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Forever remembered. After losing beloved stars including Barbara Walters, Kirstie Alley and Stephen “tWitch” Boss in the final days of 2022, the entertainment industry continued to deal with loss in 2023.
Lola “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell — a former member of hit-heavy hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia — was found dead in her home on New Year’s Day, the Associated Press reported. The “Where Dem Dollas At” rapper was 43.
“The Mitchell family would like to thank everyone for their condolences regarding the untimely death of Lola ‘Gangsta Boo’ Mitchell,” the “Mafia” artist’s family said in a statement. “The family is asking for your continued prayers and privacy as we process the loss of our loved one.”
That same day, Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White’s brother announced the musician’s death.
“Dearest Family Friends and Fans….. Our family is saddened today With the loss of an amazing and talented family member, Our beloved brother Frederick Eugene ‘Freddie’ White. 🥁🥁,” Verdine White captioned a series of throwback photos via Instagram of the “September” artist drumming for and posing with the band. He called his sibling a “child protégé” and noted he was a “member of the EWF ORIGINAL 9, with gold records at the young age of 16 years old!” White was 67.
Alan Rankine — a founding member of the Scottish band The Associates — “died peacefully at home shortly after spending Christmas with his family,” his two sons announced via Facebook on January 2, noting that they would keep his social media accounts active because “the community meant a lot to our dad.” The ‘80s pop star was 64.
January 2 also marked the passing of rally driver and YouTuber Ken Block, who was killed in a snowmobile accident.
{ let bidders = [‘a9’, ‘ix’, ‘iris’]; // create a requestManager to keep track of bidder state to determine when to send ad server // request and what amazonSlots to request from the ad server var requestManager = { adserverRequestSent: false, }; //loop through bidder array and add the bidders to the request manager: bidders.forEach( function( bidder ) { requestManager[bidder] = false; } ); // return true if all bidders have returned function allBiddersBack() { var allBiddersBack = bidders // get the booleans from the object .map( function( bidder ) { return requestManager[bidder]; } ) // get rid of false values – indicates that the bidder has responded .filter( Boolean ) // if length is equal to bidders, all bidders are back .length === bidders.length; return allBiddersBack; } // handler for header bidder responses function headerBidderBack( bidder ) { // return early if request to adserver is already sent if ( requestManager.adserverRequestSent === true ) { return; } // flip bidder back flag if ( bidder === ‘a9’ ) { requestManager.a9 = true; console.log(‘second promise a9 ready’); } else if ( bidder === ‘ix’ ) { requestManager.ix = true; console.log(‘second promise ix ready’); } else if ( bidder === ‘iris’ ) { requestManager.iris = true; console.log(‘second promise iris ready’); } // if all bidders are back, send the request to the ad server if ( allBiddersBack() ) { resolve( url ); } } if ( typeof apstag == ‘object’ && apstag ) { apstag.fetchBids({ slots: [{ slotID: window.prerollTag[vHash], mediaType: ‘video’ }] }, function( bids ) { console.log( “AMI jwp amazon bid callback”, new Date().getTime(), bids ); window.jwpBids[vHash].amazon = true; if ( bids.length > 0 ) { //If we have received any bids back try { console.log(“AMI jwp amazon bid request ad”, bids[0].encodedQsParams); url = url + ‘&scp=’ + bids[0].encodedQsParams; } catch ( e ) { console.log(e); } } else { console.log(“AMI jwp amazon no bids”); } headerBidderBack(‘a9’); }); } else { headerBidderBack(‘a9’); } headertag.cmd.push( function() { headertag.retrieveVideoDemand( [{‘htSlotName’: ‘preroll’}], function( demand ) { console.log( “AMI jwp IX callback”, demand ); if ( ‘undefined’ !