"Empire" Star Turns the Page on Bullying With New Children's Book
Grace Byers' character Anika has seen plenty of twists and turns during her four-season run on "Empire," but it's the actress' own childhood that inspired her to write her first children's book. Byers joins Cheddar to discuss what she hopes young people get out of "I Am Enough."
She takes us back to her years growing up in the Cayman Islands as a multiracial child of hearing-impaired parents. Despite featuring illustrations of female characters, Byers says the book is meant to empower children of all genders. She recounts a story of a near-death experience and how it changed her outlook on life. The star also tells us what it's like playing a character prone to bullying others.
"Empire" shattered expectations for what's possible from a network television show. Byers reveals whether she thinks the series is changing the model for success in the streaming era. She also gives her take on what the series finale might entail at some point down the road.
Americans are expected to spend nearly $24 billion in 2022 for Valentine's Day, and many of those gifts will be in the form of chocolate. John Galloway, interim president of the Americas and CMO of Godiva, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what chocolate trends the brand is seeing this year, plus the impact of inflation and supply chain issues on the industry.
New York City's famous subway system is currently facing scrutiny after several recent attacks on platforms. Now, local leaders in the Big Apple are calling on the MTA. To step in and take action.
New York City ride-hailing app drivers are about to get a pay raise. According to the city's Mayor Eric Adams, New York will increase its minimum driver pay rate for both Uber and Lyft drivers. This means both platforms would now be required to pay their drivers a minimum of $1.61 cents per mile and about 0.50 cents per minute. Ultimately, the move would give riders at least a 5.3% race. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Tensions in Ukraine continue to rise. According to NATO and U.S. officials, Russian troops are still being built up despite Moscow's claims of de-escalation. However, Ukraine does not believe the troops are enough to mount an invasion. The government in Kyiv has also reported several cyber attacks against its defense agencies and banks which is the largest attack in the country's history. Foreign Affairs Reporter based in Ukrain, Terrell Starr, joined Cheddar to discuss more
