The Latest in News, Celebrity Gossip and General Thoughts with Jo
Does anybody else find January to be an extremely tense month? Every January, it’s like I get this pit of anxiety so deep in my chest I have trouble locating the root of it, and it’s not the regular everyday stress that comes up now and then. Instead it’s this dull, steady impending sense of doom, failure and/or despair. While I know this sounds pretty irrational, I can’t help but think others may feel this way too for a multitude of reasons, especially in these chaotic times we’re living in.
January is the coldest and one of the darkest months in New York City. The air is harsh and it burns my nose. Some people seclude themselves to the comfort of their own homes while others are desperate for some type of comfort period. It gets dark out before happy hour and commuting anywhere is treacherous when the city feels like Siberia-and you better have bought the RIGHT black puffer.
It’s always around this time I feel less social and more in my head.
With January also being the first month of the new year, I personally get caught up in the pressure of perfecting myself. I give myself all these resolutions to level up in life, but then I don’t give myself the grace and time to harvest success. It’s like the first two weeks when everybody and their mother decides it’s time they get that gym membership, but by the third week all the gym newbies are worn out and gone. When I put all this pressure to just up and 180-flip my lifestyle to the point of burnout, I find myself in this extremely tense, constant battle with my mind, attacking all my faults and fearing I’ll never become the woman I desire to be. I do all this instead of reminding myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Lastly, I feel like I’ve been hearing so much bad news. There’s the heartbreaking story of the beloved man in my neighborhood being stabbed to death for no reason-leaving behind two sons-or the story of the poor baby that had to get sent to the hospital after being neglected in daycare. Also what about the countless horror stories on the subway? Sometimes, it’s hard not to look at the world in an extremely morbid way, and subconsciously, I want to run away from all the darkness before it gets too close to me.
I say all of this because January is a shitty month, in my opinion, and the news was crazy this week. We could be entering unprecedented times, and in the midst of all the chaos, I’ve learned the best I can do for myself is recentering myself. It’s the little things you can do in the day that can add some light into your life.
For me, it’s as simple as going to the gym with one of my girlfriends, late-night deep life talks with my roommate, calling and checking in on my mom, giving back to my community, taking my vitamins in the morning and making my bed, journaling, praying, reading, drinking enough water in the day-all of these little things help ground me and clear my mind. Recognizing that you’re doing something good for yourself or others, no matter the scale of that action, I think, moves you in the right direction.
It’s important to remember that life isn’t linear. It’s cyclical. The darkness will eventually be replaced by light, and there is no straight shot to success. Instead, it’s navigating the obstacles, losses and failures that build character. Don’t envelop yourself in the negativity of the world, no matter how enticing it may be. Check in on yourself, remind yourself of what you love and comfort yourself with little tastes of joy to get you through the day.
Then, bring this sense of reassurance to others who feel lost.
And with that, let’s get into this week’s whirlwind of tea.
The Two T’s: Trump & TikTok
TikTok is back like it never left after a very dramatic lead-up to its ban by the U.S. Supreme Court, and the company is thanking Trump. Users across social media were “mourning” the loss of the app, and TikTok users across the world were missing us crazy Americans. On Saturday night, the app started to shut down its service in America, leaving a note that due to the law, services will be “temporarily unavailable,” and they are “working to restore [their] service in the U.S. as quickly as possible.” The latter part of this update was later changed to say TikTok is “fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with [them] on a solution to reinstate.”
The 47th president-elect, who will assume office on Monday, posted on his Truth Social platform Sunday morning about his desire to keep TikTok available to Americans. “I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark,” he wrote. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.” His post goes on to highlight Trump’s plan to create a joint venture out of the app , with the United States holding 50% ownership of it.
The question is, what U.S. company plans to buy TikTok? Could Trump want Elon Musk to take over like he did X? YouTube billionaire MrBeast also expressed some interest in buying the app before the ban took place.
Some Americans are weary of President Trump, thinking he has an ulterior motive with the app as he was the first initially against the app in 2020, saying it was a national security threat.
Snoop Dogg Switch Up
Many Snoop Dogg fans are upset at the rapper’s latest choice to perform at a Trump celebration event in Washington, D.C.
On Friday, Snoop performed “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” at the Inaugural Crypto Ball, which celebrated the inauguration of Donald Trump. The event took place at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium and Trump’s appointed crypto czar, David Sacks, was the emcee for the event.
This instance led media users to question Snoop’s genuineness as he has flip-flopped a lot in recent politics. An old video of Snoop in 2016 resurfaced, as he filmed himself calling any rappers that decided to perform in Trump’s first inauguration “Uncle Toms” and “Jiggaboo a** n***as.”
Additionally, is 2020, the rapper told Big Boy’s Neighborhood on Real 92.3 radio that he had never voted before but was planning on voting in 2020 against Trump because he “can’t stand to see this punk in the office one more year.”
In 2024, Snoop Dogg must have had a…change of heart…? In an interview with the Sunday Times, the rapper said he had “nothing but love and respect” for Trump. “Donald Trump? He ain’t done nothing wrong to me,” he said. “He has done only great things for me.”
It’s Going Down Down Baby: Nelly to Perform at Trump Inauguration
Snoop Dogg isn’t the only rapper in hot waters right now. Trump critics are unimpressed by rapper, Nelly, who agreed to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on Monday. After sources started to share the news. The “Country Grammar” rapper started to face backlash online, which led him to defend his decision.
On Saturday, Nelly joined a YouTube stream with Willie D, where he emphasized that he is not political. “I thought you was riding with me because I put on for my city and I try to bring my city up every step of the way,” he said. “I did not know you was riding with me because you thought I would ride for who you voted for.”
“I respect the office,” he later said. “This isn’t politics. The politics, for me, it’s over. He won. He’s the president. He’s the commander-in-chief of what I would like to say is the best country in the world.”
Still, many fans are not impressed, and some have even held Ashanti guilty by association.
FREE WENDY TILL IT’S BACKWARDS
Wendy Williams will always be one of the greatest in radio and talk show history, and she deserves to be on her throne instead of stuck in a high-class prison! On Thursday, Williams, 60, shocked “The Breakfast Club” listeners with a surprise call. She was joined by her niece, Alex, and the two described the severity of the broadcast mogul’s situation.
“I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I’m in prison,” Williams tells her old friend Charlamagne. She and her niece highlighted the strict conservatorship she is under with guardian Sabrina Morrissey. Williams claims Morrissey controls her financial autonomy and puts her in a maximum security facility with a bunch of old folks in their 80’s and 90’s. Williams even shared how she wants to go visit her 94-year-old father for his birthday but fears she won’t be allowed to.
“This system is broken,” she said.
In 2023, Wendy Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia. Stil,l she assured listeners she was fine. Charlamagne also echoed her statements and encouraged listeners to share her story to get this narrative out.
“She seemed perfectly fine to me,” he said. “There ain’t nothing incapacitated about Wendy Williams.”
Baddies…Africa?
Okay, this was not on my bingo card. Apparently, the U.S. and the Caribbean are not enough for Natalie Nunn and her minions’ antics. On Friday, Zeus Network CEO Lemuel Plummer announced the season seven location with a video featuring a dramatic entrance by Natalie Nunn wearing a dress made with traditional fabric. “The takeover continues, Baddies Africa,” she states.
Natalie will take her viral fight club to four countries in Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco. That’s all I have to say on this topic…y’all come up with your own conclusions.
Dave Chappelle on SNL
On Saturday, Dave Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live with the longest opening monologue in the show’s history. The comedian focused on Donald Trump’s Monday inauguration and Chapelle spoke directly to Trump in his speech, emphasizing the importance of empathy and compassion.
“I mean this when I say this — good luck,” Chappelle said. “Please do better next time. Please, all of us do better next time. Do not forget your humanity, and please have empathy for displaced people, whether they’re in the Palisades or Palestine.”
In his 17-minute monologue, Chappelle also discussed the Palisades fires, the Middle East and his reverence for the late Jimmy Carter.
Chappelle was joined by musical guest Glorilla, and “Chappelle’s Show” fans will be very nostalgic as in the ‘Pop the Ballon’ skit, Chappelle and Donnell Rawlings revive old characters Silky Johnson and Ashy Larry in a hilarious sketch!
