theroot--2020-04-23--In BlackAF, Kenya Barris Only Has Love for White People

Kenya Barris just might be the best confidence man in Hollywood .
With the debut of his first Netflix show BlackAF , Barris has managed to earn millions more dollars quadruple-dipping into his limited storytelling well .
But after the fourth time around the playground , it seems he ’ s running out of steam .
To be fair , BlackAF is nowhere near the worst show you ’ ll ever see .
At points , it ’ s quite funny , and very often it ’ s almost charming , but most of that work is fastidiously undone by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ version of himself .
This character , of course , already exists—he ’ s currently being depicted by Anthony Anderson as Andre Johnson on ABC ’ s hit show Black-ish .
But in this realer , “ blacker ” version , Barris ’ s id is all misery and self-loathing—and somehow , the audience is meant to understand this as a perverse form of radical honesty .
Barris depicts himself as a man who essentially hates his family .
He is at once striving for their recognition and approval and also resentful that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is routinely unkind to and dismissive of his wife Joya ( Rashida Jones in the best role she ’ s had in ages ) and constantly insinuates that she is ungrateful for the life he has provided them .
His oldest son Pops ( Justin Claiborne ) is subject to the same emotional abuse Andre doles out to Junior on Blackish , and he spends the vast majority of the first two episodes aggressively slut-shaming his eldest daughter Chloe ( Genneya Walton ) .
Barris ’ s conception of himself is that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get those around him to recognize his superiority .
As the youth say , “ it ’ s not a good look.
” What emanates from the screen is a man deeply conflicted about his own obsessions and desires , except this time it ’ s also working at a meta-level .
Barris has been retelling the same stories in different forms for years now .
BlackAF is the fourth television show in the extended Black-ish universe , but he is still retreading his trepidation around his conception of blackness and his fixation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only when Barris confronts this idea that BlackAF begins to approach something of an overarching thesis .
Barris ’ s shows have always worked on the level of the “ explanatory comma.
” Essentially , each of his shows takes pains to give context to the discussions and arguments that his black characters are grappling with , often with the lead ’ s expository voiceover doing the heavy lifting .
While there ’ s nothing inherently wrong with that approach , it signals to black members of his audience that they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After all , other black people don ’ t need blackness explained to them .
It ’ s a different approach than a show like Vida that intentionally does not provide cultural context or even subtitles for non-Mexican audience members .
The show is made by and for the Latinx community , and building a minimum barrier of required cultural competence into the narrative is how it makes that explicit .
BlackAF ’ s fifth episode , “ yo , between you and me… this is because of slavery ” is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sincere effort to interrogate his desperation for white approval .
Unfortunately , he doesn ’ t look deep enough to get at the answers that are readily available .
Through the supposedly terrible work of a fictional black director , Barris grapples with the idea that black creative output suffers because everyone is too afraid to critique it .
In the ( false ) binary he presents , white critics are too afraid to seem racist to point out when black creators fail , and black audiences are too desperate for representation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this narrative is that it staunchly ignores the existence of critics of color , specifically black ones .
Despite working against issues like lack of access , lack of funding , and lack of institutional backing , black critics have routinely stepped in to give clear and illuminating critiques of black art that situate a work within its context .
The disparate critical response between white and black critics for films like Birth of a Nation , Green Book , and Queen & Slim is all the proof you need to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already exists .
The work is there for the taking , but Barris refuses , perpetuating the very cycle he claims to want to break .
But in doing so , Barris unintentionally reveals that his real struggle is that he only values the opinions of white audiences and critics .
Approval from his own community is meaningless if it isn ’ t couched in white validation .
It explains why his television shows are all about “ blackness ” instead of about black people .
In his mind , there is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person descended from American slavery , and his television shows have all been about teasing out the limits of those boundaries .
It often feels as though Barris is operating from a scarcity mindset .
He is one of a handful of successful black creators working in Hollywood right now , but he behaves as though he is still on the outside looking in .
His response to that creeping imposter syndrome has been to act as a cultural ambassador who demystifies the black community to the white majority .
If he achieves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an essential translator between the two groups and guarantee some longevity in the industry .
The problem with that is that black people are not particularly hard to understand if you care to do so .
Black writers , directors , singers , and creators of all kinds have been translating their black experience for decades .
Black canon exists and has always existed , but it takes reverence and respect to fully access it .
With his television shows , Barris tries to circumvent white America ’ s own hegemonic laziness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ value when they can sell it .
Barris can explain himself to white audiences until he ’ s blue in the face , but it will never resonate with them in the long term because they have no non-commercial interest in letting it .
It ’ s perfectly fine if Barris decides that what he wants is to be a racial translator for white people .
It ’ s unlikely to win him any favor with black audiences , but considering the low esteem in which he holds their opinions , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much .
But what I do want is for Barris to finally and conclusively admit to himself that he has always been making entertainment for the approval of white audiences , because in his mind , it ’ s the white opinions that matter .

Cate Young on The Muse, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

Kenya Barris just might be the best confidence man in Hollywood. With the debut of his first Netflix show BlackAF, Barris has managed to earn millions more dollars quadruple-dipping into his limited storytelling well. But after the fourth time around the playground, it seems he’s running out of steam.
To be fair, BlackAF is nowhere near the worst show you’ll ever see. At points, it’s quite funny, and very often it’s almost charming, but most of that work is fastidiously undone by Barris’s performance as an exaggerated version of himself. This character, of course, already exists—he’s currently being depicted by Anthony Anderson as Andre Johnson on ABC’s hit show Black-ish. But in this realer, “blacker” version, Barris’s id is all misery and self-loathing—and somehow, the audience is meant to understand this as a perverse form of radical honesty.
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Barris depicts himself as a man who essentially hates his family. He is at once striving for their recognition and approval and also resentful that he cares to have it. He is routinely unkind to and dismissive of his wife Joya (Rashida Jones in the best role she’s had in ages) and constantly insinuates that she is ungrateful for the life he has provided them. His oldest son Pops (Justin Claiborne) is subject to the same emotional abuse Andre doles out to Junior on Blackish, and he spends the vast majority of the first two episodes aggressively slut-shaming his eldest daughter Chloe (Genneya Walton). Barris’s conception of himself is that he is an underappreciated genius who cannot get those around him to recognize his superiority. As the youth say, “it’s not a good look.”
What emanates from the screen is a man deeply conflicted about his own obsessions and desires, except this time it’s also working at a meta-level. Barris has been retelling the same stories in different forms for years now. BlackAF is the fourth television show in the extended Black-ish universe, but he is still retreading his trepidation around his conception of blackness and his fixation on the white gaze. It’s only when Barris confronts this idea that BlackAF begins to approach something of an overarching thesis.
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Barris’s shows have always worked on the level of the “explanatory comma.” Essentially, each of his shows takes pains to give context to the discussions and arguments that his black characters are grappling with, often with the lead’s expository voiceover doing the heavy lifting. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with that approach, it signals to black members of his audience that they are not the primary targets of his output. After all, other black people don’t need blackness explained to them. It’s a different approach than a show like Vida that intentionally does not provide cultural context or even subtitles for non-Mexican audience members. The show is made by and for the Latinx community, and building a minimum barrier of required cultural competence into the narrative is how it makes that explicit.
It explains why his television shows are all about “blackness” instead of about black people.
Advertisement
BlackAF’s fifth episode, “yo, between you and me… this is because of slavery” is the only one in which Barris makes a sincere effort to interrogate his desperation for white approval. Unfortunately, he doesn’t look deep enough to get at the answers that are readily available. Through the supposedly terrible work of a fictional black director, Barris grapples with the idea that black creative output suffers because everyone is too afraid to critique it. In the (false) binary he presents, white critics are too afraid to seem racist to point out when black creators fail, and black audiences are too desperate for representation to demand better art. But the problem with this narrative is that it staunchly ignores the existence of critics of color, specifically black ones. Despite working against issues like lack of access, lack of funding, and lack of institutional backing, black critics have routinely stepped in to give clear and illuminating critiques of black art that situate a work within its context. The disparate critical response between white and black critics for films like Birth of a Nation, Green Book, and Queen & Slim is all the proof you need to show that the critique Barris claims to want already exists. The work is there for the taking, but Barris refuses, perpetuating the very cycle he claims to want to break.
But in doing so, Barris unintentionally reveals that his real struggle is that he only values the opinions of white audiences and critics. Approval from his own community is meaningless if it isn’t couched in white validation. It explains why his television shows are all about “blackness” instead of about black people. In his mind, there is an essential way to exist as a black person descended from American slavery, and his television shows have all been about teasing out the limits of those boundaries.
Advertisement
It often feels as though Barris is operating from a scarcity mindset. He is one of a handful of successful black creators working in Hollywood right now, but he behaves as though he is still on the outside looking in. His response to that creeping imposter syndrome has been to act as a cultural ambassador who demystifies the black community to the white majority. If he achieves this, then he can position himself as an essential translator between the two groups and guarantee some longevity in the industry.
The problem with that is that black people are not particularly hard to understand if you care to do so. Black writers, directors, singers, and creators of all kinds have been translating their black experience for decades. Black canon exists and has always existed, but it takes reverence and respect to fully access it. With his television shows, Barris tries to circumvent white America’s own hegemonic laziness by spoon-feeding them a culture they only value when they can sell it. Barris can explain himself to white audiences until he’s blue in the face, but it will never resonate with them in the long term because they have no non-commercial interest in letting it.
Advertisement
It’s perfectly fine if Barris decides that what he wants is to be a racial translator for white people. It’s unlikely to win him any favor with black audiences, but considering the low esteem in which he holds their opinions, I don’t see that bothering him very much. But what I do want is for Barris to finally and conclusively admit to himself that he has always been making entertainment for the approval of white audiences, because in his mind, it’s the white opinions that matter.


theroot--2020-04-24--Trump Owes State-Owned Chinese Bank a Whole Lotta Bread and That Loan Payment Is Coming Up Soon

Well , what do you know : Turns out that President Trump , aka “ Let me get money out of the country because my name is no good here , ” owes a shit ton of cash to a state-owned Chinese bank , and that chicken is coming home to get its bread .
According to financial records obtained by Politico , the loan would be due around the middle of former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s first term as president or Trump ’ s second term should white women betray the country and vote to re-elect this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all white women , but 53 percent of y ’ all did , so I rounded up because I ’ m not good at math but I do know that ’ s more than half of y ’ all .
Because Trump uses his accusations about others to project the shit going on in his life , the president of people who live off their inheritance has claimed that if Biden were to win the presidency , “ China will own the United States , ” but look who China already has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t lie ; it looks like Biden ’ s son Hunter ’ s only job was to stay on someone ’ s board .
Remember when he got into all this shit for serving on the board of Burisma Holdings , a major Ukrainian natural gas producer , and he was forced to resign ?
Well , the young Biden also served on the board of a Chinese private equity company that Trump claimed was linked to a $ 1.5 billion investment plan from a Chinese bank , and wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank that holds Trump ’ s loan ?
According to Salon , “ Trump ’ s debt stems from his 30 % ownership stake in a 43-story New York skyscraper at 1290 Avenue of the Americas , the documents show .
Trump has bragged that he ‘ got ’ the building from China in a ‘ war.
’ ” “ I beat China all the time , ” he said when announcing his run for president in 2015 .
“ I own a big chunk of the Bank of America building [ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Americas that I got from China in a war .
Very valuable .
I love China.
” The New York Times reported in 2016 that Trump only owned 30 % of both buildings .
And Trump ’ s financial ties to the country do not end with his ownership stake in the building .
Chinese state-owned companies are developing two luxury Trump buildings in Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates .
The president and his daughter , Ivanka , have also been granted numerous trademarks by the Chinese government since he took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has sought Chinese investment in at least one real estate deal .
“ We actually explored all these foreign enterprises and how once he became president he ’ d be seen differently by foreign leaders who would have leverage over this president , because he had investments in their countries and/or financial dealings with business enterprises and financial institutions and investors in their countries , ” Rep. Gerry Connolly , D-Va. , who sits on the House Oversight Committee , told Politico .
“ He is highly conflicted with respect to China.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest , but he has also refused to divest from his company because then he wouldn ’ t be needed by the Draya Michele of his life , Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Trump is reportedly on the hook for tens of millions after the “ Vornado Realty Trust , the building ’ s primary owner , refinanced the building for $ 950 million in 2012 .
The debt included a $ 211 million loan from the Bank of China , the first loan of its kind in the U.S. , ” Salon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the former vice president ’ s son financial dealings , in Trump ’ s case , it is the president himself who has a company he still owns and profits from that has financial relationships with the countries that he is supposed to be negotiating with on behalf of the American people , ” Robert Maguire of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington , told Politico .
“ There are definitely legitimate questions that are raised by Hunter Biden ’ s actions .
They are not even in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest questions raised by President Trump ’ s continued relationship with his own company.
” The Trump campaign obviously distanced its dealings with the Chinese bank from Hunter Biden ’ s dealings .
“ There is an obvious difference between Donald Trump working as a successful businessman as a private citizen and Hunter Biden using his name to cash in with a $ 1.5 billion investment from a state-controlled Chinese bank while his father was vice president , ” campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh told Politico .
George Mesires , a lawyer for Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received $ 4.2 million from a group of investors in China in a private equity deal — not the $ 1.5 billion the investment firm hoped to net in total after several investing rounds .
Colin Kahl , a former aide to President Barack Obama and Joe Biden , summed the whole thing up in a tweet : “ The next time Trump breathes one word about Biden and China , remember this , ” he tweeted .
“ Trump is up to his eyeballs in debt to the Bank of China ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Well, what do you know: Turns out that President Trump, aka “Let me get money out of the country because my name is no good here,” owes a shit ton of cash to a state-owned Chinese bank, and that chicken is coming home to get its bread.
According to financial records obtained by Politico, the loan would be due around the middle of former Vice President Joe Biden’s first term as president or Trump’s second term should white women betray the country and vote to re-elect this ass-bag again. And I know, not all white women, but 53 percent of y’all did, so I rounded up because I’m not good at math but I do know that’s more than half of y’all.
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Because Trump uses his accusations about others to project the shit going on in his life, the president of people who live off their inheritance has claimed that if Biden were to win the presidency, “China will own the United States,” but look who China already has on a layaway plan.
I can’t lie; it looks like Biden’s son Hunter’s only job was to stay on someone’s board. Remember when he got into all this shit for serving on the board of Burisma Holdings, a major Ukrainian natural gas producer, and he was forced to resign?
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Well, the young Biden also served on the board of a Chinese private equity company that Trump claimed was linked to a $1.5 billion investment plan from a Chinese bank, and wouldn’t you know that’s the same bank that holds Trump’s loan?
According to Salon, “Trump’s debt stems from his 30% ownership stake in a 43-story New York skyscraper at 1290 Avenue of the Americas, the documents show. Trump has bragged that he ‘got’ the building from China in a ‘war.’”
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“I beat China all the time,” he said when announcing his run for president in 2015. “I own a big chunk of the Bank of America building [in San Francisco] and 1290 Avenue of the Americas that I got from China in a war. Very valuable. I love China.”
From Salon:
The New York Times reported in 2016 that Trump only owned 30% of both buildings. And Trump’s financial ties to the country do not end with his ownership stake in the building. Chinese state-owned companies are developing two luxury Trump buildings in Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. The president and his daughter, Ivanka, have also been granted numerous trademarks by the Chinese government since he took office. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has sought Chinese investment in at least one real estate deal. “We actually explored all these foreign enterprises and how once he became president he’d be seen differently by foreign leaders who would have leverage over this president, because he had investments in their countries and/or financial dealings with business enterprises and financial institutions and investors in their countries,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., who sits on the House Oversight Committee, told Politico. “He is highly conflicted with respect to China.”
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Trump continuously denies any conflicts of interest, but he has also refused to divest from his company because then he wouldn’t be needed by the Draya Michele of his life, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump is reportedly on the hook for tens of millions after the “Vornado Realty Trust, the building’s primary owner, refinanced the building for $950 million in 2012. The debt included a $211 million loan from the Bank of China, the first loan of its kind in the U.S.,” Salon reports.
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“While Trump is talking about the former vice president’s son financial dealings, in Trump’s case, it is the president himself who has a company he still owns and profits from that has financial relationships with the countries that he is supposed to be negotiating with on behalf of the American people,” Robert Maguire of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told Politico.
“There are definitely legitimate questions that are raised by Hunter Biden’s actions. They are not even in the same ballpark as the conflict of interest questions raised by President Trump’s continued relationship with his own company.”
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The Trump campaign obviously distanced its dealings with the Chinese bank from Hunter Biden’s dealings.
“There is an obvious difference between Donald Trump working as a successful businessman as a private citizen and Hunter Biden using his name to cash in with a $1.5 billion investment from a state-controlled Chinese bank while his father was vice president,” campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh told Politico.
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George Mesires, a lawyer for Hunter Biden said Biden’s business partners received $4.2 million from a group of investors in China in a private equity deal — not the $1.5 billion the investment firm hoped to net in total after several investing rounds.
Colin Kahl, a former aide to President Barack Obama and Joe Biden, summed the whole thing up in a tweet: “The next time Trump breathes one word about Biden and China, remember this,” he tweeted. “Trump is up to his eyeballs in debt to the Bank of China...and the loan is due soon.”


theroot--2020-04-24--Get Your Hands on the New iPhone SE and Save $200 With Visible

Apple ’ s new iPhone SE , which goes on sale today , is already a great deal at $ @ @ @ @ @ in a pocketable phone with great specs .
But for anyone looking to save a @ @ @ @ @ can get an extra $ 200 off if you buy your phone from Visible , @ @ @ @ @ $ 200 online MasterCard gift card .
As of right now , it looks like @ @ @ @ @ are the 128 and 256 GB models , which will cost you about $ 430 @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , the gift card can save you a bit of cash , if @ @ @ @ @ spend upfront .

Jordan McMahon on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

$200 Gift Card With Apple iPhone SE Purchase | Visible
Apple’s new iPhone SE, which goes on sale today, is already a great deal at $400 for 64GB of storage in a pocketable phone with great specs. But for anyone looking to save a bit more cash, you can get an extra $200 off if you buy your phone from Visible, through the form of a $200 online MasterCard gift card.
As of right now, it looks like the only options through Visible are the 128 and 256 GB models, which will cost you about $430 and $530, respectively. Still, the gift card can save you a bit of cash, if you have the money to spend upfront.


theroot--2020-04-24--Tina Knowles-Lawson Questions Why Georgia Is Reopening Hair Salons Despite Ongoing Pandemic: ‘We Kno

Tina Knowles-Lawson Questions Why Georgia Is Reopening Hair Salons Despite Ongoing Pandemic: ‘We Know What Time It Is’

