Latest news with #LouisianaStadiumandExpositionDistrict
Perth Now
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Taylor Swift's company buy giant friendship bracelet for 13k
Taylor Swift has spent $13,000 on a giant friendship bracelet. The Bad Blood hitmaker's personal services company, Firefly Entertainments Inc., have reportedly splashed out on the 140-foot-long inflatable decoration which was draped over New Orleans' Caesars Superdome during her Eras Tour, local outlet 4WWL have revealed. The outlet explained the information came from the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, the state board that manages the dome and is expected to approve the purchase during a board meeting. Firefly will be responsible for collecting, shipping, and delivering the bracelet - which read 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' in white beads, with colourful gems in between the words - according to the purchase agreement. Shawn and Jules Kolodny of Kolossal Arts designed the piece and are thrilled Taylor is giving the bracelet a permanent home. They told Us Weekly in a statement: 'It's so fitting that the final trade of the giant friendship bracelet was to Taylor — she's the reason it exists. We love that it's with her now.' Making and trading friendship bracelets has been a favourite pastime of Taylor's fans at her concerts and is inspired by a line in her 2022 song 'You're on Your Own, Kid', which reads: 'So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.' During one of her three shows in New Orleans last October, Taylor praised the giant bracelet. She told her audience: 'You've created traditions. You've created this mass movement of joy every time we play a show. And it makes me so proud, it really does. 'I just showed up one day and you guys were trading friendship bracelets and I was like, 'That's cool,' and now there is a giant friendship bracelet on the outside of this stadium.' 'Which is so nice of them to do for us — but it's even nicer of you guys to create things that went so far beyond what I ever expected for this tour.' Following the New Orleans concerts, the giant friendship bracelet was moved to other tour stops in other cities.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Louisiana Republicans Clutch Their Pearls Over 'Vile' Super Bowl Halftime Shows
Louisiana lawmakers are calling past Super Bowlhalftime shows 'lewd' and 'offensive' in a letter demanding 'family-friendly' acts ahead of next month's championship in New Orleans — and cited Jennifer Lopez's and Rihanna's past performances as 'vulgar' displays. Published Tuesday by the letter was sent Jan. 16 to the heads of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, and was signed by 17 Republican legislators who said their constituents have 'serious concerns.' The document argued that, while many people are 'excited' about the upcoming event, there 'are also hardworking taxpayers with children who have serious concerns about the fact that past Super Bowl halftime performances have been less than family-friendly.' The letter cited Lopez wearing 'little clothing' and being 'groped by male and female dancers' during her 2020 performance in Florida, and said she 'made sexually suggestive gestures and performed on a stripper pole,' which 'generated thousands of viewer complaints.' Co-headlined by Shakira, the show reportedly prompted some 1,300 FCC complaints — but was also viewed by more than 100 million people across the U.S., suggesting that less than 1% of people who tuned in felt the need to contact the government agency. The signatories also decried Rihanna's 2023 halftime show in Arizona, which she performed while pregnant, for 'groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame.' They declined to repeat the lyrics they characterized as offensive. The Republicans also said Janet Jackson's 2004 halftime show in Texas, notable for a 'wardrobe malfunction' that exposed the singer's breast — would've violated their state obscenity laws, though that show was not held in Louisiana and took place more than 20 years ago. 'We realize that these past vulgar performances may have been acceptable to the [residents] of those states where those Super Bowls were held but, in Louisiana, these lewd acts are inappropriate for viewing by children, objectify women, and are simply NOT welcome by the majority of Louisiana parents,' the letter added. The lawmakers argued that, because Louisiana is financially contributing to Super Bowl LIX, taxpayers should have a say in the championship's halftime performances. Their letter was co-signed by 15 representatives of 'pro-family' organizations. The upcoming halftime show has already generated controversy, with fans of Lil Wayne disappointed that Kendrick Lamar was announced to headline the Feb. 9 event instead of the local hip-hop legend. Apple Music, which is sponsoring the show, recently announced that frequent Lamar collaborator SZA will join him onstage. SZA Will Join Kendrick Lamar At Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Travis Kelce Makes Taylor Swift Giggle With Surprise Song As Chiefs Secure Super Bowl Spot Cardi B Just Revealed A Very Risky New Piercing — And It's Not Where You'd Expect
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wait...Why Are Conservatives Dragging Rihanna's Name Into Their Complaints About Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl??
