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Cassie's Lawyer Praises Singer's Courage After Diddy Verdict: 'She Paved The Way'

Cassie's Lawyer Praises Singer's Courage After Diddy Verdict: 'She Paved The Way'

Source: Neilson Barnard / Getty
Despite Sean 'Diddy' Combs being acquitted of the more serious charges, Cassie Ventura's lawyer praised his clients bravery in helping this court get to trial even if the outcome isn't what they hoped for.
'This entire criminal process started when our client Cassie Ventura had the courage to file her civil complaint in November 2023,' Douglas H. Wigdor wrote in a statement published by Newsweek . 'Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.'
Wigdor wanted people to remember that Cassie created a safe space for those who were also alleged victims of the Bad Boy founder to feel safe to come forward with their reported stories of abuse.
While Diddy was not found guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking, he was convicted of two lesser prostitution charges and could face up to 20 years in prison, although several legal analysts find it hard to believe the 'Take That' ad-libber will get anything close to double digits.
Wigdor noted that Ventura's decision to take the stand and face her abuser in court will help other sexual abuse victims.
'By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice,' Wigdor's statement read. 'We must repeat — with no reservation — that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial.'
'She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion,' Wigdor's statement read. 'This case proved that change is long overdue, and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.'
The singer made her allegations public in November 2023, accusing her Diddy of rape, coercion and years of physical abuse in a civil suit, that was quickly settled.
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Cassie's Lawyer Praises Singer's Courage After Diddy Verdict: 'She Paved The Way' was originally published on cassiuslife.com
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Gen Z diners tripped up by common menu pricing abbreviation — and wind up slapped with $160 bill
Gen Z diners tripped up by common menu pricing abbreviation — and wind up slapped with $160 bill

New York Post

time2 hours ago

  • New York Post

Gen Z diners tripped up by common menu pricing abbreviation — and wind up slapped with $160 bill

Talk about a pricey 'POV.' Three Gen Z sisters got a not-so-tasty surprise when they ordered steak at a coastal North Carolina restaurant — only to realize too late what 'MKT' on the menu actually meant. Spoiler: it doesn't mean 'Marked down' — it means 'market price.' Advertisement In a TikTok video that's racked up more than 19 million views, Aribella Menold, 20, and her siblings shared their shock after ordering dinner at Moonrakers, a white-tablecloth waterfront joint in Beaufort. 'POV: You didn't know what 'mkt' meant on the steak menu and now you're paying for it,' the caption read as the camera panned to their stunned expressions and the $159.14 bill. The sisters had unknowingly racked up a hefty tab that included two 12 oz New York strip steaks for $52 each, a $28 baby kale Caesar salad with an extra $11 for grilled chicken, a $10 kid's grilled cheese and a $3 Sprite — proving once and for all that even salads can be a financial ambush. Advertisement Their subtotal came to $145 with a 3% credit card surcharge that added an additional $4.35 and the 6.75% sales tax tacked on another $9.79. 'We thought the price was going to be like $20-$30,' Menold told Newsweek. Turns out, 'MKT' is restaurant shorthand for 'market price,' a cryptic code used for items that fluctuate based on availability, seasonality and ingredient cost — usually seafood or steak. In other words: if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it. Advertisement Menold's video, originally posted to Instagram and then to TikTok, blew up overnight. Luckily for the sisters, their wallets were spared the full damage. 'Our grandpa ended up paying for it, which was so sweet of him,' Menold explained to the outlet. The sisters unknowingly feasted their way to a fat bill totaling $160. Aribella_Menold/TikTok But the internet had thoughts — and no shortage of them. Advertisement '$160 is not bad if you divide the bill by three, each person pays 53 dollars which is good,' one commenter shrugged. Another gasped, 'That's like 53-55$ each girl is spending on dinner. That's wild tbh.' Others zeroed in on the leafy green culprit: 'Okay but a salad being 28 dollar [s] is diabolical.' Still, some blamed the staff for not stepping in: 'Honestly shame on your server for not informing you of the price when it's clearly not listed. One complaint and all of my old bosses would have ripped me a new one for not informing the guest and probably make me pay out of pocket for it.' A separate TikTok user offered this sage advice: 'Unless you're rich, don't buy items off a menu if they don't have a price.' Lesson learned: when dining out, always ask the price — or bring your grandpa. As The Post previously reported, a whistleblowing ex-staffer at California's now-closed Automat claimed those feel-good 'living wage' fees slapped on your bill are nothing but a tip-toeing façade. Advertisement 'If you see a restaurant charging a 'cost of living,' 'equal pay' or 'mandatory service fee' like the 20% this restaurant did, be suspicious,' Jordan Smith explained in an Instagram story post shared by Eater San Francisco. 'It's possible the back-of-house teams aren't seeing much of that money,' he continued regarding the non-server crew. Meanwhile, a ticked-off diner went viral last month after posting a receipt showing a mandatory 'living wage fee' — and the internet lost its appetite. Turns out 'MKT' is just fancy menu-speak for 'market price' — a slippery little code used for steaks, seafood and other dishes that change with the tides and the supply chain. nicoletaionescu – Advertisement Tipping rules may differ coast to coast, but here in NYC, the law's pretty clear: 'Restaurants cannot charge a surcharge or other fee in addition to listed food or beverage prices,' per the city's Consumer and Worker Protection rules. However, they can 'charge a bona fide service charge — but only if the charge is conspicuously disclosed to consumers before food is ordered.'