Tina Knowles-Lawson , patron saint of coordinated outfits and mom jokes , struck a serious note on her Instagram the other day as she addressed the potential reopening of non-essential businesses .
“ I know I ’ m going to be very candid .
I know I ’ m probably going to get some flak for this , but I don ’ t really care , ” Knowles-Lawson said in a video post .
“ I find it very strange that the businesses that were opened were nail salons and hair salons.
” “ We as black people love to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get our feet done .
I would like nothing better than to get my rusty feet done right now , because they ’ re pretty bad , ” the former salon owner—and of course , mother of Beyoncé and Solange—quipped .
“ But let me tell you what .
It ’ s not worth it , guys .
Why would that be the first places that they open ?
” Knowles-Lawson urged viewers to stay home , noting how deadly the disease is , particularly for black people , who are dying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Let ’ s send a message that we are not dumb , we know what time it is , ” the Queen Mother continued , before urging everyone to , once again , stay their asses at home .
“ Protect your mothers , your grandmothers , your family.
” Ms. Tina was responding to news that certain states were getting ready to start re-opening non-essential businesses soon .
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp , in particular , said the state would reopen hair salons , tattoo parlors , gyms and barbershops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia ’ s biggest cities , including Atlanta , Augusta , and Savannah , pushed back against the orders , which stand in direct contradiction to data models cited by the White House , CNN reports .
According to one of those models , Georgia shouldn ’ t begin to reopen until June 22 .
Reopening these businesses would only extend the severity and impact of the crisis , and the economic benefits are limited—large numbers of Americans also say they ’ d be reluctant to go back to public places so soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workforces and clientele of nail salons and hair shops can be deeply segregated .
Nail techs are disproportionately women and immigrants , with little in the way of workplace protections .
And the amount of time , care , and attention that black hair requires can mean a disproportionate amount of time spent grooming and maintaining it , as opposed to straighter , finer , more “ wash-and-go ” hair .
One 2018 study found that black consumers spent nine times more on hair and beauty than non-black clients .
Knowles-Lawson ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facts alone , but she is also mourning the loss of one her best friends , Shelia Campbell Christian , who died from COVID complications .
Campbell Christian worked as a nurse .
Knowles-Lawson recently paid tribute to her on her Instagram , remembering her former roommate as “ so beautiful , so kind.
” “ These healthcare workers are dying of this disease , ” she implored .
“ Please take it seriously and stay home if you can .
”

Anne Branigin on The Glow Up, shared by Anne Branigin to The Root

Tina Knowles-Lawson, patron saint of coordinated outfits and mom jokes, struck a serious note on her Instagram the other day as she addressed the potential reopening of non-essential businesses.
“I know I’m going to be very candid. I know I’m probably going to get some flak for this, but I don’t really care,” Knowles-Lawson said in a video post. “I find it very strange that the businesses that were opened were nail salons and hair salons.”
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“We as black people love to get our hair done. We love to get our feet done. I would like nothing better than to get my rusty feet done right now, because they’re pretty bad,” the former salon owner—and of course, mother of Beyoncé and Solange—quipped. “But let me tell you what. It’s not worth it, guys. Why would that be the first places that they open?”
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Knowles-Lawson urged viewers to stay home, noting how deadly the disease is, particularly for black people, who are dying at much higher rates than white Americans.
“Let’s send a message that we are not dumb, we know what time it is,” the Queen Mother continued, before urging everyone to, once again, stay their asses at home. “Protect your mothers, your grandmothers, your family.”
Advertisement
Ms. Tina was responding to news that certain states were getting ready to start re-opening non-essential businesses soon. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, in particular, said the state would reopen hair salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and barbershops this week.
Mayors from some of Georgia’s biggest cities, including Atlanta, Augusta, and Savannah, pushed back against the orders, which stand in direct contradiction to data models cited by the White House, CNN reports. According to one of those models, Georgia shouldn’t begin to reopen until June 22. Reopening these businesses would only extend the severity and impact of the crisis, and the economic benefits are limited—large numbers of Americans also say they’d be reluctant to go back to public places so soon.
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As Knowles-Lawson points out, the workforces and clientele of nail salons and hair shops can be deeply segregated. Nail techs are disproportionately women and immigrants, with little in the way of workplace protections. And the amount of time, care, and attention that black hair requires can mean a disproportionate amount of time spent grooming and maintaining it, as opposed to straighter, finer, more “wash-and-go” hair. One 2018 study found that black consumers spent nine times more on hair and beauty than non-black clients.
Advertisement
Knowles-Lawson’s concern is well placed based on these facts alone, but she is also mourning the loss of one her best friends, Shelia Campbell Christian, who died from COVID complications. Campbell Christian worked as a nurse. Knowles-Lawson recently paid tribute to her on her Instagram, remembering her former roommate as “so beautiful, so kind.”
“These healthcare workers are dying of this disease,” she implored. “Please take it seriously and stay home if you can.”


theroot--2020-04-24--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Can't Knock the (Race) Hustle

I ’ m making short term goals for when coronavirus folds So I can put away the masks and wear regular clothes .
Chilly , with enough hate mail to make ‘ em look silly It ’ s only Wednesday and White Twitter sincerely wants to kill me .
They read The Root and wan na feud about the news Heads exploding , the n-word ’ s loaded ... Ahhhh , yes Typing on their computer , ears smoking like Buddha Looking foolish ... Caucasians can ’ t fade me .
My melanin ’ s beaming , In the comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dreaming , I leave your whole computer screen steaming .
Your tweet ’ s deleted , but I still see it , I ’ m screenshotting any unseasoned cretin screaming mean shit in my Twitter DMs My mailbag runneth over with dummies I ’ m one of the best that ever done it , three years and running Wypipo don ’ t want it .
I got the Dorothy Harriot flow , she taught me everything I know Swear to Dot ... Don ’ t get it fucked up I ’ m taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece of my mind .
Where do you think you at ?
This is the Clapback Mailbag .
Y ’ all already know what they ’ re mad about this week : On Sunday , I made a condensed version of this article ’ s thesis on MSNBC ’ s AM Joy , which really upset the Flu Klux Klan .
You ’ re right .
I ’ m a race hustler .
I ’ m racist .
I am selling hate to the masses .
Ever since the coronavirus crisis hit America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverse racism business has taken a severe hit .
It ’ s not just me ; COVID-19 has delivered a crushing economic blow to the white oppression industry .
In fact , that article and television appearance was a last-ditch effort at luring people into biting my race-baiting .
Now that the race-hustling bubble has burst , I have decided to use the same strategy that real estate hustlers after the housing market collapsed during the recession of 2008 .
Instead of race hustling , I ’ m now conducting a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race hustle .
I have created , “ How to Hustle Race , ” a complete course where you can learn the secret techniques used by some of the leading race hustlers of race .
The course will walk you through everything you need to become a certified wypipologist .
The curriculum is divided into nine classes , which include .
1 .
The History of Race-Hustling : This course will teach you about some of the historical figures that white people vilified as anti-white antagonizers .
You ’ ll learn names like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI called a “ filthy , abnormal animal ” who needed to kill himself .
We ’ ll even take you back to the time when a slave master sent Frederick Douglass to the “ nigger breaker , ” which started Douglass ’ Hall of Fame career in which he candidly admitted : “ I have no love for America.
” I wonder what they called him ?
2 .
The Ingredients of a great race hustler : While you may think that we ’ re all alike , the truly great ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Harriet Tubman hated being a slave .
Malcolm X hated being a second-class citizen .
Rosa Parks hated being considered less-deserving of a seat than the white man who wanted her to move .
She said she and fellow protesters were labeled “ radicals , sore heads , agitators , troublemakers.
” 3 .
Hustling Fundamentals : If you really want to excel at this game , you must first do the background work .
You don ’ t necessarily have to get sent to a nigger-breaker like Frederick Douglass , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bold enough to teach yourself to read even though it might get you killed .
If you ’ re pressed for time , you can just have State Troopers crush your skull like John Lewis , another icon who is well-known as a race-hustler .
4 .
Baiting a Hook : The hardest part of race-baiting is finding racism .
Contrary to what white people think , this isn ’ t difficult at all .
You see , most white people can ’ t see racism in employment , police brutality or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data : 5 .
Ignore White People : One of the most difficult things you will have to learn in this industry is that white people are always wrong .
They don ’ t know shit about racism .
To this day , some will still argue that slavery wasn ’ t racist .
When Rosa Parks jumpstarted the Montgomery Bus Boycott , white people were worried about the buses .
Unless they see someone screaming the-n-word before shooting a black person in the face , they will deny any action by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s because , even though white people are theoretically against racism , they don ’ t actually know what racism is .
6 .
Get a White Tears Trenchcoat : White people see oppression as a zero-sum game that they are losing ( again , this is supported by peer-reviewed research ) .
Therefore , you must be prepared to be called anti-white antagonist who is trying to disturb the peace that white people have created for themselves .
They will contradict every valid point you ever make and even make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be vilified unless you preface every statement with : 7 .
The Rewards of the Hustle : The last class will prepare you for the bountiful harvest that race-hustling will reward you with .
We will invite some of our most successful alumni to talk about their rewards after a long life , including Martin Luther King , who wasn ’ t rich but lived to the ripe old age of 39—the same age Malcolm X was when he died penniless .
Medgar Evers died at 37 , which is much longer than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed .
Fred Hampton was 21 but at least he made off with zero dollars during his hustling years .
Although I can ’ t recall any rich race hustlers , they do reap the benefits of watching racism persist in America from their lovely birds-eye view in the afterlife .
Meanwhile , the white people who perpetuate racism always live long , fruitful lives .
You wan na know how to become successful at “ selling hate ?
” Well , anyone who has lived in a country where white supremacy obstructed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and social equality for 400 years is supposed to hate the people who perpetuate inequality by trying to convince the world that institutional racism doesn ’ t exist .
We are supposed to hate anyone who remains ambivalent , apathetic or silent .
Why wouldn ’ t I hate someone who wants me dead ?
I don ’ t even have to hustle ... All I have to do is tell the truth .
I ’ m not really sure which article this was about : I have a course you might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now for the “ not all white people ” part of the program .
There are always a few people who say our content is “ divisive ” when we use the words : “ white people.
” Last week , while cleaning out my garage , I found a box of N95 masks and realized that I was wrong about everything .
When I first heard about coronavirus , way back in January , I started telling my friends and coworkers to buy masks , gloves and hand sanitizer .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ignored it .
Some even told me that “ flu kills more people than coronavirus.
” So I bought as many as I could find .
I went to hardware stores , medical supply stores and even auto parts places and bought all the masks I could find .
I didn ’ t have to buy a lot because I already buy them all the time .
Most of them are here because of my daughter .
She loves woodworking and wears them so she won ’ t inhale dust or fumes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes these beautiful , handmade bass guitars .
There are probably a few around here from when I lived in China and I bought some before she took a trip to Japan .
I bought even more before she took her second trip .
Even before this global pandemic hit , I ’ m sure you ’ ve seen many people from Asian countries wearing masks on public transportation or in airports .
Most people assume that they wear those masks to avoid other people ’ s germs , but that is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I learned that—most of the time—the people who are wearing masks are wearing them because they are sick and they don ’ t want other people to get infected .
You can ’ t live in a country as densely populated as China without realizing that you are all interconnected .
We also have the same misguided notion about the idea of the stereotypical Asian “ Tiger Mom ” or cultures like India that seem to value education .
I have come to understand that most of our presumptions are wrong about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In many cultures and countries , education isn ’ t seen as the key to personal or familial prosperity .
It is looked upon as a duty to their people and their country .
Even in communist or socialist countries , people understand that a more educated citizenry makes a more prosperous society as a whole , even if they don ’ t personally benefit from it financially .
What does this have to do with you ?
I have often wondered why many white people bristle whenever anyone brings up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , I thought they didn ’ t want to have the proverbial “ conversation about race ” because it made them feel guilty or implicated in the long history of white supremacy .
Then I thought their aversion to racial reconciliation was because they truly saw us as something less than human .
I believed that was the reason slavery , Jim Crow and inequality still exists .
Then I reasoned that white people don ’ t give a fuck about anyone other than themselves .
I was wrong about everything .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ white people are allergic to talking about racism is not that they don ’ t care .
It ’ s not even because race talk makes them uncomfortable .
It ’ s not even their fault .
Imagine living in a country where the economic , political or social plight of your countrymen doesn ’ t affect you in any way .
White people could enslave black people without having to imagine what they would do in that situation .
They can watch our vote be suppressed and never have to worry about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They know redlining existed but weren ’ t affected by it .
They remain immune to the unequal education system , an unjust criminal justice system and the whims of a white nationalist president .
So they ignore it .
They pretend inequality doesn ’ t exist because it doesn ’ t affect them in the least .
But they are wrong .
If only white people could understand that white supremacy affects them , too .
Redlining perpetuates poverty and educational inequality .
Education inequality increases crime .
And the crime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White people are paying for those prisons .
White people are paying the police brutality lawsuits .
And even if they weren ’ t , how could they just stand there and do nothing ?
Even if inequality exists because of single-parent homes , negro thuggery or not valuing education , I couldn ’ t figure out how so many white people could know these disparities exist and not want to dismantle it .
Then I figured it out .
It ’ s not that they don ’ t care about others being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are immune to the sickness of white supremacy ...
They are not human .
When coronavirus hit the U.S. , I didn ’ t tell my friends and family members that we all had the chance to buy masks .
I didn ’ t tell them that “ we were all the same.
” I went back to the people I warned and you know what I asked them ?
“ Does anyone here need a mask ?
” I wish I could say that I am still mailing hand sanitizer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs one .
But I am not .
I make my kids do it .
And when they get annoyed and ask me why , I tell them “ it is the human thing to do.
” Oh , how I wish we were all human beings .
If only that were true .

