Latest news with #DeepEnd
The Citizen
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
From Port Shepstone to the Silver Screen: Catch Carishma Basday in Lucky Fish
Former South Coaster Carishma Basday stars in new film, Lucky Fish, which premiered at the Durban International Film Festival last week and opens at cinemas today (July 25). It's a family comedy about a down-and-out sardine canning factory owner who decides to sponsor a beauty contest to increase sales. Why would anyone want to win the title of Miss Pillay Pilchards? Best to watch and find out! Carishma, who hails from Port Shepstone, has made a name for herself in the film industry over the years. She is a born and bred South Coaster whose acting talents have taken her all the way from the humble town to the silver screen. Carishma had much to say about growing up on the South Coast, and what it was like to be a student at Port Shepstone High-School (PSHS). An interesting insight was that Carishma initially had the idea of pursuing a career in the veterinary field, as she had a deep love for animals, and actually spent much time volunteering at the local vet clinic, with Dr Dean. However, she felt she couldn't handle the death of the animals and the continuous cycle of pain it entailed. Everything changed when drama teacher Anita Schonauer entered the picture. Carishma had always loved the spotlight, but under Anita's guidance, she began to see acting not just as a passion, but as a real path forward. After a Rotary exchange year in Chicago, Carishma moved to Cape Town to study acting. The move was intimidating at first as she didn't know anyone and, for the first time in her life, she was on her own, forging her own path, but it marked the start of her professional journey. It wasn't long until Carishma started getting roles and finding her feet in the South African entertainment industry. In the ensuing years Carishma has become a familiar face in South African film and TV, starring in Deep End, Material, 31 Million Reasons, and hosting the SABC lifestyle show Mela. What have been some of her favourite roles? Her lead role in Deep End, where she played Sunitha Patel, was particularly impactful for her, as she felt empowered to play a role that encouraged women of colour to step into spaces they aren't usually in, such as surfing. Carishma also commented on how she did most of the surfing for that movie, and hardly made use of a stunt double, which she loved. She also reflected on her role in the movie, Material, where she found her character so intriguing and complex. She loved the input she had with the movie, and how her perspectives were considered. Looking forward, Carishma hopes to play more roles with big impact, roles with the power to shift perspectives, and just having more fun with what she's doing. She also recently became an ambassador for the animal foundation, FourPaws. She said that although she didn't follow her initial career path of being a vet, she has always had a love for animals, and vowed that she will use her platform to advocate for animals. Carishma is remarkably well rounded – she's a 500 hour certified yoga instructor, successful actress, lifestyle influencer, mom and wife. So, upon asking how she balances it all, Carishma gave the honest answer of 'I don't!' She then elaborated on the incredible support system around her, a husband that's beyond supportive, wonderful friends, and family. Carishma stressed the importance of self-care and how she's now fortunate enough to choose roles based on meaning, not necessity. Carishma ended with the beautiful sentiment of how life is full of glass balls, and plastic balls, and how important it is to know which balls to drop. She spoke about her hometown, the South Coast, reminisced about her time here, and how although she's used to the Cape Town and its colder water, she still misses our warm Indian Ocean, the people and, of course her family, who she tries to visit during the year, and spend Christmases with them. Carishma discussed her methods for preparing for roles, her rituals and techniques of getting into character. Interestingly, she loves to associate a specific scent with each character, as well as creating in-depth backstories for all her roles, these techniques are some of the ways Carishma makes it easier for herself to step into character. Carishma shared her advice for aspiring actors and actresses. She emphasised how important it is to love your craft, and that perseverance is vital for having any chance at success in the industry. 'It's not easy, and if you're only in it for the glamour and fame, you won't succeed. Passion and a genuine desire to tell unique stories and create art that people will love, that's got to be rooted deep inside of you if you want to go far.'
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Trump administration could change the way we read, from book bans to author talks
Trump administration could change the way we read, from book bans to author talks Show Caption Hide Caption US schools banned 10,000 books last school year alone It's Banned Books Week in the U.S. and it comes as we're learning more than 10,000 books were banned in public schools nationwide last year. Straight Arrow News Despite the international buzz over her latest romance novel "Deep End," author Ali Hazelwood told fans she had to cancel her U.K. book tour. In a social media post, the bestselling romance author who was born in Italy cited border concerns with leaving and reentering the U.S., mirroring concerns from tourists, noncitizens and visa and green card holders about the Trump administration's recent deportation and border actions. Hazelwood's tour snag sparked a discussion on book communities about how President Donald Trump's recent policies would trickle down to publishing. Amid book banning, border policies, new anti-DEI sentiments and federal library grant cuts, these are the ways the new administration may impact readers. Trump administration's policies shake author tour plans Hazelwood, who is originally from Italy and now resides in the U.S., was booked for several international appearances before she canceled because "it's not possible for me to safely travel outside and then back inside the US," she wrote on Instagram. But Curtis Chin, the Detroit-based author of "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant," decided to move his tour abroad after several U.S. colleges canceled book talks with him, citing funding cuts from federal arts grants. "Asian American Heritage Month is May, right? So I'm usually booked giving speeches," he says, but not this year. Around the same time, the John Adams Institute in Amsterdam invited him to talk about his book and being a writer of color in the U.S. during the Trump administration. Then, he got booked at Oxford University and the British Library. Soon, he had 21 events abroad in just one month. "Maybe in America we're not ready to talk about these things, but maybe there are other places," Chin says. Still, it comes with a steep financial loss for Chin. He's losing two months of income because his European stops are unpaid opportunities. With U.S. events, he often makes thousands of dollars per event, occasionally up to $10,000. Authors worry about impact of Trump, DEI backslide In Chin's mind, it's not a coincidence that May was the first AAPI Month he wasn't fully booked with speaking engagements. He also worried about June's Pride Month, another typically busy month for him. His shift to international engagements, he says, feels reminiscent of historical movements of artists of color to Europe to evade discrimination, like James Baldwin and Josephine Baker. "In some small way, I'm in that same tradition where the things that we're writing, the things that we're creating are facing these extraordinary scrutiny and challenges," Chin says. Trump has not issued a proclamation for Pride Month, instead starting June with several actions undermining gains for LGBTQ+ Americans. And though Trump did formally recognize AAPI Month as past presidents have, his efforts to purge DEI practices led major companies like Disney, IBM and Goldman Sachs to publicly scrap DEI initiatives. The majority of organizations have "simply gone quiet" on DEI, according to past reporting from USA TODAY. And in early May, Trump fired longtime Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first Black American and first woman to head the library, because of her "pursuit of DEI." Hayden had been leading the "Of the People" initiative to bring more works from Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and other communities of color into the library's collections. Books typically take between two and three years to publish. If publishers follow in the suit of major companies turning away from – or staying silent – on DEI, we may not see the effect until years down the line. "It actually occurred to me, maybe I should hold off and wait until Trump is out of office before I try to sell my book because I don't know if publishers are afraid of publishing books by people of color. Because maybe there's a perception that these books may be banned, these books may not be bought by libraries," Chin says. "But then I thought to myself, I can't be afraid." Grant cuts threaten libraries, public spaces for readers In March, Trump issued an executive order that terminated dozens of federal grants held by libraries, archives and museums. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, one of those agencies, distributes millions of dollars in congressionally approved funds to libraries across the country. A federal judge has since blocked the Trump administration, but uncertainty about the state of funding means some libraries have already abandoned programs and implemented hiring freezes. The administration's termination of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts also impacts authors and academics. Michigan Humanities, the state affiliate of NEH, was left with a $900,000 budget loss after the cuts, according to the Detroit Free Press. One shuttered program is Great Michigan Read, which "engages 300 organizations in all 83 counties," according to the organization's president and CEO. This year, Chin was the recipient of the annual grant, which would normally buy around 6,000 copies of Chin's book and send him on a 15-city tour of the state. Then he got word that the program could not proceed because of the funding cuts. The rollback is particularly devastating to Chin because, growing up in Detroit and Ann Arbor, he didn't see himself represented in the books in his classrooms and libraries. "That's why we write, because we want to be seen and we want to help other people navigate their lives, right?" Chin says. "They're denying us an audience because they don't like what we have to say. They don't like our vision of the country. But, I would argue that our vision of the country is a loving vision of America. It's an open, embracing vision of America." The publishing world's most influential voices are also speaking out. Before the judge blocked Trump's executive order to eliminate IMLS funding, four of the Big Five publishers – Hachette, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster – as well as Sourcebooks, called on Congress to reject the order. And at this year's PEN America Literary Gala, actress and SPJ Lit imprint founder Sarah Jessica Parker said she was "enraged" at threats to libraries and librarians