Latest news with #Zuniga
Washington Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Big brands distance themselves from Pride events amid DEI rollback
Marty Zuniga, who helps organize PrideFest in St. Louis — one of the Midwest's biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations — could tell by January that this season would be unlike any he's seen. That's when Zuniga noticed that corporate contacts weren't answering his emails. In the weeks that followed, longtime partners like Anheuser-Busch declined to sponsor this year's two-day festival while others slashed donations, leaving him with a massive gap in his budget. Meanwhile, he told The Washington Post, several companies willing to commit financially also asked him to keep their names out of it.
Global News
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Hardcore hockey fan sings Oilers-themed parodies to spur support during playoffs
A gregarious young Edmonton hockey fan is getting attention on social media for creating extremely extroverted videos aimed at hyping up hardcore Edmonton Oilers supporters during the NHL playoffs through humour, song and dance. '(The reception has been) mainly positive,' 24-year-old Adam Zuniga told Global News from his home in Alberta's capital on Thursday as he — and the Oilers players, of course — mentally prepared for a crucial Game 6 in the team's opening-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. 'We went down 2-0 to L.A. and then the sky was falling to everyone else — not me. 'This is the time for these songs. … We need to get people back believing.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This is the time for these songs. … We need to get people back believing." Like a hockey-crazed version of 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Zuniga has been posting videos of himself in Oilers-themed outfits, singing parodies of hit songs where he changes the words in an attempt to fire up members of Oil Country and put a smile on people's faces at the same time. Story continues below advertisement Examples of his work are 'Hey Nuge,' a reinterpretation of The Beatles' Hey Jude to show respect for Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 'Zachary Hyman Baby,' which is a reworking of The Human League's 1980s hit Don't You Want Me Baby to honour the hardworking Oilers winger, and 'Boosh Boosh Boosh Boosh' about Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard, which is a new version of Boom Boom Boom Boom by the dance-pop group Vengaboys. Zuniga said putting together the parody songs usually takes him less than 20 minutes and said his recipe is to use the catchiest or the most annoying songs that everyone will know. 'Camera on (or) camera off, it's the same stuff… Nothing is fake. That's who I am,' he said of his social media video posts. View full screen View full screen Previous Image Next Image Close Modal Gallery Zuniga said during the Oilers' 2024 playoff run, which saw them reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, he had been making videos and just sharing them with friends and family. Story continues below advertisement They told him he should share them with a wider audience, but he feared potential embarrassment. This post-season, he changed his mind. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'After last year and making the (Stanley Cup) final and being that close, I'm like, 'This year, I feel like I've got to do it,'' he said. 'We need something to push these boys all the way this year.'' Zuniga noted even some fans of the Calgary Flames, the Oilers' natural provincial rivals, have given him a thumbs-up. 'I've had Flames fans comment: 'I'm a Flames fan, I hate the Oilers, but this is awesome.'' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I've had Flames fans comment: 'I'm a Flames fan, I hate the Oilers, but this is awesome.'" On Thursday night, the Oilers will host the Kings at Rogers Place with a chance to eliminate L.A. from the playoffs after rebounding from going winless in their first two games to earning three victories in a row. Despite Edmonton leading the series 3-2, many Oilers fans have been emotionally tested with a wild roller-coaster of a series that has seen each team dominate at times and with most games seeing frantic action in the third period. 'Full belief,' Zuniga said, adding that when it comes to supporting their team, Oilers fans 'do it better than anybody.' Story continues below advertisement 'It makes them (Oilers players) want to play harder,' he added. Zuniga's loud and lively support for the Oilers is something he believes stems from his family and his childhood. 'My parents were just as psychotic about this team as I am,' he explained. '(And) I text my grandmother every game. She doesn't miss a game.' He said he has supported the Oilers even when the club was not very good, including during what fans have dubbed 'The Decade of Darkness,' a long run of seasons in which the team failed to qualify for the playoffs. 'I saw a lot of losses, but (former Oilers arena) Rexall (Place) — that whole childhood, I wouldn't change it for anything,' he said. He added that with a team led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, he believes it's hard for any Oilers fan not to have faith in their ability to win. To see more of Adam Zuniga's videos, check out his TikTok account. –With files from Global News' Jaclyn Kucey
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Shannon Sharpe Offered Rape Accuser $10 Million To Settle Outside Of Court
Days after Shannon Sharpe was accused of sexually assaulting an adult woman in her early 20s in a damning lawsuit, his counsel revealed he offered the accuser "at least" $10 million to settle outside of court. In a new statement, Shannon Sharpe's lawyers are shedding more light on his lucrative offer. According to them, the former Denver Broncos player offered the accuser a pretty penny to keep their details about their sexual relationship private. For those who may have missed it, Sharpe was hit with a $50 million lawsuit on Sunday, April 21, 2025. The accuser, who filed under the name "Jane Doe," but has now been identified as Gabi Zuniga, accused Sharpe of raping her on more than one occasion. Zuniga, alongside her lawyer, Tony Buzbee (who has been in the headlines lately due to his rift with Jay-Z), also released alleged phone recordings between her and Shannon, which feature the Hall of Fame football player threatening to "choke" her. Days later, news broke that Sharpe had offered Zuniga "at least $10 million" to settle the case outside of court, and his legal representative, Lanny J. Davis, said it was not an admission of "wrongdoing." In a new statement, attorney Mitchell Schuster shared more details about Sharpe's relationship with Zuniga, calling it a "consensual, sexual relationship" that lasted "over a 2-year period." He went on to say that after Sharpe refused to have a child with Zuniga, she "resorted to extortion," leading to his client's multi-million dollar offer. "While Shannon was willing to pay her a substantial amount of money to avoid the intimate details of his personal life from being exposed, as many high-profile individuals often do when they are being threatened, that is no longer the case," he said. Sharpe's legal counsel continued, "This is a shakedown, pure and simple, and we have the evidence to prove it." They added, "And while there are certainly real victims of sexual assault whose stories deserve to be told, Gabi is not one of them and her attempt to extort Shannon with her false claims only serves to distract from the attention that real abuse victims deserve.' Sharpe echoed something similar during an earlier Instagram post, in which he slammed Buzbee for targeting another successful Black man and defaming his character. Zuniga's lawsuit against Sharpe isn't all the Super Bowl champion has to worry about, though. According to PEOPLE, a New York woman named Michele Evans also filed a defamation lawsuit against the "Club Shay Shay" host over alleged dealings that occurred in their relationship in 2010. In the legal documents, Evans claimed that Sharpe sexually assaulted her after getting into an argument over his alleged infidelity. 'The Defendant proceeded to forcefully subdue me, compelling me to my knees and subsequently engaging in non-consensual oral penetration,' Evans alleged. 'Despite my protests, he persisted in this violation.' But the horrific claims didn't stop there. Evans continued, 'Thereafter, Shannon's coercion escalated as he maneuvered me onto the bed and achieved non-consensual vaginal penetration, all the while proclaiming his intent to 'Make it so no other man would want me.'" Elsewhere, during Schuster's statement defending Sharpe against the accusations lobbed against him from Zuniga, he also addressed the news about the second lawsuit against Sharpe, filed by Evans. 'It should be of no surprise that when someone famous is in the news, all sorts of people crawl out of the woodwork to share their connection to that person in an attempt to profit from that alleged relationship,' he said. He continued, "This is exactly what is happening to Shannon Sharpe and the resurrection of the case involving Michele Evans is a perfect example. Sadly, Ms. Evans became obsessed with Shannon and decided to manufacture a claim against him." "When she could not find a lawyer to pursue her outrageous story, she filed a civil complaint on her own that is completely devoid of merit. The fact is that Shannon has had no contact with this person for many years, and it is our understanding that she is still on probation after serving 3 years in prison for trying to kill her husband so that she could hopefully pursue a relationship with Shannon," he finished.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shannon Sharpe stepping away from ESPN duties following $50 million sexual assault lawsuit, additional allegations
