newyorkpost--2020-12-16--Cops investigating ‘suspicious’ death of Michigan college freshman

An 18-year-old Michigan college student was found dead on campus over the weekend — in what police are investigating as a “ suspicious ” death .
A runner stumbled upon Taylor DeRosa ’ s body Saturday morning on a trail near several athletic fields at Grand Valley State University in Allendale , Michigan Live reported .
Investigators are trying to determine the freshman ’ s cause of death , though police say there ’ s no immediate threat to the public .
Loved ones described the young woman as “ beautiful , strong , courageous , smart and sweet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay for her funeral expenses .
She was majoring in international business with a minor in French , while also advocating for causes including gun control , Black Lives Matter and women ’ s rights , the page states .
“ Taylor ’ s smile was illuminating , and her warmth , friendliness and humor brought joy to everyone who knew her.
” Dozens of mourners gathered on Wednesday evening for a socially-distant vigil at the school to honor DeRosa , The Detroit News reported .
U.S. Rep. Andy Levin — who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun control activists during his first Congressional run in 2018 — described her as “ a huge splash of sunshine in an unjust world.
” “ Her commitment to change was so convincing – you knew the world would change at least a little because Taylor was present… , ” Levin wrote on Facebook .
“ Taylor made me feel that every minute we invest in our young people is time well spent , ” he added .
“ I feel that way even now , as my heart continues to break over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday identified DeRosa , as a first-year student who had been living in on-campus housing during the fall semester .
She and campus police urged the community to be patient with the investigation and “ not to rush to any conclusions and to stop spreading false information , particularly on social media.
” “ There is much we do not know about the cause of her death , and the investigation is ongoing , ” Mantella said .
“ Tragedies have a way of focusing our attention to what matters most – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement added .
“ Keep the student ’ s family in your thoughts and offer your help and support to those who need it .
”

An 18-year-old Michigan college student was found dead on campus over the weekend — in what police are investigating as a “suspicious” death.
A runner stumbled upon Taylor DeRosa’s body Saturday morning on a trail near several athletic fields at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan Live reported.
Investigators are trying to determine the freshman’s cause of death, though police say there’s no immediate threat to the public.
Loved ones described the young woman as “beautiful, strong, courageous, smart and sweet,” on a GoFundMe page set up to pay for her funeral expenses.
She was majoring in international business with a minor in French, while also advocating for causes including gun control, Black Lives Matter and women’s rights, the page states.
“Taylor’s smile was illuminating, and her warmth, friendliness and humor brought joy to everyone who knew her.”
Dozens of mourners gathered on Wednesday evening for a socially-distant vigil at the school to honor DeRosa, The Detroit News reported.
U.S. Rep. Andy Levin — who met with the teen and other young gun control activists during his first Congressional run in 2018 — described her as “a huge splash of sunshine in an unjust world.”
“Her commitment to change was so convincing – you knew the world would change at least a little because Taylor was present…,” Levin wrote on Facebook.
“Taylor made me feel that every minute we invest in our young people is time well spent,” he added. “I feel that way even now, as my heart continues to break over her loss.”
University president Philomena Mantella on Tuesday identified DeRosa, as a first-year student who had been living in on-campus housing during the fall semester.
She and campus police urged the community to be patient with the investigation and “not to rush to any conclusions and to stop spreading false information, particularly on social media.”
“There is much we do not know about the cause of her death, and the investigation is ongoing,” Mantella said.
“Tragedies have a way of focusing our attention to what matters most – the people around us,” the statement added. “Keep the student’s family in your thoughts and offer your help and support to those who need it.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Sandy Alderson not ruling out Mets making blockbuster trade

The catching situation is set , but the Mets still could ...

As the Mets look to remake their roster, Sandy Alderson hasn’t ruled out swinging for a blockbuster trade.
The new team president has said since he rejoined the organization that he’d look to free agency instead of the trade market because they had more money than prospects.
Alderson reiterated that during a Zoom call Thursday, but added that he’s surveying the trade market, as well — a market that could include Nolan Arenado of the Rockies, the Cubs’ Kris Bryant and the Indians’ Francisco Lindor.
“I think the focus is still on free agency,’’ Alderson said. “There are a lot of really good players out there that don’t require prospects in return. On the other hand, there are some interesting players on the trade market, too. I think what we have to do at this point is make sure we’re actively engaged in both areas.”
One of Alderson’s priorities with the Mets is rebuilding their farm system, which remains lacking.
But if the Mets would be willing to take on Arenado’s contract, which has six years and $199 million remaining, it might not cost high-end prospects.
Kris Bryant, Nolan Arenado, Francisco Lindor Getty Images (3)
“We don’t want to give up prospects, and we’re gonna be very careful about doing that,’’ Alderson said. “On the other hand, there might be something out there that causes us to say, ‘OK, with respect to this particular deal, this makes sense to us, and while we don’t want to give up prospects, maybe there’s a way we can do this.’ ”
He also stressed that, although the team’s third base situation isn’t settled, with J.D. Davis and Andres Gimenez “options” to play the position, it’s not the Mets’ top priority.
“Is it as glaring a need as a third or fourth starter? I don’t think so,’’ Alderson said. “But, look, we’re gonna look for targets of opportunity, and if there are ways to make our team better in areas where we’re not the weakest but could use an upgrade, then those are things Jared [Porter, the Mets’ new general manager] and the organization will have to consider.”
Alderson stressing the importance of adding a mid-level starter comes in the wake of Porter saying the Mets would look at “lengthening” the rotation behind Jacob deGrom.
Whether that removes them from the Trevor Bauer sweepstakes is unknown, as it seems their focus at the high-end of the free agent market remains on outfielder George Springer.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--LA Mayor Eric Garcetti’s 9-year-old daughter tests positive for COVID-19

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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday said his 9-year-old daughter Maya had tested positive for the coronavirus .
“ My daughter Maya turned 9 this weekend , wasn ’ t feeling very well , ” Garcetti said in a news briefing .
“ And after she came down with a fever , we had her tested for COVID-19 and her results came back positive.
” Garcetti said his daughter was feeling fine , with only mild symptoms , and was self-isolating .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who both tested negative , will also quarantine , he said .
“ As we monitor Maya ’ s symptoms and take care of her , my family is going through what so many families across this city and this nation and around the world are experiencing , ” the Democrat said .
Asked how his daughter had contracted the virus , Garcetti said he did not know .
“ We follow very strict protocols .
We haven ’ t mixed households , ” he said , “ So how do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s a scary thing .
I ’ ll admit , she had some tears in her eyes , but I reassured her that it was going to be okay.
” The briefing came as local officials announced that all intensive care units in Southern California were at capacity amid spiking virus cases .

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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday said his 9-year-old daughter Maya had tested positive for the coronavirus.
“My daughter Maya turned 9 this weekend, wasn’t feeling very well,” Garcetti said in a news briefing.
“And after she came down with a fever, we had her tested for COVID-19 and her results came back positive.”
Garcetti said his daughter was feeling fine, with only mild symptoms, and was self-isolating.
The mayor and his wife Amy Wakeland, who both tested negative, will also quarantine, he said.
“As we monitor Maya’s symptoms and take care of her, my family is going through what so many families across this city and this nation and around the world are experiencing,” the Democrat said.
Asked how his daughter had contracted the virus, Garcetti said he did not know.
“We follow very strict protocols. We haven’t mixed households,” he said, “So how do you explain it to a child?”
“It’s a scary thing. I’ll admit, she had some tears in her eyes, but I reassured her that it was going to be okay.”
The briefing came as local officials announced that all intensive care units in Southern California were at capacity amid spiking virus cases.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Yankees have to decide who will catch Gerrit Cole in 2021

Whenever the 2021 season begins , it appears Gary Sanchez will ...

Gerrit Cole ended his first season with the Yankees in strong fashion, with four straight solid starts to finish the regular season and three more in the playoffs.
The common factor in those outings was a change behind the plate, with Kyle Higashioka starting each of those games instead of Gary Sanchez.
The numbers pitching to Higashioka were significantly better for Cole, and now that the Yankees seem committed to bringing Sanchez back after tendering him a contract, one of their next significant decisions will be whether to pair their ace with Sanchez or Higashioka.
In an interview on the YES Network’s “Hot Stove” that aired Thursday, Cole said he expected to work with both backstops during spring training.
“I would assume so,’’ Cole said. “We’re fortunate to have two tremendous catchers.”
The Yankees did their best to avoid making an issue of Higashioka taking over for Sanchez when Cole was pitching, but the results were impossible to ignore.
After allowing nine runs in 10 innings over his final two outings in August, Cole’s ERA rose to a season-high 3.91.
In his next four starts — all working with Higashioka — Cole had a 1.00 ERA and the two were effective together in the playoffs.
By the end of the postseason, though, Sanchez’s struggles had become so immense that Aaron Boone went with Higashioka in all but two playoff games.
On Wednesday, general manager Brian Cashman called Sanchez the “heir apparent” at catcher, but noted that Higashioka had “a chance to compete to be an everyday guy.’’
Sanchez will look to prove that the shortened 2020 season was what Cashman called “an aberration,” and in addition to improving at the plate, Sanchez will no doubt try to show that he’s able to get the best out of Cole, who signed to a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees last offseason.
The Yankees are looking to add to their rotation behind Cole, with Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton and J.A. Happ all free agents.
Kyle Higashioka, Gerrit Cole, Gary Sanchez Getty Images; Corey Sipkin (2)
Their offseason plans are currently tied up in waiting for DJ LeMahieu to make a decision about returning to The Bronx, which will play a role in whether the Yankees can afford to bring in another starter.
If not, Cashman has said they’ll have to rely on Luis Severino returning from Tommy John surgery, Domingo German returning to 2019 form after serving his suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy and a bunch of young arms led by Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--New Jersey police officer getting same badge number as slain brother

