Smokey Robinson Opens Up About Previously Undisclosed Battle With Covid-19

By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

He might be known for making miracles, but R&B legend Smokey Robinson isn’t taking his recovery from Covid-19 for granted.

The 81-year-old, who was founder and frontman for famed Motown music group the Miracles before going on to a successful solo career that saw him inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, recently opened up to the Daily Mail about his private battle with the virus last December.

"I am a COVID survivor. I got it severely and I was hospitalized for 11 days, and four or five of those I do not even remember," he told the publication. "It was really touch and go, and a terribly debilitating ailment."

In addition to physically exhausting Robinson, who said the seriousness of his condition didn’t really hit him until it was over, the bout with the virus had the singer fearing the worse for his famous honey-throated, tenor voice.

"'I was not sure that I would ever be able to sing again because it took my voice. I could barely even talk," he said. "Even when I got home, I was hoarse. I could not try to sing because I was afraid. It was one of the most frightening fights I have ever had."

Luckily, Robinson was fully vaccinated and had been taking care of himself. The singer said doctors told him he got off lightly, “They told me that it was lucky for me especially at my age that I'd taken care of myself; but for the grace of God and that fact I probably would not be here talking right now.”

Robinson, who has since performed three full-blown concerts after starting out with short private shows to exercise his vocal cords, estimates he is 95 percent now and will continue to sing for as long as he can. 

"I had to work on my vocal cords and get myself back together. I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life, and it was possible, so I did it," he said. "I love my job… It's what keeps me going."

Vaccine Rant by Blac Chyna at Miami Airport Caught on Film by Fans

Photo Credit: TikToc Screen Capture

Music-adjacent reality TV star Blac Chyna is a bit of an enigma. 

She went from strip club to second-tier stardom early last decade, largely thanks to a name drop by Drake and earning the role as Nicki Minaj's booty, err body double, in the video for Kanye West's "Monster."

Since that breakthrough she's kept in the public eye through celebrity relationships, some genuine entrepreneurial efforts and a raft of reality television appearances — including headlining her own eponymously named show, "The Real Blac Chyna," on the neophyte Zeus Network.

So, who is Chyna? Is she the hardworking student, born Angela Renée White, that took jobs stripping to finance her education at Johnson & Wales University before dropping out due to exhaustion? Is she the video-vixen, turned instant "it girl" that captured the hearts of a hip-hop generation with her exotic looks? Or maybe she's something totally different. 

That's something for her fans and haters to debate, and maybe "The Real Blac Chyna" to shed some light on in its second season. The one thing we know the 33-year-old is not, however, is a vaccine denier... at least if you can believe her own words.

Reportedly after being triggered by a lady holding a baby getting in her personal space and asking for a photo, according to TMZ, Chyna had some harsh words for those who don't believe in the vaccines that have taken center stage in the fight against Covid, and she wasn't shy about sharing them Sunday with fellow customers at Miami International Airport.

"Nobody wants to get checked out,” she yelled, beginning a long and rambling tirade to anyone within earshot. “Go get checked out! It's sad and it really blows the f–k out of me.”

Blac Chyna is trending on Twitter over outburst at Miami International Airport telling people to get vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/xo9IgKvZCl

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 12, 2021

Chyna also added, “Go get the f–king vaccine and stop being stupid, hoe!” and "Go get the shot! The same thing that you have to do to enroll your kids [in school].” And, “this is why people’s grandparents are dying and s–t.”

 

Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden Resigns After Racist, Misogynistic and Homophobic Emails Exposed

Photo Credit @NFL Twitter

Just hours after The New York Times released a scathing report Monday night highlighting a history of racist, homophobic and misogynistic emails sent by Las Vegas Raiders head coach, Jon Gruden, to NFL officials over a seven-year period prior to his hire, ESPN is reporting that the once highly sought coach is out of a job.

Shortly after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that he was told by sources that” Raiders owner Mark Davis arrived at the team's facility earlier Monday evening and went to find Gruden.”

"Earlier this evening, The New York Times uncovered a trail of emails dating back seven years, in which Jon Gruden had a clean sweep of offending NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, women, gays, minorities, all sorts of people."

Jon Gruden’s emails are further & final proof for the necessity of minority voices in positions of power.

In 2011, Gruden was a homophobic racially insensitive pervert. He was also the face of #MNF on ESPN, speaking to an audience of 13.3 million people weekly. pic.twitter.com/9rpZTVBPBj

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 12, 2021

Gruden followed up shortly with a statement of his own saying, “I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”

— @AdamSchefter with an update on Jon Gruden pic.twitter.com/qqsvptqBCE

— ESPN (@espn) October 12, 2021

Davis himself confirmed both the meeting and the reported conclusion by Schefter, releasing the following statement:

"I have accepted Jon Gruden's resignation as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders."

pic.twitter.com/pxurcxX67v

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 12, 2021 

It was the final stop on a rollercoaster of a week for the 58-year-old, who was in his second stint with the Raiders as head coach.

Friday after reporting by the Wall Street Journal revealed Gruden had used a racial stereotype to refer to NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith in 2011 in an email to then Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, he quickly apologized.

Gruden, who said, “Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin [sic] tires,” in the email, told the WSJ he was “really sorry" and that he refers to liars as "rubber lips." 

I don’t think he’s dumb,” Gruden told the Journal. “I don’t think he’s a liar. I don’t have a racial bone in my body, and I’ve proven that for 58 years.

It seemed the controversy might die out with the Raiders staying mum on the subject and Gruden and others trying to play off the incident as a one-time mistake years before he was head coach, but Monday’s report spurred immediate action from the team which publicly prides itself on a commitment to diversity and anti-racist principles.

Gruden, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win in 2003 before eventually moving on to ESPN where he worked as a color analyst during the period when he composed most of the offensive emails before being hired to coach the Raiders in 2018, finishes his tenure with a 22-31 record.

Rich Bisaccia will serve as the interim head coach of the team, effective immediately