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Justin Bieber Calls Sexual Assault Allegation “Factually Impossible”

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1 year ago

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  • Over the weekend, two women accused singer Justin Bieber of sexual assault. The first, Danielle, said she was invited to Bieber’s hotel room at the Four Seasons in Austin after seeing him perform in 2014. She claimed he had sex with her after she told him to get off her and said things were going too far.
  • The second, Kadi, said she was also invited to his hotel in 2015 when Bieber allegedly locked her in a room with him. She said she was able to kick him off of her and run away while the assault was taking place.
  • Bieber has not specifically addressed Kadi’s claim, but posted several tweets about Danielle’s, which he says is false.
  • He claims he was in Austin during that time, but did not stay at the Four Seasons, and allegedly confirmed this with a manager at the hotel. He also shared screenshots of receipts of hotel reservations booked at other locations.

First Allegation Against Bieber

Singer Justin Bieber defended himself against accusations of sexual assault, Sunday night, calling one account “factually impossible.”

“I don’t normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight,” Bieber wrote on Twitter, starting a long series of posts.

Allegations against the 26-year-old pop star began Saturday when a Twitter user named Danielle said Bieber assaulted her on March 9, 2014. Danielle claimed that she and her friends were at an event in Austin where Bieber, who was accompanied by his then-girlfriend Selena Gomez, made a surprise performance. Danielle claimed that a man approached her and her friends, asking if they wanted to meet Bieber. 

They said yes, took photos with Bieber, and chatted with him. After this, Danielle alleged that he and his friends invited them back to the Four Seasons hotel. She claimed that upon arriving, her friends were sent to one room, but she was brought to another with Bieber, who asked her to not say anything. 

Danielle wrote that Bieber asked her to join him in bed and hegan to kiss her, even though she tried to change the conversation by asking about Gomez. According to Danielle, she had been drinking, and hoped this would be a clear sign that she was not willing to do much with the singer. 

As things progressed, Danielle claims that Beieber began to undress her. When she told him things were going too far and she wanted to get back with her friends, Danielle alleges that Bieber responded by saying, “Relax. They’re all okay.”

“I was very uncomfortable and I felt myself starting to hyperventilate,” Danielle wrote in her post. “I told him to get off because I was starting to worry about my friends but it was too late. He forced himself inside me before I got the last few words out…My body felt unconscious.”

Second Claim Comes Out

Later that day, another girl named Kadi echoed her support for Danielle and claimed she had also been assaulted by Bieber. She said that after waiting in line for a meet and greet with Bieber, his bodyguard Mikey invited her up to Bieber’s hotel, where there was a small get together. 

Kadi claims that when she was there, she started talking to Bieber, who kissed her and then followed her into the bathroom. Kady then said that he locked the door to the bathroom, which was attached to the bedroom. She alleged that the singer continued to kiss her and touch her, while she told him that she was waiting for marriage to have sex. 

However, Kadi claimed that after this, he pushed her to the bed, removed some of her clothes and penetrated her. She said she kicked him off of her and ran away. Kadi wrote that she told her sister, who warned her against speaking out because her alleged sexual encounter could harm her or her family’s reputation. 

She said she remained silent until 2017, when the MeToo movement encouraged her to speak out. She claimed she tweeted then deleted her story, but a reporter did contact her asking for more information, though nothing ever came of it. In addition to her story, she shared screenshots of messages she sent with Bieber’s bodyguard, the reporter, and another girl who was at the hotel named Arianna. 

Bieber Responds

While Bieber has not specifically addressed the allegation from Kadi, he sent out numerous tweets denouncing Danielle’s story, which has since been deleted. 

“Rumors are rumors but sexual abuse is something I don’t take lightly. I wanted to speak out right away but out of respect to so many victims who deal with these issues daily I wanted to make sure I gathered the facts before I made any statement,” Bieber said.

According to Bieber, he was in Austin on March 9, the day that Danielle claimed the incident happened. However, he said he was with Gomez and his friends, and showed photos of him elsewhere throughout the night. 

He also said he did not stay at the Four Seasons, the hotel that Danielle claimed the incident happened at. While one tweet from March 10, 2014 does show someone claiming to see him at the hotel, Bieber was allegedly just at the restaurant, not an overnight guest. 

Beiber maintains that he spent one night at an Airbnb with Gomez and friends and another at the Westin. He shared receipts and screenshots that appear to confirm reservations there. He also claimed that the Four Season regional manager stated that he was never at the hotel during this timeframe. 

“Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed,” Bieber later explained. “However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with twitter and authorities to take legal action.”

He did face backlash for his response, however, as some thought his promise of legal action looked like threats against his accusers. Others did not think he should be bringing Gomez into the situation and making her his alibi.

