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Iggy Azalea: ‘I’m not going to suddenly start rapping about political matters’

This is the second five-page, intensive, wordy magazine interview I’ve read in the past 24 hours. Tina Fey was worth it – Iggy Azalea is not. Iggy covers the new issue of Elle Canada and she looks like a sad Barbie doll in the editorial. While she freely admits that she’s had work done – and sure, I’m happy that she admits it – I still don’t understand why she’s messed with her face to this extent. She was pretty before all of this. Anyway, Iggy is about to release her new album, Digital Distortion. And she’s trying to rebrand herself in ways beyond her new face. In this Elle interview, she even comes close to sounding regretful. You can read the full piece here. She’s back on social media after a self-imposed hiatus: “I’m back. But this time I’ve given myself some rules so I don’t get too sucked in again. For me, what happened, not just on social media but with everything in my career, was like a whirlwind. I started to feel like I was losing control over my own life… I even think back to the Papa John’s incident and ask myself ‘Why did that piss you off so much?’ I see now that it spiralled into something so quickly because I felt like I didn’t have any power over my own life. At that point, I needed to take some time, step away and just get that control back.” Her fraught relationship with the hip-hop community: “So many people think that I don’t care about rap music and the community, but I absolutely care about it, to the core of my being. That’s why the Q-Tip incident annoyed me so much: Why do you think I need a history lesson? Because surely if I did know anything about hip hop, I wouldn’t mix pop and rap together? Or I wouldn’t rap in an American accent if I truly understood? I just have a different perspective about rap music. I love learning about hip hop, I love reading about it and I actually love having debates with other people about it.” Whether there are valid criticisms aimed at her: “Do you not like me because I rap with an American accent and I’m not American? Well, that’s valid on some level because that’s your opinion and I can’t change that. But I’m not trying to sound black—I just grew up in a country where on TV and in music and film, everyone was American or any Australian person in them put on an American accent. So I never saw it as strange at all. And I think it’s hard for Americans to understand this because, when you look at the entertainment industry, American culture is the dominating culture across the globe. A lot of people say ‘Imagine if someone rapped with a fake Australian accent.’ Well, okay, but you don’t turn on the TV and hear American people with fake Australian accents, so I don’t think it’s a fair comparison. I grew up watching Nicole Kidman speaking with an American accent in every movie. Even Keith Urban sings with an American country accent. And that’s just what you have to do to make it in this industry and be accepted. It’s what I heard and it’s what I saw, so how can you not understand that that would be influential for me?” The racial part of the conversation: “It’s black culture and black music, so it becomes a racial conversation—versus Keith Urban, who is making country music, which is considered white. It becomes a very muddy area. And it became especially difficult in 2015. The United States has such a fraught history with race, and I don’t think I realized how prevalent racism still is and how hurt people still are until I moved here and saw it for myself. As I was growing up in Australia, it was easy to think ‘Well, that was then and obviously it’s not like that now.’ It’s not something you can understand when you’re on the other side of the world. But many people think I still live in that bubble and that I don’t understand that the United States is set up in a way that doesn’t benefit minorities. I’ve lived here for 10 years now, and I don’t want it to be that way either. I’m marrying a black man, and my children will be half black—of course I care about these things. And I understand if you’re not comfortable that I rap with an American accent, and you are totally entitled to your own opinions, but you don’t have to listen to my music. I’m still going to keep making music.” Her future goals in music: “I think it’s important for music to reflect what is going on socially and for there to be those kinds of voices within the industry. But I want to be that person you can listen to for four minutes and not think about that stuff at all, and it’s important to have that too…. I’m not going to suddenly start rapping about political matters; it’s just not what I do. There are other great people who do that, like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. I’m not here to offer that commentary, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. I don’t think everyone has to be everything—like, does Katy Perry have to start making songs about politics? I think it’s good to still be able to have a little fun.” Her plastic surgery: “I think, in 2016, people should be more accepting of the fact that both famous and non-famous women are having cosmetic procedures. That’s just the reality. And I think more people need to admit that sh-t so it doesn’t have to be so taboo—because we’re all doing it anyway. I wanted to change my nose because I didn’t grow up with a bump on it—that happened when I got smashed in the face with a soccer ball when I was 16. Now I feel like my nose looks the way it’s supposed to look. But for how long do we have to acknowledge that I got a nose job? For the rest of my life?… There’s nothing black and white about beauty or plastic surgery. There are no guarantees that it will fix how you feel about yourself. All of those women [who criticize someone for having surgery]—if they had $10 million in their account tomorrow, I’d dare them not to change one thing about themselves or at least think about it. Yes, there are some women who wouldn’t change a thing, but, for the majority of us, we’d be thinking about that one thing. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I just hope that in 25 years the conversation will shift to where if a woman wants to change her body, all we say is ‘Good for her!’ instead of shaming her for making decisions about her own body.” [From Elle Canada] G—damn it, I found myself agreeing with her at several points in this interview. Do I still think she’s a culturally appropriating douchebag? Sure. But I also see her point – to a certain extent – about how American culture dominates across the world, and how that affected how she raps. Does that explain everything? No, of course not. I also think she should be forgiven for everything involving Azealia Banks, because those moments were not actually about Black Lives Matter or any serious conversation, it was about how Iggy and Azealia absolutely despise each other. Photos courtesy of Elle Canada.

