Categories
Entertainment

Usher Praises ‘Mentor’ Diddy, Refuses to Criticize Disgraced Criminal

Reading Time: 3 minutes

After everything, Diddy received only two convictions and a mere 50-month sentence.

Many are expressing their horror — not only for victims, but for our society and our justice system.

Usher, however, insists that he doesn’t have a single negative thing to say about the alleged sex trafficker.

He believes that Diddy has been “misrepresented,” and sings his praises.

Usher and Diddy in 2004.
Singer Usher and rapper/producer Sean “P. Diddy” Combs pose backstage during the VH1 Big in 04 at the Shrine Auditorium on December 1, 2004. (Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

Well, this is disappointing

During an interview with ForbesThe Enterprise Zone, Usher seemed to have only nice things about the disgraced criminal whom he views as a “mentor.”

The singer played a game of word-association. When “Diddy” came up, he didn’t go with “crime” or “Cassie” or “baby oil” as many might.

Instead, Usher’s most associated word, he claimed, was: “Legacy.”

He admitted that he has a “controversial” opinion, which is that “we can’t ignore the reality of the history.”

“In many ways, I think certain people are prosecuted and maybe not recognized for the greatness that they offer,” Usher then claimed.

Usher’s next line was truly shocking. Perhaps not surprising, but shocking.

“I don’t have anything negative to say about Sean Combs,” he announced, “because my experience was not what the world has seen and how he’s been misrepresented.”

That first part of the explanation is the usual annoying line — someone insisting that, because they are not personally a victim, it’s fine for them to speak in support of someone.

It’s at the end that Usher takes a more sinister turn.

He claims that Diddy has “been misrepresented.”

Usher and Diddy in February 2013.
Usher and Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs attend the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala and Salute to Industry Icons honoring L.A. Reid held at The Beverly Hilton on February 9, 2013. (Photo Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS)

‘And that’s why I see him as legacy’

“I can’t, with any sense of humanity, not recognize the valuable contributions that this man made for us as Black entrepreneurs,” Usher insisted.

He continued: “For us as businessmen, for us as people who transition culture and ideas into something that’s tangible and becomes business.”

Usher acknowledged: “So many people benefited from what he created. And I acknowledge that.”

Yes, powerful and wealthy men often get away with their heinous deeds because others benefit from their wealth.

He added: “And that’s why I see him as legacy.”

Usher and Diddy back in 2004.
Singers Usher and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs attend the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards at the American Airlines Arena August 29, 2004. (Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

Usher also praised “Puff” as “a mentor.”

He likened Diddy to a “really, really hard teacher” who was able to educate him “in real time.”

Usher continued: “I put respect on his name.”

He explained that this is “because I realized that what I learned as a businessman before I even understood what business was came as a result of seeing the incredible things that he was able to do.”

Saying businessman once again, Usher added: “And the way that he positioned himself as a businessman.”

Usher and Diddy in January 2020.
Usher and Sean Combs attend the Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Sean “Diddy” Combs on January 25, 2020. (Photo Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

What does this mean for Usher fans?

As for what we should take from this … a profound sense of disappointment, albeit without feeling truly surprised.

There is a horrific video of Diddy and Cassie Ventura, one that we won’t describe here. And she is not his only alleged victim.

The idea that anyone would support the man after seeing that should be unthinkable. But, sadly, it is not.

We live in a world where men will bend over backwards to defend other men — because condemning them is inconvenient, because they feel a misplaced sense of loyalty, or because they fear facing justice themselves.

In Usher’s case, this looks like a case of misplaced loyalty. Which is perhaps why he has such a beef with Justin Bieber these days, since the Biebs clearly doesn’t feel the same way.

Usher Praises ‘Mentor’ Diddy, Refuses to Criticize Disgraced Criminal was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

Should Kids Drink Raw Milk?

In general, unprocessed, whole foods are a healthy part of children’s diets, but for products like raw milk, do the health risks outweigh the potential rewards?

​Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews

Categories
Entertainment

Jinger Duggar Breaks Silence on ‘Devastating’ Joseph Duggar Arrest

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As we previously reported, Joseph Duggar was arrested last week for allegedly molesting a nine-year-old girl during a Florida vacation in 2020.

