murder and manslaughter charges .
Cahill ruled that those charges can still be prosecuted because probable cause was found to be sufficient in sustaining them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-degree aiding and abetting charges against the other three now-former Minneapolis police officers , Thomas Lane , J. Kueng and Tou Thao .
Lane ’ s attorney , Earl Gray , announced plans to file a motion to dismiss the charges against his client in June when Lane was released on bail .
“ In this court ’ s view , with one exception , the State has met its burden of showing probable cause that warrants proceeding to trial against each of these Defendants on each of the criminal charges the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in his ruling , AJC reports .
According to CNN , Cahill explained why the third-degree murder charge was dropped in his ruling , saying that the charge can “ be sustained only in situations in which the defendant ’ s actions were eminently dangerous to other persons and were not specifically directed at the particular person whose death occurred.
” He ruled that the state ’ s presented evidence does not show that Chauvin ’ s actions were “ eminently dangerous ” to anyone but Floyd .
Lead prosecutor and Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be too worried about the third-degree charge being dismissed .
He said Cahill ’ s overall ruling is a “ positive step forward in the path toward justice for George Floyd , his family , our community , and Minnesota , ” CNN reports .
“ The court has sustained eight out of nine charges against the defendants in the murder of George Floyd , including the most serious charges against all four defendants , ” Ellison said .
“ We look forward to presenting the prosecution ’ s case to @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A Hennepin County judge has dismissed a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, one of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the May 25 death of George Floyd.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the ruling made by District Judge Peter Cahill was dated for Wednesday and announced publicly on Thursday. The good news is that Chauvin—who was released on $1 million bond earlier this month—will still face second-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Cahill ruled that those charges can still be prosecuted because probable cause was found to be sufficient in sustaining them.
Advertisement
Cahill also denied motions to dismiss the second-degree aiding and abetting charges against the other three now-former Minneapolis police officers, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao. Lane’s attorney, Earl Gray, announced plans to file a motion to dismiss the charges against his client in June when Lane was released on bail.
“In this court’s view, with one exception, the State has met its burden of showing probable cause that warrants proceeding to trial against each of these Defendants on each of the criminal charges the State has filed against them,” Cahill wrote in his ruling, AJC reports.
Advertisement Advertisement
According to CNN, Cahill explained why the third-degree murder charge was dropped in his ruling, saying that the charge can “be sustained only in situations in which the defendant’s actions were eminently dangerous to other persons and were not specifically directed at the particular person whose death occurred.” He ruled that the state’s presented evidence does not show that Chauvin’s actions were “eminently dangerous” to anyone but Floyd.
Lead prosecutor and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison doesn’t appear to be too worried about the third-degree charge being dismissed. He said Cahill’s overall ruling is a “positive step forward in the path toward justice for George Floyd, his family, our community, and Minnesota,” CNN reports.
Advertisement
“The court has sustained eight out of nine charges against the defendants in the murder of George Floyd, including the most serious charges against all four defendants,” Ellison said. “We look forward to presenting the prosecution’s case to a jury in Hennepin County.”


theroot--2020-10-22--When a Black Construction Bag Filled With Dog Poop Interviews a Presidential Colostomy Bag

