By Wonderwall.com Editors
5:59am PST, Mar 4, 2021
Mariah Carey's brother files defamation suit against her over bestselling memoir
One month after Mariah Carey's older sister filed suit against the singer over claims made in her bestselling 2020 memoir, her older brother has done the same. According to Page Six, Morgan Carey, 61, filed a lawsuit in New York City on Wednesday, March 3, alleging the singer made claims about Morgan in "The Meaning of Mariah Carey" that are "false and defamatory, personally invasive and painful, and have caused serious damage to his reputation and to his personal and business affairs." Morgan, a celebrity fitness trainer based in Hawaii, alleges that while he's lost work opportunities because of Mariah's widely-read book, he's filing suit, "more in sorrow and disappointment in his sister's betrayals and malicious falsehoods than in anger at them." He goes on to dispute his sister's portrayal of his relationship with their father, whom he says was abusive, not the other way around, as he believes Mariah's book suggests. He goes on to claim says there's no truth to an incident in which Mariah wrote that he "slammed" their mother into a wall, and calls it "a hurtful violation" that she divulged he was once treated at a psychiatric facility for children. Finally, Morgan says Mariah's depiction of the $5,000 loan Morgan gave her to record her first album "I paid back five thousand times over," she writes –"I would continue to pay and pay" — makes him sound like an extortionist. The lawsuit also points to specific sentences about Morgan he says are defamatory in nature. The filing comes on the heels of a $1.25 million lawsuit filed against the singer by her sister, Allison. Asked about her estranged relationship with her siblings, Mariah told Vulture last year: "They have been ruthlessly just heartless in terms of dealing with me as a human being for most of my life. I never would have spoken about my family at all had they not done it first." She added, "I forgive them," but said she has no plans to reestablish contact with them. As of Wednesday afternoon, reps for Mariah had not commented on the new lawsuit.
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Fans praise Dolly Parton's vaccine-ready fashion
"Leave it to Our Lady Dolly to finally find some purpose for those cold-shoulder sweaters." So said one of many impressed Dolly Parton fans on Twitter this week after noticing the singer-songwriter wore the perfect top to get her COVID-19 vaccination. Dolly's sparkly blue, long-sleeved sweater — which she paired with a matching face mask — featured upper shoulder cutouts, leaving a doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center the perfect available spot of upper arm skin for the shot. "Dolly Parton getting the vaccine she helped fund," tweeted another fan, referencing Dolly's early, $1 million donation to the research that brought us the Moderna vaccine, "… AND wearing a top that she doesn't have to adjust so they can give her the shot is absolutely iconic." In her video post, which she captioned, "Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine," the 75-year-old music legend jokingly retooled her classic hit, "Jolene," subbing in, "vaccine." She added: "I just want to say to all of you cowards out there: Don't be such a chicken squat. Get out there and get your shot." In addition to comments on her fashion choice for the occasion, Dolly's post inspired a barrage of declarations of love. "Surely it's not possible to love Dolly more, but seems it is," wrote one user. "My Love for Dolly just overflowing now."
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Rachel Lindsey: 'The Bachelor' should pause production, deal with issues plaguing franchise
With Chris Harrison out, at least temporarily, as host of "The Bachelor," and Rachael Kirkconnell, whom he defended after photos showed her participating in a plantation-themed frat party, still in the race for Matt James' final rose, what's next for the controversy-mired franchise? "Extra" correspondent Rachel Lindsey, who was the first Black "Bachelorette," thinks it's time to put the breaks on production and deal with the racism and diversity matters at hand, stat. "They're about to go into production for 'The Bachelorette.' I think they should just stop until … they get the train back on the tracks," she said this week on the "Higher Learning" podcast she hosts alongside Van Lathan. "You're going to go another season, but you still have all of these issues. How have you fixed them coming into a new season? You really haven't. I think that they need to take a beat, figure things out, regroup and then bring the product back to us in a way that we can all enjoy it like we used to." She added that the network and producers, "need to come out and say something" about the situation. (Per Variety, the podcast was recorded before "The Bachelor" producers condemned bullies who have been harassing Rachel on social media. As of Wednesday, March 3, no official statement beyond that had been issued.) "Right now, you're letting your fans speak for you," Rachel continued. "This is an audience you have curated for 15 years until you had the first lead of color, me. You have built this. These people feel like they had their world, and now people of color are trying to mess it up. You did this! So you need to speak out, and you need to say something — you need to undo it. And at the moment, they're silent." Reps for ABC and Warner Bros. declined to comment to Variety.
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Why Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker's romance is reportedly getting 'more serious'
Things continue to heat up for Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker, a shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns. Last month, Kendall shared a rare glimpse into her love life when she shared a cute photo of the two on Valentine's Day, seemingly confirming romance rumors that began nearly a year ago. "Kendall was ready to take her relationship with Devin to a more public level and get rid of any unnecessary speculation in the media. She felt ready to share a bit more than she has in the past when she posted the photo of them on Valentine's Day," a source tells ET. "Their relationship has gotten more serious and Devin is really laid back and not all about fame or being in the spotlight all the time, which Kendall really likes," the insider explains. "He makes her feel comfortable and safe and he's super respectful, which are all qualities she loves."