Marvel's ‘Ironheart' Soars Above The Hate
Marvel's ‘Ironheart' Soars Above The Hate

Black America Web

time6 hours ago

  • Black America Web

Marvel's ‘Ironheart' Soars Above The Hate

Source: Maya Dehlin Spach / Getty In one of the most heart-wrenching moments in Marvel's new excellent Disney+ series Ironheart , MIT tech genius, badass inventor, and complicated superhero Riri Williams is emotionally gutted after the AI version of her deceased best friend N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is deleted. 'Oh my God…' panics Tony 'Iron Man' Stark's rebellious mentee—played with layered grit by the criminally underrated Dominique Thorne. Riri discovers the sobering consequences of using dark magic to amp up her new and improved black and red metal suit for her showdown with mystically enhanced villain The Hood. Source: Marvel Studios / Ironheart The Ryan Coogler-executive produced Ironheart has exceeded expectations. The six-episode show currently holds an 86% critics rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes (that score ranks among the best of Marvel Studio TV and film properties). San Francisco Chronicle's Zaki Hasan summed up much of the buzz surrounding Ironheart , praising the series' bold, personal storytelling in a genre usually heavy on save-the-world bluster. Fans have been even more ecstatic, following the shocking [SPOILER ALERT!!!], long-awaited MCU introduction of one of Marvel Comics' most powerful demons, which already has folks envisioning a Midnight Sons team-up movie featuring Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Moon Knight, Elsa Bloodstone, Blade. 'Ironheart is one of the best tv shows Marvel has made FIGHT WITH A WALL I DON'T CARE,' said one overly hyped viewer. 'Riri, you will forever be loved. AND FINALLY GETTING MEPHISTO???? oh we're so back and I will be expecting a season 2.' 'I think it's so yummy that Riri doesn't have to walk the traditional hero path,' Thorne told Entertainment Weekl y, following the jaw-dropping cliffhanger in which Ironheart makes a deal with 'the devil' to bring Natalie back to life. 'She has already crossed some lines and figured she'll handle the consequences on the other side. So what exactly is the scope? What's the scale of those consequences? And does she continue to resist? Does she continue to do the right thing or does she lean into the other part of her?' Credit for Ironheart's we-didn't-see-that-coming story building and smart, methodical pacing goes to head writer and showrunner Chinaka Hodge. She and fellow Oakland native Coogler unload an unapologetically Black yet inclusive show that somehow manages to balance over-the-top comic book fantasy with the grounded backdrop of working-class Chicago. Yet the initial rollout for Ironheart , which currently sits atop Disney+'s most streamed properties in the US, was tepid. Some fans have called out the show's bantam episode count (in comparison, the 2024 miniseries Agatha All Along was given nine episodes). Promotion for Ironheart , originally announced back in December of 2020 by Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige as part of the Disney-backed company's new slate of shows, has been muted. Since then Marvel's 'Phase 5' has been hit and mostly miss (the all-heart Thunderbolts* deserved better). Source: Marvel Studios / Ironheart It was as if Feige and company were spooked by so-called superhero fatigue. But there was something more disturbing happening. Before Ironheart even made its June 24 premiere, it was review-bombed by belligerent fanboys apparently outraged over the mere idea of a Black woman headlining a superhero show. 