His wife, Kendra Caldwell, was also taken into custody, but unlike Joseph, she was allowed to post bail.

Joe remains behind bars, and as another Duggar abuse scandal unfolds, members of his family are sharing their insights.

Joseph Duggar has been arrested for the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl.
Joseph Duggar has been arrested for the alleged molestation of a 9-year-old girl. (Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Already, Amy Duggar expressed her views on the situation, and Jill Duggar made a statement through her representative.

Now, Jinger Duggar and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, have addressed Joseph and Kendra’s arrest on the latest episode of their podcast.

“This was devastating news to hear,” Jeremy said on Wednesday, noting that “it’s been a really difficult week” for the pair.

“It’s been one of those weeks that feels like years. And I did not think my heart could break like it has this week,” Jinger chimed in, adding

“The pain and heartbreak that we’ve had over this and just thinking of how it’s affected so many, yeah, it’s just unthinkable. So hard and painful on many levels.”

Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo in early 2026.
Jinger Duggar looks on as her husband shares his thoughts. (Image Credit: YouTube)

Jeremy added that he and Jinger are “thinking about the victim who was brave enough” to come forward with the allegations against Joseph, 31.

“Just the effect on that young person’s life is unimaginable,” he explained.

“And then to see the ripple effect of that horrific crime across the board … I think that’s been for me, the forefront of my mind is just thinking [about] the horror of a crime like that affecting so many for so many years,” Jeremy continued, adding:

“Where do we go from here? We are praying for the victim. We are praying for all of those affected.”

This, of course, is not the first time that the Duggars have been in this sort of situation.

Josh Duggar's Post-Conviction Mug Shot
Josh Duggar will be stuck behind federal bars for a VERY long time. No one feels sorry for him. (Image Credit: NBC)

In 2021, Jinger’s eldest brother, Josh Duggar, was convicted on charges of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials.

He is currently behind bars and is not scheduled for release until 2032.

Jinger alluded to that situation when discussing the scandal involving Joseph.

“You can’t be prepared for news like this —–even though we’ve experienced something very similar before with one of my other siblings who made unthinkable choices and decisions that have affected all of us,” she said, adding:

“And yet, the pain and hurt that’s caused to us … it’s hard to know what to do sometimes, moving forward. You just feel the weight of it.”

It’s unclear at this point if Joseph will eventually be granted bail or if he will be forced to remain behind bars as he awaits trial.

We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.

Jinger Duggar Breaks Silence on ‘Devastating’ Joseph Duggar Arrest was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

Jessi Draper Says Jordan Ngatikaura Cheated with ‘Escorts’ & …

Reading Time: 3 minutes

There’s more than one toxic couple on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

Viewers remember Jessi’s alleged emotional affair and her accusation that husband Jordan Ngatikaura had been emotionally abusive.

Now, their 5-year-marriage is over.

Jessi says that Jordan threatened to blackmail her — even though he had cheated with “escorts” and “orgies.”

Jessi Draper, formerly Jessi Ngatikaura, speaks on Call Her Daddy.
On the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast, Jessi Draper discusses her split from Jordan Ngatikaura. (Image Credit: YouTube)

This is not shaping up to be an amicable divorce

During the Wednesday, March 25 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, Jessi put Jordan on blast.

She claimed to be in possession of “proof and screenshots” that Jordan Ngatikaura was unfaithful during their marriage.

Rather than accusing him of having a mistress, she says that he hired escorts — full service sex workers.

“He denied it when I brought it to him, but … it was real,” Jessi said during the recording.

She added that the woman from the escort service had “sent so much proof.”

According to Jessi, she also believes that Jordan attended “orgies or sex parties.”

She heard this from her sister, who heard it from someone else who attends.

According to Jessi’s thirdhand info, her ex was “always there” at these parties.

Though some adult gatherings like these will check to avoid cheaters, most are more interested in making sure that everyone’s clean of STIs and that everyone is all-around trustworthy and safe.

No one wants to be the means by which someone betrays their spouse, but the honor system is usually enough. When it isn’t, cheaters can take advantage of what should be a night of innocent fun.

Jessi Ngatikaura and husband Jordan Ngatikaura.
Jessi Ngatikaura and husband Jordan Ngatikaura have plenty of room between them on this sofa. (Image Credit: YouTube)

How did she decided to end the marriage?

According to Jessi, these “betrayals” were the “final straw” for her, not the sole reason for ending the marriage after 5 years.

On March 13, she “literally woke up one day” and realized that she had the power to “change” things — by divorcing Jordan.

However, she says that he “blindsided” her after the breakup.

Jordan filed for divorce six days later — before they had a chance to tell their children, 5-year-old Jagger and 3-year-old Jovi.

As a result, Jessi laments, there’s a hostile vibe that she’d hoped to avoid.

Jessi Draper, formerly Jessi Ngatikaura, on Call Her Daddy.
A gesturing Jessi Draper discusses the ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ filming hiatus. (Image Credit: YouTube)

Jordan’s divorce filing claims that he, not she, is ending the marriage, and that the reason for this split is her “affair.”

Remember when Jessi was on Vanderpump Villa and had an emotional affair with Marciano Brunett — one that went so far as to include a kiss?

Well, Jessi says that Jordan blackmailed her, threatening to release her texts with Marciano.

Obviously, when the world found out, that alleged blackmail threat went away.

But that’s incredibly toxic for a marriage — even if Jordan had not allegedly been cheating on her left and right in a far more physical capacity.

Jessi Ngatikaura on TSLoMW
On ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Season 4, Jessi Ngatikaura asks a very pregnant question. (Image Credit: Hulu)

Their marriage probably should have ended years ago

Prior to this (hopefully final) split, Jordan and Jessi have separated three times.

While it is not normal for couples to “fight all of the time,” it is normal for long-term relationships to have high and low points.

But alleged blackmail and multiple separations aren’t really the kinds of low points from which most couples can — or should — simply bounce back.

Obviously, we here at THG have not personally reviewed Jessi’s evidence against Jordan.

Perhaps we will learn more as these exes battle it out in court.

Jessi Draper Says Jordan Ngatikaura Cheated with ‘Escorts’ & … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

This Is By Far The Best Fried Fish Basket You Can Get At A Chain Restaurant

When you order a fried fish basket, taste is obviously a top priority. However, this chain stands out by offering a delicious meal for a surprisingly low price.

​Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews

Categories
Entertainment

Savannah Guthrie Gives Emotional First Interview Since Mom Nancy’s Kidnapping

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ahead of her return to The Today Show for work, she’s returning as a guest.

Savannah Guthrie sat down for her first interview since her mother disappeared.

It has been over 50 days.

In an emotional and tearful talk, Savannah shares her raw grief and her family’s ongoing pain.

Savannah Guthrie gives her first interview since this nightmare began.
During her first interview since her mother’s disappearance, Savannah Guthrie explains that she and her family are in agony. (Image Credit: NBC)

This is her first interview since this nightmare began

On Wednesday, March 25, The Today Show aired its first heartbreaking clip of Savannah’s first interview since her mother’s abduction and presumed death.

The clip shows her speaking with longtime friend and colleague Hoda Kotb, both women in tears.

“Someone needs to do the right thing,” Savannah expresses in the preview video.

“We are in agony,” she adds, referring to herself and the rest of her family, including siblings Annie and Camron, all of whom feel as though they are in limbo. “It is unbearable.”

Emotional, Savannah adds: “And to think of what she went through.”

As the interview preview continues, we can hear more as the longtime anchor describes her state of mind for the past 53 days.

“I wake up every night — in the middle of the night every night,” Savannah reveals.

“And in the darkness I imagine her terror and it is unthinkable,” she describes.

“But those thoughts demand to be thought,” Savannah emphasizes, “and I will not hide my face.”

She then affirms: “But she needs to come home. Now.”

Hoda Kotb listens as Savannah Guthrie gives her first interview about her mother's disappearance.
A horrified Hoda Kotb holds back tears as longtime friend and colleague Savannah Guthrie speaks about where things stand. (Image Credit: NBC)

The full interview will contain much more

Back at the anchor desk, Hoda speaks to her colleagues.

The tone could not be more somber.

“As you’ll see in these coming days,” she tells the others, “she talks about the investigation. She talks about her faith.”

Hoda explains to the others that Savannah’s hope is that someone has or will see something.

And, of course, that this person will then say something.

Carson Daly, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and Al Roker
Carson Daly, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, and Al Roker sit at ‘The Today Show’ desk to discuss a very serious topic. (Image Credit: NBC)

We want to emphasize that, officially, Nancy Guthrie has not been declared dead. This is a missing persons case.

However, we’re talking about an elderly woman who has been missing for over 50 days.

Investigators believe that she was kidnapped in the night.

She is also without her daily medication.

Whatever happened and whenever it happened, many believe that the best that Savannah and her loved ones can hope for is to lay their mother to rest. And, perhaps, to get justice for their mother.

Savannah Guthrie speaks to Hoda Kotb in her first interview since Nancy disappeared.
A tearful Savannah Guthrie urges someone out there to do the right thing. (Image Credit: NBC)

Why hasn’t someone come forward?

It is possible that Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper accidentally killed her during the course of the kidnapping.

(Most experts seem to agree that this person was an amateur hoping to make easy money by targeting a vulnerable elderly woman.)

It is also possible that she died due to medical reasons, such as lack of access to her daily medication.

Either way, the kidnapper has likely tried to remove any trace of involvement — and has probably either gone to ground or skipped town entirely, or whatever is least conspicuous.

Either way, they know that turning themselves in — or even releasing a tip on where to find Nancy — would be the end for them.

Unless this person slips up or police find a sudden lead, the Guthrie family might never receive the closure that they need.

Savannah Guthrie Gives Emotional First Interview Since Mom Nancy’s Kidnapping was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

Taylor Frankie Paul Arrest Video Shows Very Drunk Reality Star In Tears as Parents Beg …

Reading Time: 2 minutes

By now, you’ve probably heard that Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette has been canceled by ABC.

Now, we’re receiving new information about the fateful night of her arrest.

Police bodycam footage shows Taylor’s victim, then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, asking police to arrest him instead.

Bodycam footage from Taylor Frankie Paul's arrest shows her very intoxicated and upset.
Bodycam footage from Taylor Frankie Paul’s arrest shows her very intoxicated and upset. (YouTube)

That obviously didn’t happen, and the video also shows the rest of the incident and highlights the fact that police basically had no choice but to take Taylor into custody.

Cops who responded to a neighbor’s call on the night of February 17, 2023 determined that Taylor was the “primary aggressor,” and she eventually pled guilty to assault charges.

ABC cast her as the Bachelorette despite that history, and if video of Paul assaulting Mortensen had never surfaced, the network almost certainly would have aired her season in its entirety.

The video from the night of her arrest shows Taylor heavily intoxicated and highly upset.

At times, it’s difficult to make out what she’s saying. She admits to hitting Mortensen but also alleges that he “pushed” her.

In footage shot by Dakota, we saw Taylor hurling kitchen barstools at him, one of which allegedly struck her daughter, Indy, who was just 5 years old at the time.

“You can hear me trying to check on [Indy], but every time I tried to help her, I was getting attacked,” Mortensen tells officers in the bodycam footage. “So I couldn’t.”

Elsewhere in the footage, an officer asks Mortensen if Taylor urinated on herself, adding that it’s “very common” for domestic violence victims to “pee themselves.”

“If she peed herself, it’s because she was so intoxicated,” Mortensen explained.

Taylor Frankie Paul's arrest video has left fans shocked.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s arrest video has left fans shocked. (YouTube)

Taylor’s parents also arrived on the scene and made their case to police, but to no avail.

“Is it super bad?” Paul asks the officers about her potential legal troubles as they inspect her damaged home in aftermath of the fight.

“Well, no one’s dead, so it’s not super bad, right? But it’s not a good thing, it’s definitely not a good thing,” one of the officers replies, adding:

“It’s not the end of the world. You will get past this, trust me. I would use this as a really good learning lesson. If you need to get some help for any issues, get it.”

Earlier this week, Taylor lashed out at the public for making such a big deal about her arrest and forcing her daughter to “relive” the night in question (the night when her mother threw a barstool in her direction).

We can certainly see why she would want to leave this night behind her.

