Severe weather forced fans at Beyonce and Jay-Z’s concert out of their seats to wait inside MetLife Stadium because of bad weather in the area.
Officials said Thursday night in East Rutherford, New Jersey — where the New York Giants and New York Jets play — that concertgoers must head inside while it rained before the performers took the stage. Officials said a thunderstorm was on its way.
DJ Khaled performed Thursday, bringing Fabolous, Jim Jones, Bazzi and Freeway onstage. The duo Chloe x Halle, who are signed to Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment, also performed.
The concert started at 11:08 p.m. and Beyonce thanked the crowd for staying around.
Beyonce and Jay-Z also have a show planned Friday at MetLife.
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Bad weather forces Beyonce and Jay-Z concert fans inside
Bad weather forces Beyonce and Jay-Z concert fans inside
What is the celebrity ‘blockout’ over the war in Gaza?
NEW YORK: Some social media users are calling out celebrities for what they say is inaction in the face of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza — and they’ve taken to a “blockout” to pressure the stars to take a stand.
For the blockout, users put a block on seeing any and all content from the accounts of certain celebrities on social media platforms including X, TikTok and Instagram. Some have posted about the celebrities they’ve blocked, using a hashtag such as #blockout, #blockout2024, or #celebrityblockout, while others have shared posts from users lambasting attendees of high-glamor events like the Met Gala and contrasting it with the situation in Gaza.
Blockout participants say it’s a protest because the celebrities either haven’t spoken up or haven’t said enough against Israel’s actions in Gaza during its war with Hamas. Since the war erupted Oct. 7 with Hamas’ deadly attacks, Israel’s military has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
HOW DOES THE BLOCKOUT WORK?
On social media platforms, users see content from people they follow, as well as from those chosen for them by algorithms. In both instances, users can select options to mute or block a person or account.
Blocking the accounts of celebrities or influencers means not seeing any of the content they produce on social media — no posts, no photos or videos, no collaborations with sponsors. The number of people interacting with content brings in money, so the blocks are meant to affect views, engagement and — ultimately — paychecks.
The blockout also is meant to target celebrities’ brands by taking eyeballs and attention away from their content.
WHO IS BEING BLOCKED?
There is no single organized list of celebrities being blocked. Some users are offering celebrity suggestions, while others are deciding on their own. Celebrities in the US and beyond have been named in the blockout.
Blocking is up to each social media user. And every celebrity, influencer or content creator must be blocked individually on each platform.
HOW DID THE BLOCKOUT START?
Protests around the Israel-Hamas war have grown, with encampments on college campuses around the country. Amid those movements, attention to what celebrities and influencers were, or weren’t, saying got a boost after the Met Gala last week.
The annual party draws a host of famous faces from the worlds of fashion, movies, music, sports and more. It’s known for its over-the-top arrivals carpet and the elaborate outfits celebrities wear. This year, the gala was circled by protesters for much of the evening.
Social media was flooded with images from the star-studded event. Around the same time, images circulated as Israel launched a military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. That led to some users calling out the contrast between the gala’s celebrity opulence and the situation in Gaza — using images from both — and condemning celebrities for not using their platforms to speak up for those who are suffering.
WILL THE BLOCKOUT BE EFFECTIVE?
The effectiveness and staying power of the blockade are yet to be seen, said Beth Fossen, assistant professor of marketing at Indiana University. It might depend on the celebrity and what they’re known for — a famous person whose “brand” is tied to humanitarian causes may be more affected than one known primarily for talent, she added.
“If your identity is really tied to promoting something that is key to the boycotting, then this could potentially have really serious consequences for you,” Fossen said. “There might be some influencers that gain their fame by sort of promoting peace and then they’re being silent on this issue — followers may not forgive them.”
IS THERE BLOCKOUT BACKLASH?
There has been criticism of the blockout, with some saying the focus on celebrities takes attention away from what’s happening on the ground in Gaza. Others question what the parameters are for judging whether someone should be blocked — and what would constitute a well-known person speaking out or doing enough.
For the blockout, users put a block on seeing any and all content from the accounts of certain celebrities on social media platforms including X, TikTok and Instagram. Some have posted about the celebrities they’ve blocked, using a hashtag such as #blockout, #blockout2024, or #celebrityblockout, while others have shared posts from users lambasting attendees of high-glamor events like the Met Gala and contrasting it with the situation in Gaza.
Blockout participants say it’s a protest because the celebrities either haven’t spoken up or haven’t said enough against Israel’s actions in Gaza during its war with Hamas. Since the war erupted Oct. 7 with Hamas’ deadly attacks, Israel’s military has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
HOW DOES THE BLOCKOUT WORK?
