Free Republic

Will this stem the MSM's flood of deserved praise for Prince? It turns out that Touré--better known in these parts as a former spoke in MSNBC's since-cancelled Cycle--is also a Prince biographer, his book published in 2013. Appearing on With All Due Respect today, Touré cited two sources: Prince's former sound engineer, and a member of his band, for the proposition that Prince was a "conservative" and a "Republican." Touré embraced the notion himself, but offered a pejorative notion of what it means to be a conservative: "I am making money, I'm successful, I want this money and this success...

Aretha Franklin reacted to the death of Prince today on MSNBC: Franklin speculated that Prince died because of Zika. "But, you know, they're saying flu-like symptoms. i'm wondering if it had anything to do with this Zika virus," said Franklin.

Vanity, lead singer of the '80s girl group Vanity 6, has died after years of battling kidney failure and, more recently, an abdominal illness. Vanity, whose real name was Denise Katrina Matthews, passed away in a Fremont, CA hospital on Monday, according to sources close to her family. A few months ago she set up a GoFundMe page, and said she'd been diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, an inflammation of the small intestines. ...

When is a White House event for 500 people considered “private?” They won’t say. Nor would they say, in advance, that hundreds of guests were expected on Saturday night for a soiree and serenade from Prince, as guests of the President and First Lady. All White House spokesman Josh Earnest would say about the Saturday event was that the First Family paid for it (though he wouldn’t elaborate on how much it cost, or whether things like security were also covered).

At the White House today, Press Secretary Josh Earnest defended Saturday night’s “private” concert with Prince. Although rumors had surfaced about the concert, the White House was silent about the event that brought up to 500 people to the event and did not inform the press about it. News of the event quickly leaked on social media – including posts from Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Rev. Al Sharpton. Earnest indicated that the Obama family paid for the event at the White House, telling reporters that the first couple “did it on their own dime.” When repeatedly questioned about

Administration officials are remaining tight-lipped on a private party featuring Prince and Stevie Wonder at the White House over the weekend. During Monday's daily briefing, reporters drilled White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest for details on the star-studded event, which was not included in the President's public schedule, but was documented by guests on social media. "The President and First Lady did hold a private party at the White House over the weekend, but given the private nature of that event I don't have a lot of details to discuss from here," Earnest said.

In subsequent questioning, Earnest said that "the president and first lady paid for the event," although he did not detail the exact cost. The concert audience included prominent business leaders, celebrities, senior administration officials and fashion heavyweights close to the Obamas, according to The New York Post's Page Six. Among them were American Express chairman Ken Chenault, D.C. philanthropist David Rubenstein, fashion designer Naeem Khan and ABC stars Connie Britton and Tracee Ellis Ross. The Wall Street Journal's Carol Lee, who will assume the presidency of the White House Correspondents Association next month, questioned why the administration decided to treat...

A weird thing to do during a pending case for an officer of the court who’s already been accused, and not just by police, of ramping up the charges against the Baltimore cops who arrested Gray for political reasons. Maybe save the pop-star grandstanding until after we figure out whether Mosby was right or wrong when she told the universe Gray was arrested unlawfully, no?On the other hand, how could a young aspiring mayor/governor/senator resist a photo op like this? The audience spanned a wide range of ages and backgrounds, much like Prince’s fanbase. Many were surprised to see...

Prince released his much-anticipated protest song about “Baltimore” on Saturday — one day before his scheduled “Rally 4 Peace” concert in the troubled city.

Prince will share his feelings on the unrest in Baltimore in the way he knows best -- in song. The legendary artist has recorded a “tribute to all of the people of the city of Baltimore,” a spokesperson tells Billboard. Though release plans haven’t been announced, it's understood the track will address Freddie Gray's death in Baltimore police custody, and the socio/political issues around the nation following a spate of killings of young black men.

Prince Treated for Drug Overdose Days Before Death Prince Treated for Drug Overdose Days Before Death 7,254 4/21/2016 4:51 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF EXCLUSIVE 42116-prince-getty-04Prince was treated for a drug overdose 6 days before his death ... multiple sources tell TMZ. We broke the story ... Prince's private jet made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois last Friday, hours after he performed in Atlanta. At the time his reps said he was battling the flu ... something we questioned because his plane was only 48 minutes from home before the unscheduled landing. Multiple sources in Moline tell us, Prince...

I woke up Thursday morning. The first thing on my agenda was a 10 a.m. call with my partners, Tim More and promoter Donnie Frezell, to put together the guarantee fee for three shows with Prince in California this coming summer.

TMZ is reporting that Prince has died in Minnesota. Prince’s publicist has confirmed the news to his hometown newspaper. The site first reported the news that authorities responded to a medical emergency at his Paisley Park home and studio on Thursday morning. According to Carver County Sheriff Chief Deputy Jason Kamerud, deputies responded to Paisley Park at 9:43 a.m.

The artist known as Prince has died ... TMZ has learned. He was 57. Prince's body was discovered at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota early Thursday morning. Multiple sources connected to the singer confirmed he had passed.

"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning," publicist Yvette Noel-Schure said.

Keith Hefner, Credited with Playboy 'Bunny Dip,' Died Friday Born in Chicago, Hugh Hefner's younger brother was a longtime executive with Playboy and played a role in creating the Playboy Club. Chicago, IL By Dennis Robaugh (Patch National Staff) - April 8, 2016 10:54 pm ET BEVERLY HILLS, CA -- Keith Hefner, an entertainer, Playboy executive and the younger brother of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, died at his Beverly Hills home Friday following a battle with cancer. He was 87. The younger Hefner was a fixture on the reality TV show about Hugh's life with his three girlfriends, The Girls...

He received his first credit, at age 81, for playing Izzy Mandelbaum Sr., the father of Lloyd Bridges' character, on the sitcom. Earl Schuman, who got his first acting credit at age 81 when he portrayed the father of Lloyd Bridges' character on an episode of Seinfeld, has died. He was 100. Schuman died Thursday at an assisted living facility in Santa Clarita, Calif., his son, Micky, said. In the Seinfeld episode "The English Patient," which first aired on NBC in March 1997, Schuman plays Izzy Mandelbaum Sr., whose son is an ultra-competitive 80-year-old (Bridges) who throws out his back...

Merle Haggard has died after a series of recent health struggles. The legendary singer passed away on April 6, 2016, which was also his 79th birthday. Haggard canceled tour dates in December of 2015 after he checked into a hospital and learned he had double pneumonia.

Australian author, journalist and speech writer for the center-left Labor Party Bob Ellis died at his Sydney home of liver cancer on Sunday, his son said. He was 73 years old. […] Ellis’s accomplishments include the screenplay for the acclaimed 1978 Australian movie “Newsfront” and the autobiographical 1992 movie “The Nostradamus Kid.” He wrote 19 books including best-selling “Goodbye Jerusalem” that was pulped in 1998 after then conservative government ministers Tony Abbott — who later became prime minister — and Peter Costello sued for defamation. …

The pianist for British band Thunderclap Newman, founded by The Who's Pete Townshend, died at his home in London. His band mate and close friend Mark Brzezicki confirmed the news to the Press Association. Brzezicki, the drummer for Big Country and Thunderclap Newman, described him as an "unsung musical genius" who will be greatly missed. Writing on Facebook, he said it was "an honour both knowing and working with you Andy". The Who also reported the news on their official Facebook page, writing: " It is with great sadness that we report the death of Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman, who passed...