Entertainment
Public Enemy Drops Flavor Flav After Bernie Sanders Dispute
Published
3 years agoon

- Flavor Flav was fired from hip hop group Public Enemy after he sent a cease and desist letter to the Sanders campaign.
- Chuck D, along with Public Enemy Radio, an offshoot of Public Enemy, performed at a Bernie Sanders rally. Flavor Flav was not set to play but claimed the campaign misled people into thinking he was involved.
- Chuck D has been vocal about his support for Sanders, but Flavor Flav has not endorsed a 2020 candidate.
- Chuck D’s lawyers maintain he was allowed to perform at the event under the name Public Enemy Radio. Chuck D sent out a series of tweets claiming that Flavor Flav often refuses to perform at benefit events where he won’t get paid.
Flavor Flav Booted After Cease and Desist
It almost goes without saying that the 2020 election has caused division in homes, families, and friend groups across the United States. Now, hip hop group Public Enemy has also fallen victim to this pattern, leading to the firing of member Flavor Flav.
Rolling Stone broke the news Sunday that Flavor Flav was no longer part of the group, after being a main player in it since its inception in 1985. The news came as fellow Public Enemy member Chuck D was set to take the stage at a Bernie Sanders rally in Los Angeles, a decision that did not sit well with Flavor Flav.
“Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav. We thank him for his years of service and wish him well,” the group said in a statement to Rolling Stone.
The riff began between Flavor Flav and Chuck D on Thursday when the news that Public Enemy Radio was set to play the Sanders rally. Public Enemy Radio is an offshoot of Public Enemy led by Chuck D including DJ Lord, Jahi, and the S1Ws.
This resulted in Flavor Flav hitting Sanders’ campaign with a cease and desist, alleging that promotion for the concert would mislead people to believe he would be attending as a Public Enemy member. The letter claims the campaign used “the unauthorized use of his likeness, image and trademarked clock in promotional materials” for the rally.
Unlike Chuck D, who has been vocal about his support for Sanders, the letter states that Flavor Flav has not endorsed any candidate in 2020.
“While Chuck is certainly free to express his political views as he sees fit–his voice alone does not speak for Public Enemy,” the letter continued. “The planned performance will only be Chuck D of Public Enemy, it will not be a performance by Public Enemy…There is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav.”
“Bernie, his name is Flavor Flav and he does NOT approve your message!” the last line of the letter says. It is signed by Flavor Flav’s lawyer, as well as Flavor Flav himself, who included a handwritten note saying, “Hey Bernie, don’t do this.”
Chuck D Responds
Chuck D’s lawyers believe that Flavor Flav’s cease and desist did not stand on strong legal ground.
“From a legal standpoint, Chuck could perform as Public Enemy if he ever wanted to; he is the sole owner of the Public Enemy trademark,” his legal team said in a statement to Rolling Stone. Chuck D also spoke to the outlet about his frustration himself.
“Flavor chooses to dance for his money and not do benevolent work like this,” Chuck D told the magazine.
Before Flavor Flav’s firing, Chuck D also sent out a series of tweets about the cease and desist letter. He claimed that some of his frustrations stem from Flavor Flav not showing support for Harry Belafonte’s group that fights social injustice after he inducted Public Enemy into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
… last final note the last final note was my last straw was long ago. It’s not about BERNIE with Flav… he don’t know the difference between BarrySanders or BernieSanders he don’t know either. FLAV refused to support @Sankofa after @harrybelafonte inducted us. He don’t do that pic.twitter.com/5Ky9dTnzmd
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 1, 2020
So I don’t attack FLAV on what he don’t know. I gotta leave him at the crib so y’all trying to fill his persona with some political aplomb is absolutely‘stupid’ Obviously I understand his craziness after all this damn time. Duh you don’t know him from a box of cigars or me either
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 1, 2020
After performing at the rally, when news of Flavor Flav’s departure from Public Enemy had broken, Chuck D hopped back on Twitter. He said that Flavor Flav has a history of not agreeing to perform at benefit shows, and that had there have been a financial incentive to perform at the Sanders rally, Flavor Flav “would’ve been there front & center.”
