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TikTok Prepares for U.S. Ban On January 19 After Losing Appeal

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TikTok is preparing for a ban in the United States on January 19, 2025 after losing its last appeal.

TikTok has until Jan. 19 to find a new buyer or be banned in the US.

Millions of teenagers and young adults in the U.S. have TikTok accounts. Many Americans depend on TikTok to earn revenue. If the app is banned they will lose their livelihoods.

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In a last ditch effort to save the app, TikTok CEO Shou Chew met with President-elect Donald Trump, who has a popular TikTok account.

The arranged meeting took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, a person familiar with the meeting told CNN.

On Monday, TikTok asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up its appeal of the law approved by President Joe Biden that would ban TikTok on Jan. 19 — a day before Trump’s inauguration.

In its request to the Supreme Court, TikTok’s attorneys said a ban of the widely used platform would affect residents from around the country.

“The act will shutter one of America’s most popular speech platforms the day before a presidential inauguration,” TikTok said. “This in turn will silence the speech of applicants and many Americans who use the platform to communicate about politics, commerce, arts, and other matters of public concern.”

The January 19 deadline would impose steep fines on app stores and internet services in the United States that continue to host TikTok downloads.

Karrine Steffans speaks out about Sean Combs, Jay-Z – ‘They share women. They share secrets’

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Elisabeth Ovesen, formerly known as Karrine “Superhead” Steffans, is speaking out about the accusations against Sean Combs and Jay-Z.

Ovesen gained fame in 2005 after she published her tell-all book, Confessions Of A Video Vixen.

Confessions Of A Video Vixen detailed Ovesen’s relationships with rappers and athletes before discovering her self-worth and financial security.

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Her book detailed her encounters as a 22-year-old woman whose infamous oral skills were sought out by rappers, athletes and record label executives.

Most of her experiences involving rappers were consensual, she says. But the book is a cautionary tale for young women, her stories highlighting misogyny and power imbalances in terms of age and status. She said young women were used and discarded by rappers.

Sandra Rose/Sandrarose.com

Ovesen is writing a follow-up book to her 2005 blockbuster. In the wake of the #MeToo movement – and most recently the charges filed against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, which he has strenuously denied – she says she wants people to know there are others “getting away” with similar behavior and crimes.

Speaking to Sky News on Zoom, Ovesen recounts the night she first met Combs, saying she was “kind of ordered” to his house. Despite this, she says he treated her well and with respect. “We’re at a club, I was with people he knew, our cars were leaving at the same time,” she says. Combs leaned out of a window to talk to the men in her car, “talking about me like I’m property”.

Sandra Rose/Sandrarose.com

She said the incident happened shortly after Combs’ breakup with Jennifer Lopez. “He was very sweet and very docile with me and very respectful. The next morning we had brunch at his house… again, [he was] pleasant, warm.” She says she went to other parties with Combs and he was always the same.

Ovesen denies witnessing any criminal activity. She knows because she kept diaries of her experiences.

“So my experiences with him are a lot different than hundreds of other people’s… I have seen him flare up. I have seen things that did not involve me.”

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Ovesen said the behavior that Combs later exhibited with other women was “learned” behavior after years in the industry.

“I want to be very clear that what Sean is being accused of is not rare. He’s not an anomaly… the behavior is learned and perpetuated,” she said.

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Ovesen, 46, wrote about her encounter with Jay-Z in chapter 11 of her first book.

She described him as “kind” and “a gentleman.” “I felt comfortable around him and felt that it was all right for me to accept his invitation to take a ride with him,” she wrote.

Sandra Rose/Sandrarose.com

“We continued to talk for a while until his driver parked on the beach and exited the vehicle. After a few moments of silence, Jay pulled out his p*nis, covered it with a condom, and placed his hand on the back of my head. I was being a good girl, thanking him and proving my worthiness of the kindness he had shown. I was doing what I had been taught.”

Ovesen continued: “We carried on in the car for a while and headed back to the set, as if nothing happened, and every once in a while, we shared a glance and half of a smile.”

Judge Rules on Sean Combs’ Claim that Feds Leaked Infamous Cassie Video to CNN

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A Manhattan judge has ruled on Sean “Puffy” Combs’ claim that the federal government leaked the infamous video that showed him beating ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

Combs accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of leaking the video to tarnish his reputation in an October court filing.

His defense team accused DHS of launching a smear campaign against Combs to “undermine” his “right to a “fair trial,” by “leaking confidential grand jury materials,” the filing states.

“The leaks have resulted in damaging and highly prejudicial media coverage, particularly sensationalizing the investigation and the involvement of Mr. Combs’ family,” the filing claims.

Sean Combs and Cassie attend Pre-Grammy Gala Salute To JAY-Z
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)

However, Judge Arun Subramanian said Combs has not proven his case that the government leaked the video to the press.

“As to the Intercontinental Hotel video, Combs has not carried his burden to show that the government leaked it to CNN,” Subramanian wrote in his ruling. “Combs argues that ‘the most likely source of the leak is the government’ but he doesn’t point to any sound basis for this conclusion.”

Sean Combs and Cassie
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The incident happened at the now-shuttered Intercontinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, in March 2016.

The video shows Combs, wearing only a towel around his waist, chasing Cassie down a hallway. Combs caught up to Cassie at the elevators, threw her to the floor and stomped and dragged her.

Combs, 55, was arrested by the feds in Manhattan in September and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering. He is currently in a Brooklyn jail awaiting trial in May 2025.

Combs allegedly paid $50,000 to the Intercontinental Hotel to obtain the video. He assumed he had purchased the only copy.

Tony Buzbee denies working with Jaguar Wright to bring down Jay-Z

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Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee denies working with former R&B singer Jaguar Wright to bring down rap mogul Jay-Z.

Buzbee is the powerhouse lawyer behind lawsuits against Sean Combs, Jay-Z, NFL star Deshaun Watson, rapper Travis Scott and Astroworld festival organizer Live Nation.

Jaguar Wright
Instagram

In video posted on social media, Jaguar filmed herself talking with a woman who seemingly worked for a law firm. After the call ended Jaguar claimed the woman was calling from Buzbee’s law firm.

However, Buzbee says Jaguar called his intake staff and apparently recorded the conversation she had with a member of his staff. Buzbee made it clear he is not working with Jaguar in any capacity, according to TMZ.

In the same video, Jaguar accused Jay-Z of fathering a child with a minor and having a relationship with retired rapper Foxy Brown when she was in high school.

Jaguar, 47, has built her career on badmouthing Jay-Z, Sean Combs, and other Black A-list celebrities.

Jay-Z’s lawyer expects lawsuit dismissal this week

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Jay-Z’s lawyer expects the r*pe allegation made against him will be dismissed by a judge this week.

Attorney Alex Spiro made the statement during a press conference at Roc Nation’s New York headquarters on December 16. Spiro said the rap mogul is “upset” that his public reputation is damaged by the allegations.

Spiro filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit against Jay-Z after the rapper’s accuser, a 38-year-old Alabama woman, admitted inconsistencies in her story.

The woman told NBC News she made “mistakes” and couldn’t clearly remember the events from 24 years ago because she was woozy from consuming a spiked drink.

She claimed Sean Combs (who is in a Brooklyn jail) and Jay-Z r*ped her at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in New York City in 2000.

However, Spiro said the events “never happened”. “This is not for truth and justice. This is for money,” Spiro declared.

He added, “these are not minor inconsistencies… If you look at the time, it’s not possible this could happen.”

BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID

“I want to make sure this is clear: When people make up an account, whether intentionally or their mind is blank or something, they can always get that core part of the story right. They can just keep repeating it over and over and over again; this is what happened, that core part. But they’re always going to mess up the details. When something isn’t real, when something doesn’t happen, you’re going to get the details wrong because you weren’t really there,” he said. “[This was] not possible. It’s because this never happened.”

Spiro also threw a jab at the woman’s attorney Tony Buzbee. Spiro played a six-minute clip of the NBC News report for reporters and said Buzbee “created this narrative” and that he expects “this case to be dismissed. If not, it will crumble.”

