By Wonderwall.com Editors
11:59am PDT, Jun 5, 2020
Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay criticizes "Bachelor" casting for lacking diversity
As the #BlackLivesMatter movement continues to gain traction, former "Bachelorette" Rachel Lindsay is speaking out again about the racial issues in the franchise. "We have now casted for 40 seasons — even though they haven't started Clare [Crawley's]," Lindsay, the only African-American lead in the show's history, told the New York Post. "There's been one person of color in 40 seasons. We have 45 presidents. There has been one person of color. We are literally on par to saying that you are more likely to become the president of the United States than you are to be the lead of this franchise. That is insane." She noted that the show has made excuses as to why the show lacks diversity, but they no longer have validity. "Once I saw what they did in 'Bachelor in Paradise,' bringing in somebody who is not even a cast member in Kristian [Haggerty] to facilitate this relationship between Demi [Burnett] and Kristian, I know that that franchise has the power to do whatever they want, including having a lead of color, and it's time to stop making excuses," the 35-year-old lawyer said. In addition to taking this opportunity to speak out about diversity issues on "The Bachelor," Lindsay has also been protesting with her husband, Bryan Abasalo, in Miami. "It was Bryan's first time [protesting] and I think, for him, it was a lot more emotional," she explained. "It was very powerful to look around and see so many people that didn't look like me, who were all marching in unity for the same purpose. To look and see someone of a completely different race saying 'Black Lives Matter,' screaming it at the top of their voice, it was truly a beautiful moment." Abasalo, 40, is of Colombian descent, and the two have discussed what it will be like for their children, being the product of an interracial relationship. "I told Bryan […] our children are going to be biracial. We don't know what they'll look like, but at the end of the day, they're going to be seen as black,'" she said. "And so, the issues that are happening right now can directly affect our children because they will be black." Lindsay said if the two had a child now, they'd want the child to be educated on how to handle being stopped by the police, their rights, and to see the good in the protests, as well as the wrong in the looting.
RELATED: The Bachelor and The Bachelorette biggest scandals
Kanye West joins protesters in Chicago
Kanye West has joined demonstrators in Chicago marching in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. West was seen marching in his hometown wearing a dark gray hoodie, tan pans, Yeezy boots and a black face mask on Thursday, June 4. West has shown his support in wake of the murder in a few ways. The 42-year-old rapper created a 529 college savings plan for Floyd's daughter Gianna, 6. Additionally, he has donated to several black-owned businesses in crisis in Chicago and around the country, and provided $2 million to support the families of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and for their legal aid.
RELATED: Stars speak out about George Floyd's death
Matt Lauer sees TV interview as next step in his comeback
Matt Lauer is ready to return to the public eye, according to a new report in Us Weekly. A source tells the magazine that Lauer is hoping to speak on-air about his allegations of sexual misconduct and has friends advising him to record the interview himself, so he can have control over editing. An insider added that if he wants to speak sooner rather than later, the timing could be in his favor. "Given the timing of the pandemic and [the fact there'd be] no studio audience, it could be a less hostile venue," the source says. Lauer was fired from NBC in November 2017 after he was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior while covering the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia by a female colleague. Details of the alleged assault were revealed in Ronan Farrow's 2019 book, "Catch and Kill." Lauer wrote a blog post addressing the accusations in book calling them false and "the worst and most consequential things to ever happen in my life."
RELATED: MeToo era players: Where are they now?
Nick Viall recalls being arrested 10 years ago and how being white saved him
Nick Viall opened up about his experience with the Milwaukee police 10 years ago on the most recent episode of his podcast "The Viall Files." "I went out to the bars with my best friend and my girlfriend at the time and his girlfriend at the time, now wife," he said. "This cop comes up to me and goes, 'Get out of here!' Starts screaming at me, cussing. I'm like, 'Yeah, no problem, man. Just gonna grab my friend and I'll be out of here.' And then for whatever reason…he just did a beeline over to me and said, 'You're under arrest,'" the former "Bachelor" said, recalling that he was thrown into a police van with "one other white kid and a bunch of black young men." Viall's then-girlfriend helped convince another officer to tell the arresting officer to let him go. The 39-year-old said he'll never forget what the arresting officer said to him next: "We shouldn't be arresting people like you." Reflecting back on the moment, Viall says, "It was so clear to me at the time that what he meant was because I'm white, and it was so obvious. And he said it to me in a way, and I remember being, like, so offended by him saying that, because he said it to me as if I would acknowledge what he said, being like, 'Yeah, why are you arresting me?' Like I would agree with him," he continued. "It was just such an eye-opening moment. Like, holy s–t, this stuff still goes on. There's no doubt in my mind that the only reason I was let off that night was because I was white."