Other Stars Accused of Sexual Assault 

The accusation against Bieber came one day after a woman claimed that actor Ansel Elgort sexually assaulted her when she was 17. Elgort has denied this and said he did have a relationship with her, but it was consensual and legal. Danielle still claimed that seeing someone speak up about Elgort gave her the courage to speak out against Bieber. 

Also over the weekend, Cole Sprouse and other members of the cast of CW’s “Riverdale” were accused of sexual assault and harassment. The tweets came from resembling accounts, all of which had a woman’s first name followed by a long series of numbers as the handle. 

The accusations against Sprouse are still online, however, tweets with allegations against stars like Lili Reinhart, KJ Apa, and Vanessa Morgan have been deleted. In one case, the user who tweeted a sexual harassment claim against Reinhart later tweeted that the claims about Apa and Morgan were fake.

“Do you see how easy it is to lie and you guys will believe it?” that user wrote, with many claiming it was an effort to prove Sprouse’s innocence. 

The allegations still became a trending topic on Twitter, with some thinking they were all fake, but others still feeling inclined to believe them. Both Sprouse and Reinhart have made threads denouncing the claims.

“False accusations do tremendous damage to victims of actual assault. Furthermore, I would never seek to silence anybody,” Sprouse wrote. “I encourage that people look into the accusations themselves, as the events detailed were factually untrue.”

“I have always taken sexual assault allegations seriously. But it was proven that this account was created specifically to create false stories about me and my cast,” Reinhart added. “I can’t think of something more twisted than lying about sexual assault.”

Reinhart also claimed that the cast is looking into legal action. 

See what others are saying: (Pitchfork) (Entertainment Weekly) (The Guardian)

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Disney Eviscerates Scarlett Johansson’s “Black Widow” Lawsuit as “Callous,” but Report Suggests Emma Stone and Emily Blunt May Follow Her Lead

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3 days ago

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July 30, 2021

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“There is no merit whatsoever to this filing,” the company said in an uncharacteristically blunt statement that was heavily criticized online. 

Johansson/Disney Lawsuit Gets Bitter

Disney has described a recent lawsuit from “Black Widow” actress Scarlett Johansson as “sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” but Johansson may have just unleashed what is to become an even bigger legal challenge for the House of Mouse. 

At the center of this dispute, Johansson alleges she lost $50 million because Disney opted for a dual streaming/theater release of “Black Widow,” which debuted in theaters and for $30 on Disney+ with Premier Access earlier this month. 

According to Johansson’s suit, her contract with Disney — which was negotiated prior to any hint of a pandemic — stipulated that “Black Widow” would see an exclusive theater release. Notably, the actress also said her contractual bonuses were tied to the movie’s box office performance, which is an extremely common practice with films featuring A-list celebrities.

Of course, when the pandemic hit — like many other industries — movies were upended. Pandemic-related changes meant that despite having an initial release date of May 2020, Marvel fans wouldn’t get a chance to see “Black Widow” for over a year. 

Still, Johansson said she tried to contact Disney to renegotiate her contract prior to the film’s ultimate release, but she claims the company was unresponsive. 

On Thursday, she then filed a complaint with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with her attorney arguing that “Disney has enjoyed the benefits of having one of Hollywood’s top actresses promote its wholly owned subscription service at no additional cost to Disney, and with the intended effect of taking money out of that actress’ own pocket.”

Later Thursday, Disney claimed that it has “fully complied” with Johansson’s contract and that the streamed release of the film “has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20M she has received to date.”

“There is no merit whatsoever to this filing,” the company said in its uncharacteristically blunt statement.

Are Emma Stone and Emily Blunt Next?

Speaking of blunt, it was reported Friday that both Emily Blunt and Emma Stone may also file lawsuits against Disney’s dual streaming release of their films. 

In fact, according to an exclusive newsletter run by former Hollywood Reporter Editor Matt Belloni, Stone “is said to be weighing her options” over the dual release of “Cruella” in May. Meanwhile, he suggested Blunt could also take action or speak out following this weekend’s release of “Jungle Cruise.”

Belloni went on to describe Disney as “notoriously difficult to deal with” regarding such matters and claimed that many have simply been waiting for someone powerful enough to speak out. 

Disney Criticized for Its Response

Much of the public perception of the situation has led to overwhelming support for Johansson’s camp. Online, a slew of people lambasted Disney’s response, with many calling it a deflection. 

See what others are saying: (ScreenRant) (Newsweek) (Variety)

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Candace Owens and Logan Paul in Talks to Debate

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4 days ago

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July 29, 2021

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A spokesperson confirmed to Insider Wednesday that the two have had “productive” conversations about the prospect offline.

Candace Owens Challenges Logan Paul to a Debate

Right-wing commentator Candace Owens and controversial YouTuber Logan Paul are in talks to engage in a political debate. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. 

