PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Will Smith marks 50th birthday with a leap near Grand Canyon

Like a scene out of a high-octane action movie that he would star in, Will Smith celebrated his 50th birthday Tuesday by bungee jumping from a helicopter near the Grand Canyon.

Cameras, which captured the stunt for a livestream on YouTube , showed the actor hooked to a harness and bungee cords dangling over Little Colorado

Smith said the bungee jump was a challenge from Yes Theory, a YouTube channel that makes videos of people doing activities outside of their comfort zone. But the event also raised money for charity. The proceeds will benefit access to education for children in struggling countries.

‘Top Chef’ host Lakshmi says she kept quiet about her rape at 16

Padma Lakshmi is saying “me too.” The “Top Chef ” host, 48, opened up about why she didn’t tell anyone about being raped at 16 in light of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, as well as allegations from Deborah Ramirez.

“On Friday, President Trump tweeted that if what Dr. Blasey said was true, she would have filed a police report years ago,” Lakshmi wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times published Tuesday. “But I understand why both women would keep this information to themselves. For years, I did the same thing.” Until now.

Lakshmi revealed Friday on Twitter that she was “date raped” by her boyfriend, using the hashtag #WhyIDidnt Report, which has become an outlet for survivors to share why they never came forward with assault allegations.

The TV host said she blamed herself for what happened because there wasn’t any “language in the 1980s for date rape.” — From wire reports