I could’ve told you this a long time ago: A viral TikTok trend featuring kids telling their family members that celebrities have died wasn’t a bandwagon to jump on.
Unfortunately, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance’s 16-year-old son Slater joined in on the prank — and now he’s issued an apology for his participation.
On New Year's Eve, Slater shared a heartbreaking video apology after he tricked his parents with the fake news that Angela's Black Panther costar, Michael B. Jordan, had died.
"I apologize to Michael B. Jordan's entire family, extended family, and him directly, as he is an idol of mine."
"Taking part in a trend like this is completely disrespectful. I don't wish any bad ramifications of this on his family nor my parents, as they deserve none of the backlash. I know this was a mistake."
In a now-deleted video on TikTok, Slater filmed Angela and Courtney reacting to him reading a fake news story, saying, "Did you hear this? Michael B. Jordan dead at 35?"
Angela was immediately distraught, while Courtney was skeptical. The joke is extremely uncomfortable, considering Angela's relationship with friend and Black Panther costar Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020.
Slater believes owning up to his mistake could prevent others from continuing harmful trends. "I hope this can be a teaching lesson to anyone out there who also uses social media as a tool and a source of entertainment to truly understand that your actions can have consequences that extend beyond you," he said.
"I apologize for any hurt that my actions may have caused Mr. Jordan or my parents or anyone else who could have been involved in this. And I am truly, truly and sincerely sorry."
Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.
Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.
With free agency and the draft behind us, what 32 teams look like today will likely be what they look like Week 1 and beyond for the 2024 season. Matt Harmon and Scott Pianowski reveal the post-draft fantasy power rankings. The duo break down the rankings in six tiers: Elite offensive ecosystems, teams on the cusp of being complete mixed bag ecosystems, offensive ecosystems with something to prove, offenses that could go either way, and offenses that are best to stay away from in fantasy.
It’s key to note that we’re not saying the “best team” or “best roster.” Instead, we’re talking about the best confluence of factors that can outline a path for survival and then success.