Jason Whitlock is a black construction bag filled with vomit and precious white things placed inside the bed of a white man ’ s pickup truck next to a pair of king ’ s boots that he occasionally rubs for sustenance .
If Jason Whitlock was stranded in the desert and God was willing to grant him one item of food he could eat to save himself , Whitlock would turn to the Lord and say , “ I ask only for the white man ’ s gaze as that is enough to hold me for a lifetime.
” Whenever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep other Blacks enslaved , I think of them as Jason Whitlock .
Whitlock is a spineless sack of human excrement who has made a living pushing his “ hot takes ” with some perfunctory belief that he is a freethinking B lack man—except all of his freethinkingness looks a lot like the usual dribble from racist white men .
Whitlock is against the Black Lives Matter movement and Colin Kaepernick ’ s protest and everything LeBron James .
He was super critical of Kobe Bryant and then had the nerve to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In short , he ’ s the spook who sat at the white man ’ s table hoping for some table crumbs to fall so that he could gobble them up while waiting for his pat on the head .
So yeah , this collective pile of dog shit interviewed a presidential pile of dog shit and the result is a really uncomfortable tug job between two men who haven ’ t seen their penises in ages .
Somehow Whitlock , who left Fox Sports in June and now works for some outlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House Wednesday to interview the president , and I ’ m sure it had nothing to do with Whitlock ’ s insistence that “ the white man ’ s ice water really is colder !
” What transpired could have been uploaded to Pornhub as it was really just two men man-loving the fuck out of each other .
The interview was a series of hard-hitting yet informative questions , like whether or not Trump had any changes he wanted to make to his debate strategy , to which Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll listen to you , ” Trump said , IndyStar reports .
“ If you have any ideas , I ’ ll take them.
” And Whitlock got all giddy and happy like a teen who just found out that they are , in fact , going to prom after all .
“ Let Joe Biden talk , ” Whitlock said .
“ He ’ ll do the work for you.
” IndyStar notes that the 15-minute interview included Trump ’ s connection to Black America .
“ I know I look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived long enough to remember back when rappers loved ... Donald Trump before he was president , ” Whitlock said .
Do you see what Whitlock did there ?
How he made a joke about his age ?
Did you catch that ?
Whitlock did that thing that Black men do when they feel insecure about who they are so they make a white man joke .
It ’ s called the “ Daniel Cameron ” or the “ Tim Scott , ” depending on where you live .
“ What changed your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Super important question that I was hoping would get answered in this pivotal moment for America ’ s soul .
Trump then thought back to the 87 rap songs he said he was featured in .
“ It was always Trump , Trump , Trump this .
My daughter would call me , ‘ Dad you ’ re in another song , ’ ” he told Whitlock .
Trump also evoked the name of Oprah Winfrey claiming that the two were cool before the election .
“ Then when I ran for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump said .
A wall that shouldn ’ t be there , the president said .
“ Nobody has done for the Black community what I have done , ” he said .
“ Prison reform , criminal justice reform.
” Trump also claimed that Democrats have had the Black vote for over 100 years .
“ It ’ s a habit .
It ’ s almost a habit to vote for a Democrat , ” Trump said .
“ Now you have a lot of ( Black ) people going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump mentions this , considering just an hour before the interview Whitlock appeared on Republican OnlyFans aka Fox News to fluff the president before they actually got down to it .
“ I think there is some clear momentum for President Trump , particularly with Black men , ” he told Tucker Carlson , IndyStar reports .
“ I think we ’ ve been carrying on a façade for three and a half years as Black men that somehow we can ’ t relate to Donald Trump , that we didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades , that he wasn ’ t friends with countless Black athletes , celebrities , entertainers.
” Whitlock also claimed that Black men have been pretending to act like they don ’ t have a lot in common with Trump ; a trend Whitlock sees starting to end .
“ The masculinity of Trump , he represents the patriarchy , ” Whitlock said .
“ He is not politically correct .
Those are things , I ’ m just , I ’ m sorry , a lot of Black men can relate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me he ’ s starting to make headway in that direction.
” WTF is this man talking about ?
It doesn ’ t matter as Whitlock was clearly trying to get some and men say stupid things when they want to be loved .
And because Whitlock can ’ t stop Whitlocking , he praised the president for getting Big Ten college football back during a fucking pandemic .
“ The other reason I am here is college football .
In 1984 , me and my dad were in a 400-square-foot apartment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only people looking for me were college football coaches .
Getting a college football scholarship changed my life .
Your help getting Big Ten football back rang true.
” Trump told Whitlock he had to get those unpaid college kids back on the field to risk their lives during a fucking pandemic because he knows what ’ s important .
“ When I heard that the Big Ten was out , I said ‘ We got to get them open , ’ ” Trump said .
“ I worked very hard for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused ... we got them thinking about it ... and we got them to do it.
” By the interview ’ s end , Whitlock was all lathered up and willing to go all-in for his man .
Whitlock called Antifa the “ modern-day KKK , ” and Trump couldn ’ t hold back any longer .
“ You are so smart and you are so right and Antifa is a disaster , ” Trump said .
“ I have a lot of respect for you.
” And Whitlock sat in the afterglow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trash bags gaze into each other ’ s eyes staring straight into their hollow souls .

Jason Whitlock is a black construction bag filled with vomit and precious white things placed inside the bed of a white man’s pickup truck next to a pair of king’s boots that he occasionally rubs for sustenance. If Jason Whitlock was stranded in the desert and God was willing to grant him one item of food he could eat to save himself, Whitlock would turn to the Lord and say, “I ask only for the white man’s gaze as that is enough to hold me for a lifetime.” Whenever I hear of Black slaves who fought to keep other Blacks enslaved, I think of them as Jason Whitlock.
Whitlock is a spineless sack of human excrement who has made a living pushing his “hot takes” with some perfunctory belief that he is a freethinking B lack man—except all of his freethinkingness looks a lot like the usual dribble from racist white men. Whitlock is against the Black Lives Matter movement and Colin Kaepernick’s protest and everything LeBron James. He was super critical of Kobe Bryant and then had the nerve to blubber-cry after Kobe’s death.
Advertisement
In short, he’s the spook who sat at the white man’s table hoping for some table crumbs to fall so that he could gobble them up while waiting for his pat on the head.
So yeah, this collective pile of dog shit interviewed a presidential pile of dog shit and the result is a really uncomfortable tug job between two men who haven’t seen their penises in ages. Somehow Whitlock, who left Fox Sports in June and now works for some outlier site called Outkick, got an invite to the White House Wednesday to interview the president, and I’m sure it had nothing to do with Whitlock’s insistence that “the white man’s ice water really is colder!”
Advertisement Advertisement
What transpired could have been uploaded to Pornhub as it was really just two men man-loving the fuck out of each other. The interview was a series of hard-hitting yet informative questions, like whether or not Trump had any changes he wanted to make to his debate strategy, to which Trump replied:
Advertisement
“No, but I’ll listen to you,” Trump said, IndyStar reports. “If you have any ideas, I’ll take them.”
And Whitlock got all giddy and happy like a teen who just found out that they are, in fact, going to prom after all.
Advertisement
“Let Joe Biden talk,” Whitlock said. “He’ll do the work for you.”
IndyStar notes that the 15-minute interview included Trump’s connection to Black America.
Advertisement
“I know I look incredibly young, but I actually have lived long enough to remember back when rappers loved...Donald Trump before he was president,” Whitlock said. Do you see what Whitlock did there? How he made a joke about his age? Did you catch that? Whitlock did that thing that Black men do when they feel insecure about who they are so they make a white man joke. It’s called the “Daniel Cameron” or the “Tim Scott,” depending on where you live.
“What changed your relationship with Black celebrities, entertainers?” Super important question that I was hoping would get answered in this pivotal moment for America’s soul.
Advertisement
Trump then thought back to the 87 rap songs he said he was featured in.
“It was always Trump, Trump, Trump this. My daughter would call me, ‘Dad you’re in another song,’” he told Whitlock.
Advertisement
Trump also evoked the name of Oprah Winfrey claiming that the two were cool before the election.
“Then when I ran for politics, there was like a wall,” Trump said. A wall that shouldn’t be there, the president said.
Advertisement
“Nobody has done for the Black community what I have done,” he said. “Prison reform, criminal justice reform.”
Trump also claimed that Democrats have had the Black vote for over 100 years.
“It’s a habit. It’s almost a habit to vote for a Democrat,” Trump said. “Now you have a lot of (Black) people going into the Republican party.”
Advertisement
Funny that Trump mentions this, considering just an hour before the interview Whitlock appeared on Republican OnlyFans aka Fox News to fluff the president before they actually got down to it.
“I think there is some clear momentum for President Trump, particularly with Black men,” he told Tucker Carlson, IndyStar reports. “I think we’ve been carrying on a façade for three and a half years as Black men that somehow we can’t relate to Donald Trump, that we didn’t celebrate him in hip hop music for decades, that he wasn’t friends with countless Black athletes, celebrities, entertainers.”
Advertisement
Whitlock also claimed that Black men have been pretending to act like they don’t have a lot in common with Trump; a trend Whitlock sees starting to end.
“The masculinity of Trump, he represents the patriarchy,” Whitlock said. “He is not politically correct. Those are things, I’m just, I’m sorry, a lot of Black men can relate to. It’s not really surprising to me he’s starting to make headway in that direction.”
Advertisement
WTF is this man talking about? It doesn’t matter as Whitlock was clearly trying to get some and men say stupid things when they want to be loved.
And because Whitlock can’t stop Whitlocking, he praised the president for getting Big Ten college football back during a fucking pandemic.
Advertisement
“The other reason I am here is college football. In 1984, me and my dad were in a 400-square-foot apartment,” Whitlock said. “The only people looking for me were college football coaches. Getting a college football scholarship changed my life. Your help getting Big Ten football back rang true.”
Trump told Whitlock he had to get those unpaid college kids back on the field to risk their lives during a fucking pandemic because he knows what’s important.
Advertisement
“When I heard that the Big Ten was out, I said ‘We got to get them open,’” Trump said. “I worked very hard for a very short period of time, very focused...we got them thinking about it ...and we got them to do it.”
By the interview’s end, Whitlock was all lathered up and willing to go all-in for his man. Whitlock called Antifa the “modern-day KKK,” and Trump couldn’t hold back any longer.
Advertisement
“You are so smart and you are so right and Antifa is a disaster,” Trump said. “I have a lot of respect for you.”
And Whitlock sat in the afterglow of his conquered companion and the two trash bags gaze into each other’s eyes staring straight into their hollow souls.