Shannon Sharpe is stepping away from ESPN for the next few months. The Hall of Fame tight end and "First Take" host announced on Thursday that he is stepping back from his broadcast appearances on the network while he deals with the fallout of a $50 million lawsuit filed earlier this week. The lawsuit, filed by an alleged former romantic partner, accuses Sharpe of sexual assault and battery. Advertisement In a statement posted to social media, Sharpe said that the relationship was "100% consensual" but said that he was "electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties." "I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me. I plan to return to ESPN at the start of the NFL preseason," the statement said. Sharpe signed a multi-year contract with ESPN in 2024. In a statement sent to multiple outlets, the network said it supported Sharpe's choice. "This is a serious situation, and we agree with Shannon's decision to step away," the statement said. Advertisement The lawsuit was originally filed on Sunday by a unknown woman under the alias "Jane Doe"; the woman has since been identified as Gabriella Zuniga. In the lawsuit, Zuniga accuses Sharpe of multiple instances of sexual assault and battery. In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, Sharpe called the lawsuit a "shakedown," saying that Zuniga's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, "targets Black men." Buzbee represented multiple women who accused Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct. He is also currently representing plaintiffs in the case against Sean "Diddy" Combs, including one lawsuit that accused both Combs and Shawn Carter, aka Jay-Z, which Sharpe referenced in Tuesday's video. On Wednesday, Buzbee shared an alleged recording with TMZ of an encounter between Sharpe and Zuniga, where he threatened to choke her. Shortly after the recording went public, Sharpe posted a statement on his social media accounts from his lawyer Lanny Davis, who said that the lawsuit was "filled with lies, distortions, and misrepresentations" and accused Zuniga of "an egregious attempt at blackmail." Davis also claimed that the recording was "heavily edited and taken entirely out of context."
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hundreds rally in Modesto, calling on leaders to protect Medicaid access
( — As house republicans hammer out a budget reconciliation bill, Californians took to the streets Wednesday, calling for their local representatives to protect access to Medicaid. Many say they are worried that a budget passed by the GOP-controlled House could make cuts to the program that provides healthcare coverage to low-income individuals. One of those demonstrations took place this afternoon outside congressman Tom McClintock's office in Modesto. It was there that at least 200 people demanded that McClintock vote against the cuts. 'Our demand for McClintock is to do what's right by his people,' said Astrid Zuniga, United Domestic Workers/AFSCME Local 3930 President. Sacramento County approves 30-year lease for new mental health facility In a statement to FOX40, the office of Congressman McClintock said: 'Medicaid spending has nearly doubled in ten years and now costs more than the entire defense budget, taking $6,900 a year from an average American household to support. The budget resolution anticipates long overdue common-sense reforms such as restoring the work requirement for able-bodied adults, prosecuting fraud, and ending services to non-citizens. Left-wing groups oppose these reforms and are instead advocating for a crushing tax increase that would cost a family earning $75,000 a year an additional $1,500 in new taxes next year.' Demonstrators outside Congressman McClintock's office included residents with a wide range of disabilities, elderly patients, and organizations, including members of the United Domestic Workers (UDW) who play a role in the care provided for certain groups of patients. Many said they are afraid that if these cuts are made, it could have devastating and potentially deadly impacts on their health. The UDW worries that any cuts to Medicaid would leave millions without the necessary resources and care they need if they can't afford it. 'The impact is huge. It could be devastating for millions of Americans,' Zuniga said.' Specifically in Stanislaus County, about 51 percent of the residents rely on Medicaid services.' Wayne Junso, an 81-year-old Modesto resident, said he is worried about the added work and resources it would take to care for his son, who is paralyzed, if impacted. 'The price of medicine, the price of doctors, the price of equipment,' Junso said. 'For most of the people, it is a big issue because if they lose doctors, nurses, and help, what are they going to do? What are they going to do?' The government has not finalized a budget yet, but residents here say they hope politicians will keep the potential repercussions and their fears in mind. 'Well, one, I probably wouldn't have a job,' said UDW worker Billie Hughes. 'My grandson would not be able to go and get the help that he needs. He can't talk right now, he just learned to walk, and he's in a great facility where he's going to school, so that would be cut, everything would be cut.' Zuniga said she is hopeful their cries will be heard. 'These are some really scary times, and it's unfortunate, but I have to keep hope that as long as we continue to apply the pressure and make our voices heard, that it doesn't fall on deaf ears,' Zuniga said. Demonstrators say they will be back out to continue the movement on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
