List of All Articles with Tag 'celebrities'

Kim Petras has made history by becoming the second transgender woman to model on the cover of Sports Illustrated. As part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit's annual issue, the popstar was picked as one of the four cover stars including Megan Fox, Brooks Nader and Martha Stewart. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In her cover photo which was shot by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles, Petras wore a gold bikini as she stood in a pool and had her armed posed above her head. The Grammy Award winner is the second transgender woman cover star, with actress Leyna Bloom being the first to grace the cover back in July 2021. "It’s very iconic, and a lot of very iconic people have done it before, so [it was a] big dream come true for me," Petras told the publication. Fans of Petras flocked to her post and congratulated her on this achievement. One person wrote: "So so proud of you Kim this is iconic @kimpetras KEEP BUSTING DOWN THEM DOORS" "Beautiful!!! Congrats!!!! I wish you the best and many more of these," another person said. Someone else added: "And the photo credits being colored as the trans flag? Iconic. @sportsillustrated really focusing all in those details. Congrats, mama!!!" The 30-year-old German singer also acknowledged what it means to be part of the transgender community amid a wave of anti-trans laws being introduced in states and the pressure she feels to represent it in an interview with the magazine. "It’s definitely a scary time to be transgender in America, but there’s also so much more representation than there’s ever been, and there’s so many things on the bright side," she added. “I do feel a pressure sometimes to represent the trans community with everything I do because I feel very blessed that I am at this point where I have all these amazing opportunities that I’ve worked really hard for and feel so happy when I hear from trans people in general that they’re inspired by me.” Though she also noted that everything she does is "definitely not about being transgender." “I always try to remember that everything I do is definitely not about being transgender. It’s a part of me, but there are so many other parts of me. And I think that’s really important for me to show that to people,” she said. “No matter what your gender or sexuality or any of that stuff is, it’s about what you make of life and it’s about what’s inside of you, so I hope that can be inspiring to people.” It's not the first time Petras has made history, as she became the first trans woman to win Grammy for Best Pop Duo for her collaboration with Sam Smith on the hit song 'Unholy.' Petras's new highly-anticipated major label debut album, Feed the Beast is out on June 23. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Elliot Page has shared an update with fans as he prepares to release his memoir, Pageboy. The actor, who is transgender, had a noticeably deeper voice as he opened a box of copies in the rare video. "Wow, it's real", he said emotionally, showing off the book to the camera. The book will focus largely on the Umbrella Academy star's turbulent relationship with his body while transitioning. Click here to sign up for our newsletters

Another day, another Elon Musk controversy A recent tweet by the tech entrepreneur has sparked widespread criticism and condemnation due to the sinister implications and dogwhistles buried within. Musk was the latest in a long-long-long line of people to criticise Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros, and his comparison between Soros and a megalomaniac Marvel supervillain has been viewed as not only very lazy but deeply problematic and antisemitic. In a bizarre series of tweets, Musk compared the holocaust-survivor background of both Soros and X-Men nemesis Magneto, and argued a skin-deep strawman line that 'both hate humanity'. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Journalist Brian Krassenstein called out Musk on this writing: "Fun fact: Magneto's experiences during the Holocaust as a survivor shaped his perspective as well as his depth and empathy. Soro, also a Holocaust survivor, gets attacked nonstop for his good intentions which some Americans think are bad merely because they disagree with this political affiliations." Musk clapped back: "You assume they are good intentions. They are not. He wants to erode the very fabric of civilization. Soros hates humanity." Hate humanity? Magneto has a disdain towards humanity (as a mutant in the comic books, he feels he is superior and that homo sapiens' time is up) - but in an attempt to use a fictional Jewish figure to attack a real one, Musk has been caught lacking. Magneto isn't real (neither are the X-Men and superpowered mutants), and Musk's tweets read as an attempt to grasp the first Jewish villain he could find from a shelf to beat another Jewish person over the head with, by reflecting surface-level pop culture knowledge into a bowl of antisemitic hate. Magneto, like Soros, survived the Holocaust (as a character). In the comics, he was not initially depicted as Jewish - but a backstory was added to fill out the character as comics stories became far more complex than their origins. Magneto's goal as a villain is to end human oppression over mutants. However, Magneto is described as a fairly grey villain. He has led heroic teams, he blurs his own lines and contradicts himself. There's depth and room for additional context to be bolted onto the character as time goes on. Musk's tweet towards Soros did not represent a fair or valid criticism of the billionaire - it is not only deeply hurtful, it appeared quickly and it is quite telling that it came only