A rookie New Jersey police officer will reportedly make history Friday when she receives the badge number of her late @ @ @ @ @ the same department who was murdered on the job in 2007 .
Paterson Police Officer @ @ @ @ @ Badge # 4637 in what the city ’ s mayor , Andre Sayegh , said @ @ @ @ @ s first badge reassignment ceremony , the Pascack Valley Daily Voice reported .
Sayegh , @ @ @ @ @ new badge at a City Hall ceremony , told the news outlet the police officer @ @ @ @ @ inspiration.
” Franklin ’ s late brother , Tyron Franklin , was fatally shot while @ @ @ @ @ robbery at a Paterson restaurant .
The gunman , Teddy Charlemagne , was out on @ @ @ @ @ inside Broadway Fried Chicken .
Charlemagne was sentenced to 40-years in prison for the murder @

A rookie New Jersey police officer will reportedly make history Friday when she receives the badge number of her late brother — a cop from the same department who was murdered on the job in 2007.
Paterson Police Officer Bavennia Franklin will be assigned Badge #4637 in what the city’s mayor, Andre Sayegh, said will be the department’s first badge reassignment ceremony, the Pascack Valley Daily Voice reported.
Sayegh, who will give Franklin her new badge at a City Hall ceremony, told the news outlet the police officer is a “source of inspiration.”
Franklin’s late brother, Tyron Franklin, was fatally shot while trying to stop an armed robbery at a Paterson restaurant.
The gunman, Teddy Charlemagne, was out on parole when he killed Franklin inside Broadway Fried Chicken.
Charlemagne was sentenced to 40-years in prison for the murder.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Ugliest aspects of football now afflicting beloved Army-Navy game

Fox Sports has signed away another ESPN stalwart , The Post ...

Well, the bloom is off another rose.
For the past few years, the Army-Navy game had begun to take on all the characteristics of the usual garbage. A game celebrated and cherished for the development of future officers and gentlemen began to erode as a feel-extra-good watch.
This past Saturday’s Army-Navy game was laced with trash talk, personal fouls, post-play shoving and mean-mugging, and at the end, a two-team sideline hassle, making it tough for even pandering TV voices to ignore.
CBS analyst Gary Danielson at the telecast’s close: “This was the chippiest Army-Navy game I have done.” He had done the last dozen.
The weekend was again loaded with billion-dollar pro and college football operations undermined by the mindlessly undisciplined.
On BTN, Maryland lost to Rutgers because the Terps would not take “No” for an answer. They insisted upon losing.
Rutgers’ starting quarterback, Noah Vedral, was forced out when his ankle was twisted and mangled — post-tackle — by 6-foot-2, 330-pound DT Ami Finau. From the BTN booth, Joe Beninati and James Laurinaitis hinted it was a dirty play, then dropped it.
In the third quarter, Maryland gave up a 10-yard run and first down to Rutgers. RU’s ball carrier Kay’Ron Adams was shoved back to the ground by the player who tackled him. Fifteen yards, another first down.
Rutgers scored a TD on that possession to take the lead. The BTN crew said nothing about that changed-the-entire-game penalty, but instead discussed “eye discipline.” Maryland was hit with 12 accepted penalties for 131 yards!
Army quarterback Tyhier Tyler celebrates a touchdown. AP
And as such losses proliferate and the expense of winning escalates, where are the multimillion-dollar coaches on Day 1 of practice to declare, “Not one inch are we to lose to stupid, me-first, macho-man penalties. Not one inch!”?
But now more games are lost to them than ever.
LSU upset Florida on a late field goal kicked only because Florida CB Marco Wilson, after a third-down stop, ripped away an opponent’s shoe, then flung it downfield. LSU was gift-wrapped 15 yards, a first down and soon the winning field goal.
Last week, Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill became the TV darling of the simple-minded when, about to score a TD, he stopped to perform an all-about-me, multiple-risks backflip into the end zone.
This past Saturday, Iowa WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette tried to do a front-flip into the end zone. He spent this week limping in a walking boot. On CBS, pandering “NFL Today” host James Brown, who was delighted by Hill’s brainless acrobatics, ignored Smith-Marsette’s troubles.
Never have players been less aware of significant game circumstances. Sunday on Fox, the Eagles, against the Saints, had no timeouts left, 40 seconds left in the half, when Philly RB Boston Scott caught a second-down sideline pass.
Instead of running a few yards, then stepping out of bounds to stop the clock, he cut to the inside and then rose to give that tired “Look what I did!” first-down signal — as QB Jalen Hurts hurried his team to the line to spike the ball.
And the Miami Hurricanes, as if they need help recruiting the behaviorally dubious, wore all-black uniforms — in a 62-26 loss to UNC.
It grows worse. Love it or leave it.
Cleveland gets it right in looking for new nickname
I know that as a traditionalist — and a proud one, too — I’m supposed to lament the politically correct loss of Redskins and now Indians as big league names.
I’m also supposed to fear that Braves, Chiefs, Seminoles and Blackhawks will be next.
But Braves, Chiefs, Seminoles and Blackhawks salute the nobility and presence of Native North Americans. Redskins and Indians do not — they designate only race.
Not all politically correct endeavors are incorrect. Redskins and Indians bothered me since I was a kid. I’m not sorry to see either go. Call me what you will, but we can do better.
To take a team’s name too seriously seems a waste of sensibility and sensitivity. I like Washington Football Club. It’s to the point and inoffensive to even the most sensitive. It’s like old sod soccer teams as in FC — Football Club.
As for Cleveland, we could go with the Grover Clevelands — the mascot being Grover from “Sesame Street.” Heck, Grover Cleveland may even be less offensive than Abe Lincoln suddenly has become.
Still, the best idea never adopted was when former Reds infielder Chris Sabo ran a new minor league club in Florence, SC. Interviewing Sabo, Dan Patrick suggested they be called the Florence Hendersons.
Analysts are talk, talk, talk of town
Once again, we’re left to ask if there is no one at any network who can provide useful advice to their game callers. And, once again, we know the answer.
In ex-Jet Jonathan Vilma, Fox has another Moose Johnston. Vilma was the analyst on Sunday’s Cardinals-Giants game. And as reader Dan Cella wrote on Monday morning, “It is now 1:20 a.m. and I still hear Jonathan Vilma talking.”
Producers do analysts no favors from the start of telecasts. Vilma’s posted “Keys To The Game” for the Giants began with “No turnovers.” For the Cards it was “Protect (QB Kyler) Murray,” “Be more efficient offensively” and “Force at least two turnovers.” Such insights!
Or as reader Bill (Bedrock) Maroney writes, “Vil-maaaaaaa!!!”
Johnston, on Fox’s Saints-Eagles, after Kevin Burkhardt said Philly has been forced to start 12 different offensive linemen, went into one of his long spiels, this one on how OL shortages create disadvantages for teams. Who knew?
Sunday, with Seattle up, 14-3, against the Jets late in the first half, the Seahawks kicked a field goal on fourth down to go up by 14. Just before that, CBS’s Rich Gannon said he’d choose to go for a first down. He never said why he’d pass on the chance, before the half, to lead by 14.
Kyrie Irving Getty Images
Monday night, ESPN’s Louis Riddick observed that an incomplete pass — nothing more complicated than that — was thrown “outside the receiver’s catch radius.”
As Groucho Marx said to movie audiences in 1932, “I’ve got to stay here, but there’s no reason why you folks shouldn’t go out into the lobby until this thing blows over.”
Graphics of the Week: Winner — Fox displayed a large one noting that Giants QB Daniel Jones’ “37 turnovers are the most in NFL since 2019.”
Runner-up — Fox, with startling, screaming and a repeated bright red graphic: “BREAKING NEWS: Chiefs have clinched the AFC West.” Idiots.
Man of the Week: Michigan State WR Jalen Nailor, after catching a long TD pass, turned and flipped the ball to the nearest game official. Nike could not have been pleased.
Last Place — Kyrie Irving, who, after declaring his vow of silence, didn’t shut up.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Defensive woes doom St. John’s in ugly loss to Creighton

Defense was supposed to be St. John ’ s backbone .
It ’ s constant .
It ’ s identity .
The strength that doesn ’ t slump .
Nine games into this season , the Johnnies ’ play at that end of the floor has been thoroughly lacking .
It ’ s been 40 minutes of open shots .
Containing dribble penetration , frequently leading to uncontested 3-point attempts , has been inconsistent at best .
The trend continued Thursday night .
St. John ’ s , last in the Big East in points allowed and field goal percentage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the floor and fell apart late in an ugly 94-76 loss to No .
9 Creighton at Carnesecca Arena .
For the second straight season and third time in four years , the Johnnies begin conference play 0-3 .
The sharpshooting Bluejays shot 56 percent from the field and sank 13 3-point attempts .
They also mauled the Johnnies in the paint ( 42-30 ) and on the glass ( 44-25 ) .
It wasn ’ t just Big East Preseason Player of the Year Marcus Zegarowski slicing them up for 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freshman center Ryan Kalkbrenner scoring 15 points and adding five rebounds .
Julian Champagnie led St. John ’ s with 17 points and Posh Alexander had 13 .
Yet again , the Johnnies ( 5-4 , 0-3 ) started slow , as they did against Seton Hall and Georgetown .
Unlike Georgetown , though , Creighton really made them pay , quickly building a double-digit lead .
The advantage grew to 16 after 3-pointers from Mitch Ballock and Denzel Mahoney .
Creighton was getting any shot it wanted , drawing the defense in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its first nine 3-point attempts .
St. John ’ s responded after the poor start , reeling off a 14-2 run to get within three .
Its defense led the charge , limiting Creighton to just 13 points over the final 11:38 of the opening half while getting offensive contributions from eight of the nine players Anderson utilized .
It was a seven-point differential at the break despite St. John ’ s getting outshot , out-rebounded and outscored in the paint , and Vince Cole , Greg Williams Jr. and Champagnie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combined 2-of-10 from the field .
St. John ’ s started the second half well and were down by only two after a Dylan Addae-Wusu layup with 14:25 left .
After a stop , the Johnnies had a chance to pull even .
But Marcellus Earlington traveled , and Creighton turned it on .
The Bluejays scored 22 of the game ’ s next 26 points , sending St. John ’ s to another bad start in league play .

