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ESSENCE Fest (And Likely ALL Other Concerts) Canceled For 2020, But A Virtual Edition Will Go Down + WWE Deemed ‘Essential’ In Florida, Wrestlers Still Fired

​ Apr 15 | by _YBF ​ ​ ​ ​

essencepostponed

Essence Festival 2020 has been cancelled and virtual edition of the event will be hosted to raise funds for COVID-19 relief. Get those deets, plus the ridiculousness moves by Florida officials by deeming the WWE as essential inside….

 

Summer plans to attend the annual ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans have been cancelled.

Today, ESSENCE announced that they will no longer move forward with the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture live experience and look forward to returning to New Orleans in 2021. After New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell recommended that no large events take place in New Orleans in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, they decided to pull the plug on the annual event.

ESSENCE initially thought they would be able to reschedule the festival for the fall, but with the way Americans are rapidly being infected with COVID-19, they made the tough decision to postpone until next year for the sake of the public’s health. Not to mention, New Orleans has been on track to becoming the new epicenter for the deadly virus.

 

 
 
 
 
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After continued monitoring of the evolving developments in the COVID-19 global pandemic and in collaboration with our partners in the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana, ESSENCE will no longer move forward with the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture live experience. We look forward to returning to New Orleans in 2021. Tickets sold for the 2020 Festival will be honored in 2021 and full refunds are also available. We are excited to now announce an ‘ESSENCE Benefit Series to Fight COVID-19’ will raise money and provide support for businesses and organizations in Black communities across the country. We will host the first-ever ESSENCE Festival of Culture: The Virtual Edition taking place over July 4th weekend as a multi-day experience and benefit celebration linked to this effort. The virtual Festival will be a benefit celebration in honor and support of the City of New Orleans, which has been an incredible partner over the Festival’s 26 years and continues to be especially hard hit during this crisis. Click our bio link for the full statement from ESSENCE. #EssenceFest

A post shared by ESSENCE Festival (@essencefest) on

 

On the flip side, ESSENCE will host a virtual event to help raise money to support the black community – businesses and organizations – across the nation.

”We are excited to now announce that our ‘ESSENCE Benefit Series to Fight COVID-19’ will raise money and provide support for businesses and organizations in Black communities across the country, and that our first-ever ESSENCE Festival of Culture: The Virtual Edition taking place over July 4th weekend will be included in this effort as a multi-day experience and benefit celebration,” ESSENCE said in a statement.

”This Festival will be hosted on our new ESSENCE Studios streaming platform, which will extend the experience to communities everywhere providing unfettered access to the power, purpose and party that has made the ESSENCE Festival the largest cultural, entertainment and empowerment experience in the world.

”Women across the globe and their families will engage in interactive, live opportunities to be inspired, empowered, entertained and transformed as they enter a new economic, spiritual and wellness journey ahead. The virtual Festival will be a benefit celebration in honor and support of the City of New Orleans, which has been an incredible partner over the Festival’s 26 years and continues to be especially hard hit during this crisis.”

Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana thanked ESSENCE for working with the city to help flatten the curve in NOLA.

“ESSENCE and the City of New Orleans have a partnership that thrives in good times and is made even stronger in challenging times,” said Mayor Cantrell. “We share an uncompromised commitment to the best interest of our local community and our tourist community, and the priorities right now are providing support to those who have been affected by the disproportionate impact of the pandemic here in New Orleans and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to our great city in 2021 for the return of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture and to once again helping to create such an unmatched and magical experience.”

“We greatly appreciate the Essence family for working with the City of New Orleans and Louisiana as we face this ongoing public health crisis,’ said Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana. “We have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the Essence family and look forward to continuing the celebration in 2021.”

Will you be tuning in for the virtual event?

In other news...

 

 

 

As public health experts are encouraging (and almost begging) people to gather only if they have to, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) declared the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) as an “essential service” during the deadly pandemic. And his reason for doing so doesn't even make sense.

DeSantis basically told reporters he made the WWE an essential service because people need new content while in quarantine. We can’t make this up.

“I think people are chomping at the bit,” he said. “I mean, if you think about it, we’ve never had a period like this in modern American history where you’ve had such little new content, particularly in the sporting realm. I mean, people are watching, we’re watching, like, reruns from the early 2000s, watching Tom Brady do the Super Bowl, which is neat because he’s gonna be in Tampa and I think they have a chance to win a Super Bowl this year. But I think people - to be able to have some light at the tunnel, see that things may get back on a better course — I think from just a psychological perspective I think is a good thing.”

What he doesn't say is that the owners of WWE, The McMahons, are staunch republicans who, like DeSantis, are close personal friends of Donald Trump.

Peep the press conference he held yesterday where he talks about it below (at the 27:40-minute mark):

He said there would be no crowds in attendance, but still. There are tons of people who work behind-the-scenes to produce a WWE show. By the way, the WWE announced one staffer recently tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

 

 

 

DeSantis and Linda McMahon are now under scrutiny for this decision considering their Trump ties.

Although the WWE has become essential in Florida, the company has furloughed some of its wrestlers in an effort to cut costs and increase cash flow.

The company cut legend Kurt Angle along with a score of wrestlers: tag-team partners Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, Drake Maverick, Curt Hawkins, EC3, Lio Rush, Heath Slater, Aiden English and Eric Young. Zack Ryder, Sarah Logan, Erick Rowan, Primo and Epico Colon, Mike and Maria Kanellis and No way Jose were also reportedly released. Several producers, including Lance Storm, Shane Helms and Fit Finlay, were also let go or furloughed, as was referee Mike Chioda.

Oddly, Rusev, one of the most popular figures who also appeared on E's "Total Divas" with his wife Lana, was also cut.

The WWE is also reducing the salaries of executives and board members; decreasing operating expenses; cutting talent expenses, third party staffing and consulting; and deferring spending on the construction of the company's new headquarters for at least six months. It's reported the WWE will save $4 million a month with the measures “along with cash flow improvement of $140 million primarily from the deferral in spending on the Company’s new headquarters.”

Damn.

Photo: Getty

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