Gayle King expresses concerns for her 33-year-old son "being a black man"
Gayle King appeared on "The Talk" on Thursday, June 4, to discuss her fears in light of the murder of George Floyd on Memorial Day. King's son, Will, is a 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles, in the Santa Monica area, and King admitted she is worried about him. "He can hear the police choppers and he can hear the sounds of the city. And Santa Monica as you know is a very affluent town…but I'm worried about him walking his frickin' dog…I worry for him being a black man, period," she said. "I worry a lot about his safety. Welcome to being black in America. This is not new."
Johnny Depp questions Amber Heard's charitable donations
In 2016, Amber Heard announced she would donate her $7 million divorce settlement from Johnny Depp to the ACLU and Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. But now, Depp is questioning those donations. The Blast reports that the actor has issued subpoenas to collect documents and communications Heard had with both organizations regarding donations made after their divorce was finalized. The subpoenas were filed in Virginia and request all information regarding Heard.
Joe Giudice to box Ojani Noa in October fight
Last month, Joe Giudice signed a deal to participate in a celebrity boxing match in October in the Bahamas, and he now has an opponent. According to TMZ, the ex-"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star will face Ojani Noa, most famous for being married to Jennifer Lopez for under a year in the late 90s. The two will meet for three, 90 second rounds on October 24.
Jeff and Lauren Lowe are filming reality TV show about their zoo
"Tiger King" stars Jeff and Lauren Lowe have signed on to another reality TV show. The big cat enthusiast tells People that the show will share "a lot more information" about the relationship he has with former Oklahoma zookeeper Joseph "Joe Exotic" Maldonado-Passage, who is currently serving time in federal prison for animal abuse and murder for hire, for a plot to kill his nemesis, Carole Baskin. "It'll be our narrative on the Tiger King with evidence to support our sides of the stories. And it will be about the transfer of all these beautiful animals from Joe's facility to the new facility," he says. "And then the day-to-day struggle of running something as big as a 60-acre animal park and all the intricacies of the employment of zookeepers and fighting all of the animal rights groups." The couple is planning to open a new zoo — Tiger King Park — in Thackerville, Oklahoma, this fall, and Lauren says they want to "put a brighter light on things because everybody wants to put a horrible light on roadside zoos." Her husband aims to prove to the world that "it can be done right." The show is currently in pre-production and it is not yet clear where the show will air.
Maci Bookout's son Bentley graduates from elementary school
Maci Bookout's son Bentley is off to middle school. The "Teen Mom OG" star, now 28, shared a photo of her son at his 5th grade graduation on Thursday, June 5. "SO proud of my boy! Great Teachers – Lifelong Friends – All A's – Forever Memories Benny is off to MIDDLE SCHOOL!" she captioned a photo of her and her son, who is nearly as tall as his mom, on Instagram. Bookout also shared a video of her family, including husband Taylor McKinney and Bentley's half-siblings Maverick and Jayde, celebrating their older brother's graduation at a restaurant, which she captioned, "Oh my heart."
Cate Blanchett is "fine" following chainsaw accident
Cate Blanchett is currently recovering from an accident involving a chainsaw, which took place at her home in England. I had a bit of a chainsaw accident yesterday, which sounds very, very exciting, but it wasn't," she shared on "A Podcast of One's Own" last week with former Australia Prime Minister Julia Gillard. "Apart from the little nick to my head, we're fine." Gillard recommended Blanchett be "very careful" with the machine. "You've got a very famous head. I don't think people would like to see any nicks taken out of it."