Defense was supposed to be St. John’s backbone. Its constant. Its identity. The strength that doesn’t slump.
Nine games into this season, the Red Storm’s play at that end of the floor has been thoroughly underwhelming. Each game has been 40 minutes of open looks. Containing dribble penetration has been at best inconsistent and at worst absent — and has led frequently to uncontested 3-point attempts.
That concerning trend continued Thursday night.
St. John’s started poorly on defense and fell apart late in an ugly 94-76 loss to No. 9 Creighton at Carnesecca Arena. For the second straight season and the third time in four years, the Johnnies have begun conference play 0-3.
“We are still trying to get the ‘blue collar’ out of our basketball team,” coach Mike Anderson said over Zoom. “Our guys last year, they took pride in their defense. Truth be told, we have got some of the same guys, and we just need to get them all connected.”
Senior Rasheem Dunn agreed with Anderson’s assessment. The Red Storm aren’t connected enough. There are too many breakdowns, in part due to communication problems. That was apparent throughout the one-sided defeat.
St. John’s trailed, 28-12, less than nine minutes in and after getting back within two points early in the second half, fell behind again by as many as 22 points in the final minutes.
The sharpshooting Bluejays shot 56 percent from the field and sank 13 3-point attempts. They also mauled the Johnnies in the paint (42-30) and on the glass (44-26). It wasn’t just Big East Preseason Player of the Year Marcus Zegarowski slicing them up for 20 points and five assists. Freshman center Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 15 points and added five rebounds.
St. John’s forward Isaih Moore defends Creighton forward Damien Jefferson. Corey Sipkin
It would be one thing if it were just Creighton, a gifted offensive team. But St. John’s also allowed Georgetown, the projected worst team in the Big East, to shoot 54 percent in an overtime loss on Sunday. And the Johnnies struggled defensively against low-major opponents St. Peter’s and Rider.
“I feel like we’re still trying to get to know each other, as far as playing with each other. On the defensive end, we [have] got to get to know one another, and we just have to talk a little bit [more],” said Dunn, who had 10 points and seven assists. “Creighton had 14 second-chance points, and I feel like that comes with toughness and talking on and off the ball.”
Julian Champagnie led the Red Storm with 17 points, and Posh Alexander added 13.
Last year, defense led St. John’s (5-4, 0-3). It was 53rd in defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com. The Red Storm held the opposition to 41.5 percent shooting and 31.7 from 3-point range. This year, they are 111th in defensive efficiency and last in the league in field goal percentage defense (48.5) and points allowed per game (78.2).
Some of that can be attributed to the loss of LJ Figueroa and Nick Rutherford, two of the Johnnies’ best defensive players. Newcomers such as Alexander, Isaih Moore and Vince Cole are playing heavy minutes. Without a full offseason program or preseason, they are still adjusting to Anderson’s up-and-down style and getting used to guarding Big East-level players. Dunn, one of the team’s best defenders, missed five games due to a concussion and is still working his way back.
“We have just got to get the mentality where we focus on defense,” Anderson said, “and that is something that we have to continue to work at.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Texas mom shoots kids, self in apparent murder-suicide: cops

A Texas mother allegedly shot her two children , killing one , before turning the gun on herself in an @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
Officers responded to Chelsee Dodd ’ s home in New Braunfels shortly before @ @ @ @ @ Dodd , her 10-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter with gunshot wounds , the New Braunfels @ @ @ @ @ statement .
Dodd , 43 , and her son died at the scene .
Her @ @ @ @ @ rushed to a local hospital with a life-threatening injury , police said .
Police believe @ @ @ @ @ kids before killing herself .
Cops have not revealed a motive for the shootings .

A Texas mother allegedly shot her two children, killing one, before turning the gun on herself in an apparent murder-suicide, authorities said Thursday.
Officers responded to Chelsee Dodd’s home in New Braunfels shortly before 10 a.m. where they found Dodd, her 10-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter with gunshot wounds, the New Braunfels Police Department said in a statement.
Dodd, 43, and her son died at the scene. Her teen daughter was unconscious and rushed to a local hospital with a life-threatening injury, police said.
Police believe Dodd opened fire on her kids before killing herself. Cops have not revealed a motive for the shootings.
The investigation remains ongoing.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Mom dumped toddler daughter’s corpse, dressed life-sized doll to look like her

A Texas woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison after dumping her 2-year-old daughter ’ s corpse — and then trying to pass off a life-sized doll as the girl .
Tiaundra Christon , 23 , was found guilty of tampering with a human corpse in the October 2018 disappearance of her daughter , Hazana Anderson , Click2Houston reported Tuesday .
The toddler was the subject of a massive search involving more than 160 people after Christon claimed she ’ d lost her in a College Station park .
The mom had just returned to the area after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenny Hewett , Galveston County Criminal District Attorney Jack Roady said in a statement .
Friends reported seeing glimpses of Christon with the tot , and Walmart surveillance footage showed the mom pushing what appeared to be her daughter in a stroller , Roady said .
But the case took an even darker turn when police discovered a life-sized doll dressed in clothing identical to what Christon had said her daughter was wearing when she vanished .
The doll was found in a trash can across the street from where Christon parked her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried the doll around after returning from Houston , “ pretending it was her baby , ” Roady said in the statement .
Christon later admitted that the tot had died in her Houston hotel room — after she and her boyfriend abused her , according to the news release .
The twisted couple dumped the girl ’ s body in a Texas City lake , where she was fished out days later .
Her official cause of death was never determined .
Christon had pleaded not guilty in the case .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same charge in November 2019 and was also sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison .

A Texas woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison after dumping her 2-year-old daughter’s corpse — and then trying to pass off a life-sized doll as the girl.
Tiaundra Christon, 23, was found guilty of tampering with a human corpse in the October 2018 disappearance of her daughter, Hazana Anderson, Click2Houston reported Tuesday.
The toddler was the subject of a massive search involving more than 160 people after Christon claimed she’d lost her in a College Station park.
The mom had just returned to the area after a trip to Houston to visit her boyfriend Kenny Hewett, Galveston County Criminal District Attorney Jack Roady said in a statement.
Friends reported seeing glimpses of Christon with the tot, and Walmart surveillance footage showed the mom pushing what appeared to be her daughter in a stroller, Roady said.
But the case took an even darker turn when police discovered a life-sized doll dressed in clothing identical to what Christon had said her daughter was wearing when she vanished.
The doll was found in a trash can across the street from where Christon parked her car.
Officers learned that Christon had carried the doll around after returning from Houston, “pretending it was her baby,” Roady said in the statement.
Christon later admitted that the tot had died in her Houston hotel room — after she and her boyfriend abused her, according to the news release.
The twisted couple dumped the girl’s body in a Texas City lake, where she was fished out days later.
Her official cause of death was never determined.
Christon had pleaded not guilty in the case. Her co-defendant, Hewett, pleaded guilty to the same charge in November 2019 and was also sentenced to the maximum 20 years in prison.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Hillsong Church rife with ‘inappropriate’ sex, members claimed

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Hillsong staffers used the church like a seedy dating service , “ sleeping around ” with volunteers and asking them to send nude pictures — according to a group of volunteers who allegedly complained about the situation .
The whistleblowers also claimed the organization — which has been rocked by recent revelations that its former leader , Carl Lentz , had multiple tawdry affairs — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse.
” Page Six is told that in 2018 a group of former “ high-level ” volunteers — and one who was still a volunteer at the time — sent a letter to the trendy ministry ’ s leaders warning of “ verified , widely circulated stories of inappropriate sexual behavior amongst staff/interns.
” We ’ re told that one person employed by the church was asked to step down after it was revealed that , as the letter put it , he had “ multiple inappropriate sexual relationships with several female leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and according to one woman , physically abusive in his relationships with these women.
” The group claimed that another church member even caught the same employee “ having sex ” with a church leader .
Meanwhile , the letter accused another male staffer of “ not respecting physical and sexual boundaries within dating relationships with female church volunteers , ” including having “ sex with a 19-20-year-old female team member.
” The group claimed in the letter that there are only “ vague or absent sexual harassment/sexual assault ” policies at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fosters a “ culture of silence and fear.
” The group added , “ This environment is dangerous and a breeding ground for unchecked abuse.
” The letter also claimed that the church ’ s volunteers feared verbal abuse and “ harsh words , belittlement , name-calling from certain pastors and staff.
” It accused one pastor of “ losing his temper , bullying , yelling and outright screaming at other volunteers and leaders.
” When someone spoke to staff about the pastor , they were told , “ that ’ s just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their personality/culture.
” We ’ re told the letter was sent to seven of the top leaders in the US branch of the church , including Lentz .
It ’ s unclear how the church responded to the letter or the allegations made in it .
Lentz — who founded the American wing of the superchurch , which began in Australia — was fired in November after it was revealed that he had cheated on his wife this year .
In was subsequently revealed that he ’ d had a number of other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Selena Gomez , Chris Pratt and Kourtney Kardashian among its congregation , among many other celebrities .

