By JM Stephens
9:05am PDT, Jun 5, 2020
Pink hits back at commenters after they criticize her support for Black Lives Matter
On May 30, Pink got into it with commenters after she posted her support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd's May 25 death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. After the pop star reposted a message from Billie Eilish explaining why the "All Lives Matter" mantra — which critics say doesn't respect or grasp the depth of racial disparity in this country — is not the right response, several fans got mad at Pink. When a lawyer tried to claim that none of this was about race, for example, Pink shot back, "You are the epitome of white privilege and the saddest part is that you don't even hear yourself and probably never will."
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Dream Street's Chris Trousdale dies from COVID-19 at 34
Former Dream Street boybander Chris Trousdale passed away on June 2 from complications of COVID-19. He was 34. Chris appeared on Broadway as a kid and went on to find fame as a member of the boy band alongside Jesse McCartney, Greg Raposo, Matt Ballinger and Frankie Galasso in the late '90s and early 2000s. Chris later appeared on shows including "Days of Our Lives" and the Disney Channel's "Shake It Up" and auditioned for "The Voice" in 2012.
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Halsey, who's biracial, reflects on being "white passing"
Halsey is using her platform to discuss race and the Black Lives Matter movement. On June 5, the biracial pop star — who has a white mother and a black father — spoke out after a Twitter user accused her of never "claiming her black side." The New Jersey native said, "I'm white passing. it's not my place to say 'we.' it's my place to help. i am in pain for my family, but nobody is gonna kill me based on my skin color. I've always been proud of who I am but it'd be an absolute disservice to say 'we' when I'm not susceptible to the same violence." Halsey has been active in Los Angeles-area protests following the May 25 death of African American man George Floyd. The now-former police officer who kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter.
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Nick Cordero's wife Amanda Kloots is still "praying for a miracle" recovery
After 61 days in the hospital battling COVID-19 and its complications, Broadway star and singer Nick Coredero's wife, Amanda Kloots, is still praying for his recovery. The actor remains on a ventilator at Los Angeles's Cedar Sinai Medical Center. On May 30, Amanda posted a lengthy caption with an update of her husband, saying, "I am still praying for a miracle. Sometimes that prayer is answered in the way we ask and sometimes it's answered in a way we could never understand. Faith is a beautiful thing but (also) a hard thing. True faith comes in times where we must trust in God, his plan and his will. In that, I find peace always." On June 3, Amanda revealed that she'd been told to say her goodbyes but has refused to do it. "I've been told a couple times that he won't make it. I've been told to say goodbye," she wrote on social media. "I've been told it would take a miracle. Well, I have faith. Faith that is small as a mustard seed sometimes, but that is all you need sometimes."
Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren talk about racism as they raise a black daughter
Country music star Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins took to social media on May 31 to open up about what's happening in this country and to explain how they are dealing with racism as they raise their eldest daughter, Willa, who's black. Thomas explained, "As the father of a black daughter and also two white daughters — I have struggled with what to say today. We have navigated forms of racism directly and while there is mostly overwhelming support and love for our family, sometimes there is just the opposite. Because of that fear, it can be a lot easier to choose silence, but today I'm choosing to speak." He also spoke about seeing racism firsthand as he's traveled with his black band members and how he's been shocked at the animosity aimed at them. Lauren chimed in, saying of Willa, who was adopted from Uganda in 2017, "As her mother, I want her to be VERY sure that I am HER mother who stands up not only for her, but for every single person who shares her beautiful brown skin. I want to be her mother who raises her to know what it means to have brown skin and to be proud of it. I want to be her mother who doesn't listen to the shaming of skin colors but instead listens to the Spirit of God who knitted every skin color together in their mother's womb for His glory. Because the truth is: I AM HER mother who FIGHTS for her. I am her mother who celebrates not only WHO she and her two sisters are, but WHOSE they are and exactly who God created them to be." She finished her post saying, "Don't stay silent. Fight."
After call with Minnesota governor, JAY-Z says justice for George Floyd is "just a first step"
JAY-Z continues to use his platform to do work for the black community. The rapper announced on May 31 that he'd spoken with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and called for the prosecution of the four police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd on May 25, adding that justice in this case is just the beginning. The rapper and mogul said, "After our very earnest conversation, thank you to Governor Walz for doing what's right and calling in Attorney General Keith Ellison to take over the George Floyd case. Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned having a human conversation with me — a dad and a black man in pain. Yet, I am a human, a father and a black man in pain, and I am not the only one." The governor also spoke about the call, explaining, "I received a call last night — to understand how big this was — from JAY-Z. Not international performer but dad, stressing to me that justice needs to be served. It was so incredibly human. It was a dad — and I think quite honestly, a black man — whose visceral pain of this that he knew. His words summarized that justice needs to be served here."
Amy Grant has open heart surgery
It was announced on June 3 that Christian pop singer Amy Grant underwent a successful surgery to correct a rare heart condition — PAPVR, or partial anomalous pulmonary venous return — which she's had since birth. In February, Amy revealed that her doctor had discovered the issue after running tests. After the surgery, Amy's account tweeted, "Thank you for so many prayers today. Amy is out of surgery and the doctor said it could not have gone better. We would ask for continued prayers over the days, weeks and months to come as she makes a full recovery… xo."
The Eagles' Don Henley asks Congress to change copyright law
On June 2, the Eagles songwriter Don Henley urged Congress to to protect artists against online pirating, wading into a copyright fight pitting Hollywood and the recording industry against big tech platforms like Google's YouTube. The rock star testified to a Senate committee weighing possible changes to a 1998 copyright law. The law currently allows holders of copyrighted material to formally ask parties they believe have taken their content without permission to remove it. The parties can dispute the claim. If they comply promptly with the request, there are no legal consequences. Otherwise, they may be subject to criminal penalties. He called the current copyright laws "a relic of a MySpace era in a TikTok world." As technology has advanced, it has become even easier to illegal obtain content and get away with it, Don explained.