On social media platforms, users see content from people they follow, as well as from those chosen for them by algorithms. In both instances, users can select options to mute or block a person or account.
Blocking the accounts of celebrities or influencers means not seeing any of the content they produce on social media — no posts, no photos or videos, no collaborations with sponsors. The number of people interacting with content brings in money, so the blocks are meant to affect views, engagement and — ultimately — paychecks.
The blockout also is meant to target celebrities’ brands by taking eyeballs and attention away from their content.
WHO IS BEING BLOCKED?
There is no single organized list of celebrities being blocked. Some users are offering celebrity suggestions, while others are deciding on their own. Celebrities in the US and beyond have been named in the blockout.
Blocking is up to each social media user. And every celebrity, influencer or content creator must be blocked individually on each platform.
HOW DID THE BLOCKOUT START?
Protests around the Israel-Hamas war have grown, with encampments on college campuses around the country. Amid those movements, attention to what celebrities and influencers were, or weren’t, saying got a boost after the Met Gala last week.
The annual party draws a host of famous faces from the worlds of fashion, movies, music, sports and more. It’s known for its over-the-top arrivals carpet and the elaborate outfits celebrities wear. This year, the gala was circled by protesters for much of the evening.
Social media was flooded with images from the star-studded event. Around the same time, images circulated as Israel launched a military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. That led to some users calling out the contrast between the gala’s celebrity opulence and the situation in Gaza — using images from both — and condemning celebrities for not using their platforms to speak up for those who are suffering.
WILL THE BLOCKOUT BE EFFECTIVE?
The effectiveness and staying power of the blockade are yet to be seen, said Beth Fossen, assistant professor of marketing at Indiana University. It might depend on the celebrity and what they’re known for — a famous person whose “brand” is tied to humanitarian causes may be more affected than one known primarily for talent, she added.
“If your identity is really tied to promoting something that is key to the boycotting, then this could potentially have really serious consequences for you,” Fossen said. “There might be some influencers that gain their fame by sort of promoting peace and then they’re being silent on this issue — followers may not forgive them.”
IS THERE BLOCKOUT BACKLASH?
There has been criticism of the blockout, with some saying the focus on celebrities takes attention away from what’s happening on the ground in Gaza. Others question what the parameters are for judging whether someone should be blocked — and what would constitute a well-known person speaking out or doing enough.
Couturier Gaurav Gupta on the Met Gala, dressing Beyonce and his Arab clients
- Gaurav Gupta flew to Dubai to showcase his latest collection just before he made his Met Gala debut by dressing actress Mindy Kaling
- ‘We have many Arab brides coming to us for their wedding dresses,’ he told Arab News
DUBAI: Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta is no stranger to the limelight. Over the past two years, his clothes have become regular sightings at the Oscars, Grammys and the Cannes Film Festival. His celebrity client list gets longer by the season, especially since his debut on the Paris Haute Couture Week calendar in January 2023.
Last year, he was in the news globally for dressing Beyonce not once but three times during her world tour and this week he made his Met Gala debut by dressing Hollywood’s Mindy Kaling at the coveted event in New York. Arab News spoke to the designer during a recent visit to Dubai, where he was exhibiting select pieces from his Spring/Summer 2024 couture collection.
“I don’t have the entire collection here, many of the pieces are still with celebrities in (Los Angeles),” laughed Gupta. The collection, titled “Arohanam,” embodies his tryst with sculptural garments and sees him experiment with complex garment construction techniques.
“We’ve worked with new techniques like the reptilian cage embroidery with the bugle beads on some of the clothes. It was also the first time we’ve done metal casting – and there are snakes on a metal breastplate,” he explained.
“We’ve had clients from all over the world, including the Middle East,” the couturier said, adding that bridalwear is of particular interest to clients in the Gulf.
“We have many Arab brides coming to us for their wedding dresses, so that’s why I brought the white gown that closed the Paris show,” he noted.
As he approaches the two-decade mark of his brand, New Delhi-raised Gupta has much to commemorate. He is the third Indian designer to be a regular on the Paris Haute Couture Week Calendar and his international acclaim is skyrocketing.
In April, US icon Mariah Carey wore a crystal gown by the designer during a performance in Las Vegas, Shakira recently sported a gown by the designer in a magazine shoot and superstar Beyonce showcased three of his designs during her “Renaissance” tour — a custom crystal bodysuit, a neon green sari-style gown, and a crystal-encrusted gown that took 700 hours to create.
“Every moment we’ve shared with her has been iconic, they’re all so unique and are almost historic. Interestingly, the neon green sari wasn’t custom-made for her, it was from our ‘Hiranyagarbha’ collection. It was selected …and was sized for her.”