Hillsong staffers used the church like a seedy dating service, “sleeping around” with volunteers and asking them to send nude pictures — according to a group of volunteers who allegedly complained about the situation.
The whistleblowers also claimed the organization — which has been rocked by recent revelations that its former leader, Carl Lentz, had multiple tawdry affairs — was “a breeding ground for unchecked abuse.”
Page Six is told that in 2018, a group of former “high-level” volunteers — and one who was still a volunteer at the time — sent a letter to the trendy ministry’s leaders warning of “verified, widely circulated stories of inappropriate sexual behavior amongst staff/interns.”
We’re told that one person employed by the church was asked to step down after it was revealed that, as the letter put it, he had “multiple inappropriate sexual relationships with several female leaders and volunteers and was verbally, emotionally, and according to one woman, physically abusive in his relationships with these women.”
The group claimed that another church member even caught the same employee “having sex” with a church leader.
Related Video
Meanwhile, the letter accused another male staffer of “not respecting physical and sexual boundaries within dating relationships with female church volunteers,” including having “sex with a 19-20-year-old female team member.”
The group claimed in the letter that there are only “vague or absent sexual harassment/sexual assault” policies at the church, and that the organization fosters a “culture of silence and fear.”
The group added, “This environment is dangerous and a breeding ground for unchecked abuse.”
The letter also claimed that the church’s volunteers feared verbal abuse and “harsh words, belittlement, name-calling from certain pastors and staff.”
Disgraced Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz Anne Wermiel/NY Post
It accused one pastor of “losing his temper, bullying, yelling and outright screaming at other volunteers and leaders.” When someone spoke to staff about the pastor, they were told, “that’s just how they are — it’s their personality/culture.”
We’re told the letter was sent to seven of the top leaders in the US branch of the church, including Lentz. It’s unclear how the church responded to the letter or the allegations made in it.
Lentz — who founded the American wing of the superchurch, which began in Australia — was fired in November after it was revealed that he had cheated on his wife this year.
It was subsequently revealed that he’d had a number of other affairs.
Easter service at Hillsong megachurch in Sydney SplashNews.com
Hillsong has counted Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Chris Pratt and Kourtney Kardashian among its congregation, among many other celebrities.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--NBA schedule could impact Nets’ chemistry as Kevin Durant era begins

On paper , the Nets appear to be as good as ...

The condensed NBA schedule this season is going to punish teams making changes. Then there are the Nets, who have changed their coach, offense, defense and lineup. Their conundrum is clear.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” coach Steve Nash admitted as his Nets prepared for Friday’s preseason finale in Boston. “You do the best you can, try to keep people healthy first and foremost, and then try to find that cohesion and collective experience second. They’re both priorities. They’re both a little [in] antithesis to one another.
“The last ingredient is if the guys really buy in and understand this is going to be a trying season and they have to connect as people off the floor as well to try to make this experience as enjoyable as possible, and make as many connections as possible rather than just being pieces of a puzzle in their own silos.”
It would be understandable if the Nets were a bunch of disconnected silos. Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Warriors will be Kyrie Irving’s first game since Feb. 1 (shoulder), Kevin Durant’s first since June 2019 (Achilles) and Nash’s first ever as a coach.
“Even from the bubble, it’s going to be a different team, especially from last year when we started. So really it’s going to be tough,” Jarrett Allen said. “We only had a couple months to prepare, and now the season’s going to be even shorter, so it’s definitely going to fast-forward everything.
“We’re going to have to try to force-feed some chemistry, learn each other’s games even quicker. Not only watch film on the other team, but watch film on us, see what everybody likes to do.”
Nets head coach Steve Nash (l.) and Kevin Durant NBAE via Getty Images
With a 72-game schedule — 1,080 NBA games crammed into five months — reduced practice time will hurt the Nets. More three- and four-game weeks will mean lots of load management and nights off for Durant, despite the NBA reiterating it will fine teams for resting players for national TV games.
“We’re not in the business of making excuses. So, is it difficult to have a whole new team? Of course. Is it difficult to be dealing with coronavirus? Of course. There are things everybody’s dealing with at this moment in time that aren’t seamless or easy,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “It’s going to be on us. We need to be accountable. We need to do our jobs.”
The Nets’ seven back-to-backs in the first half are about average, but only four times will they have tough spans of three games in four nights. That’s tied for the NBA’s second-fewest, one more than the Trail Blazers and half the Knicks’ league-high eight. The downside is it guarantees a brutal post-All Star slog.
The Nets’ enviable depth must help snare early wins — especially in home games against lesser teams, when Durant and Irving are more likely to sit.
“There’s an argument to be made that — because we have better depth than most teams — we have an advantage there. So, where we have less time under our belt together, we also have more depth,” Dinwiddie said. “If you look at some of the other top teams and take off their first or second guy, maybe third guy, the roster is unrecognizable. Whereas with ours, we have a lot of continuity.
“You take off those type of pieces — [DeAndre Jordan], KD, Kyrie, the main guys — you still have myself, Caris [LeVert], Joe [Harris], Jarrett Allen that have helped us get to the playoffs. It’s a situation where we have to do our best to make their lives easy, the same way they make our lives easy.”
While Dinwiddie joked the Nets will guard any team-building secrets like Fort Knox, he echoed Nash’s thoughts about lack of on-court time making their off-court bonding all the more vital.
“Take these road trips, take the time at dinners together, whatever it may be. Just continue to build that chemistry, that camaraderie, try to be in sync off the floor,” Dinwiddie said. “We have the talent to do something special. It’s about coming together and being accountable.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Chicago mayor admits she learned of naked woman’s wrong arrest in 2019

Chicago police burst into an innocent woman ’ s home and arrested ...

Chicago’s mayor on Thursday admitted her staff told her about a botched 2019 police raid — in which a naked woman was wrongly arrested in her own home — much sooner than she previously claimed.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot had said Wednesday that she only learned of the February 2019 raid on Anjanette Young’s home this week — when police body camera footage of the harrowing incident was aired by CBS Chicago.
However, on Thursday, Lightfoot acknowledged that her staff told her about Young’s case back in November 2019, when the outlet first began reporting on it.
“It was flagged for me,” Lightfoot said, according to CBS Chicago.
The mayor said her team knew she was concerned with reforming issues around search warrants, “so this was lifted up to me as yet another example.”
But, she said she had “no recollection” of being told about the case — and maintained that she only saw the damning footage of the raid this week.
The video showed how the team of all-male cops — using a warrant with the wrong information — broke through Young’s door and then arrested her while she stood naked in her living room.
Young, 50, a licensed social worker, can be heard telling the cops 43 times that they are at the wrong home.
The footage only emerged after a yearlong court battle. Both CBS Chicago and Young had filed Freedom of Information Act requests to obtain the footage, but the Chicago Police Department denied both.
A court eventually forced cops to turn over the video to Young as part of her lawsuit against the department.
Lightfoot apologized to Young on Wednesday after the footage aired.
“Knowing that my words will not change what happened to you and your family almost two years ago, I nonetheless say I am sorry,” she said.
“I will make sure there is full accountability for what took place.”
On Thursday, Lightfoot also said she had ordered a review of Young’s FOIA request to find out why it was denied.
She said she would also be ordering changes to city policies so that victims like Young don’t have to file such requests for video of themselves.
“Anytime a person who is a victim requests information about an incident that happened to them, our government’s obligation is to respond in a fulsome, transparent, and immediate way,” Lightfoot said.
“We’ve got to be more responsive and do a better job, and we’re going to do that.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Gov. Cuomo urges help from Big Labor to address fiscal crisis

Gov .
Andrew Cuomo huddled virtually with labor leaders to discuss the gravity of New York ’ s pandemic-fueled fiscal crisis as he and lawmakers struggle to close a massive hole in next year ’ s budget .
“ The governor ’ s message was , ‘ Things are dire .
I ’ m going to need your help , ' ” a union source said of Wednesday ’ s secret chat .
The labor insider said the secret Wednesday meeting had its tense moments , with Cuomo expressing displeasure over the 2.5 million New York State AFL-CIO putting its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding an emergency end-of-year session to impose $ 7 billion to $ 9 billion in tax hikes on the wealthy to deal with the fiscal crisis .
The letter basically sided with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie , who wants to pass taxes right away , as opposed to Cuomo , who wants to address taxes and spending as part of next year ’ s budget talks and waiting to see if Congress and President-elect Joe Biden deliver COVID-19 relief aid early next year .
Participants in the conference call included George Gresham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Andy Pallotta , head of New York State United Teachers , and Mary Sullivan , president of the Civil Service Employees Association , the union representing the largest number of state government work workers .
Their unions were among the ten who signed on to the AFLI-CIO tax the wealthy letter .
“ Andy is in constant communication with the governor ’ s office on ways to stave off harmful cuts to education as we gear up for the budget process in the coming session , ” NYSUT spokesman Matthew Hamilton said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo and the union leaders expressed consternation that Congress will not immediately cough up money to help close the state ’ s massive budget hole , and worried any aid that may come after President-elect Biden takes office next year will be too late to prevent deep cuts in spending , which raises the specter of layoffs of government workers .
Cuomo ’ s office had no immediate comment .
But the governor did please the unions when he also announced on Wednesday he would advance $ 1.5 billion to “ central organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disruption including layoffs .
The NY AFL-CIO put out a statement Thursday applauding the move and expressing a more conciliatory view toward the governor ’ s position of addressing the tax issue as part of next year ’ s budget .
“ This action will stave off layoffs through the foreseeable future .
It will also provide New York with a clearer picture of the economic landscape and allow us to have a better idea of federal funding to state and local governments , led by the efforts of the Biden administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis during the state budget process , and with a more comprehensive approach that will include tax increases and revenue enhancers , will help to ensure that New York State gets back on solid financial footing , and more importantly , saves the jobs and livelihoods of tens of thousands of New Yorkers , ” the AFL-CIO added .

