Archive for the ‘Al Sharpton’ Category

Dr. Fauci explains why Trumps travel bans didnt work and he was begging action as early as mid-January – Raw Story

MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton asked Dr. Anthony Fauci when it occurred to him that the coronavirus had become a serious problem.

Fauci explained that there was always some indication that there was danger. But he claimed that the information coming out of China was wrong until the end of December. Trump has claimed China, saying that they lied to the United States and blamed the World Health Organization for perpetuating it. Whether that is true or not, Fauci made it clear that the United States knew this was a problem at the end of December and by the end of January, it was known that the virus was spreading from person to person.

They said it was something like 24 cases in this wet market, where these exotic animals are sold and there is a human/animal interface, said Fauci. The proposal made by the authorities in China where this was just jumping from an animal to a human, and it wasnt spread from human-to-human. Then it became clear, when you look back, that it was likely in China that there was human-to-human spread. By the time we got that information and we started getting cases here, it was, well, its not efficiently spread from human-to-human. As soon as it became clear that there was community spread, which means that it isnt just a travel-related case, that there are cases that are in the community under the radar screen, then it became clear that we were in real trouble.

Sharpton asked when that was and Fauci said that it was toward the middle to end of January.

And did you begin advising the administration and those authorities that we were, in fact, seeing something different here and this could be a major problem at that time? asked Sharpton.

You bet, Fauci said emphatically. And then thats when it became clear that there are a couple of ways of addressing that. You could either prevent or try to block the influx of new cases from out of the country, and already cases had come in from China, to try to say, Thats it, we got to stop that because now we already have cases here. And then it switched to Europe, and when Italy had their outbreak, it became clear that that became a danger. So, thats when cases were cut off from coming in from Europe and then, ultimately, the U.K. but by that time we had enough cases in our own country that the ability to do the containment slipped then into the need for mitigation and we saw what happened in New York.

Trump attacked the media Sunday, saying they criticized him for shutting down China. But Fauci explained it was too little too late by the time Trump declared the ban. By the time he banned Europe it was even later.

Sharpton explained it was clear the US was behind the ball. Fauci agreed, explaining that it was clearly too little too late.

Watch the full interview below:

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Dr. Fauci explains why Trumps travel bans didnt work and he was begging action as early as mid-January - Raw Story

Race and coronavirus: There are no easy answers – New York Post

It looks like the coronavirus is taking a harder toll on Hispanic and black New Yorkers thanks to issues that mostly cant be addressed until the crisis is over.

Nationwide, the underlying issue seems to be a disparity in preexisting conditions, reports the US governments top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci: Its not that they are getting infected more often, its that when they do get infected, their underlying medical conditions the diabetes, hypertension, the obesity, the asthma those are the kind of things that wind them up in the ICU and ultimately give them a higher death rate.

In the city, at least, blacks and Hispanics may well face greater exposure to the virus, since theyre likely a more-than-fair share of the essential workers still riding (and operating!) the subways and generally taking greater risks.

Fauci suggests the pandemic will ultimately shine a very bright light on some of the real weaknesses and foibles in our society, such that these issues will get the nations attention in the months ahead.

But the hard truth is that theyre extremely difficult to address.

Poverty, of course, drives much of the problem: Healthy eating takes more money or more time, care and energy, which often comes down to the same thing. And awareness of the dangers tends to go along with higher incomes and higher education.

The Bronx has long ranked as the states least-healthy county in yearly lists from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. That prompted Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. to create the #Not62 campaign to improve health outcomes for the boroughs predominately Hispanic and black residents by targeting the underlying social, economic and environmental factors. But progress is painfully slow.

How aggressive should we go? This problem was the target of any of Mayor Michael Bloombergs nanny-state policies, from his (fairly successful) drive to marginalize smoking to his (largely failed) efforts to ban Big Gulp sodas, discourage high-salt and high-fat diets and so on.

He even experimented (using private, not public, money) with bribing people into leading healthier lifestyles. None of it won him much popularity.