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Caitlyn Jenner: I’ve gotten more flack for being Republican than being trans

When I watched Caitlyn Jenner’s 20/20 special last April, I came away genuinely moved. Caitlyn was still going by Bruce then, although she identified as a woman and was still in the middle of transitioning physically. While Caitlyn’s interview was interesting and even moving, the news of her transition was mostly fait accompli at that point. In fact, I was more surprised – and I said so at the time – that Caitlyn still identified as a Republican. And she still does! In the first season of her show, there were many record-scratch moments where Caitlyn was trying to hang out with her girlfriends and she would start spouting some GOP talking points and her girls were like, “Cait, you’re ignorant as hell.” Caitlyn’s consistent perspective seems to be that if someone wants to transition, then they should just be white and rich like her. Even after all that Cait went through, she was still being judgy about gay marriage as late as last fall!!! So, yeah, her politics are still more shocking to me at this point that her transition. And Caitlyn said as much during a speaking engagement at the University of Pennsylvania. Caitlyn Jenner appeared in front of a sold out house of students Wednesday night and U. Penn students didn’t hold back in asking important questions. In response to one student who asked Caitlyn why she doesn’t belong to a more liberal political party, the 66-year-old E! star replied (via a local Philadelphia blog), “I have gotten more flack for being a conservative Republican than I have for being trans.” Vanity Fair writer Buzz Bissinger, who was the one interviewing Cait last night, supported Caitlyn’s Republicanism adding, “Just because you change gender doesn’t mean you change your core beliefs.” Bissinger, who wrote Cait’s famous Vanity Fair article last year, later brought up the media headlines suggesting Cait transitioned for publicity or profit. “I don’t need the money. So I don’t understand that claim,” Jenner answered. “No one transitions for financial gain. No way…You don’t do it unless you know deep down in your soul that it’s the right thing to do. If I can’t be honest with myself about what I’m doing, I’m no good for anything.” Another student asked Caitlyn about her status as an LGBT role model. “I’m not a role model!” Jenner replied. “I’m so new to this community I don’t expect to be one.” Caitlyn also reflected on the fact she never told her father she was transgender before he died over a decade ago. Cait said she imagines her dad telling her today, “You know what, you’re doing a good job. You’re making a difference.” [From E! News] “I have gotten more flack for being a conservative Republican than I have for being trans.” That’s because your political affiliation is a choice. Being transgender is not a choice. You can chose to open your mind, acknowledge your privilege and try to open yourself to the transgender community. Or you can just be a rich, white Republican woman complaining about how those messy trans people are living on government handouts. Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.

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Will Smith on #OscarsSoWhite: ‘It feels like it’s going the wrong direction’

I get that not everyone likes or enjoys Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, but can we agree on something? Like, Will Smith is a major movie star for a reason. He’s incredibly charismatic. I was reminded of that while watching his interview on Good Morning America on Thursday. Will stopped by GMA to discuss his wife’s boycott of the Oscars and the subsequent backlash. And while I defended Jada previously, I have to say that if she wants people on her side, she just needs to send Will out there to speak on her behalf. He has all the charisma in that family. Here’s the video: Some assorted quotes: He wasn’t part of Jada’s video but he supports it: “I was out of the country at the time, and I came home [and said], ‘What happened?’ She’s deeply passionate, and when she’s moved, she has to go. I heard her words, and I was knocked over. I was happy to be married to that woman. I appreciated the push. There’s a position that we hold in this community, and if we’re not a part of the solution, we’re a part of the problem. It was her call to action for herself, for me and for our family to be a part of the solution.” The two times Will has been Oscar nominated, he lost to black men: “That was huge. So when I see this list and series of nominations that come out — everybody is fantastic, and that’s the complexity of this issue. Everyone is beautiful and deserving and is fantastic, but it feels like it’s going the wrong direction. It reflects a series of challenges we’re having in our country at the moment. There’s a regressive slide toward separatism.” The regressive slide: “The nominations reflect the Academy, the Academy reflects the industry… and the industry reflects America. There’s a regressive slide toward separatism, toward racial and religious disharmony.” He says Jada isn’t just mad about Will’s snub: “For Jada, had I been nominated and no other people of color were, she would have made the video anyway. This is so deeply not about me. This is about children that are going to sit down and they’re going to watch this show and they’re not going to see themselves represented.” He won’t attend the Oscars without Jada: “It would be awkward for me to show up with Charlize [Theron]. We’ve discussed it and we’re a part of this community, but at this current time, we’re uncomfortable to stand there and say that this is OK.” Yeah, I think he’s telling the truth, and I think this is what he really believes. I also think that Jada’s video wasn’t his call, but after days of seeing his wife attacked, Will decided to get out in front and talk about it. While Will hasn’t been a major player in Hollywood for a few years, he’s still well-liked within the industry, in America and in the world (he’s a majorly bankable African-American star internationally). For Will to sit here and call out the Academy – and as he makes clear, the industry – it’s a big deal. Photos courtesy of WENN.