Spoke @BernieSanders rally with @EnemyRadio. If there was a $bag, Flav would’ve been there front & center. He will NOT do free benefit shows. Sued me in court the 1st time I let him back in. His ambulance lawyer sued me again on Friday & so now he stays home & better find REHAB
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 2, 2020
I heard I’m trending, like I care . I built @EnemyRadioRS so it does benefits & fundraisers … He said he never gonna do them. So his refusal to do @HarryBelafonte #ManyRiversFestival in Atlanta 2016 was my last time. I built Enemy Radio to get far away from that ridiculousness.
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 2, 2020
93yr old @harrybelafonte could bust his ass come 3000 mls to present PublicEnemy its @rockhall induction 2013 ( many still are clueless on) &anyone feel that they cannot give a ounce of time to reciprocate that honor to his @Sankofa fundraiser-to judge a Bikini $how. #Ungrateful
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 2, 2020
As Chuck D mentioned, this is not the only legal battle he and Flavor Flav have been a part of. In 2017, Flavor Flav sued Chuck D and his management company over alleged unpaid profits. The suit was dismissed in 2019, but some think it could be what Chuck D was alluding to in his tweets.
Fans React to Political Moment
In addition to Chuck D’s frustrations with Flavor Flav’s unwillingness to do non-profit kind of work, many have turned to potential political divides between the two. Public Enemy as a group has been known to get political, but Chuck D, in particular, has been very open and active about his political beliefs. In 2017 Chuck D wrote an op-ed for the Daily Beast in 2017 called “Why Donald Trump Is a White Supremacist.”
At SXSW in 2016, he said, “Fuck Donald Trump” on stage. At that same event, Flavor Flav posed a voice of dissent.
“There’s a lot of people talking a lot of shit about Trump, but guess what? He’s winning,” Flavor Flav told Billboard. “The man is winning. I ain’t gonna lie, but listen, the United States has been ran a certain way for decades and decades and decades. You never know: Maybe Trump could possibly do something. Maybe he might step in office and do something. I’m not going to doubt him.”
The news of Flavor Flav being kicked out of Public Enemy caused a stir online, with many noting that it felt like a politically charged situation.
After 30+ years together, hip-hop group Public Enemy have ousted Flavor Flav because he doesn't support the endorsement of Bernie Sanders…
— ZUBY: (@ZubyMusic) March 2, 2020
Too much politics ruins everything and I hate it.
As a big Public Enemy fan, PE has been ideologically broken up for a while. Chuck stuck to the message he's been proselytizing since the 80s, and Flav fed into demeaning reality TV trash.
— Anthony Fantano Updates (@theneedledrop) March 2, 2020
Of course Flav doesn't sees this "revolution" as "fake"; he's a sell-out.
Some saw it as a metaphor for America in 2020.
what happened to Public Enemy is happening between families and friends all over the country.
— Lena (no viability) (@banalplay) March 2, 2020
Lot of people need to decide: are you Chuck D or do you want to be Flavor Flav?
Flavor Flav has not commented on the matter yet. According to Rolling Stone, Public Enemy Radio will be releasing a new album in April.
See what others are saying: (Esquire) (Daily Beast) (The Hollywood Reporter)
Entertainment
Britney Spears Asks For Privacy After Fans Called Cops to Conduct a Wellness Check on Her
Published
5 days agoon
January 26, 2023
Fans said they were concerned after the singer deleted her Instagram account.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated to include a statement from Britney Spears
Fans Call 911
Britney Spears said her fans “went a little too far” after some called the police to conduct a wellness check on her.
The fans, many fueled by online conspiracy theories, were concerned about Spears because she deleted her Instagram account. While this is something the singer has done multiple times in the past, her fans thought she had left secret signals in her last post suggesting she needed help.
Some even posted videos of them calling emergency services on TikTok, a platform that is full of conspiracy videos about Spears.
“I love and adore my fans but this time things went a little too far and my privacy was invaded,” Spears wrote in a statement on Thursday, citing “prank phone calls” that were made to police.
— Britney Spears 🌹🚀 (@britneyspears) January 26, 2023
According to Spears, officers did not enter her home because once they got to her gate, they “quickly realized there was no issue and left immediately.”
“This felt like I was being gaslit and bullied once the incident made it to the news and being portrayed once again in a poor and unfair light by the media,” Spears continued. “During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward.”
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Ventura County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Page Six that the department “did get calls into our dispatch” but added there was no reason to believe that Spears was “in any kind of harm or any kind of danger.”
That spokesperson declined to say if officials contacted Spears or conducted a wellness check, citing privacy and public trust issues.
The Prominence of Britney Spears Conspiracies
Just over a year has passed since Spears was freed from a highly restrictive conservatorship that controlled her life and finances for 13 years. Throughout the conservatorship, fans tried to use the pop icon’s social media to pick up clues that she was secretly struggling. She did not publicly speak about the conservatorship until the summer of 2021.
Now that she has her freedom, fans are still reading heavily into her posts. Some believe there are hidden messages in her captions and in the gestures she does while dancing. Others think she is dead, missing, or hiding and that a body double is being used in her posts. Some are so concerned that they are coordinating a mass effort to pressure the Los Angeles Times into investigating Spears’ whereabouts and safety.
In the last several years, many have reflected on Spears’ early days in the spotlight and the cruel ways she was harassed and targeted by paparazzi, news outlets, and culture at large. Often the punchline to a joke throughout the 2000s, many now sympathize with Spears, who was forced to endure heavy public scrutiny at a young age. Documentaries like “Framing Britney Spears” prompted many to see Spears as a victim of abusive media tactics, not the “crazy” woman tabloids painted her to be.
Many are now concerned that fans are only going to subject Spears to a new onslaught of harassment by calling the police to her house. Even if the conspiracy theories are technically well-intentioned and often come from a place of concern, some believe they will jumpstart a media frenzy that could harm Spears’ mental well-being.
See what others are saying: (Page Six) (Jezebel) (TMZ)
Entertainment
Razzies Apologize For Nominating 12-Year-Old, Adopt Age Rules For Future Nominations
Published
6 days agoon
January 25, 2023
The group’s founder said the Razzies regret “any hurt” the young actress may have “experienced as a result of our choices.”
Razzies Face Backlash
The Razzie Awards revoked its “insensitive” nomination of 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong and added new guidelines banning child performers from being nominated in the future.
The Razzies, which award the year’s worst movies, included Armstrong in its “Worst Actress” lineup for her role in “Firestarter.” Bryce Dallas Howard, Diane Keaton, Kaya Scodelario, and Alicia Silverstone were also nominated in the category.
Armstrong starred alongside Zac Efron in “Firestarter,” an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The picture received a 10% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
While the film was broadly panned, many thought it was a bridge too far to nominate a child for a bad acting award.
“The Razzies are already mean-spirited & classless, but to nominate a kid is just repulsive & wrong,” child star Julian Hilliard, best known for his work in “WandaVision,” tweeted. “Why put a kid at risk of increased bullying or worse? Be better.”
The razzies are already mean-spirited & classless, but to nominate a kid is just repulsive & wrong. Why put a kid at risk of increased bullying or worse? Be better.
— Julian Hilliard (@_JulianHilliard) January 23, 2023
Actor and podcast host Brandon Hardesty said the nomination was “completely ignorant and cynical.”
The Razzies nominating Ryan Kiera Armstrong for "Worst Actress" is so completely ignorant and cynical I can't wrap my head around it. They have no clue what this can do to a child actress who probably considered her starring role in FIRESTARTER as a high point in her life. (1/7)
— Brandon Hardesty (@Brandon_Hrdesty) January 24, 2023
“They have no clue what this can do to a child actress who probably considered her starring role in FIRESTARTER as a high point in her life,” he wrote.
“That girl was the best part of that mess of a movie,” film critic Shannon McGrew tweeted. “And on top of that, no kid should ever be nominated for an award that punches down on them.”
The Razzies nominating Ryan Kiera Armstrong for Worst Actress as if she was the cause of FIRESTARTER being so bad is hysterical. That girl was the best part of that mess of a movie. And on top of that, no kid should ever be nominated for an award that punches down on them.
— Shannon of the Dead 🧟♀️ (@shannon_mcgrew) January 25, 2023
Nomination Revoked
Razzies founder John Wilson addressed the backlash in a statement to the press on Wednesday, calling the criticism “valid.”
“Sometimes, you do things without thinking, Then you are called out for it. Then you get it,” Wilson said. “It’s why the Razzies were created in the first place.”
“We have removed Armstrong’s name from the Final Ballot that our members will cast next month,” he continued. “We also believe a public apology is owed Ms. Armstrong, and wish to say we regret any hurt she experienced as a result of our choices.”