Nor does it help that prominent leaders like the Rev. Al Sharpton can be bought off by Big Tobacco to defend menthol cigarettes and vaping products against public-health efforts.

When it comes to disparities in public health, the weaknesses and foibles in our society are a lot more complicated than anything as simple as racial prejudice.

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Race and coronavirus: There are no easy answers - New York Post

Diddy Is Hosting A Dance-A-Thon To Benefit Healthcare Workers – MadameNoire

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Sean Diddy Combs is known for his signature dance moves and now he wants to share the dance floor with the worldvirtually that is. The hip-hop mogul will be hosting a Dance-A-Thon today (April 12) via Instagram in order to raise money for healthcare workers in underserved communities.

Me and my family are having a dance-a-thon the whole world is invited, he said in his Instagram announcement. We on lockdown, but we want to dance.

The Bad Boy CEO has partnered with Direct Relief and has called on celebrities like Megan thee Stallion, Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Lopez, Swizz Beatz, Shaquille ONeal, Alicia Keys, Drake, Will Smith, Chris Brown, Oprah Winfrey, Drake, DJ Khaled, Lizzo, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monae, Ciara and many more to participate. All six of Diddys children will be participating as well.

Diddy also hosted a town hall meeting about the COVID-19 pandemic last week in Revolt TV. OnState of Black America & The Coronavirus, Diddy moderated a discussion about his COVID-19 is significantly affecting the African-American communities. Panelists included Senator Kamala Harris, Angela Rye, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Van Jones Meek Mill and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

He also has been urging people to get involved and stay informed so we can help those in need as much as we can.

Over the next few days Ill be locked in and focused on finding ways to directly support our healthcare workers but I dont have all the answers, he said on Instagram. If you want to help or have any great ideas, please reach out to me now! God bless us all.

COVID-19 has been killing African-Americans at a higher rate due us having more preexisting health conditions than other races.

African-Americans have more of the underlying health conditions associated with fatality (among those with coronavirus); the heart disease, diabetes, asthma, obesity, Dr. Jeanette Kowalik told BBC News.

Tune into the Dance-A-Thon today at 3 p.m EST via Diddys Instagram. Take a look at his Instagram announcements below.

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Diddy Is Hosting A Dance-A-Thon To Benefit Healthcare Workers - MadameNoire

Diddy, Kevin Hart and DJ Khaled trolled for their unglamorous appearance while in quarantine – MEAWW

Another day, another drag. This time it's rappers Diddy, DJ Khaled and actor Kevin Hart who are at the receiving end of the internet's unsavory comments.

A Twitter user shared images of each of these men with the caption, "I took a month of quarantine for these men to age 10 years lol," and it began the stream of comments on their appearance.

"Its them damn kids," tweeted one user, but most comments targetted Khaled specifically, with some saying he looked "like he own a corner store in queens" and "like he fix iPhone screens," as well as that he "looks like he just came back from being lost on an island"

Many pointed out that people were acting like these men were the only ones who were looking less put together than their usual selves while in quarantine. One user stated, "Let's stop acting like DJ Khaled is only one looking rough without a barber."

If you think it's odd that people are coming this hard for these three men simply for the reason that they've let their beards grow out, perhaps a bit of context might help. "Meanwhile men are cracking jokes on women saying we just not be holding ourselves together because our nails, brows and hair aint done," tweeted the user who shared the images originally, while another responded, "Dudes can still look like shit and stay rocking, while girls will have mental breakdowns."

While they have a point, and these men have been known to make misogynistic comments in the past especially Khalid who once stated "Its different rules for men...A woman should praise the man the king" it still seems a tad unnecessary to demonize people for looking perfectly normal in their own homes during a global lockdown. Especially when it also, inadvertently, shames everyone else for choosing to prioritize other things like family, work, and mental health over personal grooming when it feels like the world might be ending.