Paris Hilton celebrates passage of teen treatment center legislation after detailing her own alleged abuse
In February, an emotional Paris Hilton testified before a Utah Senate committee that she was abused while attending Provo Canyon School in the hopes of helping to push through new legislation aimed at regulating "troubled teen" treatment centers. She was one of many former residents of facilities in Utah who shared their stories. This week, she's one of many celebrating the bill's passage. "When I was at Provo Canyon School, so much of the abuse I endured would have been ILLEGAL under SB 127, a bill enacted into law last night that now finally protects youth in residential facilities," Paris tweeted on Wednesday, March 3. "I am so proud of this HUGE accomplishment & step towards systemic change." Paris has spent the past few months advocating for better oversight of teen treatment centers nationwide as part of the Breaking Code Silence campaign.
Ben Affleck reunites with George Clooney and his hometown to film 'Tender Bar' in Boston
New England native Ben Affleck is back in his hometown this month filming a new project directed by George Clooney and insiders tell People he's happy to be reunited with his old stomping grounds — and with George, who produced "Argo," the film that won Ben a Best Picture Oscar back in 2012. "Ben is excited to be in Boston. He and George are happy to be reunited and working together again," says a source close to the actor. In their upcoming film, "Tender Bar," based on a 2005 memoir by J.R. Moehringer, Ben plays a bar owner whose fatherless nephew (Tye Sheridan) finds a home away from home in his establishment. "[Ben] comes prepared and ready to film. He and George are great to work with," a production source tells the outlet. When he's not working, the first source says Ben "has found time to stay connected with his family," including his son Samuel, who recently turned 8. "[He] even got to safely fly back for Sam's birthday," the insider noted. "He is in a good place."
'Mank' star Gary Oldman reflects on his alcoholic past: 'I used to sweat vodka'
Ben Affleck recently described how his life experience, including his struggle with alcoholism and his divorce from Jennifer Garner, have helped make him a better actor. Gary Oldman, who's been sober 24 years and plays the alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz in David Fincher's "Mank," seems to have had a similar experience when it comes to channeling personal demons into his work. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in a new interview, Gary, 62, said he remembers thinking that if he was working, he must have been "getting away with" being an alcoholic. "Herman, with that self-effacing humor," Gary says of his character, "… he was at lunch, drinking with a friend, who said, 'Why don't you go home sober for once?' And he answered, 'What? And have [his wife] Sara throw me out as an impostor?' I did the same thing. I would sit down and tell the waiter, 'I'll have a large vodka tonic. And can you bring it now because I'm an alcoholic. I need it quicker.'" He also recalled how the tendency to "romanticize" a boozy lifestyle made it harder to quit. "All my heroes were drinkers or opium addicts, and you get all misty-eyed about these poets and playwrights and actors who were big drinkers," he said. As it turned it, alcoholism is anything but romantic. "I used to sweat vodka," Gary said. "It becomes such a part of you. My tongue would be black in the morning. I blamed it on the shampoo. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, to be in the grip of it. It's hell. And that self-effacing humor? That's just there to mask the inadequacy." Gary's "Mank" performance earned him a Best Actor nomination for this year's Critics Choice Awards, which air Sunday, March 7.
Solange Knowles says she was 'fighting for my life' while making last album
Solange Knowles is celebrating the two-year anniversary of her acclaimed album, "When I Get Home," with the release of a remastered director's cut of the performance art film that accompanied the recording. But she's also celebrating something more personal. As the singer-songwriter told followers on Instagram this week in a long and heartfelt message, Solange was "fighting for [her] life" while making "When I Get Home." " … in and out of hospitals … with depleting health and broken spirits asking God to send me a sign I would not only survive, but that if he let me make it out alive, I would step into the light whatever that meant," she wrote. "He begin speaking to me. Half the time I didn't know where it was coming from. I only knew I had to open the door and honor it." Though she didn't specify the reason for the hospitalizations, the 34-year-old has said she has an autonomic disorder, which the Mayo Clinic defines as "a dysfunction of the nerves that regulate nonvoluntary body functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure and sweating." These disorders can have a wide range of serious repercussions, including fainting and strokes. While making the album, Solange shared, she didn't really understand the spiritual journey that work was taking her on. "This project has shown me, once you open that door, you can't go backwards," she wrote. "… One day, I'll tell y'all about the days I've had since I opened this door. The things I've uncovered. The life long healing I've begin. The great divine joy and love I've experienced. The stories of my past I've survived that I had stored all up in my body…. till it said…. no more. The re-learning. The reckoning. This album led me to all of it. Life has now become before WIGH and after WIGH." She added: "I'm so grateful for you guys allowing me the space and time. So so so grateful. Ima be celebrating all week long the coming of home 🖤." The "When I Get Home" director's cut is now streaming on the Criterion Channel.
Justin Timberlake gushes about his 'favorite human,' Jessica Biel, in sweet birthday post
Jessica Biel turned 39 on Wednesday, March 3, and according to her husband Justin Timberlake's sweet birthday tribute to the actress, there was definitely some cake on the day's itinerary. There was also a whole lot of love coming her way from Justin. "Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the world… the strongest, funniest, best, brightest and most beautiful mom/partner/BOSS there is," he gushed on Instagram, sharing a gallery of cute photos. "I'm lucky to learn from you and laugh with you and celebrate you every day. But, today we do it with 🎂!!!!" he continued. "Here's to more slow-mos in the wind, jumping into bushes to save our kid's toys, and timing out jump pics perfectly…," he added, before signing off with, "I ❤️ U with all that I know." Justin and Jessica tied the knot eight years ago after they were first linked romantically in 2007. They share two sons, Silas, 5, and Phinneas, 8.