“You Can’t Knock the Race Hustle”
A Clapback Mailbag original song
I’m making short term goals for when coronavirus folds
So I can put away the masks and wear regular clothes.
Chilly, with enough hate mail to make ‘em look silly
It’s only Wednesday and White Twitter sincerely wants to kill me.
They read The Root and wanna feud about the news
Heads exploding, the n-word’s loaded...Ahhhh, yes
Typing on their computer, ears smoking like Buddha
Looking foolish...Caucasians can’t fade me.
My melanin’s beaming,
In the comment section, I see them scheming
Stop dreaming, I leave your whole computer screen steaming.
Your tweet’s deleted, but I still see it,
I’m screenshotting any unseasoned cretin
screaming mean shit in my Twitter DMs
My mailbag runneth over with dummies
I’m one of the best that ever done it,
three years and running
Wypipo don’t want it.
I got the Dorothy Harriot flow,
she taught me everything I know
Swear to Dot...Don’t get it fucked up (Chorus) I’m taking out this time
To give you a piece of my mind.
Where do you think you at?
This is the Clapback Mailbag.
Y’all already know what they’re mad about this week:
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On Sunday, I made a condensed version of this article’s thesis on MSNBC’s AM Joy, which really upset the Flu Klux Klan.
From: mlucky
To: Michael Harriot And take you seriously when you say that protestors don’t just not care about the deaths of minorities from Covid but that they are actually rooting for that to happen. But race hustlers gotta hustle. And you are one of the best out there.
From: Scott
To: The Root “Tips” Here is a news tip about an infection at The Root. There was not one syllable of truth in Michael Harriot’s latest column. It was nothing but lies and hate. Anybody reading that bile-filled screed needs to guard against the infection of hate that it is trying to breed.
From: Eve
To: Michael Harriot You are nothing more than a race hustler who are filled with hate against whites.
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Dear everyone,
You’re right. I’m a race hustler. I’m racist. I am selling hate to the masses.
Ever since the coronavirus crisis hit America and took over the news, my reverse racism business has taken a severe hit. It’s not just me; COVID-19 has delivered a crushing economic blow to the white oppression industry. In fact, that article and television appearance was a last-ditch effort at luring people into biting my race-baiting.
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Now that the race-hustling bubble has burst, I have decided to use the same strategy that real estate hustlers after the housing market collapsed during the recession of 2008. Instead of race hustling, I’m now conducting a series of seminars aimed at teaching people how to race hustle.
I have created, “How to Hustle Race,” a complete course where you can learn the secret techniques used by some of the leading race hustlers of race. The course will walk you through everything you need to become a certified wypipologist. The curriculum is divided into nine classes, which include.
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1. The History of Race-Hustling: This course will teach you about some of the historical figures that white people vilified as anti-white antagonizers. You’ll learn names like Martin Luther King Jr., whom your FBI called a “filthy, abnormal animal” who needed to kill himself. We’ll even take you back to the time when a slave master sent Frederick Douglass to the “nigger breaker,” which started Douglass’ Hall of Fame career in which he candidly admitted: “I have no love for America.” I wonder what they called him?
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2. The Ingredients of a great race hustler: While you may think that we’re all alike, the truly great ones all have a few things in common:
Hate.
Harriet Tubman hated being a slave. Malcolm X hated being a second-class citizen. Rosa Parks hated being considered less-deserving of a seat than the white man who wanted her to move. She said she and fellow protesters were labeled “radicals, sore heads, agitators, troublemakers.”
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3. Hustling Fundamentals: If you really want to excel at this game, you must first do the background work. You don’t necessarily have to get sent to a nigger-breaker like Frederick Douglass, but you have to do something like being bold enough to teach yourself to read even though it might get you killed. If you’re pressed for time, you can just have State Troopers crush your skull like John Lewis, another icon who is well-known as a race-hustler.
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4. Baiting a Hook: The hardest part of race-baiting is finding racism. Contrary to what white people think, this isn’t difficult at all. You see, most white people can’t see racism in employment, police brutality or even voter suppression, according to the actual data:
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5. Ignore White People: One of the most difficult things you will have to learn in this industry is that white people are always wrong. They don’t know shit about racism. To this day, some will still argue that slavery wasn’t racist. When Rosa Parks jumpstarted the Montgomery Bus Boycott, white people were worried about the buses. Unless they see someone screaming the-n-word before shooting a black person in the face, they will deny any action by a white person was caused by racism. That’s because, even though white people are theoretically against racism, they don’t actually know what racism is.
6. Get a White Tears Trenchcoat: White people see oppression as a zero-sum game that they are losing (again, this is supported by peer-reviewed research). Therefore, you must be prepared to be called anti-white antagonist who is trying to disturb the peace that white people have created for themselves. They will contradict every valid point you ever make and even make up their own. Basically you will be vilified unless you preface every statement with:
The following statement is not directed at “all white people,” including, but not limited to the people who dated a black person in college, anyone with a black friend, a black spouse, a black child, a black co-worker, people who grew up in black neighborhoods, anyone who believes all lives matter and anyone who plans to take whatever I say, replace the word “black” with the word “white,” and anyone whose heart Jesus knows.
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7. The Rewards of the Hustle: The last class will prepare you for the bountiful harvest that race-hustling will reward you with. We will invite some of our most successful alumni to talk about their rewards after a long life, including Martin Luther King, who wasn’t rich but lived to the ripe old age of 39—the same age Malcolm X was when he died penniless. Medgar Evers died at 37, which is much longer than the 26 years Jimmie Lee Jackson was allowed. Fred Hampton was 21 but at least he made off with zero dollars during his hustling years.
Although I can’t recall any rich race hustlers, they do reap the benefits of watching racism persist in America from their lovely birds-eye view in the afterlife. Meanwhile, the white people who perpetuate racism always live long, fruitful lives.
Advertisement
You wanna know how to become successful at “selling hate?”
Well, anyone who has lived in a country where white supremacy obstructed their people’s economic, political and social equality for 400 years is supposed to hate the people who perpetuate inequality by trying to convince the world that institutional racism doesn’t exist. We are supposed to hate anyone who remains ambivalent, apathetic or silent. Why wouldn’t I hate someone who wants me dead?
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I don’t even have to hustle...
All I have to do is tell the truth.
I’m not really sure which article this was about:
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From: Chase
To: Michael Harriot Keep talking shit nigger boy Your wide nose off makes a great target for my AR15
Dear Sirs,
I have a course you might be interested in signing up for.
Hit me up.
And now for the “not all white people” part of the program. There are always a few people who say our content is “divisive” when we use the words: “white people.”
Advertisement
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Dear Pete and Robert,
Last week, while cleaning out my garage, I found a box of N95 masks and realized that I was wrong about everything.
Advertisement
I have a lot of N95 masks.
When I first heard about coronavirus, way back in January, I started telling my friends and coworkers to buy masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. Many of them, like many people in America, ignored it. Some even told me that “flu kills more people than coronavirus.”
Advertisement
So I bought as many as I could find. I went to hardware stores, medical supply stores and even auto parts places and bought all the masks I could find. I didn’t have to buy a lot because I already buy them all the time.
Most of them are here because of my daughter.
She loves woodworking and wears them so she won’t inhale dust or fumes from the chemicals she uses when she makes these beautiful, handmade bass guitars. There are probably a few around here from when I lived in China and I bought some before she took a trip to Japan. I bought even more before she took her second trip.
Advertisement
Even before this global pandemic hit, I’m sure you’ve seen many people from Asian countries wearing masks on public transportation or in airports. Most people assume that they wear those masks to avoid other people’s germs, but that is not the case. During my travels abroad, I learned that—most of the time—the people who are wearing masks are wearing them because they are sick and they don’t want other people to get infected. You can’t live in a country as densely populated as China without realizing that you are all interconnected.
That is human.
We also have the same misguided notion about the idea of the stereotypical Asian “Tiger Mom” or cultures like India that seem to value education. I have come to understand that most of our presumptions are wrong about why people from other cultures value education.
Advertisement
In many cultures and countries, education isn’t seen as the key to personal or familial prosperity. It is looked upon as a duty to their people and their country. Even in communist or socialist countries, people understand that a more educated citizenry makes a more prosperous society as a whole, even if they don’t personally benefit from it financially.
That is human.
What does this have to do with you?
I have often wondered why many white people bristle whenever anyone brings up the subject of race. For a long time, I thought they didn’t want to have the proverbial “conversation about race” because it made them feel guilty or implicated in the long history of white supremacy.
Advertisement
Then I thought their aversion to racial reconciliation was because they truly saw us as something less than human. I believed that was the reason slavery, Jim Crow and inequality still exists. Then I reasoned that white people don’t give a fuck about anyone other than themselves.
I was wrong about everything.
I realized that the reason why some white people are allergic to talking about racism is not that they don’t care. It’s not even because race talk makes them uncomfortable. It’s not even their fault.
Advertisement
It’s white supremacy’s fault.
Imagine living in a country where the economic, political or social plight of your countrymen doesn’t affect you in any way. White people could enslave black people without having to imagine what they would do in that situation. They can watch our vote be suppressed and never have to worry about their constitutional rights being stripped away. They know redlining existed but weren’t affected by it. They remain immune to the unequal education system, an unjust criminal justice system and the whims of a white nationalist president.
Advertisement
So they ignore it. They pretend inequality doesn’t exist because it doesn’t affect them in the least. But they are wrong.
If only white people could understand that white supremacy affects them, too.
Redlining perpetuates poverty and educational inequality. Education inequality increases crime. And the crime, poverty and inequality affect the economy. White people are paying for those prisons. White people are paying the police brutality lawsuits.
Advertisement
And even if they weren’t, how could they just stand there and do nothing? Even if inequality exists because of single-parent homes, negro thuggery or not valuing education, I couldn’t figure out how so many white people could know these disparities exist and not want to dismantle it. Then I figured it out.
It’s not that they don’t care about others being sick. It’s not that they are immune to the sickness of white supremacy...
Advertisement
They are not human.
When coronavirus hit the U.S., I didn’t tell my friends and family members that we all had the chance to buy masks. I didn’t tell them that “we were all the same.” I went back to the people I warned and you know what I asked them?
Advertisement
“Does anyone here need a mask?”
“Y’all straight on hand sanitizer?”
I wish I could say that I am still mailing hand sanitizer and masks around the country to anyone who needs one. But I am not. I make my kids do it. And when they get annoyed and ask me why, I tell them “it is the human thing to do.”
Advertisement
Oh, how I wish we were all human beings.
If only that were true.