Did he envision this when he embarked on his journey all those years ago?
“I always felt that something significant would happen and now it’s all unfolding at once. I’m in that overwhelming swirl of things right now,” he said.
British Lebanese actress Razane Jammal named Cartier ambassador
DUBAI: British Lebanese actress Razane Jammal has been named Cartier’s newest brand ambassador.
“It is my absolute honor to be joining the Cartier family,” the actress, famous for her roles in the Netflix series “The Sandman” and “Paranormal,” said in a statement. “I look forward to work with a Maison known for its timelessness and iconicity.”
Jammal – who also made headlines for her role in the show “Al-Thaman” – took to Instagram to share a series of images from a shoot with the French luxury label.
In one ensemble, she wore a black suit, complemented by understated gold jewelry, including a necklace, a watch, a bracelet, a ring and earrings.
In another look, she was adorned in a white blazer, accentuating with dangling diamond earrings and a coordinating necklace.
This is not the first time Jammal has worked with Cartier.
In March, she starred in the brand’s Ramadan campaign alongside Saudi athlete Husein Alireza, Egyptian Montenegrin model and actress Tara Emad, Tunisian actor Dhaffer L’Abidine and Emirati host Anas Bukhash.
In March 2023, Jammal walked the runway at a Cartier event in Dubai. She wore a black form-fitting dress with a plunging neckline, a thigh-high slit from the center and padded shoulders.
She walked alongside a long list of celebrities from the Arab world including Saudi actress and filmmaker Fatima Al-Banawi, Egyptian veteran star Yusra, Egyptian Tunisian actress Hend Sabri, French Algerian filmmaker Farida Khelfa, Somali model Rawdah Mohamed, Emad, L’Abidine, and Bukhash.
In January this year, Jammal was also named the brand ambassador for French luxury label Dior’s beauty line Dior Beauty.
“It was such an incredible experience to represent the iconic fashion house of @dior. It is a privilege to be able to represent my culture within a brand with a strong history of empowering women,” she wrote to her Instagram followers at the time. “I’m grateful to see my Dior family grow and to be aligned with exceptional women from both sides of the pond. Thank you for your trust in me.”
In October 2022, she was named the Middle East’s ambassador for Dior, the fashion house.
Saudi Film Commission takes charge of cinema sector
- First phase includes regulating licensing for the operation of permanent, temporary and special cinemas
- CEO Abdullah Al-Qahtani: The Film Commission will undertake a comprehensive review of all procedures related to the cinematic sector
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Film Commission has announced it will now have oversight over the cinema sector, which will no longer fall under the jurisdiction of the General Authority of Media Regulation.
The Council of Ministers had ordered the change, which has now been implemented after the completion of the required regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The first phase includes regulating licensing for the operation of permanent, temporary and special cinemas, as well as the production, distribution and import of movies, videos and television programs.
Abdullah Al-Qahtani, the commission’s CEO, said: “The Film Commission will undertake a comprehensive review of all procedures related to the cinematic sector with the aim of their development and enhancement.
“Key improvements will focus on enhancing the customer experience by streamlining and optimizing the processes required for all activities in the cinematic sector. This will involve reviewing the licensing requirements for the film sector, as well as simplifying the licensing process and application for related services.”
The commission posted on X: “The film and cinema sector jurisdiction has been transferred from the General Authority for Media Regulation to the Film Commission. This move, facilitated by continuous cooperation and support between the two bodies, underscores the commission’s ongoing commitment to developing and improving the sector.”
The commission’s board has approved a reduction in fees for cinema licenses. It has also waived operational license fees for three years until 2027, covering permanent, temporary, and special cinema halls. Applications for licenses can now be made through the unified electronic platform Abde’a.
US students stage walkout to protest Jerry Seinfeld’s ceremony speech
DUBAI: Several students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony on Sunday to protest its guest speaker, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, over his support of Israel amid the war in Gaza.
Video of the incident posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) shows a group of students walking out of their seats and carrying a Palestinian flag as soon as the comedian and TV star was called to the stage.
The attention to the protesters was quickly diverted by the cheering crowd, who chanted, “Jerry! Jerry!” as Seinfeld would go on to give his speech and accept an honorary degree from Duke.
However, several boos and chants of “Free Palestine” could also be heard.
Seinfeld has been vocal in his support for Israel following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
The comedian also met with families of the hostages and visited a kibbutz during a trip to Israel in December.
The walkout at Duke's graduation was the latest manifestation of protests that have taken over US campuses as students call for universities to divest from arms suppliers and other companies profiting from the war.
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