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Buzz Feed
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Is It Givin' Entenmann's Or Homemade: Let's Get Into These Pound Cakes
Is It Givin' Entenmann's Or Homemade: Let's Get Into These Pound Cakes Now a good pound cake is fluffy, buttery, and has a little bit of creaminess in the middle of the bite. The top must be golden brown on the top – a little bit light skin while the bottom and the side could be a bit browner. We have Donna, KD, and Shatera who are going to try each other's pound cake, and hopefully it gives what it needs to give. KD broke down the traditional way a pound cake should be baked – 1 lb of butter, sugar, eggs, and other fixings you would like to add, but the first three are a must. Shatera also lets the audience know that this is truly a Black family staple – you can have this at a baby shower, funeral, birthday party, and just in the crib for a late night bite. Anyways, let's get into the competition and we first have Shatera. Shatera spiced her pound cake up and made a 7 Up by the pound cake. Now, 7 Up cake is also a cultural staple in the Black community so merging the two MIGHT not be so bad. She also added a secret ingredient: cream cheese. Shatera lets us know she's the go-to cook during the holidays, so let's see how the aunties react and if they would stop by for a plate of this pound cake. From the presentation, Auntie Donna is skeptical while Auntie KD seems to be intrigued by the submission, highlighting the glaze on the sides. First bites are in: Auntie Donna said its 'just okay,' while Auntie KD kept it very cutesy, very demure, and shared Shatera 'did a good job on this one.' Final score: 15 It's Auntie Donna's turn – and I may have a bone to pick with our Cocoa Butter producers. Why is this Auntie Donna's first time making pound cake but she has so much to say about Shatera? Who is on the talent side? We need to vet the folks better (unless the goal is for the giggles and the comments to eat her up, then hey, mission accomplished). Anyways, Auntie Donna says her pound cake is 'delicious,' but from what I see, it looks like a chocolate cake with powdered sugar. Auntie Donna shares her ingredients, and first off, who puts Pink Himalayan on pound cake? Already lost me, no shade. Her secret ingredient is sour cream. Whew. I can't even continue – Auntie Donna is bigging herself up and chile…. So anywho, let's get into the first bites from Auntie Shatera and Auntie KD. Auntie Shatera hit it on the nail and said the same thing I said – it looks like it has some chocolate drizzle and powdered sugar. While not traditional, Auntie Shatera isn't giving it too much flack. Auntie KD is a sweetheart, giving positive sentiments to the pound cake calling it a 'nice presentation.' Auntie KD says it's a 'nice cake,' while Auntie Shatera questions if Ashton Kutcher is in the room and she's being Punk'd. I feel you, Auntie. She compared her cake to Entenmann's from the store – now didn't I say at the top of this commentary to leave the Entenmann's at home? Final score: 14 Now, let's see what Auntie KD has for me. Now, the presentation looks cute – she added some strawberries and a homemade cream to the top of the pound cake. Welp – at first glance, Auntie Donna and Auntie Shatera are skeptical. Auntie Shatera says its giving 'strawberry shortcake' while Auntie Donna wasn't feeling the presentation. Auntie Shatera took her bite and labeled it 'plain,' wondering where the sugar or sweetness is while Auntie Donna is not a fan of it at all. And the way they describing it, I wouldn't be either chile. Final score: 7 Here comes one of the world's favorite Auntie's – summoning Miss Vivica A. Fox! Vivica starts with Donna's submission – and she was feeling it folks, but noted it was 'dry.' She gives it a 5. Next, she tried KD's pound cake and was already into it. She gives her an 8. Finally, it's time for Shatera's and calls it dry. She ends up giving her a 3. This means…. shockingly enough, Auntie Donna wins. If you liked my shady commentary, I know you'll love this shady episode. Click the video below – and Auntie Donna, right on playa! Sometimes it takes one shot and boom, you're a winner.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Legal fight over American college student's resort disappearance could come down to who was ‘reckless': lawyer
Prior to the disappearance of an American college student in the Dominican Republic, she and the last people she was seen with on March 6 had been drinking before deciding to swim in rough surf, prompting questions about liability that the resort where they were staying could potentially face. In the early morning hours of March 6, Sudiksha Konanki and her friends walked from a hotel bar to the beach outside the RIU Republica in Punta Cana, where she was staying with five female friends from the University of Pittsburgh. The 20-year-old apparently went for a swim with a 22-year-old man named Joshua Riibe, of Iowa, who has been identified as a witness in her disappearance. Riibe apparently told Dominican Republic authorities that they went swimming and were struck by a large wave, which is the last time he saw her. "I was over at the Natalee Holloway investigation way back when. And although there are some similarities here, there are some differences," Chris Swecker, former FBI Criminal Investigative Division assistant director, told Fox News Digital. "But in this case, I think it's plausible, based on everything that I've read, that it is a drowning.