Members of the R&B group Boyz II Men accompanied Keys in an a cappella version of their hit “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" to commemorate Bryant’s life
The 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards was seemingly overshadowed by the unfortunate news of the passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who was pronounced dead just hours before the ceremony after being involved in a helicopter crash.
Host Alicia Keys addressed the tragedy with grace and class, noting that the Staples Center is the home of many memories created by Bryant during his time on the Los Angeles Lakers. His two retired Lakers jerseys will be illuminated during the show’s entirely.
"Kobe and his daughter Gianna, and all of those that have been tragically lost today are in our spirits, in our hearts and our prayers today.... share our strength and our support with their families," said Keys. "We never imagined in a million years we would have to start the show like this... [Music is] the most healing thing in the world, so let’s get some healing going on right now."
Members of the R&B group Boyz II Men accompanied Keys in an a cappella version of their hit “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" to commemorate Bryant’s life.
LOS ANGELES — Basketball lost one of its greatest competitors and most accomplished players Sunday, when Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California. The five-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist was 41.
Bryant was riding in an S-76 helicopter Sunday when it crashed just before 10 a.m. into a hillside near Calabasas, Calif., roughly 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The flight manifest listed nine people on board — one pilot and eight passengers — and there were no survivors, according to local authorities. Gianna Bryant, the former player’s 13-year-old daughter, was confirmed dead.
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary. … He will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability. He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.”
Radar shows fatal flight path of helicopter that killed Kobe Bryant
Data from aircraft-tracking site FlightRadar24 shows the path taken by the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and others on Jan. 26. (FlightRadar24 via Storyful)
Weather observations from the crash area indicated low clouds and restricted visibility, which may have obscured high terrain. The crash sparked a quarter-acre brush fire, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which responded with “15 pieces of apparatus and 56 personnel” to extinguish the blaze. In the hours after the crash, white smoke from the helicopter was visible from nearby Highway 101. Bryant regularly traveled by helicopter during and after his NBA career, and a large crowd of fans quickly descended upon the crash scene to pay their respects.
The smooth shooting guard, who patterned his game after Michael Jordan, entered the NBA straight out of high school in 1996. The Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant with the 13th pick, but immediately traded him to the Lakers, where he spent his entire 20-year career.
“I am in shock over the tragic news of Kobe’s and Gianna’s passing,” Jordan said in a statement. “I loved Kobe — he was like a little brother to me. We used to talk often, and I will miss those conversations very much. He was a fierce competitor, one of the greatest of the game and a creative force. Kobe was also an amazing dad who loved his family deeply — and took great pride in his daughter’s love for the game of basketball.”
By Bryant’s second season, he had earned his first of 18 all-star selections. By his fourth season, he had teamed with Shaquille O’Neal to win the first of three consecutive championships.
“There’s no words to express the pain I’m going through with this tragedy of [losing] my [niece] Gigi & my brother Kobe Bryant,” O’Neal wrote on Twitter. “I love u and u will be missed. My condolences [go] out to the Bryant family.”
In photos: Kobe Bryant through the years
Share
View Photos
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Washington Wizards in the first half at Verizon Center on Dec. 2, 2015 in Washington, DC. Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020. (Rob Carr/AFP/Getty Images)
Bryant, who retired as the NBA’s third-all-time leading scorer with 33,643 points, was expected to be inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on the first ballot this summer. He was a headlining member of a star-studded class that also includes Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
Orange Coast College Baseball Coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and his daughter Alyssa were also passengers on the helicopter, according to a spokesman for the community college. Gianna Bryant and Alyssa Altobelli were basketball teammates.
As news of Bryant’s death spread, reaction came from every corner of the sports world and beyond. President Donald Trump called Bryant’s death “terrible news” on Twitter, while President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle sent “love and prayers … on an unthinkable day” to Bryant’s family.
“Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act,” Obama tweeted. “To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents."
Magic Johnson, a Hall of Fame Lakers player who also served the organization as a coach and executive, said that “the game of basketball [and] our city will never be the same without Kobe.”
Multiple NBA teams held tributes during games on Sunday, intentionally holding the ball to incur a 24-second violation — a nod to one of Bryant’s jersey numbers. Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, who worked out with Bryant last summer, took the court wearing No. 8, Bryant’s other jersey number.
