Marlon Wayans is pulling back the curtain on some little-known Hollywood history—and y’all, The Wayans Bros. almost never made it to our screens.

Appearing on Baby, This is Keke Palmer podcast, Marlon revealed that NBC, the network initially considering the sitcom, wasn’t sold on the cultural seasoning brought by the late, legendary John Witherspoon. The execs reportedly thought his portrayal of the hilarious and lovable “Pops” was “too ghetto.”

📺 “It’s John Witherspoon Or It’s Not”

“We didn’t make it to NBC,” Marlon shared. “We did a table reading, and they thought ‘Pops’ was too ghetto. And they wanted us to have a different father…like a Danny Glover type, and we was like, ‘No.’”

Marlon said both he and his brother Shawn stood their ground, making it clear Witherspoon wasn’t just a character—he was the soul of the show. “It’s the flavor of the show,” Marlon explained. “We was like, ‘It’s John Witherspoon or it’s not.’ … We ain’t going to do the show. And they was like, ‘Well, negro, you’re not doing the show.’”

But fate had other plans. As NBC closed the door, the WB network was just starting up—and saw the magic in the original vision. “We was like, ‘Wait, hold on, Danny Glover, you say?’ But then the WB was starting, and it was like, ‘I think that’s a great combination.’ So, everything is God.”

Marlon summed it up perfectly: “It’s not about the doors that close; it’s the ones that open up.”

Beyoncé is officially an Emmy winner for the first time.

On Tuesday, August 12, the first round of Emmy winners for the juried categories was announced by the Television Academy, and Beyoncé’s 2024 Christmas NFL Game Day halftime performance, dubbed the “Beyoncé Bowl,” was among them, Deadline reported. 

She took home the award for outstanding costumes for variety, nonfiction, or reality programming for the elaborate and glamorous all-white Western-inspired looks she and her team created for the show.

The first round of winners in categories like animation, costume, and emerging media was announced ahead of the remaining Creative Arts Emmys, which will be presented at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7, a week before the televised Primetime Emmy Awards. 

Beyoncé still has two more chances to win for outstanding directing for a variety special and outstanding variety special (live). She’s not the only one in her household with Emmy potential this year. Her husband, Jay-Z, who is nominated for his role as an executive producer on Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show, will go head-to-head with her in the same category. 

While Lamar’s buzzy halftime performance has become a cultural touchstone, so has “Beyoncé Bowl.” The “Beyoncé Bowl” was a glamorous spectacle, staged as a halftime performance on December 25 in Houston during the Baltimore Ravens vs. the Houston Texans NFL game. Along with a troupe of dancers that included her daughter Blue Ivy, the “Texas Hold ‘ Em” singer dazzled the crowd in all-white cowboy glamour, from rhinestoned fringe to wide-brimmed hats, delivering powerhouse vocals and debuting live cuts from “Cowboy Carter.”

It marked the first time songs from her hit, Grammy-winning country album “Cowboy Carter” had been performed live and served as a preview of the Southwestern swagger and high-fashion rodeo flair she would bring to her “Cowboy Carter Tour” months later. The album has already garnered her four major wins, including securing Album of the Year for the first time at the Grammys. 

Instagram is shaking the table once more, and this time, it’s all about making your feed feel more connected — or so they say.

The platform just rolled out a brand-new “Reposts” feature, giving users the ability to share other creators’ content directly to their own feed. A dedicated Reposts tab will now live on your profile, making it easy to boost a favorite quote, a viral clip, or a cultural moment without disrupting your carefully curated main grid.

But that’s not all. Instagram Maps is also stepping onto the scene, allowing you to share your real-time location with friends. Whether you’re turning up at a day party, hopping on a quick getaway, or just running errands, IG says it’s a way to “stay connected” — but only with people you trust.

And for the Reels lovers, there’s a new “Friends” feed tucked inside the Reels tab. Instead of random algorithm picks, you’ll see videos your circle is already engaging with — making discovery more about community than chance.

Instagram claims these changes are aimed at making the app “more personal and intentional.” But if history has taught us anything, it’s that not every shiny new feature survives.

“We’re constantly testing ways to bring people closer,” a spokesperson shared.

So, Noir Nation, what’s the verdict? Game-changing update… or just another feature we’ll forget about in six months?

After a summer of vacations and late nights, it’s time to set those back-to-school alarms.

A good night’s sleep helps students stay focused and attentive in class. Experts say it’s worth easing kids back into a routine with the start of a new school year.

“We don’t say ‘ get good sleep ’ just because,” said pediatrician Dr. Gabrina Dixon with Children’s National Hospital. “It really helps kids learn and it helps them function throughout the day.”

The amount of sleep kids need changes as they age. Preschoolers should get up to 13 hours of sleep. Tweens need between nine and 12 hours. Teenagers do best with eight to 10 hours of shut-eye.

Set an earlier bedtime

Early bedtimes can slip through the cracks over the summer as kids stay up for sleepovers, movie marathons and long plane flights. To get back on track, experts recommend setting earlier bedtimes a week or two before the first day of school or gradually going to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier each night.

Don’t eat a heavy meal before bed and avoid TV or screen time two hours before sleep. Instead, work in relaxing activities to slow down like showering and reading a story.

“You’re trying to take the cognitive load off your mind,” said Dr. Nitun Verma, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “It would be like if you’re driving, you’re slowly letting go of the gas pedal.”

Parents can adjust their back-to-school plans based on what works best for their child. Nikkya Hargrove moves her twin daughters’ bedtimes up by 30 minutes the week before school starts.

Sometimes, her 10-year-olds will negotiate for a few extra minutes to stay up and read. Hargrove said those conversations are important as her children get older and advocate for themselves. If they stay up too late and don’t have the best morning, Hargrove said that can be a learning experience too.

“If they’re groggy and they don’t like how they feel, then they know, ‘OK, I have to go to bed earlier,’” said Hargrove, an author and independent bookstore owner from Connecticut.

In the morning, soaking in some daylight by sitting at a window or going outside can help train the brain to power up, Verma said.

Squash back-to-school sleep anxiety

Sleep quality matters just as much as duration. First-day jitters can make it hard to fall asleep no matter how early the bedtime.

Dixon says parents can talk to their kids to find out what is making them anxious. Is it the first day at a new school? Is it a fear of making new friends? Then they might try a test run of stressful activities before school starts to make those tasks feel less scary — for example, by visiting the school or meeting classmates at an open house.

The weeks leading up can be jam-packed and it’s not always possible to prep a routine in advance. But kids will adjust eventually so sleep experts say parents should do what they can. After all, their kids aren’t the only ones adjusting to a new routine.

“I always say, ‘Take a deep breath, it’ll be OK,’” Dixon said. “And just start that schedule.”

11

When the old Twitter account Modern History tweeted throwback photos of Jennifer Love Hewitt in the 2010 Lifetime television movie The Client List, the internet slowed its scroll. Already fawning, joking, and in some cases, actually thirsting over Hewitt’s cameo in the TV movie that made waves a decade ago with minutes, fans were ready to swoon.

The gates of nostalgia swung open at one go.

“She looked great on that show ????,” wrote one, sparking what would be an all-out appreciation thread.

“The milk is so elite it’s in the 2% aisle ????????,” another user retorted, garnering dozens of likes and comments.

Others just used the plain facts, tweeting: “Yeah, elite milk” and “Holy moly!”

Others were more blunt, with one commenter saying, “I would like to be in her list lol she is hot,” and another disparaging her thespian abilities: “She gave the character a strong and relatable vibe.”

For most, the tweet was a reminder of when Hewitt was, as one put it, “the IT girl! ????”

Of course, being the internet and all that, things soon turned raunchy and rampant with one point-blank remark saying, “Jennifer love hugetits.” Another person jumped in with meta commentary: “Why are TV/Movie gimmick accounts so horny.” One just bluntly said: “I will watch this movie again.”

The 2010 Film That Started It All

The Client List, which premiered on the Lifetime Network on July 19, 2010, was more than a late-night cable film. It was a cable moment for the network. Eric Laneuville directed the film, which starred Hewitt as Sam Horton, and it was a dramatized version of an alleged prostitution scandal that had shocked Odessa, Texas, in 2004.

The movie follows the life of Horton, a single mum of three, who becomes a sex worker after the money for her family runs out of control.

The movie drew an unprecedented 3.9 million viewers on its first-night premiere, sweeping its time period and as the night’s highest-rated show among women aged 18 to 49.

Critical Reception: From “Malarkey” to Award Season

Although it was a Lifetime original series, The Client List was able to collect some serious critical praise. On Rotten Tomatoes, it presently has an 83 percent approval rating based on the reviews of six critics.

Ken Tucker at Entertainment Weekly described it as a “typical Lifetime movie” that served “cheap thrills … while delivering moral uplift.” However, Tucker did comment that Hewitt’s performance made the venture pay off, describing her “talent for conveying sincerity and charm” as winning in selling the story.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association agreed. The role earned Hewitt a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. She was beaten out by Claire Danes for Temple Grandin, but the nomination made the role a career achievement in her post Ghost Whisperer era.

A Decade Later, She’s Still Making Headlines

The reality that Jennifer Love Hewitt’s The Client List looks continue to be celebrated and lust after 15 years on shows a great deal about her lasting star power. In 2010, she was walking a line between Hollywood sweetheart charm and edgier, more adult roles. Today, she is still a staple of pop culture nostalgia strings, where entire comment chains are taken up with looking back at her in awe.

For X’s supporters, the throwback was not simply a stroll down memory lane. It was a flashback to the reality that certain moments and certain women never lose their sparkle.

As a fan aptly summarised it:

“Love 2010 Jennifer Love Hewitt. She was the IT girl!”

Related

19

On August 12, 2025, Drake’s legal team filed two motions that start with a shot across UMG’s bow:

“UMG is improperly shielding its CEO, Sir Lucian Grainge, from scrutiny in this litigation, despite his direct involvement in the publication and promotion of the defamatory recording, cover image, and video at issue.”

The motions demand the court compel UMG to produce:

1. “The custodial files of Sir Lucian Grainge.”






2. “An unredacted copy of Kendrick Lamar’s recording agreement with UMG.”






3. “Financial and contractual records relevant to Plaintiff’s claims.”

The filings accuse UMG of reversing its own statements about Grainge’s role, pointing out that the company’s narrative shifted from “no involvement” to “no meaningful involvement” without ever searching his files.

Lucian Grainge: The CEO at the Heart of the Storm

Drake’s lawyers argue that Grainge is far from a distant corporate figurehead. They write:

“Grainge was physically present at the 2025 Grammy Awards celebrating ‘Not Like Us’ alongside Lamar’s team and has made public statements about Plaintiff’s stature in the industry, demonstrating his awareness of the impact of such a recording.” 

The motion points to Grainge’s own words in 2022, calling Drake “one of the biggest artists of today” as evidence of his awareness of Drake’s market value.

And in an especially pointed citation, Drake’s team highlights Grainge’s past warning that:

“A single lie can destroy a reputation of integrity… it can be ruined in five minutes.”

They argue this shows the CEO understood exactly how damaging “Not Like Us” could be.

The “Apex” Argument UMG Cannot Keep Straight

UMG invoked the “apex custodian” doctrine to block Grainge’s inclusion in discovery, but Drake’s attorneys counter:

“There is no blanket prohibition on discovery from high-level executives in this District. Where, as here, the executive has unique personal knowledge of relevant facts, courts routinely compel production.”

They note UMG has offered three shifting rationales for blocking Grainge’s files: “no involvement,” “no meaningful involvement,” and “cumulative,” all without conducting a search.

“Modern e-discovery deduplication eliminates the concern of cumulative production. UMG’s refusal to even search Mr. Grainge’s custodial files is unjustified obstruction.”

The Kendrick Lamar Contract: “Virtually Unreadable”

When UMG produced Kendrick Lamar’s recording contract in June 2025, Drake’s lawyers say it was gutted by black ink:

“The agreement produced is so heavily redacted as to be virtually unreadable and incomprehensible.”

They believe the hidden sections likely contain clauses granting UMG editorial control over content, the ability to reject or alter songs and videos.

“A two-tier Protective Order, including an Attorneys’ Eyes Only designation, already protects against competitive harm. UMG’s ‘relevance redactions’ are improper and deprive Plaintiff of critical context.”

Follow the Money: The Interscope and Republic Rivalry

Drake’s team argues that UMG’s internal competition between labels like Republic Records (Drake) and Interscope (Lamar) creates financial motives for the alleged defamation.

“UMG’s label executives are rewarded based on the performance of their label relative to others in the UMG ecosystem. Interscope CEO John Janick therefore had a financial incentive to see Lamar’s success and Republic’s decline.” 

To test this theory, they request:

• Janick’s compensation structure for the past five years.






• 2024 incentive metrics for Interscope.






• Monthly revenue and profit reports for the last five-and-a-half years.






• The valuation of Lamar’s catalog over the same period.

“These records will demonstrate the financial motives underlying UMG’s decision to promote the defamatory recording rather than suppress it.”

UMG’s History of Censorship and Selective Enforcement

The motions also demand records showing UMG’s past censorship of rap lyrics.

“Def Jam, a UMG label, intervened to remove certain verses from Pusha T’s ‘The Story of Adidon’ that were perceived as damaging to other artists. This selective enforcement is probative of UMG’s intent and actual malice here.” 

By contrasting that intervention with their inaction on “Not Like Us”, Drake’s lawyers say they can show UMG’s choices were deliberate and targeted.

A Timeline of Discovery Breakdown

The declaration from attorney M. Annie Houghton-Larsen maps the collapse of cooperation:

• April 25, 2025: Drake proposes 28 custodians, UMG agrees to only five.