across the country. "To censor books is to limit imagination, curiosity, connection, empathy and inspiration. Libraries aren't just buildings with shelves, they are a beacon," Parker said. "They are warm in the winter and cool in summer, and they are sanctuaries of possibility. They are the heartbeat of a neighborhood." Book banning continues in libraries, classrooms A late March order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led to 400 books being removed from the U.S. Naval Academy's library to "comply with directives outlined in executive orders issued by the president," according to a statement from a Navy spokesperson reported by The New York Times. Most of the banned titles – a ban is any restriction on access, according to the American Library Association – discuss race, gender or sexuality. Books embraced by white supremacists, like "Mein Kampf," "The Camp of Saints" and "The Bell Curve" remained on the shelves. One ongoing Supreme Court case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, appears likely to rule that parents can opt their children out of classroom books that include representations of gender and sexuality that go against their religion. The Trump administration agrees with the parents. PEN America has filed an amicus brief in support of Thomas W. Taylor, the respondent in the case representing Montgomery County Public Schools. In a press release, the organization warned a ruling in favor of the parents could "turbocharge the already dire state of book bans and educational censorship." "An opt-out would chill freedom of speech for students, teachers and authors and would constitute viewpoint discrimination, raising core First Amendment concerns," PEN America's Chief Legal Officer Eileen Hershenov said in the release. "Both legally and practically, this would deny students access to diverse literature that spurs empathy, understanding and prepares them for lives in a pluralistic society." Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
How the Trump administration could change the way we read, from book bans to author talks
How the Trump administration could change the way we read, from book bans to author talks Show Caption Hide Caption US schools banned 10,000 books last school year alone It's Banned Books Week in the U.S. and it comes as we're learning more than 10,000 books were banned in public schools nationwide last year. Straight Arrow News Despite the international buzz over her latest romance novel "Deep End," author Ali Hazelwood told fans she had to cancel her U.K. book tour. In a social media post, the bestselling romance author who was born in Italy cited border concerns with leaving and reentering the U.S., mirroring concerns from tourists, noncitizens and visa and green card holders about the Trump administration's recent deportation and border actions. Hazelwood's tour snag sparked a discussion on book communities about how President Donald Trump's recent policies would trickle down to publishing. Amid book banning, border policies, new anti-DEI sentiments and federal library grant cuts, these are the ways the new administration may impact readers. Trump administration's policies shake author tour plans Hazelwood, who is originally from Italy and now resides in the U.S., was booked for several international appearances before she canceled because "it's not possible for me to safely travel outside and then back inside the US," she wrote on Instagram. But Curtis Chin, the Detroit-based author of "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant," decided to move his tour abroad after several U.S. colleges canceled book talks with him, citing funding cuts from federal arts grants. "Asian American Heritage Month is May, right? So I'm usually booked giving speeches," he says, but not this year. Around the same time, the John Adams Institute in Amsterdam invited him to talk about his book and being a writer of color in the U.S. during the Trump administration. Then, he got booked at Oxford University and the British Library. Soon, he had 21 events abroad in just one month. "Maybe in America we're not ready to talk about these things, but maybe there are other places," Chin says. Still, it comes with a steep financial loss for Chin. He's losing two months of income because his European stops are unpaid opportunities. With U.S. events, he often makes thousands of dollars per event, occasionally up to $10,000. Authors worry about impact of Trump, DEI backslide In Chin's mind, it's not a coincidence that May was the first AAPI Month he wasn't fully booked with speaking engagements. He also worried about June's Pride Month, another typically busy month for him. His shift to international engagements, he says, feels reminiscent of historical movements of artists of color to Europe to evade discrimination, like James Baldwin and Josephine Baker. "In some small way, I'm in that same tradition where the things that we're writing, the things that we're creating are facing these extraordinary scrutiny and challenges," Chin says. Trump has not issued a proclamation for Pride Month, instead starting June with several actions undermining gains for LGBTQ+ Americans. And though Trump did formally recognize AAPI Month as past presidents have, his efforts to purge DEI practices led major companies like Disney, IBM and Goldman Sachs to publicly scrap DEI initiatives. The majority of organizations have "simply gone quiet" on DEI, according to past reporting from USA TODAY. And in early May, Trump fired longtime Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first Black American and first woman to head the library, because of her "pursuit of DEI." Hayden had been leading the "Of the People" initiative to bring more works from Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and other communities of color into the library's collections. Books typically take between two and three years to publish. If publishers follow in the suit of major companies turning away from – or staying silent – on DEI, we may not see the effect until years down the line. "It actually occurred to me, maybe I should hold off and wait until Trump is out of office before I try to sell my book because I don't know if publishers are afraid of publishing books by people of color. Because maybe there's a perception that these books may be banned, these books may not be bought by libraries," Chin says. "But then I thought to myself, I can't be afraid." Grant cuts threaten libraries, public spaces for readers In March, Trump issued an executive order that terminated dozens of federal grants held by libraries, archives and museums. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, one of those agencies, distributes millions of dollars in congressionally approved funds to libraries across the country. A federal judge has since blocked the Trump administration, but uncertainty about the state of funding means some libraries have already abandoned programs and implemented hiring freezes. The administration's termination of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts also impacts authors and academics. Michigan Humanities, the state affiliate of NEH, was left with a $900,000 budget loss after the cuts, according to the Detroit Free Press. One shuttered program is Great Michigan Read, which "engages 300 organizations in all 83 counties," according to the organization's president and CEO. This year, Chin was the recipient of the annual grant, which would normally buy around 6,000 copies of Chin's book and send him on a 15-city tour of the state. Then he got word that the program could not proceed because of the funding cuts. The rollback is particularly devastating to Chin because, growing up in Detroit and Ann Arbor, he didn't see himself represented in the books in his classrooms and libraries. "That's why we write, because we want to be seen and we want to help other people navigate their lives, right?" Chin says. "They're denying us an audience because they don't like what we have to say. They don't like our vision of the country. But, I would argue that our vision of the country is a loving vision of America. It's an open, embracing vision of America." The publishing world's most influential voices are also speaking out. Before the judge blocked Trump's executive order to eliminate IMLS funding, four of the Big Five publishers – Hachette, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster – as well as Sourcebooks, called on Congress to reject the order. And at this year's PEN America Literary Gala, actress and SPJ Lit imprint founder Sarah Jessica Parker said she was "enraged" at threats to libraries and librarians across the country. "To censor books is to limit imagination, curiosity, connection, empathy and inspiration. Libraries aren't just buildings with shelves, they are a beacon," Parker said. "They are warm in the winter and cool in summer, and they are sanctuaries of possibility. They are the heartbeat of a neighborhood." Book banning continues in libraries, classrooms A late March order by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led to 400 books being removed from the U.S. Naval Academy's library to "comply with directives outlined in executive orders issued by the president," according to a statement from a Navy spokesperson reported by The New York Times. Most of the banned titles – a ban is any restriction on access, according to the American Library Association – discuss race, gender or sexuality. Books embraced by white supremacists, like "Mein Kampf," "The Camp of Saints" and "The Bell Curve" remained on the shelves. One ongoing Supreme Court case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, appears likely to rule that parents can opt their children out of classroom books that include representations of gender and sexuality that go against their religion. The Trump administration agrees with the parents. PEN America has filed an amicus brief in support of Thomas W. Taylor, the respondent in the case representing Montgomery County Public Schools. In a press release, the organization warned a ruling in favor of the parents could "turbocharge the already dire state of book bans and educational censorship." "An opt-out would chill freedom of speech for students, teachers and authors and would constitute viewpoint discrimination, raising core First Amendment concerns," PEN America's Chief Legal Officer Eileen Hershenov said in the release. "Both legally and practically, this would deny students access to diverse literature that spurs empathy, understanding and prepares them for lives in a pluralistic society." Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Country singer posts bond after Tennessee arrest
Gavin Adcock, the 26-year-old country singer, seems to have fallen into the 'Deep End' on Wednesday. He was arrested in Tennessee and charged with reckless driving and a violation of open container laws. The Tennessean, citing the Wilson County Sheriff's Office, reports the Georgia native posted a $1,000 bond and was released around 4:34 a.m. on May 22. The underground-to-mainstream-favored singer, known for songs like 'Deep End' and 'Ain't No Cure,' was arrested after performing back-to-back nights at Nashville's The Pinnacle as part of his 'Need to' tour. He plans to continue the tour in Grant, Oklahoma, on Saturday. No further details were available about the circumstances that led Adcock to be arrested, or when he will be back in court to address the charges. It isn't Adocock's first run-in with the law. He posted on X in 2023 that he'd previously been arrested for driving with a suspended license. Country music star gives emotional speech on stage after incurable disease diagnosis Country music pioneer 'whose artistry touched millions' dies at 73 Country music legend fired gun at husband after learning he cheated Hit country singer explains abrupt 'SNL' exit: 'I was just ready to go home' Country music star says he's 'so close to a full healing' with daughter Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Georgia Southern football player and rising country star Gavin Adcock arrested in TN
Gavin Adcock, a 26-year-old country singer from Oconee County, Georgia, was arrested in Tennessee on Wednesday, May 21. Adcock, known for his hits "Deep End," "Ain't No Cure," and "A Cigarette," faces charges of reckless driving and violation of open container laws. The Tennessee Highway Patrol took Adcock into custody in Oconee, Tennessee. According to reports, he was later released after posting a $1,000 bond, having spent approximately five hours in jail. A mugshot has surfaced showing Adcock sming. In September 2021, Adcock was suspended and removed from the team following a viral video showed him standing atop a moving school bus and chugging a beer before a game. Here is the viral video: No, he was arrested back in June 2023 for a suspended license, according to the New York Post. 'Went to jail one time because of a suspended license, sat in there for 10 hours and made friends with my cell mates,' Adcock wrote on X. Adcock is currently on tour and will come to the Peach State in October, 2025: The Blue Room, Statesboro: Oct. 16 Akins Ford Arena, Athens: Oct. 17 For more about this country star and Georgia Native, visit Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Former Georgia Southern football player Gavin Adcock arrested in TN
