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The highly-anticipated fifth season of Tyler Perry Studios drama series Ruthless is poised to give the audience chills as it comes back to BET+ on Thursday, August 8. Season 5 will have 9 episodes, all of which shall hit streaming consecutively, premiering with a double episode and then weekly drops until Thursday, September 19.

Now, having fallen prey to this dangerous religious cult, it becomes Ruth’s—played by Melissa L. Williams—dangerous quest to save her life and that of her daughter once and for all. More suspense and shocking twists will likely await the viewer in the drama unraveling at the Rakudushis compound as chaos erupts and loyalties are tested.

With an all-star cast, including Matt Cedeno, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Blue Kimble, Colin Mccalla, Nadege August, Michelle Nunez, and Josh Adeyeye, season five is fully inclined to give the audience even more heart-pounding moments and jaw-dropping reveals.

Ruthless was created and executive-produced by Tyler Perry. The series is written by Mark E. Swinton, Brayon Davis, Meagan Daine, Osokwe Vasquez, Dui Jarrod, and F.R. Drakaea, and directed by Armani Ortiz.

Get ready to be pulled right back into the Ruthless world, where the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been.

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Tyler Perry is not here for any criticism about his films. 

The media mogul spoke out against those who find fault with his movies and his filmmaking process during a recent appearance on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast. Critics, including comedian and TV personality Loni Love, have called out Perry for previously refusing to employ a Black writing staff, instead choosing to write, direct, and produce his projects himself. 

“I know for a fact that what I’m doing is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing,” Perry said. “Because for everyone who is a critic, I have thousands of — used to be — emails from people saying, ‘This changed my life. Oh my God, you know me. Oh my God, you saw me. How did you know this about my life and my family?’ So that is what is important.”

Perry added that he learned long ago to ignore criticism about his movies, stressing that his films are enjoyed by “a large portion of my fans” who are “disenfranchised.” His comments come after his latest film, “Divorce in the Black,” earned a rare 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Screen Rant.

“[The movies are for fans] who cannot get in the Volvo and go to therapy on the weekend,” he shared. “So, you’ve got this highbrow Negro who is all up in the air with his nose up looking at everything, and then you got people like where I come from, and me, who are grinders, who really know what it’s like, whose mothers were caregivers for white kids, and were maids, housekeepers…beauticians. Don’t discount these people and say that their stories don’t matter. Who are you to be able to say which Black story is important or should be told? Get out of here with that bulls–t.”

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Perry went on to address claims that he does not employ a writing staff, revealing that he “brought in writers rooms” on his sitcoms and television shows “over the last two years.” 

“I’ve trained enough young directors to be able to understand how to edit and shoot. So they’re able to do a huge page count like I can. I’ve trained them how to watch for waste and time, but it’s very important to know when to let go,” he told Palmer.

Despite her impressive resume as District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California and a United States Senator representing California, a lot of unqualified white men are still questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ credentials.

Things reached a new level of insanity recently when James, a caller on English talk radio station LBC, wanted the world to know that he thinks the vice president only got the job because she’s a Black woman.

Host Ben Kentish interjected with facts about Harris’ experience, saying, “Could it be that she was made Vice President based on merit despite the fact, in your view, being a woman and being Black?” However, James insisted that being “woke” could be the only possible reason President Joe Biden picked Kamala as his VP.

To make sure everyone knew his comments weren’t influenced by race, he revealed that he had an unexpected tattoo, saying, “I have got a tattoo on me arm of Kunta Kinte, he was an African slave, right? So I’m not racist in any way, shape, or form…He was a hero of mine. I’m not racist.”

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, someone claims they can’t be racist because they have a tattoo of a slave from a famous TV miniseries. By the way James, if you have to announce you’re “not racist” multiple times, you might be saying something offensive.

Kunta Kinte’s portrayer, the legendary LeVar Burton, definitely had thoughts on this crazy situation, reposting the video and writing on X, “Pic or it didn’t happen… #bydhttmwfi (but you don’t have to take my word for it).” He went deeper on the subject, adding, “Racism is not simply a personality flaw, it’s also a spiritual defect.”

Burton’s many followers were equally baffled by this nonsense, letting James know what they thought of his comments.

One person let him know his denials weren’t ringing true, posting, “Black person here. You sound quite racist from where I’m standing.”

Another user wondered about the qualifications of Harris’ Republican opponent, writing on X, “And what merit did Trump have???”

One fan thinks it might actually be an image of one of Burton’s other famous characters, writing on X, “The funniest outcome to this would be if like it was a tat of you as Geordie or from ‘Reading rainbow.’”

Someone else had questions about the details of the tattoo, posting, “He might have a Kunta Kinte tatt but what’s happening to Kunta Kinte in the tatt?”

Look, this could all be talk radio nonsense that’s absolutely not true. However, this world has gotten so crazy we can believe that some guy did the mental gymnastics possible to convince himself that a tattoo of Kunta Kinte from “Roots” is acceptable.