theroot--2020-04-24--Isaiah Wilson's Mother Is All of Us, as Black Twitter Crowns Her the Real MVP of the 2020 NFL Draft

Getting your name called during the NFL Draft is the perfect reward for a lifetime of discipline , sacrifice and dedication .
And in finally being drafted , you officially become a part of a group of some of the greatest athletes in the entire world .
But with mo money comes wayward white women trying to steal your shine mo problems , and as recent draftee Isaiah Wilson learned on Thursday night , even the women we love deserve to get snatched up when the situation calls for it .
On Thursday night , Wilson was scooped up by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the NFL ’ s first-ever virtual draft .
But instead of allowing the 6-foot , 6-inch , 350-pound behemoth to enjoy an unforgettable moment that he had fought his entire life for , Karen inexplicably pulled this bullshit ... ... and almost got her ass tossed out the house by his momma .
Now , I ’ m acutely aware that proper decorum and home training are in short supply in some households , but when are y ’ all gon ’ learn to stop playing with black women ’ s children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died for all of our sins for trying to be Beyoncé , when she knew damn well that ain ’ t nobody coming to see you , Otis .
Naturally , Black Twitter let the jokes fly and emptied the entire clip on Wilson ’ s quarantine bae .
No word on if Darcy ’ s ego survived its nationally televised dismissal , but all of this could ’ ve been avoided if she just adhered to the CDC—and Momma Wilson ’ s omnipresent side-eye—and practiced social distancing .

Getting your name called during the NFL Draft is the perfect reward for a lifetime of discipline, sacrifice and dedication. And in finally being drafted, you officially become a part of a group of some of the greatest athletes in the entire world. But with mo money comes wayward white women trying to steal your shine mo problems, and as recent draftee Isaiah Wilson learned on Thursday night, even the women we love deserve to get snatched up when the situation calls for it.
On Thursday night, Wilson was scooped up by the Tennessee Titans with the 29th pick in the NFL’s first-ever virtual draft. But instead of allowing the 6-foot , 6-inch , 350-pound behemoth to enjoy an unforgettable moment that he had fought his entire life for, Karen inexplicably pulled this bullshit...
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...and almost got her ass tossed out the house by Uncle Phil his momma.
Now, I’m acutely aware that proper decorum and home training are in short supply in some households, but when are y’all gon’ learn to stop playing with black women’s children? Carole Baskin almost caught hands and died for all of our sins for trying to be Beyoncé, when she knew damn well that ain’t nobody coming to see you, Otis.
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Naturally, Black Twitter let the jokes fly and emptied the entire clip on Wilson’s quarantine bae.
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No word on if Darcy’s ego survived its nationally televised dismissal, but all of this could’ve been avoided if she just adhered to the CDC—and Momma Wilson’s omnipresent side-eye—and practiced social distancing.


theroot--2020-04-24--Ride the Buzz of 15% off Vodka Mariette [NYC Exclusive]

Need a handle of vodka sent to your door in the next 2 hours ?
Who doesn ’ t !
@ @ @ @ @ Vodka Mariette is offering 15 % off both subscriptions and one-time purchases using the coupon @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve tried it myself ( in fact , I treated myself to a Vodka @ @ @ @ @ cooking dinner ) and I ’ ll say , it goes down real smooth .
@ @ @ @ @ in these desperate times , we all need a little something to take the edge @ @ @ @ @ 5x distilled AND GMO-free , plus they promise delivery in under 2 hours for anyone @ @ @ @ @ .
I ordered recently to our studio downtown and can attest to the expeditious pace @ @ @ @ @ of NYC are missing out on this deal—but worry not—a rep at Vodka Mariette told @ @ @ @ @ on expanding the service very soon .
Tip your driver and drink responsibly .

Gabe Carey on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

15% off One-Time Purchases and Subscriptions | Vodka Mariette
Need a handle of vodka sent to your door in the next 2 hours? Who doesn’t! For our NYC-based readers, Vodka Mariette is offering 15% off both subscriptions and one-time purchases using the coupon code KINJA15. Now I’ve tried it myself (in fact, I treated myself to a Vodka Mariette soda last night while cooking dinner) and I’ll say, it goes down real smooth. Too smooth almost. But in these desperate times, we all need a little something to take the edge off.
Vodka Mariette is 5x distilled AND GMO-free, plus they promise delivery in under 2 hours for anyone living in Manhattan or Brooklyn. I ordered recently to our studio downtown and can attest to the expeditious pace. Sadly, cities outside of NYC are missing out on this deal—but worry not—a rep at Vodka Mariette told me they’re planning on expanding the service very soon. Tip your driver and drink responsibly.


theroot--2020-04-24--Freestyle Friday: WTF Is Happening Here?

Current status : I ’ m wiping away the tears from an uproarious bout of gigglefits .
You know , Nick “ Swaggy P ” Young really had something when he made the perfect facial expression to encapsulate the feeling of “ ?
?
?
” because that ’ s what I ’ m feeling after watching the following video .
Going by the date of the YouTube upload by the radio station , this occurred in May 2019 , which makes it a bit dated , but I feel this is evergreen content .
Rapper Haiti Babii appeared on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bootleg Kev & DJ Hed , and in typical hip-hop radio fashion , he erupted into a freestyle rap .
What wasn ’ t typical , however , was his actual freestyle rap .
I ’ ve seen this pop up several times on my social media feed and every time , it brings me to tears of laughter .
So , when my friend Taj dropped it on his Facebook feed , I figured I couldn ’ t go another day without sharing it with y ’ all .
Because sharing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shall we ?
A few thoughts : • This nigga really cast himself as every single studio edit technique known to man .
He basically was like , “ Is your king ?
?
” • He really is , like , 20 rappers ’ personas at once .
One minute he ’ s coming with the monster energy of DMX and next thing you know , he ’ s dropping the Kendrick Lamar voices ( the helium balloon , y ’ all ! )
• There is a point in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ I don ’ t even got ta rap no more , I ’ m just gon na use my ad-libs ” and proceeds to do just that .
• I ’ m not going to lie : I used to perform impromptu freestyles alone in my room and they sounded something like this .
I was always a sucker for detail so singing everyone ’ s part ( including the ad-libs ) was par for the course .
I was a whole ass child when I did this though , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I kind of want to be a fly on the wall during one of his studio sessions , to be honest .
• The look on DJ Hed ’ s face at around the 3:52 mark is when I completely lost it .
That ’ s some perfect storytelling , right there .
And they keep panning to him after the post-freestyle plug , where he completely breaks the fourth wall with the Swaggy P face .
Because , well , can you blame him ?
!
• After a triumphant air dice-shake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what we ’ re all thinking , “ Well .
That ’ s definitely the most unique freestyle experience we ’ ve ever had.
” • Some of these ad-libs are in now your head , aren ’ t they ?
High-High-High-Hiiiiiigh !
According to a comment on the FB page , this rather ... eccentric freestyle isn ’ t a reflection on the quality of his actual material so I decided to do a bit of investigative reporting .
I checked out the music videos for “ California Haitian ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can confirm he is not 20 different people .
In fact , his music actually kind of knocks .
It ’ s very Cali .
Haiti Babii actually does consider his mouth to be an “ instrument , ” he confirmed in an interview with BET last year .
Plus , the 20-something rapper confirmed that Rihanna gave him her stamp of approval .
“ She FaceTimed yesterday morning , ” the Stockton , California native said back in May .
“ She was like , ‘ I can feel the island in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soul.
’ ” So , now comes the ultimate question : this totally dethrones the Black Thought freestyle , right ?
!