'Ironheart' Star Has Defiant Response to Audience Negativity as RT Score…'Ironheart' has been gaining some mixed reactions, but that is fine by one star of the MCU series. Never mind that Williams—originally created by comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mike Deodato, and introduced in 2016's Invincible Iron Man No. 7—became an instant fan favorite following Thorne's appearance in the 2022 blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever . The theory goes that Marvel suits were reluctant to fully embrace Ironheart due to the current toxic, racist, and misogynistic-fueled DEI scare. 'Without knowing who was responsible for marketing… it's hard to believe that it wasn't a factor,' film and television writer Cheo Hodari Coker tells Cassius Life . The pen behind Ray Donovan , Southland , Notorious , and Creed II has had experience with working inside the Marvel world. Coker was showrunner for the Netflix superhero series Luke Cage , one of Marvel's early Black characters to headline their own book in 1972. Coker sees similarities between the two productions, recalling the time he premiered the Luke Cage trailer at Comic-Con in 2016. Ol' Dirty Bastard's 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya' blasted in the background as an ass-kicking Cage ran through an army of bad guys. 'We leaned into Hip-Hop and into Luke's Blackness, much how the show leans into Riri's,' adds Coker. Coker further makes the case that Coogler's recent box office glory with a certain Oscar-ready vampire movie has helped give Ironheart extra momentum. 'Ryan's triumphant turn with Sinners , I suspect, made [Marvel] realize that associating with his brand was an asset that could transcend any of the racist trolling,' he continues. 'And that, at the same time, once people actually got to see the show, they would see just how brilliant it is.' Indeed, Ironheart diehards have certainly done their part, pushing back against brazen attempts by the usual suspects to sabotage the show. And OG Iron Man , Robert Downey Jr, who Thorne calls her 'bestie' (he's set to play Marvel's next big baddie Dr. Doom in the upcoming 2026 film Avengers: Doomsday ) has given his full, glowing support to the actress and the Ironheart crew. Beyond the cool CGI and slick fight scenes, the show's strong cast is reason enough to give Ironheart a watch. Anji White gives Riri's supportive, no-nonsense mother, Ronnie, a wise, regal aura. The aforementioned Natalie, played by the scene-stealing Lyric Ross, embodies the coolest (and effortlessly hilarious) best homie from around the way. Regan Aliyah delivers offbeat charm as future Doctor Strange protégé Zelma Stanton. Anthony Ramos injects Ironheart's ominous Hood with enough eye-winking charisma to make Jessica Jones' David Tennant (Purple Man) jealous. LaRoyce Hawkins (Riri's stepfather Gary Williams) will break your heart while the youngest of the cast, Harper Anthony, gives Martin's iconic Hustle Man a run for his money as the wise-cracking Landon. The irreverent Sacha Baron Cohen was seemingly born to play Mephisto. And Thorne leads the entire production with a ferocity balanced by raw vulnerability. While it's too soon to say if Ironheart will be extended for a second season, Coker, an unabashed fan of the show, says he's ready for more. 'The same way that Luke Cage embraced '90s Hip-Hop and proved their was a huge audience, taking cues from James Gunn's embrace of '70s AM rock for Guardians of the Galaxy , my hope is that Marvel and Disney understand that there is a huge audience for Ironheart .' SEE ALSO Marvel's 'Ironheart' Soars Above The Hate was originally published on

Squid Game USA: News, Release Date, and Everything We Know
Squid Game USA: News, Release Date, and Everything We Know

Newsweek

time6 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Squid Game USA: News, Release Date, and Everything We Know

