Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for September 16
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Rapper Nicki Minaj is receiving words of encouragement on social media from fans and stars following her apparent war of words with the Biden administration on Wednesday.
Minaj made headlines for calling out White House officials after the administration put out a statement clarifying it had offered her a phone call to discuss her coronavirus vaccine hesitancy, not an in-person visit. Minaj, who was baffled by the clarification, took to Twitter to share her take on what really went down and then followed up in a 14-minute video on Instagram claiming she's not a liar.
"Do y’all think I would go on the internet and lie about being invited to the f---ing White House? Like what? Do you guys see what is happening right now?" Minaj said in the video.
She claimed her manager and publicist were on a call with the White House in which administration officials said, "We’d like to offer Nicki an invitation to come to the White House to speak with" Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Minaj, who claimed Wednesday that she's been put in "Twitter jail," was backed by stars and several of her followers who shared their opinions on social media.
Young Money Entertainment, the record label founded by Lil Wayne, shared a photo of Minaj on stage and declared, "We gonna stand with @nickiminaj through it all."
Randy Quaid commented on the matter on Twitter as well and quoted Minaj, saying, "So many of your favorite Artists feel this way but they are afraid to speak up."
NICKI MINAJ SAYS SHE'S IN 'TWITTER JAIL,' WILL NEVER USE PLATFORM AGAIN
Nicki Minaj is receiving support from fans and others in the entertainment industry after calling out Biden officials. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
One Instagram user commented on Minaj's video, writing, "HEY KNOW YOU SAYING THE TRUTH NICKI!! And they’re mad at that!. I Love you and will always stand by YOU."
Singer Spice added: "Onika you are under attack because you're ‘black and intelligent’ when we are too educated we become a problem to society. May God watch over you and cover every step you take." Minaj responded, "love you, Queen. Thank you."
Another user called Minaj a "strong minded black woman" and told Minaj to stay focused.
NICKI MINAJ COMPARES CANCEL CULTURE IN US TO CHINA AFTER VACCINE BLOWBACK: 'DON'T YA'LL SEE'
Musician Keisha Renee backed Minaj and implored the artist to "stand your ground."
"You're lifting the veil, that they don't want open. Keep speaking up, Queen!" another wrote online.
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Nicki Minaj attends the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 runway show during New York Fashion Week on February 12, 2020 in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs)
Minaj has claimed she was blocked from writing tweets, but Twitter told Fox News in a statement it "did not take any enforcement action" on her account. Still, the artist said she plans to never use the platform again.
Also in her video shared to Instagram, Minaj compared cancel culture in the United States to China's restrictions on residents and visitors from criticizing the country's leaders.
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"I remember going to China and they were telling us you know, you cannot speak out against, you know, the people in power, there, etc," Minaj said in her Instagram Live video on Wednesday night.
"Don't y'all see that we are living now in that time where people will turn their back on you … but people will isolate you if you simply speak and ask a question."
Earlier Wednesday, a White House official suggested the administration offered only a phone call with the rapper to speak with experts on vaccine safety. She said she told White House officials she would rather not travel and suggested some kind of either public or private "live" video on social media.
The White House was open to doing a "live" session, she said, but never took a trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. off the table.
Fox News' Brie Stimson contributed to this report.
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