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K. Michelle Spent Over $300K & Has Had 13 Surgeries To Reverse Her Butt Implants
True beauty can't be bought and buying into this ideology can force you to pay a hefty price, both literally and emotionally, and has even cost a number of women their lives and K. Michelle's new show on Lifetime is a potent reminder of this fact. In 2012, the now-33-year-old R&B singer paid $7,000 for black market butt injections, and after 8 years of migraines, surgeries, and complications, K. Michelle says that she has spent nearly $300,000 to get the procedure reversed. On a recent episode of the Wendy Williams Show, K. Michelle opened up about her tragic experience and her mission to ensure that no woman has to ever go through what she went through, again. She explained:
"One morning I woke up, I was fine. And just one morning I woke up, y'all and my legs gave out and I couldn't walk and no one knew. They told me I had lupus. They didn't know what it was."
After learning that the silicone had spread throughout her body, causing potentially fatal damage, K. Michelle was forced to undergo a series of back-to-back surgeries to get it removed and they were not cheap.
"That surgery alone was $300,000 and I did it and no insurance doesn't cover it, so that's why I have the TV show because I'm helping women get it out of their bodies."
Although K. Michelle still has at least two surgeries before she's fully on the road to recovering, she's adamant about using her platform and her upcoming show to save the lives of women who don't have $300K to spend on a lifesaving procedure.
"Every day I get about 20 to 30 emails begging for their lives to be saved because they can't afford to get it out."
For more of the news that's poppin' this week, scroll below!
Kobe & GiGi Bryant's Memorial Service Was Today & There Wasn't Dry Eye In The Room
After watching Kobe and Gianna Bryant's memorial service, I have felt all of the feels and my heart literally can't take it. Along with Beyonce's performance of Kobe's favorite song, "XO", one of the most emotional moments of the service was when Vanessa Bryant gave an emotional tribute to her daughter GiGi, who she says would have made a great mother and ultimately become one of the greatest players in the NBA:
"God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to heaven together."
In her address, Vanessa also had a message about her late-husband, who she calls her "protector":
"I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidante and his protector. He was the early bird and I was the night owl. He was fire and I was ice, and vice versa sometimes."
"I"m so thankful Kobe heard KoKo say dada. He taught us all valuable lessons... and we're so thankful he left those lessons and stories behind for us... We're still the best team."
B. Smith Loses Her Battle With Alzheimer's Disease
According to reports, 70-year-old lifestyle icon, cookbook author, and restauranteur B. Smith lost her seven-year battle with Alzheimer's and died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday and the creative industry lost one of the biggest bosses to ever do it.
Known for becoming one of the first Black mainstream fashion models, Barbra was a multi hyphenate businesswoman with many eggs and many baskets and she won't be soon forgotten. In a 1997 interview with New York Magazine, she said:
"Martha Stewart has presented herself doing the things domestics and African Americans have done for years. We were always expected to redo the chairs and use everything in the garden. This is the legacy that I was left. Martha just got there first."
The NAACP Image Awards Show Was Black Elegance Personified
I'm going to need to send Lizzo, Rihanna, Tracee Ellis Ross, and all of the other Black girl magicians who pulled up at the NAACP Image Awards an invoice. Because my wig is snatched and I would like reimbursement.
Among the stars who were honored was our favorite bad gal, Queen Rih, who received this year's President's Award and we can always count on our good sis to come through with a word. In her moving speech, she asked the audience:
"How many of us in this room have colleagues and partners and friends from other races, sexes, religions? Well then, you know, they want to break bread with you, right? They like you? Well then, this is their problem too. So when we're marching and protesting and posting about the Michael Brown Jr.s and the Atatiana Jeffersons of the world, tell your friends to pull up."
Erykah Badu’s Vagina-Inspired Incense Sold Out In Minutes
Erykah Badu might possibly be one of the most iconic businesswomen of our time. Sis committed to the commando lifestyle, burned all of her old panties, made them into incense and sold them on the internet.
Earlier this month, the singer revealed that the unique product, which featured 20 sticks per box and is priced at $50, would be featured on her Badu World Market exclusively, and according to Erykah, it sold out in 10 minutes. So if there's anyone out there who doesn't believe that you can do anything you put your mind to (even if that means burning your underwear and selling them), just know that you're the only person holding yourself back.
Sabrina & Idris Elba Have A New Podcast, Here’s What We Know
Last year, Sabrina and Idris Elba tied the knot and recently, the couple announced that they would be giving viewers an inside look at how they make their relationship work with their joint lifestyle brand, Sable Labs.
The newlyweds say that with the launch of their podcast, they plan to help couples find a way to achieve their dreams together:
"We've started something called Sable Labs. We believe if we can create a Coupledom community, we can share our experiences and help each other communicate better and achieve more. We'd love to explore couples and relationships of all kinds under the topic of Coupledom, which is two people coming together to make a shared dream a reality. My hope is that by listening to other partnerships, people will recognize themselves and their own relationships, finding common ground that they can apply to their own lives. We hope that Coupledom becomes an inspiring space to help one another grow."
Featured image via Giphy
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."