The 2024 Olympic torchbearers feature strange selections of nonathletes to carry the Olympic flame in France.Among the choices were actress Salma Hayek, who carried the torch alongside singer Patrick Bruel, and French soccer trainer Didier Deschamps.Iconic rapper Snoop Dogg was another nonathletic choice, with his carrying partners model Laetitia Casta and fellow lyricist MC Solaar.'I don't think that this is a good way of representing France to the world.'Perhaps the most unorthodox choice for torchbearer is a drag queen called Minima Geste, a 33-year-old Frenchman named Arthur Raynaud.The performer was chosen by the city to bring the Olympic flame to the capital, and despite backlash, Paris' socialist mayor defended the decision."I reaffirm my full support for her," Anne Hidalgo, a member of the Socialist Party, said."I'll say it again: I am proud, and yes, Paris is proud that a drag queen will carry the torch and the values of peace and humanity," she added, according to France 24.It is unclear whether Raynaud actually believes he is a woman, as a plethora of photos exist of him appearing as a man while not in costume. However, the mayor referred to him as "her."The city claimed the man had been a victim of "homophobic and transphobic insults" and said the city would help the launch a legal campaign, although the legal grounds of such a suit are unclear.European Parliament member Marion Marechal reportedly said the drag queen has taken part in "particularly vulgar" and "hyper-sexualised performances.""I don't think that this is a good way of representing France to the world," she said.Marechal is an independent member of the European Conservatives and Reformists."One of the messages that I want to carry is the pride in my community because 10 years ago having a drag queen carry the torch would have been unimaginable," the drag queen said.The celebrity inclusions are an obvious bid to increase viewership, with the Olympics also changing traditional norms and trying out new broadcasting quirks.For the first time ever, the opening ceremony is set to take place outside a stadium, while Snoop Dogg is part of a large group of celebrities who will provide broadcasting assistance for certain events. Other guests include singer Kelly Clarkson, late-night host Jimmy Fallon, and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.It was also announced a few months before the games that NBC would attach five heart-rate monitors to the parents of Olympic athletes as they watch their children compete; with data to be shown onscreen. The network claimed that test audiences loved the idea.On streaming service Peacock, NBCU hopes to capitalize on its younger audience by employing popular podcast host Alex Cooper to host a series of live, interactive watch parties.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

YIKES: Obama Sharing His OBVIOUSLY Staged Endorsement of Kamala Harris ONLY Makes Her Look WORSE (Watch)

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Apple confirmed iOS 18 will support RCS messaging on iPhone and then brought RCS functionality to the first iOS 18 betas. You can text your Android contacts via RCS right now, assuming your carrier supports it. However, Apple said that the iPhone will support the GSMA's RCS standard, not Google's implementation. Therefore, RCS on iPhone will lack the end-to-end encryption that iMessage gets, even though Google built encryption into its RCS system. It was clear back then that end-to-end encryption would not come to RCS on iPhone until the GSMA updated its RCS standard. Fast-forward to late July, and a Google Messages leak reveals that encryption might be in the works for the RCS universal profile, which the GSMA supports. If that's the case, RCS on the iPhone might also support end-to-end encryption in the near future. Continue reading... The post iPhone RCS encryption might be coming sooner than we thought appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Best Ring Video Doorbell deals for July 2024 Wednesday’s top Prime Day deals: Ninja blenders, laptops, Apple Watches, Crest Whitestrips, Oura Ring, more Exclusive Prime Day deal: Get an ultra-compact GEEKOM A5 Mini PC for only $339 137+ best Prime Day weekend deals you can already shop now

WASHINGTON, DC— In an unprecedented and shocking move, Vice President Kamala Harris has reportedly sacrificed two babies to the ancient deity Moloch to secure the endorsement of former President Barack Obama. The sensational claim comes from an anonymous source within the Democratic National Committee, known only by the pseudonym “DeepFake.” According to DeepFake, the sacrificial ceremony took place in the basement of an undisclosed D.C. pizzeria. “Kamala Harris has always been committed to her political career, but this is a new level of dedication,” said DeepFake. “She’s willing to go to extreme lengths to get that Obama endorsement, even if it means invoking ancient deities.” Former President Obama, reached for comment while kite-surfing in Hawaii, responded with his trademark humor. “I’ve been asked for my endorsement in many ways, but this is a first. For the record, I base my endorsements on a candidate’s policies, vision, and character, not on sacrificial rituals.” Harris’s campaign team, however, has enthusiastically embraced the rumors, calling them “a testament to Kamala’s unwavering dedication to her political goals.” Campaign manager Ivy Spindoctor stated, “Kamala Harris has always been a woman of integrity and strong moral values like having sex to further her political career. These reports highlight her willingness to do whatever it takes to win.” Despite the surreal nature of the story, it has taken on a life of its own on social media, with hashtags like #MolochMadness and #SacrificeGate trending on Twitter. Conspiracy theorists have seized on the rumors as further evidence of their wildest suspicions about political elites and secret rituals. Late-night comedians are having a field day. “Kamala Harris sacrificed two babies to Moloch for Obama’s endorsement,” joked one talk show host. “I guess she really knows how to win over the base—of ancient deities!” As the 2024 election cycle heats up, it remains to be seen whether this bizarre tale will have any lasting impact on Kamala Harris’s political ambitions. For now, it seems she must contend with both her real political opponents and the increasingly surreal narratives that dominate the headlines. The post REPORT: Kamala Harris sacrificed two babies to Moloch to get Barack Obama’s endorsement appeared first on Genesius Times.

Instead of a gold medal, victors at the ancient Greek Panathenaic Games received terra-cotta pots filled with Athenian olive oil from sacred trees.

There’s a song for every mood, every occasion, every thought out there. But none do uplifting melancholia quite like “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, thanks to the ultimate combination of a voice unlike any other paired with lyrics that twist our hearts into bowties in the best and worst ways that makes this track uniquely timeless—and we can prove it. Lauper first graced and haunted listeners with “True Colors” in 1986, with lyrics masterfully crafted by songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. It was completed just in time for Lauper’s second studio album, which shares the song’s name, and enjoyed two weeks sitting nice and cozy at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100. But Lauper and the gang did more than release a chart-topper; this would be the go-to ballad when listeners need to put sound to their pain and that was very unintentionally by design. “True Colors” performed by Cyndi Lauper was a perfect storm for an emotional journey The original demo of “True Colors” was styled around a piano-based gospel ballad. Lauper took this original version, as produced by Steinberg and Kelly, and went a step further. Steinberg told Songfacts, “Cyndi completely dismantled that sort of traditional arrangement and came up with something that was breathtaking and stark.” If that isn’t an incredible framework for a song about tapping into your true, beautiful colors, then nothing is. RELATED: Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” Is Still A Timeless Dream Come True One fact remained, however: Kelly originally wrote this tear-jerker about his mother. Thankfully the accompanying music video is perfectly worthy of this powerful ballad. It’s cyclical in nature, much like life is, but with a resounding message of hope; what starts off as unrelenting isolation becomes uplifting change. There is love and there is heartbreak, and at the end of the day, it will be okay. Legends never fade The song remains emotionally relevant across decades and generations / Famous/ACE Pictures ACE Pictures, Inc. tel: 646 769 0430 Email: infocopyrightacepixs.com www.acepixs.com “True Colors” proved formative for Lauper and her career. The track she produced alongside record producer Lennie Petze proved that she was a pop singer who was neither a one-hit wonder nor a star destined to dwindle. But it also became an anthem for the grieving, an embodiment of an inner ache that almost all other words couldn’t reach. To this day, “True Colors” manages to resonate deeply across generations, even when listeners are feeling at their worst—and through the bittersweet notes, it manages to inspire…if not exactly hope, then at least comfort. “This song makes me feel sad, I’m not sure why,” one listener mused of the music video, which has over 155 million views on YouTube, “like it’s reminding me of something I had forgotten.” Cyndi Lauper shows her true colors as a masterful performer / YouTube screenshot For some, they know exactly what it’s reminding them of, with many listeners sharing stories of loved ones who have since departed or—at the time they wrote their comments—would be soon leaving this world. In sharing their stories, listeners across generations have also been brought together, as is the case with one fan who shared a story of hardship, bullying, and harmful thoughts. “I will forever be grateful for this song getting me through that tough time in my life and the tough time I’m currently going through,” the user shared, adding, “Sending hugs to everyone who needs it.” Another summed it up perfectly, “I’m listening to this in 2024, and it made me teary eyed. It sounds better now than I remember it did in the 80’s.” The album celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2021, an occasion marked by an expanded digital edition released that October. Have you listened to this special edition yet? Listeners get a pleasant kind of sadness from it / Ray Mickshaw / TM and Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved/courtesy Everett Collection Click for next Article The post “True Colors” By Cyndi Lauper Shows Off A Voice Like No Other Getting Us Through Bad Times appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Dana Daly

Richard Simmons was a delight to everyone who encountered him on or offline, even up until his final days. The celebrity fitness guru’s life has been a lesson of hope, comebacks, and the fickleness of life as friends and fans remember his selfless nature even while battling issues in private. Richard only spent a day being 76, however he left behind an impact that will outlive him for decades to come. He told PEOPLE during his final interview that he was grateful to be alive, and shared an update about his much-anticipated Broadway musical with composer Patrick Leonard. Richard Simmons’ final days Richard Simmons, 1994 A decade ago, Richard suddenly withdrew from the spotlight, abandoning his popular fitness studio, Slimmons Studio, in Los Angeles. He would later admit that he simply needed rest and a breather from the demanding celebrity life. During this 10-year hiatus, there were rumors about him being held hostage by his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, but he recalled being out in disguise several times. RELATED: Richard Simmons’ Gravesite Revealed Amid Investigation Into His Death Richard’s time away from the spotlight did not stop him from reaching out to fans, as he dedicated time to responding to over 100 emails a day. He credited his heart for people to his parents, who he watched take shelter people and help the needy growing up. Richard Simmons with fans for SWEATIN’ OF THE OLDIES, (ca. 1980s-1990s) Richard’s short-lived comeback Earlier this year, he announced his skin cancer diagnosis, specifically Basal Cell Carcinoma, which he had treated by a certain Dr. Ralph A. Massey. Instagram Two months later, and with the cancer gone, Richard announced his intention to create an interactive Broadway play, which would let members of the audience work out in an open space beside the stage. At the time of his passing, Richard had written 14 songs with the help of Leonard. In all, Simmons was excited about life, about his comeback, and had big plans. He will surely be missed. Click for next Article The post A Glimpse Inside Richard Simmons’ Final Days appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Peace A

LP features contributions from Duff McKagan, Robert Trujillo and more. Continue reading…