… I don't think it's an outlandish assumption here, based on the facts, that they were both pretty drunk." Key Witness In American College Student's Disappearance Tells Police How They Met, What Happened On Beach Riibe told police he had been drinking vodka with 7Up and tequila shots, adding that the group of women he had been with purchased "pink tequila shots" that they drank as a group. Read On The Fox News App On the beach, he and Konanki went in the water while two of her female friends stayed ashore. Riibe and Konanki were talking when a "big wave" hit them, Riibe said. There was a red-flag warning on the beach at the time, indicating a warning for people not to go swimming in rough surf. American College Student Disappears In Dominican Republic: Timeline In January, four tourists drowned near Punta Cana, when a red flag warned of strong currents and rough seas, according to The Associated Press. "When it comes to the ocean… if you don't recover a body pretty quick, then the sea life is going to take care of it," Swecker said. "And we haven't seen a body wash up by now." Swecker, who is also a lawyer, added that he could "definitely see a liability issue for the resort" in connection with Konanki's disappearance. Missing American In Dominican Republic: No Suspects As Search For Sudiksha Konanki Reaches One Week "Depending on industry standards for a resort like that, where there are enough cameras, whether… people were outside the hotel because of a power outage. Should there have been security on the beach?" he asked. Just two hours prior to Konanki's disappearance, RIU Republica had resolved a nearly 25-hour-long electricity outage that impacted about 30% of the resort, leaving some people without light, water, Wi-Fi, or electricity in their rooms to charge phones or other electronics. "In response to publications linking the electrical failure experienced at the Riu Republica hotel with the tragic disappearance of guest Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, RIU Hotels & Resorts wishes to firmly clarify that both events are completely unrelated," RIU Resorts & Hotels previously told Fox News Digital in a statement. The hotel parent company added that the RIU Republica's staff's efforts "were exemplary in terms of dedication, commitment, and professionalism in resolving a severe technical failure within hours and mitigating the effects it had on services throughout that time." Luis Vilchez, a lawyer in the Dominican Republic, does not think the resort will be held liable unless the guests prove that "the hotel or its employees acted recklessly." "Similarly, regarding beach swimming conditions, it would have to be demonstrated that the hotel failed to provide adequate signage to inform guests about the proper use of the beach," Vilchez told Fox News Digital. "If the guest acted recklessly, the hotel would, in principle, not be held liable – for example, if the guest swam outside designated hours when no lifeguard was on duty and despite visible danger signs, such as red flags indicating bad weather." He continued: "In this particular case, I do not see grounds for a claim against the resort when two adults failed to follow the safety measures established by the hotel to prevent accidents. That is, it would be necessary to prove that the hotel was negligent in indicating, communicating or enforcing the safety measures." Swecker said it would be possible for Konanki's family to sue the resort for negligence if there was "insufficient security," "insufficient lighting on the beach" or for failing to close or secure the beach during a red-flag warning. Fox News Digital reached out to RIU Republica for comment. Hotel Horror Stories Emerge After American College Student Goes Missing As Resort Insists No Connection Konanki was last seen on surveillance footage walking from RIU Republica to the beach with seven other people, including five females and two males, around 4:15 a.m. on March 6. She was last seen on the beach around 4:50 a.m., according to the Dominican Republic prosecutor's office and the hotel. Hotel surveillance footage then shows a group of six people, including five women and one man, returning to the hotel from the beach around 5:55 a.m. The young man previously seen with Konanki is seen on surveillance footage entering the interior of the hotel around 9 a.m. on March 6. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at 703-777-1021. To remain anonymous, call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. Fox News' Michael Ruiz and Ashley Papa contributed to this article source: Legal fight over American college student's resort disappearance could come down to who was 'reckless': lawyer
Fox News
17-03-2025
- Fox News
Legal fight over American college student's resort disappearance could come down to who was ‘reckless': lawyer