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Rumors are rife about a Squid Game USA spinoff. In this article we're sharing everything we know about its potential existence, from the latest news to the most likely release date. Now, first off, Squid Game USA has not been officially announced. Neither Netflix nor the show's creator Hwang Dong-Hyuk have confirmed its existence publicly. However, there have been reports of a certain major Hollywood director helming an adaption. In addition, the Squid Game Season 3 ending certainly seems to allude to the format going international. Lee Jung-jae stars in Squid Game Season 3 Lee Jung-jae stars in Squid Game Season 3 Netflix Squid Game Season 3 Ending Gi-hun dies at the end of Squid Game Season 3, sacrificing himself for the life of a newborn baby. That marks the end of Gi-hun, but what happens next could usher the start of another character's journey. Cut to six months later and we're in Los Angeles. The Front Man is here to drop off Gi-hun's belongings. As his car drives down the street, he looks to an alley and sees a woman playing ddakji, otherwise known as the traditional Korean children's game used by the Salesman to recruit players for Squid Game. What's even weirder, however, is that this woman is none other than Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett. Squid Game Season 3 Last Scene In the final scene of Squid Game Season 3, she stares directly at the Front Man. "Alright, let's go again," says the man playing ddakji. "As you wish," she replies. It's Cate Blanchett, but why? It's Cate Blanchett, but why? Netflix Why is Cate Blanchett in Squid Game? According to the Squid Game creator, the presence of Cate Blanchett in Squid Game Season 3 was not to set up a USA-based sequel. "I wanted to convey that in this late capitalist society, the system remains strong, deeply entrenched, and powerful—and that these kinds of games are still continuing in the US," Hwang Dong-Hyuk tells Vanity Fair. Will Cate Blanchett star in Squid Game Season 4? No, Cate Blanchett will not star in Squid Game Season 4. Dong-Hyuk addressed the rumor directly in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. "I didn't end it on that note in order to deliberately leave room for further stories to happen. Gi-hun and Front Man, through these characters, the games in Korea have ended. And because this story started out with me wanting to tackle issues about the limitless competition and the system that's created in late capitalism, I wanted to leave it on a note highlighting the fact that these systems, even if one comes down, it's not easy to dismantle the whole system — it will always repeat itself." "That's why I wanted to end it with an American recruiter. And I wrote that scene wanting an impactful ending for the show, not in order to open rooms for anything else." Is There an American Squid Game? An American Squid Game spinoff is looking likely - but neither Dong-Hyuk nor Blanchett will be part of it. "A new English-language Squid Game series is in the works at the streamer, with David Fincher coming on to develop it," wrote Deadline in a report in late 2024. So, could the Fight Club and Se7en director really be set to helm Squid Game USA? Fincher himself hasn't said a word about it, and Netflix has yet to officially comment on its rumored English-language iteration. Squid Game Creator Denies Sequel Dong-Hyuk is reluctant to confirm Fincher's involvement. He says in an interview with VF: "Honestly, nothing has been said to me officially by Netflix about this. I've only read it in articles myself as well. I've always been a huge fan of David Fincher's work — from Se7en — and I've loved his films. So if he were to create an American Squid Game, I think that would be very interesting to watch. I would definitely click on it immediately after it's released, if it were to happen." What is the American Squid Game America Release Date? There is no current release date for the Squid Game America spinoff. It's not been confirmed, and doesn't even have a name at this point. However, if it is indeed in production, the earliest we could see it is 2027, roughly two years after Squid Game Season 3. What is Squid Game Season 3 About? As per the official Netflix description: "A failed rebellion, the death of a friend, and a secret betrayal — Squid Game Season 3 picks up in the aftermath of Season 2's bloody cliffhanger. Although Gi-hun is at his lowest point yet, the Squid Game stops for no one." When Does Squid Game Season 3 Release? Squid Game's third and final season released on June 27, 2025. Will There Be A Squid Game Season 4? No, there are currently no plans for Squid Game Season 4. The showrunners have explicitly stated Squid Game Season 3 is the last season. However, as mentioned, there are rumors of a Squid Game USA-based spinoff. Where to Watch Squid Game Season 3? Squid Game Season 3 is a Netflix exclusive, meaning you'll need a subscription to the platform in order to watch it. All six episodes of Squid Game Season 3 premiered simultaneously on Netflix. You can watch them from June 27, 2025. How Many Episodes Are in Squid Game Season 3? There are six episodes in Squid Game Season 3. This is the least amount of episodes of any Squid Game series. Squid Game Season 2 has seven, while Squid Game Season 1 has nine. Squid Game Season 3 Cast Lee Jung-jae returns for his third stint as Gi-hun, otherwise known as Player 456. Lee Byung-hun is also back as the double-crossing Front Man, formerly Player 001. Check out the full Squid Game Season 3 cast list below. • Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun (Player 456) •Lee Byung-hun as Front Man • Wi Ha-jun as Hwang Jun-ho • Yim Si-wan as Myung-gi (Player 333) • Kang Ha-neul as Dae-ho (Player 388) • Park Sung-hoon as Hyun-ju (Player 120) • Yang Dong-geun as Yong-sik (Player 007) • Kang Ae-sim as Geum-ja (Player 149) • Jo Yuri as Jun-hee (Player 222) • Lee David as Min-su (Player 125) • Roh Jae-won as Nam-gyu (Player 124) • Park Gyu-young as No-eul

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