Although his early career partnership with O’Neal didn’t last, Bryant went on to greater heights after their 2004 parting. He won two scoring titles in the years that followed, and he famously scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history. Bryant’s 2008 pairing with Pau Gasol produced two more championships in 2009 and 2010, with Bryant winning Finals MVP honors both times. Gasol wrote on Twitter that he was “beyond devastated, adding: “My big brother … I can’t, I just can’t believe it.”A famous competitor known for championing his ruthless “Mamba Mentality,” Bryant suffered a career-altering Achilles’ injury in 2013. He recovered to play three more seasons, retiring in 2016. A season-long retirement tour culminated with a 60-point explosion in the last game of his career, perhaps the most memorable finale in NBA history.
“We are stunned and devastated by the news of the sudden passing of Kobe Bryant,” the National Basketball Players Association said in a statement. “Words cannot express his impact on our players, the NBA and the game of basketball. This is a monumental loss for the entire basketball community and our hearts are quite simply broken. We send love and prayers out to his wife Vanessa and the entire family.”
Why Kobe Bryant leaves behind a complicated legacy
To many, Kobe Bryant was a hero. But some saw him as an attacker who went unpunished. NBA editor Glenn Yoder explains why mourning the star isn't simple. (Sarah Parnass, Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)
Bryant’s NBA career was not without controversy. In 2003, a 19-year-old woman in Colorado accused him of sexual assault, although the charges were later dropped. The two parties later settled a civil suit.In retirement, Bryant wrote children’s books and produced animated stories, while also pursuing assorted media and business projects with his Granity Studios. In 2018, he won an Academy Award for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball,” his love letter to the sport.
Bryant and Gianna shared a love for basketball, with Bryant serving as her coach and occasionally taking her to Lakers games. Just last month, they sat courtside for the Lakers’ victory over the Dallas Mavericks and took photographs with rising star Luka Doncic.
“[Bryant has] got one of the greatest female basketball players that’s about to come up sitting next to him,” Lakers superstar LeBron James said after a game in November. “I’m just trying to put on a show for them.”
Among his NBA peers, Bryant was revered for his tireless work ethic and his fearlessness in clutch moments.
“For most of the guys in this league … Kobe is their Jordan,” Celtics Coach Brad Stevens said.
Fans at the scene were in similar disbelief. The still-smoking wreckage was visible from the street up on a hillside Sunday afternoon. Parking spots in the local shopping center were filled, and cars were illegally parked on both sides of the street near the crash site.
“I just came as a respect for Kobe, he was one of the greatest of all time, especially in L.A. He has a history that we’re never going to forget,” said Mark Escalante, 48, who drove 45 minutes from Fillmore.
Cody Stenzel, 18, of Camarillo, remembered Bryant as a role model. Holding a bouquet of yellow and purple tulips, Stenzel spoke of his experience at the Mamba Sports Academy that Bryant had opened in nearby Thousand Oaks. The academy welcomed all local youth during the 2018 Woolsey wildfires that ripped through Calabasas and neighboring areas.
“I couldn’t really afford it so I just went there to have fun and play some basketball when the fires were happening. It was really cool,” he said, adding that Bryant had always been an important figure to him.
“I always looked up to him and watch the Lakers,” he said. “It was how hard he worked. Everyone knew he had Mamba mentality … It’s being tougher than anything and pushing through adversity and all the tough times … I saw that mentality and it was cool to see what he did.”
Bryan Miller, 53, from Calabasas, donned a Lakers jersey after riding his bike over to the scene.
“I spent my life watching the Lakers," he said. "I already know that life so short, that it can be over before you think. So make the best of it.”
Golliver reported from New Orleans. Harrison Smith, Emily Langer and Cindy Boren in Washington contributed to this report.
Look, it's definitely not every day that you see a dick-themed manicure. So when several photos of penis nail art (yes, that did feel weird writing!) started popping up on my Instagram explore page, I simply had to know more. A few emails later and I have the whole backstory — and trust me, it's not what you would expect. It's not a funny joke between friends or the work of someone who specializes in sexual nail art (is that even a thing?) but rather, a social worker's silly way of distracting her clients who are HIV positive and dealing with homelessness.
The social worker's name is Heather Hampton, and sure enough, if you scroll through her feed, you'll find an array of different dick-themed manicures, including ones with flowers sprouting from the penis tips, one with cacti designed to look like dicks, and even a hot dog version. I know, I know: It's almost too much to handle.