days after Soros's investment fund reported that it had sold all its stock in Tesla. Tesla, of course, is run by Musk alongside Twitter. There are plenty of fairways to criticise the actions of billionaires and their obvious financial influence on the world. Musk, Gates, Soros and Bezos alike. However, reaching straight for racial and antisemetic tropes feeds a beast that is not so easily caged. Antisemitism, a form of prejudice against Jewish people, poses significant harm to individuals and communities. It can manifest as verbal abuse, physical violence, and systemic discrimination. By employing antisemitic tropes or making comparisons that evoke harmful stereotypes, individuals contribute to a climate of hostility and bigotry. Musk has indirectly overseen a rise in antisemitic language on Twitter. A study found that antisemitic language on Twitter doubled - and then some - after Musk's takeover of Twitter. Not only that, but Musk's comments arrived around the same time as Douglas Murray's speech in the UK's National Conservative which observed that the rise of the Nazi party shouldn't hamper the growth of nationalism elsewhere just 'because Germany mucked up': The last week has seen a dismissal of Jewish suffering, and the use of Jewish identity in paper-thin arguments to back right-wing statements - Musk and Murray include. Such instances highlight the need for increased awareness regarding the consequences of antisemitic language. It is crucial for individuals to recognize the harm caused by perpetuating stereotypes and to actively combat all forms of prejudice. Musk eventually apologized (sort of), but in considering both Musk and Murray's comments, it's perhaps worth some people spending some time reflecting on atrocities that have occurred in the past - and less time making lazy comments involving Marvel characters. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

With Taylor Swift's re-recorded version of her album Speak Now coming out soon, Taylor Lautner has jokingly said he's "praying" for John Mayer. The singer's third studio album will be re-released on July 9, as part of a project to re-record her first six albums due to a dispute of her master rights - so far Swift has re-released 2008's Fearless and 2012's Red. Many of the songs on Speak Now are on the topic of love and relationships that have led to speculation over the years as to who they are about, such as the apologetic breakup track 'Back To December' reportedly referring to Taylor Lautner. The pair dated briefly in 2009 after co-starring as a high school couple in the romcom Valentine’s Day, with the 'Back to December' being all about apologising to an ex who treated them well in a relationship. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While fans are convinced heartbreak ballad 'Dear John' is about John Mayer who dated between late 2009 and 2010 - at the time she was 19 and he was 32. As the lyrics go: "Dear John, I see it all now it was wrong/ Don’t you think 19’s too young to be played by/ Your dark twisted games when I loved you so?" Given the new album release is approaching, Lautner was quizzed about his feelings on this during an appearance on Today on Tuesday (16 May). "I think it's a great album. Yeah, I feel safe," the Twilight actor said, however there's someone else he's thinking about, as he added: "Praying for John." Swift took to her social media earlier this month to announce Speak Now (Taylor's Version) which will include six 'From The Vault' unheard tracks. "I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20," she wrote. "The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness. "I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing … and living to speak about it." Currently, Swift is on her Eras Tour while dating rumours circulate about her and The 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Gemma Collins has come up with her foolproof plan for surviving food shortages - by growing everything herself. The reality star plans to get chickens, and already grows vegetables, inspired by an apocalyptic blockbuster, after scaring herself with the news of cost of living crisis and impact of Brexit. "I saw Matt Damon was in a movie once, he went to Mars", she began. "I remember a segment in the field where he was growing potatoes and I thought, 'Well if I grow potatoes and I have fresh eggs, I’m going to live!', so that was the thought process." Click here to sign up for our newsletters

Bill Gates has shared the different pieces of life advice he wish he received in his youth. The Microsoft founder delivered his third commencement speech (he had previously spoken at Harvard 2007 and Stanford 2014) to the forestry and engineering graduates of Northern Arizona University and posted his speech on his website. When it comes to the 67-year-old's time on campus, he never made it to his own graduation and left after three semesters to start Microsoft, something that he does mention. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "So, what does a college dropout know about graduation? Not much personally, to be honest," he said. Here are the five things Gates wishes he heard at the graduation he never had: Your life isn’t a one-act play. "You probably feel a lot of pressure right now to make the right decisions about your career," Gates said. "It might feel like those decisions are permanent. They’re not. What you do tomorrow—or for the next ten years—does not have to be what you do forever." He goes on to add that he thought after leaving school he would be working for Microsoft for the rest of his life but that now philanthropy is his full time job. You are never too smart to be confused. "I thought I knew everything I needed to know when I left college," he began. "But the first step to learning something new is embracing what you don’t know, instead of focusing on what you do know." When facing a problem that cannot be resolved alone, he said: "Don’t panic. Take a breath. Force yourself to think things through. And then find smart people to learn from" - and also advised not too be too afraid to ask. Gravitate toward work that solves an important problem. "The good news is, you are graduating at a time when there are many important problems to solve." "New industries and companies are emerging every day that will allow you to make a living and make a difference, and advances in science and technology have made it easier than ever to make a big impact." Don’t underestimate the power of friendship. "When I was in school, I became friends with another student who shared a lot of my interests, like science fiction novels and computer magazines," Gates said. "Little did I know how important that friendship would be. My friend’s name was Paul Allen—and we started Microsoft together." You are not a slacker if you cut yourself some slack. Gates noted how life is all about work - something that he learnt as he grew up. "When I was your age, I didn’t believe in vacations. I didn’t believe in weekends," he said. I pushed everyone around me to work very long hours. In the early days of Microsoft, my office overlooked the parking lot—and I would keep track of who was leaving early and staying late. "But as I got older—and especially once I became a father—I realized there is more to life than work." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A new misleading image is doing the rounds on social media but, for a change, this one has nothing to do with AI. Instead, this (very real) photo has sparked a swirl of rumours concerning rapper 6ix9ine’s sexuality. The picture shows 6ix9ine (who also goes by Tekashi69), planting a kiss on the cheek of Mexican singer Eduin Caz, from the band GroupoFirme. It went viral after website Pop Tingz shared it to its Twitter account with the caption: “6ix9ine reveals boyfriend.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The tweet racked up more than 7.9 million views and 3,570 likes in less than a day as streams of commentators remarked that they “weren’t surprised” by the revelation. Except that it wasn’t a revelation at all, just proof of the power of a sensationalist headline. In fact, Caz posted the original picture to his Instagram account to mark the release of a new collaboration between Groupo Firme and 6ix9ine. Their track, ‘Y ahora’, is a love song about… a woman. And if you watch the music video, you’ll see the two men getting up-close and personal with a couple of scantily clad ladies. And yet, social media users love to consider themselves masters of hints and easter eggs, so apparently the fact 6ix9ine sports rainbow-coloured braids is enough to suggest he’s a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Others took the opportunity to fuel the rumour that the rapper has indulged in gay porn – under an alias – and that his sex tape was leaked to the internet. However, according to AllHipHop, the actor in said X-rated movie bears merely a passing resemblance to the rapper. Furthermore, the 27-year-old admitted to having a girlfriend on Instagram just three days ago when he posted a gushing birthday tribute to model Ariiela Lalangosta. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTFRIEND [sic] IN THE WORLD,” he wrote in the caption to a video showing him kissing Lalangosta and showering her with cash. “My girlfriend won’t get mad but we just friends she knows that,” he added. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Head to the Google homepage today and you’ll see a flame-haired woman gazing into the distance. The Doodle was created in honour of German actress Renate Krößner, who would have turned 78 today. Krößner was propelled to international stardom after playing the titular role in Solo Sunny – a 1980 East German film about a rebellious singer, which struck a chord with audiences around the world. Her performance was met with universal critical acclaim, earning her the Best Actress Silver Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival — the first for an East German production. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For the uninitiated, Germany was split into East and West from 1945-1990: the western bloc was led by the US and the eastern bloc by the USSR, and life on the two sides couldn’t have been more different. The West was a liberal democracy, while the East was essentially a communist state. Permission had to be granted to anyone who wished to leave the socialist territory, which Krößner obtained in 1985. After moving to West Berlin, Krößner became a mainstay on hit West German TV shows and continued to wow film critics, racking up a number of prestigious accolades including an RTL Golden Lion. In 1991, Krößner was a jury member at the 41st Berlin International Film Festivaland she continued acting into the 2000s. She died following a short illness on 25 May, 2020 at the age of 75. But, as today’s Google Doogle proves, her legacy lives on. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