Prior to the disappearance of an American college student in the Dominican Republic, she and the last people she was seen with on March 6 had been drinking before deciding to swim in rough surf, prompting questions about liability that the resort where they were staying could potentially face. In the early morning hours of March 6, Sudiksha Konanki and her friends walked from a hotel bar to the beach outside the RIU Republica in Punta Cana, where she was staying with five female friends from the University of Pittsburgh. The 20-year-old apparently went for a swim with a 22-year-old man named Joshua Riibe, of Iowa, who has been identified as a witness in her disappearance. Riibe apparently told Dominican Republic authorities that they went swimming and were struck by a large wave, which is the last time he saw her. "I was over at the Natalee Holloway investigation way back when. And although there are some similarities here, there are some differences," Chris Swecker, former FBI Criminal Investigative Division assistant director, told Fox News Digital. "But in this case, I think it's plausible, based on everything that I've read, that it is a drowning.… I don't think it's an outlandish assumption here, based on the facts, that they were both pretty drunk." Riibe told police he had been drinking vodka with 7Up and tequila shots, adding that the group of women he had been with purchased "pink tequila shots" that they drank as a group. On the beach, he and Konanki went in the water while two of her female friends stayed ashore. Riibe and Konanki were talking when a "big wave" hit them, Riibe said. There was a red-flag warning on the beach at the time, indicating a warning for people not to go swimming in rough surf. In January, four tourists drowned near Punta Cana, when a red flag warned of strong currents and rough seas, according to The Associated Press. "When it comes to the ocean… if you don't recover a body pretty quick, then the sea life is going to take care of it," Swecker said. "And we haven't seen a body wash up by now." Swecker, who is also a lawyer, added that he could "definitely see a liability issue for the resort" in connection with Konanki's disappearance. "Depending on industry standards for a resort like that, where there are enough cameras, whether… people were outside the hotel because of a power outage. Should there have been security on the beach?" he asked. Just two hours prior to Konanki's disappearance, RIU Republica had resolved a nearly 25-hour-long electricity outage that impacted about 30% of the resort, leaving some people without light, water, Wi-Fi, or electricity in their rooms to charge phones or other electronics. "In response to publications linking the electrical failure experienced at the Riu Republica hotel with the tragic disappearance of guest Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, RIU Hotels & Resorts wishes to firmly clarify that both events are completely unrelated," RIU Resorts & Hotels previously told Fox News Digital in a statement. The hotel parent company added that the RIU Republica's staff's efforts "were exemplary in terms of dedication, commitment, and professionalism in resolving a severe technical failure within hours and mitigating the effects it had on services throughout that time." Luis Vilchez, a lawyer in the Dominican Republic, does not think the resort will be held liable unless the guests prove that "the hotel or its employees acted recklessly." "If the guest acted recklessly, the hotel would, in principle, not be held liable." "Similarly, regarding beach swimming conditions, it would have to be demonstrated that the hotel failed to provide adequate signage to inform guests about the proper use of the beach," Vilchez told Fox News Digital. "If the guest acted recklessly, the hotel would, in principle, not be held liable – for example, if the guest swam outside designated hours when no lifeguard was on duty and despite visible danger signs, such as red flags indicating bad weather." He continued: "In this particular case, I do not see grounds for a claim against the resort when two adults failed to follow the safety measures established by the hotel to prevent accidents. That is, it would be necessary to prove that the hotel was negligent in indicating, communicating or enforcing the safety measures." Swecker said it would be possible for Konanki's family to sue the resort for negligence if there was "insufficient security," "insufficient lighting on the beach" or for failing to close or secure the beach during a red-flag warning. Fox News Digital reached out to RIU Republica for comment. Konanki was last seen on surveillance footage walking from RIU Republica to the beach with seven other people, including five females and two males, around 4:15 a.m. on March 6. She was last seen on the beach around 4:50 a.m., according to the Dominican Republic prosecutor's office and the hotel. Hotel surveillance footage then shows a group of six people, including five women and one man, returning to the hotel from the beach around 5:55 a.m. The young man previously seen with Konanki is seen on surveillance footage entering the interior of the hotel around 9 a.m. on March 6. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at 703-777-1021. To remain anonymous, call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.