== typeof demand.preroll && demand.preroll.length ){ window.jwpBids[vHash].ixBids = demand.preroll[0].targeting.price; console.log( ‘AMI jwp IX Bids’, new Date().getTime(), demand.preroll[0].targeting ); var vastURL = new URL( url ); var vastParams = new URLSearchParams( vastURL.search ); if ( vastParams.has( ‘cust_params’ ) ) { var custParams = new URLSearchParams( vastParams.get( ‘cust_params’ ) ); } else { var custParams = new URLSearchParams(); } var keys = Object.keys( demand.preroll[0].targeting.price ); for ( var key of keys ) { custParams.set( key, demand.preroll[0].targeting.price[key][0]); } vastParams.set( ‘cust_params’, custParams.toString() ); vastURL.search = vastParams.toString(); url = vastURL.toString(); } headerBidderBack(‘ix’); } ); } ); // Get main item context data window.irisContext.getContext(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem().mediaid).then(function(data) { // Encode the context data console.log( ‘AMI jwp IrisTV Bids’, new Date().getTime(), data.context ); // Replace the server url with the context data (this is for simple ad requests), // If you have the serverUrl dynamically configured, then you will need to append the context data // under cust_params, so this is just for testing purpose if ( data.context && Object.keys( data.context ).length ) { var vastURL = new URL( url ); var vastParams = new URLSearchParams( vastURL.search ); if ( vastParams.has( ‘cust_params’ ) ) { var custParams = new URLSearchParams( vastParams.get( ‘cust_params’ ) ); } else { var custParams = new URLSearchParams(); } custParams.set( ‘iris_context’, data.context.join(‘,’)); vastParams.set( ‘cust_params’, decodeURIComponent( custParams.toString() ) ); vastURL.search = vastParams.toString(); url = vastURL.toString(); } headerBidderBack(‘iris’); }); setTimeout(function(){ resolve( url ); }, 10000); }); } var player_jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div = jwplayer(el).setup(videoParams).on(“ready”, function(){ var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var playerInstance = jwplayer(el); ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer( playerInstance, { publisherId: “6036076”, labelmapping: “ns_st_pu=”AMI”, c3=”Us Weekly”, ns_st_ge=”” + decodeURIComponent( “%2Anull” ) + “”, ns_st_ia=”” + decodeURIComponent( “%2Anull” ) + “”, ns_st_ce=”” + decodeURIComponent( “1” ) + “”, ns_st_ddt=”” + decodeURIComponent( “%2Anull” ) + “”, ns_st_tdt=”” + decodeURIComponent( “%2Anull” ) + “””, }); }).on(‘adsManager’, (e) => { var vHash = ‘ami’ + decodeURIComponent( ‘nkLOMINB’ ); const { adsManager, videoElement } = e; const iasConfig = { anId: ‘928572’, campId: `${jwplayer().getWidth()}x${jwplayer().getHeight()}`, // This is dynamic based on player dimensions, but can be hard coded chanId: window.prerollTag[vHash], placementId: ‘Open Auction’, pubOrder: ‘Video’, pubId: ‘Direct’ }; if (googleImaVansAdapter) { googleImaVansAdapter.init(window.google, adsManager, videoElement, iasConfig); } }).on( ‘time’, function( e ) { var id = this.id; var pct = Math.round( e.position ); if ( ! window.amiPlayersData ) { window.amiPlayersData = {}; } if ( ! window.amiPlayersData[id] ) { window.amiPlayersData[id] = { m3: false, m10: false }; } if ( window.amiPlayersData[id][‘m3’] === false && pct >= 3 ) { window.amiPlayersData[id][‘m3’] = true; console.log( ‘3sec played: ‘, id ); window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; dataLayer.push( {event: ‘JWPlayEvent’, jwTime: ‘3s played’} ); } if ( window.amiPlayersData[id][‘m10’] === false && pct >= 10 ) { window.amiPlayersData[id][‘m10’] = true; console.log( ’10sec played: ‘, id ); window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; dataLayer.push( {event: ‘JWPlayEvent’, jwTime: ’10s played’} ); } }).on( ‘complete’, function( e ) { if ( window.amiPlayersData && window.amiPlayersData[ this.id ] ) { window.amiPlayersData[ this.id ][‘m3’] = false; window.amiPlayersData[ this.id ][‘m10’] = false; console.log( ‘clear played: ‘, this.id ); } }).once(“play”, function(){ var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var playerInstance = jwplayer(el); 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if ( 0.25 === progress ) { window.lock_25 = true; } if ( 0.5 === progress ) { window.lock_50 = true; } if ( 0.75 === progress ) { window.lock_75 = true; } if ( 1 === progress ) { window.lock_100 = true; } console.log(“Permutive video play progress ” + progress); } }).on(‘mute’, (e) => { var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var vHash = “ami” + decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ); var jwInfo = jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistIndex()); window.permutive.track(“VideoEvent”, { play_id: el, //this will stay constant for all of the events emitted during the same video play event: (e.mute) ? “sound off” : “sound on”, video: { duration: Math.round(jwInfo.duration), // in seconds name: jwInfo.title, video_id: decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ), description: jwInfo.description, published_at: new Date(jwInfo.pubdate).toISOString() } }); console.log(“Permutive video event:”, e); }).on(‘fullscreen’, (e) => { var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var vHash = “ami” + decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ); var jwInfo = jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistIndex()); window.permutive.track(“VideoEvent”, { play_id: el, //this will stay constant for all of the events emitted during the same video play event: (e.fullscreen) ? “fullscreen on” : “fullscreen off”, video: { duration: Math.round(jwInfo.duration), // in seconds name: jwInfo.title, video_id: decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ), description: jwInfo.description, published_at: new Date(jwInfo.pubdate).toISOString() } }); console.log(“Permutive video event:”, e); }).on(‘ready’, (e) => { var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var vHash = “ami” + decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ); var jwInfo = jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistIndex()); console.log(jwInfo); window.lock_25 = false; window.lock_50 = false; window.lock_75 = false; window.lock_100 = false; window.permutive.track(“VideoLoad”, { play_id: el, //this will stay constant for all of the events emitted during the same video play video: { duration: Math.round(jwInfo.duration), // in seconds name: jwInfo.title, video_id: decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ), description: jwInfo.description, published_at: new Date(jwInfo.pubdate).toISOString() }, enriched_data:{ tvchannel: decodeURIComponent( “Us%20Weekly” ), //tv channel name language: “English”, //language of the content type: “video”, keywords: jwInfo.tags.split(“,”), //keywords for the page } }); console.log(“Permutive video load event”); }).on(‘adPlay’, (e) => { var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var vHash = “ami” + decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ); window.adInfo = e; var jwInfo = jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistIndex()); window.adlock_25 = false; window.adlock_50 = false; window.adlock_75 = false; window.adlock_100 = false; window.permutive.track(“VideoAdPlay”, { play_id: el, //this will stay constant for all of the events emitted during the same video play ad: { duration: Math.round(window.adInfo.duration), creative_name: window.adInfo.adtitle, ad_id: window.adInfo.adId, title: window.adInfo.adtitle, video_type: “instream” //outstream }, video: { duration: Math.round(jwInfo.duration), // in seconds name: jwInfo.title, video_id: decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ), description: jwInfo.description, published_at: new Date(jwInfo.pubdate).toISOString() }, enriched_data:{ tvchannel: decodeURIComponent( “Us%20Weekly” ), //tv channel name language: “English”, //language of the content type: “video”, keywords: jwInfo.tags.split(“,”), //keywords for the page } }); console.log(“Permutive video ad play”); }).on(‘adClick’, (e) => { var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var vHash = “ami” + decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ); var jwInfo = jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistIndex()); window.permutive.track(“VideoAdClick”, { play_id: el, //this will stay constant for all of the events emitted during the same video play ad: { duration: Math.round(window.adInfo.duration), creative_name: window.adInfo.adtitle, ad_id: window.adInfo.adId, title: window.adInfo.adtitle, video_type: “instream” //outstream }, video: { duration: Math.round(jwInfo.duration), // in seconds name: jwInfo.title, video_id: decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ), description: jwInfo.description, published_at: new Date(jwInfo.pubdate).toISOString() }, enriched_data:{ tvchannel: decodeURIComponent( “Us%20Weekly” ), //tv channel name language: “English”, //language of the content type: “video”, keywords: jwInfo.tags.split(“,”), //keywords for the page } }); console.log(“Permutive video ad click”); }).on(‘adTime’, (e) => { var el = decodeURIComponent( “jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div” ); var vHash = “ami” + decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ); var jwInfo = jwplayer(el).getPlaylistItem(jwplayer(el).getPlaylistIndex()); var progress = (e.position/e.duration).toFixed(2); if ( (0.25 >= progress && false === window.adlock_25) || (0.5 >= progress && false === window.adlock_50) || (0.75 >= progress && false === window.adlock_75) || (0.95 >= progress && false === window.adlock_100) ) { window.permutive.track(“VideoAdProgress”, { play_id: el, //this will stay constant for all of the events emitted during the same video play progress: Number(progress), ad: { duration: Math.round(window.adInfo.duration), creative_name: window.adInfo.adtitle, ad_id: window.adInfo.adId, title: window.adInfo.adtitle, video_type: “instream” //outstream }, video: { duration: Math.round(jwInfo.duration), // in seconds name: jwInfo.title, video_id: decodeURIComponent( “nkLOMINB” ), description: jwInfo.description, published_at: new Date(jwInfo.pubdate).toISOString() }, enriched_data:{ tvchannel: decodeURIComponent( “Us%20Weekly” ), //tv channel name language: “English”, //language of the content type: “video”, keywords: jwInfo.tags.split(“,”), //keywords for the page } }); if ( 0.25 >= progress ) { window.adlock_25 = true; } if ( 0.5 >= progress ) { window.adlock_50 = true; } if ( 0.75 >= progress ) { window.adlock_75 = true; } if ( 0.95 >= progress ) { window.adlock_100 = true; } console.log(“Permutive video ad progress ” + progress); } }).setPlaylistItemCallback(function(item, index) { return waitForAmazon // Wait until Amazon is loaded. .then(() => performAsyncBidding( player_jwplayer_nkLOMINB_zhNYySv2_div, item, index ), () => { console.log(“AMI JWP bidding FAILER”); }) // External bidding. .then(tag => { // Update the playlist item. console.log(“AMI jwp new headerbid”, tag); return Object.assign({}, item, { adschedule: [{ tag, offset: “pre” }] }); }).catch(function(e){ console.log(“AMI jwp bidding failed”, e); return item; }); // If bidding fails, use unmodified playlist item. });; clearInterval(checkJWReady); } }, 500); })(); ]]>
“Ken was a visionary, a pioneer and an icon. And most importantly, a father and husband,” his Hoonigan Racing team said in a statement at the time, per CNN. “He will be incredibly missed. Please respect the family’s privacy at this time while they grieve.”
The sports professional died after riding the vehicle down a slope in Utah. The snowmobile toppled over him and he was pronounced dead at the scene after succumbing to injuries sustained from the accident, CNN reported. “Mr. Block was riding with a group but was alone when the accident occurred,” the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office’s said in a statement. Block was 55.
The Wire star Lance Reddick passed away at the age of 60 amid the press tour for the film John Wick: Chapter 4. A rep for the actor confirmed to Us Weekly in a March 17 statement that he died of “natural causes.”
That same day, Reddick’s John Wick costar Keanu Reeves and the series’ director, Chad Stahelski, paid tribute to the late star in a joint statement. “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick. He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with,” the pair told Variety at the time. “Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, his children, family and friends. We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly.”
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Read on to remember all the stars who have died in 2023:
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