This weekend was filled with crazy headlines, and I’m here to break it all down, for everyone too busy to keep up, in my weekly weekend roundup.
This addition of weekend roundup is filled with shocking headlines. I never thought America’s sweetheart would be facing rape allegations, however here we are. Also, who knew music could be used as a political tool, rather than just a means to millionairehood. To top it all off, the 2020 ESPY awards aired last night and there were a lot of highlights. I can’t wait to dive into these headlines. Didn’t see any of these headlines over the weekend? Don’t worry, you’ll get all the necessary information in this week’s Weekend Roundup!
Ansel Elgort
Let’s start things off with the most shocking headline of the weekend shall we. America’s sweetheart, former sweetheart now I guess, is facing rape allegations. The woman, claims Ansel told her she needed to be broken in and continued to assault her while she sobbed in pain. She claims although he knew she was 17 at the time, he would ask her for nude pictures. His actions continue to cause panic attacks and gave her PTSD. The woman posted her story on Twitter, but later deleted the tweet.
On Saturday, Ansel posted an apology/complete denial. In his point of view, the relationship was consensual, which is a complete departure from the original story. Basically he says he didn’t end things with Gabby the right way and was immature. I’m honestly not sure what I believe, but I would like to believe the girl. I don’t know why anyone would make something like that up. Ansel denies the claims, but I don’t think anyone in the public eye would come out and say, “oh yeah, I did that. Sorry!” Not really the best P.R. move. Hope there aren’t more girls out there who had the same experience with Ansel as Gabby did.
Beyonce’s New Music
In the past few years, Beyonce began using her career to start conversations, rather than just make catchy songs. Her new song, Black Parade, is no different. Beyonce released the song on Juneteenth, which marks the day the last slaves were freed in America. Once again, she uses her music to address the racism in this country, stating blacks are seen as less than in the lyrics. She touches on the appropriation of black culture, the importance of supporting black owned businesses and the recent protests sweeping America. There are also many mentions of African culture like the Egyptian Ankh symbol and Osun, a goddess of the Yoruba religion based in Nigeria.
I appreciate and stand behind the message of the song, however I am not a fan of the song. I’m not big on hip hop and mostly listen to music from the 60s-the early 2,000s. Even though I’m not a fan of the genre, I can appreciate when it is done well, and I think Beyonce does it well. Of course, as always, she sounds really good. I liked all the nods to different traditions and beliefs belonging to different regions in Africa. Music with a meaning behind it is always more appealing than a song about nothing, so I think Beyonce has another hit on her hands. Also, all proceeds from this song benefit the BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund, which is great.
ESPY Awards Big Moments
This year, the ESPY Awards looked a little different. For starters, it was held virtually, with three hosts spread across the country. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, OL Reign captain and winger Megan Rapinoe and Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird took over the hosting positions. They started the show with a video tribute to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. They followed this tribute by highlighting Black athletes who paved the way for athletes today.
Another difference this year was the elimination of some awards. The only awards given out were those having to do with public services or acts of courage. The reasoning behind this was the fact that many teams were not able to complete their seasons. Jeff Smith, the vice president of entertainment at MaggieVision Productions, the company behind ESPY Awards stated it would not be fair to hand out awards for things people couldn’t finish. It would be an uneven playing field. This may have made for a slightly less exciting awards ceremony, but at least it was able to happen. For a full list of winners visit E! News.
Which of your favorite headlines is my weekend roundup missing? Let me know in the comments.