EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING, DailyEdge.ie rounds up the best of the day’s celebrity dirt from the top to the very bottom.  

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It was expected that Ben Affleck’s press duties would be minimized to minimise complications in the promotion of Justice League after he became a major figure in the Weinstein scandal.

However, Ben has been present at interviews and the topic still managed to come up. Fox 5 reporter Kevin McCarthy asked for Affleck’s take on things. He didn’t jump directly in with the question, but rather brought up actor Kevin Smith’s pledge:

I saw a story recently, that I loved so much. Kevin Smith is going to be donating his future residuals of his movies he made under the Weinstein name to women in film. I just want to get your thoughts on that and just for you guys in general, what can we do to fix this culture now?

Maybe Ben’s not the best person to ask on how to change the culture, as he still has yet to condemn his own brother Casey who made two settlements for sexual harassment out of court in 2010. Anyway, Affleck responded:

It’s funny you mention that, because once Kevin suggested that I decided to do the same thing.

Kevin McCarthy interjected with a “Really?!” Before Affleck continued:

I’m giving any further residuals that I get from a Miramax or a Weinstein movie to Film Independent or to RAINN. I just didn’t want to cash any more cheques from the guy. I don’t usually bring it up but it was Kevin’s idea. It was a good one, but I hope it catches on.

Film Independent works with independent filmmakers and RAINN is the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. (Metro)

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous host Robin Leach has dropped $10,000 on this original painting by Britney Spears. 

As of late, Britney Spears has been pursuing new hobbies to express her creativity. She’s been sharing Instagram videos of herself painting out in her back garden to the soundtrack of Mozart and it’s actually quite wholesome.

She decided to auction off her paintings for victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting, including one of the paintings featured in the iconic Mozart video. The painting sold for $10,000 to Robin Leach, who was delighted with his new piece. (Cosmopolitan)

Jay Z has spoken out about rapper Meek Mill’s prison sentence, calling it “unjust and heavy handed.” 

Last night Meek Mill was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison for violating his probation. The breach of probation related to an altercation the rapper had at an airport with a staff member and an arrest from August for reckless driving and reckless endangerment.

The reckless driving and endangerment arrest was prompted after he posted a video of himself doing a wheelie on a motorbike without a helmet on.

The charges from both incidents were dropped, but a court had to review whether or not he had violated probation. Jay Z has aired his disapproval of the alarmingly long sentence that will take 2-4 years out of the 30-year-old’s life.

The sentence handed down by the Judge — against the recommendation of the Assistant District Attorney and Probation Officer — is unjust and heavy handed. We will always stand by and support Meek Mill, both as he attempts to right this wrongful sentence and then in returning to his musical career.

Jay Z shared this post to his personal Facebook. (Pitchfork)

And the rest of the day’s dirt…

• Arctic Monkey’s singer Alex Turner and model Alexa Chung could be back together (NME)
• The war between Taylor Swift and Diplo rages on, as Swift fans spam Diplo’s Instagram profile with poo emojis (Teen Vogue)
• Chuck Norris files a lawsuit as he believes his wife was poisoned by an MRI scan (Metro)
• Lily Allen is set to release an “uncomfortable, shocking and brutal” memoir (NME)
• The Jersey Shore cast are unhappy that MTV is reviving the show in a Florida/Alabama hybrid called Floribama Shore (Cosmopolitan)

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