Quibi Gone, Y'all

You may not tune into anything on the streaming platform , but if you ’ re active on social media ( or your work Slack ) , you ’ ve at least heard the name Quibi , specifically because everyone routinely talked about how they don ’ t know anyone who watches anything on the streaming platform , which launched earlier this year .
Did this kind of word-of-mouth marketing ( not to mention the hyper-ambitious press campaign ) work ?
Not so much .
Six months after launching , Quibi is shutting down , according to the Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his staff on Wednesday , founder Jeffrey Katzenberg ( known for being the co-founder and former CEO of DreamWorks Animation ) announced the news and apparently suggested that everyone listen to “ Get Back Up Again ” from the Trolls soundtrack .
Alrighty .
Anyway , like many workers during the global pandemic amid swarms of layoffs , I ’ m left worried about the staffers who no longer have jobs ( shout-out to the Chief Data Officer at Twitter for offering some opportunities , by the way ) .
What will happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it acquired ?
As for the company itself , this was quite the expensive fail—costing investors approximately $ 2 billion .
So , I ’ m left wondering—what happened ?
!
Quibi seemed to have everything going for them in terms of content ( one of which won a Primetime Emmy this year ! )
and star power ( which also likely factored into their costly front-end budget ) , but there seemed to be something off about the launch strategy .
Plus , the fact that you could only watch content via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connect with people .
Sure , that may be the posited future way of doing things as we rely more on our phones , but for me , I ’ m more likely to watch quick social media clips or microform content ( a la TikTok ) on my phone—definitely not an entire series .
Granted , folks eventually figured out how to stream it on their TV using services like Chromecast or Airplay , but did that do the trick ?
Doesn ’ t seem like it .
Perhaps it was as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s already an over-congestion of streaming platforms .
This is all speculation on my part , though I can report that Katzenberg and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman answered some burning questions about the app ’ s shutdown in a recent interview with Deadline .
Whitman , who confirmed the platform had 600,000 new users in the first week , has cited cash flow as one of the primary challenges with the platform .
“ I think Meg has really addressed the internal part of your question in that we just were not scaling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Dominic Patten .
“ You know , given the investment that we were making , the quality and the quantity of the content that we were doing , we needed to really come out of the starting gate in a very big way in order for this to work.
” As for the smorgasbord of content Quibi has , Katzenberg is hopeful it ’ ll find a new home .
“ I think the first opportunity that we think will exist is for Quibi as a service and its content to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform , ” he said .
“ That ’ ll be the first thing that we will want to explore with potential buyers .
It is one of the big assets of the company ; a hundred shows , an incredible development slate , and as you said some things that have been both big hits but also you know , critically acclaimed , award-winning and critically acclaimed .
So that library in its totality , the Quibi service in its totality , is going to be made available to potential buyers.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the over-congestion , Katzenberg offered some insight into that , noting , “ everything about Quibi was designed to be on the go , in-between moments at a moment in time which no one was on the go and their in-between moments were on their couch , and suddenly we were competing for people ’ s attention in a way that we never conceived of or thought of.
” “ I think change begets opportunity , ” Whitman added .
“ Every time there is a change in an industry , whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business models or it ’ s the creative process or delivery mechanisms , it signals opportunity and that ’ s one of the things we saw here that change signals opportunity .
It didn ’ t work out for us but it doesn ’ t mean it won ’ t work out for existing players or other new players.
” Other than completely shutting down , it looks like Quibi has additional problems to worry about .
On Thursday , Variety reported that interactive-video firm Eko decided to continue to pursue its ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite the shutdown news .
Yikes .
According to Katzenberg , Quibi will be winding down in the next couple of months .
Quibi gone , our nigga dead .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

