Mike Epps Caught with a Loaded Gun at the Airport

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Actor/Comedian Mike Epps could be facing serious legal trouble. Authorities in his home state say they found a loaded gun in one of his bags at Indianapolis International Airport.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, police responded to a firearms investigation Sunday at the Indianapolis Airport … with cops being told TSA found the gun while Mike was going through the checkpoint

The docs say the comedian mentioned being in town for a show, and forgot the piece was in his bag. Upon investigation, police say they found a .38 Special Airweight with 4 rounds loaded, but none in the chamber.

The gun and ammo were all taken as evidence.

TMZ Reports:

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, police responded to a firearms investigation Sunday at the Indianapolis Airport … with cops being told TSA found the gun while Mike was going through the checkpoint.

The docs say the comedian mentioned being in town for a show, and forgot the piece was in his bag. Upon investigation, police say they found a .38 Special Airweight with 4 rounds loaded, but none in the chamber.

The gun and ammo were all taken as evidence.

Officials for the Indianapolis Airport police tell TMZ … Epps wasn’t arrested, but the report was forwarded to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if charges should be filed.

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Tyler Perry Reportedly In Talks With Paramount To Buy Majority Stake In BET Network

Tyler Perry is looking to make his net big money move, and it includes possibly buying a majority stake in BET.

As reported by Variety, Perry is in talks with Paramount to buy BET after reports surfaced about Paramount Global was in the market to sell the network. Tyler Perry currently owns a minority stake in the BET Network, which includes BET, and VH1, and produces the majority of programming available on BET and the BET+ streaming app.

In the same report, it was reported that businessman and TV producer Byron Allen was also interested in buying BET from Paramount as well. A spokesperson for Allen said in a statement that he is “interested in buying BET, and he will be pursuing the acquisition of the network.”

Perry and BET’s relationship go back to his first movie in 2005, Diary Of A Mad Black Woman, where the network helped fund the film. In 2017, Perry and Paramount entered into a long-term deal, with a TV deal that began in 2020.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Paramount was looking to sell BET in an article on Monday. “The decision to consider selling a majority stake of the assets, which cater primarily to Black audiences, is part of the entertainment giant’s effort to shore up resources to bolster its flagship Paramount+ streaming service and its advertiser-supported free streaming platform Pluto TV, some of the people said.”

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Idris Elba Slams Critics For Accusing Him Of ‘Denying His Blackness’

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Idris Elba is clapping back at critics who claim he denied his Blackness when he denounced the label, “Black actor.” The British actor explained to Esquire UK that referring to yourself as a Black actor can limit role opportunities and growth in Hollywood.

Elba shared, “I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box. As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth. Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be, We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: It’s just skin. As you get up the ladder, you get asked what it’s like to be the first Black to do this or that,” Elba continued. “Well, it’s the same as it would be if I were white. It’s the first time for me. I don’t want to be the first Black. I’m the first Idris.”

During a new interview with The Guardian, Elba added that he purposely lives a “sheltered life” because social media often chooses to contort the words of celebrities.

“It’s really difficult to have an opinion if you’re in the public eye because it gets overly scrutinized, taken out of context, and thrown into some sort of bullshit, zeitgeisty social media argument.”

The 50-year-old described social media as a “conflict incubator” and noted that his anti-Black actor label is his choice, and he’s sticking to it because it’s his prerogative.

“Me saying I don’t like to call myself a Black actor is my prerogative. That’s me, not you. So for you to turn around and say to me, I’m ‘denying my Blackness’. On what grounds? Did you hear that? Where am I denying it? And what for? It’s just stupid. Whatever,” he told The Guardian.

“There isn’t a soul on this earth that can question whether I consider myself a BLACK MAN or not. Being an ‘actor’ is a profession, like being an ‘architect,’ they are not defined by race. However, If YOU define your work by your race, that is your Prerogative [sic]. Ah, lie?”
Thoughts?

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Michael B. Jordan Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame: ‘Ok, Wow, That Happened, I’m Here!’

Michael B. Jordan Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame: ‘Ok, Wow, That Happened, I’m Here!'

A day ahead of the release of his directorial debut in Creed III, Michael B. Jordan was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

MBJ was on hand in front of Funko Hollywood on Hollywood Blvs and received his star. The ceremony featured speeches from collaborators Ryan Coogler and Jonathan Majors. Speaking with ET’s Nischelle Turner, Jordan spoke about how important the moment was for him.

“My emotions are actually all over the place, I’m seeing so many people that I want to kind of get to and hug and connect with and show my appreciation,” Jordan said. “I want to give the love right back, you know? But then I’m also just taking a moment to just to be like, ‘Damn. OK, wow, that happened. I’m here!’”

He added, “I didn’t think it would hit me this much, but as it all started to come together and we start to see it and reality starts to set in, the importance [and] the weight of the moment… you really realize it.”

You can watch the full ceremony below.

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[WATCH] Lionsgate Releases Trailer for ‘The Blackening’ Starring Grace Byers, Dewayne Perkins & More

Lionsgate Releases Trailer for 'The Blackening' Starring Grace Byers, Dewayne Perkins & More

Lionsgate has released the trailer for their summer blockbuster, The Blackening. The horror comedy features a group of friends who go on a cabin trip but are forced to play a dangerous board game in order to free a friend.

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The film’s official synopsis reads:

“The horror comedy centers around a group of Black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend getaway only to find themselves trapped in a remote cabin with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the friends soon realize this ain’t no motherfu–in’ game.”