Owens — best known for making false claims about the George Floyd protests, spreading COVID-19 misinformation, and seemingly saying that Adolf Hitler “just wanted to make Germany great” — first challenged Paul to a debate on Friday. It started with her sharing a year-old clip from Paul’s podcast where he spoke about the importance of fighting racism in the United States. 

“It is not enough to be ‘not racist.’ You have to be anti-racist,” he said.

“If you’re white, if you look like me, use your privilege,” he added. “And for those who do not think white privilege exists, you are fucking blind.” 

Because merely acknowledging the existence of racism appears to go against Owens’ core beliefs, she asked Paul to duke it out with her. 

“Logan loves to challenge people in the boxing ring,” she wrote. “I’d like to publicly challenge him to go a few rounds with me in a political debate. @LoganPaul—how about you stop by my show and explain to me how you’re *checks notes* more privileged than me because you’re white and I’m not?”

Spokesperson Confirms The Two Are in Talks

Paul  — best known for launching a boxing career and filming a YouTube video that showed a dead body in Japan’s “suicide forest” — said on Tuesday that he was “perplexed” by the offer, but was taking it seriously. 

“I started to entertain this action, I ended up speaking with her, and there may be a future where we sit down and have a civil discourse because I think there’s some meat on this bone,” he said during the most recent episode of his “ImPaulsive” podcast. 

The internet star acknowledged that Owens’ main arena is politics, while his main arena is being a “fucking idiot” online. Still, he said he does care about these issues and has a “semi-intelligent brain,” so he thinks he could “hold [his] own.”

“Candace Owens, whether you can admit it or not, is a smart person,” Paul continued. “And so I guess I’m just curious because I just fucking fundamentally disagree with her and again, I think there’s room for a conversation.” 

A spokesperson for Owens confirmed to Insider on Wednesday that the two had a “productive” offline conversation and said a public political debate between the two is “very likely.”

“Although both of them disagree on a variety of topics, they are both much more interested in learning from one another and think people would benefit from hearing an honest discussion between two parties rather than a ‘gotcha’ moment that might play well for social media,” the spokesperson added.

See what others are saying: (Insider)

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Finneas Slams Billie Eilish Troll Account for Attributing Fake Quotes to the Singer

Published

5 days ago

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July 28, 2021

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Eilish’s big brother said the account is spreading “relentless lies” and asked that it at least label itself as a satire account.

Troll Account Shares Fake Billie Eilish Quotes

Billie Eilish’s brother and collaborator Finneas took to Twitter Tuesday to address an account that has been sharing fake quotes attributed to his sister.

The account uses the handle @BilliesUpdatess and goes by the name of “Billie Eilish Updates” in its profile. It was created in July of 2021 and as of Wednesday morning, it had amassed a following of 1,100 people. On a quick glance, it looks just like any other update account a fan might make to share news about their favorite celebrity.

@BilliesUpdatess, however, is far from the standard adoring fan page. Of the over 300 tweets it has posted, several include screenshots of forged articles that make it look like Eilish said something either offensive or totally outlandish. One post claims Eilish defended her boyfriend after he was accused of supporting former president Donald Trump.

“At the end of the day, I fucking love him you know?” the phony statement reads. “It doesn’t matter if he made some homophobic comments in the past, people change. If he [Matthew] supports Donald Trump then I don’t care if it makes him happy. I support EVERY decision Mathew has to make, even the ones some of my fans don’t agree with, like maybe some of his icky comments.”

Screenshot @BilliesUpdatess

In another sham passage, Eilish says she thinks queerbaiting “is a really good thing!” In several others, the person behind the account comes up with artificial quotes to make it looks like Eilish is feuding with “driver’s license” singer Olivia Rodrigo. 

Screenshot @BilliesUpdatess

One post with a fake article ended up being retweeted 12,000 times. That tweet included Eilish claiming she longs to be poor.

Screenshot @BilliesUpdatess

“When I got rich, I started balling my eyes out,” the fake piece says. “I wanted to be poor so I can relate to most of my fans. I still want to be broke and poor, it looks really fun and cute.”

Finneas Slams Account

As the troll account started to gain traction, Finneas asked that people report and block it to minimize the spread of its “relentless lies.”

On Tuesday, he responded to a fan that tagged him in the @BilliesUpdatess tweet alleging his sister wanted to be poor. 

“Fake obviously,” Finneas wrote. “Honestly I just wish they’d label this account satire like the onion or something. I have no problem with a joke as long as people know it’s a joke.”

Screenshot @BilliesUpdatess

The account made several jokes about the fact that Finneas was calling it out, but it seems Eilish’s big brother got what he asked for. @BilliesUpdatess added “parody account” to its bio and the account was deleted as of Wednesday afternoon.

See what others are saying: (NME) (Uproxx) (E! News)

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