In addition to removing Armstrong’s nomination, The Razzies is now adopting “a Voting Guideline precluding any performer or film-maker under 18 years of age from being considered” for awards.
“Since our motto is ‘Own Your Bad,’ we realize that we ourselves must also live up to it,” the statement closed.
While Armstrong will be the last child to nab a Razzie nomination, she was far from the first. Jake Lloyd made the list for his turn as young Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.” Gary Coleman and Macaulay Culkin also got nominations as teenagers.
See what others are saying: (Deadline) (The Hollywood Reporter) (People)
Entertainment
SeatGeek CEO Calls to Break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation in Senate Hearing Following Taylor Swift Debacle
Published
7 days agoon
January 24, 2023
“A lack of robust competition in our industry meaningfully stunts innovation, and consumers are who suffer,” Jack Groetzinger said.
Monopoly Concerns
Two months after technical difficulties blocked countless Taylor Swift fans from snagging seats to her tour, a bipartisan group of Senators held a hearing to re-examine the merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
The two entertainment giants merged in 2010. Jack Groetzinger, the CEO of the rival ticket-selling platform SeatGeek, said during Tuesday’s hearing that the two need to be broken up to benefit consumers.
“One, a lack of robust competition in our industry meaningfully stunts innovation, and consumers are who suffer,” he said. “Two, venues fear losing Live Nation concerts if they don’t use Ticketmaster, and three, the only way to restore competition in this industry is to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) echoed concerns about the lack of competition, arguing that Live Nation is the “definition of monopoly.”
“Live Nation is so powerful that it doesn’t even need to exert pressure, it doesn’t need to threaten, because people just fall in line,” she said.
The Eras Tour Debacle
Ticketmaster has long been accused of price-gouging and complicating the ticket-buying process. Those issues made international headlines in November during the presale for Swift’s highly anticipated Era’s Tour.
Millions of fans who attempted to enter Ticketmaster’s virtual queue walked away empty-handed after experiencing crashes, price inflation, and a myriad of other issues.
According to Ticketmaster, the incredibly high demand, coupled with an onslaught of bot attacks, forced the platform to slow sales down. After the company delayed sales in certain cities and canceled the general sale altogether, Swift called the ordeal “excruciating.”
“We asked them, multiple times, if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could,” she wrote on Instagram in November.
The controversy prompted many to accuse Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, of holding a monopoly over the concert and live events industry. The U.S. Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into the entertainment giant.
Ticketmaster Takes Heat
Ticketmaster has repeatedly tried to blame a number of factors for the failed Swift presale, even at one point suggesting the sale was too popular because the “Anti-Hero” singer waited so long to tour.
“May I suggest, respectfully, that Ticketmaster ought to look in the mirror and say, ‘I’m the problem, it’s me,’” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said during the hearing.
Still, the company continued to point the finger at record-breaking bot attacks.
“We knew bots would attack at onsale and planned accordingly. We were then hit with three times the amount of bot traffic that we’d ever experienced,” Live Nation CFO Joe Berchtold said on Capitol Hill.
“The attack requires [us] to slow down and even pause our sales. This is what led to a terrible consumer experience we deeply regret. We apologize to the fans, we apologize to Miss Swift, we need to do better and we will do better,” he continued.
Others present at the hearing were not happy with Live Nation’s bot defense. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said that she has worked with companies in a variety of industries that deal with bots without these issues.
“You know what, they get bot attacks every single day by the thousands. By the thousands,” she said. “And they have figured it out, but you guys haven’t? This is unbelievable.”
“You can’t blame bots for what happened to Taylor Swift,” JAM Productions CEO Jerry Mickelson added. “There’s more to that story that you’re not hearing.”
According to Mickelson, Ticketmaster can actually stand to benefit from glitchy sales on its platform.
“The process, when it’s slowed down, increases the money that Ticketmaster makes because they make money on fees and as the ticket prices go up due to dynamically priced tickets, Ticketmaster makes more off that,” he claimed. “So it’s to their advantage to slow the process down.”
Outrage against Ticketmaster has become so widespread that Sen. Blumenthal said the company was responsible for “an absolutely stunning achievement.”
“You have brought together Republicans and Democrats in an absolutely unified cause.”
See what others are saying: (Axios) (USA Today) (New York Times)

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