Actress Jenifer Lewis from the ABC TV show "Black-ish" is suing LA Fitness because the company did not fire an employee whom she alleges committed fraud against her, according to a statement Lewis’ manager provided to Club Industry. In a Facebook post, Lewis claims the employee—who she says was her former romantic partner Tony Wilson—“conned” her into investing money in his business ventures. She also is suing Wilson in Los Angeles Superior Court. In a statement provided to Ebony, Wilson said the relationship between he and Lewis has been “extremely distorted,” and the allegations against him are “exaggerated and taken out of context.”
A SoulCycle client in Larkspur, California, died Jan. 14 from bacterial meningitis, according to NBC Bay Area. SoulCycle representatives said the deceased, Sevin Philips, 48, did not contract the infection at the cycling studio, but the facility has since been disinfected. Marin County public health officials said it is unlikely the infection could spread to other members, as it is transmitted directly through coughing and sneezing.
Goats, beer and nudity—this trio of unusual yoga trends is shaking up mindfulness exercise around the globe.
- Lainey Morse’s Goat Yoga classes in Albany, Oregon, have received national attention for their inclusion of live goats. Morse told CNN that her goats’ calming presence helps many clients cope with anxiety, depression and even cancer.
- On another front, Germany’s BierYoga fad has spread to Australia. The company’s first sessions in Australia were held in Sydney on Jan. 20, according to a report by Mashable. The event’s Facebook page explains that BierYoga sessions are “the marriage of two great loves – beer and yoga. Over one hour, we take yoga class and incorporate beer into each pose.”
- If those weren’t enough, Astroetic Studios trainers have introduced topless yoga classes at their Los Angeles club. Creator Danielle Dorsey told Observer that the sessions—conducted in candlelight—promote gender equality and body positivity.
Staff at Valparaiso Family YMCA have banned CNN broadcasts from their facility televisions, according to a Northwest Indiana Times report, after several clients complained about being subjected to “fake news”—a reference to President Donald Trump’s recent allegations against the media outlet. “In order to eliminate perceived political bias associated with national news outlets, the Valparaiso Family YMCA will only be showing local news channels in the future,” a facility representative told The Times.
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