Though folks all over are gearing up to see what kind of show Kendrick Lamar will be bringing to his Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance next month in New Orleans, others are too busy trying to make sure the event is censored. And they're trying to rope Rihanna in in doing so. This is evidenced by a recent report from the Louisiana Illuminator on Tuesday that explained that nearly 20 Republican Louisiana state legislators sent a letter to key city organizers citing their 'serious concerns' that the upcoming performance will be 'less than family friendly.' To prove their point, lawmakers cited two recent performers from the past five years that they claim were also not family friendly during their halftime show including Jennifer Lopez from 2020 and Rihanna from 2023. They also brought up Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's infamous moment back in 2004. Of the Barbadian bad gal, the letter read in part: '[Rihanna] was shown groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame. We realize that these past vulgar performances may have been acceptable to the residents of those states where those Super Bowls were held but, in Louisiana, these lewd acts are inappropriate for viewing by children, objectify women, and are simply NOT welcomed by the majority of Louisiana parents..' The letter was sent to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, and the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, the latter of which oversees the Caesar's Superdome. Once privy to the requests, the chairman of the Exposition District, Robert Vosbein Jr. expressed that he wished the concerns were sent over earlier and not two weeks before the performance is set to take place. As far as the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, its president and CEO Jay Cicero issued an official statement in response to the letter. 'We respect and value the comments of our legislators, who play a critical role in our ability to secure large events providing an economic boost to our city and state,' Cicero said. 'We have shared the letter with the NFL and we are all in agreement that this year's halftime show will be a family-friendly event befitting New Orleans' storied history hosting Super Bowls.' Whether or not this charge for more 'family- friendly' performances will be actualized expeditiously with regard to Lamar's performance remains to be seen but the letter did make it clear that they'd like for their requests to be implemented for future artists moving forward, as noted by Billboard. 'Future contracts for the use of facilities that are funded and paid for by Louisiana taxpayers ensure, in writing as part of the contract, that any performers' conduct adheres to Louisiana's community decency standards,' the letter read in part. Lamar is set to take the stage on Feb. 9 with special guests SZA. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Louisiana lawmaker wants Super Bowl halftime show to clean up its act
Rihanna performs onstage during the Super Bowl LVII halftime show at State Farm Stadium on Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. () NEW ORLEANS – A group of 17 Louisiana lawmakers has sent a letter to two key organizers for Super Bowl LIX expressing 'serious concerns' with the halftime entertainment being 'less than family friendly' during the Feb. 9 broadcast from the Superdome. Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, penned the letter on behalf of her colleagues and sent it Monday to Phillip Sherman, chairman of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, and Robert Vosbein Jr., chairman of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which oversees the Superdome. Hodges cited previous Super Bowl halftime performances that she found objectionable. She singled out the 2020 performance in Miami of Jennifer Lopez, in which she 'wore little clothing and was groped by male and female dancers on stage, while the performer made sexually suggestive gestures and performed on a stripper pole.' From the 2023 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, Hodges was critical of Rihanna, who 'was shown groping herself while she sang song lyrics that were so offensive that few Louisiana adults could read those lyrics before an audience without shame.' 'We realize that these past vulgar performances may have been acceptable to the residents of those states where those Super Bowls were held but, in Louisiana, these lewd acts are inappropriate for viewing by children, objectify women, and are simply NOT welcomed by the majority of Louisiana parents,' Hodges wrote in her letter. In addition to the state lawmakers, Hodges obtained signatures from 15 leaders of 'pro-family' organizations in support of her letter. They included Tony Perkins with the Family Research Council, Gene Mills with the Louisiana Family Forum and Tony Spell, pastor of Life Tabernacle Church. The senator concluded her letter by acknowledging the contract to hold Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans was executed seven years ago, with terms long ago negotiated and finalized. She requested that any future contracts with the NFL include an assurance that 'any performers' conduct adheres to Louisiana's community decency standards.' Reached by phone Tuesday, Vosbein with the Superdome district said it was 'unfortunate' that Hodges waited until less than two weeks before the Super Bowl to share her concerns because they could possibly have been considered if aired sooner. He deferred comment on the content of the upcoming halftime show to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, which he said is more directly involved with the NFL than his board. Jay Cicero, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, issued a statement in response to questions about Hodges' letter. 'We respect and value the comments of our legislators, who play a critical role in our ability to secure large events providing an economic boost to our city and state,' Cicero said. 'We have shared the letter with the NFL and we are all in agreement that this year's halftime show will be a family-friendly event befitting New Orleans' storied history hosting Super Bowls.' In her letter, Hodges noted that Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation has received $10 million from the state's Major Events Incentive Fund, including $5 million for Super Bowl LIX economic development initiatives. She said that money represents 'skin in the game' for Louisiana taxpayers. In a phone interview Tuesday, Hodges said she was hopeful the NFL and Super Bowl planners would take her concerns to heart. She was asked how she would react if Lamar's performance goes beyond her parameters of good taste. 'That's up to the locals to deal with that however they want to,' she said. 'We would just deal with that however we deal with anyone else that would break the law, I would hope.' Recording artist Kendrick Lamar is the featured entertainer for halftime at Super Bowl LIX. He's the latest star featured since the NFL partnered with Roc Nation, the production company of rap mogul Jay-Z, in 2019 to produce halftime performances at the league's championship game. In addition to Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Rihanna, Roc Nation has slated Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, The Weeknd and Usher for Super Bowl halftime shows since 2020. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed in October that the league would continue its partnership with Roc Nation despite allegations of rape against Jay-Z stemming from the civil lawsuit against music producer Sean 'Puffy' Combs. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