New York Times
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Christian Holder, Longtime Star of the Joffrey Ballet, Dies at 75
Christian Holder, a standout dancer for the Joffrey Ballet who made his name in the 1960s and early '70s in pointedly topical works like 'Astarte,' a groundbreaking psychedelic ballet, and 'The Green Table,' a haunting 1930s antiwar ballet made newly relevant by the Vietnam War, died on Feb. 18 at his home in London. He was 75. His death was confirmed by his friend and frequent collaborator, the choreographer Margo Sappington, who said the cause had yet to be determined. Born in Trinidad and reared in Britain, Mr. Holder came from a prominent artistic family. His father, Boscoe Holder, was a celebrated dancer, choreographer, painter, designer and musician. His uncle, Geoffrey Holder, was known in a variety of fields, including dance, painting and, in particular, acting: With his rich basso profundo voice, he was memorable as a Voodoo villain in the James Bond film 'Live and Let Die' (1973), as well as in a series of television spots for 7Up. Mr. Holder was every bit as varied in his own artistic pursuits. In addition to dancing, he was a choreographer; a costume designer for Tina Turner and other stars, as well as for several ballets; a cabaret singer; a painter; a theater director; and a playwright. Still, his legacy was built on his 13-year run with the Joffrey — the mold-shattering company founded by Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino — which began in 1966, when he was 17. A lithe 6 feet 4 inches tall, he was 'majestic and pantherlike' onstage, Ms. Sappington said in an interview. Virginia Johnson, a former principal dancer and artistic director at Dance Theater of Harlem, called him a study in contrasts, capable of 'dancing with power or softness, whatever the role required.' Still, she added, 'his physical presence — height, muscularity — made him terrifying' in one of his most famous roles: as Death in 'The Green Table,' a pacifist 1932 ballet by the German dancer and choreographer Kurt Jooss. Mr. Holder began performing that linchpin role in 1969. Appearing in 'skull-like whiteface,' as Anna Kisselgoff observed in a review in The New York Times, his character claimed a string of characters caught in the tangle of war. 'Mr. Holder's debut here was impressive, with a proper feel for the changes in attitude required of his role,' Ms. Kisselgoff wrote. She had quibbles, including that his performance was 'almost too nimble at the start,' but she added that these were mere details in an 'indubitably strong performance.' His time with the Joffrey coincided with the company's golden era, Mr. Holder wrote in a 2006 retrospective in Dance Magazine — particularly his early years, when sweeping social changes were influencing the company's sensibility and direction. 'Women were beginning to re-evaluate their possibilities as citizens,' he wrote. 'There were civil rights marches and boycotts, protests against mind-numbing atrocities committed in response to Black people seeking the right to vote and a higher education.' Mr. Holder also found himself on the cultural vanguard in 1970 when he took over the male role in 'Astarte,' a multimedia erotic duet that he performed with Nancy Robinson. The ballet, with a rock score b y the band Crome Syrcus, had been featured on the cover of Time magazine in March 1968. ''Astarte' was immensely taxing, with slow motion, sculptural partnering going against the intense music, followed by an aggressively sexual duet with lifts and contortions of every kind for the woman,' he wrote in Dance Magazine. Following performances, the dancers 'would stagger out of the theater, completely drained, aching, yet exhilarated.' Mr. Holder encountered the same sense of hippie-era abandon in 'Trinity' (1970), a ballet by Mr. Arpino that blended rock music and the spirit of youthful rebellion and featured no story but ample loose-limbed improvisation. Mr. Holder was caught up in the spirit of the times, both onstage and off. During the production, he recalled in a 2021 video interview, 'I was wandering around backstage in robes and bells on my toes and incense in the dressing room and that whole thing. That's why that character is sort of like a whirling dervish.' Arthur Christian Holder was born on June 18, 1949, in Port of Spain, Trinidad. His mother, Sheila (Clarke) Holder, was, like his father, a