Gov. Andrew Cuomo huddled virtually with labor leaders to discuss the gravity of New York’s pandemic-fueled fiscal crisis as he and lawmakers struggle to close a massive hole in next year’s budget.
“The governor’s message was, ‘Things are dire. I’m going to need your help,'” a union source said of Wednesday’s secret chat.
The labor insider said the secret Wednesday meeting had its tense moments, with Cuomo expressing displeasure over the 2.5 million New York State AFL-CIO putting its muscle behind a letter supporting state lawmakers holding an emergency end-of-year session to impose $7 billion to $9 billion in tax hikes on the wealthy to deal with the fiscal crisis.
The letter basically sided with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who wants to pass taxes right away, as opposed to Cuomo, who wants to address taxes and spending as part of next year’s budget talks and waiting to see if Congress and President-elect Joe Biden deliver COVID-19 relief aid early next year.
Participants in the conference call included George Gresham, president of health care workers union 1199/SEIU; Andy Pallotta, head of New York State United Teachers, and Mary Sullivan, president of the Civil Service Employees Association, the union representing the largest number of state government work workers.
Their unions were among the ten who signed on to the AFLI-CIO tax the wealthy letter.
“Andy is in constant communication with the governor’s office on ways to stave off harmful cuts to education as we gear up for the budget process in the coming session,” NYSUT spokesman Matthew Hamilton said when asked about the meeting.
Both Cuomo and the union leaders expressed consternation that Congress will not immediately cough up money to help close the state’s massive budget hole, and worried any aid that may come after President-elect Biden takes office next year will be too late to prevent deep cuts in spending, which raises the specter of layoffs of government workers.
Cuomo’s office had no immediate comment.
But the governor did please the unions when he also announced on Wednesday he would advance $1.5 billion to “central organizations” to provide cash flow to avoid disruption including layoffs.
The NY AFL-CIO put out a statement Thursday applauding the move and expressing a more conciliatory view toward the governor’s position of addressing the tax issue as part of next year’s budget.
“This action will stave off layoffs through the foreseeable future. It will also provide New York with a clearer picture of the economic landscape and allow us to have a better idea of federal funding to state and local governments, led by the efforts of the Biden administration,” the statement said.
“Addressing this crisis during the state budget process, and with a more comprehensive approach that will include tax increases and revenue enhancers, will help to ensure that New York State gets back on solid financial footing, and more importantly, saves the jobs and livelihoods of tens of thousands of New Yorkers,” the AFL-CIO added.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Tom Cruise reportedly goes on early Christmas break after explosive COVID rant

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Tom Cruise has decided to go on an early Christmas break after being caught on audio berating his staff on the set of “ Mission : Impossible 7 ” for failing to follow strict COVID-19 rules , according to a report .
Cruise will be wrapping up filming for the year on Friday , and is heading to Miami on his private jet over the weekend to spend the holidays with his son , Connor , The Sun reported Thursday .
“ It has been exhausting keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s not getting any easier – Christmas can ’ t come soon enough , ” a source told the outlet .
“ It ’ s the end of a really tough year , and a bit of time out seems like a good idea for everyone as tensions have been mounting for a while.
” The Hollywood star ’ s early break comes after an audio recording of his explosive meltdown was leaked this week .
Cruise erupted when he saw two crew members standing within six feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling the staff they ’ d be fired if they didn ’ t follow the coronavirus guidelines on set .
“ If I see you do it again , you ’ re f—ing gone , ” Cruise yelled .
“ And if anyone in this crew does it , that ’ s it — and you too and you too .
And you , don ’ t you ever f—ing do it again.
” His angry outburst left the 50 crew members at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden , Hertfordshire , shocked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the rant .
Cruise has been pictured on set wearing a mask , and even rented a cruise ship so the staff could self-isolate on .
Sources told The Sun Cruise ’ s only intention was to enforce the rules for safety concerns .
“ Tom has taken it upon himself to try to enforce precautions with a view to keeping the film running , ” the sources said .

Tom Cruise has decided to go on an early Christmas break after being caught on audio berating his staff on the set of “Mission: Impossible 7” for failing to follow strict COVID-19 rules, according to a report.
Cruise will be wrapping up filming for the year on Friday, and is heading to Miami on his private jet over the weekend to spend the holidays with his son, Connor, The Sun reported Thursday.
“It has been exhausting keeping the production on track for so long, and it’s not getting any easier – Christmas can’t come soon enough,” a source told the outlet. “It’s the end of a really tough year, and a bit of time out seems like a good idea for everyone as tensions have been mounting for a while.”
The Hollywood star’s early break comes after an audio recording of his explosive meltdown was leaked this week.
Cruise erupted when he saw two crew members standing within six feet of each other. He can be heard telling the staff they’d be fired if they didn’t follow the coronavirus guidelines on set.
“If I see you do it again, you’re f—ing gone,” Cruise yelled. “And if anyone in this crew does it, that’s it — and you too and you too. And you, don’t you ever f—ing do it again.”
Tom Cruise on the Rome set of “Mission: Impossible 7” recently. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
His angry outburst left the 50 crew members at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, shocked. Five staffers later quit as a result of the rant.
Cruise has been pictured on set wearing a mask, and even rented a cruise ship so the staff could self-isolate on.
Sources told The Sun Cruise’s only intention was to enforce the rules for safety concerns.
“Tom has taken it upon himself to try to enforce precautions with a view to keeping the film running,” the sources said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Why Tom Rinaldi left ESPN for Fox Sports

Tom Rinaldi is about storytelling. When asked about his move from ESPN to Fox Sports, he talked about how his favorite story is always the “Next one.”
Next, he harkened back, to a time before he became a broadcaster, to when he was a high school teacher and coach in Pittsburgh and then in the South Bronx at Morris High School. He remembers the feeling when students graduated.
“I would find myself sad, kind of at a loss, because the students were going on to their ‘next,’ their next adventure, their next chapter, their next move,” Rinaldi told The Post. “And I wasn’t. That’s always been a part of something in me. In this case, the simple truth is a chance to move to the next.”
While it is true Rinaldi will continue to make a seven-figure living at Fox, he said the move is about what Fox could offer him that ESPN couldn’t, meaning the excitement that comes with “a chance to move on to the next.”
Fox Sports, led by its CEO Eric Shanks and its executive producer Brad Zager, wooed Rinaldi over Zoom for the past few months.
“It is about as 2020 as it gets,” said Rinaldi, who grew up and still lives in Bergen County. “All of it was without ever being in the same room.”
This gave him a comfort level to leave ESPN, about which he only had good things to say, but which he chose not to give the opportunity to match his increased salary.
ESPN recently eliminated 500 positions and let go of 300 employees. It has also been tighter in contract negotiations with on-air personalities.
ESPN executive vice president Stephanie Druley said in a statement that ESPN was proud of Rinaldi’s award-winning years at the company.
“While we are disappointed to see Tom move on, the moment we find ourselves in demands an even more disciplined approach to our business, and we are blessed with exceptional storytellers who lead us forward,” Druley said.
In Rinaldi’s place, ESPN will increase the presence of Jen Lada and Gene Wojciechowski on GameDay, while Marty Smith and Wojciechowski, on golf, and Jeremy Schaap, on tennis, will expand their roles. ESPN has not yet decided who will replace Rinaldi on the sideline for the National Championship opposite Maria Taylor.
When asked directly if this was a financial decision, Rinaldi declined to answer.
“I’m going to keep any of the financial considerations private, but I can tell you with absolute earnestness that ESPN has been awesome in every phase from the moment I have arrived to the most challenging year that it has had, in 2020,” Rinaldi said.
In his classic Rinaldi style, he added, “This is not stepping away from something as it is stepping toward something.”
And Fox thinks Rinaldi will fit right in, raising its biggest events to a higher level.
“Tom has created almost a category of his own in the way that he has been able to tell stories and features in sports,” Zager said. “He’s become almost an adjective. It’s a Rinaldi-type piece.”
Rinaldi, in the style he brought to ESPN for nearly two decades, added: “It is a once in a lifetime to have the opportunity to contribute, in whatever ways, to the Super Bowl, to the World Cup to the World Series, those are once in a lifetime opportunities, and they are properties that only Fox has.
“It really is for the next.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Miley Cyrus knew she made it when she ‘pissed off’ Cher

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Miley Cyrus says she knew she ’ d made it big when she “ pissed off Cher.
” Cyrus joined Billy Idol on his upcoming SiriusXM special , “ Live Transmission Christmas , ” and she groused to the “ White Wedding ” rocker about , “ the amount of people that have talked s–t about my records , or what I ’ m doing.
” Cyrus recalled , “ I had Cher come after me on Twitter… that ’ s when I thought I had really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Oh , Cher gives a f–k about what I ’ m doing.
’ ” To jog your memory : Cher slammed Cyrus ’ 2013 VMAs performance , by saying , “ She can ’ t dance , her body looked like hell , the song wasn ’ t great , one cheek was hanging out .
And , chick , don ’ t stick out your tongue if it ’ s coated.
” Cyrus told Idol , “ she was mad that I was sticking my tongue out all the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m like , ‘ Yo , I pissed Cher off , I really made it !
’ That ’ s what I mean : When these legends , and these icons , and these artists that we look up to — when they , y ’ know… f–king hate us , it ’ s still a compliment.
” Idol recently collaborated with Cyrus on her new album .
“ Live Transmission Christmas ” will be a special edition of his SiriusXM show on Dec. 22 .

