President-elect Donald Trump is making waves again, vowing to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. In a Tuesday press conference, he declared, “What a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate. It’s appropriate,” referencing his past (and unfulfilled) promise to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it. Whether this renaming gains traction remains to be seen, but it’s certainly raising eyebrows.
Across the country, Los Angeles is currently battling multiple wildfires, prompting evacuations and stretching firefighting resources thin. Officials are urging residents to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders as needed. First responders are working around the clock in dangerous conditions, and many families have been displaced. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by these devastating fires.
On the entertainment front, nominations for the 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards are in, featuring a strong lineup: Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood), Damon Wayans (Poppa’s House), and Mike Epps (The Upshaws) for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series; Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood) and Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series; and Damon Wayans, Jr. (Poppa’s House) and Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) for Supporting Actor. Aldis Hodge (Cross) earned a nod for Lead Actor in a Drama, while Kevin Hart, Don Cheadle, Cynthia Erivo, and Steve Harvey also scored nominations. You can vote for your favorites at www.naacpimageawards.net before the show airs live on BET and CBS, on Saturday, February 22.
In sports, the feud between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O’Neal is escalating. Dwight recently claimed he never disrespected Shaq, nor aspired to be him, and questioned if they needed to “throw hands” to settle their differences. Shaq fired back on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he doesn’t care about Dwight and calling him a “sensitive big man” who can’t take a joke. He even went so far as to say he won’t mention Dwight’s name again—ending his post with, “Have a great day and now you have been deleted.” Whether these two will truly bury the hatchet remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris continues to display unwavering grace in the face of post-election challenges. On January 6, she presided over the certification of her own electoral defeat—a surreal moment for any politician—and a video went viral showing Nebraska Republican Senator Deb Fischer’s husband, Bruce Fischer, seemingly ignoring Harris’s attempted handshake. Many praised the vice president for maintaining composure in what appeared to be a disrespectful moment. As she continues her fight for democracy, we’re left to wonder how any of us might handle such public slights.