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

Current status: I’m wiping away the tears from an uproarious bout of gigglefits.
You know, Nick “Swaggy P” Young really had something when he made the perfect facial expression to encapsulate the feeling of “???” because that’s what I’m feeling after watching the following video. Going by the date of the YouTube upload by the radio station, this occurred in May 2019, which makes it a bit dated, but I feel this is evergreen content.
Haiti Babii Freestyle, Bootleg Kev & DJ Hed / Real 92.3 LA (YouTube)
Rapper Haiti Babii appeared on Real 92.3 LA’s show, Bootleg Kev & DJ Hed, and in typical hip-hop radio fashion, he erupted into a freestyle rap. What wasn’t typical, however, was his actual freestyle rap. I’ve seen this pop up several times on my social media feed and every time, it brings me to tears of laughter. So, when my friend Taj dropped it on his Facebook feed, I figured I couldn’t go another day without sharing it with y’all. Because sharing is caring.
Advertisement
Let’s unpack this, shall we? A few thoughts:
This nigga really cast himself as every single studio edit technique known to man. He basically was like, “Is Pro Tools He really is, like, 20 rappers’ personas at once. One minute he’s coming with the monster energy of DMX and next thing you know, he’s dropping the Kendrick Lamar voices (the helium balloon, y’all!) There is a point in the freestyle where he completely breaks and says, “I don’t even gotta rap no more, I’m just gonna use my ad-libs” and proceeds to do just that. I’m not going to lie: I used to perform impromptu freestyles alone in my room and they sounded something like this. I was always a sucker for detail so singing everyone’s part (including the ad-libs) was par for the course. I was a whole ass child when I did this though, so take that as you may. I kind of want to be a fly on the wall during one of his studio sessions, to be honest. The look on DJ Hed’s face at around the 3:52 mark is when I completely lost it. That’s some perfect storytelling, right there. And they keep panning to him after the post-freestyle plug, where he completely breaks the fourth wall with the Swaggy P face. Because, well, can you blame him?! After a triumphant air dice-shake, Bootleg Kev says the professional version of what we’re all thinking, “Well. That’s definitely the most unique freestyle experience we’ve ever had.” Some of these ad-libs are in now your head, aren’t they? High-High-High-Hiiiiiigh!
Advertisement Advertisement
According to a comment on the FB page, this rather...eccentric freestyle isn’t a reflection on the quality of his actual material so I decided to do a bit of investigative reporting. I checked out the music videos for “California Haitian” and “King of the North” and can confirm he is not 20 different people. In fact, his music actually kind of knocks. It’s very Cali.
Haiti Babii actually does consider his mouth to be an “instrument,” he confirmed in an interview with BET last year. Plus, the 20-something rapper confirmed that Rihanna gave him her stamp of approval.
Advertisement
“She FaceTimed yesterday morning,” the Stockton, California native said back in May. “She was like, ‘I can feel the island in you. You just have so much soul.’”
So, now comes the ultimate question: this totally dethrones the Black Thought freestyle, right?!


theroot--2020-04-24--Department of Justice Revises Early Release Requirements for Federal Prisoners

A prison in Fort Worth , Texas , has seen coronavirus cases increase by 275 percent over the course of a week .
New models have shown that failure to reduce prison populations could result in 100,000 more deaths .
Despite these facts , the Department of Justice has now limited the number of inmates eligible for early release .
ABC News reports that a court filing in the Southern District of New York has provided new guidelines regarding early prison release .
“ [ Bureau of Prisons ] is at this time prioritizing for consideration those inmates who either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more of their sentences , or ( 2 ) have 18 months or less remaining in their sentences and have served 25 % or more of their sentences , ” the filing said .
Memorandums issued by Attorney General William Barr on March 26 and April 3 only placed restrictions on violent and sex offenders with no mention of time served .
As of Wednesday , 1,440 inmates are currently in home confinement under the previous guidelines .
One Bureau of Prisons source , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the confusion going on inside the agency .
In a memo obtained by ABC News dated April 22 , the bureau said that moving forward it would prioritize inmates for home confinement who have served at least 50 % of their sentences , but will also use discretion in how it considers individual cases .
The memo describes in detail why the bureau will use a case-by-case determination to decide who gets released due to COVID-19 .
The confusion for lawyers , inmates and other BOP officials comes as judges around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the government has handled COVID-19 outbreaks in certain prisons .
Some of that confusion has come in the form of testing .
Certain prisons , such as Federal Correctional Institution Elkton in Ohio , are reporting a lack of tests .
A lawsuit filed by inmates at Elkton reveals that the prison has only received 80 tests from the BOP .
The prison houses over 1,900 inmates .
Conversely , Marion Correctional Institution , also in Ohio , was able to test its entire prison population , revealing that over 2,000 inmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently the number one coronavirus hot spot in the country by infections per capita , with Ohio ’ s Pickaway Correctional Institution ranking second .
Inconsistent testing protocols combined with guidelines that are only getting stricter paints an increasingly grim future for those currently incarcerated .

A prison in Fort Worth, Texas, has seen coronavirus cases increase by 275 percent over the course of a week. New models have shown that failure to reduce prison populations could result in 100,000 more deaths. Despite these facts, the Department of Justice has now limited the number of inmates eligible for early release.
ABC News reports that a court filing in the Southern District of New York has provided new guidelines regarding early prison release. “[Bureau of Prisons] is at this time prioritizing for consideration those inmates who either (1) have served 50% or more of their sentences, or (2) have 18 months or less remaining in their sentences and have served 25% or more of their sentences,” the filing said. Memorandums issued by Attorney General William Barr on March 26 and April 3 only placed restrictions on violent and sex offenders with no mention of time served. As of Wednesday, 1,440 inmates are currently in home confinement under the previous guidelines.
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From ABC News:
One Bureau of Prisons source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told ABC News that riots could happen due to the confusion going on inside the agency. In a memo obtained by ABC News dated April 22, the bureau said that moving forward it would prioritize inmates for home confinement who have served at least 50% of their sentences, but will also use discretion in how it considers individual cases. The memo describes in detail why the bureau will use a case-by-case determination to decide who gets released due to COVID-19. The confusion for lawyers, inmates and other BOP officials comes as judges around the country are exhibiting increasing frustration with how the government has handled COVID-19 outbreaks in certain prisons.
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Some of that confusion has come in the form of testing. Certain prisons, such as Federal Correctional Institution Elkton in Ohio, are reporting a lack of tests. A lawsuit filed by inmates at Elkton reveals that the prison has only received 80 tests from the BOP. The prison houses over 1,900 inmates. Conversely, Marion Correctional Institution, also in Ohio, was able to test its entire prison population, revealing that over 2,000 inmates have contracted the disease. Marion is currently the number one coronavirus hot spot in the country by infections per capita, with Ohio’s Pickaway Correctional Institution ranking second.
Inconsistent testing protocols combined with guidelines that are only getting stricter paints an increasingly grim future for those currently incarcerated.


theroot--2020-04-24--The Root Jams Weekly Playlist (4/24/2020): 'Move Your Body'

This playlist is in honor of Breyon Prescott , Teddy Riley ’ s homie/hypeman during his initial social-distancingless Verzuz battle @ @ @ @ @ happened .
For Breyon ’ s dedication to the jam , this week we chose @ @ @ @ @ as soon as you hear them !
Lathun and So So Def Bass All Stars @ @ @ @

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

This playlist is in honor of Breyon Prescott, Teddy Riley’s homie/hypeman during his initial social-distancingless Verzuz battle against Babyface that never really happened. For Breyon’s dedication to the jam, this week we chose songs that make you move as soon as you hear them!
Monique Judge
Montell Jordan “Get It On Tonight”
Mark Morris “Return of the Mack”
Ini Kamoze “Here Comes the Hot Stepper”
Panama Jackson
Nicole Wray featuring Missy Elliott and Mocha “Make It Hot”
N.E.R.D. “She Wants to Move”
Fela Kuti “Lady”
Anuel AA “Quiere Bebe”
Patrice Rushen “Haven’t You Heard”
Guy “I Like”
J’na Jefferson
Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop “Lose control”
Ashley Velez
Whitney Houston “I’m Every Woman”
Celia Cruz “La Negra Tiene Tumbao”
Mase “Feels So Good”
Michael Harriot
Tela “Sho Nuff”
Lathun and So So Def Bass All Stars “Freak It”
UGK featuring Outkast “Int’l Players Anthem”
Tonja Stidhum
Machel Montano “Like Ah Boss”
Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”
Uncle Luke “I Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown)“
Maiysha Kai
Rick James “You & I”
Donna Summer “Bad Girls”
Womack & Womack “Baby, I’m Scared of You”
Manu Dibango “Soul Makossa”
Jay Connor
Bobby Brown “Getaway”
Jane Child “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love (Teddy Riley Remix)”
Austin Brown “Midnight Man”
Anne Branigin
DJ Tunez and Busiswa “Majesty”


theroot--2020-04-24--'I Had to Shave It Off': Halle Berry's Daughter Learned About Hair Maintenance the Hard Way With a Q

'I Had to Shave It Off': Halle Berry's Daughter Learned About Hair Maintenance the Hard Way With a Quarantine Cut

I remember well the age I was when I demanded to take over the maintenance of my own hair .
I was 8 and a soon-to-be latchkey kid ( with minor supervision from our landlords upstairs ) , and felt it was high time that I graduate into doing my own hair since my TV journalist mother rarely had patience for more than two braids or , more often , twisting my super-thick , almost waist-length hair into a ballerina-style bun atop my head each morning before school—my signature look between ages 4 through 8 .
Already fascinated with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fashion , I dreamt of more sophisticated styles I could surely pull off by myself if given the tools , and save for the curling iron and blow dryer , my mother gladly handed them over .
My signature look between ages 8 through 12 ?
A ballerina-style bun atop my head .
According to Halle Berry , her 12-year-old daughter Nahla has also been on an independent streak when it comes to her hair—and has subsequently learned some hard lessons about hair maintenance .
When the Oscar-winning actress appeared on the at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fallon earlier this week , she recounted a recent development in her household , where she ’ s been quarantining with Nahla and 6-year-old son Maceo and their two dogs .
As you ’ d expect from a Hollywood heavyweight like Berry , her home has a pool she and her family have been using daily as they shelter in place ( a privilege the ever-gracious actress expresses gratitude for ) .
After their frequent swims—which notoriously take a toll on hair textures of all types—Berry ’ s motherly instinct was to tend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Nahla was having none of it .
“ No , don ’ t touch me ; I can handle it !
I ’ m a tween , I don ’ t need you to brush my hair , ” Berry recounted—and like my mom , she conceded .
We don ’ t know what detangling method , if any , Nahla opted for .
But her independence ended up costing her when she fearfully asked her mother to feel the back of her head a few days later .
“ All her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has shrunken up into a tight ball that feels like matted fur , ” Berry told Fallon .
“ Like , I can ’ t even get my finger in it .
And I ’ m pulling , and it ’ s like ( makes strangled sound ) and she ’ s screaming ... ” Trying to keep the situation calm , Berry put Nahla in the shower for what would hopefully be a detangling deep conditioning session .
A half-hour later ?
“ It ’ s getting tighter , ” Berry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shave it off.
” Talk about a “ quarantine cut.
” While many of us have been struggling to manage our own tresses during this time away from our regularly scheduled appointments , Nahla learned the hard way that “ wash and go ” has a few more steps than the phrase implies , as , according to her mother , the tween is now “ bald in the back.
” “ Is she cool with it ?
” asked Fallon , who had his own young daughter on hand during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with that , but it was our only option , ” answered Berry , who has been known to sport an undercut of her own .
“ But now she gets it .
I was like , ‘ First of all , maybe you ’ ll let your mother help you .
And second of all , you learned you got ta brush your hair .
Every day , you got ta brush your hair.
’ ” Yep , sounds like a teachable moment to me .
You can watch the full clip—in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual nightclub , her upcoming directorial debut and doing her own stunts—below .

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

I remember well the age I was when I demanded to take over the maintenance of my own hair. I was 8 and a soon-to-be latchkey kid (with minor supervision from our landlords upstairs), and felt it was high time that I graduate into doing my own hair since my TV journalist mother rarely had patience for more than two braids or, more often, twisting my super-thick, almost waist-length hair into a ballerina-style bun atop my head each morning before school—my signature look between ages 4 through 8. Already fascinated with the transformative magic of hair, makeup and fashion, I dreamt of more sophisticated styles I could surely pull off by myself if given the tools, and save for the curling iron and blow dryer, my mother gladly handed them over.
My signature look between ages 8 through 12? A ballerina-style bun atop my head.
According to Halle Berry, her 12-year-old daughter Nahla has also been on an independent streak when it comes to her hair—and has subsequently learned some hard lessons about hair maintenance. When the Oscar-winning actress appeared on the at-home edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this week, she recounted a recent development in her household, where she’s been quarantining with Nahla and 6-year-old son Maceo and their two dogs.
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As you’d expect from a Hollywood heavyweight like Berry, her home has a pool she and her family have been using daily as they shelter in place (a privilege the ever-gracious actress expresses gratitude for). After their frequent swims—which notoriously take a toll on hair textures of all types—Berry’s motherly instinct was to tend to her daughter’s hair, but Nahla was having none of it.
“No, don’t touch me; I can handle it! I’m a tween, I don’t need you to brush my hair,” Berry recounted—and like my mom, she conceded.
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We don’t know what detangling method, if any, Nahla opted for. But her independence ended up costing her when she fearfully asked her mother to feel the back of her head a few days later.
“All her hair, which is past her shoulders, has shrunken up into a tight ball that feels like matted fur,” Berry told Fallon. “Like, I can’t even get my finger in it. And I’m pulling, and it’s like (makes strangled sound) and she’s screaming...”
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Trying to keep the situation calm, Berry put Nahla in the shower for what would hopefully be a detangling deep conditioning session. A half-hour later?
“It’s getting tighter,” Berry laughs before adding, “I had to shave it off.”
Talk about a “quarantine cut.” While many of us have been struggling to manage our own tresses during this time away from our regularly scheduled appointments, Nahla learned the hard way that “wash and go” has a few more steps than the phrase implies, as, according to her mother, the tween is now “bald in the back.”
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“Is she cool with it?” asked Fallon, who had his own young daughter on hand during the conversation.
“She was not cool with that, but it was our only option,” answered Berry, who has been known to sport an undercut of her own. “But now she gets it. I was like, ‘First of all, maybe you’ll let your mother help you. And second of all, you learned you gotta brush your hair. Every day, you gotta brush your hair.’”
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Yep, sounds like a teachable moment to me. You can watch the full clip—in which Berry also discusses D-Nice’s virtual nightclub, her upcoming directorial debut and doing her own stunts—below.


theroot--2020-04-24--Trump Suggested Swallowing Light Bulbs and Shooting Up Disinfectant to Kill the Coronavirus. We Finn

Trump Suggested Swallowing Light Bulbs and Shooting Up Disinfectant to Kill the Coronavirus. We Finna Die

I don ’ t know what former President Barack Obama did to y ’ all—and by y ’ all , I ’ m referring specifically to the 53 percent of white women who voted against their own self-interest to elect a shit heel for president—but we now have a man in office who suggested swallowing light bulbs and shooting up disinfectant .
On Thursday , during Trump ’ s campaign rally disguised as a coronavirus briefing in which he trotted out some ass named Bill Bryan , who leads the Department of Homeland Security ’ s science and technology division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crackpot theory Trump has about sunlight killing the virus , the president took to the podium and started asking a series of bizarre questions like a kid at a medical museum .
“ So supposing we hit the body with a tremendous—whether it ’ s ultraviolet or just a very powerful light—and I think you said that hasn ’ t been checked because of the testing , ” Trump said , speaking to Bryan during the briefing , NBC News reports .
“ And then I said , supposing you brought the light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do either through the skin or some other way , and I think you said you ’ re going to test that , too.
” Umm , are we really supposed to take this bama seriously ?
Do y ’ all hear him talking about bring “ the light inside the body ” ?
What the fuck is he talking about ?
And because this is Trump we are talking about , you know he wasn ’ t done .
He then added : “ I see the disinfectant that knocks it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning ?
As you see , it gets in the lungs , it does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it would be interesting to check that.
” Bitch , what ?
In what world does this shit even make sense and why are doctors and professionals like Bill Bryan sitting there acting as if this man isn ’ t talking about doing a disinfectant enema ?
“ This notion of injecting or ingesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body is irresponsible and it ’ s dangerous , ” said Dr. Vin Gupta , a pulmonologist , global health policy expert told NBC News .
“ It ’ s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves.
” Do you hear that ?
Ingesting disinfectant is a common way that people kill themselves and the president just took a national stage to say , ‘ hey , maybe this is a way to ’ ... kill yourself .
The president is so dumb… How dumb is he ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue a statement warning against any internal use of its cleaning product .
This is all because the president ’ s “ game-changer ” miracle drug turned out to be some bullshit .
And this was after he spent some $ 29 million of taxpayers ’ money buying up loads of this shit only for studies to say that this ain ’ t it , chief .
An Arizona man died in late March after having ingested chloroquine phosphate — believing it would protect him from becoming infected with the coronavirus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she had watched televised briefings during which Trump talked about the potential benefits of chloroquine .
Dr. Rick Bright , a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services , says he was ousted from his job this week for pushing back on demands that he sign off on chloroquine treatments .
Bryan , under questioning from reporters , said later that federal laboratories aren ’ t considering such a treatment option .
He added that heat and humidity alone wouldn ’ t kill the virus if people don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When reporters tried to get Bryan to be the adult in the room and flat out say that the president and his ACME coyote schemes to kill the coronavirus were fucking insane , this asshat would only commit to admitting this isn ’ t the kind of work he does in his lab .
Bitch , huh ?
I don ’ t even have a lab and I can say that shining a light in someone ’ s body or doing a disinfectant colonic sounds dumb AF .
This is how dangerous the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he spreading misinformation , but an actual doctor-doctor , like Dr. Deborah Birx , the coordinator of the White House coronavirus response , doesn ’ t have the ovaries to stand up and say that this might be the dumbest shit she ’ s heard in her whole life .
Instead , when asked about heat killing the virus , she offers a lame note about she ’ s not heard of it as a treatment but she does know that a fever does kill a virus .
To be fair , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the mic spouting that bullshit : Trump jumped in and added , “ Maybe it works .
Maybe it doesn ’ t work.
” Nah , it doesn ’ t work and I wish one of the adults on the stage would tell you to sit your ass down and stop talking because you are embarrassing the family the way that my mom did when I asked a zoologist why the monkeys kept throwing their shit around the cage .
In my defense , I was 8 and they do it to @ @ @