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Trust me, I’m not just hyping this film up for you. Deadpool & Wolverine proves that Marvel still has it. All hope for the franchise is not lost yet. No spoilers below…promise.

Like its predecessors, Deadpool & Wolverine (technically a Deadpool film, after all) delivers what we’ve come to expect. It’s hilarious, rude, and breaks the fourth wall with ultimate flair. This film showcases the pairing Marvel fans have been eagerly anticipating: Ryan Reynolds as the snarky, fun-loving Deadpool and Hugh Jackman back from the dead to reprise his role as Wolverine.

While Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther 2 were impressive, Deadpool & Wolverine proves Marvel needed a fresh start, especially after the high point of Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

So, once again, no spoilers. Deadpool revives Logan from his eternal slumber (thanks to the multiverse), and the goal is to save the world—or a world, at least. I’ll stop there. The plot is good—just good—and takes a backseat to the onscreen action (lots of fights and blood) and humorous one-liners, most provided by Reynolds. The best thing about Deadpool is that with the comedy, nothing and no one is off-limits. Everybody from the blind to the LGBTQ+ community can catch these jokes. It earns its R rating.

The cameos in this film are worth it and surprising, and I’ll only share one…true fans never forget Stan Lee. See if you can spot him. The cameos are seamlessly woven into the storytelling, and honestly, it’s just plain good writing.

Get ready for a fun ride. It’s good fun and worth the hype and you’re guaranteed to laugh out loud. 

Deadpool & Wolverine is in theaters on July 26th. The film is rated R.

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Janet Jackson is opening up about her days as a child star. 

The singer, 58, revealed in an interview with the BBC that she initially had no desire to perform or work in the entertainment industry, instead preferring to attend college and pursue business law. When her father, Joe Jackson, heard her sing her first song at age 9, however, that all changed. 

Jackson said she snuck into the family’s recording studio at their home in Encino, California, and recorded the song “Fantasy” after her brothers returned from their 10-month tour in 1975.

“I laid down the drum track, I did the background vocals, I sang and I played everything on it,” she explained.

When she returned home from school the next day, Jackson said that she heard the song playing in the driveway and felt “so embarrassed.” 

“The studio door was open and Mike was listening to it,” she said, referring to her late brother, Michael Jackson. “I think Randy was listening to it, my father was listening. Then my father said, ‘You’re gonna sing.’”

Jackson said she resisted his request, telling him she wanted to go to school instead. 

“I said, ‘No, no, no, I want to go to the college and study business law,” she shared, adding that “it was kind of hard [to argue] because, look at where he led my brothers. So I said, ‘OK, I’ll give it a go.’”

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Jackson added that she doesn’t “ever remember being asked,” if she wanted to be a child star. “I just remember doing it,” she told the BBC. 

Jackson became a pop superstar, selling over 100 million records and winning five Grammy awards, according to the BBC. She released several legendary albums, including 1986’s “Control,” 1989’s “Rhythm Nation 1814,” 1993’s “Janet,” 1997’s “The Velvet Rope,” and 2001’s “All For You.” In 1990, Jackson became the first woman nominated for Best Producer at the Grammys, according to the BBC.  

“That was jaw-dropping for me,” she said about her history-making nomination. “You think it should have happened a long time ago.”

As two of the most influential artists in music history, Michael and Janet Jackson have achieved unparalleled success. Alongside his brothers in The Jackson 5, Michael became famous at a very young age. Meanwhile, Janet broke into the mainstream with her iconic 1986 album “Control.”

Having a brother and sister reach such phenomenal heights had fans begging for a duet. It finally happened on the 1995 hit “Scream.” Since Michael’s passing in 2009, the song now serves as a celebration and tribute to the superstar entertainer. The Grammy winner explained to the BBC how performing the song on her “Together Again” Tour gets emotional when she’s on stage “listening to him every night, seeing him, remembering us.”

“Mike and I wrote that song in his apartment,” Janet said. “The emotion of what he was going through at that time. And just me being his little sister, always by his side, and being that support system. That’s always been my role.”

The siblings collaborated on the song as Michael was dealing with a lawsuit that accused him of allegedly abusing a child. He settled the lawsuit in 1994 and the song’s video was released in 1995.

The iconic black and white futuristic video features Michael and Janet’s unforgettable choreography. As much as fans love it, for the “Rhythm Nation” star it wasn’t the amazing experience she hoped it would be. In her 2022 Lifetime documentary “Janet Jackson.,” she revealed that she didn’t get to spend as much time with her brother as she wanted.

“It was tough,” Janet remembered. “Michael shot nights; I shot days. His record company, they would block off his whole set so that I couldn’t see what was going on. They didn’t want me on set. I felt like they were trying to make it very competitive between the two of us. That really hurt me, because I felt I was there fighting the fight with him. Not to battle him.”

“I wanted it to feel like old times between he and I, and it didn’t,” she continued. “Old times had long passed.”

Hopefully using the video to celebrate her brother and hearing fan reactions to the song will help her find some happy memories in the classic song.