You may not tune into anything on the streaming platform, but if you’re active on social media (or your work Slack), you’ve at least heard the name Quibi, specifically because everyone routinely talked about how they don’t know anyone who watches anything on the streaming platform, which launched earlier this year.
Did this kind of word-of-mouth marketing (not to mention the hyper-ambitious press campaign) work? Not so much. Six months after launching, Quibi is shutting down, according to the Wall Street Journal. In an emotional call to his staff on Wednesday, founder Jeffrey Katzenberg (known for being the co-founder and former CEO of DreamWorks Animation) announced the news and apparently suggested that everyone listen to “Get Back Up Again” from the Trolls soundtrack.
Advertisement
Alrighty. Anyway, like many workers during the global pandemic amid swarms of layoffs, I’m left worried about the staffers who no longer have jobs (shout-out to the Chief Data Officer at Twitter for offering some opportunities, by the way). What will happen to all of the seemingly promising content it acquired? As for the company itself, this was quite the expensive fail—costing investors approximately $2 billion.
Advertisement Advertisement
So, I’m left wondering—what happened?! Quibi seemed to have everything going for them in terms of content (one of which won a Primetime Emmy this year!) and star power (which also likely factored into their costly front-end budget), but there seemed to be something off about the launch strategy.
Plus, the fact that you could only watch content via your smartphone didn’t seem to connect with people. Sure, that may be the posited future way of doing things as we rely more on our phones, but for me, I’m more likely to watch quick social media clips or microform content (a la TikTok) on my phone—definitely not an entire series. Granted, folks eventually figured out how to stream it on their TV using services like Chromecast or Airplay, but did that do the trick? Doesn’t seem like it. Perhaps it was as simple as the fact that there’s already an over-congestion of streaming platforms.
Advertisement
This is all speculation on my part, though I can report that Katzenberg and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman answered some burning questions about the app’s shutdown in a recent interview with Deadline. Whitman, who confirmed the platform had 600,000 new users in the first week, has cited cash flow as one of the primary challenges with the platform.
“I think Meg has really addressed the internal part of your question in that we just were not scaling fast enough, Katzenberg told Deadline’s Dominic Patten. “You know, given the investment that we were making, the quality and the quantity of the content that we were doing, we needed to really come out of the starting gate in a very big way in order for this to work.”
Advertisement
As for the smorgasbord of content Quibi has, Katzenberg is hopeful it’ll find a new home.
“I think the first opportunity that we think will exist is for Quibi as a service and its content to continue on, on somebody else’s platform,” he said. “That’ll be the first thing that we will want to explore with potential buyers. It is one of the big assets of the company; a hundred shows, an incredible development slate, and as you said some things that have been both big hits but also you know, critically acclaimed, award-winning and critically acclaimed. So that library in its totality, the Quibi service in its totality, is going to be made available to potential buyers.”
Advertisement
Related to what I mentioned above about the over-congestion, Katzenberg offered some insight into that, noting, “everything about Quibi was designed to be on the go, in-between moments at a moment in time which no one was on the go and their in-between moments were on their couch, and suddenly we were competing for people’s attention in a way that we never conceived of or thought of.”
“I think change begets opportunity,” Whitman added . “Every time there is a change in an industry, whether it’s the economic structure or the business models or it’s the creative process or delivery mechanisms, it signals opportunity and that’s one of the things we saw here that change signals opportunity. It didn’t work out for us but it doesn’t mean it won’t work out for existing players or other new players.”
Advertisement
Other than completely shutting down, it looks like Quibi has additional problems to worry about. On Thursday, Variety reported that interactive-video firm Eko decided to continue to pursue its ongoing patent and trade-secret theft lawsuit against Quibi, despite the shutdown news. Yikes.
According to Katzenberg, Quibi will be winding down in the next couple of months. Quibi gone, our nigga dead.


theroot--2020-10-22--Snuggle up to 25% in Savings on Luxury Bath Towels at Crane & Canopy [Exclusive]

While any old towel will do for drying off , there ’ s nothing like a nice , soft premium @ @ @ @ @ dangly bits as you take your leave from the steam box .
At Crane & @ @ @ @ @ 25 % on premium bath towels in a variety of colors .
There are both @ @ @ @ @ , both being extra soft , latter adding extra thickness and being a wh0le 100 @ @ @ @ @ are made from 100 % long-staple cotton and stretch 40 '' x 70 '' long @ @ @ @ @ each , but with exclusive code KINJABATH , t he total shows as $ 36 @ @

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Luxury Bath Sheets (Various) | $36 | Crane & Canopy | Use code KINJABATH
While any old towel will do for drying off, there’s nothing like a nice, soft premium cut of cloth hugging your dangly bits as you take your leave from the steam box. At Crane & Canopy, you can save 25% on premium bath towels in a variety of colors. There are both classic and plush styles available, both being extra soft, latter adding extra thickness and being a wh0le 100 grams lighter. These towels are made from 100% long-staple cotton and stretch 40" x 70" long. All are $48 each, but with exclusive code KINJABATH, t he total shows as $36 post-discount.


theroot--2020-10-22--Democrats Get ‘Vote for Trump or We Will Come for You’ Emails From Proud Boys' Address; U.S. Officia