But it would be good for Taylor to acknowledge that she screwed up royally and that she probably never should have been cast as the Bachelorette to begin with.

Taylor Frankie Paul Arrest Video Shows Very Drunk Reality Star In Tears as Parents Beg … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

Howie Mandel Goes Off on Kelly Ripa Over Compliment

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Last November, Howie Mandel turned 70 years old.

If you’re thinking of paying him a compliment on not looking his age, you might want to think again.

Kelly Ripa learned that lesson the hard way this week.

During one tense moment, Howie actually snapped at Kelly, seeming irritated at a run-of-the-mill compliment.

Howie Mendel lectures hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
On ‘Live With Kelly & Mark,’ guest Howie Mendel appears to lecture the hosts. (Image Credit: ABC)

Be careful how you compliment people …

No, we don’t know what’s going on here, either.

On the Monday, March 23 episode of Live With Kelly And Mark, eponymous hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos interviewed their guest.

As is pretty normal, they congratulated their guest, Howie Mendel, on his milestone birthday.

(Birthday compliments that comes months late are a little unusual — but not for a milestone like turning 70.)

“It doesn’t make any sense,” praised. This seemed to set off her guest.

“What do you mean it doesn’t make any sense?” Howie demanded, signaling a shift in his tone and demeanor.

Obviously, Kelly’s remark was because it’s hard to believe that a man in such good shape could be 70.

When Kelly was growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, a 70-year-old was someone who keenly remembered prohibition — and they simply did not have Howie’s skin or body or vigor.

Mark chimed int o try to explain, simplifying her statement by telling Howie that it’s because “you look great.”

“That I look great?” Mandel repeated back to him. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

Howie Mendel at 70.
Can you believe that Howie Mendel turned 70 in 2025? (Image Credit: ABC)

How much of this fight is genuine? At least a little, it seems

“No, no, no,” Howie protested. “I don’t like that because that’s a caveat.”

He explained: “’Cause you tell someone you’re 70, and they go, ‘you look great—’”

To his credit, he did seem to crack a smile when Kelly objected to his framing of her words. But it does seem like this comes from a real place, you know?

Mark, truly one of the greatest-looking dudes on the planet, told Howie that they’re “not saying you look great for 70 [years old]. Rather, “We’re saying you look great and I don’t believe you’re 70.”

Howie challenged the hosts to deliver that compliment “without saying ’70.’”

Howie Mendel challenges Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos' compliments.
After Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos complimented him, Howie Mendel went off. (Image Credit: ABC)

“No, no. It’s like saying you’re smart for a stupid person,” Howie argued, though it seemed that the absurdity had set in by this point.

The audience cracked up.

Howie leaned into the bit, saying: “‘Oh, you seem smart, you seem smart,’ you see, no, I don’t look good.”

However, he ultimately opted to ease the tension, by simply agreeing that he is “gorgeous.”

Then, Howie revealed the “ridiculous” workout routine that he says has put him in such good shape.

Howie Mendel describes his workout.
Explaining his fitness, Howie Mendel describes the 1-hour workout that he does every day. (Image Credit: ABC)

This does sound like a great workout

“Your friend, Jerry O’Connell, got me into the most ridiculous workout I’ve ever done in my life,” Howie revealed.

“I swim but have these cables which I tie onto my ankles,” he described, “and then I attach them to whatever is at the side of the pool.”

Howie continued: “Then he gave me these frying pan paddles and I swim for an hour and go nowhere.”

That is a resistance swimming technique, as each brush of his arms requires much more strength to move much more water.

The real secret may be that Howie gets “so lost in it.” The best workout routines are the ones that you can enjoy.

Howie Mandel Goes Off on Kelly Ripa Over Compliment was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

​The Hollywood Gossip

Categories
Entertainment

The Painful Way Martha Stewart’s ‘Second Marriage’ Ended

Ever wonder why this homemaking icon’s relationship with Charles Simonyi fell apart? Find out the reason, and see the surprising way she was broken up with.

​Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews

Categories
Entertainment

12 Storage Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Cheese

We’ve all had that cheese we wanted to eat only to find that it had dried out. To learn more about the storage mistakes that ruin cheese, we spoke to experts.

​Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews