THIS WEEK

Stephen A. Smith Addresses Backlash Of Jasmine Crockett Criticism. The Root reports…After accusing Jasmine Crockett of using “rhetoric for the streets” against Donald Trump,

Stephen A. Smith is backtracking.  It’s rare that sports commentator Stephen A. Smith feels the need to apologize, but after facing backlash over his criticism of a top Democrat official, it seems he’s backtracking. For the last few weeks, Black folks have been accusing Smith of beating down on Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Now, he finally responded.  Smith called out Democrats– including Crockett by name– for trolling President Donald Trump instead of actually fighting for the American people.

He called her language “rhetoric for the streets” while questioning if Crockett’s methods actually benefit her constituents. Expectedly, many MAGA supporters praised him while Black Americans accused him of pandering to the president. The ESPN host spoke on his “Straight Shooter” podcast this week addressing the madness. “I get it now,” Smith began.

“With Trump feeding into that nonsense, giving him fodder or ammunition, to continue to go out there and talk about our Black women that way. I got it. I don’t like that at all.” Crockett is one of the many Black women who the president has insulted publicly, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook. Trump’s attacks have fueled anti-Black rhetoric, and Smith said he doesn’t want to be part of that narrative.

Shocking New Twist In Contentious Custody Battle Between Joshua Jackson And Jodie Turner-Smith.  Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith have called off their divorce trial over custody issues related to their 5-year-old daughter, Juno.

Earlier this week, the day before the trial was scheduled to begin, Turner-Smith’s legal team filed court documents requesting that it be removed from the court’s calendar, Us Weekly reported. According to the actress, 39, she and her ex-husband, 47, agreed to settle their differences outside the courtroom.

Jackson filed an emergency custody order modification in June, claiming Turner-Smith had changed Juno’s school without his permission. He also asked the court to require consent from both parties on matters related to their daughter’s education. In May, when the exes could not agree on where to send Juno to school, Turner-Smith asked a judge to grant a court order to ensure she had the final say. The “Queen & Slim” star filed for divorce from the “Dawson’s Creek” star in October 2023 after almost four years of marriage. She requested joint physical custody of Juno.The following December, she accused him of not paying child support

Tyler Perry Responds To $260M Sexual Harassment Suit From Former Friend. BOSSIP reports…The media titan claims that the pair had a professional and friendly relationship that is being exploited by Derek Dixon. Tyler Perry has responded to the sexual assault claims levied against him by Derek Dixon and is claiming that the actor “needs help.

Following Dixon’s first televised interview about the allegations, Perry’s legal team has fired back with claims of extortion, falsified allegations and a failed TV pilot. The 56-year-old film and TV titan says that Dixon relied “on Hollywood stereotypes and the bad acts of others,” and tried to “turn sinister Mr. Perry’s acts of platonic friendship and professional mentorship.             ‘

Perry’s legal team filed documents on Oct.1 and is planning to take the matter to court instead of bending to Dixon’s $260 million request. “Dixon invents alleged assaults and encounters that never happened,” the filing states.  “Mr. Perry never assaulted Dixon or committed any sexual battery. He did not offer Dixon pay raises and shoot Dixon’s television pilot script to threaten, coerce, or control Dixon. BOSSIP previously reported that Dixon is claiming he was assaulted on multiple occasions by Perry at his Atlanta home and coerced into allowing it in order to keep his job.

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Single Sketches

Moments & Mishaps

When Tonya’s longtime boyfriend finally proposed to her, he came to the hospital where she worked as a nurse, and arranged to do so over the paging system. When she heard his voice over the loudspeaker, she fell to her knees in a patient’s room in a flood of tears.    MORE

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The Dating Chronicles

On Second Thought…

This was their second date, and Angelica was trying her best to like him.  She had almost given up on men altogether after the last two guys she’d gone out with.  Both had been good-looking and acceptable, but both disappointed her.  One promised to call the next day after the first date and she had never heard from him again.  MORE

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Viewpoint

My Dream Girl…

Where Could She Be?

by Jason Compton

It happened again.  I had grown bored and disillusioned in yet another relationship, and as usual, I had taken the coward’s way out.  Instead of explaining to the woman I’d been dating, that for me the chemistry had petered out, I just became unavailable.  I stopped calling her and I avoided her calls, emails, and text messages,    MORE

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SingleScenes

by Sarah Smart

Q.    I’m set to marry next month, and I’ve changed my mind. There is no one I can talk to about this, and I don’t know what to do. I realize now that I’m really not in love, and I don’t want to break my fiancé’s heart. She has waited for me a long time, but I can’t go through with the wedding. I’ve been thinking about just not showing up at the altar because I can’t bear to tell her. Any suggestions?    MORE

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Dating Data

Surviving The Quest

For Perfection

by Jason Stoner

I had heard the speech before from other women in my past, who felt I was distant and expressionless.  As I sat listening quietly to the current woman in my life and the airing of her frustration, I did what I usually do when I’m in this position.  I gave the excuse of being professionally overworked.  We had been dating for over three months, and I was not meeting her expectations.    MORE

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Training A Bad Boy

Can It Be Done?

by Carla Santise

First… You Must Speak Up…Speak Out…Speak Firmly. Too much can never be said on this subject. We must teach people how to treat us, especially those who have the potential to hold our hearts in their hands. Donna met Doug at a conference.  Doug was handsome, cocky, and an avowed bachelor, who often bragged about never marrying. The romance bloomed fast with Doug in hot pursuit. But Doug had many bad habits that he had been carrying around carefully from relationship to relationship and for various reasons, had never been motivated to discard any of them.     MORE

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Personal Finance

How Fit Are

Your Finances?

by Liz Weston

I was surprised when I discovered that a guy I used to date was getting his payroll checks cashed at the local currency exchange, and didn’t have a checking account.  Studies show that over 54% of today’s singles are heads of households and are therefore making all financial decisions regarding their lifestyle without input or advice from outside sources.     MORE

 

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