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Disney+ announced today at San Diego Comic-Con that Daniel Diemer will join the cast of its highly anticipated series, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” as the beloved character Tyson. The actor will take on the role of the Cyclops in the upcoming second season, based on Rick Riordan’s bestselling novel, “The Sea of Monsters.”

Diemer joins a cast that includes Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood. Production on season two is slated to begin next week in Vancouver.   

Tyson, a complex and endearing character, is crucial to the Percy Jackson mythology. His casting marks a significant step in bringing the beloved book series to the screen.

Diemer is known for his “Under the Bridge” and “The Midnight Club” roles. Fans of the series highly anticipate his portrayal of Tyson.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” season one is currently streaming on Disney+.

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In a new book, the nephew of Donald Trump claims he heard the former president and current Republican presidential nominee use the N-word decades before he entered the political scene. 

In his tell-all book, “All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got to Be This Way,” Fred Trump recalls his uncle using the racist slur in the 1970s. According to the New York Times, Fred said Donald Trump’s car had been damaged, and he was “searching for someone to blame.”

A book excerpt of Trump’s alleged remarks reads: “‘Niggers,’ I recall him saying disgustedly. ‘Look what the niggers did.’”

Though Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung denied the claim, telling the Times it’s “completely fabricated and total fake news of the highest order,” Fred Trump’s account is the latest of a series of claims about Donald Trump’s use of the N-word and other racist remarks.

In May, theGrio reported that former producer of “The Apprentice” Bill Pruitt recounted in a Slate article an incident on the set in which Trump used the N-word when referring to the reality competition show’s Black finalist, Kwame Jackson. 

Pruitt recalled Trump saying, “…would America buy a n— winning?” while contemplating who should win the 2004 series, which resulted in a $250,000 cash prize and employment with the Trump Organization. 

A week later, Jackson told theGrio, “There has been a history and a track record and a certain repetition of racism over Trump’s career.” 

As president, Trump reportedly referred to African nations as “s–thole countries” in 2018,  threatened to use “vicious dogs” against Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020, and refused to denounce white supremacy groups, instead telling them to “stand back and stand by.” As a businessman, Trump called for the death penalty for the innocent Black and brown Exonerated Five and settled a lawsuit after being accused of racial discrimination against Black tenants.

The latest revelation of Trump’s alleged use of the N-word comes as the 2024 presidential election took a major turn this week; he is now poised to face Kamala Harris, a Black and South Asian woman, in the general election. 

Harris, the current vice president of the United States, is already facing racist and sexist attacks from Republicans who have called her a “DEI hire” and challenged her intellectualism, despite being a former prosecutor and attorney general in the state of California. 

“We know that [Trump] has a penchant for racist rhetoric,” said Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross, who told theGrio while it matters that the latest claim comes from a Trump family member, “we didn’t necessarily need to have a family member go on record.”

She added, “When the right calls Kamala Harris, essentially, a DEI pick, that’s a pseudonym for the N-word.”

Cross predicted that the racism and misogyny coming from the Republican Party will “be the thing that brings the party down.” She explained, “America is more diverse than it has ever been, and there are people who are very uncomfortable with the rhetoric that is coming out of the right.”

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Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), told theGrio she believes Republican attacks on Harris are the result of “fear” that Democrats have a “very strong candidate and a very qualified candidate who will be able to prosecute the case against Donald Trump.” She continued, “And at the same time, share the contrast in the two visions for this country.”

“I think they may be struggling to figure out how to define her, and we already know how to define her; as a leader, as somebody who’s ultra-qualified, and someone who will be able to get the job done,” said the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.

Antjuan Seawright, another Democratic strategist who advises national campaigns, said he thinks it’s ironic that “no one called Nikki Haley a DEI hire when she was a candidate for the Republican nominee.” He told theGrio, “It’s so important for [Republicans] to call it out as well because they know it’s racist [and] they know it’s misogynistic.”

As for Trump and his alleged use of the N-word, Seawright said, “We know that Donald Trump has been open and honest about some of the red-meat, racist right-wing language.”

“You can only imagine what may have been said or is said in private,” he added. “Racism is not new to him, it’s true to him.”

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Studio Ghibli fans rejoice! The Oscar®️ and Golden Globe®️-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” will be making its U.S. streaming debut exclusively on Max starting Friday, September 6th.

This hand-drawn masterpiece marks Hayao Miyazaki’s grand return, both writing and directing his first feature film in a decade. “The Boy and the Heron” joins Max’s extensive Studio Ghibli library as part of their multiyear deal announced earlier this year.

The story follows young Mahito, who after a tragic loss, moves to his family’s rural estate. There, a string of mysterious events leads him to a hidden tower inhabited by a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s stepmother vanishes, he follows the heron into the tower, uncovering a fantastical world where the veil between the living and the dead is thin. Mahito embarks on a life-changing journey with the heron as his guide, seeking to unlock the secrets of this world and discover the truth about himself.

The film boasts a stellar voice cast, including Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh.

“The Boy and the Heron” is directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Toshio Suzuki, and features a score by the legendary Joe Hisaishi. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure this September on Max!

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