It’s not been a good week for Chet Hanks, the rapper, actor and son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.
Earlier this week, he was accused of racism after he launched a collection of merchandise called White Boy Summer. Then on Tuesday, TMZ released a video showing the aftermath of an altercation between Hanks and his ex-girlfriend Kiana Parker from January, which left Hanks with a bloodied face.
What is White Boy Summer?
The controversy over his line of merchandise began after Hanks posted a video on his Instagram, saying he’s “just got a feeling this summer is about to be a white boy summer”.
“Take it how you want, I’m not talking about Trump, Nascar-type white. I’m talking about me, [rappers] Jon B, Jack Harlow-type white boys summer, you know what I mean? Let me know if you guys can vibe with that, and get ready. ‘Cause I am,” he posted on Instagram.
Hanks, who raps under the moniker Chet Haze, was quickly inundated with comments, many saying they couldn’t "vibe" with that proclamation.
“I’m sorry but somebody needs to tell Chet Hanks that ‘white boy summer’ sounds like the title of a Netflix documentary about mass shootings,” one user posted on Twitter.
“I just told my friend it sounds like the announcement of a Klan convention in July,” another added.
Two days later, Hanks clarified. “You know what’s not white boy summer… is having any ill will or prejudice towards anybody from a different background, race, walk of life than you,” he said in a video.
Then on Tuesday, he revealed the White Boy Summer merchandise. While the name was already problematic, Hanks's use of fonts for the collection got the internet even more riled up.
The collection, which includes hoodies, T-shirts, shorts and tank tops, uses a Gothic-style font that is close to the one used by white nationalists. It's also similar to the Fraktur fonts, which were used in Nazi Germany, most prominently on the cover of Hitler's Mein Kampf, according to The Guardian.
“Unfortunately the merch looks aggressively racist,” one Twitter user posted.
“If I see anybody wearing this, I am calling the police," another wrote.
Hanks, the third child of Tom and Rita, has been accused of racism in the past.
In 2015, he defended using the "N word" on social media because he believes it “unifies the culture of hip-hop across all races”.
“I do say the 'N word' in real life amongst my black friends who get me and can’t nobody tell me I can’t say what the [expletive] I feel like, no disrespect to the struggle of black people during the civil rights movement, but it’s 2015 now… get with the times,” he wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post.
In 2020, a video of him speaking in a Jamaican accent at the Golden Globes – where his father was honoured with the Cecil B DeMille Award – went viral and amassed more than 4.5 million views.
The violent January altercation, which TMZ posted about this week, also comes after a restraining order filed by his former girlfriend.
A Texas judge this week granted legal protections to Parker after she alleged Hanks was verbally and physically abusive, according to the Houston Chronicle.
TMZ reported Hanks has also filed a lawsuit against Parker over the incident captured in the video.
Hanks in 2015 also spoke about his time in rehab for cocaine addiction.
"As a parent, you love your kids unconditionally," his Oscar-winning father said of his son's addiction to Entertainment Tonight. "You support them every step of the way. You got to applaud the bravery and honesty when it actually comes out of your own house."
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
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Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
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