According to BlackAmericaWeb, Phil Donahue, a trailblazer in the talk show industry, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, surrounded by his wife Marlo Thomas, and family. He was 88 years old. The NBC Today Show, where Donahue was a contributor from 1979 to 1988, confirmed the news of his death following a long illness.

Born on December 21, 1935, in Cleveland, Ohio, Donahue began his career as a production assistant at KYW radio and television in his hometown.

Donahue is best known for creating and hosting The Phil Donahue Show, which aired from 1967 to 1996. This groundbreaking talk show was among the first to feature audience participation and tackle controversial and taboo topics, laying the groundwork for today’s talk shows. Launched in Dayton, Ohio, the show addressed issues such as abortion, civil rights, and war, providing a platform for marginalized voices. It quickly gained popularity and moved to national syndication. Donahue’s innovative format and willingness to engage with difficult subjects earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards, including nine Daytime Emmy Awards.

The family released a statement about his passing,

“Groundbreaking TV talk show journalist Phil Donahue died Sunday night at home surrounded by his wife of 44 years Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie, Donahue was 88 years old and passed away peacefully following a long illness.”

In May of 2024, President Joe Biden named Donahue as one of his nine Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. According to the White House website, “The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”

In lieu of flowers, The Donahue family is asking that donations be given in his honor to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship Fund.

Snoop Dogg was the most visible American public figure during the 2024 Olympics, and he may have earned a whopping $9 million for the fun he had in Paris.

Now that the 2024 Olympics are over, the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has begun where Snoop Dogg will likely return to be the unofficial Team USA mascot.

During this year’s events, Snoop Dogg was visibly present and even carried the Olympic torch into Paris ahead of the Opening Ceremony. From what we saw, Snoop deserved a gold medal for his time in the City of Light where he closed things out with Dr. Dre for the handover to LA ’28 as part of the Closing Ceremony.

During the Olympics, a rumor surfaced Snoop was banking $500,000 a day to participate, and on Friday, Snoop seemingly hinted that he made a whopping $9 million overall for his Olympic side quests.

On Instagram, Snoop reposted a creator who broke down his possible earnings.

“This is the main star of the Paris Olympics. Snoop Dogg, a top rapper, gets over $40M rubles daily for his presence at the Paris Olympic Games,” the video says. “Snoop also lives and parties in Paris for free, all to bring more attention to the Olympics. Almost every top broadcast features Snoop, he attends all major Olympic events. For 17 Olympic days, he’ll earn nearly $9 million.”

Snoop didn’t comment on the video but his reposting of it has fans convinced that it’s true.

While $9 million is a hefty price tag, it was well worth it and hopefully NBC execs will pay him that much again for the 2028 games.

You can watch the breakdown Snoop Dogg shared on Instagram below.

An inspiring actress is detailing her role in a historical drama that “transcends all backgrounds” to rave reviews.

Amber Shana Williams recently told BOSSIP about her role on The Chosen, the first-ever multi-season TV series about the life of Jesus Christ. The series which became the most successful crowdfunded TV series or film project in history, stars Jonathan Roumie as Jesus as well as Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Noah James, George H. Xanthis and Amber Shana Williams.

Stevens plays Tamar, a woman only named in the bible as a “friend” who she continues to embody as she gives her a full [complicated] existence.

“For me to prepare for the first season was heavy because I came right into episode six of season one with the heaviest thing where she’s [Tamar] pleading to Jesus to save her friend that she lowered through the roof,” Williams told BOSSIP at the 2024 NABJ Conference. “And at that moment, the to prepare because we didn’t know much about her, I thought who is that who in my life that I want healing for so bad that I would rip the roof off the place and beg for their healing. I found that place for me and then I let that guide me.”

She continued,

“As the seasons have gone on, she’s gotten so intricate and her background is so complex that it just ends up and the writing is so amazing that you can’t help but just fall into that.”

Williams also shared that The Chosen, now in its fourth season, continues to captivate both believers and non-believers alike because it explores characters like Tamar who tell Jesus’ story through their perspective on the series that’s “heavy on the drama” amid triumph.

“This transcends all kind of backgrounds, even genre preferences,” said the actress. “I came into it like, ‘Oh, another Jesus show’ which is sometimes synonymous with what a certain quality, and so just like anyone else, before I came in the show, I saw the first four episodes and I was like, ‘Wow, it’s a historical drama.’ That’s what we’re gonna call it because just saying that it’s a faith-based show is not enough to cover all the facets.”

“It is a story about the life of Jesus Christ, about his life from the eyes of all those around him,” she added. “One thing I love about The Chosen is that they breathe life into these people who who weren’t necessarily given the full breath of history in their existence. That gives people something else to connect to.”

Speaking of The Chosen detailing new characters, it features the fierce women of the Bible who were the backbone of Jesus’ journey and whose sisterhood Tamar was welcomed into.

“It’s a lady show and I love that they didn’t shy away from that,” Williams told BOSSIP. “Because you often see it focused really heavily on the disciples, which are obviously are extremely important but who was there at the end? The ladies. They didn’t run, they didn’t shy away, they stood there back straight and I love that they’ve taken their time over the seasons to build that bond because there is a sisterhood so deep in this and for my character in particular, Tamar, who is without family because she has tragically lost them all– her entire journey.”

“Really, from season one to three Tamar was was finding her place and a family,” she added. “She wanted so much to have one and to belong, that she went really hard on on proving she had purpose when in the end, what we realized in season four is that her purpose was already given to her and it was just to bear witness. So what we get to see with the women over the season is how they really are the backbone of the ministry. I mean the boys are cute, but the woman really are the backbone and they are the reason that it was able to continue to thrive by the sweat of their brow and them supporting it out of their own means.

“I hope that when women watch this, that it helps them heal, not just themselves, but their relationships with other women.”

The Chosen streams for free on The Chosen app as well as Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Peacock.

August 16 is National Rum Day and there isn’t any better drink guide out there than BOSSIP’s guide of rum-filled savory sips.

This year National Rum Day just so happens to fall at the end of the week, so your celebration can kick off your weekend. As always,  BOSSIP is always going to give you an easy-to-follow drink guide, and this year’s features mai tais and coladas.

If you’re enjoying with non-rum-loving friends try our National Spritz Day guide. As always grab your bar cart and let’s get to work.

BOSSIP’s National Rum Day Cocktail Guide

Captain Colada

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

1 1/2 oz. cream of coconut

1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1/2 oz. Lime juice

Directions: Combine, stir and enjoy!

Jerry Cola

Ingredients:

2 parts Sailor Jerry

4 parts cola

2 maraschino cherries on top

Directions: Build in glass.

Easy Spiced Mai Tai

Ingredients:

2 parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

1 part lime juice

¾ part orgeat

½ part dry curacao

Directions: Add all ingredients into a tin with a small scoop of crushed ice. Whip shake and dump into glass. Top with crushed ice. Garnish with an orange wheel.

THE BLUE NOTE

Ingredients:

1.5 OZ. HPNOTIQ

1.0 OZ. WHITE RUM

1.5 OZ. PINAPPLE JUICE

.5 OZ. LIME JUICE.

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, ice, shake until chilled. Serve up in a cocktail glass.

El Presidente

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho

3/4 oz Martini & Rossi Bianco Vermouth

1/2 oz Dry Curacao

1/2 tsp Grenadine

Orange twist and Amarena cherry as garnish

Directions: Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir for at least two minutes to chill and dilute the drink. Fine strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist and an Amarena cherry.

Spiced Rum Piña Colada

Ingredients:

1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

1 part cream of coconut

¼ pineapple juice

Directions: Add all ingredients to empty mixing glass and shake. Add ice and shake again vigorously.

Strain into highball or tiki glass and fill with ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple, maraschino cherry and toasted coconut flakes.

Firecracker Sidecar

Ingredients:

1 oz D’USSÉ VSOP

.75 oz Bacardí Mango Chile .

75 oz Orange Liqueur

.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

1 dash Tabasco

Directions: Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass.