The Quick Read: Issa Rae Adds Two New Shows To Her HBO Portfolio

Happy National Hard Candy Day! Or, if hard candies aren’t your thing, then today is also a day to celebrate oatmeal muffins.

Now, that you’re aware of two holidays we have no idea existed, catch up on all the news you need. 

1. HBO is developing two new shows executive produced by Issa Rae, Sweet Life and Him or Her. The two shows are part of Rae’s first look deal with the premium cable channel. Him or Her will also be executive produced by Emmy winner and former Daily Show writer Travon Free and follows a bisexual man and the relationships and situations he finds himself in. Sweet Life is a coming-of-age tale set in the Black Beverly Hills of Windsor Hills. (Deadline)

2. The trailer for Ocean’s 8 has arrived and fans can get a glimpse of Rihanna’s star turn in the film. The all-female heist film also stars Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, and Awkwafina. (YouTube)

3. JAY-Z took a moment during his tour stop in Oakland to celebrate a fan who’d beaten cancer. Christina Cruz, a two-time cancer survivor, got the chance to take the stage with the rapper, who told Cruz, “I see you. I love you.” (Vibe)

4. ABC has pulled Ayesha Curry’s The Great American Baking Show due to sexual misconduct allegations against one of the shows co-hosts Johnny Iuzzini. News of the show’s cancellation has fans criticizing ABC’s decision to cancel the show instead of just firing Iuzzini. (BET)

5. PBS fires back at Tavis Smiley over sexual misconduct allegations. The network said in a statement that Smiley “needs to get his story straight.” “Mr. Smiley acknowledged he has had multiple sexual encounters with his employees, then struggled to recall the number of current employees with whom he has had sex.” (The Washington Post)

6. Michaela Cole is all about fitness. The writer and actress joked that she’s taking up yoga in order to “be flexible enough to lick my own box and be completely independent of you dutty trashbag mandem.” (Instagram)

7. A Harvey Weinstein documentary is in the works from the BBC. The documentary will feature interviews from journalists, those in the industry, lawyers, and “reveal the new ‘definitive’ Weinstein story. (Vulture)