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Wendy Williams breaks silence on her mother's death

No Comments Entertainment News

Courtesy of Bravo(NEW YORK) — Wendy Williams is opening up about her late mother Shirley. 

During Monday’s episode of The Wendy Williams Showthe talk show host revealed that her mother died “many, many, many weeks ago.”

“You know how during corona[virus], during the world, topsy-turvy, people starving, people out of jobs, just in everybody’s life there’s something new, and you know how you lose track of the day and date, and the times, all I know is that it was a long time ago,” she revealed. 

“She passed away beautifully and peacefully and surrounded by love. She didn’t suffer, not one bit, thank goodness,” Williams added.

She then shared heartwarming memories and gushed about the bond she had with her mother, which she described as that of two 17-year-old girls. 

“Gone is the best mother, the best girlfriend that a girl could have,” she said, before noting that she was lucky to have her mom around for as long as she did.

“I feel fortunate that I had her in my life all of my 56 years, because people in my age bracket — many of you, throughout the years — [have said,] ‘You’re really lucky to have your mom and dad together in a happy marriage,” she said.  

Williams’ mother, Shirley, was married to her father, Tom Williams, for 65 years. 

Now, the author is focused on staying strong her her son Kevin Hunter, Jr., who she explained has never experienced a death this close to him before. 

News of Shirley’s death gained traction after a friend of the family shared a message of condolence in a since-deleted Instagram post captured by The Shade Room. 

“One of my granny’s best friends for 83 years passed away … Mrs. Shirley Williams,” the friend announced. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb7pU9XXLEU&w=640&h=360]

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Statue of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson relocated from the Virginia Military Institute campus

No Comments National News

jack looney/iStock BY: HALEY YAMADA, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — The Virginia Military Institute removed the statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson from its Lexington campus on Monday following allegations from Black cadets of racism at the school.

The institution’s board voted to remove the statue from campus in late October after The Washington Post reported on students’ allegations of an “atmosphere of hostility and cultural insensitivity” at the school.

After the story was published on Oct. 17, Virginia lawmakers approved a $1 million budget to open an independent investigation into the student’s allegations.

Soon after, the school’s superintendent, retired Army Gen. H. Binford Peay III, announced his resignation. At the time, Peay said he made the decision to step down after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam‘s “chief of staff conveyed that the governor and certain legislative leaders had lost confidence in my leadership.”

Northam’s press secretary, Alena Yarmosky, said in a statement to ABC News at the time that “change is overdue at VMI, and the Board of Visitors bears a deep responsibility to embrace it.”

The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) announced on Nov. 13 that retired Army Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins would be the school’s interim superintendent. Wins is the first Black leader to serve in that role.

The school’s board also announced other changes on Nov. 23, including the creation of a permanent diversity office.

The statue has been a focus of controversy for years, but the school had committed to keeping it in place as recently as July 2020, when Peay wrote in a statement, “We cannot eliminate our history nor do we desire to do so. Instead, we desire to build upon our past and will do our part to continue to build a strong Institute.”

“I hope you will see that these four goals and five pillars take us positively to the future and address in deeper ways racism and equity than the simple means of removing statues and renaming buildings,” he added.

Wins said that the statue will be relocated to a nearby Civil War museum.

“It is an understatement to say the relocation of the statue has evoked strong opinions on both sides of the issue,” Wins said Monday.

“The history of VMI over the past 181 years is well documented. Stonewall Jackson’s ties to Lexington and the Institute, as an instructor, are part of that history,” Wins said. But “VMI does not define itself by this statue and that is why this move is appropriate.”

ABC News’ Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Tim McGraw recalls the Christmas moment when he became "the man of the house"

No Comments Country Music News

John Russell/CMAFor Tim McGraw, there’s a particular Christmas memory that marked a turning point in his young adult life. 

Growing up in Louisiana with his mother Betty and two sisters, a pre-teen Tim was charged with an important task regarding one of his sister’s Christmas gifts, which for him signified a newfound step into maturity. 

“I think one thing that I remember as a kid that was sort of a turning point for me growing up for me is…I remember being probably 11 years old or so and my mom asking me to put together a doll house for my sisters,” he explains.

“And that was the first time that I actually got to participate and like, be the man of the house with my mom and put together all the Christmas stuff for my sisters. That was sort of a big ‘graduating to a young man,’ in my eyes, thing for me,” he recalls.  

Since those early days, Tim has become a country music superstar and formed his own family with wife Faith Hill and their three daughters Maggie, Audrey and Gracie.  

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Lori Loughlin's daughter Olivia Jade to tell her side of the Varsity Blues scandal on Facebook Watch's 'Red Table Talk'

No Comments Entertainment News

SMXRF/Star Max/GC Images(LOS ANGELES) — On her Instagram, Olivia Jade — beauty influencer and youngest daughter of actress Lori Loughlin and designer Mossimo Giannulli — announced that she’ll be joining Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Willow’s grandmother Adrienne Banfield Norris, for a special edition of Jada’s Facebook Watch show Red Table Talk on Tuesday.

The sit-down will allow Olivia Jade to tell her side of the story regarding the so-called Varsity Blues college cheating scandal, for which both her parents were indicted.

“Thank you …for bringing me to the table so I can publicly share my experience for the first time,” Olivia wrote to her hosts. 

Loughlin, 54, best known for her role as Aunt Becky on the ABC sitcom Full House, and Giannullo, 57, were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, along with 35 other wealthy parents — including actress Felicity Huffman — in an attempt to get their kids into prestigious colleges.

Back in August, Loughlin and Giannulli were sentenced to two months and five months in prison, respectively, on conspiracy charges stemming from the cheating scheme.  Loughlin reported to federal prison in Dublin, CA on October 30, ahead of her report date of November 19. 

The exclusive new episode of Red Table Talk streams Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 12 noon ET on Facebook Watch. 

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Carrie Underwood on recording "Little Drummer Boy" with son Isaiah: "It's just very emotional"

No Comments Country Music News

Capitol Records NashvilleCarrie Underwood is one proud mom! 

One of the buzziest moments on the powerhouse singer’s Christmas album, My Gift, is an appearance by her and husband Mike Fisher‘s five-year-old son, Isaiah, on “Little Drummer Boy.”

“It was so great. When we recorded, I was able to be in the booth with him and encourage him and try to remind him what words were coming up next, things like that,” Carrie tells People of the experience

Carrie also reveals that tears began to flow after hearing her son sing “little baby/pa rum pa pum pum/I am a poor boy too/pa rum pa pum pum.”

“I got to listen to his vocals [get] put together and then listening to myself with him, I was laughing, and I was crying, and it was just very overwhelming in a good way,” Carrie describes. “It’s just very emotional.”

You can see a behind-the-scenes look at mother and son recording the song in the Grammy winner’s HBO Max special, My Gift: A Christmas Special from Carrie Underwood, streaming now. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QArOV1bsISo&w=640&h=360]

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.