professional dancer. He got an early glimpse of the spotlight at age 3, when he appeared with his father's dance company in a performance celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. He received formal training in dance, as well in theater, as a student at the Corona Academy (now the Corona Theater School) in London. At 15, he moved to New York on a scholarship to the Martha Graham School, but he soon transferred to the High School of Performing Arts (now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts). It was there that Mr. Joffrey discovered him and brought him aboard as an apprentice. Mr. Holder went on to work with a number of acclaimed choreographers, including Agnes de Mille, Alvin Ailey and Jerome Robbins. Among his many acclaimed performances, he earned raves in José Limón's 'The Moor's Pavane,' based on Shakespeare's 'Othello,' which opened at the City Center in New York in 1973. As the Moor, he was 'powerful and dominating,' Clive Barnes of The Times wrote in a review, 'making his eventual spiritual collapse all the more tragic.' After he left the Joffrey in 1979, Mr. Holder was the featured dancer in the San Francisco Opera productions 'La Gioconda' (1979), featuring Luciano Pavarotti and Renata Scotto; 'Samson and Delilah' (1980), with Shirley Verrett and Plácido Domingo; and 'Aida' (1981), starring Pavarotti and Margaret Price. All those productions were choreographed by Ms. Sappington. Later projects included choreographing the American Ballet Theater productions of 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' (1993) and 'Weren't We Fools?' (2000), featuring songs by Cole Porter. No immediate family members survive. Mr. Holder moved back to London in 2009. A year later, his paintings were exhibited at a group gallery show that also featured his father's work. In 2015, he presented an autobiographical one-man show, 'At Home and Abroad,' at Crazy Coqs, a London cabaret. He later wrote and directed the play 'Ida Rubinstein: The Final Act,' about a storied Ballets Russes dancer and actress from the Belle Époque, which opened at the Playground Theater in London in 2021. Looking back on his Joffrey years in Dance Magazine, he wrote, 'We were a chosen group in the right place at the right time.' 'We championed dance at college campuses,' he added. 'We danced to rock 'n' roll. Some purists didn't take us seriously, but we made our mark.'
USA Today
20-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
PepsiCo joins major US companies in tweaking DEI policies
PepsiCo joins major US companies in tweaking DEI policies Show Caption Hide Caption 'People will fight back': Advocates react to Trump's 'war on DEI' Advocates of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, are criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump for shutting down government diversity programs by executive order. PepsiCo PEP.O has joined the growing list of major U.S. companies that are making changes to their diversity, equity and inclusion programs as President Donald Trump pushes to dismantle the practice across the federal government and private sector. The Frito-Lay to 7Up maker will end DEI workforce representation goals and transition its chief DEI officer to a broader role looking into associate engagement and leadership development, according to a memo to company associates. The officer will also continue working on its 2021 "A Space to Be You" program. 'A first taste': Trump DEI war escalates, reshaping diversity in corporate America PepsiCo is revising its DEI program as 2025 marks the end of its five-year strategy and it will introduce a new "Inclusion for Growth" strategy, CEO Ramon Laguarta said in the memo. American corporations from Target TGT.N to Alphabet-owned Google GOOGL.O have either dropped or considered changing their DEI policies after Trump urged private-sector companies to end "illegal DEI discrimination and preferences". Trump has also directed federal agencies to terminate DEI programs and warned of cuts in federal funding for academic institutions and universities if they continue the policies. PepsiCo is also expanding its supplier base by broadening opportunities for all small businesses to be a part of the company, according to the memo. The snacks and beverages giant will also no longer participate in single demographic category surveys, the memo said. Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar
