Sherman Hemsley, Star of 'The Jeffersons,' Dead At 74

Sad news for fans of groundbreaking TV show "The Jeffersons," star Sherman Hemsley died on Tuesday (July 24). The television icon was at his home in El Paso, Texas, where he is believed to have died of natural causes, according to TMZ.
The 74-year-old actor began his career on Broadway in the early '70s, where he was spotted by legendary TV producer/ sitcom godfather Norman Lear, who asked him to audition for a role on his wildly popular show. The series, "All in the Family," would make Hemsley a household name. Although it took him two years to accept Lear's invitation, Hemsley became an instant favorite upon joining the cast in 1973, thanks in large part to the magnetic chemistry and hilarious banter between Hemsley and his TV wife, Isabel Sanford.
George (Hemsley) and Louise "Weezy" Jefferson (Sanford) were given their own show in 1975, spinning off their characters into "The Jeffersons," which aired on CBS for 11 seasons and 253 episodes. The onscreen couple were working-class Harlem, New York, natives who moved up the economic and social ladder after George opened and expanded a chain of dry cleaners. The show went on to garner countless award nominations and is considered a landmark program in television history. It is still the longest-aired sitcom with a predominately African-American cast. According to the Museum of Broadcast Communications, it was also the first TV show to feature a married interracial couple.
After the end of "The Jeffersons," Hemsley continued to act on multiple television shows and in films, including the hit '80s sitcom "Amen," on which he played a church deacon. But George Jefferson will be Hemsley's enduring legacy, a role he often reprised alongside Sanford. The fictional couple appeared in the series finale of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," an Old Navy campaign and took home a TV Land award for "Most Cantankerous Couple." Sanford passed away in 2004.
Send your condolences and share your TV memories of Sherman Hemsley in the comments section

Utah Man’s Self-Written Obituary Goes Viral

A self-written obituary is gaining national attention after a dying man signed off with a humorous confession. Val Patterson died of throat cancer earlier this month, but not before revealing secrets that even some of his family members didn’t know.

Trace Gallagher said this obituary went viral so fast that when the funeral home posted it on their website that it crashed because they were getting 100,000 hits per minute.

The obituary starts out with Patterson talking about his passion for science and the love he has for his wife of 33 years, but then it takes a surprising turn, with him admitting that he was a thief:

“As it turns out, I AM the guy who stole the safe from View Drive Inn back in June, 1971. I could’ve left that unsaid, but I wanted to get it off my chest,” he wrote. “…The day I went to pay off my college student loan at the U of U, the girl working there put my receipt into the wrong stack, and two weeks later a PhD diploma came in the mail. I didn’t even graduate … In fact, I never did even learn what the letters ‘PhD’ even stood for.”

Patterson went on to say that he had a great life and that he traveled where he wanted and ate what he wanted. His two regrets: smoking, which led to his throat cancer, and that he could not spend his older years with the woman of his dreams.

His one bit of advice, “If you want to live forever, don’t quit breathing like I did.

Student sues IG N100m

IBADAN—A student of  Osun State College of Education,  Mr. Adebayo Olaide, has filed a N100 million suit against Inspector-General of Police, a policeman, Mr. Mukailu Gujuba, with number 768142 and three others for loss of his eyes and violation of his rights.

In the suit filed at an Oyo State High Court, the applicant wants the court to determine whether  the alleged  conduct of the third respondent, Gujuba, who used  a stick and the butt of his rifle to hit his eyes was lawful or not.

According to the charge sheet, the alleged crime was committed at Alagbayun Village in the  Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Mashud Abass, has fixed October 17 for hearing.

Counsel to the applicant, Mr. Peter Idowu, in the suit marked M/554/11, stated that the money demanded was the general, exemplary and aggravated damages for the violation of his client’s fundamental human rights which resulted in loss of the left eye of the applicant and also  a severe damage to his right eye.

He expatiated that the alleged offence was committed when his client was on his motorcycle. He said his client  met the accused  at a check point at Alagbayun with sergeant Charles Omonia, sgt Hammed Balogun Ajolasi Bunmi, Abdulmalik Hassan, Morakinyo Joseph , Julius Apin, Abtrous Daniel, Ayeni Sunday,  Akogun Bright and Akaogba Saso.

He submitted that after his client had been checked by some of the policemen and asked to go,  the third respondent,  Gujuba allegedly swung a long stick across the road hitting him in his left eye.

After alleged initial acceptance by the third respondent to be responsible, he denied. But in his counter affidavit filed by his counsel,  O.A. Kupolati, Gujuba  declared that it was an accident adding that he was hanging his rifle on his shoulder  and while  trying to cross road and avoid a collision with the applicant, his riffle accidentally hit the applicant in eye.

Gujuba said to show it was not an intentional action, he  visited the applicant at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and his house. He explained further that it was true he promised to pay the sum of N200, 000 to the claimant to mitigate the pains and has paid N193,000 to him.

EFCC Names First 20 Suspects To Be Arraigned Over $6.8 Billion Fuel Subsidy Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has concluded arrangements to prosecute the first batch 20 suspects implicated in the oil subsidy fraud. The suspects, comprising six oil companies and 11 individuals, will be docked in Lagos courts.
The companies involved are: Nasaman Oil Services; Eternal Oil and Gas Plc; Ontario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited, Axenergy Limited and Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.
 
The 11 individuals involved in the scam are: Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Wagbatsoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele; Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka,  Abdulahi Alao and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.
Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of the accounting firm, Akintola Williams Deloitte while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA.
 
Nasaman Oil Services; Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4, 460, 130, 797. 94 (Four Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Million, One Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira, Ninety Four Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence. The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.
In the same vein, the anti-graft agency will equally prosecute Abdulahi Alao and Axenergy Limited for allegedly obtaining the sum of N2, 640, 141, 707.75 (Two Billion, Six Hundred and Forty Million; One Hundred and Forty One Thousand; Seven Hundred and Seven Naira, Seventy Five Kobo) being payments received from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 33.3 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
 
Others include Mahmud Tukur,  Ochonogor Alex; Abdulahi Alao and Eternal Oil And Gas Plc who will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 899, 238, 946. 02 (One Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety Nine Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty Six Naira, Two Kobo) from the Petroleum support Fund for a purported importation of 80.3million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
Also, Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1, 464, 961, 978.24 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Eight Naira, Twenty- Four Kobo ), being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
Walter Wagbatsoma; Adaoha Ugo -Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel   Olaleye Ejidele and Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 959, 377, 542, .63 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Two Naira, Sixty Three Kobo) from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
Lastly, Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo are to be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 ( Nine Hundred and Seventy Nine Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira, Twenty Eight Kobo), from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.
The 20 suspects are among the over 140 individuals and organisations involved in the on- going investigations into the subsidy payments by the EFCC. More suspects will be arraigned periodically as the investigation progresses.
This investigation is massive and extensive; and the Commission wishes to reassure Nigerians that every effort will be made to bring all those who defrauded the country in the guise of subsidy for imported fuel to book

EXCLUSIVE: Janet Jackson and Jermaine Jackson -- Brother & Sister Face-Off [PHOTO]

TMZ has obtained a photo of Janet Jackson and Jermaine Jackson in a heated exchange at the Jackson family home-- shortly after Sheriff's deputies responded to an alleged battery there on Monday afternoon.In the pic, Janet and her brother Jermaine are in front of the Calabasas compound ... clearly engaged in a heavy conversation.We're told the photo was taken within the same hour LA County Sheriff's deputies went to Katherine Jackson's home ... after someone inside accused someone else of a physical assault.We do not know if Jermaine and Janet were involved in that dispute.As we previously reported, Janet and Jermaine have a lot to discuss -- the letter they and 3 other siblings signed, demanding the Executors of Michael Jackson's Estate step down ... and Katherine Jackson's puzzling trip to Arizona.

EXCLUSIVE: Eddie Griffin Drink Fight -- He Air-Humped My Face ... Woman Claims

The woman who chucked a drink at Eddie Griffin at a recent comedy show, Tells TMZ it was an ACT OF SELF DEFENSE  ... claiming she "felt sexually assaulted" by the comedian after he pumped his crotch into her face. Fiona Walshe -- who is a lesbian -- tells 3m360 ... she and her partner Leslie were having a good time at Tommy T's Comedy Club in Pleasanton, CA last week, until Griffin singled them out due to their sexual orientation. Fiona claims Griffin pointed to her and said, "You're a LESBIAN. All you need is a good man ... I'll volunteer my services. You won't be needing any strap-on's or vibrators with me."She says it got worse from there, "He started to pump his hips into my face. I felt sexually assaulted and I wanted him to stop -- then I threw the drink at him to defend myself."Fiona claims Eddie went off after that ... "He jumped off the stage and onto my table. He started grabbing everything and throwing it at me" ... including a salt and pepper shaker, she says.  She continues, "Before I could get away from him he poured a water bottle on my head and threw it at me." Fiona isn't taking the incident lightly -- her lawyer tells 3m360, "We're seeking an apology from Eddie Griffin and compensation for the public humiliation and emotional distress. There will be a lawsuit if he doesn't make amends."A rep for Eddie had no comment. In case you forgot how the fight ended up ... you can re-live it (below). Awkwaaaaard

Francia Raisa left red-faced after a gust of wind blows her dress up

Actress Francia Raisa was left blushing on the red carpet at the Teen Choice Awards last night after being caught out by a gust of wind