• May 2, 2025: UMG refuses Grainge’s inclusion, invoking “apex custodian.”






• June 2025: UMG produces the redacted Lamar contract.






• August 7, 2025: Meet-and-confer ends without resolution.






• August 12, 2025: Motions to compel filed.

In one letter, Drake’s counsel warns:

“Your refusal to even search Mr. Grainge’s custodial files, coupled with your reliance on shifting and unsupported rationales, is an obstruction of discovery and contrary to Rule 26 obligations.”

Beyond the Lawsuit: Hip-Hop’s Long History of Corporate Power Struggles

This case follows a decades-long pattern in which high-profile rap disputes have intersected with the business interests of the labels behind them. From Tupac vs. Biggie, where the East Coast and West Coast rivalry overlapped with Bad Boy Records and Death Row tensions, to 50 Cent vs. Ja Rule, where label rivalries shaped careers, the history of hip-hop is littered with beefs that executives quietly benefited from.

What makes Drake v. UMG different is that it is pulling the executives directly into the legal crossfire, demanding their private emails, their financial records, and the contracts they have fought to keep secret.

Lucian Grainge’s Empire and the Kendrick Lamar Factor

Since becoming CEO in 2011, Grainge has overseen billions in streaming-era growth, signed or retained megastars like Taylor Swift, Drake, Billie Eilish, and The Weeknd, and encouraged strategic competition between labels under the UMG umbrella.

Kendrick Lamar, signed to Interscope through his company pgLang, is one of the most acclaimed rappers of his generation. His 2024 track “Not Like Us” became both a chart-topping hit and a cultural flashpoint in the Drake feud.

Drake’s legal theory is simple: Grainge had the power to intervene, did not, and profited from the fallout.

Rap Lyrics, Defamation, and the “It’s Just Entertainment” Defense

UMG will likely argue that “Not Like Us” is artistic expression, part of a tradition of exaggerated diss tracks that are not meant to be taken literally. Drake’s counter is that the content was specific, tied to real-life allegations, and promoted in a way that blurred the line between art and fact.

If the court sides with Drake, labels may become more cautious about releasing songs that could be construed as factual attacks, altering the way diss tracks are handled across the industry.

Why UMG Will Fight to the Death on This Discovery

Producing Grainge’s communications could set a precedent that makes CEOs vulnerable to discovery in future litigation. Turning over unredacted artist contracts could weaken the company’s bargaining position. Revealing executive incentive structures could spark shareholder scrutiny.

Losing this battle could cost UMG far beyond this case, which is why the company is expected to mount an aggressive defense.

The Legal Precedent Drake’s Team Is Betting On

Apex Custodian Discovery

Chevron Corp. v. Donziger, 2013 WL 1896932 (S.D.N.Y. May 7, 2013)

“There is no blanket prohibition on the deposition of high-level executives. The burden is on the party seeking to prevent discovery to show that the executive lacks unique personal knowledge.”

Reid v. Ingerman Smith LLP, 2012 WL 6720752 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 27, 2012)

“Where the executive has unique personal knowledge of the issues in the case, discovery from that executive is appropriate.”

How it helps Drake: Shows Grainge cannot be shielded if he has unique personal knowledge.

Improper Relevance Redactions

In re State Street Bank & Trust Co. Fixed Income Funds Inv. Litig., 2009 WL 1026013 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 8, 2009)

“Relevance redactions are generally disfavored as they deprive the requesting party of context that may be critical to understanding the unredacted portions.”

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. v. Book Dog Books, LLC, 298 F.R.D. 184, 186 (S.D.N.Y. 2014)

“The fact that certain portions of a document may not relate to the dispute does not justify unilateral redaction by the producing party.”

How it helps Drake: Undercuts UMG’s rationale for producing a blacked-out Lamar contract.

Cumulative Evidence Claims

New York v. U.S. Dep’t of Commerce, 461 F. Supp. 3d 80, 93 (S.D.N.Y. 2020)

“The mere possibility of some overlap does not make the sought-after discovery cumulative. Duplicative material can be eliminated in production through standard deduplication methods.”

How it helps Drake: Counters the claim that Grainge’s files are duplicative.

Scope of Discovery — Rule 26

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(1)

“Parties may obtain discovery regarding any nonprivileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or defense and proportional to the needs of the case.”

How it helps Drake: Confirms Grainge’s files, Lamar’s contract, and the financial records are relevant to his defamation claims.

Bottom Line: If Judge Jeannette A. Vargas applies these precedents as Drake’s lawyers argue, UMG may have to open the doors to its executive suite, its most guarded contracts, and its financial strategies, something no major label has ever been forced to do in a feud of this scale.

Related