Empire co-creator Lee Daniels and actor Sean Penn could be going head-to-head in a court of law. Penn is suing Daniels for $10 million in a defamation lawsuit, retorting Daniel’s claims that Penn was abusive. In a Sept. 16 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Daniels said that the public’s attack of Terrence Howard, who has been accused of domestic abuse, was purely racial. “[Terrence] ain’t done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden, he’s some f—ing demon,” Daniels said. The lawsuit admits that Penn has had “brushes with the law,” but claims he has never been arrested for domestic assault by his ex-wives, one of which is Madonna. Daniels hasn’t responded to the lawsuit. [NBC News]
Trevor Noah just gave us one more reason to be excited for this season of The Daily Show. Kevin Hart has been confirmed as the first guest of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah when Noah takes over as host on Monday night. Two comedians on the same talk show? Get ready to laugh. [Variety]
If looks could kill, we’d all be dead. The fine specimen that is Trai Byers has just signed on with Wilhelmina Models, which means that he will be bringing his sexiness to sure-to-be hot campaigns. Just recently, Byers admitted in an interview that he didn’t always dress up, but now, he’s learning to embrace suits (and the colors burgundy and green). “I think playing Andre Lyon has made me dress a certain way,” Byers said in the interview. We’re totally okay with that! [Hollywood Reporter]
It’s the end of a 23-year road for Kelly Price and her husband, Jeffrey Rolle. After 23 years of marriage, the R&B singer and Rolle are calling it quits. The couple separated in July, citing that they had grown apart, and Price filed for divorce earlier this week. The paperwork shows that Price isn’t requesting alimony, and since the couple’s children are grown, there are no custody complications. [Philly]
Two worlds coincided yesterday when President Obama greeted Pope Francis when he touched down on U.S. soil for the very first time. The Pope flew into Maryland’s Air Force base, where the First Family and the Bidens and a band that was playing Pharrell Williams’ “Happy welcomed him Welcome to the United States, Pope Francis! [New York Daily News]
You’ll want to tune in for this one. Two-time Pro Bowl champ Cam Newton has just signed on to host the new Nickelodeon show, I Wanna Be, a docuseries that helps kids and teens accomplish their dreams, like auditioning for a Broadway play. “I’m very passionate about mentoring young people, and this show will be the perfect opportunity to help talented kids get the chance to pursue their dreams,” the Carolina Panthers quarterback said in a statement. How cute! [Deadline]
Snoop Dogg is a man of many talents: He raps, he hustles… and now, he’s launching his very own marijuana-themed website. The lifestyle site, Merry Jane, will feature information on everything you ever wanted to know about marijuana, including “cannabis industry” news, celebrity interviews, recipes and tips on selecting a strain of the weed. [Tech Crunch]