“[The Jane Doe] said she’s at the party alone, this 13-year-old girl, and she finds herself in the room with the three most famous people at the party – just think about how unnatural, how little common sense that makes. And according to her, one of the witnesses is a female celebrity who’s just standing there watching the repetitive rape of a child. … There’s an adult female in the room watching the rape of a child,” he said. “Afterwards, she says she runs out of the house naked; none of them notice that. None of them pay any notice. For 24 years, none of them has said anything?”

Spiro said the house where Jane Doe claimed the incident happened doesn’t exist.

“There is no such location. We don’t know whether they created a location in order to try to get jurisdiction in New York so they could bring this case in New York or that they just didn’t do their homework,” he explained.

Jay-Z hopes the lawsuit is dismissed with less than a week to go before his wife Beyoncé is set to headline the halftime show at Netflix and the NFL’s Christmas Day game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans.

Wendy Williams spotted out & about in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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Former talk show host Wendy Williams was spotted outside Sista Sara’s Shonuff Oysters in Fort Lauderdale with her nephew. It was recently reported that Wendy was “permanently incapacitated” following her dementia diagnosis.

Wendy is sitting in the backseat of an SUV while restaurant workers surround the SUV to greet her. One person tells Wendy she looks good, but she just smiles and doesn’t respond verbally.

According to documents filed by her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, in a NY court last month, Wendy “has been afflicted by early-onset dementia and, as a result, has become cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.”

The news shocked Wendy’s longtime fans who had hoped for a comeback.

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The filing further states, “In January 2022, after becoming aware of a pattern of disturbing events concerning [Wendy’s] welfare and finances, Wells Fargo took the highly unusual step of initiating a guardianship proceeding on its own initiative in the Supreme Court of New York, New York County (the ‘Guardianship Proceeding’), to seek the court appointment of an independent guardian for [Wendy’s] financial affairs.”

A judge appointed legal guardianship to protect Williams’ finances.

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The revelation about her worsening condition came amid an ongoing legal battle over the Lifetime TV series “Where is Wendy Williams?” The documentary showed the former daytime TV host dealing with alcohol addiction, alongside health and financial issues.

A lawsuit claimed that the TV series exploited Wendy, and said that she did not have the ability to consent to the series due to her health ailments.

Travis Hunter’s fiancée embarrasses him in public again (Video)

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Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee
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Travis Hunter is getting more attention for the selfish antics of his fiancée than for his Heisman Trophy win.

Travis became the first Colorado Buffalo to win the Heisman in 30 years. But instead of celebrating his achievements, social media is dragging his fiancée Leanna Lenee.

Leanna allegedly admitted Travis wasn’t her type until she found out who he was. But the poor guy thinks she’s a prize.

X (formerly Twitter) users reacted to a viral video that shows Leanna impatiently waiting for Travis while he took photos with fans at a meet and greet.

“I’m just supposed to sit here then?” she asked him. Travis tried to appease her by telling her to walk around while he greets his fans. But she sat there fuming because he got more attention than she did.

Fans have been pleading with Travis to dump Leanna because she’s a narcissistic gold digger.

One person on a Manosphere board posted a photo of Travis and Leanna together. “notice the $ sign on her ring finger lol,” he wrote.

Another person wrote: “Yes you suppose to sit there all day and shut the fu#k up with a smile on your face tf.”

A third person wrote: “bi#ch got a nasty attitude and she don’t even look all that smh now I understand why everybody on her head.”

Another viral video shows Colorado coach Deion Sanders forcing Leanna to stand up when Travis’ name was called at the Heisman ceremony.

Travis buried his head in Deion’s shoulder and cried from the embarrassment.

According to sources, Deion advised Travis to get a prenup signed before he marries Leanna.

Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Deion knows a thing or 2 about gold diggers. He can spot them from a mile away.

Leanna has denied reports that she is a former stripper.

MSNBC’s Symone Sanders: Trump’s $16 Million Settlement with ABC News Has ‘Chilling Effect’

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Symone Sanders-Townsend
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MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend says ABC News’ $16 million settlement with Donald Trump “feels like it has a real chilling effect.”

The President-elect sued ABC News host George Stephanopoulos and ABC News for repeatedly saying Trump was liable for r*ping author E. Jean Carroll. The allegation was never proven in court, but the jury believed Carroll.

MEGA/WENN

The judge later said Carroll didn’t “fail to prove r*pe as defined by Dictionary.com,” the New York Post wrote.

Sanders-Townsend, host of Sunday’s “The Weekend” talk show, said the settlement will have the effect of silencing all left-leaning media outlets.

“Shout out to the [MSNBC] Standards Department,” she said. “Standards is always making sure that we are keeping the bar high, and substantive and accurate.”

George Stephanopoulos
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Sanders-Townsend, a former spokesperson for the Biden White House, said Stephanopoulos accusing Trump of being liable for rape “seems to hold up [with] what the judge said after the fact…”

She noted that Stephanopoulos is paying $1 million of his own money to Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito while ABC News is paying $15 million.

“It’s insane,” she said.

ABC News agreed to pay $15 million cash to a “Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiff, as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past.”

The New York Post disagreed with Sanders-Townsend’s warning to tread lightly around Trump’s incoming administration.

“That’s nonsense: Corporations like ABC and its parent company, Disney, don’t make such payouts unless they think they’re avoiding far worse if the case actually moves ahead,” The New York Post wrote.

The New York Post added: “Trump let ABC off easy in settling for just $16 million over George Stephanopoulos’ blatant defamation.”

Photos: Celebrities Out & About: Rihanna & A$AP Rocky, Jennifer Lopez, Gayle King and More

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Pop singer Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were out & about this weekend. The high-profile stars were spotted at a CVS store in West Hollywood with their youngest son, Riot Rose.

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Jennifer Lopez gave her best Prince imitation by wearing a Prince-inspired ensemble while attending a Hollywood screening of her new movie Unstoppable. JLo wore a light blue tuxedo jacket with bell-bottom jeans and a vintage, light blue Prince “Purple Rain” blouse. She completed her lewk with a Hermès handbag and suede platform heels!

BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID

La La Anthony had a noticeable bruise on her left thigh at Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Flagship Store Opening on Fifth Avenue in New York.

BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID

Oprah’s pal Gayle King, 69, is unrecognizable at Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Flagship Store Opening on Fifth Avenue in New York.

BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID

Nia Long makes a grand entrance at Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS flagship store opening on 5th Avenue in New York City. She arrived at the event with her stylist.

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Actor Jussie Smollett is spotted heading to dinner with his mother and a mystery man in Miami Beach, Florida. Jussie is a free man after the Illinois Supreme Court reversed his 2021 conviction for lying to Chicago police about a hate crime hoax.

Report: Jaguar Wright teams up with Tony Buzbee to bring down Jay-Z

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Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Despite a rumored defamation lawsuit in the works, singer Jaguar Wright has allegedly teamed up with Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee to bring down Jay-Z.

Jaguar, 47, has built her career on badmouthing Jay-Z, Sean Combs, and other Black A-list celebrities.

Buzbee is the powerhouse lawyer behind lawsuits against Sean Combs, Jay-Z, NFL star Deshaun Watson, rapper Travis Scott and Astroworld festival organizer Live Nation.

Now Buzbee is setting his sights on taking down well-connected rap mogul Jay Z, 55.

Media Take Out has learned that a woman claiming to be from Buzbee’s firm contacted Jaguar Wright seeking information. The woman said that she may be able to help Jaguar bring down Jay Z.

Jaguar Wright
Instagram

Jaguar has accused Jay-Z of r*pe – though she has recently backed down after rumors of a defamation lawsuit.

According to MTO, Jay and his legal team have contacted Jaguar, and are planning to file a lawsuit against her.

Jaguar is not a household name and she doesn’t have any assets for Jay-Z to seize. But a defamation lawsuit could ruin her financially and litigation could tie her up in court for years.

Jaguar recorded her call from Buzbee’s firm on IG Live: