Happy Hump Day! Here’s what we’re talking about over our coffee today:
Cuba Gooding Jr. will be portraying the infamous OJ Simpson in FX’s new drama, American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson. The series will take a look behind the scenes of the murder trial that captivated the nation and will be told from the perspective of the lawyers involved. Ryan Murphy of American Horror Story is the creative brain behind this new anthology miniseries. [Deadline]
Kobe Bryant and his teammates warmed up for their game Tuesday wearing “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts to show solidarity with those protesting the killing of Eric Garner. “I think if we ever lose the courage to be able to speak up for things we believe in, I think we really lose the value that our country stands for,” Bryant told The Associated Press after the game. The LA Lakers are the latest athletes to show support for protesters across the country. Both LeBron James and Derrick Rose wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during their pre-game warm ups. [Huffington Post]
Jennifer Hudson is halfway to becoming an EGOT winner, but to do so, she’d need to find her way to theater and television. The Oscar and Grammy already has a dream role in mind. In an interview with Popsugar, Hudson said that if she had the opportunity to do television, she would love the chance to be “Kerry [Washington] on Scandal.” [Popsugar]
Oxygen Network is heading to Motown for their new series Preachers of Detroit, which will feature seven famed men and women of God, including Evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole, as they navigate their faith, families, and friendships. Preachers premieres Wednesday, February 18. [Oxygen]
The caregivers, doctors, and nurses who helped fight Ebola in the US and in African countries have been named TIME‘s “Person of the Year” 2014 because “they risked, persisted, sacrificed, and saved.” They beat out other contenders for the annual title including Taylor Swift, Laverne Cox, and the protesters in Ferguson. [TIME]
In the wake of growing protests, President Barack Obama spoke to the American people in an interview on BET earlier this week. However, one viewer of the interview was not a fan. Here what Tavis Smiley had to say in response to President Obama: