Here’s all the news you need to know this Friday.
The Weather Channel is now Black-owned. It was recently announced that Byron Allen, comedian and founder of Entertainment Studios, reached a deal to acquire the channel’s parent company, the Weather Group, from Comcast and private equity giants Blackstone and Bain. Byron said of the acquisition, “We welcome the Weather Channel, which has been seen in American households for nearly four decades, to our cable television networks division. The acquisition of the Weather Channel is strategic, as we begin our process of investing billions of dollars over the next five years to acquire some of the best media assets around the world.” (Variety)
H.R. McMaster is out as Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor. Trump tweeted Thursday evening, “I am very thankful for the service of General H.R. McMaster who has done an outstanding job & will always remain my friend.” McMaster will be replaced by former US Ambassador to the UN and Fox News contributor John Bolton. (Twitter)
A federal appeals court has upheld a $5.3 million judgment against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copying Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” for their song “Blurred Lines.” Gaye’s family will get 50 percent of future royalties from the song along with the $5.3 million. (Reuters)
Alicia Keys has signed on to produce a biopic about famed choreographer Alvin Ailey. Ailey helped popularize moden dance and is known for his modern dance piece “Revelations.” (Variety)
Spike Lee is launching his first online filmmaking class. Lee will offer his first class in partnership with MasterClass, which fans can access for just $90. (Variety)
Sheryl Underwood has opend up about forgiving her mother and those who sexually abused her. Underwood shared on The Talk, “I didn’t have the best life with my mother, but I had no other choice but to forgive her and forgive those that took advantage of me sexually, that abused me when I was too innocent to make certain decisions for myself because if I didn’t forgive them, that darkness in them would come inside of me and I didn’t want it. I could not survive with that type of hatred in my heart.” (MadameNoire)
Big Boi is the first artist to sign to LA Reid’s new label. Reid abruptly left Epic Records in May following sexual harassment allegations. The music exec raised more than $100 million to launch his new label, HitCo, inking a distribution deal through EMPIRE. (Variety)
A Kendrick Lamar biography is coming to bookstores soon. Bandcamp’s Marcus J. Moore has signed a deal to release a book detailing the rapper’s rise to fame. The book is currently titled, The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America. (Vibe)
A mom in North Carolina has been arrested after video of her one-year-old child smoking weed went viral. The video, which reached over one million views, shows the mother putting a joint to the child’s lips as the child inhales and lets out a puff of smoke. (People)
Kenya Moore’s hubby Marc Daly is finally making his RHOA debut. In a new clip from Sunday’s upcoming episode, Daly surprises Moore at the viewing event for her domestic violence PSA that she filmed with her castmates earlier this season. The ladies of the show can finally put a face to the name. (E! Online)