The film stars Antoinette Robertson, Dewayne Perkins, Sinqua Walls, Grace Byers, X Mayo, Melvin Gregg, Jermaine Fowler, Yvonne Orji, and Jay Pharoah. The Blackening is directed and produced by TIm Story.

You can see the trailer below.

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The Oscars Reportedly Created Crisis Team After Will Smith’s Slap

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The Academy Awards still deal with the repercussions of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at last year’s show. In fact, under their new leadership, they’ve even created a crisis team to handle any future fiascos like the slap.

Last July, Bill Kramer became the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO. Since then, he has faced two major issues: declining viewership and the slap. In response to the slap, Kramer created a crisis team to stop incidents before they escalated.

In an interview with TIME magazine, Kramer was asked what measures had been put in place for this year’s Academy Awards to ensure that no unexpected situations arise. He said a good host, such as Jimmy Kimmel, who is hosting this year, is good because they are used to dealing with live TV and can navigate unexpected situations. He also talked about the formation of the crisis team.

“But we have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place. We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”

Kramer said that the crisis team has been running possible scenarios that could take place during the event. He even admitted that last year’s show’s events are the reason for their changes.

“Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars. But these crisis plans—the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place—allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. And obviously depending on the specifics of the crisis, and let’s hope something doesn’t happen and we never have to use these, but we already have frameworks in place that we can modify.”

You can read the full interview here.

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SOURCE SPORTS: ‘AIR’ Star Ben Affleck To Introduce 2023 Ruffles NBA All-star Celebrity Game Participants

Ben Affleck To Introduce 2023 Ruffles NBA All-star Celebrity Game Participants

The 2023 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game players and coaches will be introduced live on ESPN on Friday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. ET from the John M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ben Affleck, who produced, directed, and stars in the upcoming film AIR, which will be exclusively in theaters worldwide on April 5. Affleck will take the court before the game begins.

This year’s rosters and coaching staffs include a star-studded list of Grammy® Award-winning musicians, actors, athletes and more, including 21 Savage, Giannis, Thanasis and Alex Antetokuonmpo, Alex Bregman, Kane Brown, Cordae, Calvin Johnson, Marcos Mion, The Miz, Jesser, Nicky Jam, Fat Joe, Lisa Leslie, DK Metcalf, Hasan Minhaj, Janelle Monae, Guillermo Rodriguez, Arike Ogunbowale, Everett Osborne, Ozuna, Ranveer Singh, Frances Tiafoe, Alex Toussaint, Lindsay Vonn, Dwyane Wade and Sinqua Walls.

Ben Affleck is set to take you inside the world of AIR, a film highlighting the game-changing partnership between a rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s basketball division.

The partnership would change the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan Brand. This heartfelt story chronicles the career-defining risk of an unorthodox team with everything on the line, the unwavering vision of a mother who recognizes the value of her son’s incredible talent, and the basketball phenom who would go on to become the greatest of all time.

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AIR stars Matt Damon as the outspoken Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Michael’s mother, who was a fierce advocate for her son, was instrumental in negotiating this unprecedented deal and was committed to ensuring her son’s legacy.

Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon as James Jordan – among others.

AIR will be released exclusively in theaters worldwide on April 5, 2023, ahead of its launch on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

You can see the trailer below.

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‘I Am Legend 2’ Confirmed, Will Star Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan

'I Am Legend 2' Confirmed, Will Star Will Smith and Michael B. Jordan

I Am Legend 2 is officially in development. The film will use the alternate ending of the 2007 film to provide a story for the sequel.

I Am Legend stars Will Smith, a human survivor during a time were a plague has changed humans into nocturnal creatures called Darkseekers. Dying the original, the alternate ending saw Smith making peace with the alpha and escaping to freedom.

Speaking with Deadline, producer Akiva Goldsman revealed that I Am Legend 2 will bring Will Smith back and pair him with Michael B. Jordan. The film will be placed many years after the story of the original. You can read Goldsman’s statement below.

I’m obsessed with The Last of Us, where we see the world just post-apocalypse but also after a 20-30-year lapse. You see how the earth reclaims the world, and there’s something beautiful in the question of, as man steps away from being the primary tenant, what happens? That will be especially visual in New York. I don’t know if they’ll climb up to the empire state building, but the possibilities are endless.

We trace back to the original Matheson book, and the alternate ending as opposed to the released ending in the original film. What Matheson was talking about was that man’s time on the planet as the dominant species had come to an end. That’s a really interesting thing we’re going to get to explore. There will be a little more fidelity to the original text.

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[WATCH] Prime Video Releases Trailer for ‘AIR’ Film About Nike and Jordan Partnership Starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Viola Davis

Prime Video Releases Trailer for 'AIR' Film About Nike and Jordan Partnership

Ben Affleck is set to take you inside the world of AIR, a film highlighting the game-changing partnership between a rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s basketball division.

The partnership would change the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan Brand. This heartfelt story chronicles the career-defining risk of an unorthodox team with everything on the line, the unwavering vision of a mother who recognizes the value of her son’s incredible talent, and the basketball phenom who would go on to become the greatest of all time.

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AIR stars Matt Damon as the outspoken Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, Michael’s mother, who was a fierce advocate for her son, was instrumental in negotiating this unprecedented deal and was committed to ensuring her son’s legacy.

Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon as James Jordan – among others.

AIR will be released exclusively in theaters worldwide on April 5, 2023, ahead of its launch on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

You can see the trailer below.

The post [WATCH] Prime Video Releases Trailer for ‘AIR’ Film About Nike and Jordan Partnership Starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Viola Davis appeared first on The Source.