Miley Cyrus says she knew she’d made it big when she “pissed off Cher.”
Cyrus joined Billy Idol on his upcoming SiriusXM special, “Live Transmission Christmas,” and she groused to the “White Wedding” rocker about, “the amount of people that have talked s–t about my records, or what I’m doing.”
Cyrus recalled, “I had Cher come after me on Twitter… that’s when I thought I had really made it. I’m like, ‘Oh, Cher gives a f–k about what I’m doing.’”
To jog your memory: Cher slammed Cyrus’ 2013 VMAs performance, by saying, “She can’t dance, her body looked like hell, the song wasn’t great, one cheek was hanging out. And, chick, don’t stick out your tongue if it’s coated.”
Cyrus told Idol, “she was mad that I was sticking my tongue out all the time, and all that s–t. And I’m like, ‘Yo, I pissed Cher off, I really made it!’ That’s what I mean: When these legends, and these icons, and these artists that we look up to — when they, y’know… f–king hate us, it’s still a compliment.”
Idol recently collaborated with Cyrus on her new album. “Live Transmission Christmas” will be a special edition of his SiriusXM show on Dec. 22.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Rams’ surging Cam Akers could run roughshod over Jets

The Jets will see arguably the best defensive player in ...

The challenge of dealing with Aaron Donald and the No. 1-ranked defense in the NFL has received a deserved amount of attention this week, but the winless Jets can expect to have their hands full against the Los Angeles Rams on the other side of the ball, too.
After getting torched for 174 rushing yards and 40 points in last week’s walkover loss to Seattle, the Jets’ depleted defense is preparing to face a balanced Sean McVay offense, which ranks fifth in the league in yards per game (eighth in rushing and 12th in passing).
Rookie running back Cam Akers posted a career-best 171 rushing yards in a 24-3 Week 14 win over the Patriots.
“There are a lot of challenges. They’re a really good football team that is not too far removed from a Super Bowl. We’re not quite where they are right now, and we have to figure out how to slow them down,” Jets interim defensive coordinator Frank Bush said after practice Thursday in Florham Park. “Considering what happened in the running game last week [against Seattle], I’m sure they’re licking their chops a little bit, so it’s going to be a challenge for us, and our guys have to step up.”
Adam Gase and Cam Akers Robert Sabo, Getty Images
Bush admitted the Seahawks’ running game, “didn’t get us a little, they got us a lot” last week in his first game as fired Gregg Williams’ replacement, including 142 combined rushing yards by Chris Carson (76) and Carlos Hyde (66).
Akers, the Rams’ second-round pick out of Florida State, and second-year back Darrell Henderson have combined for 1,092 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground in a backfield timeshare this season.
In addition to linebacker Jordan Jenkins, who is out for the season with a shoulder injury, the Jets will be without run-stopping defensive lineman Folorunso Fatukasi, who was placed Thursday on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
“I think those guys have been doing a good job,” Jets coach Adam Gase said of the Rams’ young running backs. “Anytime you get a rookie in there that’s having production and doing what [Akers is] doing, especially the last game, I’m sure Sean’s excited to see him really developed in the way that he has.”
While McVay, during the Rams’ 9-4 start, has leaned more heavily on the rushing attack this season than he did last season, quarterback Jared Goff still has completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 3,509 yards. And receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods have combined for 155 receptions and eight touchdowns.
“I think Sean’s done a good job of putting that group together, coming in there and getting the veterans he needed to get, getting Robert Woods in there, developing the quarterback quickly,” Gase said. “They have a lot of skill guys that they put around him right away.
“He was able to kind of put that thing together in short order. He had some good pieces to start with on defense, and then he was able to add the pieces he needed on offense to kind of finish the vision that he had for what that offense wanted to look like.”
Gase also has been complimentary all week towards the Rams’ defense, which is led by Donald (NFL-high 12.5 sacks) and three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey. But the Jets’ 30th-ranked D will be greatly tested Sunday, as well.
“They have a great scheme and Coach McVay and those guys were in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago,” cornerback Bless Austin said. “You see a very complex offense, they move the ball from hash-to-hash, north-south, doing a lot of misdirection and reverses and things to buy yards. As a defender, it’s a very complex, sophisticated offense.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Roof of Binghamton athletic dome collapses from heavy snowfall

The roof of an athletic dome in Binghamton — one of the largest in the state — collapsed Wednesday night @ @ @ @ @ with over three feet of snow .
Bahij Kashou , the owner of The Greater @ @ @ @ @ WICZ the roof couldn ’ t handle the reported 40 inches of snow that fell @ @ @ @ @ Usually , you know depending on how the snow comes , if it comes around @ @ @ @ @ ’ s different , ” Kashou said .
“ But all at once made it @ @ @ @ @ collapse.
” It ’ s unclear when the structure will be repaired .
The Southern @ @ @ @ @ Storm Gail , with snowfall rates of 4 to 5 inches per hour from an @ @ @ @ @ up over the area , according to the National Weather Service .

The roof of an athletic dome in Binghamton — one of the largest in the state — collapsed Wednesday night as the area was pummeled with over three feet of snow.
Bahij Kashou, the owner of The Greater Binghamton Sports Complex, told WICZ the roof couldn’t handle the reported 40 inches of snow that fell in the area.
“Usually, you know depending on how the snow comes, if it comes around two or three days it’s different,” Kashou said.
“But all at once made it difficult and caused it to collapse.”
It’s unclear when the structure will be repaired.
The Southern Tier was walloped by Winter Storm Gail, with snowfall rates of 4 to 5 inches per hour from an intense snow band that set up over the area, according to the National Weather Service.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Mitch McConnell to get COVID-19 vaccine ‘in the coming days’

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday night that he will receive a COVID-19 vaccine “ in the coming @ @ @ @ @ announcement in a statement posted to Twitter , where he also expressed confidence in the @ @ @ @ @ “ Because of government continuity requirements , I have been informed by the Office of @ @ @ @ @ am eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine , which I will accept in the coming days @ @ @ @ @ ) said .
The lawmaker said in the statement he was “ disappointed ” at @ @ @ @ @ of American adults showing some hesitation toward the drug .
“ As a polio survivor @ @ @ @ @ fear of a disease and the extraordinary promise of hope that vaccines bring .
I @ @ @ @ @ Americans will heed this advice and accept this safe and effective vaccine , ” he @ @

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday night that he will receive a COVID-19 vaccine “in the coming days.”
McConnell made the announcement in a statement posted to Twitter, where he also expressed confidence in the vaccine’s safety.
“Because of government continuity requirements, I have been informed by the Office of the Attending Physician that I am eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, which I will accept in the coming days,” McConnell (R-Ky.) said.
The lawmaker said in the statement he was “disappointed” at results of a public poll of American adults showing some hesitation toward the drug.
“As a polio survivor, I know both the fear of a disease and the extraordinary promise of hope that vaccines bring. I truly hope all Kentuckians and Americans will heed this advice and accept this safe and effective vaccine,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Joe Biden addresses Hunter investigations during ‘Colbert’ appearance

President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday appeared on “ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , ” where he told the comedian that he has “ great confidence ” in his son Hunter .
Joe Biden defended Hunter after the son last week revealed the existence of federal investigations into his “ tax affairs ” and business dealings in Ukraine .
“ We have great confidence in our son , ” Biden told Colbert .
“ I ’ m not concerned about any accusations made against him .
It ’ s used to get to me .
I think it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , uh , look , it is what it is.
” Joe Biden went on to praise his son ’ s intellect while pledging to work with Republicans who seek to probe Hunter ’ s money issues .
“ He ’ s a grown man .
He is the smartest man I know … in pure intellectual capacity and as long as he ’ s good , we ’ re good , ” Biden said .
Hunter Biden addressed the investigations in a statement issued by the Biden-Harris transition team last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately , including with the benefit of professional tax advisors , ” Hunter wrote .
In October , The Post revealed that Hunter Biden had introduced a top executive at Burisma — a Ukrainian energy company on whose board he sat — to his father .

President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” where he told the comedian that he has “great confidence” in his son Hunter.
Joe Biden defended Hunter after the son last week revealed the existence of federal investigations into his “tax affairs” and business dealings in Ukraine.
“We have great confidence in our son,” Biden told Colbert.
“I’m not concerned about any accusations made against him. It’s used to get to me. I think it’s kind of foul play. But, uh, look, it is what it is.”
Joe Biden went on to praise his son’s intellect while pledging to work with Republicans who seek to probe Hunter’s money issues.
“He’s a grown man. He is the smartest man I know … in pure intellectual capacity and as long as he’s good, we’re good,” Biden said.
Hunter Biden addressed the investigations in a statement issued by the Biden-Harris transition team last week.
“I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors,” Hunter wrote.
In October, The Post revealed that Hunter Biden had introduced a top executive at Burisma — a Ukrainian energy company on whose board he sat — to his father.


newyorkpost--2020-12-17--Woman goes viral after diving into dangerous surf to rescue beer kegs

An Australian woman became a viral sensation for her daring effort to rescue two beer kegs being swept out to @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
The woman sprang into action as the suds were floating away from a @ @ @ @ @ Queensland city of Currumbin .
Footage captured by shows her falling in the rough surf @ @ @ @ @ of one the kegs .
“ There ’ s nothing like the ocean … it @ @ @ @ @ ” the woman later told the news outlet .
The rough seas were caused by @ @ @ @ @ Australia ’ s southeast coast , which also battered the area with heavy rains and @ @ @ @ @ said .