Others highlighted there were more pressing matters. For instance, one user joked, "When tf DJ Khaled have another kid lmao." More seriously, many tweeted in support of the three men, stating "its only grey hair," and that "They still look good tho." Another added, "lol they only gotta dye their hair and its back to normal"

Looks aside, it's important to recognize that these men are simply doing what everyone else is doing. Go on, admit it. Most of us look like that right now. So why, then, is there such a high expectation on celebrities to be dressed to the nines while they're relaxing at home with their families, riding the quarantine out in what little peace they can manage, just like everybody else?

They're spending time with their partners and children, prioritizing what's important, and in Hart's case, healing from horrific injuries following a traumatizing accident.

Additionally, Khaled, who was at the receiving end of the worst of the troll comments, has been actively participating in the coronavirus relief efforts, while Diddy has contributed to the efforts by hosting a virtual town hall featuring Angela Rye, Big Sean, Reverend Al Sharpton, Fat Joe, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Killer Mike, Charles Blow, Van Jones and many more that highlighted how the black community has been disproportionately impacted by the ongoing pandemic.

Hart, in addition to spending his time on recovery, has continued to keep fans entertained with his signature brand of comedy via social media.

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Diddy, Kevin Hart and DJ Khaled trolled for their unglamorous appearance while in quarantine - MEAWW

RHONY: The 10 Most Outrageous Kelly Bensimon Quotes from ‘Scary Island’ – Screen Rant

The twelfth season of Real Housewives of New York Cityhas begun, and Bravo fans around the world are excited to finally get the scoop on all of the drama to come. The RHONY housewives are particularly known for their over-the-top antics, with too many iconic moments to chronicle.

RELATED:10 Questions We Have From The Real Housewives Of New York City Season 12 Trailer

Arguably the series' most shocking and iconic moments stem from the season three episode "Sun, Sand, and Psychosis," known more commonly as "Scary Island." Previoushousewife Kelly Killoren Bensimon begins to go off the deep end, spiraling into a nervous breakdown while spewing off the most ridiculous quotes imaginable. In honor of "Scary Island," let's go over Kelly's ten best quotes throughout their infamous St. John's trip.

The theory that Kelly could have been under the influence of drugs seems to be more and more plausible with each ridiculous quote mentioned throughout this list. One drug questioned was meth, since Sonja randomly smelled cat pee on their cat-free yacht, and meth has an ammonia-like smell.

This quote,mentioning the white noise, makes her sound like she's almost admitting to being delusional and not of a sound mind. Did Kelly Bensimon have a mental breakdown, or did she experience a drug psychosis?

Surprisingly, this quote comes at the beginning of Kelly's downward spiral, the night before the infamous dinner where Bethenny cooks steaks. While Ramona is flirting it up on another yacht, Sonja, Kelly, and Bethenny have an... interesting discussion that turns heated."Nobody cares about you Bethenny! You're vindictive and malicious and cunning and deceitful and it's creepy! That's why I get creeped out by you!"

After that attack, Kelly just keeps insulting Bethenny: "I'm sorry, I'm not a hoe-bag like Bethenny, I don't sleep with everyone who walks around." Bethenny and Sonja depart from the crazy to join the other women, only to be followed by Kelly!

Once Bethenny, Alex, and Ramona leave the table of crazy for a sanity break, Sonja tries to reason with Kelly, wondering if she knows how insane she's coming off. Out of nowhere (once more), Kelly jabbers: "and you want me to sit here with her? Cause she calls you a freaking hooker?"

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Kelly continues to butcher the English language, stringing sentences together that make no sense. Bethenny jokingly called Sonja a hooker the night prior, which Sonja didn't think twice about, but Kelly was clearly taking obsessive notes in her booklet of "How To Bring Down Bethenny."

After Alex admits that Kelly goes a little crazy and can be on the attack, Kelly says she "turns into these people" and then goes on a tirade about Ramona's True Renewal party, saying Alex showed up to deliver a message in crazy black and white eye makeup.

She was in kabuki! Well, you were, cause you were, like, white face and black eyes."Facetiously, Bethenny mentions that Alex must've gone in costume, and Kelly continues: "I was like 'holy sugar!' she was like, channeling, like-- I don't know. Like a vampire."