Democrats Get ‘Vote for Trump or We Will Come for You’ Emails From Proud Boys' Address; U.S. Officials Say They’re From Iran

On Tuesday , dozens of voters in heavily Democratic Alachua County in Florida received an alarming email from what appeared to be an address belonging to the right-wing extremist group the Proud Boys .
The author of the email threatened to “ come after ” registered Democrats if they don ’ t vote for incumbent President Donald Trump .
An investigation by U.S. intelligence and the FBI found that the emails had been received by Democratic voters in multiple states and that they originated from Iran , not the Proud Boys .
Both the Proud Boys and Iranian officials deny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here ’ s what the email read as reported by the Orlando Sentinel : “ ( NAME ) we are in possession of all your information , ’ ’ the emails read .
“ You are currently registered as a Democrat and we know this because we have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure .
You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you .
Change your party affiliation to Republican to let us know you received our message and will comply .
We will know which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take this seriously if I were you .
( VOTER ’ S ADDRESS ) good luck.
” The address from the distributed emails is “ Proud Boys < info @ officialproudboys.com > ” During a Wednesday news conference , Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe—who is a former Republican member of Congress , according to the Sentinel—didn ’ t mention the Proud Boys at all but said that the emails actually originated from Iran and were meant to hurt Trump .
Ratcliffe said that investigators found that “ two foreign actors , Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to influence public opinion related to our elections.
” “ First , we have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran and , separately , by Russia , ” he continued .
“ This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information to registered voters that they hope will cause confusion , sow chaos and undermine your confidence in American democracy.
” Ratcliffe specifically blamed Iran for the emails saying that Iranian officials used the data to send “ spoofed emails designed to intimidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump.
” He also accused Iran of distributing a video “ that implies that individuals could cast fraudulent ballots , even from overseas.
” According to the Washington Post , that claim about the emails—which Democrats in several states also claimed to have received—came without specified evidence .
The Post reported that “ other U.S. officials , speaking privately , stressed that Russia still remained the major threat to the 2020 election.
” Officials in Iran called the allegations “ absurd ” and denied involvement .
On Thursday , Iran summoned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. affairs there , to condemn the “ baseless accusations of meddling in the U.S. election.
” Hours after Ratcliffe ’ s announcement , the spokesman for Iran ’ s mission at the United Nations also described the allegations as “ absurd.
” “ These accusations are nothing more than another scenario to undermine voter confidence , & are absurd .
Iran has no interest in interfering in the U.S. election & no preference for the outcome , ” tweeted Alireza Miryousefi .
It ’ s also worth noting that the intelligence disclosure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation usually takes a lot longer than a day to conclude .
More from the Post : First divulged Tuesday by local law enforcement and elections officials in Florida and Alaska , the emails prompted an investigation that quickly escalated to federal authorities , according to U.S. officials .
And by Wednesday evening , officials had laid the blame on Iran — the fastest-ever public disclosure of such intelligence by the United States .
In 2016 , it took months for the Obama administration to publicly point the finger at Moscow for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite the intelligence community having determined Russian culpability early on .
As for the Proud Boys , they deny any involvement at all and said that the address belonging to them is one they don ’ t use .
“ Two weeks ago , I believe , we had Google Cloud services drop us from their platform , so then we initiated a URL transfer , which is still in process , ” Enrique Tarrio , the chairman of the Proud Boys and the Florida state director of Latinos for Trump , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just never used it.
” According to CBS News , Tarrio said he believes the emails were sent by “ somebody that ’ s not very fond of us.
” “ If somebody ’ s trying to intimidate voters , they ’ re probably successful , the damage is done to some people that aren ’ t very media savvy , you know , like a 70-year-old that gets an email like this and is not going to go out to vote , ” he said .

On Tuesday, dozens of voters in heavily Democratic Alachua County in Florida received an alarming email from what appeared to be an address belonging to the right-wing extremist group the Proud Boys. The author of the email threatened to “come after” registered Democrats if they don’t vote for incumbent President Donald Trump. An investigation by U.S. intelligence and the FBI found that the emails had been received by Democratic voters in multiple states and that they originated from Iran, not the Proud Boys. Both the Proud Boys and Iranian officials deny having a connection to the emails.
Here’s what the email read as reported by the Orlando Sentinel:
“(NAME) we are in possession of all your information,’’ the emails read. “You are currently registered as a Democrat and we know this because we have gained access into the entire voting infrastructure. You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you. Change your party affiliation to Republican to let us know you received our message and will comply. We will know which candidate you voted for. I would take this seriously if I were you. (VOTER’S ADDRESS) good luck.” The address from the distributed emails is “Proud Boys ”
Advertisement
During a Wednesday news conference, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe—who is a former Republican member of Congress, according to the Sentinel—didn’t mention the Proud Boys at all but said that the emails actually originated from Iran and were meant to hurt Trump.
Ratcliffe said that investigators found that “ two foreign actors, Iran and Russia, have taken specific actions to influence public opinion related to our elections.”
Advertisement Advertisement
“First, we have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran and, separately, by Russia,” he continued. “This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information to registered voters that they hope will cause confusion, sow chaos and undermine your confidence in American democracy.”
Ratcliffe specifically blamed Iran for the emails saying that Iranian officials used the data to send “spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest and damage President Trump.” He also accused Iran of distributing a video “that implies that individuals could cast fraudulent ballots, even from overseas.”
Advertisement
According to the Washington Post, that claim about the emails—which Democrats in several states also claimed to have received—came without specified evidence. The Post reported that “other U.S. officials, speaking privately, stressed that Russia still remained the major threat to the 2020 election.” Officials in Iran called the allegations “absurd” and denied involvement.
From the Post:
On Thursday, Iran summoned the Swiss envoy in Tehran, which handles U.S. affairs there, to condemn the “baseless accusations of meddling in the U.S. election.” Hours after Ratcliffe’s announcement, the spokesman for Iran’s mission at the United Nations also described the allegations as “absurd.” “These accusations are nothing more than another scenario to undermine voter confidence, & are absurd. Iran has no interest in interfering in the U.S. election & no preference for the outcome,” tweeted Alireza Miryousefi.
Advertisement
It’s also worth noting that the intelligence disclosure came swiftly and that this type of investigation usually takes a lot longer than a day to conclude.
More from the Post:
First divulged Tuesday by local law enforcement and elections officials in Florida and Alaska, the emails prompted an investigation that quickly escalated to federal authorities, according to U.S. officials. And by Wednesday evening, officials had laid the blame on Iran — the fastest-ever public disclosure of such intelligence by the United States. In 2016, it took months for the Obama administration to publicly point the finger at Moscow for the hacks and leaks of Democratic emails, despite the intelligence community having determined Russian culpability early on.
Advertisement
As for the Proud Boys, they deny any involvement at all and said that the address belonging to them is one they don’t use.
“Two weeks ago, I believe, we had Google Cloud services drop us from their platform, so then we initiated a URL transfer, which is still in process,” Enrique Tarrio, the chairman of the Proud Boys and the Florida state director of Latinos for Trump, told the Post. “We kind of just never used it.”
Advertisement
According to CBS News, Tarrio said he believes the emails were sent by “somebody that’s not very fond of us.”
“If somebody’s trying to intimidate voters, they’re probably successful, the damage is done to some people that aren’t very media savvy, you know, like a 70-year-old that gets an email like this and is not going to go out to vote,” he said.