An Australian woman became a viral sensation for her daring effort to rescue two beer kegs being swept out to sea during stormy weather on Monday.
The woman sprang into action as the suds were floating away from a local surf club in the Queensland city of Currumbin.
Footage captured by shows her falling in the rough surf just before grabbing a hold of one the kegs.
“There’s nothing like the ocean … it’s pretty spectacular,” the woman later told the news outlet.
The rough seas were caused by a slow moving storm off Australia’s southeast coast, which also battered the area with heavy rains and high winds, the report said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-18--‘Morning Show’ pauses filming as crew member tests positive for COVID-19

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) “ The Morning Show ” @ @ @ @ @ hold after a crew member tested positive for COVID-19 .
The Apple TV+ series , @ @ @ @ @ Reese Witherspoon , canceled a night shoot that had been slated for Thursday , Dec. @ @ @ @ @ , Calif. , according to E !
News .
A second round of testing is @ @ @ @ @ in case the crew member received a false positive .
Any person who came into @ @ @ @ @ self-isolating , E !
News reported .
Season 2 of the show began shooting again @ @ @ @ @ delayed this past spring because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Aniston , 51 , was @ @ @ @ @ in Los Angeles on Tuesday .
Page Six has reached out to show reps for @ @

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
“The Morning Show” canceled a shoot Thursday night after a crew member tested positive for COVID-19.
But a source close to production told Page Six on Friday that the staffer actually received a false positive.
The Apple TV+ series, which stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, scrapped Thursday evening’s filming “out of caution,” following protocol, after the crew member initially tested positive, our source said.
We’re told that shoot was supposed to be the show’s final one before the holiday break, so it’s unclear whether it’ll be rescheduled before the holidays or for 2021.
Jennifer Aniston shooting Season 2 of “The Morning Show” on Dec. 16, 2020 CPR/D.Sanchez / BACKGRID
Season 2 of the show began shooting again in October after filming was delayed this past spring because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Aniston, 51, was just photographed shooting in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
E! News first reported news of the staffer testing positive for COVID-19.
Page Six has reached out to show reps for comment.


newyorkpost--2020-12-18--Glynn Turman Breaks Down His Climactic ‘Ma Rainey’ Scene With Chadwick Boseman

Warning : This interview contains spoilers for Ma Rainey ’ s Black Bottom on Netflix .
Save this article until after you ’ ve watched the film .
Glynn Turman has been in the game for six decades and shows no signs of slowing down .
That ’ s no exaggeration : The 73-year-old actor began his career at age 12 , in the original Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun .
Since then , he ’ s acted in over a hundred TV shows and films , including—just to name a few—Cooley High , The Wire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently , Fargo Season 4 .
Now he ’ s starring alongside Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey ’ s Black Bottom , Netflix ’ s adaptation of August Wilson ’ s award-winning 1982 play , which debuted on the streaming service today .
Turman takes on the crucial role of Toledo , the soft-spoken , thoughtful pianist in a blues band lead by singer Ma Rainey ( Davis ) .
Tensions rise among the band as Ma is running late to a recording session in 1920s Chicago , but unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , Toledo never loses his cool .
And yet , by the brilliant-but-cruel stroke of Wilson ’ s pen , Toledo pays dearly for his serene disposition .
It ’ s a role Turman was intimately familiar with , having played Toledo in a stage production of Ma Rainey at the Los Angeles Music Center in 2016 , though , as he told Decider in a Zoom interview , it ’ s a little different with a camera in your face .
Notably , Netflix ’ s Ma Rainey—directed by George C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ruben Santiago-Hudson , and produced by Denzel Washington—was the final role for the Black Panther star who died from complications with colon cancer in August , after keeping his diagnosis a secret for four years .
Turman saw no trace of Levee ’ s arrogance in Boseman when they filmed in 2019 .
“ He didn ’ t have to be coddled because he was a superstar , ” Turman said .
“ He wasn ’ t about that.
” Turman spoke to Decider about bonding with the late star and his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hope to stop dying on screen .
Decider : You performed the role of Toledo in 2016 .
Tell me your journey from that performance on stage to being in this film version of the play .
Glynn Turman : I promised Denzel Washington in 2016 , who came backstage afterward , that I would stay ready for this production that he told me , at that time , he was working on bringing to the screen .
That ’ s what I did .
We ’ ve been friends for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to work with one another .
This was one of those opportunities .
He stayed true to his word , which worked to my benefit .
How was playing the role in the movie version , in front of a camera , versus playing it on stage ?
Did you approach it differently ?
Well , the core of a role comes from the same place .
It doesn ’ t change whether you ’ re on screen or on film , the truth of the core of what your character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s just the technique that ’ s a little different .
A technique that ’ s a little bit different than trying to reach a house that ’ s full of 1000 people , 1200 people .
With a moment of , say , joy , or a moment of sorrow , trying to do the same thing with the camera in your face , the technique ’ s different .
But the truth of where that passion is coming from is no different .
Tell me a little more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been with this character for a few years now ; I imagine you know him pretty well .
I think more and more , it ’ s good that he ’ s a man who ’ s carrying around something that is not spoken of by the other characters , and that is a broken heart .
He was obviously in love with a woman that he didn ’ t have anything bad to say about .
“ I couldn ’ t say nothing bad about this woman.
” But she got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the church .
He was a victim of her perception of him through the eyes of the church .
Toledo has all of these philosophies on life , and on race in particular .
Do you agree with him ?
Yeah , when he tells Levee , “ I ’ ve been a fool .
But the difference between me and you is , I ’ ve only been a fool once .
You ’ re not going to catch me being a fool twice about the same thing.
” In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m a man who ’ s learned his lesson .
You haven ’ t learned your lesson .
You don ’ t learn your lesson .
We all get tested , but we ’ re supposed to learn our lesson from that test.
” So that ’ s a philosophy that makes sense to me , it makes sense to Glynn Turman .
But the most outstanding is the one when he says , “ We all need to do our part .
We need to work together .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together.
” And August had his finger on the pulse of the community .
Couldn ’ t be any better put , and it couldn ’ t be any better demonstrated to show you how relevant it was than the voting [ in the presidential election ] that took place just three weeks ago .
This is a perfect example of what we can do as a people when we come together and stop playing around .
Get busy , get down to business .
We can change the course of our lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s suffering from any kind of injustice .
Those are his philosophies ; those are Glynn ’ s philosophies .
Perfect timing of “ practice what you preach.
” As good as the movie is , it ’ s also hard to watch because we ’ re still mourning the loss of Chadwick Boseman .
The two of you have intense scenes together .
What do you remember about working with him on set ?
Chadwick was a consummate artist , a consummate professional .
Mostly on time , and always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Being an old man , and being in this business for 60 years , these are things that count to me .
Don ’ t want these young whippersnappers coming in late , holdin ’ up my day !
I ’ ve only got so many productive hours where I can concentrate and remember the lines I ’ ve got to remember .
Come in , get ready to do the work , pick up your cues , and let ’ s get on out of here .
He was the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He didn ’ t have to be coddled because he was a superstar .
He wasn ’ t about that .
That was refreshing to see .
I assume you were not aware of his diagnosis .
No , not at all .
I was devastated [ when I heard the news ] .
I was heartbroken .
I ’ m still heartbroken .
Did you have any conversations about your characters and their warring philosophies on set ?
No , not really .
We had more fun teasing each other .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : He could laugh , he could take a joke , he could give one .
He could mess around .
We ’ d sit in the tent and we ’ d talk trash .
That ’ s the part that I really remember about him , and really came to love .
Got to see how much he adored his wife-to-be , Simone .
Once he introduced me to her , that was fantastic .
She was a sweetheart and beautiful , and his eyes sparkled .
She took such care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what that was all about at that time , but she was right there for him .
I enjoyed those kinds of moments , seeing that out of the corner of my eye offset .
The dedication that he had as a performer is obvious because his work was so good in everything that he did .
You don ’ t get that by accident .
You get that by hard-ass work .
If you don ’ t mind me asking , who were you guys trash talking ?
Actually , we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when she was introduced to me , and she kind of stumbled a little bit .
I said , “ Chadwick , she ’ s beautiful , but she ’ s a little clumsy.
” And he said , “ Yeah , she is , isn ’ t she ?
” She got so mad—well , not really mad , but playfully .
Started hitting me , started slapping him .
“ I ’ m not clumsy !
I ’ m not !
” That was our run-in joke through the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very human and very adorable thing to be a part of .
Tell me about filming Toledo ’ s big , climactic death scene at the hand of Levee ’ s knife .
Well , that was a dance of death .
It was really very physical .
And that ’ s what was so amazing once I found out what he was dealing with , because he had to hold my dead weight .
He had to lift me up two or three times in that scene for at least 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The physicality was what was amazing — how physically committed he was to doing take after take in such a strenuous scene .
He was giving it all he had .
You had another great role just this past month in FX ’ s Fargo , in which you also had a death scene .
How do you approach death scenes as an actor ?
Is that a strange experience for you ?
You know , the older I get , the more it sucks .
It ’ s like practice , right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hey , when you ’ re a kid and you ’ re acting out different scenes with your friends , whether it ’ s cowboys or Indians or space this or space that , you get shot .
The first thing you do is practice your death scene .
[ Imitates death scene ] “ Oh , ah , ah !
” It ’ s no different .
“ Ah !
” The only difference now is I get paid to do that same thing .
“ Ah , ah , ah !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hold your breath .
It ’ s part of the show .
I wish that this film could have the big premiere that it deserves .
Unfortunately , because of the pandemic , I ’ m sure that ’ s not possible .
But is the cast doing anything virtually ?
How will you be watching the film ?
No , I ’ m watching it with family .
We won ’ t be watching it together .
I would have loved it on a big screen with people and fellow castmates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re all just great .
Everybody ’ s really great .
Viola [ Davis ] is so present .
By that , for those who don ’ t know what I mean when I say she ’ s so present : it ’ s wonderful to look at your fellow co-actor and look in their eyes and know that they ’ re really following and listening to you .
She ’ s always present .
You can count on her .
Taylour Paige , I don ’ t know if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name of Taylour Paige , who has done a wonderful , wonderful job in this piece .
She ’ s both charismatic and beautiful , and very dedicated and talented .
Young Dusan [ Brown ] is just , he had us crackin ’ up .
He ’ s just brilliant .
He ’ s going to be a big producer , you watch and see .
When he gets into this business , he ’ s going to be quite a force .
So it ’ s just a wonderful cast all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ ve had a long career , and you ’ re still getting great roles—two in the last few months alone .
What do you look for when you ’ re choosing roles , and how has that changed over the years ?
Well , I ’ ll tell you what I ’ m looking for the next time , because I ’ ve got a project coming up that I can ’ t talk about right now .
My managers tell me we can ’ t talk about that just yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanding role .
Very emotional role .
Coming off of this one , which was very emotional .
And then , of course , you saw what happened in Fargo .
So I ’ m looking for a comedy next .
That ’ s how I ’ m going to choose my next role !
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity .

Warning: This interview contains spoilers for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix. Save this article until after you’ve watched the film.
Glynn Turman has been in the game for six decades and shows no signs of slowing down. That’s no exaggeration: The 73-year-old actor began his career at age 12, in the original Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun. Since then, he’s acted in over a hundred TV shows and films, including—just to name a few—Cooley High, The Wire, and House of Lies, and most recently, Fargo Season 4. Now he’s starring alongside Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Netflix’s adaptation of August Wilson’s award-winning 1982 play, which debuted on the streaming service today.
Turman takes on the crucial role of Toledo, the soft-spoken, thoughtful pianist in a blues band lead by singer Ma Rainey (Davis). Tensions rise among the band as Ma is running late to a recording session in 1920s Chicago, but unlike the hot-headed young trumpet player (Boseman), Toledo never loses his cool. And yet, by the brilliant-but-cruel stroke of Wilson’s pen, Toledo pays dearly for his serene disposition. It’s a role Turman was intimately familiar with, having played Toledo in a stage production of Ma Rainey at the Los Angeles Music Center in 2016, though, as he told Decider in a Zoom interview, it’s a little different with a camera in your face.
Notably, Netflix’s Ma Rainey—directed by George C. Wolfe, adapted for the screen by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and produced by Denzel Washington—was the final role for the Black Panther star who died from complications with colon cancer in August, after keeping his diagnosis a secret for four years. Turman saw no trace of Levee’s arrogance in Boseman when they filmed in 2019. “He didn’t have to be coddled because he was a superstar,” Turman said. “He wasn’t about that.” Turman spoke to Decider about bonding with the late star and his wife, his philosophy on life, and his hope to stop dying on screen.
Decider: You performed the role of Toledo in 2016. Tell me your journey from that performance on stage to being in this film version of the play.
Glynn Turman: I promised Denzel Washington in 2016, who came backstage afterward, that I would stay ready for this production that he told me, at that time, he was working on bringing to the screen. That’s what I did. We’ve been friends for many years, we’ve never had a chance to work with one another. This was one of those opportunities. He stayed true to his word, which worked to my benefit.
How was playing the role in the movie version, in front of a camera, versus playing it on stage? Did you approach it differently?
Well, the core of a role comes from the same place. It doesn’t change whether you’re on screen or on film, the truth of the core of what your character’s about. More than anything, it’s just the technique that’s a little different. A technique that’s a little bit different than trying to reach a house that’s full of 1000 people, 1200 people. With a moment of, say, joy, or a moment of sorrow, trying to do the same thing with the camera in your face, the technique’s different. But the truth of where that passion is coming from is no different.
Tell me a little more about that truth. You’ve been with this character for a few years now; I imagine you know him pretty well.
I think more and more, it’s good that he’s a man who’s carrying around something that is not spoken of by the other characters, and that is a broken heart. He was obviously in love with a woman that he didn’t have anything bad to say about. “I couldn’t say nothing bad about this woman.” But she got to mess right up there with the people at the church. He was a victim of her perception of him through the eyes of the church.
Toledo has all of these philosophies on life, and on race in particular. Do you agree with him?
Yeah, when he tells Levee, “I’ve been a fool. But the difference between me and you is, I’ve only been a fool once. You’re not going to catch me being a fool twice about the same thing.” In other words, he’s saying, “I’m a man who’s learned his lesson. You haven’t learned your lesson. You don’t learn your lesson. We all get tested, but we’re supposed to learn our lesson from that test.” So that’s a philosophy that makes sense to me, it makes sense to Glynn Turman.
But the most outstanding is the one when he says, “We all need to do our part. We need to work together. As a people, we need to come together.” And August had his finger on the pulse of the community. Couldn’t be any better put, and it couldn’t be any better demonstrated to show you how relevant it was than the voting [in the presidential election] that took place just three weeks ago. This is a perfect example of what we can do as a people when we come together and stop playing around. Get busy, get down to business. We can change the course of our lives for one another, and anyone else who’s suffering from any kind of injustice. Those are his philosophies; those are Glynn’s philosophies. Perfect timing of “practice what you preach.”
As good as the movie is, it’s also hard to watch because we’re still mourning the loss of Chadwick Boseman. The two of you have intense scenes together. What do you remember about working with him on set?
Chadwick was a consummate artist, a consummate professional. Mostly on time, and always prepared to go once he got there. Being an old man, and being in this business for 60 years, these are things that count to me. Don’t want these young whippersnappers coming in late, holdin’ up my day! I’ve only got so many productive hours where I can concentrate and remember the lines I’ve got to remember. Come in, get ready to do the work, pick up your cues, and let’s get on out of here. He was the kind of actor who could do that. He didn’t have to be coddled because he was a superstar. He wasn’t about that. That was refreshing to see.
I assume you were not aware of his diagnosis.
No, not at all. I was devastated [when I heard the news]. I was heartbroken. I’m still heartbroken.
Did you have any conversations about your characters and their warring philosophies on set?
No, not really. We had more fun teasing each other. That’s what I loved about him: He could laugh, he could take a joke, he could give one. He could mess around. We’d sit in the tent and we’d talk trash. That’s the part that I really remember about him, and really came to love. Got to see how much he adored his wife-to-be, Simone. Once he introduced me to her, that was fantastic. She was a sweetheart and beautiful, and his eyes sparkled. She took such care of him. I didn’t realize what that was all about at that time, but she was right there for him. I enjoyed those kinds of moments, seeing that out of the corner of my eye offset. The dedication that he had as a performer is obvious because his work was so good in everything that he did. You don’t get that by accident. You get that by hard-ass work.
If you don’t mind me asking, who were you guys trash talking?
Actually, we were trash-talking her! Because she tripped one time when she was introduced to me, and she kind of stumbled a little bit. I said, “Chadwick, she’s beautiful, but she’s a little clumsy.” And he said, “Yeah, she is, isn’t she?” She got so mad—well, not really mad, but playfully. Started hitting me, started slapping him. “I’m not clumsy! I’m not!” That was our run-in joke through the whole time of the set, which was a very human and very adorable thing to be a part of.
Tell me about filming Toledo’s big, climactic death scene at the hand of Levee’s knife.
Well, that was a dance of death. It was really very physical. And that’s what was so amazing once I found out what he was dealing with, because he had to hold my dead weight. He had to lift me up two or three times in that scene for at least 12, 13 takes from different angles. The physicality was what was amazing — how physically committed he was to doing take after take in such a strenuous scene. He was giving it all he had.
You had another great role just this past month in FX’s Fargo, in which you also had a death scene. How do you approach death scenes as an actor? Is that a strange experience for you?
You know, the older I get, the more it sucks. It’s like practice, right? [Laughs.] Look, hey, when you’re a kid and you’re acting out different scenes with your friends, whether it’s cowboys or Indians or space this or space that, you get shot. The first thing you do is practice your death scene. [Imitates death scene] “Oh, ah, ah!” It’s no different. “Ah!” The only difference now is I get paid to do that same thing. “Ah, ah, ah!” Eyes closed, eyes open. Hold your breath. It’s part of the show.
I wish that this film could have the big premiere that it deserves. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, I’m sure that’s not possible. But is the cast doing anything virtually? How will you be watching the film?
No, I’m watching it with family. We won’t be watching it together. I would have loved it on a big screen with people and fellow castmates, so on and so forth, because they’re all just great. Everybody’s really great. Viola [Davis] is so present. By that, for those who don’t know what I mean when I say she’s so present: it’s wonderful to look at your fellow co-actor and look in their eyes and know that they’re really following and listening to you. She’s always present. You can count on her.
Taylour Paige, I don’t know if we talk about the young actress by the name of Taylour Paige, who has done a wonderful, wonderful job in this piece. She’s both charismatic and beautiful, and very dedicated and talented. Young Dusan [Brown] is just, he had us crackin’ up. He’s just brilliant. He’s going to be a big producer, you watch and see. When he gets into this business, he’s going to be quite a force. So it’s just a wonderful cast all the way around.
Last question: You’ve had a long career, and you’re still getting great roles—two in the last few months alone. What do you look for when you’re choosing roles, and how has that changed over the years?
Well, I’ll tell you what I’m looking for the next time, because I’ve got a project coming up that I can’t talk about right now. My managers tell me we can’t talk about that just yet, but it’s a very demanding role. Very emotional role. Coming off of this one, which was very emotional. And then, of course, you saw what happened in Fargo. So I’m looking for a comedy next. That’s how I’m going to choose my next role!
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Watch Ma Rainey's Black Bottom on Netflix