I don’t know what former President Barack Obama did to y’all—and by y’all, I’m referring specifically to the 53 percent of white women who voted against their own self-interest to elect a shit heel for president—but we now have a man in office who suggested swallowing light bulbs and shooting up disinfectant.
On Thursday, during Trump’s campaign rally disguised as a coronavirus briefing in which he trotted out some ass named Bill Bryan, who leads the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology division, to do his bidding around another crackpot theory Trump has about sunlight killing the virus, the president took to the podium and started asking a series of bizarre questions like a kid at a medical museum.
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“So supposing we hit the body with a tremendous—whether it’s ultraviolet or just a very powerful light—and I think you said that hasn’t been checked because of the testing,” Trump said, speaking to Bryan during the briefing, NBC News reports. “And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that, too.”
Umm, are we really supposed to take this bama seriously?
Do y’all hear him talking about bring “the light inside the body”? What the fuck is he talking about? And because this is Trump we are talking about, you know he wasn’t done.
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He then added: “I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.”
Bitch, what? In what world does this shit even make sense and why are doctors and professionals like Bill Bryan sitting there acting as if this man isn’t talking about doing a disinfectant enema?
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“This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible and it’s dangerous,” said Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist, global health policy expert told NBC News. “It’s a common method that people utilize when they want to kill themselves.”
Do you hear that? Ingesting disinfectant is a common way that people kill themselves and the president just took a national stage to say, ‘hey, maybe this is a way to’...kill yourself.
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The president is so dumb…
How dumb is he?
The maker of Lysol was forced to issue a statement warning against any internal use of its cleaning product.
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This is all because the president’s “game-changer” miracle drug turned out to be some bullshit. And this was after he spent some $29 million of taxpayers’ money buying up loads of this shit only for studies to say that this ain’t it, chief.
From NBC News:
An Arizona man died in late March after having ingested chloroquine phosphate — believing it would protect him from becoming infected with the coronavirus. The man’s wife told NBC News that she had watched televised briefings during which Trump talked about the potential benefits of chloroquine. Dr. Rick Bright, a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services, says he was ousted from his job this week for pushing back on demands that he sign off on chloroquine treatments. Bryan, under questioning from reporters, said later that federal laboratories aren’t considering such a treatment option. He added that heat and humidity alone wouldn’t kill the virus if people don’t continue to practice social distancing.
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When reporters tried to get Bryan to be the adult in the room and flat out say that the president and his ACME coyote schemes to kill the coronavirus were fucking insane, this asshat would only commit to admitting this isn’t the kind of work he does in his lab.
Bitch, huh? I don’t even have a lab and I can say that shining a light in someone’s body or doing a disinfectant colonic sounds dumb AF. This is how dangerous the president has become; not only is he spreading misinformation, but an actual doctor-doctor, like Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus response, doesn’t have the ovaries to stand up and say that this might be the dumbest shit she’s heard in her whole life. Instead, when asked about heat killing the virus, she offers a lame note about she’s not heard of it as a treatment but she does know that a fever does kill a virus.
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To be fair, this was her face when the president was on the mic spouting that bullshit:
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Trump jumped in and added, “Maybe it works. Maybe it doesn’t work.” Nah, it doesn’t work and I wish one of the adults on the stage would tell you to sit your ass down and stop talking because you are embarrassing the family the way that my mom did when I asked a zoologist why the monkeys kept throwing their shit around the cage.
In my defense, I was 8 and they do it to display dominance.
What’s Trump’s excuse?


theroot--2020-04-24--Trailer Roundup: We're Going to Hollywood—and It's Going to be Legendary

What a week !
Here in Los Angeles , we went from a mild , yet effective earthquake to a temperature average in the 90s ( which is another form of torture when you ’ re self-isolating in weather that makes you want to participate in hoodrat brunches with your friends ) .
Plus , Pompous Prez said some dangerously dumb shit about injecting disinfectants .
Let ’ s get into some much-needed escapism , shall we ?
Time for another trailer roundup !
First impressions : I ’ m going to be straight up here ; I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prepare for a dope interview ( stay tuned for that ! )
so I feel the need to tell you that this is it !
It is exciting and vulnerable with all the magic old Hollywood has to offer .
Plus the cast is diverse and fantastic .
Highly recommend .
First impressions : This show strutted right onto the headlines with controversy when it was announced Jameela Jamil would be a celebrity judge , which sparked a discussion about cultural appropriation and hijacking ballroom culture , something that was initially implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came out as queer and noted that she chose an “ inappropriate ” time to do so ) .
With the success of Pose , I am looking forward to gaining more insight into a world that has clearly inspired pop culture in many ways and is past due for its shine .
All Day and A Night ( Netflix ; Release Date : May 1 , 2020 ) All Day and A Night Official Trailer / Netflix ( YouTube ) First impressions : This cast is pretty damn souped-up .
I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jeffrey Wright and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , plus it ’ s written and directed by the co-writer of Black Panther , Joe Robert Cole .
The quote “ it ’ s crazy to have nothing to give and want to give everything ” sticks out to me and I have a feeling this would be the theme as we watch our leading character tussle between two choices .
On the Record ( HBO Max ; Release Date : May 27 , 2020 ) On the Record Official Trailer / HBO Max ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which follows accuser Drew Dixon and the sexual misconduct accusations against Russell Simmons , has been through a journey .
Oprah backed out , which led to Apple TV subsequently pulling out .
HBO Max has since picked it up for distribution .
I was supposed to see the world premiere of this much-anticipated documentary at Sundance this year , but a series of unfortunate events ( which included losing my physical ticket at a fest that doesn ’ t reprint tickets onsite at the theater ) dictated other plans for me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to invoke anxiety , I am always here for black women—who are typically voiceless—having a platform to finally speak their truth .
First impressions : First off , I didn ’ t know Snapchat had a platform to broadcast series in the vein that IGTV has done .
As we move toward digital content as a primary source of entertainment in this social distancing era , I can ’ t help but think this is the perfect time to launch something like this .
I love dancing and watching dancers do their thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ craft , so I ’ m especially intrigued to follow this Alabama State University squad who are shutting down the stereotypes of a plus-size dance troupe .
Plus , La La Anthony is a producer of the series !
That ’ s it for this week , folks !
Have a good weekend—and wash your hands .

What a week! Here in Los Angeles, we went from a mild, yet effective earthquake to a temperature average in the 90s (which is another form of torture when you’re self-isolating in weather that makes you want to participate in hoodrat brunches with your friends). Plus, Pompous Prez said some dangerously dumb shit about injecting disinfectants.
Let’s get into some much-needed escapism, shall we? Time for another trailer roundup!
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Hollywood (Netflix: Release Date: May 1, 2020)
Hollywood Official Trailer / Netflix (YouTube)
First impressions: I’m going to be straight up here; I’ve already been binging episodes of this show to prepare for a dope interview (stay tuned for that!) so I feel the need to tell you that this is it! It is exciting and vulnerable with all the magic old Hollywood has to offer. Plus the cast is diverse and fantastic. Highly recommend.
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Legendary (HBO Max; Release Date: May 27, 2020)
Legendary Official Teaser / HBO Max (YouTube)
First impressions: This show strutted right onto the headlines with controversy when it was announced Jameela Jamil would be a celebrity judge, which sparked a discussion about cultural appropriation and hijacking ballroom culture, something that was initially implemented as a safe space (Jamil later came out as queer and noted that she chose an “inappropriate” time to do so). With the success of Pose, I am looking forward to gaining more insight into a world that has clearly inspired pop culture in many ways and is past due for its shine.
Advertisement
All Day and A Night (Netflix; Release Date: May 1, 2020)
All Day and A Night Official Trailer / Netflix (YouTube)
First impressions: This cast is pretty damn souped-up. I mean, we’ve got Ashton Sanders, Jeffrey Wright and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, plus it’s written and directed by the co-writer of Black Panther, Joe Robert Cole. The quote “it’s crazy to have nothing to give and want to give everything” sticks out to me and I have a feeling this would be the theme as we watch our leading character tussle between two choices.
Advertisement
On the Record (HBO Max; Release Date: May 27, 2020)
On the Record Official Trailer / HBO Max (YouTube)
First impressions: This doc, which follows accuser Drew Dixon and the sexual misconduct accusations against Russell Simmons, has been through a journey. Oprah backed out, which led to Apple TV subsequently pulling out. HBO Max has since picked it up for distribution. I was supposed to see the world premiere of this much-anticipated documentary at Sundance this year, but a series of unfortunate events (which included losing my physical ticket at a fest that doesn’t reprint tickets onsite at the theater) dictated other plans for me. Even though documentaries like this tend to invoke anxiety, I am always here for black women—who are typically voiceless—having a platform to finally speak their truth.
Advertisement
The Honeybeez of ASU (Snapchat; Release Date: April 25, 2020)
The Honeybeez of ASU Trailer / Snap Original (YouTube)
First impressions: First off, I didn’t know Snapchat had a platform to broadcast series in the vein that IGTV has done. As we move toward digital content as a primary source of entertainment in this social distancing era, I can’t help but think this is the perfect time to launch something like this. I love dancing and watching dancers do their thing since I respect the athleticism of the craft, so I’m especially intrigued to follow this Alabama State University squad who are shutting down the stereotypes of a plus-size dance troupe. Plus, La La Anthony is a producer of the series!
Advertisement
That’s it for this week, folks! Have a good weekend—and wash your hands.