theroot--2020-10-22--Republicans Move One Step Close to Shoving Amy Coney Barrett Onto the Supreme Court

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee moved one step closer to making America eat the goddamn cake on Thursday , as they advanced the nomination of Ruthless Records ’ own Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court , despite her being a heartless Neo fight-style dodger of questions .
Democrats boycotted the vote but that was the equivalent of righteous America trying to explain that President Donald Trump is a charlatan to missing teeth America .
The vote was merely a symbolic gesture because barring a miracle from Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself ( If you ’ re listening RBG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heaven would be greatly appreciated ) , this ACB is going to be on the Supreme Court , as there is nothing that can be done to stop this train from running straight up America ’ s ass .
Thursday ’ s vote now paves the way for the “ full Senate to confirm Barrett to the high court on Monday , ahead of the Nov. 3 election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden , ” CNBC reports .
Republican Congress members on the committee—or Lindsey Graham and The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bidding and soon the court will be so conservative that they may stop wearing black robes because they are too revealing .
Trump also will have the highest court in the land stacked in his favor should he want to challenge the outcome of the presidential election .
This is also assuming that Russia can ’ t hack this year ’ s election in favor of Trump .
For the record , when Judge Barrett becomes Justice Barrett , this will be the first time in history that a Supreme Court Justice has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here is what we know about Barrett : She “ was a professor at Notre Dame Law School until Trump nominated her to serve on the 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals approximately three years ago , will be the sixth Republican-appointee on the nine-judge Supreme Court , and Trump ’ s third nominee , ” CNBC reports .
The Root ’ s senior reporter Michael Harriot also found out this little caveat : But you can ’ t blame the Democrats for not trying to make a show of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Thursday ’ s committee hearing , they left supersized posters of individuals who rely on the law in their seats .
Republicans denounced the gesture as theatrics , ” CNBC reports .
“ We will not grant this process any further legitimacy by participating in a committee markup of this nomination just twelve days before the culmination of an election that is already underway , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , said in a statement that was signed by the committee ’ s Democrats .
This whole thing has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know it , but they are in power , so they are running the show , and the rest of us just have to sit back and act like this isn ’ t some bullshit .

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee moved one step closer to making America eat the goddamn cake on Thursday, as they advanced the nomination of Ruthless Records’ own Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, despite her being a heartless Neo fight-style dodger of questions.
Democrats boycotted the vote but that was the equivalent of righteous America trying to explain that President Donald Trump is a charlatan to missing teeth America. The vote was merely a symbolic gesture because barring a miracle from Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself (If you’re listening RBG, anything that you can do from Heaven would be greatly appreciated), this ACB is going to be on the Supreme Court, as there is nothing that can be done to stop this train from running straight up America’s ass.
Advertisement
Thursday’s vote now paves the way for the “full Senate to confirm Barrett to the high court on Monday, ahead of the Nov. 3 election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden,” CNBC reports.
Republican Congress members on the committee—or Lindsey Graham and The Mighty Trumptesticles—have done the master’s bidding and soon the court will be so conservative that they may stop wearing black robes because they are too revealing. Trump also will have the highest court in the land stacked in his favor should he want to challenge the outcome of the presidential election. This is also assuming that Russia can’t hack this year’s election in favor of Trump.
Advertisement Advertisement
For the record, when Judge Barrett becomes Justice Barrett, this will be the first time in history that a Supreme Court Justice has been confirmed so close to Election Day.
Here is what we know about Barrett: She “was a professor at Notre Dame Law School until Trump nominated her to serve on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approximately three years ago, will be the sixth Republican-appointee on the nine-judge Supreme Court, and Trump’s third nominee,” CNBC reports.
Advertisement
The Root’s senior reporter Michael Harriot also found out this little caveat:
Advertisement
But you can’t blame the Democrats for not trying to make a show of it. While they didn’t attend “Thursday’s committee hearing, they left supersized posters of individuals who rely on the law in their seats. Republicans denounced the gesture as theatrics,” CNBC reports.
“We will not grant this process any further legitimacy by participating in a committee markup of this nomination just twelve days before the culmination of an election that is already underway,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that was signed by the committee’s Democrats.
Advertisement
This whole thing has been nothing but bullshit and the Republicans know it, but they are in power, so they are running the show, and the rest of us just have to sit back and act like this isn’t some bullshit.