The night prior, Kelly throws out: Youre not a chef, youre a cook. It's creepy, once again calling Bethenny creepy!"I didn't go to culinary school?" Bethenny immediately retorts, and rightfully so! "I don't know what you did, and I don't really care," Kelly blatantly contradicts herself. "I went to culinary school, you moron!" Bethenny slams in her face, completely shutting down the Cook vs. Chef argument. Of course, Kelly continues, throwing in: "really, with who? Alain Ducasse? Who? Nobody cares!" Kelly missed the memo about going up against Bethenny, and how slim your chances of coming out on top will be.

RELATED:Real Housewives Of New York City (RHONY): The Season 12 Taglines, Ranked

Bethenny continues to rip into Kelly, eviscerating her by saying: "you speak and you don't know what you're saying-- you're the most unintelligent human being I've ever had the pleasure to be around."

During a moment where Ramona actually shows some vulnerability, she brings up the incident where she insulted Bethenny on the Brooklyn Bridge and decides to apologize. "Are you going to sit on her lap?" Kelly provokes Ramona, whose intimate moment was completely ruined. "Are you guys having a moment? Are you going to make out with the tongue?"Ramona and Bethenny give Kelly this look of confusion, wondering what her MO could be.

"You need a freaking time out!" Ramona retorts, and Kelly responds with an astounding: "I don't want a time out, I want you to zip it!" Once Ramona and Bethenny walk away, Bethenny hilariously throws in: "finally everyone's turned the same channel on. Just say to me-- I've always been right about everything I've said."

This quote is quite possibly the most disturbing of the bunch. Alex McCord tries to level with Kelly, explaining why she was uncomfortable modeling for her earlier that day at the beach. "You scare me," Alex admits. Kelly makes light of it at first, and then throws in: "Alex is having nightmares about me while I'm having nightmares about Bethenny killing me."

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Puzzled beyond belief, Alex asks, "when has Bethenny tried to kill you?" Then Kelly responds with,"I was having nightmares. I have been, I threw up. But I was-- I threw up the night before I came, thinking that Bethenny was gonna freakin' kill me, cause she's tried to kill me so many times before."

Now this one crossed a line. Coming off the heels of her estranged father's passing (all while being pregnant, sober, and cooking the ladies dinner), Bethenny had every right to be celebrating in St. John with her friends, regardless of her relationship with her father or how soon he just died.

Several times Kelly calls Bethenny or what she does "creepy," which is pretty creepy in of itself!

This quote from Scary Island is undoubtedly the most well-known gif of Kelly Bensimon out there. After Bethenny does an impression of, well, maybe Al Sharpton, by saying, "you can't handle the truth," Kelly immediately blurts out, "Oh my god, Al Sharpton!" Bethenny and company look to Kelly in bewilderment, though this is probably one of her more cohesive lines of the night!

Just when you think this couldn't get any more strange, things take a left turn once again with unexpected results. As Bethenny and Kelly go at it, Kelly interrupts her thought with: "what about when you attacked Gweneth, my friend Gweneth?"Bethenny confusingly asks, "who's Gweneth?" Without skipping a beat, Kelly jabs back: "Paltrow? And what about Rachel?"

At this point, the ladies realize things are more serious than they originally anticipated, and they could have a serious problem on their hands.

NEXT:The 10 Most Outrageous Moments in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) History, Ranked

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Briana is a freelance list writer/caretaker who has practiced social distancing and self-quarantining long before the coronavirus epidemic. She strives for success but succumbs to daily hedonistic tendencies, like overindulgence and procrastination. Briana enjoys long walks on anywhere but the beach, developing conspiracy theories about her favorite reality TV shows, reading people's astrological natal (birth) charts, contributing to the welfare animals, and living that robe life as much as she possibly can!Homegirl is the Patron Saint of Compartmentalization and '90s/'00s Throwbacks. Briana was born and raised in the World's Marijuana Capital: Santa Cruz, California, where she currently resides.

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RHONY: The 10 Most Outrageous Kelly Bensimon Quotes from 'Scary Island' - Screen Rant