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18 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Convicted Felons

Who knew Christian Slater was a convicted felon? And what exactly did 50 Cent to to get himself in trouble with the law? From felony drug charges, weapons charges, and even assault, here's a surprising list of celebrities who are also convicted felons. 1. Christian Slater It’s hard to believe, but Christian Slater got into a LOT of trouble back in the day, including drunk driving, trying to board a plan with a concealed weapon in his luggage, and assaulting a police officer. 2. Stephen Fry Stephen Fry actually once spent three months in prison for credit card fraud. Who knew? He was only 17 at the time, but he made the bad decision of going on a spending spree with a family friend’s card. Whoops. 3. 50 Cent 50 Cent got into major trouble when he tried to sell drugs to an undercover police officer. That was one of two times he was charged with felony drug possession. 4. Yasmin Bleeth It’s true. The Baywatch babe was charged with felony drug possession in 2001. She was put on probation and sentenced to 100 hours of community service. 5. Mark Wahlberg Also known as “Marky Mark,” Mark Wahlberg was put in prison on charges of assault and attempted murder when he was younger. That all seems hard to believe now, doesn’t it? 6. Chris Brown Okay, so maybe you did know about this one, but we still needed to include it. Chris Brown was convicted of felony assault, but managed to get a plea deal to keep himself out of prison. View Slideshow

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Cheryl Boone Isaacs calls for more diversity within the Academy’s voting blocs

As we discussed earlier, Chris Rock is currently feeling the pressure to possibly pull out of hosting the Academy Awards. Also feeling pressure? Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the president of the Academy and an African-American woman (the first African-American woman to hold that position). Cheryl was openly critical of her organization last year when the #OscarsSoWhite debacle first broke, but now it’s the second year in a row with no actors of color up for any awards and with all of the Best Picture nominees being films about white people. Boone Isaacs released a statement last night about the ongoing controversy: “I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond. As many of you know, we have implemented changes to diversify our membership in the last four years. But the change is not coming as fast as we would like. We need to do more, and better and more quickly. “This isn’t unprecedented for the Academy. In the ‘60s and ‘70s it was about recruiting younger members to stay vital and relevant. In 2016, the mandate is inclusion in all of its facets: gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. We recognize the very real concerns of our community, and I so appreciate all of you who have reached out to me in our effort to move forward together.” [From USA Today] My thought: she’s doing what she can do. She’s not in charge of who gets hired for what project, and she’s not the face of diversity at a studio level. But she can change the makeup of the Academy voters and she can change the way minorities are represented within the Academy. I would also make a suggestion that Boone Isaacs put her finger on the scale about some things, and actively participate in some Oscar campaigns for more diverse films, like she could host Academy screenings for films that are more diverse and give those films the stamp of approval, you know? Meanwhile, David Oyelowo presented Boone Isaacs with an award yesterday for MLK Day. Oyelowo was notably snubbed for an Oscar last year for his work as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and he had harsh words about the Academy (not really Boone Isaacs specifically). Some highlights: “The Academy has a problem. It’s a problem that needs to be solved. A year ago, I did a film called Selma, and after the Academy Awards, Cheryl invited me to her office to talk about what went wrong then. We had a deep and meaningful [conversation]. For 20 opportunities to celebrate actors of color, actresses of color, to be missed last year is one thing; for that to happen again this year is unforgivable… The reason why the Oscars are so important is because it is the zenith, it is the epitome, it is the height of celebration of artistic endeavor within the filmmaking community. We grow up aspiring, dreaming, longing to be accepted into that august establishment because it is the height of excellence. I would like to walk away and say it doesn’t matter, but it does, because that acknowledgement changes the trajectory of your life, your career, and the culture of the world we live in… This institution doesn’t reflect its president and it doesn’t reflect this room. I am an Academy member and it doesn’t reflect me, and it doesn’t reflect this nation.” [From The Hollywood Reporter] That made my chest hurt. David really did want an Oscar nomination. Despite what people say, everyone really does want the nomination. They want to be acknowledged by the most prestigious film organization in the world. They want to feel like their voice, their art, their story is being represented. And for a second year in a row, they were told to suck it. Embed from Getty Images Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.