theroot--2020-10-22--Investigators Unearth Mass Grave During Search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Victims

Days after starting the second phase of a months-long search to find the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre , a forensic team uncovered at least 10 bodies found in an unmarked mass grave .
The remains—10 wooden coffins buried in the same large pit—were found in a portion of Oaklawn Cemetery on Wednesday , close to two headstones marking the graves of known massacre victims .
Tulsa Mayor G.T .
Bynum , who in 2018 proposed looking for victims of the massacre—one of the worst episodes of racial violence in the nation ’ s history—told reporters in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify “ the nature of that mass grave and identify who is in it , ” according to CNN .
“ What we do know , as of today , is that there is a mass grave in Oaklawn Cemetery where we have no record of anyone being buried , ” he said .
Much of the remains had deteriorated , University of Florida forensic anthropologist Phoebe Stubblefield told the Associated Press .
Stubblefield , a descendant of a massacre survivor , is helping with the excavation .
“ Those skeletal remains are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck said .
“ They ’ re not the worst condition we have seen.. but they ’ re not the best.
” While researchers have to remain cautious , Stackelbeck told the AP , “ we have a high degree of confidence that this is one of the locations we were looking for.
” Neither the coffins nor the remains have been moved .
Another set of remains were found nearby on Tuesday .
The discovery marks the latest turn in a nearly century-long saga , which began when a white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man over allegations he attacked a white woman .
A group of Black men defended the boy against the mob , sparking a fight that the mob escalated into a two-day long riot .
White vigilantes , alongside Tulsa police and the National Guard , razed the Greenwood District , a Black neighborhood so prosperous it was known at the time as Black Wall Street .
Over the course of May 31 and June 1 , 1921 , up to 300 Black Tulsans were killed and many more displaced .
Forty square blocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black businesses—were burned to the ground .
As the New York Times reports , city officials forbade funerals , and victims of the racial violence were buried hastily “ without death certificates or other records.
” Scott Ellsworth , a University of Michigan historian who has worked on the recovery of the Tulsa riot graves for decades , told the AP in December that many victims were buried in mass graves while their surviving family members were detained under martial law .
The survivors were never told “ whether their loved one died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP writes .
One exception is the “ Original 18 ” —victims identified in a ledger from a white-owned funeral home billing the city for a group of burials .
The document listed the names of 13 victims , and another five unnamed ones , noting the cause of death was “ gunshot wounds.
” But it didn ’ t list where the victims had been buried .
Researchers believe the site where the mass grave was discovered on Wednesday could be where some of the “ Original 18 ” are buried .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims can provide some sense of closure to a city that has long struggled to grapple with its racist past , particularly as the violence of 1921 receives more international attention .
The massacre has been a central part of two recent TV shows , Watchmen and Lovecraft Country , and NBA stars LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are producing two separate documentaries on the crisis .
But Tulsa native Damario Solomon-Simmons , an attorney who is currently representing living survivors of the massacre in a lawsuit , says the city needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Nearly 100 years after the massacre , Black people in Tulsa are far more likely than their white counterparts to experience poverty , police violence , and incarceration , ” Solomon-Simmons wrote in a recent op-ed for The Root .
He noted that two survivors of the massacre , 105-year-old Lessie Benningfield Randle and 106-year-old Viola Fletcher have “ yet to receive a cent ” for the losses they ’ ve endured , in spite of the government ’ s role in perpetuating the massacre .
In the meantime , Greenwood itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Earlier this year , the neighborhood ’ s chamber of commerce started a GoFundMe to help rebuild “ Black Wall Street.
” As of October 22 , it had raised a little more than $ 36,000 of its $ 1 million goal .
“ The fires will continue to burn , ” Solomon-Simmons wrote , “ unless people with public platforms—whether in the entertainment industry , in government office , on the campaign trail—use their voice and power to support the Black Tulsa community ’ s fight for reparations .
”

Days after starting the second phase of a months-long search to find the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a forensic team uncovered at least 10 bodies found in an unmarked mass grave. The remains—10 wooden coffins buried in the same large pit—were found in a portion of Oaklawn Cemetery on Wednesday, close to two headstones marking the graves of known massacre victims.
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, who in 2018 proposed looking for victims of the massacre—one of the worst episodes of racial violence in the nation’s history—told reporters in a Wednesday news conference that researchers must still identify “the nature of that mass grave and identify who is in it,” according to CNN.
Advertisement
“What we do know, as of today, is that there is a mass grave in Oaklawn Cemetery where we have no record of anyone being buried,” he said.
Much of the remains had deteriorated, University of Florida forensic anthropologist Phoebe Stubblefield told the Associated Press. Stubblefield, a descendant of a massacre survivor, is helping with the excavation.
Advertisement Advertisement
“Those skeletal remains are not in great condition,” state archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck said. “They’re not the worst condition we have seen.. but they’re not the best.”
While researchers have to remain cautious, Stackelbeck told the AP, “we have a high degree of confidence that this is one of the locations we were looking for.”
Advertisement
Neither the coffins nor the remains have been moved. Another set of remains were found nearby on Tuesday.
The discovery marks the latest turn in a nearly century-long saga, which began when a white mob attempted to lynch a young Black man over allegations he attacked a white woman. A group of Black men defended the boy against the mob, sparking a fight that the mob escalated into a two-day long riot. White vigilantes, alongside Tulsa police and the National Guard, razed the Greenwood District, a Black neighborhood so prosperous it was known at the time as Black Wall Street.
Advertisement
Over the course of May 31 and June 1, 1921, up to 300 Black Tulsans were killed and many more displaced. Forty square blocks of Greenwood—home to residential areas and thriving Black businesses—were burned to the ground.
As the New York Times reports, city officials forbade funerals, and victims of the racial violence were buried hastily “without death certificates or other records.”
Advertisement
Scott Ellsworth, a University of Michigan historian who has worked on the recovery of the Tulsa riot graves for decades, told the AP in December that many victims were buried in mass graves while their surviving family members were detained under martial law. The survivors were never told “whether their loved one died or where they were buried” the AP writes.
One exception is the “Original 18”—victims identified in a ledger from a white-owned funeral home billing the city for a group of burials. The document listed the names of 13 victims, and another five unnamed ones, noting the cause of death was “gunshot wounds.” But it didn’t list where the victims had been buried.
Advertisement
Researchers believe the site where the mass grave was discovered on Wednesday could be where some of the “Original 18” are buried.
City officials hope the discovery of the victims can provide some sense of closure to a city that has long struggled to grapple with its racist past, particularly as the violence of 1921 receives more international attention. The massacre has been a central part of two recent TV shows, Watchmen and Lovecraft Country, and NBA stars LeBron James and Russell Westbrook are producing two separate documentaries on the crisis.
Advertisement
But Tulsa native Damario Solomon-Simmons, an attorney who is currently representing living survivors of the massacre in a lawsuit, says the city needs to go even further with its reckoning.
“Nearly 100 years after the massacre, Black people in Tulsa are far more likely than their white counterparts to experience poverty, police violence, and incarceration,” Solomon-Simmons wrote in a recent op-ed for The Root. He noted that two survivors of the massacre, 105-year-old Lessie Benningfield Randle and 106-year-old Viola Fletcher have “yet to receive a cent” for the losses they’ve endured, in spite of the government’s role in perpetuating the massacre.
Advertisement
In the meantime, Greenwood itself has yet to recover from the devastation. Earlier this year, the neighborhood’s chamber of commerce started a GoFundMe to help rebuild “Black Wall Street.” As of October 22, it had raised a little more than $36,000 of its $1 million goal.
“The fires will continue to burn,” Solomon-Simmons wrote, “unless people with public platforms—whether in the entertainment industry, in government office, on the campaign trail—use their voice and power to support the Black Tulsa community’s fight for reparations.”


theroot--2020-10-23--Exclusive Clip: A PSA From Gabourey Sidibe—This Is How You Fight for a More Diverse Government

The countdown to Election Day is narrowing and each day counts—not just the day on November 3 , but every single day leading up to it ( shout-out to early voters ) .
As part of the impact campaign for All In : The Fight for Democracy ( which features Stacey Abrams ) , Amazon Studios has launched a four-part digital explainer series titled # ALLINFORVOTING to mobilize young voters by teaching them about voter suppression and encouraging them to get out and vote .
In an exclusive video sent to The Root called “ You Can Make Our Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slew of ridiculously non-progressive stats and provides the scoop on how we can vote for and demand candidates who better represent our identities and life experiences .
Sidibe has already been about that voting activism life , having led another campaign called # WorkThePolls so of course , she ’ s keeping that same energy .
She notes that in this nation ’ s entire history we have only had one non-white president and absolutely no women , non-Christians , and no one in the LGBTQ community represented .
Congress is made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sidibe says , the senate is a “ diversity disaster ” with a makeup of 91 percent white folks .
A clusterfuck .
So what does she suggest ?
Demand parties support more diverse candidates , make your voice heard at the ballot box by voting , and—this is probably the most urgent step—put pressure on government leaders to protect everyone ’ s right to vote .
But I ’ m not really doing it justice with this written summary ; get into Sidibe ’ s eagerly animated voice in the above video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democracy is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video .

The countdown to Election Day is narrowing and each day counts—not just the day on November 3, but every single day leading up to it (shout-out to early voters).
As part of the impact campaign for All In: The Fight for Democracy (which features Stacey Abrams), Amazon Studios has launched a four-part digital explainer series titled #ALLINFORVOTING to mobilize young voters by teaching them about voter suppression and encouraging them to get out and vote.
Advertisement
In an exclusive video sent to The Root called “You Can Make Our Government More Diverse,” Gabourey Sidibe narrates a slew of ridiculously non-progressive stats and provides the scoop on how we can vote for and demand candidates who better represent our identities and life experiences.
#ALLINFORVOTING “You Can Make Our Government More Diverse” CC Subtitles Off
English #ALLINFORVOTING - “You Can Make Our Government More Diverse” / Courtesy of Amazon Studios
Sidibe has already been about that voting activism life, having led another campaign called #WorkThePolls so of course, she’s keeping that same energy.
Advertisement Advertisement
She notes that in this nation’s entire history we have only had one non-white president and absolutely no women, non-Christians, and no one in the LGBTQ community represented. Congress is made up of 75 percent men and as Sidibe says, the senate is a “diversity disaster” with a makeup of 91 percent white folks.
A clusterfuck. So what does she suggest? Demand parties support more diverse candidates, make your voice heard at the ballot box by voting, and—this is probably the most urgent step—put pressure on government leaders to protect everyone’s right to vote.
Advertisement
But I’m not really doing it justice with this written summary; get into Sidibe’s eagerly animated voice in the above video.
All In: The Fight for Democracy is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.