Turns out, Hampton's cheeky manicures are really helping people though. When I reached out to Donne Geer — aka the artist behind the dick art and one half of the Hey, Nice Nails! account on Instagram — she explained her client's work situation and said it's served as a "fun distraction" for everyone involved. "They're able to joke around with Heather about it and make a hard situation feel a little lighter," she says.
It appears that the two started working together on their penis-inspired project in 2018, but even before that, Hampton was getting sex-positive manicures on a regular basis. She's had condoms, vibrators, and butts — to name just a few — emblazoned on her digits since 2017. It's also worth noting that she features all different skin tones in her designs, so everyone feels seen and represented.
Definitely throw Hampton and Geer a follow on Instagram if you want to show your support — or if you simply want to see more dick nail art on your feed. Hey, no one's judging here.
The 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were presented Sunday night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, and many recent Golden Globe winners added another trophy to their collections.
"Parasite," a South Korean film about class warfare, took top honors for best ensemble performance, becoming the first foreign language film ever to win. Meanwhile, individual awards went to Joaquin Phoenix ("Joker"), Renée Zellweger ("Judy"), Brad Pitt ("Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood") and Laura Dern ("Marriage Story"). All four earned Golden Globes for their roles and are also nominated for Academy Awards.
On the TV side, ensemble awards went to the casts of "The Crown" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Individual honors went to Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones"), Jennifer Aniston ("The Morning Show"), Tony Shaloub ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Phoebe Waller-Bridge ("Fleabag") and "Fosse/Verdon" stars Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell. Waller-Bridge and Williams also recently won Golden Globes.
Film
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
"Parasite"
This is Pitt's first individual Actor®. Pitt says he took inspiration for his role as stunt double Cliff Booth from Tom Laughlin's portrayal of Billy Jack #sagawards
The @MaiselTV repeats as recipient of the Actor® for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for the second consecutive year #sagawards
Congrats to Sam Rockwell on picking up the Actor® for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series! Rockwell trained and did all of his own dancing to play the famed choreographer. "I realized quite quickly I was not a dancer." #sagawards
Congratulations, Michelle Williams! Williams says that she feels as if she was training to play Gwen Verdon her whole life with the training from all of her previous roles #sagawards@FosseVerdonFX
Congratulations to Phoebe Waller-Bridge for receiving the Actor® for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series. Although the show isn't considered autobiographical, Fleabag is a name Waller-Bridge is called by her family. Flea, for short #sagawards@fleabag
Congratulations to Robert De Niro on a lifetime of excellence. From iconic characters, to quotable lines, to historic movies, De Niro is a true generational talent and we are looking forward to more greatness to come #sagawards
Charlize Theron (in Givenchy Haute Couture) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for the role of Megyn Kelly in "Bombshell."
Jennifer Lopez (in custom Georges Hobeika) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for the role of Ramona in "Hustlers."
Jennifer Aniston (in vintage Dior by John Galliano) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series for the role of Alex Levy in "The Morning Show."
Reese Witherspoon (in Celine) is nominated for her role as Madeline Mackenzie with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Scarlett Johansson (in Armani) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for the role of Nicole Barber in "Marriage Story" and is also nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for the role of Rosie in "Jojo Rabbit."
Laura Dern (in Stella McCartney) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for the role of Nora Fanshaw in "Marriage Story."
Renée Zellweger (in custom Maison Margiela Haute Couture) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for the role of Judy Garland in "Judy."
Michelle Williams (in Louis Vuitton) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or limited series for the role of Gwen Verdon in "Fosse/Verdon."
Nicole Kidman (in Michael Kors Collection) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for the role of Gretchen Carlson in "Bombshell."
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (in Armani Privé) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for the role of Fleabag in "Fleabag."
Margot Robbie (in Chanel) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for the role of Kayla Pospisil in "Bombshell."
Christina Applegate (in Monique Lhuillier) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for the role of Jen Harding in "Dead To Me."
Patricia Arquette (in Rosetta Getty) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or limited series for the role of Dee Dee Blanchard in "The Act."
Elisabeth Moss (in Monique Lhuillier) is nominated for her role as June with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Zoe Kravitz (in Oscar de la Renta) is nominated for her role as Bonnie Carlson with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Millie Bobby Brown (in Louis Vuitton) is nominated for her role as Eleven with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Noah Schnapp (in Balmain) is nominated for his role as Will Byers with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Lupita Nyong'o (in Louis Vuitton) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for the role of Adelaide Wilson and Red in "Us."
Leonardo DiCaprio is nominated for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for the role of Rick Dalton in "Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood."
Dakota Fanning (in Valentino) is nominated for her role as Squeaky Fromme with the cast of "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood" for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.
Rachel Brosnahan (in Stella McCartney) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for the role of Midge Maisel in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
Nathalie Emmanuel (in Miu Miu) is nominated for her role as Missandrei with the cast of "Game of Thrones" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Catherine O'Hara (in Marc Jacobs) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for the role of Moira Rosel in "Schitt's Creek." She is accompanied by Bo Welch.
Dan Levy (in Dior) is nominated for his role as David Rose with the cast of "Schitt's Creek" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Emily Hampshire (in J Mendel) is nominated for her role as Stevie Budd with the cast of "Schitt's Creek" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Michael Douglas is nominated for outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series for the role of Sandy Kominsky in "The Kominsky Method." He is accompanied by his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, who wore Julien McDonald.
Cynthia Erivo (in Schiaparelli Haute Couture) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role for the role of Harriet in "Harriet."
Sophie Turner (in Louis Vuitton) is nominated for her role as Sansa Stark with the cast of "Game of Thrones" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Allison Janney (in Pamela Rolland) is nominated for her role as Susan Estrich with the cast of "Bombshell" for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.
Winona Ryder (in Dior) is nominated for her role as Joyce Byers with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Meryl Streep is nominated for her role as Mary Louise Wright with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Gwendoline Christie (in Rick Owens) is nominated for her role as Brienne of Tarth with the cast of "Game of Thrones" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Kathryn Newton (in Valentino) is nominated for her role as Abigail Carlson with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Sam Rockwell is nominated for his role as Capt. Klenzendorf with the cast of "Jojo Rabbit" for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture. He is accompanied by his wife, Leslie Bibb.
Douglas Smith is nominated for his role as Corey Brockfield with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. He is accompanied by Tricia Travis.
Ivy George, Nicholas Crovetti, and Cameron Crovetti are nominated with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Michael Park is nominated for his role as Tom Holloway with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. He is attending with his daughter, Annabelle Park.
Dacre Montgomery is nominated for his role as Billy Hargrove with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. He is attending with Liv Pollock.
James Tupper is nominated for his role as Nathan Carlson with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series. He is accompanied by Shireen Jiwan.
Gaten Matarazzo is nominated for his role as Dustin Henderson with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Jenna Lyng Adams is nominated for her role as Darshani with the cast of "The Kominsky Method" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Merrin Dungey is nominated for his role as Adrienne Quinlan with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Joey King (in Jason Wu) is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or limited series for the role of Gypsy Rose Blanchard in "The Act."
Anna Paquin (in Carolina Herrera) is nominated for her role as Older Peggy Sheeran with the cast of "The Irishman" for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.
Sarah Baker is nominated for her role as Mindy Kominsky with the cast of "The Kominsky Method" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Samira Wiley (in Adeam) is nominated for her role as Moira with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Amanda Brugel (in Sebastian Gunawan) is nominated for her role as Rita with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Chloe Coleman is nominated for his role as Skye Carlson with the cast of "Big Little Lies" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Kristen Gutoskie (in Jenny Packham) is nominated for her role as Martha Beth with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Sarah Levy (in Alexia Maria) is nominated for her role as Twyla Sands with the cast of "Schitt's Creek" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Jennifer Robertson is nominated for her role as Jocelyn Schitt with the cast of "Schitt's Creek" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Caleb McLaughlin is nominated for his role as Lucas Sinclair with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Madeline Brewer (in Monique Lhuillier) is nominated for her role as Janine with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
D'arcy Carden (in Romona Keveza) is nominated for her role as Natalie with the cast of "Barry" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Nina Kiri (in Georges Chakra Couture) is nominated for her role as Alma with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Yvonne Strahovski (in Khyeli) is nominated for her role as Serena Joy with the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Jane Seymour is nominated for her role as Madelyn with the cast of "The Kominsky Method" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Natalia Dyer (in Saint Laurent) and Charlie Heaton are nominated for their roles with the cast of "Stranger Things" for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series.
Alex Borstein is nominated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series for the role of Susie Myerson in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."