YouTuber, musician and boxer KSI – real name Olajide "JJ" Olatunji – has had an Instagram advert with JD Sports banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), after the watchdog found the ad was not “obviously identifiable” as a marketing communication. Back in November last year, KSI posted a Reel to his Instagram account in which he could be seen with friends playing games in an arcade, with other featured celebrities in the video including Tobi “TBJZL” Brown, Amin “Chunkz” Mohamed and Anthony Joshua. After Brown approaches JJ asking him “what you got” in terms of footwear, KSI laughs before pointing to a pair of trainers which the video then zooms in on. The social media video, part of the “King of the Game” promotional campaign for Christmas last year, was a shortened version of longer promotional video on JD Sports’ official YouTube channel, which KSI directed his followers to watch in the post’s caption. However, the ASA later launched an investigation after a single complaint was made to them questioning if the post was “obviously identifiable” as an advert. Under the advertising code drawn up by the Committee of Advertising Practice – and enforced by the ASA – marketing communications (including on social media) must be “obviously identifiable as such”. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter ASA guidance for online influencers states social media ads should include a “prominent label” such as #Ad, #Advert or #Advertisement “at the beginning” of the post “as an absolute minimum”. While the ASA’s ruling noted KSI amended the caption to include the ‘#ad’ label once learning of the complaint, it went on to add the advert was in breach because “the commercial intent behind the post was not made clear upfront and the ad was not obviously identifiable as such”. The regulator also said: “The post’s caption featured some elements that some consumers might have interpreted as signalling a commercial relationship between JD Sports and Mr Olatunji, including the reference to the ‘JD Arcade’, the ‘@JDSportsOfficial’ tag, and the instruction to view the ‘full version’ of the featured video on JD Sports’ YouTube channel. JD SPORTS CHRISTMAS AD 2022 | KING OF THE GAME www.youtube.com “However, in each case, the language used exclusively focused on the JD Sports brand itself, rather than its relation to Mr Olatunji. “We therefore considered those elements did not amount to a clear statement of the commercial relationship between Mr Olatunji and JD Sports, which would be immediately understandable to consumers.” When approached by the ASA as part of its investigation, JD Sports said it understood that labels such as ‘#ad’ were only required if content was not “already identifiable as such”. “They believed that various aspects of the ad made clear that it was a marketing communication … [They] believed the video’s high production value and elaborate set dressing were suggestive of a professional ad agency’s involvement. “The ad featured over 28 celebrities, including England international footballers and famous rappers. They believed that viewers would recognise as highly likely that such a varied group of high-profile individuals had been assembled as part of an advertising campaign.” JD Sports also said the video had appeared in other media prior to it appearing on KSI’s Instagram account, meaning “many viewers would instantly recognise the Instagram post as a marketing communication”. Meanwhile, the ruling continued to say KSI believed at the time that “references to JD Sports in the post’s caption, and the brand’s logo featured in the video’s closing shot, made clear to consumers that the video was an excerpt from a TV ad for JD in which he had featured.” The label of ‘#ad’ was later added by KSI to “mitigate any risk of consumers being misled”. However, the ASA concluded the advert was in breach, meaning it “must not appear again in the form complained of”. It is still available on KSI’s Instagram account at the time of writing. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Martha Stewart, the 81-year-old presenter and businesswoman, made history this week after becoming the oldest cover star of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. In light of the record breaking news, Maye Musk, mother of controversial business magnate and owner of Twitter, Elon Musk, congratulated Stewart on overtaking the record Musk set in 2022, at age 74. Musk jokingly tweeted "took my @SInow title!" followed by clapping and heart emojis. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Stewart shared she was 'thrilled' to be on the cover, writing she 'hopes it inspires you to challenge yourself and try new things'. Last year, when Musk graced the cover, she shared similar positive sentiments about the experience. In 2022, she told PEOPLE about the 'lovely experience' of being on the cover. Musk added at the time, 'I do think it's going to make women feel more comfortable in their seventies when they swim, as well as women in their twenties and thirties.' Many shared similar sentiments about Stewart's cover, saying that it will help break down barriers around ageism. As well as install confidence in women of all ages. Stewart's Instagram post announcing her cover has almost 250,000 likes. Stewart and Musk aren't the only one breaking records. Last year Judi Dench became the oldest cover star for American Vogue at 85, and in April this year, Vogue Philippines had an 106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist on its cover. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Charlize Theron has pledged her support to the drag community during a telethon opposing the ongoing ban controversies in the United States. Drag Isn’t Dangerous raised over $500,000 with the support of celebrities and drag acts from across the country. "I will f*** anybody up who’s trying to f*** with anything with you guys", Theron said in the video. “There are so many things that are hurting and, really, killing our kids, and we all know what I’m talking about right now, and it ain’t no drag queen." Click here to sign up for our newsletters

The former model and ex-wife of music legends George Harrison and Eric Clapton made music history in her own right.